Were There Two Sidon Rivers? Part II—Meaning of the Word Thence

Continuing with the Theorists view of there being two Sidon Rivers in the Land of Promise, in the last post we discussed how the time frame is stated quite different in the scriptural record than this Theorist indicated in his position.

In addition, there is the word “thence” which, in his stated position, this Theorist again misleads the reader into believing the scriptures say something they do not. His statement is: ““And now it came to pass that Alma...returned to his own house at Zarahemla…Alma departed from thence and took his journey over into the land of Melek on the West of the River Sidon (Alma 8:1,3).

The  way this is written, it sounds like Alma returned to Zarahemla, thence went to the land of Melek. The word “thence” in such a case would indicate that from Zarahemla, Alma went to the land of Melek. When stated like this, the Theorist misleads the reader into thinking that indeed, there are two Sidon Rivers. But that is not the sequence in the scriptural record.

After Alma returns to his home in Zarahemla to rest after preaching in the Valley of Gideon, the Nine Year of the Reign of the Judges comes to a close. Since Mormon is abridging a record, we do not know how long a period of time elapsed after Alma returned and the close of the year. This could have been days, weeks or even months. There could have been a entire season of change in between, since that might indicate a reason why Alma returned at that particular time. The next event listed by Mormon, is that after the Tenth year began, and we do not know how long between the start of the year and when Alma is reported to have crossed over the Sidon River on his way to the Land of Melek, it cannot be said that the scriptural record indicates he left from Zarahemla to go to Melek.

One of the explanatory statements used by the Theorist is the word “thence” as though it followed the immediate return to Zarahemla. That is, the word “thence” as he used it in is abbreviated statement of the scriptural record, skipping seventy-seven words in between his two comments, which he makes seem to go immediately together—but those seventy-seven words contain a couple of thoughts not consistent with the point he is trying to make.

In addition, the word thence, when used as written in the scriptural record, does not suggest “from there” but something entirely different. The word “thence,” of course, is not a typical word in English, seldom used today. But in Joseph Smith’s time, the word had four meanings:

1. from that place (from one place to another) 

2.  from that time (after that time) 

3.  (to introduce a logical conclusion) from (that time) thence he went (thus; same as therefore) 

4.  for that reason (for the reason of the previous action)

Thus, when we look at the entire statement in Alma 8:1-3, we find that the first meaning “from that place” would not be applicable, since too much transpires between the two thoughts (return to Zarahemla, and going to Melek).

The statement, in context, could mean:

1. That Alma departed from thence (from that time [commencement of the tenth year]) and took his journey over into the land of Melek, on the west of the river Sidon, on the west by the borders of the wilderness;

2. (it was the first of the year), thus Alma departed to Melek (from where?)

3. that Alma departed from thence (for that reason) and took his journey over into the land of Melek, on the west of the river Sidon, on the west by the borders of the wilderness.  

All three of these possibilities make more sense than the statement “from Zarahemla,” thus we cannot know from the scriptural record where Alma was when he began his journey to Melek. Consequently, we cannot say he was in Zarahemla and crossed the River Sidon to go to Melek on the west as this Theorist claims.

As an example, in the case of the the examples above, this could also be the most practical use of “thence” just a few verses later: “So that when he had finished his work at Melek he departed thence. (Alma 8:6). To read this verse using “from there” the verse would read: “So that when he had finished his work at Melek he departed Melek..” which is not as effective reading as “So that when he had finished his work at Melek he departed then (or at that time).” 

(See the next post, “Were There Two Sidon Rivers? Part III,” for more on this idea of there being two Sidon Rivers, though there is no mention of a fork in the river or any other indication other than the scripture in Alma 8:1-3)