Kelly Ogden writes that all hills, rock outcroppings, wadis, and other topographical details were and are given names in the Near East. The ancient Hebrew people loved imagery and figures of speech. The most powerful way to illustrate a truth was to find something in human nature or conduct that corresponded to something in nature. If only Laman could be like this river, continuously flowing toward the source of righteousness! The prophet Amos pled with northern Israelites to “let judgment run down as waters, and righteousness as a mighty [or everflowing] stream” (Amos 5:24). [D. Kelly Ogden, “Answering the Lord’s Call,” in Studies in Scripture: Book of Mormon, Part 1, p. 24] [See 1 Nephi 20:18]
“The River Laman Emptied into the Red Sea This River Continually Running - Hilton Theory”
After naming the river of water by which they pitched their tent “the river Laman” (1 Nephi 2:8), Lehi mentioned that it “emptied into the Red Sea” (1 Nephi 2:9). Because of this drainage, and because of the mountains which parallel the Red Sea on the east, the route of Lehi would probably have been somewhere between the mountains and the sea. Lehi also uses a figure of speech in comparing Laman to a river that was “continually” running (1 Nephi 2:9). The Hilton’s mention in their first book that there is not a single river of any significance that flows year round and reaches the sea in all the Arabian peninsula. This means that the reader must consider the possibility that this river was the direct result of spring rains (a wadi may flow temporarily with water in the rainy season). If so, the beginning of Lehi’s journey may have begun in the rainy season (Dec-Feb); and if so, the word “continually” may refer to the nature of a “flowing” river and not to the length of time it flowed. [See In Search of Lehi’s Trail, p. 65]
Since the Hiltons first made the journey along Lehi’s Trail, vast new research efforts have been published by the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Education under the acronym ATLAL, the Journal of Saudi Arabian Archaeology. ATLAL says that the Wadi Afal (which the Hiltons have identified as the River Laman of the Book of Mormon) drains the largest watershed in the entire area; the delta of the wadi where it enters the Red Sea is a vast triangle extending from Jebal al-Shu’aytijah to Khuraybah (a delta identified by the Hiltons as the Fountain of the Red Sea; see 1 Nephi 2:9). It was of no small interest to the Hiltons that the Book of Mormon locates Lehi’s camp, the probable place of his longest stay and the site of a “river of water,” inside this largest wadi system. In fact, this wadi system is the largest the Hiltons would see anywhere on Lehi’s trail to Bountiful. According to the Hiltons, Wadi Afal could qualify as the river of water in Lehi’s day and be dry now. The sharp escarpment of the canyon bears clear marks of erosion of the passing of much water in former ages. In fact, the Hiltons have seen a “river” flowing after a rain storm and waded in it. Perhaps the weather has become arid since Nephi’s time. In view of what they have found, the Hiltons feel that just because now, 2,500 years later, the Wadi Afal is mostly dry, we should not disqualify this area as the site of the river Laman when there is such clear evidence of ancient waters. [Lynn M. and Hope A. Hilton, Discovering Lehi, pp. 12-13, 45-46]
“The Waters of the River Emptied into the Fountain of the Red Sea This River Continually Running - Hilton Theory”
The Hiltons note that nowadays, in all the Arabian peninsula, not a single river of any significance flows year round and reaches the sea… . Hence, there are no real rivers of water that we can identify today as the River Laman. But this does not end the matter.
Old Testament Hebrew uses two words that in English are both translated as “river.” One word, nachalah, means “winter torrent,” but is translated as “river” when it describes the Wadi al Arish or the River Arnon. In both cases, these “rivers” dry up in the summer… .
The second Hebrew word, nahar’, means a perennially “running stream.” The word is used in the Old Testament for the Euphrates River and the Nile, both of which are indeed everflowing. Thus Hebrew takes account of variations in the meaning of “river” to which our language is deaf.
Quite probably, after seeing a thunderstorm on the watershed of Wadi al-Afal, Nephi may have referred to a “winter torrent” or nachalah when he described the “river of water.” Perhaps also, a spring at al-Bad formed a stream that flowed south for eighteen miles and emptied into the Red Sea. What may have been a surplus of water at that time would now be absorbed by intensive cultivation of the oasis… .
It seems clear to us that Lehi could have used the “big water” as an object lesson for his son… . More likely, the weather has become more arid over the intervening 2,500 years. Nephi’s river of water simply dried up, leaving a mostly dry, sandy river bottom… .
Nephi makes a point of recording that Lehi drew a moral from the river for his son when he “saw that the waters of the river emptied into the fountain of the Red Sea” (1 Nephi 2:9). Perhaps this implies that Nephi could not tell at first from his campsite, but only later, that the waters emptied into the Red Sea. Al-Bad (the Hilton’s proposed Valley of Lemuel] is located eighteen miles northwest from where the Wadi al-Afal empties into the Red Sea. An examination of geographical maps (see illustration) suggests a meaning of the phrase “fountain of the Red Sea.” A fountain is a headwater, a spring, a source. Since Wadi al-Afal empties into the very upper reaches of the Red Sea (and not the Gulf of Aqaba), Nephi’s meaning seems clear: this spot is the “fountain.” It was exciting to follow the ancient stream bed south-southeast from al-Bad through its vast triangular delta until the main stream entered the salt waters of the Red Sea. A few date palms along the beach now mark the site. (see illustration) [In other words, the river Laman would have eventually “emptied” or merged with other drainage from the Wadi al-Afal. The site where this total drainage flowed into the Red Sea would have been termed the "fountain of the Red Sea] [Lynn M. and Hope A. Hilton, Discovering Lehi: New Evidence of Lehi and Nephi in Arabia, pp. 52-54]
1 Nephi 2:9 The waters of the river emptied into the fountain of the Red Sea … this river, continually running (Hilton Theory) [[Illustration] An map showing the major wadi drainages into the Red Sea from the ancient land of Midian. [Lynn M. and Hope A. Hilton, Discovering Lehi: New Evidence of Lehi and Nephi in Arabia, p. 79]
1 Nephi 2:9 The waters of the river emptied into the fountain of the Red Sea … this river, continually running (Hilton Theory) [[Illustration] The Fountain of the Red Sea (1 Nephi 2:9), where Wadi al-Afal flows into the Red Sea, about 20 miles south southeast of al-Bad, Saudi Arabia. Photo by Gerald Silver. [Lynn M. and Hope A. Hilton, Discovering Lehi: New Evidence of Lehi and Nephi in Arabia, p. 57]
“O That Thou Mightest Be Like Unto This River Continually Running into the Fountain of All Righteousness”
After fleeing from the land of Jerusalem, Lehi’s family came down by the Red Sea and traveled in the wilderness until they came to a valley with a river of water (1 Nephi 2:5-6) After offering sacrifices and giving thanks to the Lord, Lehi spoke to his eldest birthright son, Laman, saying: “O that thou mightest be like unto this river, continually running into the fountain of all righteousness” (1 Nephi 2:9). This statement was obviously metaphorical, but the extent of this metaphor is worth investigation.
According to Ted Chandler, Nephi (and presumably Lehi) intentionally paralleled his narrative with historical narratives. Thus we find that in their exodus from what was considered by the children of Israel as the Promised Land, Lehi’s group traveled a course opposite to that of the Israelites when they originally crossed the Jordan and entered Canaan near Jericho.
With respect to the historical subject of “fountains” Josephus describes “a fountain by Jericho.” Originally, this fountain of water had “a sickly and corruptive nature,” causing harm to vegetation and new-born children. Elisha prayed over the fountain and made it “wholesome and fruitful.” Josephus says that the ground watered by the fountain grew “most excellent gardens that are thick set with trees,” and that the area produced honey and balsam. According to Chandler’s proposed exodus route, Lehi’s family would have viewed this area on their journey into the wilderness.
In another reference to Israelite history and fountains, Josephus says that after Samson repented of his pride, God “raised him up a plentiful fountain of sweet water at a certain rock; whence it was that Samson called the place the Jaw-bone, and so it is called to this day.” As William Whiston, the translator, pointed out, the Hebrew word for “jaw-bone” is Lehi: “This fountain, called Lehi, or the jaw-bone, is still in being… .” (See Josephus 12984, 1:77, 329; 2:334-35) [Ted Chandler, “Recent Defenses of the Book of Mormon,” [http://www.mormonstudies.com/defense2.htm], p. 1]
Note* The Bible refers to this incident in Judges 15:16-19:
And Samson said, With the jawbone of an ass, heaps upon heaps with the jaw of an ass have I slain a thousand men. And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking, that he cast away the jawbone out of his hand, and called that place Ramath-lehi. And he was sore athirst, and called on the Lord, and said, Thou hast given this great deliverance into the hand of thy servant: and now shall I die for thirst, and fall into the hand of the uncircumcised? But God clave an hollow place that was in the jaw, and there came water thereout; and when he had drunk, his spirit came again, and he revived: wherefore he called the name thereof En-hakkore, which is in Lehi unto this day.
The footnote at the bottom of the LDS Bible defines “En-hakkore as ”the spring of him who calls.“ So, one might ask, Could Lehi’s use of the ”fountain" metaphor be alluding to any of the following:
(1) Samson’s repentance episode?
(2) the “sweet waters” which were an answer to Samson’s prayers to avoid death?
(3) the name “Lehi” which was where Samson was miraculously delivered by the Lord?
(4) the Lord’s restitution to life of the sickly waters by Elisha?
In other words, was Lehi metaphorically asking Laman to realize that he had been miraculously delivered by the Lord and to repent and live up to his responsibilities as the eldest son of “Lehi.”? [Alan C. Miner, Personal Notes]
Additional Note* There is another “river continually running into [a] fountain” worthy of note on the route going south along the barren west side of the Dead Sea. At the present-day site of En-gedi, there is a nature preserve trail going back up into the wadi David. As visitors hike along this nature trail they can view herds of grazing Ibex (wild goats which live on the steep, rocky slopes) and Hyrax (rabbit-size rodent-looking animals) sunning themselves upon the rocks. About a mile up into the wadi, visitors come upon a natural wonder, a continually flowing waterfall which cascades from the upper rim of an open circular cavern into a refreshing pool below. Some visitors choose to continue their hike beyond the upper rim to a cave above, but many biblical tour groups choose to stop at the refreshing pool in order to recount the story of David and Saul which took place in these surroundings many years before.
In the Old Testament book of 1 Samuel, chapter 24, we find that when king Saul learned that David was in the wilderness of En-gedi, he took three thousand of his chosen men and went after him to kill him because he knew he was destined to be Israel’s future king. But the men of David hid in the cliffs among the caves. Saul, in need of going to the bathroom, entered a cave and shed his robe. In this vulnerable position, David had a chance to kill him and assume Saul’s leadership position, but chose not to raise his hand against the Lord’s anointed. Instead he secretly cut off some of the skirt of Saul’s robe. When Saul eventually left the cave and was apparently down the wadi some distance, David hollered out to Saul and made him aware of what had taken place and that it was a token of David‘s loyalty to the Lord’s anointed king. “And Saul lifted up his voice, and wept. And he said to David, Thou art more righteous than I: for thou hast rewarded me good, whereas I have rewarded thee evil.” (1 Samuel 24:16-17)
The lesson of David‘s loyalty to the Lord’s anointed at this “river continually running into the fountain” at En-gedi could also have been alluded to in Lehi’s admonition to his son Laman at the river Laman in the valley of Lemuel. In fact, it might have been a subtle warning to Laman concerning his not-so-total support of his father, who was the Lord’s anointed. A question might also arise as to whether Nephi could have chosen to include this passage not only as a prophetic view of Laman‘s future rebellion on their returns to Jerusalem for the plates of Laban and Ishmael’s family, but also as an indicator of a travel route along the west side of the Dead Sea? [Alan C. Miner, Personal Notes]
“The Waters of the River Emptied into the Red Sea This River Continually Running - Potter Theory”
George Potter begins his argument by noting that according to Hugh Nibley, Hogarth argues that Arabia “probably never had a true river in all its immense area.” The United States’s Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) reports that Arabia has, “no perennial rivers or permanent water bodies.” The Saudi Arabian Ministry of Agriculture and Water, with the assistance of the US Geological Service (USGS) spent 44 years surveying the kingdom’s water resources. Their study consisted of seismic readings, surface and aerial surveys and even landsat satellite photo analysis. They concluded that Saudi Arabia may be the world’s largest country without any perennial rivers or streams. The satellite photograph of northwest Arabia reveals a terrain that appears as arid and barren as the surface of the moon. Clearly from space, it appears impossible to find a river in this naked desert land of granite mountains, dark lava flows, sandstone hills, and sandy wadis where dried up rivers last ran during the previous ice age.
Some author’s attempts to explain why their proposed “River Laman” is not at this time a “continually running” stream are grounded on the idea that significant changes in the Near East climate have taken place since Lehi’s time. Kelly Ogden presented a version of this theory in the LDS Church News in 1996. It is also alluded to in the Book of Mormon itself (see 1 Nephi 2:6 footnote 6b, Joel 1:20:
The beasts of the field cry also unto thee; for the rivers of waters are dried up, and the fire hath devoured the pastures of the wilderness.
However, this theory does not square with Biblical or meteorological history. Midian was the land where Moses lived with his father-in-law Jethro (D&C 84:6-7). While there, Moses lived in a desert. (Exodus 3:1) Scientists, including those of the United States Geological Service, cite of Arabia: “The past 6000 years have been marked by more arid conditions, similar to those of the present.” Hugh Nibley explains: “though some observers think the area enjoyed a little more rainfall in antiquity than it does today, all are agreed that the change of climate has not been considerable since prehistoric times--it was at best almost as bad then as it is now.”
So where is this “river” which “emptied into the … Red Sea,” and which is described as “continually running” (1 Nephi 2:9)? First of all, the “river of water” mentioned in 1 Nephi 2:6 was probably only a small stream. When translating Nephi’s description of the river, the Prophet Joseph Smith did not specify the size of the river. The Semitic language expert, Dr. Hugh Nibley notes that, “The expression ‘river of water’ is used only for small local streams.” [George Potter with Richard Wellington, Following the Words of Nephi: Part One: Discovering the Valley of Lemuel, Unpublished Manuscript, 1999, pp. 39, 42-43]
In May 1995, George Potter and Craig Thorsted were searching for one of the Arabian candidates for Mount Sinai when they stumbled on a “continually running” stream by the Red Sea. This stream was part of a valley complex that seemed to fulfill all the requirements for the “valley of Lemuel.”
Potter and Thorsted had first traveled to al-Bad to explore the Wells of Jethro, the priest of the ancient land of Midian. (see illustration) On a suggestion from a town official, they traveled 20 miles west to the village of Maqna where supposedly the Waters of Moses were located. (see illustration) According to local tradition, Maqna had been the first camp of Moses after the Israelites had crossed the Red Sea at the mouth of the Gulf of Aqaba (see illustration), and the Waters of Moses was where Moses had touched his staff to the rock and 12 springs gushed forth (see illustration), one for each tribe (see Qur’an 7:160). However, they were additionally directed to another site 12 miles to the north.
Eight miles north of Maqna, Potter and Thorsted found that the southern end of a mountain range forced them towards a small coastal road running northward along the Red Sea. After 4 more miles they came upon a magnificent narrow canyon. (see illustration) They decided to walk up this canyon and after 33/4 miles it opened into a beautiful oasis with several wells and three large groves of date palm trees. However, what caught their interest most was the stream that started in the canyon near its upper end and ran down the wadi virtually all the way to the sea.
Potter and Thorsted found that the stream in the canyon met all of the physical criteria for the valley of Lemuel and the river Laman.
(1) This valley lies just over 70 miles (on the ground, not in a direct line) south of Aqaba. Thus it was within a journey of “three days in the wilderness” by foot or camel ride beyond the northeast tip of the Red Sea (1 Nephi 2:5-6).
(2) If Lehi gave the river a name (1 Nephi 2:8) then it might not have been a major stream. Otherwise, in the hot dry Near East, a permanent settlement and a name would have already been in place.
(3) The “waters of the river [Laman] emptied into the … Red Sea” (1 Nephi 2:9).
(4) Lehi referred to the stream as “continually running” (1 Nephi 2:9).
Potter and Thorsted confirm that after having visited the valley in the months of January, April, May, November, and December, and after colleagues have visited in July and August, they have observed that “the volume of water in the river seems rather constant throughout the year (even though from 1995 to 1999 the volume seems to have decreased perhaps 50 percent due to the continued effects of pumping the water in the upper valley).”
A consulting geologist, Wes Garner, gave the following explanation for this water system (see illustration):
When the occasional rains fall in the long wadi to the north, they are trapped in the sands. This watershed of sand runs southward for 20 miles until its downward course to the sea is blocked by the granite underpinnings of the towering cliffs to the west. (Richard Wellington, Potter’s writing and exploring companion, has estimated the size of the watershed to be approximately 105 square miles). This subterranean rock runs deep beneath the surface, forming a dam. The subsurface waters are thus trapped at the upper end of the canyon in an underground reservoir. The canyon and its stream run westward from the area of this underground reservoir for 33/4 miles, starting at an elevation of 750 feet and ending at sea level in the Gulf of Aqaba. The floor of the canyon descends steadily. Within a few hundred feet, a spring begins to flow as the canyon floor drops to the level of the underground reservoir. The waters form the small river that runs above ground almost the rest of the way. At the point where the river comes to a level grade in the canyon floor, it runs just underground, leaving the soil most. But soon the grade increases in its descent, and the river reappears. It is last seen as it reaches a gravel bed in the lower part of the canyon about 3/8 mile from the beach. From there, the water runs underground to the gulf where it feeds a well used by the coast guard post a short distance away. (see illustration)
The narrow gorge or valley, cut through a massive granite mountain, was composed of three sections starting from Potter and Thorsted’s beach area on the shores of the Gulf of Aqaba: (1) the lower canyon, (2) the canyon of granite, and (3) the upper valley, (see illustration). The upper valley (or what local people called the Waters of Moses) was situated at the south end of a twelve mile long wadi--known as Wadi Tayyib al-Ism (see illustration). This upper valley spread out over approximately one square mile with several hundred palm trees and 12 wells. The canyon of granite consisted of an approximately 33/4 mile long fracture in the granite mountain which permitted the stream to flow towards the Red Sea. The 2,000 foot height of the canyon walls provided a dramatic shelter from the intense 120 degree Fahrenheit heat and torrential winds. The lower canyon walls ended within 60 feet of the waters of the gulf.
If Lehi’s camp were upstream a bit from the mouth, in the shade of the precipitous cliffs, as one might suppose, the stream would still have appeared to Lehi to flow right into the Gulf. However the reason the river does not reach the Red Sea today is simple. The elevation of the floor of the canyon is not the same as it was at the time of Lehi. According to geologist Garner:
in Lehi’s era this lowest part of the canyon was submerged by the Red Sea. Where the river ends today was below the surface of the Red Sea in ancient times… . During the 2,600 years since Lehi would have camped in the area, the canyon floor has risen out of the Red Sea, perhaps as much as 200 to 400 feet.
Again, we believe that the river does not flow the same today as it did in 600 B.C. or even in 1970 (A.D.). Evidence suggests that up to just a few years ago a greater volume of water ran through the canyon. such a river would have undoubtedly run the entire distance to the Red Sea regardless of the changes in height of the floor of the lower canyon.
Even though only a small flow remains from what was probably a much larger stream, this desert river flows continuously, and, in so doing, it washes away any assertions that there are no qualified candidates for the river of Laman in Midian. Even the name of the Wadi (Tayyib al-Ism) possibly alludes to this unique attribute. It’s name is now written Tayyib, or “good” a rather odd placename. It is possible that over time, the name has become confused with another arabic placename, Thaab, meaning “flowing water.” [George D. Potter, “A New Candidate in Arabia for the Valley of Lemuel,” in Journal of Book of Mormon Studies, Vol. 8, Num.1, FARMS, 1989, pp. 54-63] [See the commentary on 1 Nephi 4:2; 3 Nephi 25:4]
1 Nephi 2:9 The waters of the river emptied into the … Red Sea … this river, continually running (Potter Theory) [[Illustration] Larger of Wells of Jethro, al-Bada’a. Photo by George Potter. [George Potter with Richard Wellington, Following the Words of Nephi: Part One: Discovering the Valley of Lemuel, Unpublished Manuscript, 1999, p. 45]
1 Nephi 2:9 The waters of the river emptied into the … Red Sea … this river, continually running (Potter Theory) [[Illustration] Map showing the location of Maqna (the Waters of Moses) and al=Bad (the Well of Jethro). Adapted from a sketch by Timothy Sedor. (George D. Potter, “A New Candidate in Arabia for the Valley of Lemuel,” in Journal of Book of Mormon Studies, Vol. 8, Num.1, FARMS, 1989, p. 58) [Alan C. Miner, Personal Collection]
1 Nephi 2:9 The waters of the river emptied into the … Red Sea … this river, continually running (Potter Theory) [[Illustration] The Path of the Exodus. Adapted (Howard Blum, The Gold of Exodus, 1998, preface) [Alan C. Miner, Personal Collection]
1 Nephi 2:9 The waters of the river emptied into the … Red Sea … this river, continually running (Potter Theory) [[Illustration] George Potter at the twelve natural springs at Maqna. Photo by Richard Wellington. [George Potter with Richard Wellington, Following the Words of Nephi: Part One: Discovering the Valley of Lemuel, Unpublished Manuscript, 1999, p. 46]
1 Nephi 2:9 The waters of the river emptied into the … Red Sea … this river, continually running (Potter Theory) [[Illustration] Narrow canyon opening up on the shores of the Red Sea, which George Potter and Craig Thorsted came upon while traveling eight miles north of Maqna in search of the Waters of Moses. Photo by George Potter. (George D. Potter, “A New Candidate in Arabia for the Valley of Lemuel,” in Journal of Book of Mormon Studies, Vol. 8, Num.1, FARMS, 1989, inside back cover) [Alan C. Miner, Personal Collection]
1 Nephi 2:9 The waters of the river emptied into the … Red Sea … this river, continually running (Potter Theory) [[Illustration] Sketch of the winding 33/4 mile course of the canyon, Tayyib al-Ism (east-west). The exit on the Gulf of Aqaba lies southwest of the point at which one enters the canyon from the upper valley. Sketch courtesy of Timothy Sedor. [George D. Potter, “A New Candidate in Arabia for the Valley of Lemuel,” in Journal of Book of Mormon Studies, Vol. 8, Num.1, FARMS, 1989, p. 57]
1 Nephi 2:9 The waters of the river emptied into the … Red Sea … this river, continually running (Potter Theory) [[Illustration] Cross-section of the canyon showing the drop of the stream from the upper end (750 feet) to sea level. Courtesy of George D. Potter. [George D. Potter, “A New Candidate in Arabia for the Valley of Lemuel,” in Journal of Book of Mormon Studies, Vol. 8, Num.1, FARMS, 1989, p. 63]
1 Nephi 2:9 The waters of the river emptied into the … Red Sea … this river, continually running ([Illustration] Cross Section Model of the Valley Lemuel. [George Potter with Richard Wellington, Following the Words of Nephi: Part One: Discovering the Valley of Lemuel, Unpublished Manuscript, 1999, p. 69]