“Flee Out of the Hands of Our Enemies”

Brant Gardner

Ammon and his brethren realize that the people of Anti-Nephi-Lehi will be in constant danger if they stay in the land of Nephi, so they propose that the entire people of Anti-Nephi-Lehi relocate to the land of Zarahemla. While not a typical occurrence, the migration of an entire people from one territory to another is not uncommon in Mesoamerica. The Mexica have their traditions of a migration into Central Mexico (Michael E. Smith, The Aztecs. Blackwell, Cambridge, 1996, pp. 38-41) as do the  Quiche and Cakchiquel of highland Guatemala (see Popol Vuh. Tr. Dennis Tedlock. Simon and Schuster, New York, 1985, p. 183 and Annals of the Cakchiquels and Title of the Lords of Totonicapan. Tr. Dionision Jose Chonay and Delia Goetz. University of Oklahoma Press, Norman, 1974, pp. 43 and 169-171.)

Multidimensional Commentary on the Book of Mormon

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