In grammar, an antecedent is “a word, phrase, clause, or sentence to which another word (especially a following relative pronoun) refers.” There are a number of references in the Book of Mormon—like in all writing—where knowing the antecedent of a word or phrase will help to clarify the description of a geographical location or feature, especially when there are two possible antecedents from which to choose. The choice that is made, however, can greatly affect the meaning of the sentence in a dramatic and often controversial way. Consider this statement in Alma 16:6.

We have two antecedent choices: The locational phrase (A), “away up beyond the borders of the land of Manti,” could refer to (B), “the south wilderness,” or to (C), the location where the Lamanites will “cross the river Sidon.” One could find it advantageous to select (C) to hopefully indicate the source or headwaters of the river Sidon was in the south wilderness and thereby justify a north flowing river (note, no head or headwaters is mentioned), or to select (B) which places only the south wilderness “away up beyond the borders of the land of Manti.” In our studies of the Book of Mormon text, we have recognized it is most fitting to choose the nearest and most immediate phrase—in this case (B)—as the correct antecedent relationship when the relationship is in doubt.

Here is a similar—but clarifying—statement in the next verse (Alma 16:7):

Again we have two antecedent choices: The locational phrase (A), “on the east side of the river Sidon,” could refer to (B), “the south wilderness,” or to (C), the location where “Zoram and his sons crossed over the river Sidon.” One could find it advantageous to select (C) to hopefully indicate the source or headwaters of the river Sidon was in the south wilderness and thereby justify a north flowing river, or to select (B) which places only the south wilderness (note again, no head or headwaters is mentioned) on the “east side of the river Sidon.” As in the previous verse, we would choose the nearest and most immediate phrase—in this case (B)—as the correct antecedent relationship.

Here are two antecedent choices in the phrases of another verse (Alma 22:27):

The descriptive phrase (A), “running from the east towards the west,” could refer to (B), “the head of the river Sidon,” or (C), “the borders of Manti.” But what is “running”—the water in the river or the borders? Again, based on our experience, we would select the nearest and most immediate phrase, in this case (B), “the head of the river Sidon,” as the correct antecedent relationship. Moreover, both the words “running” and “towards” in the phrase, “running from the east towards the west,” have definitions that are one-directional and therefore describe motion such as the fluidic flow of rivers that by their very nature are running in one direction towards somewhere, unlike a fixed location, “the borders of Manti.”

It would be unfortunate if the flow direction of the river Sidon—or the nature of any geographical feature—hinged solely on the choice of an antecedent in a single verse. We attempt to resolve the problem by analyzing all relevant sets of geographical references within the entire Book of Mormon record.