Alma 35:13 states that the people of Ammon "came over into the land of Melek." Once again, for the Book of Mormon geography student, we have the modifiers "came," "over," and "into," implying that (1) their direction was somewhat toward the recordkeeper, (2) that there was an elevation or a river in between, and (3) that the land of Melek might have been situated in a valley.
The people of Ammon were moved from the land of Jershon, where they seemed to be vulnerable to Lamanite attack, to the land of Melek. Yet the land of Melek bordered on the wilderness west of the land of Zarahemla. One might wonder why the people of Ammon were considered safe from the Lamanites in the land of Melek in the end of the 17th year, while the city of Ammonihah, situated three days northward, was attacked and destroyed about 6 years previous (11th year). First, according to John Sorenson, the west wilderness of the land of Zarahemla might have been so nearly impassable at the area of Melek as to preclude Lamanite armies from crossing it, while further north leading to Ammonihah they could. A second part of the answer might come in the fact that when the Lamanite king's armies attacked the city of Ammonihah in the 19th year, they were soundly rebuffed by a strong Nephite defense system (see Alma 49). Perhaps this defensive system was initiated or under construction when the move of the people of Ammon was decided upon at the end of the 17th year. However, the reader will note that in the earlier part of the 19th year, the land of Melek seemed to be quite accessible to the servants of the Lamanite king in Alma 47:29-30, who fled from the city of Nephi to the land of Melek in order to avoid the king of the Lamanites. Perhaps this easy access was only because these servants apparently just desired refuge and peace, or because they approached the land of Melek from a different route (by way of the local land of Zarahemla). [Alan C. Miner, Personal Notes]
“The People of Ammon Departed out of the Land of Jershon and Came over into the Land of Melek”
The reader should take note of the parallels to Melchizedek evoked in the story of the redemption of the Lamanites that eventually came to be called the people of Ammon:
1. Alma and the sons of Mosiah were redeemed of the Lord. (Mosiah 27:8-24)
2. They learned that "all mankind" must be redeemed in order to inherit the kingdom of God. (Mosiah 27:25-27)
3. They began to "publish peace." (Mosiah 27:32-37)
4. The sons of Mosiah desired to preach repentance to their brethren the Lamanites. (Mosiah 28:1-5)
5. Aaron went to a place called Jerusalem. (Alma 21:1)
6. There the Amalekites and Amulonites "did cause the Lamanites [at Jerusalem] that they should harden their hearts, that they should wax strong in wickedness and their abominations." (Alma 21:3)
7. Ammon converted the king of the land of Ishmael, who reigned under his father, the king over all the land. (Alma 18-19)
8. The converted Lamanites were so righteous, that even though they covenanted to not take up arms, they overcame their enemies in battle. (Alma 23-26)
9. The converted Lamanites joined the covenant people (the Nephites) and were given the land of Jershon, which literally means "a land of inheritance," or in Book of Mormon terms "a land of promise." (Alma 27)
10. They took upon themselves the name of "the people of Ammon," which means "the people of God" (Ammon = God). (Alma 27:26)
11. They were protected from the Lamanites by the armies of the Nephites (the covenant people). (Alma 28:1-3)
12 They kept their covenants perfectly. (Alma 27:27)
13. They eventually were given the land of Melek which literally means "the land of the king" (in Hebrew Melekh = king). (Alma 35:13)
14. The commander of the covenant people (Moroni) established a covenant of peace. (Alma 44:14-15)
15. Those who fought against the covenant people and who refused the covenant of peace suffered death. (Alma 44:14)
16. Alma was on his way to the land of Melek when he was "taken up by the Spirit or buried by the hand of the Lord" (translated). (Alma 45:18-19)
17. This people of Ammon ("people of God" or covenant people) had children who also lived by the covenant. (Alma 56:3-9)
18. When the covenant people (the Nephites) were threatened by the Lamanites, 2000 Ammonite young men brought up under the priesthood covenant (but not the covenant refusing to take up arms) came to the defense of their people and helped save them. Not one Ammonite young man was lost. (Alma 56-59) [Alan C. Miner, Personal Notes] [See the commentary on Alma 13:14-19]