Comments on Alma 24

     What exactly the name "Anti-Nephi-Lehi" means isn't explained 
in the text.  If Smith translated the name then it would mean 
something like:

        the Lehites who are against/opposed to [the land of] Nephi

meaning this group of former Lamanites had left the land of Nephi, 
where the Lamanites are, and had abandoned the ways of the 
Lamanites.
     The problem with assuming it is a translation is there are a 
number of other personal and place names which contain "anti",
which suggests Smith transliterated it, for example:

      Place names:

        ani-anti (Alma 21:11)
        antipas (Alma 47:7)
        antiparah (Alma 56:14)
        antionum (Alma 31:3)

      Personal names:

        antiomno (Alma 20:4)
        antipus (Alma 56:9)
        antionah (Alma 12:20)

If the "anti" is a transliteration, then the meaning of the name 
is more problematic.  There is no "anti" root or word in Hebrew.  
The closest words are:

        anut (affliction) Strongs 6039
or

        anatot (answers to prayer) Strongs 6067

Neither of which fit the context of the chapter and both of which 
would require some rather liberal spelling to come up with anti.

     However, it might be possible for "anti" to be a contraction 
of two Hebrew terms:

        `an     (where? whither? [of place]) Strongs 0575

and

        ty      as in Gib`athiy, Shem`athiy, Tir`athiy, cf. 1 Chr. 2:55

This contraction would form a rhetorical question and answer of 
"From where? The land of...?"  The ty would render the Nephi as 
Nephi`athiy and result in the phrase being:

        `an nephi`athiy lechi

Which would mean:

        Lehites [from] where?, The land of Nephi

This would be a repudiation of their Lamanite heritage as they 
instead choose to identify themselves by Lehi, which does fit
the context of this chapter rather well.



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