Cumorah

This is the land of Cumorah. Due to the practice of naming a land by the same name as the city, it is presumed to also be the city of Cumorah. The land of Cumorah is also called the land of dry bones and the land of many waters, rivers and fountains. The hill Cumorah is in the land of Cumorah. The land of Cumorah is southward of the waters of Ripliancum, northward of Ogath, northward of the hill Shim, northward of the land of Nephi, westward of Ablom, westward of the Sea East, and eastward of the land of Jordan. The land of Cumorah is in proximity to the Sea East.

Commentaries (view it on a map)

MOSIAH 5:61 [8:8]: And they were lost in the wilderness, for the space of many days, yet they were diligent, and found not the land of Zarahemla, but returned to this land, having traveled in a land among many waters;

Commentary: This verse references the places of Cumorah, the land covered with dry bones, the land of many waters, Nephi, the wilderness between Nephi and Zarahemla, and Zarahemla. The term 'they' refers to 43 men that King Limhi sent to find the land of Zarahemla, became lost, and found the land of dry bones. The 'land among many waters' is an alternative description of the land of dry bones (the land of Cumorah). Going from the land of Nephi to the land of Zarahemla, it is possible to get lost in the wilderness between the land of Nephi and the land of Zarahemla. It is also possible to go to the land of many waters from the land of Nephi while bypassing the land of Zarahemla. The wilderness between the land of Nephi and the land of Zarahemla is the same wilderness as the wilderness between the land of Nephi and the land of many waters. The land was not yet known as the land of Cumorah since the Nephites had not populated that land at this time.

MOSIAH 5:62 [8:8]: Having discovered a land which was covered with bones of men, and of beasts, etc., and was also covered with ruins of buildings of every kind:

Commentary: This verse references the places of Cumorah, the land covered with dry bones, and the land of many waters. The land of many waters (the land of Cumorah and the land of dry bones) contained ruins of buildings. This is logical since the armies that fought at the hill Ramah spent four years preparing for the final battle. The phrase 'bones of men, and of beasts' is consistent with the description that it is a land of dry bones. There is no description of finding any people in the land, just ruins. If they had found people in this land, the people would have informed them that the land was not the land of Zarahemla. This indicates the land of Cumorah was not yet peopled by anyone, even Nephites.

MOSIAH 5:64 [8:9]: And for a testimony that the things that they have said are true, they have brought twenty-four plates, which are filled with engravings; and they are of pure gold.

Commentary: This verse references the places of Cumorah, the land covered with dry bones, and the land of many waters. This verse, along with the verses of Mosiah 9:169 [21:27] and Ether 6:108 [15:33], confirms that the land of many waters is the same as the land of dry bones and the land of Cumorah.

MOSIAH 9:167 [21:26]: Nevertheless they did find a land which had been peopled; yea, a land which was covered with dry bones; yea, a land which had been peopled, and which had been destroyed;

Commentary: This verse references the places of Cumorah, the hill Cumorah, the hill Ramah, the land covered with dry bones, Nephi, and Zarahemla. The land of dry bones is in the same general direction (northward) from the land of Nephi as the land of Zarahemla. It is also the same location as the hill Ramah (which is the same as the hill Cumorah) in the land of Cumorah.

MOSIAH 9:168 [21:26]: And they having supposed it to be the land of Zarahemla, returned to the land of Nephi, having arrived in the borders of the land not many days before the coming of Ammon.

Commentary: This verse references the places of Cumorah, the hill Cumorah, the hill Ramah, the land covered with dry bones, and Nephi. The term 'they' refers to men from the land of Nephi trying to find the land of Zarahemla. There is no mention of becoming lost in the wilderness on the trip back to the land of Nephi from the land of dry bones (the land of Cumorah, hill Cumorah, and hill Ramah). The men could find their way back to the land of Nephi. There were sufficient landmarks between the land of dry bones (land of Cumorah) and the land of Nephi to be able to retrace their path.

MOSIAH 9:169 [21:27]: And they brought a record with them, even a record of the people whose bones they had found; and they were engraven on plates of ore.

Commentary: This verse references the places of Cumorah, the hill Cumorah, the hill Ramah, and the land covered with dry bones. This verse and Ether 6:108 [15:33], confirms that the land of dry bones is the same as the land around hill Ramah. The hill Ramah is the same as the hill Cumorah that is in the land of Cumorah.

MORMON 2:33 [5:7]: And it came to pass that we did again take to flight, and those whose flight was swifter than the Lamanites did escape, and those whose flight did not exceed the Lamanites were swept down and destroyed.

Commentary: This verse references the places of Jordan and Cumorah. The term 'we' refers to the Nephites. The Nephites were being driven from the city of Jordan. The Lamanites were attacking from the south and the Nephites eventually ended up at the land of Cumorah. The land of Cumorah is mentioned in Omner's travel to the Sea East Shore, so the flight would be towards the north and/or east of the city of Jordan. The area outside of the city of Jordan is the last location before Mormon discusses the land of Cumorah. This implies that the land of Cumorah is northward and/or eastward of the city of Jordan.

MORMON 3:2 [6:1]: And it came to pass that we did march forth before the Lamanites.

Commentary: This verse references the places of Cumorah and Jordan. The term 'we' refers to the Nephites. This verse is a continuation of Mormon 2:33 [5:7] indicating the flight northward and/or eastward of the city of Jordan prior to Mormon writing an epistle to the Lamanites to meet and battle in the land Cumorah.

MORMON 3:3 [6:2]: And I, Mormon, wrote an epistle unto the king of the Lamanites, and desired of him that he would grant unto us that we might gather together our people unto the land of Cumorah, by a hill which was called Cumorah, and there we would give them battle.

Commentary: This verse references the places of Cumorah, the hill Cumorah, and Jordan. The last land mentioned before this verse was the land of Jordan, and the Nephites were being driven northward and/or eastward of the city of Jordan. The need for Mormon to get permission from the king of the Lamanites indicates the need to keep the Lamanites from harassing the Nephites as they gathered to the land of Cumorah. In the Book of Ether, Omner passed the hill Cumorah on his travel to the Sea East shore, thus putting the hill Cumorah eastward of the city of Jordan. The Lamanites were to the south of the city of Jordan, so, using Occam's Razor, the hill Cumorah would be northward and/or eastward of the city of Jordan.

MORMON 3:5 [6:4]: And it came to pass that we did march forth to the land of Cumorah, and we did pitch our tents round about the hill Cumorah; and it was in a land of many waters, rivers and fountains; and here we had hope to gain advantage over the Lamanites.

Commentary: This verse references the places of Cumorah, hill Cumorah, and the land of many waters, rivers, and fountains. The land of Cumorah and hill Cumorah were in a land of many waters, rivers and fountains. Fountains are deep pools in rivers. The term 'many waters' means a sea. This puts the land of Cumorah in proximity to a sea. Since the land of dry bones is the same as the land of Cumorah and the bones came from the armies of Shiz and Coriantumr, the sea would be the Sea East.

MORMON 3:16 [6:15]: And it came to pass that there were ten more who did fall by the sword, with their ten thousand each; yea, even all my people, save it were those twenty and four who were with me, and also a few who had escaped into the south countries, and a few who had deserted over unto the Lamanites, had fallen,

Commentary: This verse references the places of Cumorah, hill Cumorah, the narrow neck, the north country, and the south countries. The term 'my' refers to Mormon. Some Nephites left the area of the hill Cumorah and went to the south countries. It is interesting to note that there is no mention of people escaping to the north, away from the general Lamanite population. Mormon had used the phrase 'north countries' a few chapters earlier in Mormon 1:24 [2:3]. Since the north countries refer to the countries in the narrow neck, the south countries would be countries southward of the narrow neck. There is insufficient information regarding which countries those might be.

MORMON 4:2 [8:2]: And now it came to pass that after the great and tremendous battle at Cumorah, behold, the Nephites who had escaped into the country southward, were hunted by the Lamanites, until they were all destroyed; and my father also was killed by them; and I, even remain alone to write the sad tale of the destruction of my people.

Commentary: This verse references the places of Cumorah, hill Cumorah, and south countries. The battle at Cumorah refers to the hill Cumorah. The phrase 'country southward' is the same as the 'south countries' in Mormon 3:16 [6:15].

ETHER 6:108 [15:33]: And he went forth, and beheld that the words of the Lord had all been fulfilled; and he finished his record; (and the hundredth part I have not written;) and he hid them in a manner that the people of Limhi did find them.

Commentary: This verse references the places of Cumorah, the hill Cumorah, the hill Ramah, and the land covered with dry bones. The term 'he' refers to Ether. This verse and Mosiah 9:169 [21:27] confirms that the land covered with dry bones is the same as the land around hill Ramah. The hill Ramah where Ether hid up the records is the same as the hill Cumorah that is in the land of Cumorah.

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