Narrow Neck

The narrow neck is the region between the Sea West and the Sea East on the line between the land Bountiful and the land Desolation.

Commentaries (view it on a map)

ALMA 13:74 [22:30]: And it bordered upon the land which they called Desolation; it being so far northward, that it came into the land which had been peopled, and been destroyed, of whose bones we have spoken, which was discovered by the people of Zarahemla; it being the place of their first landing. And they came from there up into the south wilderness.

Commentary: This verse references the places of Bountiful, Desolation, the narrow neck, Nephi, the Promised Land (I Nephi), the Sea West, and the South Wilderness. The term 'it' refers to the northern parts of the land mentioned in Alma 13:73 [22:29]. The northern parts of the land bordered the land Desolation and the land Bountiful. The phrase 'it came into the land which had been peopled, and been destroyed, of whose bones we have spoken' refers to the people described in the Book of Ether (the Jaredites). The Jaredites lived in the lands in the narrow neck indicating that the northern parts of the land extended to the narrow neck. This also places the land Desolation next to lands of the Jaredites in the narrow neck. This verse does not define the location of the bones, just where the people (the Jaredites) lived whose bones were found in the Land Cumorah. The phrase 'it being the place of their first landing' is the description of the Promised Land (I Nephi) and indicates that Lehi landed on the Sea West shore near the land Desolation. The phrase 'came from there up into the south wilderness' describes the journey in II Nephi 4:10 [5:7] of Nephi and his people from the Promised Land (I Nephi) to the land of Nephi which required traveling through the South Wilderness. The phrase 'up into' indicates the South Wilderness is higher in elevation than the Promised Land (I Nephi), a somewhat obvious reference since the Promised land (I Nephi) was on the seashore. But, it does show consistency in the use of the term 'up' to indicate a higher terrain elevation.

ALMA 13:76 [22:32]: And now it was only the distance of a day and a half's journey for a Nephite, on the line Bountiful, and the land Desolation, from the east to the west sea;

Commentary: This verse references the places of Bountiful, Desolation, the narrow neck, the Sea East, and the Sea West. This verse does not directly mention the Sea East. The literal interpretation is that a Nephite can journey from a point on the east to the Sea West in a day and a half. This verse also does not infer that the Nephite is traveling by foot or that the point on the east is the Sea East. Parts of the journey could have been made by canoe on a river. Refer to Appendix D for notable world records for running and paddling. Given the conditions for the Nephite were not as optimal as the record setting conditions, the maximum distance expressed by this verse is no more than about 200 miles.

ALMA 13:77 [22:32]: And thus the land of Nephi, and the land of Zarahemla, were nearly surrounded by water; there being a small neck of land between the land northward, and the land southward.

Commentary: This verse references the places of the land northward, the land southward, the narrow neck, Nephi, and Zarahemla. The land northward is northward of the narrow neck. The land southward is southward of the narrow neck. This verse does not really define the relative locations of the lands of Nephi and Zarahemla.

ALMA 30:5 [63:4]: And it came to pass that in the thirty and seventh year of the reign of the Judges, there was a large company of men, even to the amount of five thousand and four hundred men, with their wives and their children, departed out of the land of Zarahemla, into the land which was northward.

Commentary: This verse references the places of the land northward, the land which was northward, the narrow neck, and Zarahemla. The phrase 'land which was northward' is the same as the land northward. The term 'into' indicates that the land of Zarahemla is outside the boundaries of the land which was northward. This is quite obvious since the land which was northward is described as being northward of the land Bountiful. The term is commented on here only to show the consistency of how the term 'into' is used in the Book of Mormon.

ALMA 30:6 [63:5]: And it came to pass that Hagoth, he being an exceeding curious man, therefore he went forth, and built him an exceeding large ship, on the borders of the land Bountiful, by the land Desolation, and launched it forth into the west sea, by the narrow neck which led into the land northward.

Commentary: This verse references the places of Bountiful, Desolation, the land northward, the narrow neck, the narrow pass, and the Sea West. The land Bountiful borders the land Desolation at a point in the narrow neck by the west sea. It also implies that the land Bountiful is located in the area referred to as the narrow neck. The land Desolation is by the Sea West. The land northward is far enough from the narrow neck to warrant going there by ship rather than over land. The phrase 'into the land northward' indicates that the land northward is outside the area defined as the narrow neck. That a ship is needed to get to the land northward indicates the land northward is not close to the narrow neck; its boundary did not begin just northward of the narrow neck.

ALMA 30:7 [63:6]: And behold there were many of the Nephites who did enter therein, and did sail forth with much provisions, and also many women and children; and they took their course northward.

Commentary: This verse references the places of the land northward and the narrow neck. The land northward is northward of the narrow neck.

ALMA 30:10 [63:7]: And the first ship did also return, and many more people did enter into it; and they also took much provisions, and set out again to the land northward.

Commentary: This verse references the places of Bountiful, Desolation, the land northward, the narrow neck, and the Sea West. Hagoth's ship went to the land northward and returned in less than a year. The borders of land Bountiful and the land Desolation by the narrow neck by the west sea was the port for the ship. The phrase 'to the land northward' indicates that the land northward did not border the narrow neck and did not include the land Desolation (which did border the narrow neck).

HELAMAN 2:10 [3:10]: And it came to pass as timber was exceeding scarce in the land northward, they did send forth much by the way of shipping; and thus they did enable the people in the land northward, that they might build many cities, both of wood and of cement.

Commentary: This verse references the places of the land northward, the narrow neck, and the Sea West. The term 'they' refers to the people in the land northward. Wood was scarce in the land northward. It was easier to get wood to the land northward by ship from the area around the narrow neck than by an overland route. This also indicates that there was a port near the land northward to offload the timber and either the land northward bordered the Sea West or there was a route from the port to the land northward.

HELAMAN 2:40 [4:8]: And thus those dissenters of the Nephites, with the help of a numerous army of the Lamanites, had obtained all the possession of the Nephites which was in the land southward.

Commentary: This verse references the places of Bountiful, the land southward, and the narrow neck. The land southward is a defined land. It is southward and in proximity to the land Bountiful and the narrow neck.

III NEPHI 2:32 [3:23]: And the land which was appointed was the land of Zarahemla and the land which was between the land of Zarahemla and the land Bountiful; yea, to the line which was between the land Bountiful and the land Desolation;

Commentary: This verse references the places of Bountiful, Desolation, the land southward, the narrow neck, the Sea East, the Sea West, the one place, and Zarahemla. The 'one place' in III Nephi 2:17 [3:13] is described here. It is a land between the land of Zarahemla and 'the line which was between the land Bountiful and the land Desolation'. The line between the land Desolation and land Bountiful describes the narrow neck between the Sea West and the Sea East. In III Nephi 2:34 [3:24], this one place is called the land southward. This description of the land southward defines the northward boundary of the land southward as the narrow neck. The southward boundary of the land southward is northward of the land of Zarahemla. So, the land southward is an area between the land of Zarahemla and the land Bountiful.

MORMON 1:25 [2:4]: And it came to pass that we did come to the city of Angola, and we did take possession of the city, and make preparations to defend ourselves against the Lamanites.

Commentary: This verse references the places of Angola, Joshua, the narrow neck, the north country, and Zarahemla. Mormon's army traveled from the land of Zarahemla to the city of Angola (which is in the north countries - see Mormon 1:24 [2:3]). In the Book of Ether, the north countries are defined as lands in an area around the narrow neck. This is a likely location for the city of Angola since being chased to the land of Joshua later would only require going across the narrow neck from the east to the west.

MORMON 1:27 [2:5]: And they did also drive us forth out of the land of David. And we marched forth and came to the land of Joshua, which was in the borders west, by the sea-shore.

Commentary: This verse references the places of Angola, David, Joshua, the Narrow Neck, the North Country, and the Sea West. The phrase 'did also' indicates that there is a land in addition to the land of David. Since the city of Angola was the previous location they were driven out of, this means the land of David is separate from the land surrounding the city of Angola. This indicates the area around the city of Angola is also considered to be a land. The land of Joshua is in or near the north countries and located by the Sea West shore. So, the land of Joshua is west of the land of David. The north countries were in the narrow neck. Since the direction that Mormon's army is being driven is westward towards the seashore to the west, the land of David is westward of the city of Angola.

MORMON 1:61 [2:29]: And the Lamanites did give unto us the land northward; yea, even to the narrow passage which led into the land southward.

Commentary: This verse references the places of the land northward, the land southward, the narrow neck, the narrow pass, the Sea East, and the Sea West. The term 'passage' is the only time this term is used in the Book of Mormon. The term 'pass' is also used differently than 'neck'. The narrow pass is between the land northward and the land southward. This puts it in or near the narrow neck. The narrow neck runs from the Sea West to the Sea East. The term 'passage' indicates a length. So, a narrow passage indicates that part of the distance from the narrow neck to the land northward is a narrow area that was navigable. The phrase 'into the land southward' indicates that the narrow passage is outside the boundaries of the land southward. This would put the narrow passage northward of the land southward. The phrase 'which led' indicates the boundary of the land southward is near to the narrow passage, so the northern boundary of the land southward is near the narrow neck.

MORMON 2:25 [4:23]: And now I, Mormon, seeing that the Lamanites were about to overthrow the land, therefore I did go to the hill Shim, and did take up all the records which Ammoron had hid up unto the Lord.

Commentary: This verse references the places of Antum, Boaz, the hill Shim, the narrow neck, and the Sea West. Mormon went to the hill Shim (in the land of Antum) from the city Boaz. There is no indication how close the two were together. It may imply that the way to the hill Shim from the land of Boaz is through an area where there were few, if any, Lamanites. If the Lamanites were pursuing the Nephites generally northward from the land Desolation, the route from the city Boaz to the hill Shim would then have to be eastward (westward would be the Sea West). This would also imply that the hill Shim is northward of the narrow neck where Lamanites had control.

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.

ETHER 4:41 [9:35]: And it came to pass that when they had humbled themselves sufficiently before the Lord, he did send rain upon the face of the earth, and the people began to revive again, and there began to be fruit in the north countries, and in all the countries round about.

Commentary: This verse references the places of Heth, Moron, Narrow Neck, Nehor, and the north country. The term 'they' refers to the people that lived in the north countries. The phrase 'north countries' seems to refer to the lands of Nehor, Heth, and Moron. There were other countries 'round about' the north country. All of these lands are located in or near the narrow neck.

ETHER 4:68 [10:20]: And they built a great city by the narrow neck of land, by the place where the sea divides the land.

Commentary: This verse references the places of the great city, the great city by the narrow neck, the narrow neck, the Promised Land (Ether), the Sea East, and the Sea West. The term 'they' refers to Lib and his people. The phrase 'the sea' is not plural. So, the location of the great (unnamed) city is by either the Sea East or the Sea West, whichever sea divided the land. The lands so far described in the Book of Ether were close to the Promised Land (Ether) that is on the Sea West shore, so the great city would have been on the Sea West shore in the area of the narrow neck.

MORONI 9:8 [9:7]: For according to the knowledge which I have received from Amoron, behold, the Lamanites have many prisoners, which they took from the tower of Sherrizah; and there were men, women and children.

Commentary: This verse references the places of the narrow neck and Sherrizah. The tower of Sherrizah should be in the land of Sherrizah. The land of Sherrizah is populated by Nephites. By this time, the Nephites only controlled areas northward of the narrow neck, so the land of Sherrizah is located northward of the narrow neck.

MORONI 9:10 [9:9]: And notwithstanding this great abomination of the Lamanites, it doth not exceed that of our people in Moriantum.

Commentary: This verse references the places of Moriantum and the narrow neck. The term 'our people' refers to the Nephites. The lands controlled by the Nephites at this time were northward of the narrow neck. The phrase 'our people in Moriantum' indicates that Moriantum is in the possessions of the Nephites, which would be northward of the narrow neck.

MORONI 9:11 [9:10]: For behold, many of the daughters of the Lamanites have they taken prisoners: and after depriving them of that which was most dear and precious above all things, which is chastity and virtue; and after they had done this thing, they did murder them in a most cruel manner, torturing their bodies even unto death; and after they have done this, they devour their flesh like unto wild beasts, because of the hardness of their hearts; and they do it for a token of bravery.

Commentary: This verse references the places of Jordan, Moriantum, and the narrow neck. The land of Moriantum is close enough to the possessions of the Lamanites to kidnap people. Unless the Lamanite armies took their families with them when battling the Nephites and did not protect their families very well, the phrase 'daughters of the Lamanites' indicates the land of Moriantum is in proximity to permanently settled Lamanite lands. This would put it in proximity to the narrow neck. This verse is also in an epistle written by Mormon while he was in Jordan after being driven there by the Lamanites. The Lamanites had driven Mormon and his people out of the western parts of the land north of the narrow neck, so the only place left where a Nephite city would still be intact and in proximity to permanent Lamanite cities would be eastward of the land of Jordan. This also indicates that the Lamanites had not yet captured Nephite cities north of the narrow neck on the eastern portions of the narrow neck.

MORONI 9:16 [9:17]: And the army which is with me, is weak; and the armies of the Lamanites are betwixt Sherrizah and me; and as many as have fled to the army of Aaron, have fallen victims to their awful brutality.

Commentary: This verse references the places of Boaz, Jordan, the lands and cities around Jordan, the narrow neck and Sherrizah. The term 'me' refers to Mormon. This verse was written in an epistle from Mormon to his son, Moroni. When Mormon was the age of 20, the Nephites and Lamanites negotiated an agreement giving the Nephites the lands northward of the narrow neck. The only locations that Mormon is recorded to have been after that date are the land Desolation, city of Teancum, city Boaz, city of Jordan, and the land of Cumorah. These lands are insufficient to place the land of Sherrizah. There are enough gaps between these lands and the narrow neck that the land of Sherrizah can be placed almost anywhere north of the narrow neck. However, the only location that explains a weak Nephite army, a Lamanite army in proximity to the Nephite army, and Lamanites capturing Nephite lands in proximity to the Nephite army would be the lands around the city Jordan that were between the city Boaz and the city of Jordan. So, using Occam's Razor, the land of Sherrizah may be one of the lands around the city of Jordan between the city of Jordan and the city Boaz.

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