Helaman and his 2000 stripling soldiers marched from the land of Melek “to the city of Judea” (Alma 56:9). We might guess that the city of Judea was the most convenient place for Helaman to join forces with Antipus and thus, Helaman did not have to pass by any of the other listed cities (Manti, Zeezrom, Cumeni, and Antiparah). But what was the route of Helaman?
If we assume a Chiapas, Mexico setting, Helaman could have either gone through the mountains, or around and down along the Pacific seashore. [Alan C. Miner, Personal Notes]
From the word Judea to Judeah
In 1999, the Zarahemla Research Foundation (RLDS) finished an exhaustive review of all known manuscripts and editions of the Book of Mormon in order to restore the text “to its purity.” The result was the Restored Covenant Edition of the Book of Mormon. One of their “restorations” involves the geographical place name “Judea” (Alma 56:9), which they have changed to read “Judeah.” [Zarahemla Research Foundation, “Geography Concordance” in The Book of Mormon: Restored Covenant Edition, p. 1004]
Note* This must be considered tentative subject to the verification of Royal Skousen, director of the Book of Mormon manuscript project, who will not comment at this time relative to such changes. [Personal communication, 11/22/1999]
“Helaman Did March at the Head of These Two Thousand Young Men”
Helaman refers to his two thousand warriors as “young men” (Alma 56:9) but their age is not stated. Spencer Condie notes that Helaman once referred to them as “men” (Alma 53:20), sometimes as “striplings” (Alma 53:22; 56:57), other times as his “little sons” (Alma 56:30 and 56:39), but most frequently as “my sons” (Alma 56:10, 27, 44, 46, 57:22). [Spencer J. Condie, “Righteous Oaths, Reproof, and Reconciliation,” in Studies in Scripture: Book of Mormon, Part 2, p. 85]
Alma 56:9 I, Helaman, did march at the head of these two thousand young men ([Illustration] Helaman Leads an Army of 2,000 Ammonite Youths. Painting by Arnold Friberg. [The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, The Book of Mormon, Seminary Edition, 1962.
Alma 56 1-29 [Theory Map] Helaman’s Epistle- Helaman & 2000 March to Judea