According to the theory of George Potter, the valley at the southern end of Wadi Tayyib al-Ism was the valley of Lemuel. He writes that If the river portion of this valley was uncultivated at the time Lehi's family arrived, then this long thin strip of land might have been granted to the family to work, since there were many strong hands to work and relatively few mouths to support. The family could afford to farm an area that was not cost effective to others. This could have been a reason for Nephi bringing back "seeds of every kind." (1 Nephi 8:1). [George Potter with Richard Wellington, Following the Words of Nephi: Part One: Discovering the Valley of Lemuel, Unpublished Manuscript, 1999, p. 78]
“All Manner of Seeds of Every Kind”
Hugh Nibley claims that Lehi's party took grain with them and "all manner of seed of every kind" (1 Nephi 8:1). The Arabs, as we shall see . . . do this when they migrate in earnest, packing the seed in big, black 150- to 180-pound sacks, two to a camel. At the very least there has to be enough grain either to make a worth-while crop somewhere or to supply substantial food on the way--and who could carry such a load on his back? To pass through the heart of Arabia on the best camel in the world requires almost superhuman endurance--no need to make the thing ridiculous by carrying children, tents, books, food, furniture, weapons, and grain on one's back! [Hugh Nibley, Lehi in the Desert, F.A.R.M.S., p. 55]
1 Nephi 8:1 All manner of seeds ([Illustration]): We found in the market at Nizwa, Oman, wheat, barley, asfar, sugar, pepper, and other condiments. Foodstuffs such as these might have been the type of stores collected by Lehi's party as they prepared for their journey to the promised land. [Lynn and Hope Hilton, In Search of Lehi's Trail, p. 58]