Chronology of the Book of Mormon
This chronology outlines the major events in the history of the Book of Mormon, according to the text. Dates given correspond to dates in the footnotes of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) edition of the Book of Mormon and to a Jaredite timeline proposed by Latter-Day Saint scholar John L. Sorenson.[1][2]
Zarahemla
Between 279 and 130 BC, Zarahemla
- Mosiah and his followers discover the people of Zarahemla. (Omni 1:12–15)
- The people of Mosiah and the people of Zarahemla unite and appoint Mosiah to be their king. (Omni 1:19)
- Amaleki, son of Abinadom, is "born in the days of Mosiah". (Omni 1:23)
- Mosiah translates a large stone with engravings on it. The stone gives an account of Coriantumr and his people. (Omni 1:20)
- There is a "serious war and much bloodshed" (Omni 1:24) between the Nephites and the Lamanites.
- End of the small plates of Nephi.
- King Benjamin repulses the attack of the Lamanites and drives them from the land of Zarahemla. King Benjamin has peace the rest of his days. (Mosiah 1:1)
- King Benjamin dies. His son, Mosiah, reigns in his stead. (Mosiah 1:9)
About 200 BC, Zarahemla
- An expedition seeks to return to the land of Nephi, "desirous to possess the land of their inheritance" (Omni 1:27). They depart, but contention arises and all but fifty are slain. They return to Zarahemla.
- Zeniff leads a second expedition to the land of Nephi. They treat with the king of the Lamanites, who gives them the lands of Lehi-Nephi and Shilom, displacing their Lamanite inhabitants.
Note: From this point the land where the people of Zeniff dwell is referred to as the land of Lehi-Nephi, but sometimes as the land of Nephi.
About 200 BC, land of Lehi-Nephi
- Zeniff and his followers begin to build buildings and till the ground.
About 188 BC, land of Lehi-Nephi
- War and contention begins between the Lamanites and the people of Zeniff.
About 187 BC, land of Lehi-Nephi
- A "numerous host of Lamanites" (Mosiah 9:14) attack the land of Shilom. The people flee to the city of Nephi. The people of Zeniff defend themselves and repulse the Lamanites. 279 Nephites are slain.
- The people of Zeniff make weapons of war and set guards around their lands.
About 177 BC, land of Lehi-Nephi
- The people of Zeniff toil and spin and prosper.
- Laman, king of the Lamanites, dies.
- Laman's son, now king of the Lamanites, stirs the Lamanites up to anger against Zeniff and his people.
- Zeniff sends spies to the land of Shemlon to discover the preparations of the Lamanites.
- Zeniff instructs the women, children, the old and infirm to hide in the wilderness. The Lamanites attack the land of Shilom and are driven out after a fierce battle.
- The people of Zeniff return to their lands.
Probably about 160 BC, land of Lehi-Nephi
- Zeniff confers the kingdom on his son, Noah.
- Noah rules in wickedness, taking many wives and concubines. He replaces the priests of his father with his own priests. The people are heavily taxed to support the lavish lifestyle of Noah and his cohorts.
- Noah builds many buildings, including "a spacious palace" (Mosiah 11:9) and a tall tower near the temple, where he could overlook the lands of Shilom and Shemlon.
- Noah plants vineyards and builds wine presses and becomes a "wine-bibber" (Mosiah 11:15). He and his priests spend their lives "in riotous living" (Mosiah 11:14).
About 150 BC, land of Lehi-Nephi
- The Lamanites come upon small numbers of the people of Noah and slay them. Noah sends guards, but in insufficient numbers.
- The Lamanites continue to harass Noah's people and Noah send his armies to drive them back. Victorious, the army returns "rejoicing in their spoil" (Mosiah 11:18), and boasting of their strength.
- Abinadi begins to prophesy to the people of King Noah, telling them they must repent or they will be delivered into the hands of their enemies. King Noah rejects Abinadi's prophecies and desires to slay him, but is unable to capture Abinadi.
About 148 BC, land of Lehi-Nephi
- Abinadi again begins to prophesy, saying that because the people of Noah have not repented, they will be brought into bondage.
- The people take Abinadi, bind him and bring him before the king. Noah casts Abinadi into prison.
- Noah and his priest have Abinadi brought before them for questioning.
- Abinadi rebukes the king and his priests. Noah orders his priests to take Abinadi away and slay him, but he is protected by divine power and continues to teach them the commandments and redemption through Christ.
- Abinadi finishes his address and Noah again commands his priests to slay him. One of Noah's priests, Alma, believes Abinadi and asks that Abinadi "might depart in peace" (Mosiah 16:2). Noah casts Alma out and commands that he be slain. Alma flees. Abinadi is cast back into prison.
- After three days, Abinadi is brought before the king and priests again. Noah sentences Abinadi to death (for blasphemy) unless he recalls his words. Abinadi refuses and suffers death by fire.
About 147 BC, the place of Mormon
- Alma preaches in private and gathers a small following. He baptizes them in the waters of Mormon. Alma organizes the "church of Christ" (Mosiah 18:17) and ordains priests and teachers.
- King Noah discovers "a movement among the people" (Mosiah 18:32) and sets a watch. When Alma's followers assemble themselves to hear the word of God, Noah sends his army against them.
- Alma and his followers, about 450 souls, take their families and depart into the wilderness. They travel eight days and settle in a land they call Helam (Mosiah 23:19).
About 145 BC, land of Lehi-Nephi
- Gideon attempts to slay King Noah.
- The Lamanites attack. King Noah, his priests and other men flee. Those who remain are forced to pay tribute to the Lamanites.
- Those who fled the Lamanites desire to return. King Noah objects and is killed by fire. All but the priests of Noah return. Limhi, son of Noah, becomes tributary monarch.
Between 145 and 122 BC, land of Lehi-Nephi
- The people of Alma prosper in the land of Helam. Alma serves as high priest.
- The fugitive priests of King Noah kidnap several Lamanite women.
- The Lamanites, mistakenly blaming the people of Limhi, attack but withdraw when they see their error.
- The people of Limhi, having failed three times to overcome the Lamanites by force, become resigned to their tributary status.
- The priests of King Noah, with the Lamanite women, settle in a land they name after their leader, Amulon.
- Limhi sends a group to search for the land of Zarahemla. They discover instead the land formerly occupied by the Jaredites. They bring back a record on twenty-four plates but they are unable to read it.
Between 130 and 121 BC, Zarahemla
- The Book of Mosiah begins.
- 124 BC: Benjamin addresses his people, exhorting them to serve one another and to take upon themselves the name of Christ.
- Benjamin records the names of his people who have "entered into a covenant with God to keep his commandments" (Mosiah 6:1).
- Benjamin consecrates his son, Mosiah, to be king.
- 121 BC: Benjamin dies.
- Mosiah sends sixteen men, led by Ammon, to the land of Lehi-Nephi to discover the fate of Zeniff and his followers.
About 121 BC, land of Lehi-Nephi
- Ammon discovers the people of Limhi and assists them in escaping from the Lamanites. The people of Limhi join Mosiah's people in Zarahemla.
- An army of Lamanites pursue the people of Limhi but become lost after two days. The Lamanite army discovers the land of Amulon. The people of Amulon join the Lamanites. Together the Lamanites and Amulonites discover the people of Alma and take possession of the land of Helam.
- Laman, king of the Lamanites, appoints Amulon and his brethren to instruct his people. The Lamanites "increase in riches" and become "a cunning and wise people, as to the wisdom of the world" (Mosiah 24:7).
- Amulon begins to exercise authority over the people of Alma. Alma's people are persecuted and afflicted.
About 120 BC, land of Lehi-Nephi
- The people of Alma miraculously escape and join the Nephites in Zarahemla (Mosiah 24:18-20).
About 120 BC, Zarahemla
- Mosiah addresses his people and rehearses the story of the people of Zeniff and their eventual deliverance. All the people of Zarahemla are called Nephites. Alma organizes the church in Zarahemla.
Between 120 and 92 BC, Zarahemla
- Many Nephites, especially the younger generation, refuse to join the church.
- Mosiah forbids persecution of the church by unbelievers.
- Alma, son of Alma, and the four sons of Mosiah are numbered among the unbelievers. Alma the Younger becomes "a great hinderment to the prosperity of the church of God" (Mosiah 27:9), secretly seeking, with the sons of Mosiah, to destroy the church.
- An angel appears to Alma the Younger and the sons of Mosiah, telling them to "seek to destroy the church no more" (Mosiah 27:16). They fall to the earth. Alma is insensible for two days but awakens to tell of his conversion. Alma the Younger and the sons of Mosiah thenceforward seek to build up the church.
About 92 BC, Zarahemla
- The sons of Mosiah refuse to succeed their father as king. They leave Zarahemla to carry the message of the gospel to the Lamanites.
- Mosiah translates the twenty-four plates discovered by the people of Limhi. They contain the record of the Jaredites.
- Mosiah gives all the records, including the brass plates and the plates of Limhi, and "the interpreters" (Mosiah 28:20) to Alma.
- Mosiah, having no willing heir and fearing the difficulties that would arise from a contested succession or the rule of an unjust king, proposes the establishment of the rule of law, with judges to govern the people. Judges are to be appointed by the people and higher judges may overrule lower judges. The chief judge may be overruled by a council of lesser judges. Mosiah will continue to serve as king until his death.
- Alma the Younger is appointed as the first chief judge. He is also appointed high priest by his father.
91 BC, Zarahemla
- Alma the Elder dies.
- King Mosiah dies.
- Reign of the judges commences.