“Jacob Commanded His People to Take Their Flight into the Northernmost Part of the Land”

Alan C. Miner

In 3 Nephi 7:12 it says the following about Jacob, the leader of the Gadianton band:

Jacob seeing that their enemies were more numerous than they, he being the king of the band, therefore he commanded his people that they should take their flight into the northernmost part of the land, and there build up unto themselves a kingdom, until the were joined by dissenters, (for he flattered them that there would be many dissenters) and they became sufficently strong to contend with the tribes of the people; and they did so.

Inasmuch as Jacob's intent (at least for a while) was political autonomy, he might have headed for an area out of the reach of tribal jurisdiction, yet no farther than necessary, for he apparently harbored the idea of later becoming king over the combined peoples. In objective terms we do not know how far away he went. Perhaps a few hundred miles from Zarahemla might be a guess, especially if we have a Mesoamerican setting and the Teotihuacan area in mind. In any case, this may be the farthest point north settled by any group mentioned in the Book of Mormon. [See the commentary on 3 Nephi 4:23]

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References