Transoceanic Crossings

The three crossings of the ocean to the New World reported in the Book of Mormon are treated in differing degrees of detail. Events of the earliest, by Jared's group, are recounted at considerable length but with little nautical information in Ether 2:13-25; 3:1-3 and 6:2-12. The voyage by Lehi's party is treated in 1 Nephi 17:5-18, 49-51 and in chapter 18. Concerning the voyage that brought Mulek, we have only two brief statements, Omni 1:15-16 and Helaman 8:21. 

 

The fragmentary information in the text has led Latter-day Saints to pay but cursory attention to the voyages and their significance for the history and culture of Book of Mormon peoples. This paper analyzes the Lehi trip, for which we have the most textual and external comparative information, and demonstrates how we can expand our understanding of such events.