“Upon a Tower”

Alan C. Miner

In Helaman 7:10, mention is made of Nephi pouring his soul out to God while "upon a tower, which was in the garden of Nephi, which was by the highway which led to the chief market, which was in the city of Zarahemla; . . ." According to The Writings of Ixtlilxochitl, "the Tultec kings had gardens and pools within their palaces, which were very large; and trees and plants, animals and fowls of all kinds to amuse themselves." The presence of a tower in the garden is noteworthy. Watchtowers were built in the gardens of the Israelites, and most of such gardens were on the outskirts of the towns. [Milton R. Hunter and Thomas Stuart Ferguson, Ancient America and The Book of Mormon, pp. 329-330]

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

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