Ether Chapter 5

Three witnesses and the work itself shall stand as a testimony of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon.

1  AND now I, Moroni, have written the words which were commanded me, according to my memory; and I have told you the things which I have sealed up; therefore touch them not in order that ye may translate; for that thing is forbidden you, except by and by it shall be wisdom in God.

Moroni has fulfilled the commands of the Lord in completing the sacred records. He has sealed the records which are not to come forth until the time that the Lord wills it. It is forbidden to try and look at or translate the sealed portion. 

Regarding the sealed portion Orson Pratt gives us the following information: "You recollect that when the Book of Mormon was translated from the plates, about two-thirds were sealed up, and Joseph was commanded not to break the seal; that part of the record was hid up. The plates which were sealed contained an account of those great things shown unto the brother of Jared; and we are told that all those things are preserved to come forth in the due time of the Lord." (Journal of Discourses, vol. 3, p. 347)

2  And behold, ye may be privileged that ye may show the plates unto those who shall assist to bring forth this work;

Oliver Cowdrey, David Whitmer and Martin Harris had been instrumental in assisting Joseph Smith in translating and bringing forth the Book of Mormon.  In D&C section 17:1-3 the Lord revealed the following to these three men. "BEHOLD, I say unto you, that you must rely upon my word, which if you do with full purpose of heart, you shall have a view of the plates, and also of the breastplate, the sword of Laban, the Urim and Thummim, which were given to the brother of Jared upon the mount, when he talked with the Lord face to face, and the miraculous directors which were given to Lehi while in the wilderness, on the borders of the Red Sea.  And it is by your faith that you shall obtain a view of them, even by that faith which was had by the prophets of old.  And after that you have obtained faith, and have seen them with your eyes, you shall testify of them, by the power of God."

3  And unto three shall they be shown by the power of God; wherefore they shall know of a surety that these things are true.

The three chosen witnesses will have the privilege of seeing the golden plates.  This will be accomplished through the "power of God," in other words it will be a miraculous event.  Because of this miraculous manifestation, they will have a sure knowledge of what they have seen.

Richard Lloyd Anderson, in his paper Book of Mormon Witnesses, comments:

"How were [these witnesses] chosen? How did the Three Witnesses learn that they were ones selected for this privilege? As the Book of Mormon translation neared completion, those who were assisting directly with the translation process came upon one of the verses that made so vivid the promise that there would be Three Witnesses. Martin Harris, Oliver Cowdery, and David Whitmer went to Joseph Smith and asked Joseph to ask the Lord if they could see this great vision and have this experience, that they might be the witnesses of the Book of Mormon to this generation. Joseph said they became persistent; in fact, he used the word 'teased.' Joseph inquired of the Lord and was given a revelation, recorded in Doctrine and Covenants 17 [see above]. Though it consists of only nine verses, it is a remarkable revelation because it is so specific about what the witnesses would see."  (http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/transcripts/?id=21)

Regarding Martin Harris (who was the most skeptical and doubting of the three) and his desire to view the plates, the Lord revealed the following in D&C 5:23-28: "And now, again, I speak unto you, my servant Joseph, concerning the man [Martin Harris] that desires the witness— Behold, I say unto him, he exalts himself and does not humble himself sufficiently before me; but if he will bow down before me, and humble himself in mighty prayer and faith, in the sincerity of his heart, then will I grant unto him a view of the things which he desires to see.  And then he shall say unto the people of this generation: Behold, I have seen the things which the Lord hath shown unto Joseph Smith, Jun., and I know of a surety that they are true, for I have seen them, for they have been shown unto me by the power of God and not of man.  

And I the Lord command him, my servant Martin Harris, that he shall say no more unto them concerning these things, except he shall say: I have seen them, and they have been shown unto me by the power of God; and these are the words which he shall say.  

But if he deny this he will break the covenant which he has before covenanted with me, and behold, he is condemned. 

And now, except he humble himself and acknowledge unto me the things that he has done which are wrong, and covenant with me that he will keep my commandments, and exercise faith in me, behold, I say unto him, he shall have no such views, for I will grant unto him no views of the things of which I have spoken."  

This view of the records would not only be a blessing and a revelation, but there would also be  serious obligations and responsibilities that the witnesses would have to take upon themselves. 

4  And in the mouth of three witnesses shall these things be established; and the testimony of three, and this work, in the which shall be shown forth the power of God and also his word, of which the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost bear record—and all this shall stand as a testimony against the world at the last day.

At this point it is appropriate to discuss the Law of Witnesses.  We read in Matthew "in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established." (Matt. 18:16)  In the economy of heaven, it is not appropriate to show all there is to reveal to every single person.  The Lord chooses select individuals and reveals His will to them.  They in turn convey these messages to the rest of us, testifying of what they have seen and heard.  Our obligation is to hear the message and prove its veracity through the Spirit of Christ or better yet, the Holy Ghost (see Moro. 10:4-5).  If we receive the word and have it verified by the Spirit, all is well.  If we hear the message, but fail to verify it, we are still responsible, just as if it had been verified by the Spirit.  If one chooses to blindly ignore the message when it is plainly available to him, he is still liable and will be judged as if he had received it and known it.  

"The scriptural law of witnesses requires that in the mouth of two or three individuals shall every word be established (Deut. 19:15; 2 Cor. 13:1; 1 Tim. 5:19). This law applies in divine as well as human relations, for members of the Godhead bear witness of one another (John 5:31—37; 3 Ne. 11:32), and books of holy writ give multiple witness to the work of God in the earth (2 Ne. 29:8—13). The law of witnesses is prominent in the history and practice of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints."
"A witness gives personal verification of, or attests to the reality of, an event. To 'witness' in the scriptural sense is much the same as in the legal sense: to give personal testimony based on firsthand evidence or experience. To bear false witness is a very serious offense (Deut. 5:20; 19:16—21). When prophets have an experience with the Lord, often he commands them to 'bear record' of him and of the truths that have been revealed (1 Ne. 10:10; 11:7; D&C 58:59; 112:4; 138:60). In legal affairs, testimony is usually related to what a person knows by the physical senses. In spiritual matters there is additional knowledge or information received through the Holy Spirit."
"In the final judgment that God will render to all mankind, the fact of the gospel having been taught on the earth by multiple witnesses will be important. Nephi has written, 'Wherefore, by the words of three, God hath said, I will establish my word. Nevertheless, God sendeth more witnesses, and he proveth all his words' (2 Ne. 11:3; cf. 27:14)."  (Robert L. Marrott, Witnesses, Law of,  http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=51&chapid=460)

See below for more information on the witnessing of the Book of Mormon as well as the testimonies of the witnesses. 

5  And if it so be that they repent and come unto the Father in the name of Jesus, they shall be received into the kingdom of God.

If the latter day people will heed the testimony of the chosen witnesses, read the book, and follow it's precepts, they will be able to enter into celestial glory.

6  And now, if I have no authority for these things, judge ye; for ye shall know that I have authority when ye shall see me, and we shall stand before God at the last day.  Amen.

Moroni was a bearer of the priesthood and was authorized by God to do this work.  Moroni speaks as if he will be involved in the judgement, and that as we each appear before the judgement seat, he will be there as a witness to testify that these records and teachings were available to us.
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Some additional information, as well as the testimony of the witnesses is presented below.  

On the appointed day the three men (Oliver Cowdrey, David Whitmer and Martin Harris) retired to the woods near the Whitmer farm in Fayette, New York and began to pray, each taking a turn.  Richard Bushman relates what followed: "The first attempt brought nothing, and they tried again.  Again nothing.  Before they made a third attempt, Harris offered to leave, saying he was the obstacle.  The remaining three knelt again and before many minutes ... saw a light in the air over their heads.  An angel appeared with the plates in his hands.  David Whitmer said the breastplate, Lehi's Liahona, and the sword of Laban lay on a table.  He heard the angel say, 'Blessed is he, that keepeth His commandments.'  That was all Whitmer could remember him saying.  Then a voice out of the light said, 'These plates have been revealed by the power of God, and they have been translated by the power of God; the translation of them which you have seen is correct, and I command you to bear record of what you now see and hear.'  Cowdery later said: 'I beheld with my eyes, And handled with my hands the gold plates from which it was translated.  I also beheld the Interpreters.'"

"After the appearance to Cowdery and Whitmer, Joseph went searching for Harris, who had gone further into the woods.  Harris asked Joseph to pray with him, and at length ... their desires were fulfilled.  Joseph said that he saw the same vision as before, and Harris cried out 'in an ecstasy of joy': 'Tis enough; 'Tis enough; mine eyes have beheld.'  At the close of the vision he jumped up, shouted 'Hosanna,' and blessed God."  (Richard L. Bushman, Joseph Smith, Rough Stone Rolling, pp. 78-79).

Later, eight men also had the opportunity of viewing, handling and examining the gold plates.  Richard Lloyd Anderson comments:

"The Eight Witnesses not only saw the plates, as the Three Witnesses did, but they felt them too Lucy Smith said that a few days after the first witnessing, the Smiths, the Whitmers, and Oliver made the thirty-mile journey from Fayette to the Smith home in Manchester, which is south of Palmyra. She said that the male Whitmers [this included a son in law Hiram Page], Joseph Sr., and her sons Hyrum and Samuel accompanied Joseph Jr. into the woods where an angel had deposited the plates on a tree stump. The Eight Witnesses testified that they saw these plates, picked them up, and examined the "curious" characters. ('Curious' did not mean 'strange' in that day; it meant that the characters were very carefully crafted ... The witnesses also used the word heft, which is archaic for our day; it means 'to lift.') They examined the plates and bore testimony in their formal statement that they had 'lifted' the gold plates.  
"They described the physical plates as weighing between forty and sixty pounds and being approximately eight inches long, five or six inches wide, and five or six inches thick ... Not only did the Eight Witnesses see the characters and turn over the leaves, but they reported seeing a sealed part. They described the plates as bound with "D"-shaped rings, saying a perpendicular center ran through the plates, like a loose-leaf notebook, and then the ring curved in a half circle across the spine."
Martin Harris later testified, "We not only saw the plates of the Book of Mormon but also the brass plates, the plates of the Book of Ether, the plates containing the records of the wickedness and secret combinations of the people of the world. . . . The fact is, it was just as though Joseph, Oliver and I were sitting just here on a log, when we were overshadowed by a light. It was not like the light of the sun . . . but more glorious and beautiful. It extended away round us . . . [We saw] many records or plates . . . besides the plates of the Book of Mormon, also the Sword of Laban, the Directors . . . and the Interpreters. I saw them just as plain as I see this bed (striking the bed beside him with his hand), and I heard the voice of the Lord, as distinctly as I ever heard anything in my life, declaring that the records of the plates of the Book of Mormon were translated by the gift and power of God." (Richard Lloyd Anderson, The Book of Mormon Witnesses, Maxwell Institute, http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/transcripts/?id=21.)

Daniel Peterson has observed that the two witnessing experiences were diametrically different. The first was spiritual and other worldly, in the form of a vision, miraculous and unusual. The second was mundane with nothing (other than the golden plates) unusual about it. It was as if one man was showing his friends one of his favorite books. (Tangible Restoration: The Witnesses and what They Experienced, Daniel C. Peterson, 2006 FAIR Conference,  http://www.fairlds.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/2006-Daniel-Peterson.pdf)

Now to the witness statements themselves.  The first witness document, signed by Oliver Cowdrey, David Whitmer and Martin Harris was more detailed. Not only were they shown the plates, but the angel also showed them the interpreters (the Urim and Thumim), the Liahona, and the sword of Laban. They saw the angel (presumably the resurrected Moroni), and heard the voice of the Lord commanding them to testify of the things they had seen and heard. This happened twice, first to Cowdrey and Whitmer, and then in another more remote place to Harris. This manifestation was near the Whitmer farm in Fayette, New York. 

BE IT KNOWN unto all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people, unto whom this work shall come: That we, through the grace of God the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, have seen the plates which contain this record, which is a record of the people of Nephi, and also of the Lamanites, their brethren, and also of the people of Jared, who came from the tower of which hath been spoken. And we also know that they have been translated by the gift and power of God, for his voice hath declared it unto us; wherefore we know of a surety that the work is true. And we also testify that we have seen the engravings which are upon the plates; and they have been shown unto us by the power of God, and not of man. And we declare with words of soberness, that an angel of God came down from heaven, and he brought and laid before our eyes, that we beheld and saw the plates, and the engravings thereon; and we know that it is by the grace of God the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, that we beheld and bear record that these things are true. And it is marvelous in our eyes. Nevertheless, the voice of the Lord commanded us that we should bear record of it; wherefore, to be obedient unto the commandments of God, we bear testimony of these things. And we know that if we are faithful in Christ, we shall rid our garments of the blood of all men, and be found spotless before the judgment-seat of Christ, and shall dwell with him eternally in the heavens. And the honor be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost, which is one God. Amen.

Signed by: OLIVER COWDERY, DAVID WHITMER and MARTIN HARRIS

The second, shorter document was signed by eight early members of the church, CHRISTIAN WHITMER, HIRAM PAGE, JACOB WHITMER, JOSEPH SMITH, SEN., PETER WHITMER,JUN., HYRUM SMITH, JOHN WHITMER, and SAMUEL H. SMITH. Some have criticized these witnesses as being closely related to, or associated with, Joseph Smith, as if this would decrease the validity of their testimony. However, at this very early time in the history of the church there were very few members, and these had to suffice. This experience occurred in broad daylight, near the Smith farm in Palmyra. Joseph Smith showed these eight men the plates and let them handle them, lift them, turn the pages, and examine the writing. There was no heavenly manifestation or voice, or appearance of the angel. It was all very objective and logical. Nothing mysterious or miraculous happened. But still, they saw the gold plates. 

BE IT KNOWN unto all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people, unto whom this work shall come: That Joseph Smith, Jun., the translator of this work, has shown unto us the plates of which hath been spoken, which have the appearance of gold; and as many of the leaves as the said Smith has translated we did handle with our hands; and we also saw the engravings thereon, all of which has the appearance of ancient work, and of curious workmanship. And this we bear record with words of soberness, that the said Smith has shown unto us, for we have seen and hefted, and know of a surety that the said Smith has got the plates of which we have spoken. And we give our names unto the world, to witness unto the world that which we have seen. And we lie not, God bearing witness of it.

Signed by: CHRISTIAN WHITMER, HIRAM PAGE, JACOB WHITMER, JOSEPH SMITH, SEN., PETER WHITMER,JUN., HYRUM SMITH, JOHN WHITMER, and SAMUEL H. SMITH

Chapter 10

One king succeeds another—Some of the kings are righteous; others are wicked—When righteousness prevails, the people are blessed and prospered by the Lord.

1 AND it came to pass that Shez, who was a descendant of Heth—for Heth had perished by the famine, and all his household save it were Shez—wherefore, Shez began to build up again a broken people.

Shez was the next king, although there was not much prestige in being king over a "broken" people . This verse tells us that he was a descendant of Heth, but the genealogy in chapter one indicates that he was the son of Heth. Heth and all his family, had died during the famine. This gives us some idea of how severe the famine was. If the king could not get food, the situation was indeed dire. Shez attempted to re-establish the kingdom with a “broken” people. This probably means that the people had been “broken” in numbers (many deaths), “broken” spiritually and humbled, and “broken” temporally (reduced to poverty).

2 And it came to pass that Shez did remember the destruction of his fathers, and he did build up a righteous kingdom; for he remembered what the Lord had done in bringing Jared and his brother across the deep; and he did walk in the ways of the Lord; and he begat sons and daughters.

With the recent calamity fresh in his mind, Shez remembered the Lord and followed his ways. It is obvious that the memory of the Jaredite origins was kept alive in the traditions of the people. Shez established a righteous kingdom, and probably encouraged and taught his people in the ways of righteousness. This would include avoiding idolatry.

3 And his eldest son, whose name was Shez, did rebel against him; nevertheless, Shez was smitten by the hand of a robber, because of his exceeding riches, which brought peace again unto his father.

His eldest son, who was his namesake, rebelled against Shez, the king. The son was old enough to have accumulated riches. Shez, the son, was killed by a robber before he could accomplish his designs. This would imply that all in the kingdom were not righteous. At least, the son and this robber hadn't repented.

4 And it came to pass that his father did build up many cities upon the face of the land, and the people began again to spread over all the face of the land. And Shez did live to an exceedingly old age; and he begat Riplakish. And he died, and Riplakish reigned in his stead.

Built up cities - what does that mean? The cities of this time period were centered around a central plaza with an elevated platform. If they were apostate, they would probably construct a stepped pyramid, or ziggurat, in the central area. Shez started many of these community centers, spread outward from the capitol of Moron. It appears that these people did not have private property and everything belonged jointly to the community. Individuals would have been assigned ground to care for, to farm, to construct homes, etc. Shez had a long life, perhaps in the 100-200 year range. His last son was Riplakish. This is another example of the youngest son becoming king.

5 And it came to pass that Riplakish did not do that which was right in the sight of the Lord, for he did have many wives and concubines, and did lay that upon men's shoulders which was grievous to be borne; yea, he did tax them with heavy taxes; and with the taxes he did build many spacious buildings.

Riplakish was of the rising generation. He had not experienced the famine, being born much later. He did not follow in the footsteps of his father, but choose to live a worldly lifestyle, with many wives and concubines. He supported his extravagant living by heavily taxing his subjects. With the tax revenue he also built spacious buildings, palaces, and possibly idolatrous temples. Most of these would have been for his own benefit and use.

6 And he did erect him an exceedingly beautiful throne; and he did build many prisons, and whoso would not be subject unto taxes he did cast into prison; and whoso was not able to pay taxes he did cast into prison; and he did cause that they should labor continually for their support; and whoso refused to labor he did cause to be put to death.

He constructed a majestic and spectacular throne for himself, and there he would sit and judge the people. This is reminiscent of King Nimrod's throne and it may have even been patterned after it for they had a record of this history.

Magnificent throne in Palace
of Heavenly Purity, China

Louis Ginsberg describes Nimrod's throne: “[Nimrod] did all he could to make [the people] pay Divine honors unto himself. He set himself up as a god, and made a seat for himself in imitation of the seat of God. It was a tower built out of a round rock, and on it he placed a throne of cedar wood, upon which arose, one above the other, four thrones, of iron, copper, silver, and gold. Crowning all, upon the golden throne, lay a precious stone, round in shape and gigantic in size. This served him as a seat, and as he sate upon it, all nations came and paid him Divine homage.” (Louis Ginsberg, Legends of the Jews, V. I, ch. 4)

For those disobedient souls who would not comply with Riplakish's demands, or were not able to pay his taxes, he built prisons and imprisoned many of his subjects. Any of these prisoners who refused to work was executed.

It is instructive to compare the reign of a righteous king with that of an unrighteous one, such as this Riplakish. The Nephite king Benjamin (see Mosiah 2) was such a good king, and his example was diametrically opposed to that of Riplakish.

7 Wherefore he did obtain all his fine work, yea, even his fine gold he did cause to be refined in prison; and all manner of fine workmanship he did cause to be wrought in prison. And it came to pass that he did afflict the people with his whoredoms and abominations.

The prison slaves were required to do all kind of special work for the king's pleasure, including the refining and working of gold. This implies that they lived in a mineral rich area. The people were afflicted with his wickedness - what does this mean? They were taxed heavily, he was a terrible moral example, and he probably did not judge fairly in disputes brought before him. He needed large amounts of money to support his whoredoms resulting in additional taxation . In addition, he probably practiced and engaged in abominable rites such as human sacrifice, which were current in the ancient American cultures.

8 And when he had reigned for the space of forty and two years the people did rise up in rebellion against him; and there began to be war again in the land, insomuch that Riplakish was killed, and his descendants were driven out of the land.

Finally, after 42 years of his tyranny, the people rebelled against him and he was killed in the ensuing civil war. We are not told who instigated this rebellion, or who became the new king. After the death of Riplakish, all his family and relatives were driven out of the land, probably meaning the greater land of Moron. Where did they go? They probably establish another group and city outside the influence of the new king.

9 And it came to pass after the space of many years, Morianton, (he being a descendant of Riplakish) gathered together an army of outcasts, and went forth and gave battle unto the people; and he gained power over many cities; and the war became exceedingly sore, and did last for the space of many years; and he did gain power over all the land, and did establish himself king over all the land.

Many years later Morianton, who was one of this group of descendants of Riplakish who had been driven out of the land, recruited an army of outcasts from among these, and other outcasts, and attempted to retake Moron. The war went on for many years, with numerous casualties. But gradually Morianton gained control over the land, city by city, and region by region, until he finally defeated the old king and assumed the position for himself.

10 And after that he had established himself king he did ease the burden of the people, by which he did gain favor in the eyes of the people, and they did anoint him to be their king.

Establishing himself as king may have been a slow process, and it seems that at first he didn't have the support of the people. But Morianton wisely reduced the burden of his subjects by which means he gained their favor.  Finally, they officially anointed him as their king. One would think that the new king, after Riplakish, would have eased the burden of the people, but apparently he hadn't, and continued the taxation and perhaps the slave labor.

11 And he did do justice unto the people, but not unto himself because of his many whoredoms; wherefore he was cut off from the presence of the Lord.

Morianton was a just king, as far as the people were concerned. However he was not a righteous king in the sense of his own morality. His adultery and fornication were offensive to the Lord and he was cut off from His presence.

12 And it came to pass that Morianton built up many cities, and the people became exceedingly rich under his reign, both in buildings, and in gold and silver, and in raising grain, and in flocks, and herds, and such things which had been restored unto them.

Morianton was responsible for constructing, or improving many cities in the land. He promoted commerce and the people prospered under his rule; in buildings (public and private?), in mining and accumulating gold and silver, and in their agriculture (this was probably an agricultural society). Things restored to them - what does this mean? Possibly Morianton restored things that Riplakish or the previous king had taken away.

13 And Morianton did live to an exceedingly great age, and then he begat Kim; and Kim did reign in the stead of his father; and he did reign eight years, and his father died. And it came to pass that Kim did not reign in righteousness, wherefore he was not favored of the Lord.

Morianton, like many of the Jaredie kings, lived a long life. Apparently the Lord blessed him with longevity, even though he was personally wicked, because he had blessed and prospered the lives of his subjects. In his old age he fathers Kim. When Kim is of age and capable, Morianton anoints him king, and Kim reigns in his stead. Another example of the youngest son assuming the monarchy. This practice is known as ultimogeniture and although not as common as primogeniture, is practiced in some cultures (see discussion in Wikipedia)  Morianton lives for another 8 years after Kim is anointed king, then dies. Kim did not reign in righteousness. Apparently, he was worse than Morianton, and as a result was not blessed or prospered by the Lord.

14 And his brother did rise up in rebellion against him, by which he did bring him into captivity; and he did remain in captivity all his days; and he begat sons and daughters in captivity, and in his old age he begat Levi; and he died.

Kim's brother (probably an older brother) rebelled against him. War is not mentioned, but it is probable that Kim was overthrown and taken captive in battle. Kim was a captive (and possibly a slave) the rest of his life (refer to commentary by Hugh Nibley in Ch. 7:7). As has been customary among the Jaredites, Kim was allowed to maintain a family, and fathered children while in captivity. In his old age he fathered Levi (probably his youngest son), then died.

15 And it came to pass that Levi did serve in captivity after the death of his father, for the space of forty and two years. And he did make war against the king of the land, by which he did obtain unto himself the kingdom.

Levi was kept in captivity for an additional 42 years following the death of Kim. This would probably have also been the case with all the rest of Kim's family. Somehow Levi was able to break away and accumulated an army. This was probably done outside the king's domains, possibly in the wilderness. Levi made war against the king, defeated him and his army, and became king. We are not told who the king was or what happened to him. He was probably a different one than Kim's brother mentioned in verse 14. The brother of Kim who usurped the kingdom would have likely been dead by now.

16 And after he had obtained unto himself the kingdom he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord; and the people did prosper in the land; and he did live to a good old age, and begat sons and daughters; and he also begat Corom, whom he anointed king in his stead.

Levi was a righteous king and was blessed of the Lord. How did he know to be good? He certainly didn't have a good example in his father, unless Kim repented during his captivity. But even someone raised in an evil environment can choose righteousness if he follows the promptings of the Lord's Spirit. The people prospered under Levi's rule, and he was blessed with a long life. In his old age he fathered Corom who was anointed king in his place. Another example of the youngest son.

17 And it came to pass that Corom did that which was good in the sight of the Lord all his days; and he begat many sons and daughters; and after he had seen many days he did pass away, even like unto the rest of the earth; and Kish reigned in his stead.

Corom (another example of mimation) was righteous all his long life and had a large posterity. His son Kish reigned in his place (see genealogy in chapter one).

18 And it came to pass that Kish passed away also, and Lib reigned in his stead.

Lib, the son of Kish, assumes the throne, presumably on the death of Kish.

19 And it came to pass that Lib also did that which was good in the sight of the Lord. And in the days of Lib the poisonous serpents were destroyed. Wherefore they did go into the land southward, to hunt food for the people of the land, for the land was covered with animals of the forest. And Lib also himself became a great hunter.

Jaredite Statue
Nicaragua

Lib was a righteous king, continuing the tradition begun by his great-great grandfather Levi. His reign is a golden age for the Jaredites living under his rule.  During his reign the plague of serpents which had blocked the narrow neck of land for nine generations (or about 400-500 years) was eliminated. This would have opened up access to the large area south of the narrow neck. This verse implies that the people were able to eradicate the snakes.  It wasn't just a natural phenomena.  This might have been possible for example, if they had burned all the vegetation every year for a number of years. All the animals that had escaped into land southward during time of Heth (see chapter 9:30-34) had multiplied and filled the wilderness with wildlife. Lib became a great and skillful hunter. If this followed the Asian tradition of kingly hunting, this hunting right would have been reserved for royalty and the king's favorites, although it suggests that the animals were used to feed the people.

20 And they built a great city by the narrow neck of land, by the place where the sea divides the land.

The people of Lib constructed a large city by the narrow neck of land. This is an important geographical reference. The city was built by the narrow neck, by a place where the sea divided the land. I suggest that this place is on the shore of Lake Nicaragua where Zapatera Island is separated from the mainland by a narrow channel.  Refer to blog on this subject.

21 And they did preserve the land southward for a wilderness, to get game. And the whole face of the land northward was covered with inhabitants.

While the entire area of the land north of the narrow neck (ie the lands of Moron and Desolation) was covered with inhabitants, their dwellings, and their cities, the land southward (or the land of Zarahemla of the later Nephites) was intentionally preserved as a wilderness for hunting. This means that by royal decree, no Jaredite cities, villages, or habitations were allowed in the land southwards (with the possible exception of renegades or outcasts). As a result, there should be no Jaredite (or Olmec era) ruins south of the narrow neck of land.

22 And they were exceedingly industrious, and they did buy and sell and traffic one with another, that they might get gain.

During the reign of Lib (and possibly other times as well), the Jaredites were engaged in extensive manufacturing and commerce. This would have involved community markets, traveling traders, the manufacture of goods to be sold outside their communities, etc. Long distance trade was common among pre-conquest peoples. This would imply that they had developed a specialized culture with farmers, tradesmen, artisans, merchants, etc. This verse, and the following verses, give us a good indication of how advanced the Jaredite civilization had become.

23 And they did work in all manner of ore, and they did make gold, and silver, and iron, and brass, and all manner of metals; and they did dig it out of the earth; wherefore, they did cast up mighty heaps of earth to get ore, of gold, and of silver, and of iron, and of copper. And they did work all manner of fine work.

They were skill in the metallurgy of gold, silver, iron, copper, brass (bronze?), and other metals. The scholars deny the existence of iron and bronze in the pre-conquest Americas. However, I believe we can trust the word of these historians. Iron and bronze tend to decompose over a thousand year period in a tropical environment, which may account for their absence in the archaeological record. They had the skill to find and develop ore bodies, as well as to mine the ore. They left large waste dumps near their mining operations and these should still be evident today, although disguised by tropical vegetation. They had the skill to manufacture many beautiful articles, probably speaking of metalwork.

24 And they did have silks, and fine-twined linen; and they did work all manner of cloth, that they might clothe themselves from their nakedness.

They possessed the skill and knowledge to manufacture all types of cloth to be used for clothing. This included silk, linen, and other unmentioned cloth. The knowledge to make silk required special knowledge and skill. 

The following is from the paper "Jaredite Silk."  Silk (or silks) is mentioned in the Book of Mormon in five separate places. Two of these are Jaredite references (Ether 9:17; 10:24) and three Nephite (1 Ne. 13:7-8; Alma 1:29; Alma 4:6). The references in Ether and Alma imply that the Jaredites and Nephites at least possessed silk garments, and probably produced them. 

These references have generated criticism from critics of the Book of Mormon because silk production was unknown except in China until after the time of Christ. So the question naturally arises "how did Book of Mormon peoples acquire this technology?" 

If we assume the Book of Mormon claim is correct and that these people actually did have the knowledge and skill to manufacture silk fabric, what are the implications of this assumption? In my opinion the possession of silk implies that the Book of Mormon peoples had early contact with China. Specifically, that the Jaredites passed through China during its early history, crossed the Pacific Ocean, and landed on the western coast of the new world.  (the paper then discusses sericulture and its history)

There are a number of silkworm moths which are native to the Americas which could have been used by the ancient inhabitants to make silk if they were aware of the process. John Sorenson mentions that some of the early Spanish historians note the presence of a wild silkworm in Mesoamerica, and that wild silk was spun and woven in certain areas (An Ancient American Setting for the Book of Mormon, p. 232).

Now back to the Book of Mormon. If silk were in fact produced by the ancient Jaredites ... what are the implications of this fact? First it implies that the Jaredites had contact with the ancient Chinese (although it is possible that they developed the process independently, this is highly unlikely). Second, it implies that the Jaredites traveled eastward to the Pacific, rather than the western Atlantic route.

Their Chinese contact could have been a primary one, as they migrated eastward through Asia. If this were the case, they would have been in China during its earliest history and according to the history remained there for at least four years before crossing the Pacific. They could have easily acquired silk making skills during this period of contact, and taken these skills with them to the new world. On the other hand, the contact could have been through a secondary source such as Chinese mariners who may have later crossed the Pacific bringing the secret with them (such voyages have never been proven but are mentioned in Chinese legend). My contention is that the knowledge was gained while the Jaredites were in China.

25 And they did make all manner of tools to till the earth, both to plow and to sow, to reap and to hoe, and also to thrash.

They made all types of agricultural implements to assist in the cultivation and harvesting of their produce. Some of these may have been of their own invention, but most would have been similar to those used in their homeland of Sumer.

26 And they did make all manner of tools with which they did work their beasts.

These tools would have included many devices to use in managing and harnessing their animals, especially those used in the fields and for construction. This verse may have special reference to the equipment they used to work with the elephants, cureloms and cumoms.

27 And they did make all manner of weapons of war. And they did work all manner of work of exceedingly curious workmanship.

They manufactured all different types of weapons to use in their defense, and in their wars. These were probably defensive in nature as no wars are mentioned during this time period.  Curious workmanship usually means "skilled" workmanship.

The Jaredite record mentions the use of “weapons of war, ..shields, and breastplates, and headplates” (Ether 15:15). The sword is the weapon most mentioned at the time of the last battles. It was probably 3-4 feet long as Coriantumr “leaned” on his sword to rest before killing Shiz (Ether 15:30). Even women and children were armed and fought during the final battles (Ether 15:15). The people of Limhi found rusted swords and brass and copper breastplates among the debris of the Jaredite destruction (Mos.8:11). A literal interpretation of the scriptures would indicate that the Jaredites were the first peoples on the American continent following the flood. As such, they likely introduced the working of obsidian from Asia. Obsidian was very useful in weaponry and for knives, and significant trade and commerce for this product existed throughout Central America.

It is uncertain whether the Jaredites used the bow and arrow. It is not mentioned in the Jaredite record, and Olmec/Maya art work, while illustrating the use of the spear, knife, ax and club, does not illustrate the bow. However, pre-Classic sites, pre-dating Nephite times, have yielded small lightweight points which may have been used as arrow heads.

At the time of the conquest, the native Americans were using a wooden club (macuahuitl-the Aztec name) which the Spaniards called a sword. It had a groove cut into each side into which obsidian blades were fastened. It was so sharp and effective that it could behead a horse in one blow. They also used the atlatl or spear thrower which increased the range and velocity of a spear.

28 And never could be a people more blessed than were they, and more prospered by the hand of the Lord. And they were in a land that was choice above all lands, for the Lord had spoken it.

Moroni, speaking as a historian, who was highly qualified to make such an assessment, doesn’t exclude his own people when he observes "and never could be a people more blessed than were they, and more prospered by the hand of the Lord" (Ether 10:28). They were a very advanced culture and prospered because of their ingenuity and the blessings of the Lord. We remember the Lord's promise to them: “And there shall be none greater than the nation which I will raise up unto me of thy seed, upon all the face of the earth.” (Chapter 1:43)

29 And it came to pass that Lib did live many years, and begat sons and daughters; and he also begat Hearthom.

Lib had a long life and a large posterity. His son Hearthom was apparently the last son born in his old age. Another example of the youngest son inheriting the throne.

Captives before king Darius

30 And it came to pass that Hearthom reigned in the stead of his father. And when Hearthom had reigned twenty and four years, behold, the kingdom was taken away from him. And he served many years in captivity, yea, even all the remainder of his days.

When Hearthom had ruled for 24 yrs he was dethroned. I assume that this would have been in a battle or civil war. We are not given any details about it. He was captured and served the rest of his life in slavery. As did his son Heth, and grandson Aaron, and great grandson Amnigaddah, and great great grandson Coriantum. So we had five generations of the royal line in captivity. It also was probably a period of peace under the opposing line of kings. 

31 And he begat Heth, and Heth lived in captivity all his days. And Heth begat Aaron, and Aaron dwelt in captivity all his days; and he begat Amnigaddah, and Amnigaddah also dwelt in captivity all his days; and he begat Coriantum, and Coriantum dwelt in captivity all his days; and he begat Com.

32 And it came to pass that Com drew away the half of the kingdom. And he reigned over the half of the kingdom forty and two years; and he went to battle against the king, Amgid, and they fought for the space of many years, during which time Com gained power over Amgid, and obtained power over the remainder of the kingdom.

Finally, Com, the son of Coriantum, broke free of his slavery and enticed half the population to follow him. We are not told whether this was through warfare or the peaceful succession of that portion of the population. He assumed the rule over that portion of the land and ruled as king there for 42 years. Following this time, he attacked his opposing king and the war rages on for a long period of time. Finally, Com apparently defeated Amgid, the opposing king, and “gained power over him” whatever that means. Com then assumed control of all the kingdom. Amgid was apparently the last of the line of rival kings who had taken control during the reign of Hearthrom.

33 And in the days of Com there began to be robbers in the land; and they adopted the old plans, and administered oaths after the manner of the ancients, and sought again to destroy the kingdom.

At this time another secret society was formed using the ancient rites and oaths that were available in their histories. Their intent was to overthrow the king. Remember Moroni's warning about these combinations that “whoso buildeth [them] up seeketh to overthrow the freedom of all lands, nations, and countries (Ch. 8:25).”

34 Now Com did fight against them much; nevertheless, he did not prevail against them.

Apparently Com was a righteous man (as we shall see in the next chapter) and tried to root out these evil conspirators, but was unsuccessful. They were hidden and could not be discovered.

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Ether Chapter 9

The kingdom passes from one to another by descent and intrigue and murder—Emer saw the Son of Righteousness—Many prophets cry repentance—A famine and poisonous serpents plague the people.

1 AND now I, Moroni, proceed with my record. Therefore, behold, it came to pass that because of the secret combinations of Akish and his friends, behold, they did overthrow the kingdom of Omer.

The preceding has been a commentary by Moroni and he now returns to the abridgement. Akish and his secret combination succeeded in toppling Omer's kingdom.

2 Nevertheless, the Lord was merciful unto Omer, and also to his sons and to his daughters who did not seek his destruction.

Omer must have been a righteous man to have received this warning from the Lord. Many, if not most, of his children were not involved in the plot to kill him.

3 And the Lord warned Omer in a dream that he should depart out of the land; wherefore Omer departed out of the land with his family, and traveled many days, and came over and passed by the hill of Shim, and came over by the place where the Nephites were destroyed, and from thence eastward, and came to a place which was called Ablom, by the seashore, and there he pitched his tent, and also his sons and his daughters, and all his household, save it were Jared and his family.

Omer is given a warning by means of a dream. We don't know how quickly he responded, but he took it seriously.  He must have been a very faithful and believing man to have left all, his kingdom, his throne, his power, and whatever wealth he had accumulated, and walk away from it all, trusting in the wisdom of the Lord. If he hadn't left, of course, he would have been dead. He left the land of Moron where the kingdom was established, and taking all his family (except Jared and his clan), goes off into the wilderness.

This verse gives us valuable information about the Jaredite geography. First, Omer and his group traveled many days – perhaps 10 to 20. This would result in a distance of 150 to 300 miles, at 15 miles per day. If this estimate is correct, it means that the Jaredite lands were limited in extent, and didn't cover an entire continent as some have assumed.

Central America showing
possible routes and locations

Using my model, with Moron near the Bay of Fonseca, they would have traveled this distance outward from the Jaredite capitol. I believe that they traveled northward until they reached the shores of the Gulf of Honduras. En route they passed by the Hill Shim.  This is the same hill where Ammaron later hid all the Nephite records (see Mor. 1:1-3) which was in the land of Antum. Traveling on, they then passed by the hill Ramah (or Cumorah) where the Nephites were annihilated. Finally, traveling eastward, they arrived at the place called Ablom which was by the seashore.

If my model is correct, there are two routes that they could have taken (refer to first map). The easiest would have been to go straight north over the Honduran mountains and down the Ulua River valley to the coast. However, this would not have taken them by the hill Cumorah (which I believe is the modern Cerro San Gil in Guatemala). The other route would have been to travel northwest through El Salvador, or western Honduras, cross over the mountains, and drop down into the Motagua River valley. This is a broad, straight valley which is an ancient and easy route to the east coast. Going down this valley would have taken them directly by Cumorah, and then east to the sea.

Here at Ablom they pitched their tents and encamped for a number of years. It doesn't mention them building structures or homes, only pitching tents. Perhaps they didn't plan to remain very long, or possibly this was the way they lived while in the wilderness.

Shim, Ablom and Antum – These were probably originally Jaredite place names, later adopted by the Nephites. They are characterized by mimation, or the m ending of each word. Mimation refers to the
suffixed m (the letter mem) which occurs in some Semitic languages. Hugh Nibley has elaborated on this unusual feature of Jaredite language.

"Mimation (ending with -m) predominated in Jaredite names, nunation (ending with -n) in Nephite and Lamanite names. This is strictly in keeping with the development of languages in the Old World, where mimation was everywhere succeeded by nunation around 2000 B.C., that is, well after the Jaredites had departed, but long before the Nephites ... Mimation was still current in the Semitic dialects of Palestine and Syria between 2100 and 1800 B.C., when the nominative case still ended in -m. From Egyptian and Hittite records it is now clear that the dialects of Palestine and Syria dropped this mimation in the first half of the second millennium B.C., and it is preserved in the Bible only in a few pre-Hebraic words used in very ancient incantations and spells, and in the mysterious and archaic words Urim and Thummim, which it now appears are not Hebrew plurals at all. This is significant, since the Book of Mormon favors -m endings for Jaredite names. The Jaredites must have taken mimation with them some time before 2000 B.C., when the change to nunation occurred. Nunation itself, however, which is extremely common in the Book of Mormon proper names, is an old-fashioned thing which in Lehi's day was a sign of conservatism and most frequently found among the desert people. It turns up in old Hebrew genealogies in which "the nomenclature is largely un-Hebraic, with peculiar antique formations in -an, -on, and in some cases of particular Arabian origin." This nunation or ending in -n has left traces in all Semitic languages, but mostly among the desert people, being retained completely in classical Arabic." (Hugh Nibley, An Approach to the Book of Mormon, http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=60&chapid=605)

4 And it came to pass that Jared was anointed king over the people,

With Omer gone into self imposed exile, Jared assumes the throne and is apparently accepted and anointed king by the people. Perhaps this wasn't a popular thing, but was achieve “by the hand of wickedness” (ie by means of the secret society). Although Akish didn't actually provide Jared with Omer's head, he is still given the daughter's hand in marriage.

5 And it came to pass that Akish sought the life of his father-in-law; and he applied unto those whom he had sworn by the oath of the ancients, and they obtained the head of his father-in-law, as he sat upon his throne, giving audience to his people.

Now we see evil run its full course. Not satisfied with what they have achieved, Akish (and undoubtedly his wife) plot the overthrow of Jared. Seeing that they can gain their goals by means of the secret society, they mobilized their henchmen and brought upon Jared what he had planned for Omer. This verse seems to imply that other members of the society performed the evil deed. It must have been a very public event. Jared was in the presence of others hearing their concerns. They didn't just assassinate him on the throne and flee, they took the time to behead him and carry off the bloody trophy.

6 For so great had been the spreading of this wicked and secret society that it had corrupted the hearts of all the people; therefore Jared was murdered upon his throne, and Akish reigned in his stead.

This verse seems to imply an extended period of time for this “spreading” to occur. The people had seen how evil means could be used to gain wealth and power, and they wanted their share of the booty (see verse 11). It seems that the majority of the people came to support the society and its acts. The effect of this was the hardening of their hearts towards the truth and that which was good. Akish assumes the throne. We are not told how he achieved this as he had no obvious right to it. But in this case apparently might makes right.

7 And it came to pass that Akish began to be jealous of his son, therefore he shut him up in prison, and kept him upon little or no food until he had suffered death.

If Akish began with any redeeming virtues, these are all now gone. He now turned his malevolence on his son. There was probably a reason for his jealousy. This was probably an older son who was gaining favor with the people and had possibly shown and inclination to rebel. Akish had him incarcerated in an available prison. But that wasn't enough, he then starved the poor son to death.

8 And now the brother of him that suffered death, (and his name was Nimrah) was angry with his father because of that which his father had done unto his brother.

A brother of the starved son resents Akish and possibly tries to challenge him. The question arises, why was he not incarcerated as well as his brother? Perhaps he fled to the wilderness before his intentions were known. “His name was Nimrah.” This is a variation of the name Nimrod, and indicates a positive remembrance of the old king. It also illustrates the tendency of the Jaredites to look upon the past with nostalgia.

9 And it came to pass that Nimrah gathered together a small number of men, and fled out of the land, and came over and dwelt with Omer.

This probably happened before Akish was aware of their plans. Would he have prevented it? Nimrah apparently knew where Omer had gone, and was able to “travel many days” following him to Ablom.

10 And it came to pass that Akish begat other sons, and they won the hearts of the people, notwithstanding they had sworn unto him to do all manner of iniquity according to that which he desired.

Akish begat other sons – Many years had passed here in only a few verses. These would have been sons born after he took the daughter of Jared as his wife. He had other sons, in addition to Nimrah and his brother, and these sons grew to adulthood. Akish had required his family to be part of the secret society, but in spite of the oath, some of his sons betrayed him, and plotted against him. They won over the support of a substantial percentage of the people.

11 Now the people of Akish were desirous for gain, even as Akish was desirous for power; wherefore, the sons of Akish did offer them money, by which means they drew away the more part of the people after them.

The people by now had been exposed to the Gadianton environment which offered opportunities for easy profit, and fed their increasing desire for gain. These rebellious sons used this weakness to tempt the subjects of Akish with bribes and eventually gained the loyalty of the majority of the people.

12 And there began to be a war between the sons of Akish and Akish, which lasted for the space of many years, yea, unto the destruction of nearly all the people of the kingdom, yea, even all, save it were thirty souls, and they who fled with the house of Omer.

When these rebellious sons had sufficient power, they challenged Akish openly. Thus began a suicidal civil war that raged on for many years. The mortality increased year by year until there were only thirty survivors left of the large original population. I assume that Akish and his evil wife were killed during this fatal struggle. It is possible that a number of people left the area during this war to escape the carnage. Thus, halfway through their history, the Jaredites almost suffered the same fate that awaited them in the end.  Somehow, Omer, still in Ablom, learns of the state of affairs in Moron and returns with his family and followers and is re-instated as king.

13 Wherefore, Omer was restored again to the land of his inheritance.

Land of his inheritance – This apparently did not include Ablom, Nehor or Heth. It was the land of Moron. This implies that the land of these Jaredites was limited in extent.

14 And it came to pass that Omer began to be old; nevertheless, in his old age he begat Emer; and he anointed Emer to be king to reign in his stead.

Omer had quite a life. He first reigned for a number of years, during which time he raise at least three sons to adulthood. Then he spent a large part of his middle life as a captive of his son Jared. He is finally freed and re-instated as king for a period of time. Then he escaped an assassination attempt and fled to the land of Ablom where he lived for a number of years. Finally he returned to Moron and reigned for additional years during which he had another son named Emer. This son was then raised to adulthood. Now Omer is old (probably between 100-200), and he anoints Emer to be the new king (Another youngest son as king). One has to wonder why he didn't reward Esrom or Coriantumr with the kingdom.

15 And after that he had anointed Emer to be king he saw peace in the land for the space of two years, and he died, having seen exceedingly many days, which were full of sorrow. And it came to pass that Emer did reign in his stead, and did fill the steps of his father.

Even though Omer's life had been one of adversity, he was able to enjoy the last two years of his life. He was retired from politics, and there was peace in the land. “Fill the steps” would indicate that Emer followed the righteous practices of his father.

16 And the Lord began again to take the curse from off the land, and the house of Emer did prosper exceedingly under the reign of Emer; and in the space of sixty and two years they had become exceedingly strong, insomuch that they became exceedingly rich—

Although it is not mentioned in the previous chapters, the Lord had apparently withdrawn his blessings from the land during the wicked reigns of Jared and Akish. Now that Omer and Emer were reigning in righteousness, the Lord restored the blessings of the land and it began to produce in abundance. After a period of 62 years the “house of Emer” prospered and became strong and wealthy. It does not mention the people in general, however, we can assume that they also benefited during this period of prosperity.

17 Having all manner of fruit, and of grain, and of silks, and of fine linen, and of gold, and of silver, and of precious things;

Moroni then provides a general list of the agricultural produce, cloth, minerals, food animals, and beasts of burden that the Jaredites used. All the seed and animals would have been carried with them to the Americas when they crossed the sea. Mention is made of silk. Most scholars assert that there was no silk production in the Americas, however, I think we can trust the scriptural account (see blog on this subject).  We only have gold and silver listed as a product of their mining (there is a mention of undefined“precious things” which may have included things such as jade), however, iron was also mentioned earlier.

18 And also all manner of cattle, of oxen, and cows, and of sheep, and of swine, and of goats, and also many other kinds of animals which were useful for the food of man.

Mastodon from Wikipedia

Next we have a list of Jaredite farm animals useful for food and clothing. Archaeologists deny the presence of cattle and sheep in pre-conquest America, but normally evidence from the written record should take precedence over the fragmentary evidence available to archaeologists. Other animals are mentioned, but not listed. This could include such things as chickens, turkeys, and of course wild game.

19 And they also had horses, and asses, and there were elephants and cureloms and cumoms; all of which were useful unto man, and more especially the elephants and cureloms and cumoms.

Gomphothere

These last two verses are very informative in outlining the animals the Jaredites had available to them. All of these beasts of burden were supposedly not present in pre-conquest America. Scholars think that they were introduced by the Spaniards or the other European colonists, but there is mounting evidence to the contrary -- that they were in fact present and available to the ancient Americans. All of these animals would have been available to the Jaredites in Sumer, and they would have used them in their journey across Asia to the seashore. Why not take them with them across the sea? Of particular interest is the mention of elephants, cureloms and cumoms (note the mimation) which were especially useful. Why were they especially useful? Because they were the Jaredite's “heavy machinery.” Elephants and the Gomphotheres (elephant like aminals) could be easily trained to perform very heavy and laborious tasks normally extremely difficult for man, such as pulling, carrying, lifting, etc. They would have been very helpful during all the enormous construction projects that the Jaredites undertook. There has been a lot of curiosity and speculation about the terms Cureloms and Cumoms. The best explanation that I have come across is given by a private researcher on his website at http://www.cureloms.com/Cureloms.pdf. He logically claims that these were Jaredite names for now extinct types of elephants (mammoth, mastodon and Cuvieroniinae).

20 And thus the Lord did pour out his blessings upon this land, which was choice above all other lands; and he commanded that whoso should possess the land should possess it unto the Lord, or they should be destroyed when they were ripened in iniquity; for upon such, saith the Lord: I will pour out the fulness of my wrath.

Moroni reiterates that this is a choice land and its inhabitants must be righteous or they will be swept off. This applies to anyone inhabiting this land, including us. What does phrase "ripened in iniquity" mean? It probably means that the people have given themselves over to the influences of Satan and that the Spirit of the Lord has completely withdrawn from them. Their children have no chance of growing up with a knowledge of the Lord's plan and thus will continue on generation after generation in this same pattern. Examples of such groups were the Nephites, Jaredites, Jews (several times), Canaanites, Sodom and Gomorrah, and the pre-flood peoples. What is fulness of God's wrath? We find examples of the fulness of his wrath at the time of the flood, and also in the destruction in the Americas at the time of Christ's death. It's not something we would want to be part of.

21 And Emer did execute judgment in righteousness all his days, and he begat many sons and daughters; and he begat Coriantum, and he anointed Coriantum to reign in his stead.

Emer was personally righteous, and reigned in righteousness all his life. He had a large posterity. If this order can be taken as accurate, Coriantum was the youngest son. Emer anointed Coriantum as king in his place. This was probably during a public and official coronation ceremony.

22 And after he had anointed Coriantum to reign in his stead he lived four years, and he saw peace in the land; yea, and he even saw the Son of Righteousness, and did rejoice and glory in his day; and he died in peace.

Emer lived four more year after designating Coriantum king. During this time there was peace in land of Moron. He had the privilege of seeing Christ (see D&C 93:1). He lived his last years in peace, and died a peaceful death.

23 And it came to pass that Coriantum did walk in the steps of his father, and did build many mighty cities, and did administer that which was good unto his people in all his days. And it came to pass that he had no children even until he was exceedingly old.

Coriantum followed the righteous pattern of his father but was not blessed with offspring. He established a number of great cities and blessed the lives of his subjects.

24 And it came to pass that his wife died, being an hundred and two years old. And it came to pass that Coriantum took to wife, in his old age, a young maid, and begat sons and daughters; wherefore he lived until he was an hundred and forty and two years old.

Coriantum's wife died when she was 102 years old and he was widowed. He was likely this old, or older, himself. He was still vigorous and healthy, and married a young woman (probably meaning she was a single youth) by which he had posterity in his old age. The verse implies that because of his marriage and child bearing, he lived to the advanced age of 142. This verse illustrates the longevity of the Jaredites of that time.

25 And it came to pass that he begat Com, and Com reigned in his stead; and he reigned forty and nine years, and he begat Heth; and he also begat other sons and daughters.

Here again, Com appears to be youngest son who was anointed king in the place of his father. After Com had reigned 49 years he begat Heth, plus other children. This would have been when Com was about 69 years old. From this it appears that Heth was the oldest child, but it is likely that he had other children before Heth.

26 And the people had spread again over all the face of the land, and there began again to be an exceedingly great wickedness upon the face of the land, and Heth began to embrace the secret plans again of old, to destroy his father.

The population had increased and the land became more thickly inhabited. This would be referring to the land of Moron and its environs. A period of wickedness began among the people. Perhaps the younger generation rebelled against the old teachings of the fathers as so often happens. Heth forms, or is part of, a secret society, and plots to overthrow his father.

27 And it came to pass that he did dethrone his father, for he slew him with his own sword; and he did reign in his stead.

Heth followed pattern of Jared and Akish and assassinated his father with Com's own sword, and reigns in his stead.

28 And there came prophets in the land again, crying repentance unto them—that they must prepare the way of the Lord or there should come a curse upon the face of the land; yea, even there should be a great famine, in which they should be destroyed if they did not repent.

The Lord sent prophets warning of impending destruction if they do not repent, including the warning of a famine.

29 But the people believed not the words of the prophets, but they cast them out; and some of them they cast into pits and left them to perish. And it came to pass that they did all these things according to the commandment of the king, Heth.

The message of the prophets is rejected and Heth directed his followers to persecute and kill them.

30 And it came to pass that there began to be a great dearth upon the land, and the inhabitants began to be destroyed exceedingly fast because of the dearth, for there was no rain upon the face of the earth.

In accordance with the prophecies, a severe drought came upon the land. There was no rain and as these people relied completely on the seasonal rains to water their crops, after a short time there was no more food and the people began to starve.

31 And there came forth poisonous serpents also upon the face of the land, and did poison many people.And it came to pass that their flocks began to flee before the poisonous serpents, towards the land southward, which was called by the Nephites Zarahemla.

In addition to the drought, the Lord sends snakes to harass the people and their flocks. There are always some poisonous snakes in this area, however, this must have been an unusual plague of serpents. Many Jaredites were bitten and died. The snakes were so numerous and thick that they also threatened and attacked the Jaredite animals. These animals were frightened of the snakes and fled before the wave of snakes moving across the land. The animals fled southward, away from Moron, to the land of Desolation. Crossing that, they then passed southward through the narrow neck of land, penetrating into the land southward, that would be known as the land of Zarahemla to the Nephites.

32 And it came to pass that there were many of them which did perish by the way; nevertheless, there were some which fled into the land southward.

Many of these animals died along the way, either by snake bite, of lack of food and water. However some of them did make it south into the land of Zarahemla.

33 And it came to pass that the Lord did cause the serpents that they should pursue them no more, but that they should hedge up the way that the people could not pass, that whoso should attempt to pass might fall by the poisonous serpents.

The moving front of snakes stopped (probably at the narrow neck) and did not pursue the animals any farther. The narrow neck was blocked by the serpents. Any of the Jaredites who tried to pass through this area was bitten and killed.

34 And it came to pass that the people did follow the course of the beasts, and did devour the carcasses of them which fell by the way, until they had devoured them all. Now when the people saw that they must perish they began to repent of their iniquities and cry unto the Lord.

The surviving Jaredites followed the retreating animals toward the land southward. They were so desperate that they ate the carcasses of the dead and rotting animals until they are all consumed. They could not go past the narrow neck because of the snake barrier. In these desperate circumstances the people realized their dire situation and finally repented and called upon the Lord for assistance.

35 And it came to pass that when they had humbled themselves sufficiently before the Lord he did send rain upon the face of the earth; and the people began to revive again, and there began to be fruit in the north countries, and in all the countries round about. And the Lord did show forth his power unto them in preserving them from famine.

After the people had humbled themselves sufficiently (and presumably this took some time) the Lord began to bless them again and sent rain, and they were able to raise crops and finally feed themselves. This does not happen overnight, and the growing of crops, and the fruiting of trees, takes time. This was in the north countries (i.e. north of Zarahemla). Apparently the drought mainly affected the north country around the land of Moron, but also extended out into the surrounding areas, at least in the land of Desolation and to the narrow neck. During this time the rivers had probably dried up because of the severity of the drought, allowing the snakes to pass over on dry ground. The Lord showed those who survived his power in preserving their lives. The more wicked among them apparently perished (apparently including king Heth).

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