In The Borders of the Land

The term “borders of the land” is used twenty-five times in the scriptural record, six times in Mosiah, and nineteen times in Alma. In addition, the words “border” or “borders” relating to a border by the sea, of a city, of a wilderness, etc., is mentioned fifty-four times (4 in 1 Nephi,  40 in Alma, 2 in Helaman, 2 in 3 Nephi, 4 in Mormon, and 2 in Ether). In all the term “border” or “borders” related to the boundary of a land or a portion of a land, city or wilderness. Thus, we can say without hesitation that the word “border” in the scriptural record related specifically to such a boundary. This is verified by the 1828 dictionary which states of the word "border": “the confine or exterior limit of a country, or of any region or tract of land,” that is the outer border of an area.

All lands have borders. Anciently these were generally natural topographical features, like rivers, canyons, mountains, or low rock walls

We see this in the usage of the term: “It came to pass that after many days the Lamanites began again to be stirred up in anger against the Nephites, and they began to come into the borders of the land round about” (Mosiah 21:2, emphasis added). Borders round about, of course, means encircling or encompassing, thus, the borders of a land refer to not only a specific part of an overall border, but of the overall border on all sides as well.
    Thus, when it states: “And they fled before the Nephites towards the wilderness [of Hermounts] which was west and north, away beyond the borders of the land; and the Nephites did pursue them with their might, and did slay them” (Alma 2:36), showing the Hermounts was not within the Land of Zarahemla. Or that “as many as did believe him did go forth to a place which was called Mormon, having been named by the king, the area in the borders of the Land of Nephi having been infested, by times or at seasons, by wild beasts” (Mosiah 18:4), showing the Land of Mormon, and thus the Waters of Mormon and the Forest of Mormon, were in the borders, or near the far border of the Land of Nephi.
    We can also see that “Behold, the armies of the Lamanites had come in upon the wilderness side, into the borders of the land, even into the city of Ammonihah, and began to slay the people and destroy the city” (Alma 16:2), that the border of this city, at least on one side, ran along the wilderness, which the same can be said of other cities, such as Melek (Alma 8:5).
    We also see that when the sons of Mosiah and those with them, upon leaving the Land of Zarahemla, came to the borders of the Lamanite lands (Alma 17:13); and that the land between the Land of Zarahemla and the Land of Nephi (Lamanites) was a wilderness (17:7,9). In addition, we can see that the city of Ammonihah was along the borders of the Land of Zarahemla (Alma 25:2).
    We also can see that the Land of Mormon, was within the borders of the Land of Nephi, where Alma met with his converts (Mosiah 18:31). In addition, Mormon tells us that the Land of Zarahemla was separated from the Land of Nephi by a “narrow strip of wilderness” (Alma 22:27), which was also just called “the wilderness” (Alma 27:14), and that this area, at least in one part, was capable of holding a large body of people, including their flocks and herds (Lamanite converts).
    The borders of the Land of Manti were south of the West Valley, on the west side of the Sidon River (Alma 43:32). It is also clear that the southern border of the Land of Desolation was north of the narrow pass, which led into the Land Northward, with the sea on both sides (Alma 50:34). Also, the borders of the Land of Bountiful were on the beach by the seashore (Alma 51:32).

There are all types of borders. Top: LtoR: Borders refer to two rivers; Steel Fence; Barbed Wire; Bottom: Rock Wall; Double Wire Fence; and Natural Canyon 

The point of all this is we can see that the word “borders” signifies and end (or beginning) of a land’s boundaries, and therefore have a better understanding of the size and scope of a land and not led to think something erroneous, as an example the Sidon River, is next to a city when it is on the borders of the land—or that “ran by the Land of Zarahemla” (Alma 2:15), thus not being confused when some theorists claim the river ran by the city and not out along the borders of the land. It is also critical to realize that “borders” of a land does not mean the “city” of that land. However, it is quite clear the Sidon was in the borders of the Land of Zarahemla, not by the city: ““the war began to be among them in the borders of Zarahemla, by the waters of Sidon“ (Mormon 1:10, emphasis added).
    Take for example when theorists tell us how large or small the Land of Promise is by measuring the only distance/time measurement available to us in the entire scriptural record, and that is Mormon’s escape with his converts from the Waters of Mormon to Zarahemla. Theorists want to claim that this was “to the city of Zarahemla,” but the scriptural record does not say that. It states: “After they had been in the wilderness twelve days they arrived in the land of Zarahemla” (Mosiah 24:25, emphasis added). We see this same idea when it states: “returned to the land of Nephi, having arrived in the borders of the land not many days before the coming of Ammon” (Mosiah 21:26, emphasis added).
    Thus, since we do not know how far the city of Zarahemla was from the borders of the land, we cannot use this 21 day journey of Alma to state clearly any distance between the city of Nephi and the city of Zarahemla. Nor can it be said that the Land of Zarahemla made up a small area, for there is much said about the land as being quite large. “They took their armies and went over into the borders of the land of Zarahemla, and fell upon the people who were in the land of Ammonihah, and destroyed them” (Alma 25:2); and in protecting the people of Ammon in the land of Jershon, the Nephites “gathered together all their people, yea, all the people of the Lord, and did gather together all their flocks and herds, and departed out of the land, and came into the wilderness which divided the land of Nephi from the land of Zarahemla, and came over near the borders of the land” (Alma 27:14).
    “The armies of the Nephites were set round about the land of Jershon, yea, in all the borders round about the land of Zarahemla” (Alma 28:1).

Small forts overlooking routes that controlled valleys, canyons and cities 

Also: “He had been strengthening the armies of the Nephites, and erecting small forts, or places of resort; throwing up banks of earth round about to enclose his armies, and also building walls of stone to encircle them about, round about their cities and the borders of their lands; yea, all round about the land” (Alma 48:8). And also: “Gidgiddoni commanded that his armies should pursue them as far as the borders of the wilderness, and that they should not spare any that should fall into their hands by the way; and thus they did pursue them and did slay them, to the borders of the wilderness, even until they had fulfilled the commandment of Gidgiddoni” (3 Nephi 4:13, emphasis added).
    If one is not trying to limit the size and scope of the Land of Promise to fit into a pre-conceived and pre-determined land, such as Mesoamerica, it is not difficult to see from the scriptural record that the Land of Zarahemla was a large area, where much went on in several areas, each isolated from one another. In fact, when along the southern land and the eastern seashore, where the Nephites built several cities, such as Moroni, Lehi, Morianton, and Moronihah, Capt. Teancum was defending the region from successful Lamanite attacks led by Amalickiah and Ammoron.
    Teancum sent an urgent dispatch requesting aid to Capt. Moroni. At the time, Moroni was in the western lands around Zarahemla and the west seashore (Alma 52:11) defending the area against Lamanite attacks there.  He sent back word that he could not come to Teancum's aid because he was thus engaged, obviously suggesting the far distances involved. Consequently, though the Land of Nephi was south of the narrow strip of wilderness, in the borders of that land was the Land of Mormon, where Alma converted his four hundred and fifty people. So when theorists claim that the distance from the City of Nephi to the City of Zarahemla was such and such a distance, keep in mind that the 21-day journey used to determine this distance began at the Water of Mormon, not the City of Nephi, which were in the borders of the Land of Nephi, not necessarily close to the city of Nephi.
    Thus, the “borders of the land” can have significant meaning to us in understanding the geography of the land if we take the time to understand it and consider its meaning in the numerous descriptions of the land in which it is given by Mormon, mostly in Alma, but also elsewhere.