This is the city of Laman. Due to the practice of naming a land by the same name as the city, it is presumed to also be the land of Laman. The city of Laman was next to the city of Josh. Considering that the cities of Jacobugath and Zarahemla were also destroyed by fire, then the cities of Laman, Josh, Gad, and Kishkumen would be likely candidates for being in the proximity of these cities and stretching northward of the land of Zarahemla.
Commentaries (
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III NEPHI 4:8 [8:8]: And the city of Zarahemla did take fire; and the city of Moroni did sink into the depths of the sea, and the inhabitants thereof were drowned;
Commentary: This verse references the places of Gad, Jacobugath, Josh, Kishkumen, Laman, Moroni, the Sea East, and Zarahemla. The city of Moroni is near enough to the Sea East shore to sink into the depths of the sea. By Occam's Razor, the city of Zarahemla would be near the other cities destroyed by fire. These would be the cities of Kishkumen, Gad, Josh, Laman, and Jacobugath.
III NEPHI 4:36 [9:9]: And behold, that great city Jacobugath, which was inhabited by the people of the king of Jacob, have I caused to be burned with fire, because of their sins and their wickedness, which was above all the wickedness of the whole earth, because of their secret murders and combinations;
Commentary: This verse references the places of Gad, Jacobugath, Josh, Kishkumen, Laman, and Zarahemla. Being destroyed by fire places it with the other lands that were destroyed by fire. These were the city of Laman, city of Josh, city of Gad, city of Kishkumen, and city Zarahemla. A 'great city' may indicate possibly a large number of inhabitants. Earlier verses called the area a kingdom, which would confirm a great city.
III NEPHI 4:38 [9:10]: And behold, the city of Laman, and the city of Josh, and the city of Gad, and the city of Kishkumen, have I caused to be burned with fire, and the inhabitants thereof, because of their wickedness in casting out the prophets, and stoning those whom I did send to declare unto them concerning their wickedness and their abominations;
Commentary: This verse references the places of Gad, Jacobugath, Josh, Kishkumen, Laman, and Zarahemla. When places are listed in order in the same verse, they share a border in the order they are listed. So, these cities are located next to each other. However, this is the only verse that describes these cities and no information is provided about their location relative to other places. These cities and the cities of Jacobugath and Zarahemla were also destroyed by fire. Using Occam's Razor, these cities should be in proximity to the cities of Jacobugath and Zarahemla. Since the city of Jacobugath is north of the city of Zarahemla and none of these cities were mentioned in any of the descriptions of places south of the city of Zarahemla, again using Occam's Razor, these cities are probably north of the city of Zarahemla.
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