Omni 1:27-30; Mosiah 9:1-9 (about 180 B.C.)

Soon after the more righteous Nephites, under king Mosiah (the first), arrived in the land of Zarahemla, “a certain number … went up into the wilderness to return to the land of Nephi; for there was a large number who were desirous to possess the land of their inheritance [the land of Nephi]” (Omni 1:27-30; Mosiah 9:1-2). This breakaway group eventually returned to the land of Zarahemla after “a contention among them;” and “they were all slain, save fifty, in the wilderness” (Omni 1:28). They later “took others to a considerable number, and took their journey again into the wilderness” to the land of Nephi (Omni 1:29). This group was led by an “over-zealous” man named Zeniff who, “after many days, [wandering] in the wilderness,” arrived in the land “which was near to the land of our fathers” (Mosiah 7:21; 9:4). Notice the numerous references to wilderness as they journeyed south to the land of Nephi from the land of Zarahemla. It appears to be wilderness all the way.

Zeniff’s journey took place during the lifetime of Amaleki, the record keeper (Omni 1:12-30), suggesting it happened soon after the Nephites (including Amaleki) first arrived in the land of Zarahemla. This is also corroborated by the fact that the grandson of king Mosiah (the first), who was also called king Mosiah, and king Limhi, the grandson of Zeniff, both reigned at the same time—Mosiah in the land of Zarahemla and Limhi in the land of Nephi. Because many in Zeniff’s group would have been among those who had previously travelled from the land of Nephi under Mosiah (the first) to the land of Zarahemla, we believe they would have returned to the land of Nephi following the same route that they had earlier forged on the western borders of the peninsula through the narrow strip of wilderness.

It is important to note that Zeniff’s group wandered in the wilderness and “were smitten with famine and sore afflictions; for we were slow to remember the Lord our God” (Mosiah 9:3). This would suggest that the route they followed was not in a desirable location for obtaining food and water. It also suggests the narrow strip of wilderness was rugged and difficult to traverse.