“Damascus”

Alan C. Miner

[See the commentary on 2 Nephi 17:8]

2 Nephi 20:15 The axe ([Illustration]): An ax leaning against a threshing sledge, Qatzrin, an ancient village from the talmudic period (ca. A.D. 2020-500). Axes were common tools used anciently for trimming or felling trees, clearing heavy brush, or quarrying stone. Similar to its modern counterpart, the ax had a wooden handle with an iron head. Photograph by Tana and Mac Graham. [Donald W. Parry, Visualizing Isaiah, p. 34]

2 Nephi 20:15 The saw ([Illustration]): A saw leaning on a post near a home, Qatzrin. The saw served in biblical times to cut both wood and stone. Blades were usually made of bronze or iron. Photograph by Tana and Mac Graham. [Donald W. Parry, Visualizing Isaiah, p. 34]

2 Nephi 20:22 Thy people Israel be as the sand of the sea ([Illustration]): Sand dunes on the Mediterranean seashore, near Gaza. The great stretch of sandy seashore next to the Mediterranean Sea together with the immense deserts of sand throughout the Near East have made sand the subject of many similes in the scriptures. [Donald W. Parry, Visualizing Isaiah, p. 101]

Step by Step Through the Book of Mormon: A Cultural Commentary

References