Ishmael

This is the land of Ishmael. Due to the practice of naming a land by the same name as the city, it is presumed to also be the city of Ishmael. The land of Ishmael is close to the south wilderness. It is next to the land of Middoni, and is in proximity to the land of Midian and the land of Nephi.

Commentaries (view it on a map)

ALMA 12:29 [17:19]: And Ammon went to the land of Ishmael, the land being called after the sons of Ishmael, who also became Lamanites.

Commentary: This verse references the places of Ishmael and the South Wilderness. The phrase 'went to' refers to Ammon's journey that started in the South Wilderness after separating from his brothers. This places the land of Ishmael southward of the South Wilderness in an area of Lamanite control.

ALMA 12:38 [17:26]: And after he had been in the service of the king three days, as he was with the Lamanitish servants, going forth with their flocks to the place of water, which was called the water of Sebus; (and all the Lamanites drive their flocks hither, that they may have water;)

Commentary: This verse references the places of Ishmael and the water of Sebus. The term 'he' refers to Ammon who was in the land of Ishmael at this time. So, the water of Sebus is in the land of Ishmael. This verse implies the water of Sebus is large enough to supply water to all of the Lamanite flocks. This is the only verse in the Book of Mormon that uses the singular phrase 'water of'. All other verses use the plural phrase 'waters of'.

ALMA 12:182 [20:2]: And the voice of the Lord came to Ammon, saying, Thou shalt not go up to the land of Nephi, for behold the king will seek thy life; but thou shalt go to the land of Middoni; for behold, thy brother Aaron, and also Muloki and Ammah are in prison.

Commentary: This verse references the places of Ishmael, Middoni, and Nephi. Ammon is in the land of Ishmael. The phrase 'go up' indicates the land of land of Nephi is higher in elevation than the land of Ishmael. This verse indicates that the land of Nephi and the land of Middoni are in proximity to the land of Ishmael.

ALMA 12:189 [20:7]: And he said unto Ammon, Come, I will go with thee down to the land of Middoni, and there I will plead with the king, that he will cast thy brethren out of prison.

Commentary: This verse references the places of Ishmael and Middoni. The phrase 'down to' indicates that the land of Middoni is lower in elevation than the land of Ishmael.

ALMA 12:198 [20:14]: And he also commanded him that he should not go to the land of Middoni, but that he should return with him, to the land of Ishmael.

Commentary: This verse references the places of Ishmael and Middoni. The term 'he' refers to the father of Lamoni. The term 'him' refers to Lamoni. Ammon and Lamoni were traveling from the land of Ishmael to the land of Middoni when the father of Lamoni caught up with them. The father of Lamoni was following them from the land of Ishmael. This verse indicates that the land of Middoni is close to the land of Ishmael.

ALMA 12:199 [20:15]: But Lamoni said unto him, I will not slay Ammon, neither will I return to the land of Ishmael, but I go to the land of Middoni, that I may release the brethren of Ammon, for I know that they are just men, and holy prophets of the true God.

Commentary: This verse references the places of Ishmael and Middoni. The term 'him' refers to the father of Lamoni. This verse indicates that the land of Ishmael is near the land of Middoni.

ALMA 12:215 [20:28]: And it came to pass that Ammon and Lamoni proceeded on their journey towards the land of Middoni.

Commentary: This verse references the places of Ishmael and Middoni. They proceeded to the land of Middoni from the land of Ishmael.

ALMA 12:220 [20:30]: Therefore they would not hearken unto their words, and they had cast them out, and had smitten them, and had driven them from house to house, and from place to place, even until they had arrived to the land of Middoni;

Commentary: This verse references the places other than Ishmael and Middoni. The term 'they' refers to Ammon and Lamoni. They were traveling in lands other than the land of Ishmael and reached the land of Middoni.

ALMA 13:23 [21:18]: And it came to pass that Ammon and Lamoni returned from the land of Middoni, to the land of Ishmael, which was the land of their inheritance.

Commentary: This verse references the places of Ishmael and Middoni. The land of Middoni is near the land of Ishmael.

ALMA 13:24 [21:19]: And King Lamoni would not suffer that Ammon should serve him, or be his servant; but he caused that there should be synagogues built in the land of Ishmael; and he caused that his people, or the people who were under his reign, should assemble themselves together.

Commentary: This verse references the place of Ishmael. This verse talks about assembling all the people in the land of Middoni. The size of the land could not be very large; otherwise, it would not be possible to assemble them all together.

ALMA 13:31 [22:1]: For after he departed from the land of Middoni, he was led by the Spirit to the land of Nephi; even to the house of the king which was over all the land, save it were the land of Ishmael and he was the father of Lamoni.

Commentary: This verse references the places of Ishmael, Middoni, and Nephi. The term 'he' refers to Aaron. This verse indicates that the land of Middoni is in proximity to the land of Nephi and the land of Ishmael.

ALMA 13:35 [22:4]: And Aaron said unto the king, Behold the Spirit of the Lord has called him another way; he has gone to the land of Ishmael, to teach the people of Lamoni.

Commentary: This verse references the places of Ishmael and Nephi. The term 'him' refers to Ammon. They are in the land of Nephi. This verse indicates that the land of Nephi is in proximity to the land of Ishmael.

ALMA 14:13 [23:8]: Now these are they who were converted unto the Lord: The people of the Lamanites who were in the land of Ishmael, and also of the people of the Lamanites who were in the land of Middoni, and also of the people of the Lamanites who were in the city of Nephi, and also of the people of the Lamanites who were in the land of Shilom, and who were in the land of Shemlon, and in the city of Lemuel, and in the city of Shimnilon;

Commentary: This verse references the places of Ishmael, Lemuel, Middoni, Midian, Nephi, Shemlon, Shilom, Shimnilon, and the South Wilderness. These lands are listed in the same verse, so each land borders the lands listed next to it. All of the lands are in the possessions of the Lamanites, so these lands were southward of the South Wilderness. The land of Midian is not listed in these lands, yet in later verses it is a land mentioned in verses that reference the lands of Nephi and Ishmael. It may be that the land of Midian is not a land in control of the Lamanites.

ALMA 14:25 [24:5]: Now when Ammon and his brethren, and all those who had come up with him, saw the preparations of the Lamanites to destroy their brethren, they came forth to the land of Midian, and there Ammon met all his brethren;

Commentary: This verse references the places of Ishmael, Lemuel, Middoni, Midian, Nephi, Shemlon, Shilom, and Shimnilon. The land of Midian is within the area of the lands of Nephi, Middoni, Ishmael, Shemlon, Shimnilon, Shilom and Lemuel to be among the lands of the Anti-Nephi-Lehies (formerly Lamanites). The land Midian is not mentioned in the list of the other lands. Yet, it is in control by the Nephites. The phrase 'came forth' describes that Ammon traveled from the land of Nephi to the land of Midian. This information would put the land of Midian on the northward side of the other lands referenced in Alma 14:13 [23:8]. It may be a Nephite land just north of the south wilderness.

ALMA 14:26 [24:5]: And from thence they came to the land of Ishmael, that they might hold a council with Lamoni, and also with his brother Anti-Nephi-Lehi, what they should do to defend themselves against the Lamanites.

Commentary: This verse references the places of Lemuel, Middoni, Midian, Nephi, Shemlon, Shilom, Shimnilon, and the South Wilderness. The terms 'they' refers to Ammon and his brethren. After coming from the land of Nephi to the land of Midian, they went from the land of Midian to the land of Ishmael. By Occam's Razor, the land of Midian should be in proximity to the land of Nephi and Ishmael. So, of the lands of the Anti-Nephi-Lehies (Ishmael, Middoni, Nephi, Shilom, Lemuel, and Shimnilon), the lands of Nephi and Ishmael would be nearest the possessions of the Nephites, near the South Wilderness.

ALMA 14:73 [25:13]: And it came to pass that when the Lamanites saw that they could not overpower the Nephites, they returned again to their own land; and many of them came over to dwell in the land of Ishmael and the land of Nephi, and did join themselves to the people of God, who were the people of Anti-Nephi-Lehi;

Commentary: This verse references the places of Ishmael, Nephi, a ridge between the East Wilderness and Ishmael and Nephi, and the East Wilderness. The Lamanites were in the East Wilderness at this time. The phrase 'came over' means the Lamanites came over a ridge in order to get to the land of Nephi and the land of Ishmael.

Map