Shazer

Shazer is a place on the Arabian peninsula referenced in the Book of Mormon as one of the stops on the Old World segment of Lehi's journey (sourcetext|source=Book of Mormon|book=1 Nephi|chapter=16|verse=13). ["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."] ("See Archaeology and the Book of Mormon.")

It was at this location that Lehi's group stopped to hunt "in the wilderness" (sourcetext|source=Book of Mormon|book=1 Nephi|chapter=16|verse=14). According to the narrative, this location was named by Lehi. The practice of naming locations after family members is a known Semitic practice. [Harvnb|Givens|2002|p=120]

Several LDS researchers believe that they have determined a plausible location for "Shazer". [Harvnb|Potter|Wellington|2004] One of these locations is the oasis of al-Muwaylih near the shore of the Red Sea. [Harvnb|Hilton|Hilton|1996|p=33]

LDS scholar Hugh Nibley compared the name Shazer to other known names and their meanings. Nibley states that the term "shajer" is common in Palestinian place-names and that it means "trees." Variants of the term are presented as "Sajur", "Shaghur", and "Segor", all said to represent a collection of trees. Nibley also mentions "a famous water hole in South Arabia, called "Shisur" by [Bertram] Thomas and "Shisar" by Philby." [Harvnb|Nibley|1988|p=78—79] A ruined city called "Shisur" and a permanent spring exist 90 miles northwest of Salalah in Oman on the route of the frankincence trail. [cite journal| last=Zarins| first=Juris| title=Atlantis of the Sands| journal=Archaeology| publisher=Archaeological Institute of America| volume=50| issue=3| year=1997| date=June 1997| url=http://www.archaeology.org/9705/abstracts/ubar.html|accessdate=2007-02-22]

Some LDS scholars claim that they found Shazer. The name of this location is today wadi Sharma. [ [http://www.nephiproject.com/nephi_project_major_discoveries.htm Nephi Project Research Discoveries] ]

Notes

References

*Harvard reference
last=Givens
first=Terryl L
authorlink=Terryl Givens
title=By the Hand of Mormon: The American Scripture That Launched a New World Religion
year=2002
location=New York
publisher=Oxford University Press
id=ISBN 0-19-513818-X .
*Harvard reference
Surname1=Hilton
Given1=Lynn M
Surname2=Hilton
Given2=Hope A
year=1996
title=Discovering Lehi: New Evidence of Lehi and Nephi in Arabia
publisher=Cedar Fort, Inc.
location=Springville, Utah
id=ISBN 1-55517-257-1 .
*Harvard reference
last=Nibley
first=Hugh
Authorlink=Hugh Nibley
title=Lehi in the Desert, the World of the Jaredites, There Were Jaredites (Collected Works of Hugh Nibley, Vol 5)
year=1988
publisher=Deseret Book Company
location=Salt Lake City, Utah
id=ISBN 0875791328 .
*Harvard reference
last1=Potter
first1=George
last2=Wellington
first2=Richard
year=2004
title=Lehi in the Wilderness: 81 New Documented Evidences That the Book of Mormon Is a True History
publisher=Cedar Fort, Inc.
location=Springville, Utah
id=ISBN 1555176410 .