“Seezoram”

Alan C. Miner

Hugh Nibley notes that the judges name was "Seezoram" (Helaman 9:23) and we had a Zeezrom before. This is the Egyptian word zsr, a very popular name, founded the third dynasty of Egypt. The name means holy, sacred. Our word Deseret comes from that. The land of Egypt, "the holy land, the red land" is called Deseret. And, of course, the symbol of the lowland is the bee. This is the Deseret name, the Zeezrom name. It pops up throughout the Book of Mormon. [Hugh W. Nibley, Teachings of the Book of Mormon, Semester 3, p. 262]

Helaman 9:23 Seezoram, our chief judge (Nephite Chief Priests) [[Illustration]]: Nephite Chief Priests. Adapted from [John W. Welch and Morgan A. Ashton, "Charting the Book of Mormon," Packet 1, F.A.R.M.S., 1997]

Helaman 9:36 Then shall he say unto you that I, Nephi, know nothing concerning the matter save it were given unto me by the power of God ([Illustration]): Nephi Confounds the Wicked Judges. Artist: Robert T. Barrett. [Thomas R. Valletta ed., The Book of Mormon for Latter-day Saint Families, 1999, p. 479]

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

References