The narrow pass is located next to the Sea West. The narrow pass is southward of the land Desolation and is next to the borders of the land Desolation. The narrow pass is northward of the land southward and westward of the land Bountiful. There is a general line from the land northward, the narrow pass, the land Bountiful, and the land of Mulek.
Commentaries (
view it on a map)
ALMA 22:35 [50:34]: And it came to pass that they did not head them, until they had come to the borders of the land Desolation: and there they did head them, by the narrow pass which led by the sea into the land northward; yea, by the sea, on the west, and on the east.
Commentary: This verse references the places of Desolation, the land northward, the narrow pass, the Sea East, and the Sea West. The term 'they' refers to an army sent by Moroni to stop Morianton and his people from going to the land northward. The term 'them' refers to Morianton and his people. Morianton was coming from the land of Morianton and moving towards the land Desolation. The land Desolation is by the Sea West, so the phrase 'narrow pass which led by the sea' indicates the narrow pass is also by the Sea West. The phrase 'yea, by the sea' modifies the object directly in front of the term 'yea'. So, the land northward is by the sea. The phrase 'on the west, and on the east' is difficult to interpret. On the one hand, phrases after a 'yea' term describe the phrases in front of the 'yea' term. So, 'by the sea' describes 'the land northward'. The phrase 'on the west' describes 'they did head them' indicating they were headed on the west parts of the land. The phrase 'on the east' describes 'the borders of the land Desolation' indicating the eastern border of the land Desolation. The phraseology in the Book of Mormon is not conclusive about how to interpret clauses that are not immediately in front or behind a 'yea' term. The phrase 'on the west, and on the east' could also mean that Teancum had split his army into a west part and an east part to protect the entire entrance to the narrow pass. Neither interpretation really contradicts the other nor adds unique information about the relative locations of the geography.
ALMA 24:10 [52:9]: And he also sent orders unto him, that he should fortify the land Bountiful, and secure the narrow pass which led into the land northward, lest the Lamanites should obtain that point, and should have power to harass them on every side.
Commentary: This verse references the places of Bountiful, the land northward, and the narrow pass. The term 'he' refers to Moroni. The term 'him' refers to Teancum. The land Bountiful is in proximity to a narrow pass that led into the land northward. The land Bountiful is a strategic location to defend the narrow pass, possibly next to the narrow pass.
ALMA 24:13 [52:11]: And he also said unto him, I would come unto you, but behold, the Lamanites are upon us in the borders of the land by the west sea; and behold, I go against them, therefore I can not come unto you.
Commentary: This verse references the places of the land by the Sea West, the land northward, the narrow pass, and the Sea West. The term 'he' refers to Moroni. The term 'him' refers to Teancum. Teancum was in the land Bountiful. The land by the west sea (Sea West) is not the land Bountiful. Moroni was defending against Lamanites coming from the south, so the land by the west sea would be southward of the land Bountiful.
ALMA 24:18 [52:16]: And it came to pass that Teancum had received orders to make an attack upon the city of Mulek, and retake it if it were possible.
Commentary: This verse references the places of the land northward, Mulek, and the narrow pass. Teancum was securing the land Bountiful and the narrow pass (preventing Lamanites to get to the land northward). The city of Mulek is in a general line with the land Bountiful, narrow pass and the land northward.
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.
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 1:69 [3:5]: And it came to pass that I did cause my people that they should gather themselves together at the land Desolation, to a city which was in the borders, by the narrow pass which led into the land southward.
Commentary: This verse references the places of Desolation, the land southward, and the narrow pass. The term 'I' refers to Mormon. The narrow pass is in the borders of the land Desolation. The land southward is southward of the land Desolation. This places the narrow pass between the land Desolation and the land southward, so the land Desolation is just north of the narrow pass. The phrase 'which led into' indicates the narrow pass is near the land southward but not in the land southward. The phrase 'into' indicates that the land southward had a boundary that distinguished what was inside and outside of the land southward.
MORMON 1:70 [3:6]: And there we did place our armies, that we might stop the armies of the Lamanites, that they might not get possession of any of our lands; therefore we did fortify against them with all our force.
Commentary: This verse references the places of Desolation, the land northward, and the narrow pass. The term 'we' refers to Mormon and his people. The city in the land Desolation where Mormon was defending the narrow pass is in a strategic spot to defend. So, the narrow pass is in a strategic spot. This verse also indicates that the narrow pass is key to preventing the armies of the Lamanites from getting to their lands (the land northward). There is no other way to get to the land northward except through the narrow pass.
Map
