“Alma Having Been Consecrated by My Father, Alma”

Alan C. Miner

Alma 5:3 states that "he [Alma1, the father of Alma2] began to establish a church in the land which was in the borders of Nephi; yea, the land which was called the land of Mormon." The reader should understand that this verse is referring back to the time of Alma1 when he escaped from king Noah and established a church in the wilderness. Notice that the land of Mormon was in "the borders of Nephi." The question we could ask is, Which borders, the borders of the local land of Nephi or the borders of the general land of Nephi? The original Nephites that went to the land of Nephi remained there over 380 years before Mosiah1 left the area and settled in the land of Zarahemla. Then Zeniff returned to the land of Lehi-Nephi to inherit the land. His group stayed there about 55 years before Alma1 fled from king Noah to the waters of Mormon. How far could the "borders of Nephi" have extended in 435 years? [Alan C. Miner, Personal Notes] [See the commentary on Mosiah 18:4 and 18:5]

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

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