A Detailed Breakdown of Alma 22 & Other important Internal Geography Scriptures in the Book of Mormon

GENERAL LAYOUT OF LANDS FROM Alma 22

27 And it came to pass that the king [of the Lamanites] sent a proclamation throughout all the land [of Nephi–see verse 1], amongst all his people who were in all his land, who were in all the regions round about,

LAND OF NEPHI BORDERED BY SEA ON BOTH SIDES
-which [land of Nephi] was bordering even to the sea, on the east and on the west, [east sea & west sea],
-and [his land of Nephi] which was divided from the land of Zarahemla by a narrow strip of wilderness,

NARROW STRIP OF WILDERNESS RUNS FROM EAST SEA TO WEST SEA
-which [narrow strip of wilderness] ran from the sea east even to the sea west, and round about on the borders of the seashore [of both seas?],
-and [it ‘ran from’] the borders of the [afore mentioned narrow strip of] wilderness which was on the north [of the land of Nephi] by the land of Zarahemla, through the borders of Manti, by the head of the river Sidon, [which river or possibly wilderness was] running from the east towards the west
—and thus were the Lamanites and the Nephites divided.

LAMANITES LIVED ON SEASHORE WEST OF NEPHI & ZARAHEMLA
28 Now, the more idle part of the Lamanites lived in the wilderness, and dwelt in tents; and they were spread through the wilderness on the west, in the land of Nephi; yea,
-and also on the west of the land of Zarahemla, in the borders by the [west] seashore [ie. which was west of Zarahemla!],
-and on the west in the land of Nephi, in the place of [or seashore by] their fathers’ first inheritance, and thus bordering along by the [west] seashore [ie. its west of Zarahemla AND Nephi!].

LAMANITES LIVED ON SEASHORE EAST OF NEPHI & ZARAHEMLA
29 And also there were many Lamanites on the east [of Zarahemla & Nephi] by the [east] seashore, whither the Nephites had driven them.
-And thus the Nephites were nearly surrounded by the Lamanites;
-nevertheless the Nephites had taken possession of all the northern parts of the land [southward]
-bordering on the wilderness, at the head of the river Sidon,
-[having possession] from the east to the west, round about on the wilderness side; on the north [of Nephi & Zarahemla], even until they came to the land which they called Bountiful.

BOUNTIFUL IS NORTH AND DESOLATION IS ‘SO FAR NORTH’
30 And it [Bountiful] bordered upon the land which they called Desolation,
-it [Desolation] being so far northward that it came into the land which had been peopled and been destroyed [by Jaredites], of whose bones we have spoken,
-which [Land of Desolation] was discovered by the [Mulekite] people of Zarahemla, it [Desolation] being the place of their [Mulekite] first landing.

31 And they [the Mulekites] came from there [Desolation] up into the south wilderness [likely south of the land of Nephi or perhaps only south of Zarahemla or Desolation].
-Thus the land on the northward [of Bountiful &/or ‘small neck’] was called Desolation,
-and the land on the southward [of Desolation &/or ‘small neck’] was called Bountiful,
-it [the afore mentioned south wilderness or Bountiful] being the wilderness which is filled with all manner of wild animals of every kind, a part of which had come from the land northward for food [through a migration corridor].

32 And now, it was only the distance of a day and a half’s journey [about 15-30 miles] for a Nephite, on the line Bountiful and the land Desolation, from the east [of the line or sea or land?] to the west sea;
-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 [afore mentioned] land northward and the [afore mentioned] land southward.

33 And it came to pass that the Nephites had inhabited the land Bountiful, even from the east [of the line or sea or land?] unto the west sea,
-and thus the Nephites in their wisdom, with their guards and their armies, had hemmed in the Lamanites on the south [on the line Bountiful?],
-that thereby they should have no more possession on the north, that they might not overrun the land northward [which was the land of the Mulekite first landing].

34 Therefore the Lamanites could have no more possessions
-only in the land of Nephi, and the wilderness round about.
-Now this was wisdom in the Nephites—as the Lamanites were an enemy to them, they would not suffer their afflictions on every hand, and also that they [the Nephites/Mulekites] might have a country whither they might flee, according to their desires. (Alma 22:27–34)

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ZARAHEMLA IS IN THE HEART/CENTRAL PART OF THE LAND
18 And it came to pass that because of so much contention and so much difficulty in the government, that they had not kept sufficient guards in the land of Zarahemla; for they had supposed that the Lamanites durst not come into the heart of their lands to attack that great city Zarahemla… 27 But behold, the Lamanites… had come into the center of the land [of Zarahemla], and had taken the capital city which was the city of Zarahemla, and were marching through the most capital parts of the land, (Hel 1:18,27)

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MORONI’S NEW BORDER

And the land of Nephi did run in a straight course from the east sea to the west.

9 And it came to pass that when Moroni had driven all the Lamanites out of the east wilderness,
-which was north of the lands of [the Lamanites] own possessions,
-he caused that the [Nephite] inhabitants who were in the land of Zarahemla and in the land round about should go forth into the east wilderness, even to the borders by the [east] seashore, and possess the land.
10 And [Moroni] also placed armies on the south [of the land Zarahemla], in the borders of [the Nephite] possessions,
-and caused them to erect fortifications that [the Nephites] might secure… their people…
11 …fortifying the line between the Nephites and the Lamanites, between the land of Zarahemla and the land of Nephi, from the west sea, running by the head of the river Sidon—
13 …[to the] foundation of a city, and they called the name of the city Moroni; and it was by the east sea;
-and it was on the south by the line of the possessions of the Lamanites.
14 And they also began a foundation for a city between the city of Moroni and the city of Aaron, joining the borders of Aaron and Moroni;
-and they called the name of the city, or the land, Nephihah.
15 And they also began in that same year to build many cities on the north, one in a particular manner which they called Lehi,
-which was in the north by the borders of the seashore. (Alma 50:8–15)

EAST SEA GARRISON CITIES
26 And thus he [Amalickiah,] went on, taking possession of many cities, the city of Nephihah, and the city of Lehi, and the city of Morianton, and the city of Omner, and the city of Gid, and the city of Mulek, all of which were on the east borders by the [east] seashore. (Alma 51:26)

WEST SEA GARRISON CITIES
8 And now it came to pass that the armies of the Lamanites, on the west sea, south, while in the absence of Moroni on account of some intrigue amongst the Nephites, which caused dissensions amongst them, had gained some ground over the Nephites, yea, insomuch that they had obtained possession of a number of their cities in that part of the land.
22 And now it came to pass that Helaman did march at the head of his two thousand stripling soldiers, to the support of the people in the borders of the land on the south by the west sea. (Alma 53:8,22)

13 And now these are the cities of which the Lamanites have obtained possession by the shedding of the blood of so many of our valiant men: 14 The land of Manti, or the city of Manti, and the city of Zeezrom, and the city of Cumeni, and the city of Antiparah.15 And these are the cities which they possessed when I arrived at the city of Judea… 31 And we were to march near the city of Antiparah, as if we were going to the city beyond, in the borders by the [west] seashore. (Alma 56:13–14)

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PROXIMITY OF MANTI & NEPHIHAH
5 And it came to pass that while Moroni was thus making preparations to go against the Lamanites to battle, behold, the people of Nephihah, who were gathered together from the city of Moroni and the city of Lehi and the city of Morianton, were attacked by the Lamanites. 6 Yea, even those who had been compelled to flee from the land of Manti, and from the land round about, had come over and joined the Lamanites in this part of the land. 7 And thus being exceedingly numerous, yea, and receiving strength from day to day, by the command of Ammoron they came forth against the people of Nephihah, and they did begin to slay them with an exceedingly great slaughter. (Alma 59:5–7)

25 Neither durst they march down against the city of Zarahemla; neither durst they cross the head of Sidon, over to the city of Nephihah. (Alma 56:25)

22 Behold, now it came to pass that they durst not come against the Nephites in the borders of Jershon; therefore they departed out of the land of Antionum into the wilderness, and took their journey round about in the wilderness, away by the head of the river Sidon, that they might come into the land of Manti and take possession of the land; for they did not suppose that the armies of Moroni would know whither they had gone. (Alma 43:22)

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PROXIMITY OF AMMONIHAH, MELEK AND AARON
3 And it came to pass in the commencement of the tenth year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi, that Alma departed from thence and took his journey over into the land of Melek, on the west of the river Sidon, on the west by the borders of the wilderness. 4 And he began to teach the people in the land of Melek… 6 So that when he had finished his work at Melek he departed thence, and traveled three days’ journey [~30-45 miles] on the north of the land of Melek; and he came to a city which was called Ammonihah…13 Now… he departed thence and took his journey towards the city which was called Aaron. (Alma 8:3–13)

NEPHIHAH IS BETWEEN MORONI AND AARON
13 And it came to pass that the Nephites began the foundation of a city, and they called the name of the city Moroni; and it was by the east sea; and it was on the south by the line of the possessions of the Lamanites. 14 And they also began a foundation for a city between the city of Moroni and the city of Aaron, joining the borders of Aaron and Moroni; and they called the name of the city, or the land, Nephihah. (Alma 50:13–14)

AMMONIHAH IS THE WEAKEST BORDER & EASY PRAY (BEFORE NEW BORDER IS BUILT) SO PROBABLY FAR AWAY FROM ZARAHEMLA
3 Behold, I said that the city of Ammonihah had been rebuilt… and because the Lamanites had destroyed it once… they supposed that it would again become an easy prey for them. … and Moroni… had supposed that they would be frightened at the city Ammonihah; and as the city of Noah had hitherto been the weakest part of the land… (Alma 49:3,15)