What Nahom?

There's been a post regarding a discovered place somewhere in Arabia that linked the Book of Mormon Period, specifically a place where they buried Ishmael known as a place of Mourning. And in this article let's consider some of the insights that we could link to modern archaeological discovery based on some studies, and also my views about it. Here I'll add my opinion regarding this topic.

First, let's get to the text and see how it was said -

1 Nephi 16:34 And it came to pass that Ishmael died, and was buried in the place which was called Nahom.

35 And it came to pass that the daughters of Ishmael did mourn exceedingly, because of the loss of their father, and because of their afflictions in the wilderness; and they did murmur against my father, because he had brought them out of the land of Jerusalem, saying: Our father is dead; yea, and we have wandered much in the wilderness, and we have suffered much affliction, hunger, thirst, and fatigue; and after all these sufferings we must perish in the wilderness with hunger.

36 And thus they did murmur against my father, and also against me; and they were desirous to return again to Jerusalem.

So according to the verses, the place was (already called) Nahom where they buried Ishmael, and, certainly, the place wasn't named by the speaker or writer, just like in 1 Nephi 2 -

7 And it came to pass that he built an altar of stones, and made an offering unto the Lord, and gave thanks unto the Lord our God.

8 And it came to pass that he called the name of the river, Laman, and it emptied into the Red Sea; and the valley was in the borders near the mouth thereof. 

9 And when my father saw that the waters of the river emptied into the fountain of the Red Sea, he spake unto Laman, saying: O that thou mightest be like unto this river, continually running into the fountain of all righteousness!

10 And he also spake unto Lemuel: O that thou mightest be like unto this valley, firm and steadfast, and immovable in keeping the commandments of the Lord!

And in 1 Nephi 16:13 says this -

And it came to pass that we traveled for the space of four days, nearly a south-southeast direction, and we did pitch our tents again; and we did call the name of the place Shazer.

It is evident that the place was just new to them or might be an unfamiliar route so they named the place to mark it as one of the locations for their travel.

In the old testament, it was a custom to name a place according to whatever they could mark to recall the events that occurred in a place or/and sometimes a person who made the first discovery. See examples at -

• Genesis 32:30, 33:17, 35:7, 35:15;
• Exodus 17:7;
• Numbers 11:3, 13:24, 21:3;
• Joshua 5:9;
• 2 Samuel 6:8)

These were some of the places named that I randomly picked which they call for some good reasons in remembrance of something. That same goes in the Book of Mormon where they named the Land after their leader or great men, like in 2 Nephi 5:8; and in Ether 2:13.

But what about the place Nahom? If you look closely at the verse, that place where already name as to what it is, they didn't attempt to call the place as to whatever they could have in mind in marking it. Possibly, there were already aborigines in the area that already named it.

From Book of Mormon Central.

The question that may arise to LDS would seem critical, and the Book Mormon will be put to test if Geographical Places where uncovered but inaccurate in their detail. But it is clear as the Book of Mormon had said, they never mentioned naming the place, it was already there and it could be a Burial Site, or a Person's name such as Nehemiah or could be Nahum as the biblical prophets. The point here is, the place was there already standing before the Lehi party arrived.

Okay, so what's my stand on it? Well, we don't have any official declaration from the church authority regarding this discovery. I only found just one article from the Church Magazine titled ”United in Love and Testimony” by Elder John K. Carmack of the Seventy, 2001 Annual General Conference, Ensign. That say's this line -

"Now, 50 years later, I am still impressed by these new names. When researchers reported that they have discovered stones in the southern Arabian Desert with the name Nahom inscribed on them, I paid attention. These inscriptions appear to be dated about 700 B.C. Ishmael, we read, was buried in a place called Nahom. Nahom is one of those names that impressed me."

There was no other article from official Church Magazines as of now regarding this discovery that declares its authenticity. So, my view is neutral, it could be as it was currently released, but a few more studies and other documentaries on this place with some other supported artefacts and historical backgrounds that lead to a different perspective is also be considered. I am not against whatever scholar's discoveries and opinions. The bright side is, there were lots of mysteries that need to be discovered and new learnings to gain.

Thank you and have a nice day.

- Jerry Nuñez Bustillo

Selected videos were not mine, this could lessen my time in doing some research.