Alma 63:4-17

⁴ And it came to pass that in the thirty and seventh year of the reign of the judges [55 B.C.], there was a large company of men, even to the amount of five thousand and four hundred men, with their wives and their children, departed out of the land of Zarahemla into the land which was northward.

⁵ And it came to pass that Hagoth, he being an exceedingly curious man, therefore he went forth and built him an exceedingly large ship, on the borders of the land Bountiful, by the land Desolation, and launched it forth into the west sea, by the narrow neck which led into the land northward. ⁶ And behold, there were many of the Nephites who did enter therein and did sail forth with much provisions, and also many women and children; and they took their course northward.  And thus ended the thirty and seventh year.

Alma 63:4-6 (Emphasis mine)

The people experienced prosperity after the war.   As a result of their prosperity, people began leaving the main body of the Nephites and expand in the land.  “[T]here was a large company of men, even to the amount of five thousand and four hundred men, with the wives and their children, departed out of the land of Zarahemla into the land which was northward.” 

This was a large migration of well over 10,000 people (5,400 men + wives + children).  “In the same year in which Hagoth sent off his first great ship to the north (Alma 63:5—6), a company of ‘5,400 men, with their wives and their children, departed out of the land of Zarahemla into the land which was northward’ (Alma 63:4). This was but the beginning of a continuing trend of large-scale migration into the north countries. Because of troubles and dissension a really great movement took place a few years later when ‘an exceedingly great many ... went forth unto the land northward to inherit the land. And they did travel to an exceedingly great distance, insomuch that they came to large bodies of water and many rivers’ (Helaman 3:3—4).”[1]

Hugh Nibley continues:

“Colonizing, expanding, business, explode. Now they have to increase. They really expand. They are not going to just stay there and get rich and prosperous without spreading out in all directions seeking new lands, investments, etc. That's what they do. Alma 63:4: ‘And it came to pass that in the thirty and seventh year of the reign of the judges, there was a large company of men … five thousand and four hundred men, with their wives and their children, departed out of the land of Zarahemla into the land which was northward.’ They were settling new lands. Remember, our frontier has always been toward the west. Theirs was always toward the north and the east, but mostly pushing toward the north.”[2] (Emphasis mine)

John L. Sorenson explains further about migrations north.

“In Joseph Smith's day there was a view that the western hemisphere was populated across the Bering Strait, and that civilization moved from the Northwest through North America and then to Central America. Contrary to that view, the Book of Mormon speaks of migrations going the opposite way, from the land southward to the north, in the first century before Christ (see Alma 63:4; Helaman 3:8). Today, archaeologists, linguists, and historians who have studied the matter are agreed that a long sequence of cultural transmissions and migrations moved northward from southern Mexico.”[3] (Emphasis mine)

⁷ And in the thirty and eighth year, this man built other ships.  And the first ship did also return, and many more people did enter into it; and they also took much provisions, and set out again to the land northward. ⁸ And it came to pass that they were never heard of more.  And we suppose that they were drowned in the depths of the sea.  And it came to pass that one other ship also did sail forth; and whither she did go we know not. ⁹ And it came to pass that in this year there were many people who went forth into the land northward.  And thus ended the thirty and eighth year.

Alma 63:7-9 (Emphasis mine)

The first ship returned and took provisions and more people to the land northward.  A second ship sailed, but there was no record of where it went.  These people were never heard from again.  Mormon tells us “we suppose they were drowned,” but unless there was more information in the record than Mormon shares with us, this is nothing more than speculation.  (At the end of this post, there is information speculating on what and where the people might have ended up when they went northward.  This is somewhat long, so that is why I’m including it at the end of the post).

¹⁰ And it came to pass in the thirty and ninth year of the reign of the judges [53 B.C.], Shiblon died also, and Corianton had gone forth to the land northward in a ship, to carry forth provisions unto the people who had gone forth into that land. ¹¹ Therefore it became expedient for Shiblon to confer those sacred things, before his death, upon the son of Helaman, who was called Helaman, being called after the name of his father. ¹² Now behold, all those engravings which were in the possession of Helaman were written and sent forth among the children of men throughout all the land, save it were those parts which had been commanded by Alma should not go forth. ¹³ Nevertheless, these things were to be kept sacred, and handed down from one generation to another; therefore, in this year, they had been conferred upon Helaman, before the death of Shiblon.

Alma 63:10-13 (Emphasis mine)

Shiblon dies, having passed on “those sacred things” to Helaman₃, the son of Helaman₂.  Possession of “those sacred things” made the possessor an important part of Nephite society.  “The voice of the people appointed Helaman the son of Helaman, who had been in possession of the regalia, to fill the judgment seat (Helaman 1:1—9, 13, 21; 2:1—2; Alma 63:11—13). These examples show how those in possession of the sword of Laban and the regalia were looked upon by the people as having authority.”[4]

We also read that Corianton, son of Alma₁, went “to the land northward in a ship, to carry forth provisions unto the people who had gone forth into the land.”   This is the last mention of Corianton in the Book of Mormon.  “[W]hen Alma's son Corianton resettled in the land northward, only a modest distance from Zarahemla, he was abruptly dropped from the narrative as though he had gone to another planet (Alma 63:10–11). Clearly, factual reports of events and situations beyond the capital were in many cases lacking, so Mormon's history must be seen as a minimal record at best. That is, at his best.”[5] (Emphasis in original)

¹⁴ And it came to pass also in this year that there were some dissenters who had gone forth unto the Lamanites; and they were stirred up again to anger against the Nephites. ¹⁵ And also in this same year they came down with a numerous army to war against the people of Moronihah, or against the army of Moronihah, in the which they were beaten and driven back again to their own lands, suffering great loss. ¹⁶ And thus ended the thirty and ninth year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi. ¹⁷ And thus ended the account of Alma, and Helaman his son, and also Shiblon, who was his son.

Alma 63:14-17 (Emphasis mine)

After a period of peace, war breaks out once again.  Nephite dissenters stirred up the Lamanites and they attacked the Nephites.  The new Nephite general, Moronihah, successful defeated the Lamanites.

J. Christopher Conkling discusses the influence of dissenters in the Nephite-Lamanite wars.

“To be sure, the Nephites did not consider the Lamanites to be peaceful neighbors, and these unrighteous Lamanites did send armies from time to time to attack the Nephites, but there is no mistaking that the record emphasizes that the majority of the time, it was the Nephite dissenters who were the true ‘hard hearts’ who continually stirred up, recruited, and inspired the reluctant Lamanites to go into battle (see Alma 21:3; 23:13—15; 24; 27:2—3; 43:44; 47:1—6; 48:1—3; 52:1—4; 62:35—38; 63:14—15; Helaman 1:14—33; 4:4). Indeed, within two verses of the death of the dissenting Nephite Ammoron, the great Nephite-Lamanite wars were over (see Alma 62:36—38), and the peace was not broken for another eight years—when more Nephite dissenters stirred up Lamanite hearts (see Alma 63:14—16). The great Nephite-Lamanite wars of the book of Alma, according to the record, were wars where there were large Lamanite and Nephite allies on both sides of the conflicts. The verses in Alma 23:8—13 indicate how large the Lamanite pro-Nephite faction was.”[6]  (Emphasis mine)

At this point, Mormon ends the record of Alma₂, Helaman₂, and Shiblon.

“There is reason to believe that when successive portions of the master record were added, they were labeled ‘the book of so-and-so’ even though they were integral parts of ‘the plates of Nephi.’ While named after the principal individual who began each section, they sometimes also included records kept by that person's descendants (e.g., Alma 63:17, ‘the account of Alma, and Helaman his son, and also Shiblon, who was his son’). It seems reasonable that each of the component books represented a number of metal plates manufactured at the onset of the named scribe's tenure; these would have been filled up by him and his descendants, after which a new major writer would craft new plates and begin another installment of the ongoing historical record.”[7] (Emphasis mine)

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

We have no record telling us anything about the land northward.  Michael J. Preece has researched this and has a possible explanation.

“The Book of Mormon text often speaks of a mysterious land. It may be referred to as the "land which was northward" (Alma 63:4) or simply the "land northward" (Alma 63:5-8, 10; Helaman 3:3-4, 7, 10-11). In another place it is referred to as the "northernmost part of the land" (3 Nephi 7:12). It is possible that this land is in the same location as the "great city of Jacobugath" (3 Nephi 9:9). Dr. Allen suggests that this mysterious land might be the ancient city of Teotihuacan, built in the valley of Mexico, near where Mexico City lies today (chapter 8, "The Teotihuacan Culture"). The ancient culture which inhabited this city had its beginnings about 150 B.C. and fell about A.D. 750. The circumstantial evidence that Teotihuacan may indeed have been the "land northward" includes the fact that between 55 B.C. and A.D. 29, the Book of Mormon mentions several migrations into this land where large bodies of water were found. This is the same period when Teotihuacan was experiencing a high growth rate. The valley of Mexico contained many lakes, and in fact Mexico City is built on a dry lake bed. The Book of Mormon speaks of the people in the land northward building houses out of cement because timber was scarce in the land (Helaman 3:7, 10-11). The archaeological site of Teotihuacan contains many buildings made of cement, and timber is indeed scarce in the valley of Mexico.”[8]

---

[1] The Nature of Book of Mormon Society, Hugh W. Nibley, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, accessed June 3, 2012.

[2] Lecture 73: Alma 62-Helaman 1, Hugh W. Nibley, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, accessed June 3, 2012.

[3] Mesoamericans in Pre-Columbian North America, John L. Sorenson, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, accessed June 3, 2012.

[4] The Sword of Laban as a Symbol of Divine Authority and Kingship, Brett L. Holbrook,
Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, accessed June 3, 2012.

[5] Mormon's Sources, John L. Sorenson, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, accessed June 3, 2012.

[6] Bottom of Form

Alma's Enemies: The Case of the Lamanites, Amlicites, and Mysterious Amalekites, J. Christopher Conkling, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, accessed June 3, 2012.

[7] Mormon's Sources, John L. Sorenson, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, accessed June 3, 2012.

[8] Exploring the Lands of the Book of Mormon, Michael J. Preece, Provo, Utah:  Maxwell Institute, accessed June 3, 2012.