The Promised Land, as detailed in the Book of Mormon, is a significant geographical and theological concept that encompasses the territories inhabited by the Jaredites, Nephites, and Lamanites. Characterized as “a land which is choice above all other lands” and described as preserved by God for a righteous people (Ether 2:7), it was the destination of the Jaredite people after their epic journey across the sea (Ether 6:12) and was similarly bestowed upon the descendants of Lehi1. This territory was regarded as an inheritance for those whom the Lord led out of other countries and intended as a land of liberty for those serving God according to his commandments (2 Ne. 1:5, 2 Ne. 1:7).
Prophesies by Lehi1 declared that none would come to this land unless brought by the Lord’s hand, suggesting a divinely guided migration to these shores (2 Ne. 1:6). Additionally, Lehi1’s vision promised the preservation of the land’s inhabitants from other nations until they dwindled in belief and merited divine intervention, which would then bring other nations unto them (2 Ne. 1:9, 2 Ne. 1:11). The Promised Land was also indicated to be an everlasting inheritance, provided the people adhered to God’s commandments, thereby prospering in the land (1 Ne. 2:20, 1 Ne. 4:14).
Its geography is described as consisting of the land southward, land northward, and a narrow neck of land connecting the two, with seas bordering the east and the west (Alma 22:32). The land of Nephi and the land of Zarahemla were nearly surrounded by water, implying that the promised territory included substantial coastlines (2 Ne. 10:20). This strategically favored the Nephite nation, positioned centrally along the river Sidon, against the incursions of the Lamanites who sought access to the land northward for military advantage (Alma 22:27, Alma 22:33).
Throughout the scriptural narrative, the Promised Land serves both as the literal and inherited homeland of distinct peoples and as a symbol of God’s covenants with the righteous, embodying the themes of divine promise and providence. It is intricately linked to the fulfillment of the Lord’s greater plan for the house of Israel and the eventual gathering of His covenant people (3 Ne. 20:29).