Top: LtoR: Atoll, Islets; Bottom LtoR: Skerries, and Cays
Very small islands such as emergent land features on
2. Atolls: atolls are ring-shaped coral reefs, islands, or groups of islets surrounding a central lagoon;
3. Islets: islets are very small islands that are smaller than necessary for any useful purpose, but still larger than rocks;
4. Skerries: skerries are most commonly formed at the outlet of fjords where submerged glacially formed valleys at right angles to the coast join with other cross valleys in a complex array
5. Cays: cay is a small, low, island largely made of sand or coral that has formed on the surface of a coral reef. They are also called keys.
The etymology of the word “isle” is from the 13th century, Old French “ile,” earlier isle, from Latin insula "island.” The ancients referred to “isle” from in salo "(that which is) in the (salty) sea," from ablative of salum "the open sea," related to sal "salt.” It is also believed that “isle” came from Old Irish “inis,” Welsh “ynys,” meaning "island" and Greek nesos "island." The “s” was restored first in French, then in English in the late 1500s.
By 1828, Webster defined the word as “isle: Ile, from Latin “insula,” a tract of land surrounded by water, or a detached portion of land embosomed in the ocean, in a lake or river.” He then listed as an example: “The isles shall wait for his law” (Isaiah 42:4).
Regarding the word “island” in 1828, Webster stated: “This is an absurd compound of isle and land, that is, land-in-water land, or ieland-land. There is no such legitimate word in English. A tract of land surrounded by water.”
Thus, Joseph Smith would not have used the word “island” to interpret or translate the meaning of the Reformed Egyptian word in any other way than “isle.”
Further evidence is seen in the face that the Lehi Colony in Nephi's ship was driven forth before the wind toward the promised land (1 Nephi 18:9-10) and landed on an island (2 Nephi 10:20). This comes to us from the mouth of three witnesses (Ether 5:4), with Jacob making the statement, Nephi writing it down, and Isaiah testifying of it in prophesy.
He then commands those of past generations in other nations which he has led away from the house of Israel: "For I command all men...in the islands of the sea, that they shall write the words which I speak unto them" (2 Nephi 29:11), for "I speak the same words unto one nation like unto another. And when the two nations shall run together the testimony of the two nations shall run together also." (2 Nephi 29:8).
To set the stage so that the Nephites in the land of promise knew they were not forgotten of the Lord and that their nation would be the one to "speak out of the dust," Jacob said: "For we are not cast off; nevertheless, we have been driven out of the land of our inheritance; but we have been led to a better land, for the Lord has made the sea our path, and we are upon an isle of the sea" (2 Nephi 10:20). Jacob then climaxed his point by adding: "But great are the promises of the Lord unto them who are upon the isles of the sea; wherefore, as it says isles, there must needs be more than this, and they are inhabited also by our brethren" (2 Nephi 10:21).
Obviously, Jacob knew that not only were the Nephites upon an isle of the sea, but so were others of the house of Israel that had been led away. From what source did he know "as it says isles," was written? The plates of brass. And to show this, we find both quotes from the Old Testament in Isaiah, plus the repetition of Isaiah's writings in the Book of Mormon.
Isaiah writing about future events in the Bible
Jacob, of course, well understood this when he added, "For behold, the Lord God has led away from time to time the house of Israel, according to his will and pleasure. And now behold, the Lord remembereth all them who have been broken off, wherefore he remembereth us also" (2 Nephi 10:22).
Zenos, the Old Testament prophet of whom the modern bible knows nothing, but whose record existed on the brass plates, spoke about the "three days of darkness, which should be a sign given of Christ's death unto those who should inhabit the isles of the sea, more especially, given unto those who are of the house of Israel" (1 Nephi 19:10). This sign, of course, that was given unto the isles of the sea and the remnants of the house of Israel, was quite apparent in the Land of Promise (3 Nephi 8:19), thus it can only be concluded that the land of promise was one of the isles of the sea of which Zenos spoke.
Jacob also knew that many branches of the house of Israel had been led away, and many of those were upon the isles of the sea as were the Nephites. "There are many who are already lost from the knowledge of those who are at Jerusalem. Yea, the more part of all the tribes have been led away; and they are scattered to and fro upon the isles of the sea" (2 Nephi 22:4). But to satisfy the concerns of his people, Jacob then promised the Nephites that not only were they not forgotten of the Lord, but that the Lord would gather them into his fold, saying: "They shall be gathered in from their long dispersion, from the isles of the sea" (2 Nephi 10:8).
Zenos was an Old Testament prophet who was quoted by Jacob in the Book
of Mormon
We need to keep in mind that as clear and understandable as the scriptural record is, almost all theorists reject the Land of Promise being an island because all of their models now and in the ancient past, were not islands, thus discounting their opinions and beliefs.
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