A Detailed Breakdown of Alma 22 & Other important Internal Geography Scriptures in the Book of Mormon
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,
-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,
-which [narrow strip of wilderness] ran from the sea east even to the sea west, and round about on the borders of the seashore [on both seas?],
-and [‘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 wilderness was] running from the east towards the west—and thus were the Lamanites and the Nephites divided.
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!].
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 [of Nephi]
-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.
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 [south of the land of Nephi or 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] 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.
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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MORONI’S NEW BORDER
10 And he [Moroni] also placed armies on the south, in the borders of their possessions, and caused them to erect fortifications that they [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… Moroni; and it was by the east sea. (Alma 50:8–13)
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)
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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.
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.
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.
