This is the land of Midian. Due to the practice of naming a land by the same name as the city, it is presumed to also be the city of Midian. The land of Midian is in proximity to the lands of Nephi and Ishmael and also in proximity to the South Wilderness.
Commentaries (
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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.
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