“Forty and Three of My People Should Take a Journey into the Wilderness”

Brant Gardner

Historical: The explanation for the plates provides us with more historical data about Limhi’s people and incidentally, more information about the nature of the land in which these people lived. First we are to understand that the hope that Zarahemla would be their salvation precedes the arrival of Ammon and his band. The conception that Zarahemla would be beneficial was acted upon once before, but in vain (as will be noted in this brief discussion). This reinforces the importance of the arrival of actual representatives of Zarahemla.

Limhi sends 43 men on this journey. It is not at all clear why the number 43 was selected. The number 40 would be a good Mesoamerican number, and 3 is significant for the Christian godhead, but that would not be well understood at the time of Limhi.

Multidimensional Commentary on the Book of Mormon

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