Antionum and Jerson – An Egyptian Language Connection

Antionum and Jershon are two Book of Mormon words which appear to have a real good tie to the Egyptian Language and this should be no surprise to any one who researches the book.

1 Nephi 1:2 – Yea, I make a record in the language of my father, which consists of the learning of the Jews and the language of the Egyptians.

Mosiah 1:4 – For it were not possible that our father, Lehi, could have remembered all these things, to have taught them to his children, except it were for the help of these plates; for he having been taught in the language of the Egyptians therefore he could read these engravings (the Brass Plates)….

Mormon 9:32 – And now, behold, we have written this record according to our knowledge, in the characters which are called among us the reformed Egyptian, being handed down and altered by us, according to our manner of speech.

So it should make sense that in the test of authenticity, we should find words in the Book of Mormon with Egyptian roots. Antionum and Jershon are two such words.



Antionum

The city Antionum was considered a critical strategic location and a protection site to the Land of Jershon. Jershon is where the recently converted Lamanites, known as the Anti-Nephi-Lehis, lived. Once Antionum fell and became Lamanite, the Anti-Nephi-Lehis had to relocate to keep from being destroyed.

The name Antionum appears to have its name derived from Egyptian. Anti means “to hold back, restrain, or repel”. Onum means “to go”. Putting the two words together, you come up with “If you go there, you will be repelled.”

Screen shot from the Chicago Demotic Dictionary
Screen shot from the Chicago Demotic Dictionary

Learn more about a strong candidate for the land of Antionum, check out the write up at The Ancient Cities of Antionum and Jershon.


Jershon

Jershon was a land which the Nephites set aside to give to the newly converted Lamanites a land for an Inheritance. Unfortunately, due to the rebellions of the people in Antionum, these people were not able to stay in the land very long prior to moving closer to Zarahemla.

dr” means all. The underlined d is pronounced as dj.

Screen shot from the Chicago Demotic Dictionary. nb is a common word for Lord. dr means all.

“shn” means Fruit Tree.

Screen shot from the Chicago Demotic Dictionary

The word Jershon means “All Fruit Trees”.

Jersh in Hebrew means inheritance. The link below gives an interesting article written by Book of Mormon Central which establishes the Hebrew connection of the word Jershon.

https://knowhy.bookofmormoncentral.org/knowhy/why-was-jershon-called-a-land-of-inheritance

יְרוּשָׁה – Inheritance.

Evidently the word Jerson took on dual meanings to people of the Book of Mormon. Hebrew for Inheritance. Egyptian for All Fruit Trees.

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