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Journal of Book of Studies

Volume 15 Number 2 Article 9

7-31-2006

The Brightening Light on the Journey of Lehi and

Daniel B. McKinlay

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BYU ScholarsArchive Citation McKinlay, Daniel B. (2006) "The Brightening Light on the Journey of Lehi and Sariah," Journal of Studies: Vol. 15 : No. 2 , Article 9. Available at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/jbms/vol15/iss2/9

This Feature Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Journals at BYU ScholarsArchive. It has been accepted for inclusion in Journal of Book of by an authorized editor of BYU ScholarsArchive. For more information, please contact [email protected], [email protected]. Title The Brightening Light on the Journey of Lehi and Sariah

Author(s) Daniel B. McKinlay

Reference Journal of Book of Mormon Studies 15/2 (2006): 78–83, 124–25.

ISSN 1065-9366 (print), 2168-3158 (online)

Abstract Many Book of Mormon scholars have attempted to determine the course that Lehi and his family took when they fled Jerusalem to travel to the promised land. In his record, Nephi provided place-names and geographical descriptions, but that information is not sufficient to make conclusive claims. This article draws on the experiences and research of others to discuss the possible locations of the Valley of Lemuel, Shazer, the area where Nephi’s bow broke, Nahom, and Bountiful. The Brightening Light on the Journey of Lehi and Sariah DANIEL MCKINLAY

ver the last century several same year.3 Warren and Michaela Aston took several Latter-day Saint scholars have examined trips to the region in the early 1990s, resulting in Othe geographical details in 1 Nephi in order two FARMS preliminary reports and a book in 1994, to correlate them with specific sites in the Middle In the Footsteps of Lehi.4 Warren Aston published an East. Propositions have varied, though not greatly article on his candidate for Bountiful in the Journal since Nephi provided some fairly explicit point- of Book of Mormon Studies in 1998.5 George Potter ers, aided by a number of other clues. Hugh Nibley described his proposed site for the Valley of Lemuel opened the investigation in 1950 with a series of in a 1999 JBMS article,6 and he and Richard Wel- articles titled “Lehi in the Desert,” initially published lington published Lehi in the Wilderness in 2003.7 in the Improvement Era.1 In 1976 Lynn and Hope Other researchers through the years have con- Hilton traveled across the Arabian Peninsula in an tributed additional suggestions about sites along effort to determine the route of Lehi and Sariah’s Lehi’s trail. There seems to be general agreement journey. Their conclusions were published in a two- among these investigators that Lehi’s party, for most part series, “In Search of Lehi’s Trail,” in the Sep- of the journey, traveled on or near the Frankincense tember and October 1976 issues of the Ensign maga- Trail, which was a pathway for carrying goods from zine,2 and a book on their journey appeared that southern Arabia to the Mediterranean region.

Hiltons estimate that Nahom was on the 19th parallel, which Hugh Nibley writes “Lehi in the passes near Najran, and can be Desert,” initially published in the identified with al-Qunfudhah in Improvement Era. Saudi Arabia.

Lynn and Hope Hilton narrow the site of Bountiful to “a tiny sickle of land curved around a little bay, about 28 miles long and only 7 miles wide, backed by the Qara Mountains.” That location in Oman is now called Salalah. 1976

1950

Lynn and Hope Hilton write “In Search of Lehi’s Trail,” a two-part series that initially appeared in the Hugh Nibley designates maritime Ensign and later in 1976 was published in book form. plain south of Qara Mountains in southern Oman as shore where Lehi’s party camped.

78 Volume 15, number 2, 2006 ------

The Valley of Lemuel Shazer Nephi tells us that after his family left Jerusa- The location of Shazer is not definite. Accord- lem, they traveled “by the borders near the shore of ing to the account, after Lehi had spent a period the Red Sea” for three days and pitched their tents of time in the Valley of Lemuel, the group traveled in a location that Lehi called the “valley of Lem- four days in a south-southeast direction along the uel” (1 Nephi 2:5,14). Guided by Nephi’s comment Red Sea. Assuming that their movement covered that the river Laman “emptied into the fountain of about 100 miles, the Hiltons concluded that they the Red Sea” (v. 9) and “near the mouth thereof” stopped at “the oasis of Azlan in the Wadi Azlan.”11 (v. 8), Nibley guessed that the first camp was at “the Potter and Wellington believe that Lehi traveled 18 Gulf of Aqaba at a point not far above the Straits of miles from the Valley of Lemuel to al-Badʿ, where Tiran.” Lehi may have been standing on “the sides he would have had to pay tribute to pass. They sug- of Mt. Musafa or Mt. Mendisha” when he beheld gest that Shazer was 60 miles south-southeast at the river flowing into the Red Sea.8 The Hiltons Wadi Agharr, where there is a delightful oasis—“a concluded that the Valley of Lemuel was an oasis, valley with trees.”12 The group stayed there long enough to slay animals, and then they carried on “Al Beda [or al-Badʿ] in the Wadi El Afal [or al-Ifal], Saudi Arabia.”9 This would be approximately 75 their journey. miles south and east of Aqaba. There are springs in this valley, but streams run seasonally after torren- Where Nephi’s Bow Broke tial rains. Potter proposed that the Valley of Lemuel This locale presents a challenge for the researcher. was south of Aqaba at Wadi Tayyib al-Ism (“Valley As the Hiltons traveled along the coast of the Red of the Good Name”), between Bir Marsha and al- Sea, they judged that Nephi broke his bow some- Badʿ, near the “Waters of .” It empties into where in the vicinity of Jiddah, in Saudi Arabia. the Gulf of Aqaba on its east shore and is almost 75 They noted that there “the weather is a merciless miles south of Aqaba. There is a stream there that combination of heat, humidity, sand, and salt—a flows all year long.10 force strong enough to destroy steel.”13 They saw car

Warren and Michaela Aston, in their book In the Footsteps of Lehi, propose Wadi Sayq as a candidate for Nephi’s Bountiful BYU archaeologist Ross Christensen, and Wadi Jawf, in Yemen, as in a letter to the Ensign, referred to a the general location of Nahom. 1763 map by Carsten Niebuhr that featured the place “Nehhm,” located in Yemen 100 miles east of Luhaiya and about 25 miles north of Sanaʿa.

1991

1978 1994

Warren and Michaela Aston confirm that there was an ancient burial ground in Yemen called Nehem, a loca- Yemeni tion matching Nephi’s directions. archaeologist Abdu Ghaleb discovers a large burial ground in Wadi Nihm belonging to Nihm tribe.

journal of Book of Mormon Studies 79 fenders that had rusted out within a few months. the place was likely peopled, and that there might Potter and Wellington sought for a location near be some linguistic remnant of the name that has Bisha that was on the east side of the al-Sarāt survived to our day. He referred to a map made by mountains and that had trees with the kind of wood Carsten Niebuhr in 1763 that featured the place that would have been particularly suitable for Nephi “Nehhm,” located 100 miles east of Luhaiya and to make a durable bow. Through contact with local about 25 miles north of Sanaʿa (the name on the experts and written research, they learned that the map is south of the line the Hiltons drew for their olive tree exactly fits the requirements. They con- suggested route to Bountiful). In 1991 the Astons cluded that the high wadis between al-Qadim and confirmed that there was a burial ground in a place Jabal Azzah northwest of Bisha present the general called Nehem, which was located just about where area where Nephi constructed his bow.14 one would expect to find it from Nephi’s direc- tions.16 In 1994 the Astons proposed that the site Nahom is near a large valley, Wadi Jawf, in Yemen.17 In the 2005 FARMS documentary Journey of Faith, In 1976 the Hiltons estimated that Nahom was Yemeni archaeologist Abdu Ghaleb reports his on the 19th parallel, which passes near Najran, discovery in 1994 of a large burial ground in Wadi and can be identified with al-Qunfudhah in Saudi Nihm that belongs to the Nihm tribe. Arabia. Two years later, University The decisive connection to a tribal area in Yemen archaeologist Ross Christensen, in a letter to the by the name of Nahom came to light in 1999 when Ensign, stated that he understood that Nahom can S. Kent Brown published a short article in JBMS mean “mourning” as well as “comfort” or “consola- detailing the discovery of an inscribed altar bearing tion” and that these words might have been con- the tribal name NHM, or Nihm/Nahom.18 The exca- nected to a burial ground.15 He noted that Nephi vators, a German archaeological team working at the implied that Nahom was an established place- Barʾān in Marib (in Yemen), date the altar to name, not one that Lehi himself had chosen, that the 7th–6th centuries bc, the very time that Lehi and

George Potter publishes an article in S. Kent Brown publishes the Journal of Book of Mormon Studies a JBMS report on the detailing his case for identifying Saudi discovery of an inscribed Arabia’s Wadi Tayyib al-Ism as the altar (excavated at a temple Valley of Lemuel. site in Marib, Yemen) bearing the tribal name NHM and dating to the George Potter and Craig Thorsted 7th–6th centuries bc. locate Wadi Tayyib al-Ism, which has a continually flowing stream and other features that appear to fit all the criteria for the Valley of Lemuel. 1998 2000

1995 1999

Revell Phillips publishes a JBMS article about discoveries by BYU geologists of two surface deposits of iron ore on the coast of Dhofar, one a few kilometers Warren Aston, in a JBMS east of Wadi Sayq, the other 10 article, provides further kilometers east of Khor Rori. argument for identifying Wadi Sayq/Khor Kharfot in Southwestern Oman as Bountiful.

80 Volume 15, number 2, 2006 Sariah were journeying. In 2001 Aston reported on Known the Way?”21 The Astons challenged this two more 7th–6th century altars from the same site conclusion in 1994, convinced that the site of Lehi’s that preserve the tribal name NHM, further cement- camp was Wadi Sayq on the Qamar coast of Oman. ing this name as a designation contemporary with The coastal mouth of the valley is Khor Kharfot. It Lehi and Sariah. It is now clear that the tribal area of lies almost exactly eastward of Nahom in Yemen Nahom lay on the south edge of Wadi Jawf, the larg- and west of Salalah.22 Warren Aston provided fur- est drainage in this part of Arabia.19 ther arguments for this view in 1998. Looking in a different place, Potter and Wellington in 2003 Bountiful designated an area east of Salalah, the deep bay of A botanically rich swath of coastal area spans Khor Rori, as the place where Nephi likely built the southern coast of Oman and stretches a short and launched his ship.23 In February 2000 a team of distance into Yemen. Along this coastline several BYU geologists located two surface deposits of iron sites are candidates (some stronger than others) for ore on the coast of Dhofar from which Nephi could the land of Bountiful where Lehi’s family stopped to have obtained ore for making tools to build his ship. camp and to construct a ship. In 1950 Nibley desig- One was a few kilometers east of Wadi Sayq, the nated the maritime plain south of the Qara moun- other 10 kilometers east of Khor Rori, close to Mir- tain range in general as the shore where Lehi’s party bat. Wm. Revell Phillips reported these discoveries camped. The Hiltons in 1976 narrowed the site to “a in a JBMS article in 2000.24 tiny sickle of land curved around a little bay, about In summary, what impresses a student of the 28 miles long and only 7 miles wide, backed by the Book of Mormon is the presence of iron ore, a rich Qara Mountains.”20 That location is now called variety of vegetation, and large number of inlet bays Salalah. agreed with this conclu- (about 12)—all concentrated along the southern coast sion in an article titled “Through the Arabian Des- of Oman, making the area a good fit for Nephi’s ert to a Bountiful Land: Could Have description of the place where he built his ship. !

Journey of Faith, a Warren Aston publishes a JBMS DVD documentary article about two more ancient altars directed by Peter discovered at Marib with the inscription Johnson, is produced The Neal A. Maxwell Institute NHM, or Nihm/Nahom. by FARMS under at BYU presents the latest the direction of research and scholarship in a S. Kent Brown. special issue of JBMS. Dozens of scholars contribute insights and commentary to the film.

2003 2006

2001 2005 2007

Journey of Faith: From Jerusalem to the Promised Land, an expanded version of the DVD documentary, is published by S. Kent Brown and Peter Johnson.

George Potter and Richard Wellington publish Lehi in the Wilderness, which proposes Khor Rori as a candidate for Bountiful and details other aspects of Lehi’s trail. journal of Book of Mormon Studies 81 Bibliography of Lehi’s Journey

Aston, Warren P. “The Arabian Bountiful Discovered? Brown, S. Kent, Terry B. Ball, Arnold H. Green, David J. Evidence for Nephi’s Bountiful.” Journal of Book of Johnson, and Wm. Revell Phillips. “Planning Research Mormon Studies 7/1 (1998): 4–11. in Oman: The End of Lehi’s Trail.” Journal of Book of ———. “Newly Found Altars from Nahom.” Journal of Mormon Studies 7/1 (1998): 12–21. Book of Mormon Studies 10/2 (2001): 56–61. Bunker, Robert L. “The Design of the Liahona and the Aston, Warren P., and Michaela J. Aston. In the Footsteps Purpose of the Second Spindle.” Journal of Book of of Lehi: New Evidence for Lehi’s Journey across Arabia Mormon Studies 3/2 (1994): 1–11. to Bountiful. : Deseret Book, 1994. Clark, Eugene E. “A Preliminary Study of the Geology ———. “The Place Which Was Called Nahom: The Vali- and Mineral Resources of Dhofar, the Sultanate of dation of an Ancient Reference to Southern Arabia.” Oman.” Provo, UT: FARMS Preliminary Report, 1995. Provo, UT: FARMS Preliminary Report, 1991. England, Eugene. “Through the Arabian Desert to a ———. “The Search for Nahom and the End of Lehi’s Bountiful Land: Could Joseph Smith Have Known the Trail in Southern Arabia.” Provo, UT: FARMS Pre- Way?” In Noel. B. Reynolds, Book of Mormon Author- liminary Report, 1989. ship, 157–88. ———. “And We Called the Place Bountiful: The End of Fronk, Camille. “Desert Epiphany: Sariah and the Lehi’s Arabian Journey.” Provo, UT: FARMS Prelimi- Women in 1 Nephi.” Journal of Book of Mormon Stud- nary Report, 1991. ies 9/2 (2000): 4–15. Baker, Christine P. “Ishmael.” In Ludlow, Brown, and Hilton, Lynn M., and Hope Hilton. Discovering Lehi. Welch, To All the World, 125–26. See also Ludlow, Springville, UT: Cedar Fort, 1996. Encyclopedia of , 2:704–5. ———. In Search of Lehi’s Trail. Salt Lake City: Deseret Bitton, Davis, ed. Mormons, Scripture, and the Ancient Book, 1976. World: Studies in Honor of John L. Sorenson. Provo, UT: Jackson, Kent P., ed. Studies in Scripture, Volume 7: FARMS, 1998. 1 Nephi to Alma 29. Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1987. Black, Susan Easton. “Sariah.” In Largey, Book of Mor- Kocherhans, Arthur J. Nephi to Zarahemla: A True and mon Reference Companion, 701. Ancient Record. Orem, UT: Granite Publishing, 2002. Brown, S. Kent. From Jerusalem to Zarahemla: Literary Lambert, Neal E. “Liahona.” In Largey, Book of Mormon and Historical Studies of the Book of Mormon. Provo, Reference Companion, 519–20. UT: BYU Religious Studies Center, 1998. Largey, Dennis L., ed. Book of Mormon Reference Com- ———. “Lehi, journey of, to the promised land.” In Lar- panion. Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2003. gey, Book of Mormon Reference Companion, 511–16. Ludlow, Daniel H. A Companion to Your Study of the ———. “New Light from Arabia on Lehi’s Trail.” In Book of Mormon. Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1976. Echoes and Evidences of the Book of Mormon, edited ———, ed. Encyclopedia of Mormonism. 5 vols. New by Donald W. Parry, Daniel C. Peterson, and John W. York: Macmillan Publishing, 1992. Welch, 55–126. Provo, UT: FARMS, 2002. Ludlow, Daniel H., S. Kent Brown, and John W. Welch, ———. “‘The Place That Was Called Nahom’: New Light eds. To All the World: The Book of Mormon Articles from Ancient Yemen.” Journal of Book of Mormon from the Encyclopedia of Mormonism. Provo, UT: Studies 8/1 (1999): 66–68. FARMS, 2000. ———. Voices from the Dust: Book of Mormon Insights. Ludlow, Douglas K. “Liahona.” In Ludlow, Brown, and American Fork, UT: Covenant Communications, Welch, To All the World, 170–71. See also Ludlow, 2004. Encyclopedia of Mormonism, 2:829–30. Brown, S. Kent, and Terrence L. Szink. “Lehi.” In Lud- Lundquist, John M., and Stephen D. Ricks, eds. By Study low, Brown, and Welch, To All the World, 168–70. See and Also by Faith: Essays in Honor of Hugh W. Nibley. also Ludlow, Encyclopedia of Mormonism, 2:827–28. Vol. 2. Salt Lake City: Deseret Book and FARMS, 1990.

82 Volume 15, number 2, 2006 McConkie, Joseph Fielding, and Robert L. Millet. Doctri- Seely, David R. “Lehi’s Altar and Sacrifice in the Wilder- nal Commentary on the Book of Mormon. Vol. 1. Salt ness.” Journal of Book of Mormon Studies 10/1 (2001): Lake City: Bookcraft, 1987. 62–69. Nibley, Hugh. Lehi in the Desert; The World of the Jar- Sorenson, John L. “The Composition of Lehi’s Family.” edites; There Were . Salt Lake City: Deseret In Lundquist and Ricks, By Study and Also by Faith, Book and FARMS, 1988. 2:174–96. ———. The Prophetic Book of Mormon. Salt Lake City: ———. “Metals and Metallurgy Relating to the Book Deseret Book and FARMS, 1989. of Mormon Text.” Provo, UT: FARMS Preliminary ———. Teachings of the Book of Mormon, Semester 1: Report, 1992. Transcripts of Lectures Presented to an Honors Book of Sorenson, John L., and Melvin J. Thorne, eds. Rediscover- Mormon Class at 1988–90. ing the Book of Mormon. Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Provo, UT: FARMS, 1993. and FARMS, 1991. Nyman, Monte F., and Charles D. Tate Jr., eds. The Book Sperry, Sidney B. Our Book of Mormon. Salt Lake City: of Mormon: , The Doctrinal Foundation: Bookcraft, 1950. Papers from the Second Annual Book of Mormon Sym- ———. Problems of the Book of Mormon. Salt Lake City: posium. Provo, UT: Religious Studies Center, 1988. Bookcraft, 1964. Ogden, D. Kelly “Answering the Lord’s Call (1 Nephi Turner, Rodney. “Lemuel, valley of.” In Largey, Book of 1–7).” In Jackson, Studies in Scripture, 17–33. Mormon Reference Companion, 518–19. Phillips, Wm. Revell. “Metals of the Book of Mormon.” Tvedtnes, John A. “Was Lehi a Caravaneer?” Provo, UT: In Largey, Book of Mormon Reference Companion, FARMS Preliminary Report, 1984. 539–40. Welch, John W., ed. Reexploring the Book of Mormon. ———. “Metals of the Book of Mormon.” Journal of Book Provo, UT: FARMS, 1992. of Mormon Studies 9/2 (2000): 36–43. Welch, John W., David Rolph Seely, and Jo Ann H. Seely, Potter, George D. “A New Candidate in Arabia for the eds. Glimpses of Lehi’s Jerusalem. Provo, UT: FARMS, Valley of Lemuel.” Journal of Book of Mormon Studies 2004. 8/1 (1999): 54–63. Welch, John W., and Melvin J. Thorne, eds. Pressing For- Potter, George D., and Richard Wellington. Lehi in the with the Book of Mormon: The FARMS Updates of Wilderness: 81 New, Documented Evidences That the the 1990s. Provo, UT: FARMS, 1999. 1–62. Book of Mormon Is a True History. Springville, UT: Cedar Fort, 2003. Reynolds, George. A Dictionary of the Book of Mormon: Comprising Its Biographical, Geographical, and Other Proper Names. Salt Lake City: Joseph Hyrum Parry Publishing, 1891. ———. The Story of the Book of Mormon. Salt Lake City: Joseph Hyrum Parry Publishing, 1888. Reynolds, George, and Janne M. Sjodahl. Commentary on the Book of Mormon. Vol. 1. Salt Lake City: Press, 1955. Reynolds, Noel B. “Lehi’s Arabian Journey Updated.” In Book of Mormon Authorship Revisited: The Evidence for Ancient Origins, edited by Noel B. Reynolds, 379– 90. Provo, UT: FARMS, 1997. Ricks, Eldin. Book of Mormon Commentary. Vol. 1. Salt Lake City: Deseret News Press, 1951. Roberts, Brigham H. Studies of the Book of Mormon. Edited by Brigham D. Madsen. Chicago: University of Press, 1985. 63–148, 195–201, 259–63.

journal of Book of Mormon Studies 83 and Arugot valleys is shown Wilderness (Springville, UT: However, the apparatus for who remain unmentioned in the influential Carta Cedar Fort, 2005), 1–10, the Book of Mormon and the in Nephi’s text because they Atlas (formerly The Macmil- 31–50. triple combination omits the possessed no rights as fam- lan Bible Atlas) as the path 14. See George Potter, “A New capitalized abbreviations HEB ily members. But no textual taken by Flavius Silva’s Tenth Candidate in Arabia for the (Hebrew) and GR (Greek) that evidence for this suggestion is Roman Legion to travel from Valley of Lemuel,” JBMS 8/1 are included in the Bible. The offered. Jerusalem past Ein Gedi to (1999): 54–63, 79. page titled “Explanation Con- Masada. See Yohanan Aha- 15. See Jeffrey R. Chadwick, “The cerning Abbreviations” at the The Brightening Light on the roni et al., The Carta Bible Wrong Place for Lehi’s Trail front of the Latter-day Saint Journey of Lehi and Sariah Atlas, 4th ed. (Jerusalem: and the Valley of Lemuel,” edition of the KJV indicates By Daniel McKinlay Carta, 2002), 190 (map 260). FARMS Review 17/2 (2005): that a HEB footnote provides 11. In the winter of 1994, when 197–215. “an alternate from 1. See the bibliography of Lehi’s I was a full-time instructor 16. The article may be accessed the Hebrew.” The use of HEB journey that follows this at the BYU Jerusalem Center online at maxwellinstitute. in footnote a of 1 Nephi 16:13 article. for Near Eastern Studies, I byu.edu/publications/review- is thus supposed to indicate 2. Lynn M. and Hope A. Hilton, explored the segment of this main.php by clicking on the that an “alternate transla- “In Search of Lehi’s Trail,” route from Jerusalem to Ein link for FARMS Review 17/2, tion” of Shazer is “twisting, pt. 1, Ensign, September 1976, Gedi with my wife and chil- 2005. intertwining.” The problems, 32–54; pt. 2, October 1976, dren. I also served as Scout- 17. See Chadwick, “The Wrong of course, are that we do not 34–63. master of Jerusalem Troop Place for Lehi’s Trail and the have a translation of the name 3. Lynn M. and Hope A. Hilton, 75 at the time and took my Valley of Lemuel,” 206–9. to begin with and thus cannot In Search of Lehi’s Trail (Salt Scouts along the Arugot valley 18. My negative conclusions know if the proposed alternate Lake City: Deseret Book), segment of that desert trail about Tayyib al-Ism were not translation is legitimate. 1976. (located in Israel’s Ein Gedi well received in some quar- 22. In addition to 1 Nephi 16:13, 4. Warren P. Aston and Michaela National Park). ters, as noted by the FARMS HEB occurs in a footnote to Knoth Aston, “The Search for 12. Brown explains in an end- Review editor (see the editor’s each of the following verses: Nahom and the End of Lehi’s note that the Jerusalem/Ein introduction by Daniel C. 1 Nephi 16:34 (concerning Trail in Southern Arabia” Gedi/Arabah route is the one Peterson, “Not So Easily Dis- Nahom, but at least qualified (FARMS, 1989); “And We preferred by D. Kelly Ogden missed: Some Facts for Which by probably); 2 Nephi 9:20; Called the Place Bountiful: in “Answering the Lord’s Call Counterexplanations of the Mosiah 11:3; and Mosiah The End of Lehi’s Arabian (1 Nephi 1–7),” in Studies Book of Mormon Will Need 27:29. Journey” (FARMS, 1991); In in Scripture, Volume Seven: to Account,” FARMS Review 23. See S. Kent Brown, “The Place the Footsteps of Lehi: New Evi- 1 Nephi to Alma 29, ed. Kent 17/2 [2005]: xxvn45, xlviii). I That Was Called Nahom: New dence for Lehi’s Journey Across P. Jackson (Salt Lake City: fully understand this disap- Light from Ancient Yemen,” Arabia to Bountiful (Salt Lake Deseret Book, 1987), 23n8. pointment, and even the ini- JBMS 8/1 (1999): 66–68; and City: Deseret Book, 1994). I think it is important to tial tendency toward denial, Warren P. Aston, “Newly 5. Warren P. Aston, “The Ara- mention, even if only in an on the part of those who not Found Altars from Nahom,” bian Bountiful Discovered? endnote, that Ogden walked only felt that a “valley of Lem- JBMS 10/2 (2001): 58–61. Evidence for Nephi’s Bounti- the entire distance from uel” had been discovered but 24. See Hugh Nibley, Lehi in the ful,” JBMS 7/1 (1998): 4–11. Jerusalem to the Red Sea via also had invested significant Desert; The World of the Jar- 6. George D. Potter, “A New the Arabah valley in order to resources in presenting the edites; There Were Jaredites Candidate in Arabia for the explore Lehi’s trail firsthand. site to the public in books (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Valley of Lemuel,” JBMS 8/1 The walk was accomplished and video programs. And and FARMS, 1988), 63–67. (1999): 54–63. over several terms during 1986 to be fair, I should point out 25. In addition to Brown’s com- 7. George D. Potter and Richard and 1987 while Ogden was an that Brown and Wellington ments in this issue on the Wellington, Lehi in the Wil- instructor for Brigham Young and Potter had not yet seen possible bondage of Lehi and derness: 81 New, Documented University’s Jerusalem Center my review when they began family in Arabia, see S. Kent Evidences That the Book of student programs. As a fellow preparing their original drafts Brown, “A Case for Lehi’s Mormon Is a True History instructor there, I joined him for the articles in this pres- Bondage in Arabia,” JBMS 6/2 (Springville, UT: Cedar Fort, on some portions of his “Lehi ent issue of JBMS. It may be (1997): 205–17; From Jerusa- 2003). Trek,” including the summer that they or others who have lem to Zarahemla: Literary 8. Hugh Nibley, Lehi in the Des- 1986 portion where it became a vested interest in Tayyib and Historical Studies of the ert; The World of the Jaredites; evident to us both that Lehi al-Ism will eventually prepare Book of Mormon (Provo, UT: There Were Jaredites (Salt could not have taken a trail and publish a full response BYU Religious Studies Center, Lake City: Deseret Book and from Qumran to Ein Gedi to the issues I raised in the 1998), 55–74; and “New Light FARMS, 1988), 85. along the northwest shore of FARMS Review. from Arabia on Lehi’s Trail,” 9. Hilton and Hilton, “In Search the Dead Sea since steep cliffs 19. Chadwick, “The Wrong Place in Echoes and Evidences of the of Lehi’s Trail,” pt. 1, 54. meet the lake’s edge there. This for Lehi’s Trail and the Valley Book of Mormon, ed. Donald 10. See George Potter, “A New led us both to the conclusion, of Lemuel,” 214. W. Parry, Daniel C. Peterson, Candidate,” 57–60. on strictly practical grounds, 20. This is essentially a restate- and John W. Welch (Provo, 11. Hilton and Hilton, “In Search that Lehi must have come from ment of the model presented UT: FARMS, 2002), 88–92, of Lehi’s Trail,” pt. 1, 54. Jerusalem to Ein Gedi via the in Chadwick, “The Wrong 120–22. 12. Potter and Wellington, Lehi in Arugot valley approach and Place for Lehi’s Trail and the 26. See Potter and Wellington, the Wilderness, 77. that he traveled along the Dead Valley of Lemuel,” 211. Lehi in the Wilderness, 142– 13. Hilton and Hilton, In Search Sea’s west shore only south of 21. The apparatus for capitalized 43. Not only do the authors of Lehi’s Trail, 81. Ein Gedi, where that shoreline abbreviations in the footnotes suggest that Arab sailors 14. See Potter and Wellington, flattens out and makes foot is found at the beginning of accompanied Lehi’s colony on Lehi in the Wilderness, 105. traffic possible. each Book of Mormon, triple the voyage to America, they 15. See Hilton and Hilton, “The 13. See George Potter and Rich- combination, and Latter-day propose that Lehi took along Place Called Nahom,” Ensign, ard Wellington, Lehi in the Saint edition of the Bible. household servants as well, August 1978, 73.

124 volume 15, number 2, 2006 16. Warren P. Aston and Michaela nomic rather than alphabeti- genei, Caspian Tern Sterna ing Sunbird Cinnyris habes- J. Aston, “The Place Which cal order: Masked Booby Sula caspia, Great Crested (Swift) sinicus, Rufous-tailed Shrike Was Called Nahom: The dactylatra, Socotra Cormo- Tern Sterna bergii, Bridled Lanius isabellinus, Long-tailed Validation of an Ancient Ref- rant Phalacrocorax nigrogula- Tern Sterna anaethetus, Saun- Shrike Lanius schach, Eur- erence to Southern Arabia” ris, Gray Heron Ardea cinerea, ders’s Tern Sterna saundersi, asian Jackdaw Corvus mon- (FARMS, 1991), 10. Little Egret Egretta garzetta, Brown Noddy Anous stolidus, edula, House Crow Corvus 17. See Aston and Aston, In the Western Reef Heron Egretta Rock Pigeon Columba livia, splendens, Hooded (Carrion) Footsteps of Lehi, 22. gularis, Striated Heron Butori- Oriental Turtle-Dove Strep- Crow Corvus corone, Brown- 18. See S. Kent Brown, “The Place des striatus, Great (Eurasian) topelia orientalis, Eurasian necked Raven Corvus ruficol- That Was Called Nahom: New Bittern Botaurus stellaris, Collared-Dove Streptopelia lis, Fan-tailed Raven Corvus Light from Ancient Yemen,” White Stork Ciconia ciconia, decaocto, Palm (Laughing) rhipidurus, Tristram’s Starling JBMS 8/1 (1999): 66–68. African Spoonbill Platalea Dove Streptopelia senegalensis, Onychognathus tristramii, 19. See Warren P. Aston, “Newly alba, Greater Flamingo Namaqua Dove Oena cap- Dead Sea Sparrow Passer Found Altars from Nahom,” Phoenicopterus ruber, Eur- ensis, Bruce’s Green Pigeon moabiticus, Rueppell’s Weaver JBMS 10/2 (2001): 56–61. asian Wigeon Anas penelope, Treron waalia, Common (Eur- Ploceus galbula, African 20. Hilton and Hilton, “In Search Mallard Anas platyrhynchos, asian) Swift Apus apus, Pallid Silverbill Lonchura cantans, of Lehi’s Trail,” pt. 1, 50–51. Osprey Pandion haliaetus, Swift Apus pallidus, Little Yellowhammer Emberiza 21. Eugene England, “Through Black Kite Milvus migrans, Swift Apus affinus, Common citrinella, House Bunting the Arabian Desert to a Short-toed Eagle Circaetus Kingfisher Alcedo atthis, Emberiza striolata, Cinereous Bountiful Land: Could Joseph gallicus, Bateleur Terathopius Malachite Kingfisher Alcedo Bunting Emberiza cineracea, Smith Have Known the Way?” ecaudatus, Western Marsh cristata, Gray-headed King- Cinnamon-breasted Bunting in Noel B. Reynolds, ed., Harrier Circus aeruginosus, fisher Halcyon leucocephala, Emberiza tahapisi, Black- Book of Mormon Authorship: Eurasian Sparrowhawk Accip- Pied Kingfisher Ceryle rudis, headed Bunting Emberiza New Light on Ancient Origins iter nisus, Eurasian Buzzard Little Green Bee-eater Merops melanocephala. (Provo, UT: BYU Religious Buteo buteo, Long-legged Buz- orientalis, European Roller 5. James F. Clements, Birds of the Studies Center, 1982), 150. zard Buteo rufinus, Verreaux’s Coracias garrulus, Eurasian World: A Checklist (Vista, CA: 22. See Aston and Aston, In the Eagle Aquila verreauxii, Hoopoe Upupa epops, Singing Ibis, 2000). Footsteps of Lehi, 37–43. Booted Eagle Hieraaetus pen- Bush-Lark Mirafra cantillans, 6. P. A. D. Hollom et al., Birds 23. See Potter and Wellington, natus, Bonelli’s Eagle Hieraae- Black-crowned Sparrow- of the Middle East and North Lehi in the Wilderness, 152–53. tus fasciatus, Eurasian Kestrel Lark Eremopterix nigriceps, Africa (Calton, Staffordshire, 24. See Wm. Revell Phillips, Falco tinnunculus, Sooty Crested Lark Galerida cris- England: T & AD Poyster, “Metals of the Book of Mor- Falcon Falco concolor, Barbary tata, Eurasian Crag-Martin 1988); R. F. Porter et al., Birds mon,” JBMS 9/2 (2000): 36–41. Falcon Falco pelegrinoides, Hirundo rupestris, African of the Middle East (Princeton, Arabian Partridge Alectoris Rock-Martin Hirundo ful- NJ: Princeton University Birds Along Lehi’s Trail melanocephala, Common igula, Barn Swallow Hirundo Press, 2004); and Jens Eriksen Stephen L. Carr Moorhen Gallinula chloro- rustica, House Martin Deli- et al., Oman Bird List, edition pus, Eurasian Coot Fulica chon urbica, Yellow Wagtail 6 (Muscat, Sultanate of Oman: 1. The trip leaders for this tour atra, Eurasian Oystercatcher Motacilla flava, Citrine Centre for Environmental were Gregory Witt of Brigham Haematopus ostralegus, Wagtail Motacilla citreola, Studies and Research, Sultan Young University; Lynn M. Black-winged Stilt Himan- White Wagtail Motacilla Qaboos University, 2003). Hilton, author of two books topus himantopus, Spotted alba, White-spectacled Bulbul 7. See the footnotes in the 1979 pertaining to Lehi’s journey, Thick-knee Burhinus capensis, Pycnonotus xanthopygos, Eur- edition of the Latter-day Saint In Search of Lehi’s Trail and Red-wattled Lapwing Vanellus asian Blackbird Turdus mer- edition of the King James Discovering Lehi; and Warren indicus, White-tailed Lapwing ula, Dark-throated Thrush Bible for Deuteronomy 14:12– P. Aston, author of the book Vanellus leucurus, Common Turdus ruficollis, Streaked 18. Also see William Smith, A In the Footsteps of Lehi. Ringed Plover Charadrius Scrub-Warbler Scotocerca Dictionary of the Bible (Grand 2. Tanakh: A New Translation of hiaticula, Kentish (Snowy) inquieta, Graceful Prinia Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1948, the Holy Scriptures According Plover Charadrius alexandri- Prinia gracilis, Savi’s War- 11th printing 1976). to the Traditional Hebrew Text nus, Lesser Sand-Plover Cha- bler Locustella luscinioides, 8. See note 2 for publication data. (Jerusalem: Jewish Publica- radrius mongolus, Common Upcher’s Warbler Hippolais 9. This word, when broken tion Society, 1985), 169. Snipe Gallinago galllinago, languida, Plain Leaf-War- down into its Latin compo- 3. Jeffrey R. Chadwick, in “Lehi’s Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa bler Phylloscopus neglectus, nents, means “bone-break,” House at Jerusalem and the lapponica, Eurasian Curlew Wood Warbler Phylloscopus or “a bird that breaks bones.” Land of His Inheritance,” in Numenius arquata, Spotted sibilatrix, Red Sea Warbler The Eurasian Lammergeier, Glimpses of Lehi’s Jerusalem, Redshank Tringa erythropus, Sylvia leucomelaena, Spotted Gypaetus barbatus, a type of ed. John W. Welch, David Common Redshank Tringa Flycatcher Muscicapa striata, vulture, after cleaning off a Rolph Seely, and Jo Ann H. totanus, Marsh Sandpiper Common Redstart Phoeni- carcass as much as possible, Seely (Provo, UT: FARMS, Tringa stagnatilis, Common curus phoenicurus, White- takes the animal’s bones high 2004), 81–130, presents evi- Greenshank Tringa nebu- tailed Wheatear Oenanthe up in the air and repeatedly dence that Lehi’s house was laria, Terek Sandpiper Xenus leucopyga, Hooded Wheatear drops them until they break located inside the city of cinereus, Common Sandpiper Oenanthe monacha, Hume’s open and the marrow can be Jerusalem and that his land of Actitis hypoleucos, Ruddy Wheatear Oenanthe alboniger, extracted. inheritance lay at some dis- Turnstone Arenaria interpres, Variable Wheatear Oenanthe 10. If this bird is the same as the tance outside the city. Little Stint Calidris minuta, picata, Isabelline Wheatear present-day Osprey, Pandion 4. For those interested, the Eng- White-eyed Gull Larus Oenanthe isabellina, Desert haliaetus, it is bird of prey lish names of birds observed leucophthalmus, Sooty Gull Wheatear Oenanthe deserti, that feeds solely on bony fish, along the proposed Lehi trail Larus hemprichii, Herring Blackstart Cercomela mel- which were clean according to are given below along with Gull Larus argentatus, Lesser anura, Arabian Babbler Tur- the Mosaic law, and does not their scientific names, pre- Black-backed Gull Larus fus- doides squamiceps, Palestine consume carrion as a vulture sented in the accepted taxo- cus, Slender-billed Gull Larus Sunbird Cinnyris oseus, Shin- does. If, however, this bird is

journal of Book of Mormon Studies 125