Places and Geography

The internal travel geography of 1 Nephi: every named place the text gives, with its own verse citation. This page maps only what the text says about its own world. Real-world correspondence — what any location might be identifiable as archaeologically or geographically — is an external question explicitly outside this wiki’s scope. Where the text itself glosses a name, that gloss is quoted.

Jerusalem

Jerusalem is the starting point of the entire narrative. Lehi “had dwelt at Jerusalem in all his days” (1 Nephi 1:4); Nephi’s mother Sariah and brothers Laman, Lemuel, and Sam are with him there (2:5). The Lord commands Lehi to depart because the city faces destruction (1:13; 2:1–2). Lehi’s sons return to Jerusalem three times — once for the brass plates (chs. 3–4), once to bring Ishmael’s household (ch. 7), and once more for the daughters of Ishmael (implied in the completion of 7:22 and the marriages of 16:7). The text treats “the land of Jerusalem” (7:2) and “the city of Jerusalem” as a known point of origin; it does not describe the city’s layout or physical features.

The borders near the Red Sea

After departing Jerusalem, the family “came down by the borders near the shore of the Red Sea; and he traveled in the wilderness in the borders which are nearer the Red Sea” (2:5). The text names the Red Sea as the geographic frame of this early travel but does not give the route a name.

The valley and river of Lemuel

Three days after departing Jerusalem, Lehi “pitched his tent in a valley by the side of a river of water” (2:6). Lehi names the river “Laman” and the valley follows from that: “the valley was in the borders near the mouth thereof” (2:8). In 2:10 Lehi speaks to Lemuel about “this valley,” and in 16:6 the valley is called “the valley which he called Lemuel.” The text specifies that the river “emptied into the fountain of the Red Sea” (2:8–9), placing the valley at the river’s mouth where it meets the Red Sea. This becomes the base of operations for chapters 2–16; Lehi “dwelt in a tent” here (2:15), Nephi receives his vision here (chs. 11–14, with the vision received after the family has returned to this tent), and the marriages of chapter 16 take place here (16:6–7).

Shazer

After the commanded departure from the valley of Lemuel, the group crosses “the river Laman” (16:12) and then: “we traveled for the space of four days, nearly a south-southeast direction, and we did pitch our tents again; and we did call the name of the place Shazer” (16:13). The text gives no further description of Shazer beyond its direction from the starting point and the name. After hunting from Shazer the group continues “in the same direction, keeping in the most fertile parts of the wilderness, which were in the borders near the Red Sea” (16:14).

The more fertile parts / the Liahona’s guidance

From Shazer onward the text does not name specific intermediate waypoints; it describes direction and terrain. The Liahona — a “round ball of curious workmanship … of fine brass” found at the tent door (16:10) — guides the party “in the more fertile parts of the wilderness” (16:16). After Nephi breaks his bow the group camps for a time (16:17) and Nephi hunts from an unnamed mountain (16:30–31). The journey then continues “traveling nearly the same course” (16:33) until the death of Ishmael.

Nahom

“It came to pass that Ishmael died, and was buried in the place which was called Nahom” (1 Nephi 16:34). The text uses the past-tense passive “was called,” suggesting the name pre-existed rather than being coined by the travelers. The name appears only at 16:34 in 1 Nephi. After the burial, the text notes the group traveled “nearly eastward from that time forth” (17:1), which is the only directional marker linking Nahom to the subsequent leg of the journey.

Whether “the place which was called Nahom” (1 Nephi 16:34) corresponds to a real location identifiable by archaeology or inscription is an external, real-world question outside this wiki’s scope. The wiki maps the text’s internal world and leaves real-world correspondence to other works.

Bountiful and the sea Irreantum

After eight years in the wilderness (17:4), the company arrives at a named destination: “we did come to the land which we called Bountiful, because of its much fruit and also wild honey; and all these things were prepared of the Lord that we might not perish” (17:5). The sea beside it is also named and glossed: “we beheld the sea, which we called Irreantum, which, being interpreted, is many waters” (17:5). The text thus provides its own translation of Irreantum. Verse 17:6 confirms the name of the place again: “we called the place Bountiful, because of its much fruit.” The camp is “by the seashore” (17:6). It is at Bountiful that Nephi builds the ship (17:7–18:4).

The sea crossing

The ship departs from Bountiful: “we did put forth into the sea and were driven forth before the wind towards the promised land” (18:8). The text does not name the ocean or the route. A storm drives the ship backward “for the space of three days” when the compass fails (18:13), and after four days total Nephi is loosed and guides the ship back on course (18:15, 18:21–22). The text describes the crossing as a sea voyage to the promised land; no islands, coasts, or intermediate stops are named.

The promised land

The destination is reached at 1 Nephi 18:23: “we did arrive at the promised land; and we went forth upon the land, and did pitch our tents; and we did call it the promised land.” The name “land of promise” or “promised land” is used throughout 1 Nephi as the destination — first announced to Nephi by the Lord in the wilderness: “ye shall be led to a land of promise; yea, even a land which I have prepared for you; yea, a land which is choice above all other lands” (2:20). The text does not name the continent, region, or any geographic features of the promised land beyond its arrival. Chapter 18:24–25 notes that seeds brought from Jerusalem grew, that beasts of various kinds were found in the forests, and that ore was found.

Every place name and geographic detail on this page is drawn from the cited verses in the raw text. The text’s own glosses (Irreantum = “many waters”; Bountiful named “because of its much fruit”) are quoted verbatim. No real-world geographic identification is offered or implied.