Ether
34 verses
Shez, who was a descendant of Heth—for Heth had died in the famine, and his entire household except Shez had perished—began to rebuild a broken people.
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 remembered the destruction of his ancestors and built a righteous kingdom, because he remembered how the Lord brought Jared and his brother across the ocean. He lived according to the Lord’s ways and had sons and daughters.
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.
His oldest son, Shez, rebelled against him; however, Shez was killed by a robber because of his great wealth, which brought peace back to his father.
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 father built many cities throughout the land, and the people began to spread across the whole land again. Shez lived to a very old age and had a son named Riplakish. After Shez died, Riplakish became king in his place.
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.
Riplakish did not do what was right in the sight of the Lord, for he had many wives and concubines, and he placed burdens on the people that were hard to bear. He taxed them heavily, and with those taxes he built many large buildings.
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.
He built himself an extremely beautiful throne and constructed many prisons. Anyone who refused to pay taxes was thrown into prison, and anyone who couldn’t pay taxes was also imprisoned. He made the prisoners work continually for their own support, and anyone who refused to work was put to death.
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 obtained all his fine work, including his fine gold, which he had refined in prison, and he had all kinds of fine workmanship made in prison. He afflicted the people with his whoredoms and abominations.
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.
After he had reigned for forty-two years, the people rebelled against him, and war broke out again in the land. Riplakish was killed, and his descendants were driven out of the land.
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.
After many years, Morianton, who was a descendant of Riplakish, gathered an army of outcasts and went out to fight against the people. He gained control over many cities, and the war was extremely fierce and lasted for many years. Eventually, he gained power over all the land and established himself as king over it.
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.
After he became king, he eased the people's burdens, which made him popular with them, and they anointed him as their king.
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.
He acted justly toward the people, but not toward himself because of his many sexual sins; so he was cut off from the presence of the Lord.
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 built many cities, and the people became extremely rich during his reign—in buildings, gold and silver, raising grain, flocks, herds, and other things that had been restored to them.
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 lived to a very old age and then had a son named Kim. Kim became king after his father and ruled for eight years, and then his father died. Kim did not rule righteously, so he was not favored by the Lord.
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.
His brother rebelled against him and took him captive; he stayed in captivity for the rest of his life. While in captivity, he had sons and daughters, and in his old age he had a son named Levi. Then he died.
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.
After his father died, Levi served in captivity for forty-two years. He made war against the king of the land and gained the kingdom for himself.
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.
After he became king, he did what was right in the sight of the Lord, and the people prospered in the land. He lived to a good old age and had sons and daughters. He also had a son named Corom, whom he anointed as king to take his place.
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.
Corom did what was good in the sight of the Lord all his days. He had many sons and daughters, and after living many years, he died like everyone else. Kish became king after him.
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.
Kish died, and Lib became king in his place.
And it came to pass that Kish passed away also, and Lib reigned in his stead.
Lib also did what was good in the sight of the Lord. During Lib’s days, the poisonous serpents were destroyed. So they went into the land southward to hunt food for the people, because the land was filled with animals of the forest. Lib himself also became a great hunter.
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.
They built a large city near the narrow neck of land, at the place where the sea divides the land.
And they built a great city by the narrow neck of land, by the place where the sea divides the land.
They kept the land to the south as wilderness for hunting, and the entire land to the north was filled with people.
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.
They were extremely hardworking, and they bought, sold, and traded with each other to make a profit.
And they were exceedingly industrious, and they did buy and sell and traffic one with another, that they might get gain.
They worked with all kinds of ore and made gold, silver, iron, brass, and all types of metals. They dug these out of the earth, piling up great heaps of dirt to get ore of gold, silver, iron, and copper. They also did all kinds of fine work.
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 had silks and fine-twined linen, and they made all kinds of cloth so they could clothe themselves.
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 made all kinds of tools to work the land—tools for plowing, planting, harvesting, hoeing, and threshing.
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 kinds of tools to work with their animals.
And they did make all manner of tools with which they did work their beasts.
They made all kinds of weapons of war and produced all sorts of work with extremely intricate craftsmanship.
And they did make all manner of weapons of war. And they did work all manner of work of exceedingly curious workmanship.
There was never a people more blessed or more prospered by the hand of the Lord. They lived in a land that was better than any other, because the Lord had declared it.
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.
Lib lived for many years and had sons and daughters; he also had a son named Hearthom.
And it came to pass that Lib did live many years, and begat sons and daughters; and he also begat Hearthom.
Hearthom became king in place of his father. After Hearthom had reigned for twenty-four years, the kingdom was taken from him. He spent many years in captivity, for the rest of his life.
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.
He had a son named Heth, and Heth lived in captivity all his life. Heth had a son named Aaron, and Aaron also lived in captivity all his life. Aaron had a son named Amnigaddah, who also lived in captivity all his life. Amnigaddah had a son named Coriantum, and Coriantum lived in captivity all his life. Coriantum had a son named Com.
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.
Com took control of half of the kingdom and ruled it for forty-two years. He went to war against King Amgid, and they fought for many years. During that time, Com gained power over Amgid and eventually took control of the rest of the kingdom.
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.
During the days of Com, robbers started to appear in the land. They used the old plans, made oaths like the people of ancient times, and tried again to destroy the kingdom.
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.
Com fought hard against them, but he could not defeat them.
Now Com did fight against them much; nevertheless, he did not prevail against them.