Ether 1:38-43

Brant Gardner

The result of the confounding of languages at the Tower of Babel was the dispersal of peoples, and perhaps a deep story of the reason behind the nations of the world. For the Jaredites, it clearly indicated a separation of peoples. They were not only separated by their language, but they obtained a promise that they would further be separated by being given a new land.

They are commanded to gather families and flocks. They were moving an entire people.

There is a hint of where they went. The first indication is that the Lord tells them to move north. These are a people from the ancient Near East. Thus, heading north will put them on a course toward three possible bodies of water: the Black Sea, the Caspian Sea, or the Mediterranean. Which of these bodies of water is the most probable will be dependent upon information found in future verses. However, that future information will strongly point to the Mediterranean.

This is not the end of a chapter in the 1830 edition.

Book of Mormon Minute

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