The Baja Theory—Does the River Sidon Flow North or South? Part II

Continuing from the last post regarding the direction of flow of the river Sidon (Alma 22:27), Rosenvall writes: “Some Book of Mormon maps place the headwaters of the river Sidon in the south wilderness, an area to the south of the land of Zarahemla on the northern extent of the narrow strip of wilderness. The proponents of these maps then reason: Because these headwaters are located towards the south, the river Sidon would, by necessity, flow northward.”

It does not matter how someone reasons—what matters is what the scriptural record tells us about the Sidon River, where it is located, where its head or headwaters are, and as a result, know where it flowed.
Speaking of this very thing, Mormon wrote: “the Lamanites will cross the river Sidon in the south wilderness, away up beyond the borders of the land of Manti. And behold there shall ye meet them, on the east of the river Sidon, and there the Lord will deliver unto thee thy brethren who have been taken captive by the Lamanites” (Alma 16:6). The map showing this is merely an example or illustration. However, from Mormon’s words, we learn:
1. We are dealing with the south wilderness
2. They were up beyond the borders of Manti (that is, they were up toward the Land of Nephi in the South Wilderness where Manti was located)
3. Manti is on the west of the Sidon River
4. The Lamanites were going to cross over to the east side of the Sidon River

“And it came to pass that Zoram and his sons crossed over the river Sidon, with their armies, and marched away beyond the borders of Manti into the south wilderness, which was on the east side of the river Sidon” (Alma 16:7). Again, we find:

1. We are dealing with the south wilderness
2. The Lamanites were beyond the borders of Manti in the south wilderness
3. The Lamanites were on the east side of the Sidon River

“They departed out of the land of Antionum into the wilderness, and took their journey round about in the wilderness, away by the head of the river Sidon, that they might come into the land of Manti and take possession of the land: (Alma 43:22). Again, we find:

1. The head of the river Sidon was in the wilderness
2. This wilderness was near the Land of Manti
3. Because Manti is in the South Wilderness, the head of the River Sidon is in the south wilderness.

This should clearly point out that the River Sidon was in the south wilderness, that is, that narrow strip of wilderness that separated the Land of Nephi from the Land of Zarahemla (Alma 22:27). And to know where the river Sidon flowed, we need to find out where the river itself was located. Mormon tells us:

“The Amlicites came upon the hill Amnihu, which was east of the river Sidon, which ran by the land of Zarahemla” (Alma 2:15). That is, the Hill Amnihu was to the east of the river Sidon, and the river Sidon ran past Zarahemla. And lastly, Mormon tells us that the Land of Nephi “was divided from the land of Zarahemla by a narrow strip of wilderness, which ran from the sea east even to the sea west, and round about on the borders of the seashore, and the borders of the wilderness which was on the north by the land of Zarahemla, through the borders of Manti, by the head of the river Sidon, running from the east towards the west.”

Thus, the south wilderness was the southern border of the Land of Zarahemla. In this south wilderness was found the head of the river Sidon. And the river Sidon ran past the city of Zarahemla. Obviously, the city of Zarahemla was to the north of this south wilderness, making the river Sidon run to the north from its head.

(See the next post, ” The Baja Theory—Does the River Sidon Flow North or South? Part III,” to see how Mormon describes this land to the south of Zarahemla and the exact wordage and meaning of the south wilderness and the head of the river Sidon)