This arid wasteland was perhaps the worst desert of all. The book of mormon describes the sea as the red sea. The name r ed s ea may be based on the vulgate rendering of the old testament mare rubrum r ed s ea, itself taken from the septuagint greek rendering erythra thalassa. Alma referenced the event as evidence that god can deliver us from every obstacle, including death alma 36. Valley of alma, rest stop for alma and his followers. Pray that the mormons who read this will pick up a map, and see the problem their prophet created for himself. The book of mormons intent in referring to the crossing of the red sea is not to clarify the location of the crossing but to identify the miracle that occurred. And when my father saw that the waters of the river emptied into the fountain of the red sea, he spake unto laman,saying. Even if the king james translation of red sea were in error, one would be unable to draw conclusions about the correctness of the book of mormon translation. Jerald and sandra tanner list 400 clear examples in their book the case against mormonism vol. Includes every geographical place mentioned in the book of mormon. A number of different etymologies have been proposed for irreantum, one semitic and four egyptian.
Archaeological evidence for 7 locations on lehis journey. Based on his explorations of the terrain from jerusalem to the red sea, the author proposes a likely route lehi and his family took as they fled jerusalem. Byu experts field tough questions for the book of mormon. But when we look at the entire description in isaiah 9. James gee, the nahom maps, journal of book of mormon. Aston, a history of nahom, byu studies quarterly 51, no.
Is it possible that a single author wrote the book of mormon. Again, giving the book of mormon the benefit of the doubt, there is somewhat of a valley along the red sea near the modern day city of sharm elsheikh to the west of the gulf of aqaba, but it. Using clues embedded in nephis account of the familys journey in the wilderness, aston discusses the pros and. Parker, professor of ancient scripture at brigham young university, said. The parting of the sea by moses is confirmed in latterday revelation 1 ne. The list of archaeological and historical claims of the book. The publisher obviously decided to choose a neutral observer to analyze what joseph smith called the most correct book on earth. In helaman 3, mormon twice mentions shipping but doesnt indicate if this was by river or by sea. Byu experts helped fill in all kinds of unknowns to bring the book of mormon videos to life.
Of these thirteen, eight passages are associated with the destruction of the armies of pharaoh in the days of moses, the other five occur in connection with the travels of lehi and his company from jerusalem b. Drawing upon this research, this video follows the likely route that nephi and his family took as they journeyed from place to place through israel. However, there are no rivers in arabia and no river empties into the red sea. Many mormon apologists point to central america for the location of book of mormon lands due to the mention of a narrow neck of landwhere the sea divides the land, however problems arise when one considers that the sea south and the sea north are irreconcilable with this limited geographical location for book of mormon. The book of mormon claims that a valley can be found between 2 to 3 days from the northernmost shore of the red sea. How could lehi travel from jerusalem to the red sea in 3. The exodus pattern in the book of mormon religious studies center.
Researchers george potter and richard wellington believe that borders may refer to mountains or cliffs adjacent to the red sea coast. Book of mormon minimalists and the nhm inscriptions. Show that evidence of such a river exists in the same area near the red sea as described in the book of mormon. During this journey, the group also may have fished along the coasts of the red sea, as this body of water contains mackerel, tuna, sardines, and horgie. The book of mormons opening scenes provide an excellent opportunity to test some of its geographic details. The examples in 1 nephi, however, do not show any particular similarity to the phraseology in 2 nephi 19. The term, red sea, used in the kjv to designate what was crossed, also includes the gulf of aqaba 1 kings 9. March 19 geography lessons needed for book of mormon. There is an error in the bible translation and possibly. An account written by the hand of mormon, upon plates taken from the plates of nephi. And when my father saw that the waters of the river emptied into the fountain of the red sea, he spake unto laman, saying, o that thou mightest be like unto this river. How could lehi travel from jerusalem to the red sea in 3 days. Mar, 2017 after travelling 3 days along the coast of the red sea, nephi mentioned his family stopping in a river valley with a continually running river.
The book of mormon s opening scenes provide an excellent opportunity to test some of its geographic details. This sea is mentioned by name thirteen times in the book of mormon. Jan 26, 2016 james gee, the nahom maps, journal of book of mormon and restoration scripture 17, no. If smith was going to the trouble of plagiarizing isaiah, he shouldnt have inserted his own ignorance regarding geography into the mix. The group traveled for three more days after they had reached the borders near the shore of the red sea before making camp. Feeling blue about the red sea in the book of mormon. On other occasions, laman and lemuel were chastened by the voice of the lord, or shocked by divine. The lord miraculously parted the red sea so that the israelites under moses leadership could pass. I am convinced that the addition of red in 2 nephi 19. The book of mormon contradicts the bible and was actually a work of fiction written by joseph. The story begins with lehigh family fleeing from jerusalem, which is in the same location today as it was in lehigh day. Book of mormon, 1830, page 8 the joseph smith papers. O that thou mightest be like unto this river, continually.
There has never been a river that empties into the red sea. Wilderness of akish, jaredite refuge and battle area. Three subsequent book of mormon prophets reminded their listeners of the crossing of the red sea. This gloss signals that its meaning was not readily discernible to readers of the plates and was not in their language. Archaeological evidence for 7 locations on lehis journey to. In the book of mormon, laman and lemuel are the two eldest sons of lehi and the older. Presumably the story of hagoth made the cut mormon s editing process because launching a boat into the sea was so unusual. In the book the father of the family builds an altar at this location. There was first a separation of light and darkness. But in 1995, a pair of lds explorers made a chance discovery of a valley with a small stream, which subsequent visits confirmed.
When joseph smith dictated isaiah passages from the king james bible, he made a few changes to make it look like the brass plates of laban. Well, the literal translation is not adequate, and neither does the description of a red sea fit well into the body of water which is today called as it was in ancient times. A biography is the first book that this college professor of english has written on the subject of mormonism. Church of jesus christ of latterday saints, 1957, 142 and richard l. The problem with this is that a christ quoted isaiah in matt. The book of mormon claims to be a perfect translation because joseph smith supposedly used the crystal glasses the get the perfect wordforword translation, yet there have been over 4,000 changes in the book of mormon since the first edition came out.
Its not hard to find a byu student milling about the streets of jerusalem or wandering along the path to the tree of life in the longawaited book of mormon videos, the series released weekly online by the. The lord miraculously parted the red sea so that the israelites under moses leadership could pass through on dry ground ex. King limhi used the story to build the confidence of his people that the lord would help them escape from captivity mosiah 7. Irreantum is one of the few book of mormon names that is defined with a textual gloss in the book of mormon. If such a river existed, evidence of it should be available river gravel, for example, or mention in ancient texts from the region. What one misses here by the literal translation is the midrash. The book of mormon adds, the labor which they had to perform was to look.
Red sea is the name of a body of water separating ancient egypt and africa from arabia and asia. Why did the book of mormon think the sea of galilee was the red sea. It was light to the israelites going through the red sea, but it was darkness to the egyptians. In poetic fashion,1 lehi named this river after his oldest son, laman, 1 nephi 2. On the first occurrence, when they were beating nephi and sam with a rod, it tells how an angel visited the brothers, and the angel rebuked laman and lemuel. Just as the apostle pauls new testament writings used the language of the septuagint greek translation of the old testament, despite the existence of earlier, more. Its two northern gulfs form the coastline of the sinai peninsula.
It did merge, however, into a paradise by the sea which they named bountiful. When lehi and his family travel south, they describe traveling both by the borders of the red sea, and in the borders of the red sea 1 nephi 2. As you read 1 nephi 16, what do you learn about why the word of god is of great worth. The river laman in the valley lemuel empties into the red sea. A complete description of the book of mormon geography bomgeography, including an internal map model, external map model i. It happened in 600 bc, but there are things about this account that might sound familiar to families today. The land all down the coast of the red sea is flat leaving us to question where lehi found a valley. This, it must be confessed, was a most extraordinary journey. Additionally, the book of mormon describes the sea as the red sea. Regarding the place name shazer, nigel grooms dictionary of arabic topography and placenames contains an entry for a similar word, shajir, giving the.
Tvedtnes argues that the change to red sea derived from previous references in the book of mormon to the red sea. Oct 08, 2019 tvedtnes argues that the change to red sea derived from previous references in the book of mormon to the red sea. Book of mormon authors and teachers such as nephi, alma, and limhi allude to. The first six chapters of the book of mormon contain many references to sacred books, sacred records, and the word of the lord. To morrow turn you, and get you into the wilderness by the way of the red sea. And he came down by the borders near the shore of the red sea. Critics of the book of mormon have jumped on this supposed addition to the text as a foolish geographical mistake by joseph smith, for the red sea is well to the south of galilee some 250 miles. Egypt, and caused that they should walk through the red sea on dry ground. Aug 16, 2019 three subsequent book of mormon prophets reminded their listeners of the crossing of the red sea.
After traveling down to the red sea, lehi and his family pushed forward for another three days before setting up their first longterm camp in a valley with firm and steadfast, and immoveable walls, and a river continually running into the red sea 1 nephi 2. The story of the book of mormon and lehis exodus from the old world begins in jerusalem, the capital of the kingdom of judah and the most prominent city in all israel. And if the church has nothing more than jerusalem, the red sea, and the nahom. The book of mormon student should take note that the word red appears in 2 nephi 19. Was the book of mormon really used as a geographical. Does the book of mormon incorrectly change isaiah 9. In the book of mormon there are incidences of laman and lemuel beating or binding up nephi.
Either way, the supposed error in the book of mormon is eliminated. The book of mormon claims of the river of laman and valley. Ironically, despite its irrelevance for the issue of book of mormon accuracy, the reed sea claim is, itself, the product of a modern error in. Have the valley of lemuel and the river laman been found.
What can we learn from the crossing of the red sea. And it came to pass that he called the name of the river, laman, and it emptied into the red sea. Bushman the book of mormon and the american revolution, brigham young university studies 17 autumn 1976. Without the book of mormon account of this story, the reader would not see the important punch line, that many of the people died because they took lightly. Lehis family sojourned near the shores of the red sea until their departure southward. Byu experts field tough questions for the book of mormon videos. The recurrence of a deliverance pattern in the book of mormon has been noted by hugh nibley an approach to the book of mormon salt lake city. There is a wilderness that extends along the coast of the red sea as far south as nahom. And we did go forth again in the wilderness, following the same direction, keeping in the most fertile parts of the wilderness, which were in the borders near the red sea. The book of mormon begins with an account of a real family experiencing real struggles. Kent brown, new light from arabia on lehis trail, in echoes and evidences of the book of mormon, edited by donald w.
A dictionary of the book of mormonred sea wikisource. Oct 30, 2019 nephi is filled with the power of god 1 nephi 17. The family then traveled south until they reach the borders of the red sea. Jan 28, 2020 when lehi and his family travel south, they describe traveling both by the borders of the red sea, and in the borders of the red sea 1 nephi 2. The name red sea may also include its northern extensions, the gulf of suez and the gulf of aqaba. Adapted from a general map of the area of the travels of george potter and craig thorsted. To the inside front cover are affixed four clippings of descriptions of different versions of first edition copies of the book of mormon and of an 1854 edition of the doctrine and covenants, along with a clipping describing the origin of the text of the book of mormon and a bookplate of the shepard book company of salt lake city, utah.
Presumably the story of hagoth made the cut mormons editing process because launching a boat into the sea was so unusual. After traveling in an easterly direction, as the book of mormon indicates 1 nephi 17. It is an abridgment by an ancient prophet named mormon of the records of ancient inhabitants of the americas. Asterisk denotes a featured version, which includes an introduction and annotation book of mormon, 1830 book of mormon, 1837 book of mormon, 1840 book of mormon, 1841. Geography lessons needed for book of mormon life after.
Jun 12, 2019 drawing upon this research, this video follows the likely route that nephi and his family took as they journeyed from place to place through israel, along the borders of the red sea, and across. Geography lessons needed for book of mormon life after ministry. The book specifically claims that the valley is close to the shore of the red sea, and that a river which runs through it empties directly into the sea. Verse 5 says that lehi came down by the borders near the shore of the red sea. This family was living in a world of increasing wickedness, but the lord promised them that if they would follow him, he would lead them to safety. City of aaron, almas planned destination after rejection in ammonihah. There is an error in the bible translation and possibly the.
This shows a remarkable understanding of israelite history which joseph smith could not have had. The typology of the exodus pattern in the book of mormon. One of the four volumes of scripture accepted by the church of jesus christ of latterday saints. Red sea the church of jesus christ of latterday saints. He also proposes a location for the book of mormons valley of lemuel. This verse references the places of jerusalem, red sea, river laman, valley of lemuel, and the. When israel got to the borders of the red sea, the pillar of fire came around behind them. This appears to be a case of scribal overcorrection, due to prior mention of the red sea in the book of mormon text. Rivers are rare in northwest arabia, and until recently no perennial rivers or streams had been found in the region. River laman, river emptying into red sea lebanon, middle eastern country city of and land of lehi.