Basic Facts:
Lehi’s Land of First Inheritance was “on the west of the land of Zarahemla, in the borders by the seashore, and on the west of the land of Nephi, in the place of their father’s first inheritance, and thus bordering along by the seashore” (Alma 22:28). At Least part of Lehi’s land was at sea level.
Nephi leads a faithful group of followers inland through a wilderness to a place called the land of Nephi (2 Nephi 5:4-9). “And it came to pass that the Lord did warn me, that I, Nephi, should depart from them and flee into the wilderness, and all those who would go with me.” (Verse 5).
Zarahemla was first settled by Jewish refugees fleeing the destruction of Jerusalem at the time of King Zedekiah about 587 BC (Omni 1:15). The people of Zarahemla settled where they landed, and “dwelt there from that time forth” (Omni 1:16, Alma22:30). Mulek was a surviving son of Zedekiah who traveled with the people of Zarahemla to the New World Promised Land (Helaman 8:21). Hence, land of Zarahemla or the land of Mulek are synonyms.
Zarahemla (Mulek) is north of the land of Nephi (Alma 50:7-11), there is a narrow strip of wilderness separating the land of Zarahemla from the land of Nephi. The king of the Lamanites living in the highlands of Nephi “was divided from the land of Zarahemla by a narrow strip of wilderness, which ran from the sea east even to the sea west, and round about on the borders of the seashore, and the borders of the wilderness which was on the north by the land of Zarahemla” (Alma 22:27, Alma 27:14).
Topographically, the definition of “up” means to travel from a lower elevation to a higher elevation. The definition of “down” is to go from a higher elevation to a lower elevation. When Lehi and his family were on the shores of the Red Sea (1 Nephi 2:8) Lehi was commanded to send his sons to Jerusalem [2400 feet above sea level] and bring the records belonging to Laban “down hither in the wilderness” (1 Nephi 3:4). Nephi reported that they took their tents “to go up to the land of Jerusalem. And it came to pass … we had gone up to the land of Jerusalem…” to obtain the plates of brass. (1 Nephi 3:9-10).
After Laban threatened to kill Laman, he and Lemuel were ready to return and not fulfill the commandment of their father. Nephi swore an oath saying, “As the Lord liveth, we will not go down unto our father until…we have accomplished the thing which the Lord has commanded us.” Lehi’s land of inheritance near Jerusalem was at a lower elevation as pointed out by Nephi, “therefore let us go down to the land of our father’s inheritance, for behold he left gold and silver.” Nephi reports that they “went down to the land of our inheritance…we went up to the house of Laban” (1 Nephi 3:22-23). After another rejection from Laban they fled for their lives. An angel of the Lord told them to return, “Behold, ye shall go up to Jerusalem again, and the Lord will deliver Laban into your hands” (1 Nephi 3:29). Three times Nephi said to his brothers, “Let us go up.” (1 Nephi 4:1-3). The scripture observed that the brothers “followed me up until we came without the walls of Jerusalem” (1 Nephi 4:4). After successfully obtaining the records, Nephi swears an oath to Zoram, the servant of Laban, that he would be a free man and repeats the phrase three time if thou wilt “go down into the wilderness” unto our father Lehi (1 Nephi 4:33-35).
Sariah, the mother of the boys, was upset that Lehi had sent her sons on a visionary mission. Nephi wrote, “After we had come down into the wilderness [by the side of the Red Sea]” my father and mother were filled with joy (1 Nephi 5:1). Lehi had born his testimony to Sariah that “the Lord will deliver my sons out of the hands of Laban, and bring them down again unto us in the wilderness” (1 Nephi 5:5).
The one time Laman and Lemuel did not murmur was when they were asked to “bring down Ishmael” and his daughters from Jerusalem to the wilderness by the Red Sea (1 Nephi 7:2). Nephi commented, “I Nephi did again, with my brethren go forth into the wilderness to go up to Jerusalem…we went up to the house of Ismael (1 Nephi 7:3-4). Ismael’s heart was softened “and they took their journey with us down into the wilderness to the tent of my father” (1 Nephi 7:5). On that journey there was a rebellion from members of both families who wanted to return to Jerusalem. Nephi warned them, “Now behold, I say unto you that if ye will return unto Jerusalem ye shall also perish with them. And now, if ye have choice, go up to the land, and remember the words which I speak unto you” (1 Nephi 7:15). “And it came to pass that we did come down unto the tent of our father. And after I and my brethren and all the house of Ishmael had come down unto the tent of my father, they did give thanks unto the Lord their God” (1 Nephi 7:22).
It is highly unlikely that when these Jewish pilgrims arrived in the New World they forgot the topographical meanings of “up” and “down.” Consistently when one travels from Zarahemla to the land of Nephi they must go up. The reverse is also true, when traveling from the land of Nephi one must go down to Zarahemla.
The Nephites fight many battles with the Lamanites. Approximately 250 years after Nephi dies, the land of Nephi is occupied by dissenting Nephites and eventually the land of Nephi is taken over by the Lamanites and dissenting Nephites who join forces against the righteous Nephites who were led away from the land of Nephi down to the land of Zarahemla. Just as Nephi was led from the coastlands of Lehi’s land of first inheritance, likewise Mosiah 1st was led down to the land of Zarahemla. Amaleki records,
“Mosiah, who was made king over the land of Zarahemla; for behold, he being warned of the Lord that he should flee out of the land of Nephi, and as many as would hearken unto the voice of the Lord should also depart out of the land with him, into the wilderness— And it came to pass that he did according as the Lord had commanded him. And they departed out of the land into the wilderness, as many as would hearken unto the voice of the Lord; and they were led by many preachings and prophesyings. And they were admonished continually by the word of God; and they were led by the power of his arm, through the wilderness until they came down into the land which is called the land of Zarahemla. And they discovered a people, who were called the people of Zarahemla. “Now, there was great rejoicing among the people of Zarahemla; and also Zarahemla did rejoice exceedingly, because the Lord had sent the people of Mosiah with the plates of brass which contained the record of the Jews. Behold, it came to pass that Mosiah discovered that the people of Zarahemla came out from Jerusalem at the time that Zedekiah, king of Judah, was carried away captive into Babylon” (Omni 1:12-15)
Mormon reports that the son of Mosiah 1st was named King Benjamin. He was a great leader and General and drove the Lamanites out of the land of Zarahemla. “And it came to pass also that the armies of the Lamanites came down out of the land of Nephi, to battle against his people. But behold, king Benjamin gathered together his armies, and he did stand against them; and he did fight with the strength of his own arm, with the sword of Laban (Words of Mormon 1:13). During the reign of King Benjamin there were a number of Nephites who were desirous of returning to the land of Nephi. Later we find out the leader of this group was called Zeniff (Mosiah 9:1-3).
King Benjamin’s son was also called Mosiah (2nd) and he is the author of the Book of Mosiah in the Book of Mormon. During his reign, “a certain a number who went up into the wilderness to return to the land of Nephi; for there was a large number who were desirous to possess the land of their inheritance. Wherefore, they went up into the wilderness (Omni 1:27-28). About forty years after that group went up from Zarahemla, Mosiah “was desirous to know concerning the people who went up to dwell in the land of Lehi-Nephi.[1] (Mosiah 7:1). King Mosiah granted a contingency of sixteen strong men to “go up to the land of Lehi-Nephi” from Zarahemla to check on them (Mosiah 7:2). “On the morrow they started to go up to the land of Lehi-Nephi…they knew not the course they should travel in the wilderness to go up to the land of Lehi-Nephi (Mosiah 7:3-4). After 40 days of searching they found them, but were imprisoned by the grandson of Zeniff, a king named Limhi and mistaken for the wicked priest of Limhi’s father, King Noah. Limhi introduces himself to the prisoners as follows, “Behold, I am Limhi, the son of Noah, who was the son of Zeniff, who came up out of the land of Zarahemla to inherit this land [Lehi-Nephi] (Mosiah 7:9). When Ammon was permitted to speak to Limhi, he said, “For I am Ammon, and am a descendant of Zarahemla, and have come up out of the land of Zarahemla to inquire concerning our brethren, whom Zeniff brought up out of that land [of Zarahemla]. (Mosiah 7:13). King Limhi “caused that Ammon should stand up before the multitude, and rehearse unto them all that had happened unto their brethren from the time that Zeniff went up out of the land [of Zarahemla] even until the time that he himself came up out of the land” [of Zarahemla] (Mosiah 8:2). Part of the people of Limhi, under the direction of Ammon, went down to Zarahemla and were later joined by another group of Limhi’s people, led by Alma, down to the land of Zarahemla (Mosiah 22, 24).
King Mosiah of Zarahemla was later approached by his formerly rebellious, but now repentant, sons for permission to go up to the land of Nephi that they might preach the things which they had heard, and that they might impart the word of God to their brethren, the Lamanites” (Mosiah 28:1). “They did plead with their father many days that they might go up to the land of Nephi. And king Mosiah went and inquired of the Lord if he should let his sons go up among the Lamanites to preach the word” (Mosiah 28:5-6). The Lord said to Mosiah, “Let them go up, for many shall believe on their words” (Mosiah 28:7). “And they took their journey into the wilderness to go up to preach the word among the Lamanites” (Mosiah 28:9). They were highly successful and converted thousands of Lamanites to the teachings of Jesus Christ over a period of fourteen years. In order to save these converts from being utterly destroyed by other Lamanites they sought for permission to take their converts from the highlands of the land of Nephi and bring them down to the lowlands of Zarahemla. Ammon commented on their success, “Blessed be the name of our God…forever. For if we had not come up out of the land of Zarahemla [to the land of Nephi], these our dearly beloved brethren, who have so dearly beloved us, would still have been racked with hatred against us” (Alma 26:9). The sons of Mosiah now pleaded with the king of the converted Lamanites to “Let us gather together this people of the Lord, and let us go down to the land of Zarahemla to our brethren the Nephites, and flee out of the hands of our enemies, that we be not destroyed” (Alma 27:5). After prayer the Lord instructed them to go [down to the land of Zarahemla]. (Alma 27:10-12). The land of Jershon abuts the land of Bountiful and is east of Zarahemla by the seashore (Alma 27:22-24). These lands were given to the Lamanite converts. With great joy they left the land of Nephi and “went down into the land of Jershon” (Alma 27:26). The converted Lamanites in the land of Jershon raised food for their Nephite protectors because of their oath not to take up arms against anyone. They were in the Land of Nephi, “they had been converted unto the Lord; and
they had been brought down into the land of Zarahemla, and had ever since been protected by the Nephites…And for this cause they were brought down into the land of Zarahemla (Alma 53:10,12).
Around fifty years later, about 73 BC, a Nephite dissenter by the name of Amalickiah started a civil war among the Nephites, the converted Lamanites, and the peace-loving people of Zarahemla. He wanted to overthrow the rule of the judges and establish himself as the new king. Amalickiah fled the land of Zarahemla and “he had taken those who went with him, and went up in the land of Nephi among the Lamanites, and did stir up the Lamanites to anger against the people of Nephi (Alma 47:1). Amalickiah manages, through murder and intrigue, to kill the Lamanite king and marry the king’s wife. Rather than lead his armies, he sends his chief captains to go down and invade the land of Zarahemla. Because of the inspired leadership of the Nephite Captain Moroni in the land of Zarahemla, the armies of King Amalickiah were frustrated and defeated. The scripture suggests, “Now, if king Amalickiah had come down out of the land of Nephi, at the head of his army, perhaps he would have caused the Lamanites to have attacked the Nephites at the city of Ammonihah; for behold, he did care not for the blood of his people. But behold, Amalickiah did not come down himself to battle.” (Alma 49:10-11).
Finally, after amassing an incredibly strong army, Amalickiah, “insomuch that he feared not to come down to the land of Zarahemla. Yea, even Amalickiah did himself come down, at the head of the Lamanites” (Alma 51:11).
“The land of Manti, or the city of Manti, and the city of Zeezrom, and the city of Cumeni, and the city of Antiparah” were fortified cities (Alma 56:14). These four cities were situated on the southern border of the land of Zarahemla near the west sea [Pacific Ocean?] that were in the mountains of narrow strip of wilderness separating the land of Nephi from the land of Zarahemla. Some scholars believe these fortified cities were guarding mountain passes that led from the highlands of the land of Nephi to the fertile valleys of the land of Zarahemla. These fortified cities exchanged hands several times during the war. After recapturing these fortified cities the Nephites were obliged to either kill their prisoners or as it mentions five times, “it became expedient for us, that we should put an end to their lives, or guard them, sword in hand, down to the land of Zarahemla” (Alma 57:15,16,28-30). The Book of Mormon describes Manti as near the headwaters of the River Sidon (Alma 43:22), “in the south wilderness, away up beyond the borders of the land of Manti” (Alma 16:6). This means that Manti would have been in a mountainous region. The sons of Mosiah coming from the highlands of the land of Nephi met Alma who was going from Gideon [adjacent to the lowland land of Zarahemla on the east side of the Sidon River] to Manti (Alma 17:1).
By 35 BC tens of thousands of Nephites had fled to the northern parts of the land of Zarahemla and many farther north into the land of Bountiful and even into the land of Desolation. It is important to understand that the land of Desolation received its name, “because of the greatness of the destruction of the people [Jaredites] who had before inhabited the land it was called desolate” (Helaman 3:6). The land of Bountiful was a buffer zone between the land of Zarahemla and the land of Desolation. The Lamanites had succeeded in driving all the Nephites out of the land of Zarahemla, “there were dissenters who went up from the Nephites unto the Lamanites; and they succeeded with those others in stirring them up to anger against the Nephites; and they were all that year preparing for war. And in the fifty and seventh year they did come down against the Nephites to battle, and they did commence the work of death; yea, insomuch that in the fifty and eighth year of the reign of the judges they succeeded in obtaining possession of the land of Zarahemla” [the armies of the Nephites were gathered in the land of Bountiful] (Helaman 4:4-5). Yea, and also all the lands, even unto the land which was near the land Bountiful (Verse 5).
One of the main causes throughout the history of the Lamanite/Nephite wars were the disaffected dissenters among the Nephites. They would go up to the land of Nephi and “stir up” the Lamanites and join with them in attacking the faithful Nephites. Zoramites, Amlicites, Amulonites, Amalickites, the Kingmen and the list goes on of Nephites who turned their backs on their fellow Nephites.
About 30 years before the birth of Christ the Lamanites in the highlands of the land of Nephi had become converted unto the gospel of Christ. “The Lamanites had become, the more part of them, a righteous people, insomuch that their righteousness did exceed that of the Nephites…many
of the Lamanites did come down [from the land of Nephi] into the land of Zarahemla, and did declare unto the people of the Nephites the manner of their a conversion, and did exhort them to faith and repentance” (Helaman 6:4). There were a few seasons where the Nephites regained the land of Zarahemla and by the time of the Savior’s birth Zarahemla had become a very great city but it was full of wickedness which resulted in Zarahemla being burned at the time of the Savior’s death and resurrection (3 Nephi 8:8, 24). Zarahemla was rebuilt (4 Nephi 1:8). However by the end of the Book of Mormon one could be a brown or white Nephite, a brown or white Lamanite, or a brown or white Gadianton Robber. In other words, it was about which culture you chose to identify with. In the end only the Gadianton Robbers and Lamanites survived.
The people who came to the Promised Land were under covenant to keep the Messiah as the God of this land. When they abandoned the commandments of God the consequences were foretold, “It is by the wicked that the wicked are punished” (Mormon 4:5). It was father Lehi who taught that “none come into this land save they shall be brought by the hand of the Lord (2 Nephi 1:6).
The point of this overall review of the Book of Mormon scriptures was to show clearly that the land of Nephi was a highland area and the land of Zarahemla was a lowland area. One must always go from Zarahemla up to the land of Nephi and from the land of Nephi one must always go down to the land of Zarahemla. In order for any proposed site to qualify to be the lands of the Book of Mormon there must be a southern highland and a northern lowland. The current border between Mexico and Guatemala in Mesoamerica is such a place.
[1] Because the Lamanites now occupied both the land of Lehi’s first inheritance and the land of Nephi the people in Zarahemla began to refer to the entire area as the land of Lehi-Nephi.