Ether 13 All

Home > The Book of Mormon > Ether > Chapters 12-15 > Chapter 13a / Verses 13:1-12
Previous page: Chapter 12                      Next page: Chapters 13b-15

This page would ideally always be under construction. You are invited to contribute.

Summary

This section should be very brief. Click the link above and to the right to edit or add content to this heading. →

Relationship to Chapters 12-15. The relationship of Chapter 13a to the rest of Chapters 12-15 is discussed at Chapters 12-15.

Story. Chapter 13a consists of four major sections:

Message. Themes, symbols, and doctrinal points emphasized in Chapter 13a include:

Discussion

This section is for detailed discussion such as the meaning of a symbol, how a doctrinal point is developed throughout a passage, or insights that can be further developed in the future. Contributions may range from polished paragraphs down to a single bullet point. The focus, however, should always be on understanding the scriptural text consistent with LDS doctrine. Click the link above and to the right to edit or add content to this heading. →

• The Jaredites and the Israelites. We are used to the Book of Mormon talking about Israel from time to time, so we might not notice something strange going on here. While it is normal to talk to the Nephites and Lamanites about Israel (indeed one of the purposes of the Book of Mormon is to make sure their descendants know that they are of Israel!), the Jaredites are not of Israel. The Jaredites left before there was a covenant established with Israel. They left before the original Jerusalem had been built. They did leave after Enoch's city had been taken up to heaven (although not called a New Jerusalem at that point I assume). And they did have their own covenant (the covenant that the Jaredites received can be found in Ether 1:42-43.) But the Jaredites are not Israel, and they don't the particular covenant that Israel has. It seems safe to assume that what Ether is teaching the Jaredites in verses 2-12 is something new to them.

Therefore, we can approach these verses in two ways:

1. what do they teach us about Israel, the New Jerusalem, etc. (this is what the following commentary as done thus far) and also
2. what was Ether doing by teaching the Jaredites about Israel, the New Jerusalem, etc.?

As a beginning to the latter question, in general it seems that Ether is inviting the Jaredites to stick around a little longer (don't get yourself destroyed!) so that they can meet these Israelites, learn about their covenant, and become adopted into it. More of how these verses would have sounded to the Jaredites can be added below in the verse-by-verse commentary.

How this relates to the title page of the Book of Mormon. One of the promises that Israel (and Abraham, Noah, Enoch, Adam, etc) get is that there will be some of their seed alive at the second coming. (See D&C 107 on that point.) Isaiah constantly reminds Israel that even though they forget God, God has promised not to forget them. There will always be a remnant left to carry on the work of the covenant, even if that remnant needs some reminding of who they are. The Jaredites, on the other hand, have no such promise. They are a chosen people who have prophets, etc., but as far as we know there is no record of them receiving the specific promises of the Abrahamic Covenant. This becomes quite clear when the Jaredites are actually completely destroyed. The Nephites/Lamanites are given a remnant to redeem their family and carry on the work of teaching the gospel; the Jaredites are not. It seems that perhaps Ether was trying to keep them around so that they could be adopted into that family, but as things played out they were not and did not receive those blessings.

This may be what Moroni meant when he wrote on the title page: "An abridgment taken from the Book of Ether also, which is a record of the people of Jared, who were scattered at the time the Lord confounded the language of the people, when they were building a tower to get to heaven—Which is to show unto the remnant of the house of Israel what great things the Lord hath done for their fathers; and that they may know the covenants of the Lord, that they are not cast off forever"

• Ether 13:1. Moroni returns explicitly to the question of "the destruction of the people," the Jaredites. As it turns out, this focus on destruction will be vital to this chapter.

• Ether 13:2. This verse opens by pinning the destruction mentioned in verse 1 on the Jaredite reception of Ether: in that the people reject the words of Ether, they go on to destruction. This point will turn out to be absolutely vital in understanding the importance of the few handful of verses in this chapter, because it is precisely because the Jaredites refused to believe the words that Moroni will attribute to Ether here that they were destroyed. And curiously, they are words that outstrip--undeniably outstrip--Jaredite concerns. The message comes as an untimely one, but one that meant the difference between exaltation (literally, it appears) and absolute destruction.

As Moroni begins to summarize the message of Ether, he offers first a sort of blanket statement: "he truly told them of all things, from the beginning of man." The point is curious, because it gives one a sense that Ether is a prophet in the same full sense that the Brother of Jared had been a prophet: both have had visions that encompass the whole of everything. The odd thing is that the Brother of Jared was commanded to seal all of these things up until Christ should come upon the earth, but Ether is commanded--or at least he feels he ought to--announce these things to everyone. In contrast, Moroni is forbidden to write more about Ether's prophecies in verse 13. Nevertheless, the contents of Ether's visions may have been somewhat more limited than the Brother of Jared's: Ether's concerns "all things, from the beginning of man," whereas the Brother of Jared's visions seem to have extended beyond the realm of "man." At any rate, there is an interesting tie between the first and last prophets of the Jaredite history--not unlike the curious tie between Nephi's language and Moroni's language.

As Moroni moves onto the actual content of Ether's teachings, the first subject to be taken up is the sanctification of the Promised Land. It is not quite clear, it must be admitted, whether "after the waters had receded from off the face of this land" refers to the waters of the creation as described in Gen 1 or to the waters of the flood. If one, however, takes this reference in the much broader scope of LDS scripture and the sayings of the early prophets, it seems clear that this is referring to the flood, since the antediluvian patriarchs lived in the Americas. If this is an appropriate reading, then the flood seems to have sanctified and cleansed the American continent to prepare it for a new people, and the Jaredites did not arrive too long after the flood.

The teachings are summarized so briefly that it is not entirely clear why this land should be "a choice land above all other lands, a chosen land of the Lord," but much of what Ether goes on, reportedly, to say will open up some interpretive possibilities. The final phrase of the verse is quite clear, but perhaps should be emphasized: all who come upon this land in particular are to "serve him," which implies some sort of covenant relation. All of these details open onto the shocking revelation of verse 3.

• Ether 13:3. The particularity of "the New Jerusalem" suggests that Ether's hearers (or least latter-day readers: it will be difficult throughout the following verses to decide how much of what is written is summary of Ether and how much of it is Moroni talking to his eventual audience--though here the assumption will be that the words are Ethers) are supposed to understand the reference perfectly. That is, whatever "the New Jerusalem" is, whoever heard this discourse was apparently already quite aware that there would be one. The shocking revelation is that it was to be on this continent. The phrase, "which should come down out of heaven," does seem to function here as a further explanation of the New Jerusalem, but rather as a further explicitation, that is, it is meant to make sure that hearers of the prophecy know exactly what Ether is talking about. If the phrase is read this way, then "the holy sanctuary of the Lord" is supposed to be a parallel reference just as obvious to the people as "the New Jerusalem." In order to begin to think about what this revelation is announcing, one must begin with these two phrases as parallels: "the New Jerusalem" and "the holy sanctuary of the Lord."

While "the New Jerusalem" is certainly a biblical phrase, "the holy sanctuary of the Lord" is not, though "sanctuary of the Lord" shows up in Ezek 48:10, a passage that might well be connected with the Revelation vision of the New Jerusalem. If there is some sort of absolute reference for Ether's words here, it must begin to be thought in the intersection between Ezekiel and Revelation. Perhaps more: while it is clear in this verse that "the New Jerusalem" is to "come down out of heaven," verse 6 describes "a New Jerusalem" that will "be built up upon this land." There are--and it must be pointed out from the very beginning--probably two different "New Jerusalems" at work in this passage, one from heaven and one on the earth. This much said, interpretation of this verse might be undertaken.

Twice in Revelation is the New Jerusalem mentioned: Rev 3:12 and Rev 21:2. Both of these references specifically mention that this New Jerusalem comes down out of heaven, specifically from God. Of the two references, the former is more difficult to interpret because the New Jerusalem is mentioned simply as a promise within another context, but the latter is part of a vision of the New Jerusalem as it descends. That seems to be the place to begin to interpret. The New Jerusalem descends just after the new creation is completed, a new heavens and a new earth. It descends adorned as a bride for the bridegroom (the Lamb in the passage). The city itself is described as a great cube, something like a gigantic holy of holies, and it is paradise itself within, the place of the tree of life. From all of these details, it seems clear that the New Jerusalem is a heavenly thing, not an earthly creation, and that it comes down to give the righteous a place to dwell.

Parallel to this is "the holy sanctuary of the Lord," which might, as mentioned above, be connected with Ezek 48:10. The sanctuary there is the holy of holies of the eschatological temple: that is, it is apparently the New Jerusalem itself. The only detail in this verse that would suggest otherwise is the "and" that seems to separate the two ideas. But it seems best to read "and the holy sanctuary of the Lord" as simply doubling the reference to the heavenly Jerusalem descending. Now, all of these details may connect this with the city of Enoch: in Moses 7:63, the Lord explains to Enoch that at the last day, "Then shalt thou and all thy city meet them [those in an earthly "New Jerusalem"] there, and we will receive them into our bosom, and they shall see us; and we will fall upon their necks, and they shall fall upon our necks, and we will kiss each other." All of this suggests a meeting of two New Jerusalems, a heavenly one and an earthly one, as it is put in D&C 84:100: "The Lord hath gathered all things in one. The Lord hath brought down Zion from above. The Lord hath brought up Zion from beneath."

• Ether 13:4. With all of these details, it is possible to approach verse 4, where Ether begins to speak of "a New Jerusalem upon this land," apparently another New Jerusalem, but one built up by men. What is perhaps odd about this verse is that this business is somehow connected with "the days of Christ." At first blush, one would probably assume that "the days of Christ" would refer to the time when Jesus was on earth. A closer look, however, reveals that things may be somewhat more complicated here. Since everything surrounding the phrase is referring to the last day when the two New Jerusalems meet, it seems it might be better to understand the phrase to be referring to the days in which Christ reigns among the people. On this account, it might be important that the name "Christ" is used instead of "Jesus" (a name Mormon and Moroni seem at times to prefer): this is the time of the coming again of the Messiah, the time of the issuing in of peace, etc.

Unanswered questions

This section is for questions along the lines of "I still don't understand ..." Please do not be shy. The point of these questions is to identify things that still need to be addressed on this page. Click the link above and to the right to edit or add content to this heading. →

Prompts for life application

This section is for prompts that suggest ways in which a passage can influence a person's life. Prompts may be appropriate either for private self reflection or for a class discussion. Click the link above and to the right to edit or add content to this heading. →

Prompts for further study

This section is for prompts that invite us to think about a passage more deeply or in a new way. These are not necessarily questions that beg for answers, but rather prompts along the lines of "Have you ever thought about ..." Prompts are most helpful when they are developed individually, thoughtfully, and with enough background information to clearly indicate a particular direction for further study or thought. Click the link above and to the right to edit or add content to this heading. →

• Ether 13:3: What does it mean when Ether says that the New Jerusalem will "come down out of Heaven"?

• Ether 13:6: What is the "type" of the New Jerusalem that is referred to? Is it the old city of Jerusalem? Is it the city of Enoch?

• Ether 13:8: Here it states that the house of Joseph shall no more be confounded when built upon the New Jerusalem. What does this mean? Are they saying that they will receive the gospel and never have it taken from them again?

• Ether 13:9: What does it mean when it says there shall be a new heaven and a new earth and that all things will have become new?

• Ether 13:13: Moroni was going to write more, but was forbidden, just like Nephi when he reached the end of the sixth seal in his prophecy.1 Ne 14:24-27.

Resources

This section is for listing links and print resources, including those that are also cited elsewhere on this page. A short comment about the particular strengths of a resource can be helpful. Click the link above and to the right to edit or add content to this heading. →

Notes

Footnotes are not required but are encouraged for factual assertions that average readers cannot easily evaluate for themselves (such as the date of King Solomon’s death or the nuanced definition of a Greek word). In contrast, insights rarely benefit from footnoting, and the focus of this page should always remain on the scriptures themselves rather than what someone has said about them. Links are actively encouraged on all sections of this page, and links to authoritative sources (such as Strong's Bible Concordance or the Joseph Smith Papers) are preferable to footnotes.

Previous page: Chapter 12                      Next page: Chapters 13b-15

Home > The Book of Mormon > Ether > Chapters 12-15 > Chapter 13a / Verses 13:1-12
Previous page: Chapter 12                      Next page: Chapters 13b-15

This page would ideally always be under construction. You are invited to contribute.

Summary

This section should be very brief. Click the link above and to the right to edit or add content to this heading. →

Relationship to Chapters 12-15. The relationship of Chapter 13a to the rest of Chapters 12-15 is discussed at Chapters 12-15.

Story. Chapter 13a consists of four major sections:

Message. Themes, symbols, and doctrinal points emphasized in Chapter 13a include:

Discussion

This section is for detailed discussion such as the meaning of a symbol, how a doctrinal point is developed throughout a passage, or insights that can be further developed in the future. Contributions may range from polished paragraphs down to a single bullet point. The focus, however, should always be on understanding the scriptural text consistent with LDS doctrine. Click the link above and to the right to edit or add content to this heading. →

• The Jaredites and the Israelites. We are used to the Book of Mormon talking about Israel from time to time, so we might not notice something strange going on here. While it is normal to talk to the Nephites and Lamanites about Israel (indeed one of the purposes of the Book of Mormon is to make sure their descendants know that they are of Israel!), the Jaredites are not of Israel. The Jaredites left before there was a covenant established with Israel. They left before the original Jerusalem had been built. They did leave after Enoch's city had been taken up to heaven (although not called a New Jerusalem at that point I assume). And they did have their own covenant (the covenant that the Jaredites received can be found in Ether 1:42-43.) But the Jaredites are not Israel, and they don't the particular covenant that Israel has. It seems safe to assume that what Ether is teaching the Jaredites in verses 2-12 is something new to them.

Therefore, we can approach these verses in two ways:

1. what do they teach us about Israel, the New Jerusalem, etc. (this is what the following commentary as done thus far) and also
2. what was Ether doing by teaching the Jaredites about Israel, the New Jerusalem, etc.?

As a beginning to the latter question, in general it seems that Ether is inviting the Jaredites to stick around a little longer (don't get yourself destroyed!) so that they can meet these Israelites, learn about their covenant, and become adopted into it. More of how these verses would have sounded to the Jaredites can be added below in the verse-by-verse commentary.

How this relates to the title page of the Book of Mormon. One of the promises that Israel (and Abraham, Noah, Enoch, Adam, etc) get is that there will be some of their seed alive at the second coming. (See D&C 107 on that point.) Isaiah constantly reminds Israel that even though they forget God, God has promised not to forget them. There will always be a remnant left to carry on the work of the covenant, even if that remnant needs some reminding of who they are. The Jaredites, on the other hand, have no such promise. They are a chosen people who have prophets, etc., but as far as we know there is no record of them receiving the specific promises of the Abrahamic Covenant. This becomes quite clear when the Jaredites are actually completely destroyed. The Nephites/Lamanites are given a remnant to redeem their family and carry on the work of teaching the gospel; the Jaredites are not. It seems that perhaps Ether was trying to keep them around so that they could be adopted into that family, but as things played out they were not and did not receive those blessings.

This may be what Moroni meant when he wrote on the title page: "An abridgment taken from the Book of Ether also, which is a record of the people of Jared, who were scattered at the time the Lord confounded the language of the people, when they were building a tower to get to heaven—Which is to show unto the remnant of the house of Israel what great things the Lord hath done for their fathers; and that they may know the covenants of the Lord, that they are not cast off forever"

• Ether 13:1. Moroni returns explicitly to the question of "the destruction of the people," the Jaredites. As it turns out, this focus on destruction will be vital to this chapter.

• Ether 13:2. This verse opens by pinning the destruction mentioned in verse 1 on the Jaredite reception of Ether: in that the people reject the words of Ether, they go on to destruction. This point will turn out to be absolutely vital in understanding the importance of the few handful of verses in this chapter, because it is precisely because the Jaredites refused to believe the words that Moroni will attribute to Ether here that they were destroyed. And curiously, they are words that outstrip--undeniably outstrip--Jaredite concerns. The message comes as an untimely one, but one that meant the difference between exaltation (literally, it appears) and absolute destruction.

As Moroni begins to summarize the message of Ether, he offers first a sort of blanket statement: "he truly told them of all things, from the beginning of man." The point is curious, because it gives one a sense that Ether is a prophet in the same full sense that the Brother of Jared had been a prophet: both have had visions that encompass the whole of everything. The odd thing is that the Brother of Jared was commanded to seal all of these things up until Christ should come upon the earth, but Ether is commanded--or at least he feels he ought to--announce these things to everyone. In contrast, Moroni is forbidden to write more about Ether's prophecies in verse 13. Nevertheless, the contents of Ether's visions may have been somewhat more limited than the Brother of Jared's: Ether's concerns "all things, from the beginning of man," whereas the Brother of Jared's visions seem to have extended beyond the realm of "man." At any rate, there is an interesting tie between the first and last prophets of the Jaredite history--not unlike the curious tie between Nephi's language and Moroni's language.

As Moroni moves onto the actual content of Ether's teachings, the first subject to be taken up is the sanctification of the Promised Land. It is not quite clear, it must be admitted, whether "after the waters had receded from off the face of this land" refers to the waters of the creation as described in Gen 1 or to the waters of the flood. If one, however, takes this reference in the much broader scope of LDS scripture and the sayings of the early prophets, it seems clear that this is referring to the flood, since the antediluvian patriarchs lived in the Americas. If this is an appropriate reading, then the flood seems to have sanctified and cleansed the American continent to prepare it for a new people, and the Jaredites did not arrive too long after the flood.

The teachings are summarized so briefly that it is not entirely clear why this land should be "a choice land above all other lands, a chosen land of the Lord," but much of what Ether goes on, reportedly, to say will open up some interpretive possibilities. The final phrase of the verse is quite clear, but perhaps should be emphasized: all who come upon this land in particular are to "serve him," which implies some sort of covenant relation. All of these details open onto the shocking revelation of verse 3.

• Ether 13:3. The particularity of "the New Jerusalem" suggests that Ether's hearers (or least latter-day readers: it will be difficult throughout the following verses to decide how much of what is written is summary of Ether and how much of it is Moroni talking to his eventual audience--though here the assumption will be that the words are Ethers) are supposed to understand the reference perfectly. That is, whatever "the New Jerusalem" is, whoever heard this discourse was apparently already quite aware that there would be one. The shocking revelation is that it was to be on this continent. The phrase, "which should come down out of heaven," does seem to function here as a further explanation of the New Jerusalem, but rather as a further explicitation, that is, it is meant to make sure that hearers of the prophecy know exactly what Ether is talking about. If the phrase is read this way, then "the holy sanctuary of the Lord" is supposed to be a parallel reference just as obvious to the people as "the New Jerusalem." In order to begin to think about what this revelation is announcing, one must begin with these two phrases as parallels: "the New Jerusalem" and "the holy sanctuary of the Lord."

While "the New Jerusalem" is certainly a biblical phrase, "the holy sanctuary of the Lord" is not, though "sanctuary of the Lord" shows up in Ezek 48:10, a passage that might well be connected with the Revelation vision of the New Jerusalem. If there is some sort of absolute reference for Ether's words here, it must begin to be thought in the intersection between Ezekiel and Revelation. Perhaps more: while it is clear in this verse that "the New Jerusalem" is to "come down out of heaven," verse 6 describes "a New Jerusalem" that will "be built up upon this land." There are--and it must be pointed out from the very beginning--probably two different "New Jerusalems" at work in this passage, one from heaven and one on the earth. This much said, interpretation of this verse might be undertaken.

Twice in Revelation is the New Jerusalem mentioned: Rev 3:12 and Rev 21:2. Both of these references specifically mention that this New Jerusalem comes down out of heaven, specifically from God. Of the two references, the former is more difficult to interpret because the New Jerusalem is mentioned simply as a promise within another context, but the latter is part of a vision of the New Jerusalem as it descends. That seems to be the place to begin to interpret. The New Jerusalem descends just after the new creation is completed, a new heavens and a new earth. It descends adorned as a bride for the bridegroom (the Lamb in the passage). The city itself is described as a great cube, something like a gigantic holy of holies, and it is paradise itself within, the place of the tree of life. From all of these details, it seems clear that the New Jerusalem is a heavenly thing, not an earthly creation, and that it comes down to give the righteous a place to dwell.

Parallel to this is "the holy sanctuary of the Lord," which might, as mentioned above, be connected with Ezek 48:10. The sanctuary there is the holy of holies of the eschatological temple: that is, it is apparently the New Jerusalem itself. The only detail in this verse that would suggest otherwise is the "and" that seems to separate the two ideas. But it seems best to read "and the holy sanctuary of the Lord" as simply doubling the reference to the heavenly Jerusalem descending. Now, all of these details may connect this with the city of Enoch: in Moses 7:63, the Lord explains to Enoch that at the last day, "Then shalt thou and all thy city meet them [those in an earthly "New Jerusalem"] there, and we will receive them into our bosom, and they shall see us; and we will fall upon their necks, and they shall fall upon our necks, and we will kiss each other." All of this suggests a meeting of two New Jerusalems, a heavenly one and an earthly one, as it is put in D&C 84:100: "The Lord hath gathered all things in one. The Lord hath brought down Zion from above. The Lord hath brought up Zion from beneath."

• Ether 13:4. With all of these details, it is possible to approach verse 4, where Ether begins to speak of "a New Jerusalem upon this land," apparently another New Jerusalem, but one built up by men. What is perhaps odd about this verse is that this business is somehow connected with "the days of Christ." At first blush, one would probably assume that "the days of Christ" would refer to the time when Jesus was on earth. A closer look, however, reveals that things may be somewhat more complicated here. Since everything surrounding the phrase is referring to the last day when the two New Jerusalems meet, it seems it might be better to understand the phrase to be referring to the days in which Christ reigns among the people. On this account, it might be important that the name "Christ" is used instead of "Jesus" (a name Mormon and Moroni seem at times to prefer): this is the time of the coming again of the Messiah, the time of the issuing in of peace, etc.

Unanswered questions

This section is for questions along the lines of "I still don't understand ..." Please do not be shy. The point of these questions is to identify things that still need to be addressed on this page. Click the link above and to the right to edit or add content to this heading. →

Prompts for life application

This section is for prompts that suggest ways in which a passage can influence a person's life. Prompts may be appropriate either for private self reflection or for a class discussion. Click the link above and to the right to edit or add content to this heading. →

Prompts for further study

This section is for prompts that invite us to think about a passage more deeply or in a new way. These are not necessarily questions that beg for answers, but rather prompts along the lines of "Have you ever thought about ..." Prompts are most helpful when they are developed individually, thoughtfully, and with enough background information to clearly indicate a particular direction for further study or thought. Click the link above and to the right to edit or add content to this heading. →

• Ether 13:3: What does it mean when Ether says that the New Jerusalem will "come down out of Heaven"?

• Ether 13:6: What is the "type" of the New Jerusalem that is referred to? Is it the old city of Jerusalem? Is it the city of Enoch?

• Ether 13:8: Here it states that the house of Joseph shall no more be confounded when built upon the New Jerusalem. What does this mean? Are they saying that they will receive the gospel and never have it taken from them again?

• Ether 13:9: What does it mean when it says there shall be a new heaven and a new earth and that all things will have become new?

• Ether 13:13: Moroni was going to write more, but was forbidden, just like Nephi when he reached the end of the sixth seal in his prophecy.1 Ne 14:24-27.

Resources

This section is for listing links and print resources, including those that are also cited elsewhere on this page. A short comment about the particular strengths of a resource can be helpful. Click the link above and to the right to edit or add content to this heading. →

Notes

Footnotes are not required but are encouraged for factual assertions that average readers cannot easily evaluate for themselves (such as the date of King Solomon’s death or the nuanced definition of a Greek word). In contrast, insights rarely benefit from footnoting, and the focus of this page should always remain on the scriptures themselves rather than what someone has said about them. Links are actively encouraged on all sections of this page, and links to authoritative sources (such as Strong's Bible Concordance or the Joseph Smith Papers) are preferable to footnotes.

Previous page: Chapter 12                      Next page: Chapters 13b-15

Home > The Book of Mormon > Ether > Chapters 12-15 > Chapters 13b-15 / Verses 13:13-15:34
Previous page: Chapter 13a                      This is the last page for Ether

This page would ideally always be under construction. You are invited to contribute.

Summary

This section should be very brief. Click the link above and to the right to edit or add content to this heading. →

Relationship to Chapters 12-15. The relationship of Chapters 13b-15 to the rest of Chapters 12-15 is discussed at Chapters 12-15.

Story. Chapters 13b-15 consists of three major sections:

• Ether's warning to avoid destruction by repenting (Chapter 13b)
• Coriantumr tries to avoid destruction by fighting four usurpers (Chapter 14)
• Coriantumr tries to avoid destruction by negotiating, destruction fulfilled over eight days (Chapter 15)

Message. Themes, symbols, and doctrinal points emphasized in Chapters 13b-15 include:

Discussion

This section is for detailed discussion such as the meaning of a symbol, how a doctrinal point is developed throughout a passage, or insights that can be further developed in the future. Contributions may range from polished paragraphs down to a single bullet point. The focus, however, should always be on understanding the scriptural text consistent with LDS doctrine. Click the link above and to the right to edit or add content to this heading. →

Outline

● Ether's warning to avoid destruction by repenting (Chapter 13b)

a. Ether rejected, views destruction from hiding (13:13-14)

b. wars between secret combinations and king (13:15-16)

c. no one repents (13:17)

b. wars between secret combinations and king (13:18-19)

a. Ether prophesies final destruction and in hiding, no one repents (13:20-22)

● Coriantumr tries to avoid destruction by fighting four usurpers (Chapter 14)

a. Corinatumr and Shared battle three days (13:23-30)

b. curse on the land (13:31-14:2)

c. Coriantumr and Gilead battle in Akish and Moron (14:3-8)

d. self-destruction within secret combinations (14:9-10)

c. Coriantumr and Lib II battle in Moron and Akish (14:11-16)

b. fear of Shiz sweeping the earth (14:17-25)

a. Coriantumr and Shiz battle three days (14:26-31)

● Coriantumr tries to avoid destruction by negotiating, destruction fulfilled over eight days (Chapter 15)

a. Coriantumr sees that prophecy is being fulfilled, tries to avoid destruction by negotiating (15:1-5)

b. battle at seashore, Coriantumr faints (15:6-11)

c. camping four years to gather strength (15:12-14)

d. days 1-2 of final battle (15:15-17)

e. Coriantumr again tries to avoid destruction by negotiating (15:18-19)

d. days 3-6 of final battle (15:20-26)

c. days 7-8 of final battle, Coriantumr's group flees (15:27-29a)

b. Shiz and Coriantumr both faint, Coriantumr kills Shiz (15:29b-32)

a. Ether's witness that prophesied destruction is fulfilled (15:33-34)

How to avoid destruction

A main point of this section is that the destruction can be avoided only through repentance. Ether tells Coriantumr at the beginning to repent. Coriantumr tried to overcome the destructive forces within his society instead by force of arms, or by relying upon the arm of flesh. He then tries to reach an accommodation through negotiation. Neither works because he does not repent as the prophet insisted must be done. So Coriantumr and his people are destroyed over the course of an eight day battle.

The first section (verses 13:13-22) sets up the thesis of the closing narrative in Ether: Destruction may be avoided only by repentance. This is that the prophet Ether tells the king Coriantumr. The rest of this closing narrative is a lesson about what happens when the king ignores this message from the prophet. Throughout this closing narrative Coriantumr thinks he is fighting a succession of competing political foes: Shared, Gilead, Lib, Shiz, but really it is about the conflict between Coriantumr and the prophet Ether.

Ether 13b / Verses 13:13-22

• Ether 13:20-22. In Verse 12:1-3; 13:2, 13 the people rejected Ether's warning to repent. Now in Verse 13:20-22 the king Coriantumr also rejects the warning to repent. Coriantumr was given the chance to repent for his people, much like a Davidic king who stands between the Lord and his people.

Ether 14 / Verses 13:23-14:31

• Ether 13:23-30. We do not know anything about the geography mentioned in the first episode (13:23-30) except that "hills, plains and valleys" may be intended to mean everywhere.

• Ether 13:27: Prophecy. This verse seems to state that Ether would be alive with Coriantumr when he is found in the book of Omni. But then in the last chapter of Ether, it states that all of the Lord's words had been fulfilled, yet I still don't see how Ether saw the Nephites possess this land. Does anyone have any insight into this passage?

• Good question. Ether 15:33 says that Ether wrote that "the words of the Lord had all been fulfilled" and yet Ether doesn't witness (or at least mention) that Coriantumr saw "another people receiving the land"—this prophesy seems to be fulfilled in Omni 1:26, but Ether doesn't mention it.

• One view might be that when Ether "beheld that the words of the Lord had all been fulfilled" (Ether 15:34), Ether witnessed the people of Zarahemla discover Coriantumr. This is reading a bit into the text, but would seem to resolve the issue. Another view might be that the prophecy in verse 21 only consists of the first sentence—that Coriantumr's household would all be destroyed except himself—and that the rest of the verse is an editorial comment by a later redactor.

• Ether 13:31-14:2, 14:17-25. In the first of these two episodes (13:31-14:2) the great curse is that people cannot hang on to their possessions. In the second, parallel episode (14:17-25), the piles of dead bodies indicate that one has trouble even hanging to his or her own life.

• Ether 14:3-8, 11-17. We know that Moron was the Jaredite capitol (7:6; 14:6). We also know that the Wilderness of Akish shares the same name with the man who first introduced secret combinations to the Jaredite people, that he ascended the throne through intrigue against his own father, and that under his rule the Jaredite people were almost completely destroyed for the first time. A connection is thus drawn in the middle episodes (14:3-17) between Corinatumr and his challengers, who alternately occupy these two locations. In fact, at the center of this section (13:23-14:31) it is Coriantumr who dwells in the Wilderness of Akish. Coriantumr and his challengers are thus shown to really all be the same, and Coriantumr is not be viewed as better than his challengers or as the last remaining bastion of civil order.

• Ether 14:9-10. Gilead is murdered by his high priest (nice religion!) while sitting on his throne, who is in turn killed in a hidden secret passageway. While the battles in most of this section (13:23-14:31) show open formal challenges for power, these two central events demonstrate that in an environment of secret combinations no one can be trusted anywhere. Even far removed from battle, even the most powerful man in the country is not safe, not on his public throne, not in a secret passage.

Ether 15 / Verses 15:1-34

• Baptism occurs at the age of eight years, circumcision at eight days, Noah was saved as one of eight people on the ark, the Jaredites arrived in eight boats, and now the Jaredites are destroyed in eight days of battle. They are being held accountable by God.

• Ether 15:1-5: Corinatumr misunderstands his situation. The destruction is finally reaching Coriantumr's heart. He wants it to stop. But the problem is that he still fails to recognize his true opponent. He still thinks he can cut a deal with Shiz. In fact he is standing in opposition to God and his prophet Ether, and Ether has already provided the terms under which the destruction will stop. Because Coriantumr instead asks the wrong person (Shiz) to stop the destruction on the wrong terms, the effort is doomed to fail before it even begins.

• Ether 15:1-5: Coriantumr is not a good shepherd. In the opening section of this closing narrative Coriantumr was unwilling to repent, or to give up his way of life. Here he is unwilling to give up his life. He is not a good shepherd.

• Ether 15:12-15. Everyone is forcibly brought into this Satanic machine of destruction, and people are denied the choice of opting out. Society is ripe for destruction.

• Ether 15:15-17. You cannot run away from this machine of destruction. It will chase you down.

Unanswered questions

This section is for questions along the lines of "I still don't understand ..." Please do not be shy. The point of these questions is to identify things that still need to be addressed on this page. Click the link above and to the right to edit or add content to this heading. →

Prompts for life application

This section is for prompts that suggest ways in which a passage can influence a person's life. Prompts may be appropriate either for private self reflection or for a class discussion. Click the link above and to the right to edit or add content to this heading. →

Prompts for further study

This section is for prompts that invite us to think about a passage more deeply or in a new way. These are not necessarily questions that beg for answers, but rather prompts along the lines of "Have you ever thought about ..." Prompts are most helpful when they are developed individually, thoughtfully, and with enough background information to clearly indicate a particular direction for further study or thought. Click the link above and to the right to edit or add content to this heading. →

• Ether 15:31: Death of Shiz. Why is there such a graphic description of the death of Shiz? What's to be gained from reading this?

Resources

This section is for listing links and print resources, including those that are also cited elsewhere on this page. A short comment about the particular strengths of a resource can be helpful. Click the link above and to the right to edit or add content to this heading. →

Notes

Footnotes are not required but are encouraged for factual assertions that average readers cannot easily evaluate for themselves (such as the date of King Solomon’s death or the nuanced definition of a Greek word). In contrast, insights rarely benefit from footnoting, and the focus of this page should always remain on the scriptures themselves rather than what someone has said about them. Links are actively encouraged on all sections of this page, and links to authoritative sources (such as Strong's Bible Concordance or the Joseph Smith Papers) are preferable to footnotes.

Previous page: Chapter 13a                      This is the last page for Ether

Home > The Book of Mormon > Ether > Chapters 12-15 > Chapters 13b-15 / Verses 13:13-15:34
Previous page: Chapter 13a                      This is the last page for Ether

This page would ideally always be under construction. You are invited to contribute.

Summary

This section should be very brief. Click the link above and to the right to edit or add content to this heading. →

Relationship to Chapters 12-15. The relationship of Chapters 13b-15 to the rest of Chapters 12-15 is discussed at Chapters 12-15.

Story. Chapters 13b-15 consists of three major sections:

• Ether's warning to avoid destruction by repenting (Chapter 13b)
• Coriantumr tries to avoid destruction by fighting four usurpers (Chapter 14)
• Coriantumr tries to avoid destruction by negotiating, destruction fulfilled over eight days (Chapter 15)

Message. Themes, symbols, and doctrinal points emphasized in Chapters 13b-15 include:

Discussion

This section is for detailed discussion such as the meaning of a symbol, how a doctrinal point is developed throughout a passage, or insights that can be further developed in the future. Contributions may range from polished paragraphs down to a single bullet point. The focus, however, should always be on understanding the scriptural text consistent with LDS doctrine. Click the link above and to the right to edit or add content to this heading. →

Outline

● Ether's warning to avoid destruction by repenting (Chapter 13b)

a. Ether rejected, views destruction from hiding (13:13-14)

b. wars between secret combinations and king (13:15-16)

c. no one repents (13:17)

b. wars between secret combinations and king (13:18-19)

a. Ether prophesies final destruction and in hiding, no one repents (13:20-22)

● Coriantumr tries to avoid destruction by fighting four usurpers (Chapter 14)

a. Corinatumr and Shared battle three days (13:23-30)

b. curse on the land (13:31-14:2)

c. Coriantumr and Gilead battle in Akish and Moron (14:3-8)

d. self-destruction within secret combinations (14:9-10)

c. Coriantumr and Lib II battle in Moron and Akish (14:11-16)

b. fear of Shiz sweeping the earth (14:17-25)

a. Coriantumr and Shiz battle three days (14:26-31)

● Coriantumr tries to avoid destruction by negotiating, destruction fulfilled over eight days (Chapter 15)

a. Coriantumr sees that prophecy is being fulfilled, tries to avoid destruction by negotiating (15:1-5)

b. battle at seashore, Coriantumr faints (15:6-11)

c. camping four years to gather strength (15:12-14)

d. days 1-2 of final battle (15:15-17)

e. Coriantumr again tries to avoid destruction by negotiating (15:18-19)

d. days 3-6 of final battle (15:20-26)

c. days 7-8 of final battle, Coriantumr's group flees (15:27-29a)

b. Shiz and Coriantumr both faint, Coriantumr kills Shiz (15:29b-32)

a. Ether's witness that prophesied destruction is fulfilled (15:33-34)

How to avoid destruction

A main point of this section is that the destruction can be avoided only through repentance. Ether tells Coriantumr at the beginning to repent. Coriantumr tried to overcome the destructive forces within his society instead by force of arms, or by relying upon the arm of flesh. He then tries to reach an accommodation through negotiation. Neither works because he does not repent as the prophet insisted must be done. So Coriantumr and his people are destroyed over the course of an eight day battle.

The first section (verses 13:13-22) sets up the thesis of the closing narrative in Ether: Destruction may be avoided only by repentance. This is that the prophet Ether tells the king Coriantumr. The rest of this closing narrative is a lesson about what happens when the king ignores this message from the prophet. Throughout this closing narrative Coriantumr thinks he is fighting a succession of competing political foes: Shared, Gilead, Lib, Shiz, but really it is about the conflict between Coriantumr and the prophet Ether.

Ether 13b / Verses 13:13-22

• Ether 13:20-22. In Verse 12:1-3; 13:2, 13 the people rejected Ether's warning to repent. Now in Verse 13:20-22 the king Coriantumr also rejects the warning to repent. Coriantumr was given the chance to repent for his people, much like a Davidic king who stands between the Lord and his people.

Ether 14 / Verses 13:23-14:31

• Ether 13:23-30. We do not know anything about the geography mentioned in the first episode (13:23-30) except that "hills, plains and valleys" may be intended to mean everywhere.

• Ether 13:27: Prophecy. This verse seems to state that Ether would be alive with Coriantumr when he is found in the book of Omni. But then in the last chapter of Ether, it states that all of the Lord's words had been fulfilled, yet I still don't see how Ether saw the Nephites possess this land. Does anyone have any insight into this passage?

• Good question. Ether 15:33 says that Ether wrote that "the words of the Lord had all been fulfilled" and yet Ether doesn't witness (or at least mention) that Coriantumr saw "another people receiving the land"—this prophesy seems to be fulfilled in Omni 1:26, but Ether doesn't mention it.

• One view might be that when Ether "beheld that the words of the Lord had all been fulfilled" (Ether 15:34), Ether witnessed the people of Zarahemla discover Coriantumr. This is reading a bit into the text, but would seem to resolve the issue. Another view might be that the prophecy in verse 21 only consists of the first sentence—that Coriantumr's household would all be destroyed except himself—and that the rest of the verse is an editorial comment by a later redactor.

• Ether 13:31-14:2, 14:17-25. In the first of these two episodes (13:31-14:2) the great curse is that people cannot hang on to their possessions. In the second, parallel episode (14:17-25), the piles of dead bodies indicate that one has trouble even hanging to his or her own life.

• Ether 14:3-8, 11-17. We know that Moron was the Jaredite capitol (7:6; 14:6). We also know that the Wilderness of Akish shares the same name with the man who first introduced secret combinations to the Jaredite people, that he ascended the throne through intrigue against his own father, and that under his rule the Jaredite people were almost completely destroyed for the first time. A connection is thus drawn in the middle episodes (14:3-17) between Corinatumr and his challengers, who alternately occupy these two locations. In fact, at the center of this section (13:23-14:31) it is Coriantumr who dwells in the Wilderness of Akish. Coriantumr and his challengers are thus shown to really all be the same, and Coriantumr is not be viewed as better than his challengers or as the last remaining bastion of civil order.

• Ether 14:9-10. Gilead is murdered by his high priest (nice religion!) while sitting on his throne, who is in turn killed in a hidden secret passageway. While the battles in most of this section (13:23-14:31) show open formal challenges for power, these two central events demonstrate that in an environment of secret combinations no one can be trusted anywhere. Even far removed from battle, even the most powerful man in the country is not safe, not on his public throne, not in a secret passage.

Ether 15 / Verses 15:1-34

• Baptism occurs at the age of eight years, circumcision at eight days, Noah was saved as one of eight people on the ark, the Jaredites arrived in eight boats, and now the Jaredites are destroyed in eight days of battle. They are being held accountable by God.

• Ether 15:1-5: Corinatumr misunderstands his situation. The destruction is finally reaching Coriantumr's heart. He wants it to stop. But the problem is that he still fails to recognize his true opponent. He still thinks he can cut a deal with Shiz. In fact he is standing in opposition to God and his prophet Ether, and Ether has already provided the terms under which the destruction will stop. Because Coriantumr instead asks the wrong person (Shiz) to stop the destruction on the wrong terms, the effort is doomed to fail before it even begins.

• Ether 15:1-5: Coriantumr is not a good shepherd. In the opening section of this closing narrative Coriantumr was unwilling to repent, or to give up his way of life. Here he is unwilling to give up his life. He is not a good shepherd.

• Ether 15:12-15. Everyone is forcibly brought into this Satanic machine of destruction, and people are denied the choice of opting out. Society is ripe for destruction.

• Ether 15:15-17. You cannot run away from this machine of destruction. It will chase you down.

Unanswered questions

This section is for questions along the lines of "I still don't understand ..." Please do not be shy. The point of these questions is to identify things that still need to be addressed on this page. Click the link above and to the right to edit or add content to this heading. →

Prompts for life application

This section is for prompts that suggest ways in which a passage can influence a person's life. Prompts may be appropriate either for private self reflection or for a class discussion. Click the link above and to the right to edit or add content to this heading. →

Prompts for further study

This section is for prompts that invite us to think about a passage more deeply or in a new way. These are not necessarily questions that beg for answers, but rather prompts along the lines of "Have you ever thought about ..." Prompts are most helpful when they are developed individually, thoughtfully, and with enough background information to clearly indicate a particular direction for further study or thought. Click the link above and to the right to edit or add content to this heading. →

• Ether 15:31: Death of Shiz. Why is there such a graphic description of the death of Shiz? What's to be gained from reading this?

Resources

This section is for listing links and print resources, including those that are also cited elsewhere on this page. A short comment about the particular strengths of a resource can be helpful. Click the link above and to the right to edit or add content to this heading. →

Notes

Footnotes are not required but are encouraged for factual assertions that average readers cannot easily evaluate for themselves (such as the date of King Solomon’s death or the nuanced definition of a Greek word). In contrast, insights rarely benefit from footnoting, and the focus of this page should always remain on the scriptures themselves rather than what someone has said about them. Links are actively encouraged on all sections of this page, and links to authoritative sources (such as Strong's Bible Concordance or the Joseph Smith Papers) are preferable to footnotes.

Previous page: Chapter 13a                      This is the last page for Ether

Home > The Book of Mormon > Ether > Chapters 12-15 > Chapters 13b-15 / Verses 13:13-15:34
Previous page: Chapter 13a                      This is the last page for Ether

This page would ideally always be under construction. You are invited to contribute.

Summary

This section should be very brief. Click the link above and to the right to edit or add content to this heading. →

Relationship to Chapters 12-15. The relationship of Chapters 13b-15 to the rest of Chapters 12-15 is discussed at Chapters 12-15.

Story. Chapters 13b-15 consists of three major sections:

• Ether's warning to avoid destruction by repenting (Chapter 13b)
• Coriantumr tries to avoid destruction by fighting four usurpers (Chapter 14)
• Coriantumr tries to avoid destruction by negotiating, destruction fulfilled over eight days (Chapter 15)

Message. Themes, symbols, and doctrinal points emphasized in Chapters 13b-15 include:

Discussion

This section is for detailed discussion such as the meaning of a symbol, how a doctrinal point is developed throughout a passage, or insights that can be further developed in the future. Contributions may range from polished paragraphs down to a single bullet point. The focus, however, should always be on understanding the scriptural text consistent with LDS doctrine. Click the link above and to the right to edit or add content to this heading. →

Outline

● Ether's warning to avoid destruction by repenting (Chapter 13b)

a. Ether rejected, views destruction from hiding (13:13-14)

b. wars between secret combinations and king (13:15-16)

c. no one repents (13:17)

b. wars between secret combinations and king (13:18-19)

a. Ether prophesies final destruction and in hiding, no one repents (13:20-22)

● Coriantumr tries to avoid destruction by fighting four usurpers (Chapter 14)

a. Corinatumr and Shared battle three days (13:23-30)

b. curse on the land (13:31-14:2)

c. Coriantumr and Gilead battle in Akish and Moron (14:3-8)

d. self-destruction within secret combinations (14:9-10)

c. Coriantumr and Lib II battle in Moron and Akish (14:11-16)

b. fear of Shiz sweeping the earth (14:17-25)

a. Coriantumr and Shiz battle three days (14:26-31)

● Coriantumr tries to avoid destruction by negotiating, destruction fulfilled over eight days (Chapter 15)

a. Coriantumr sees that prophecy is being fulfilled, tries to avoid destruction by negotiating (15:1-5)

b. battle at seashore, Coriantumr faints (15:6-11)

c. camping four years to gather strength (15:12-14)

d. days 1-2 of final battle (15:15-17)

e. Coriantumr again tries to avoid destruction by negotiating (15:18-19)

d. days 3-6 of final battle (15:20-26)

c. days 7-8 of final battle, Coriantumr's group flees (15:27-29a)

b. Shiz and Coriantumr both faint, Coriantumr kills Shiz (15:29b-32)

a. Ether's witness that prophesied destruction is fulfilled (15:33-34)

How to avoid destruction

A main point of this section is that the destruction can be avoided only through repentance. Ether tells Coriantumr at the beginning to repent. Coriantumr tried to overcome the destructive forces within his society instead by force of arms, or by relying upon the arm of flesh. He then tries to reach an accommodation through negotiation. Neither works because he does not repent as the prophet insisted must be done. So Coriantumr and his people are destroyed over the course of an eight day battle.

The first section (verses 13:13-22) sets up the thesis of the closing narrative in Ether: Destruction may be avoided only by repentance. This is that the prophet Ether tells the king Coriantumr. The rest of this closing narrative is a lesson about what happens when the king ignores this message from the prophet. Throughout this closing narrative Coriantumr thinks he is fighting a succession of competing political foes: Shared, Gilead, Lib, Shiz, but really it is about the conflict between Coriantumr and the prophet Ether.

Ether 13b / Verses 13:13-22

• Ether 13:20-22. In Verse 12:1-3; 13:2, 13 the people rejected Ether's warning to repent. Now in Verse 13:20-22 the king Coriantumr also rejects the warning to repent. Coriantumr was given the chance to repent for his people, much like a Davidic king who stands between the Lord and his people.

Ether 14 / Verses 13:23-14:31

• Ether 13:23-30. We do not know anything about the geography mentioned in the first episode (13:23-30) except that "hills, plains and valleys" may be intended to mean everywhere.

• Ether 13:27: Prophecy. This verse seems to state that Ether would be alive with Coriantumr when he is found in the book of Omni. But then in the last chapter of Ether, it states that all of the Lord's words had been fulfilled, yet I still don't see how Ether saw the Nephites possess this land. Does anyone have any insight into this passage?

• Good question. Ether 15:33 says that Ether wrote that "the words of the Lord had all been fulfilled" and yet Ether doesn't witness (or at least mention) that Coriantumr saw "another people receiving the land"—this prophesy seems to be fulfilled in Omni 1:26, but Ether doesn't mention it.

• One view might be that when Ether "beheld that the words of the Lord had all been fulfilled" (Ether 15:34), Ether witnessed the people of Zarahemla discover Coriantumr. This is reading a bit into the text, but would seem to resolve the issue. Another view might be that the prophecy in verse 21 only consists of the first sentence—that Coriantumr's household would all be destroyed except himself—and that the rest of the verse is an editorial comment by a later redactor.

• Ether 13:31-14:2, 14:17-25. In the first of these two episodes (13:31-14:2) the great curse is that people cannot hang on to their possessions. In the second, parallel episode (14:17-25), the piles of dead bodies indicate that one has trouble even hanging to his or her own life.

• Ether 14:3-8, 11-17. We know that Moron was the Jaredite capitol (7:6; 14:6). We also know that the Wilderness of Akish shares the same name with the man who first introduced secret combinations to the Jaredite people, that he ascended the throne through intrigue against his own father, and that under his rule the Jaredite people were almost completely destroyed for the first time. A connection is thus drawn in the middle episodes (14:3-17) between Corinatumr and his challengers, who alternately occupy these two locations. In fact, at the center of this section (13:23-14:31) it is Coriantumr who dwells in the Wilderness of Akish. Coriantumr and his challengers are thus shown to really all be the same, and Coriantumr is not be viewed as better than his challengers or as the last remaining bastion of civil order.

• Ether 14:9-10. Gilead is murdered by his high priest (nice religion!) while sitting on his throne, who is in turn killed in a hidden secret passageway. While the battles in most of this section (13:23-14:31) show open formal challenges for power, these two central events demonstrate that in an environment of secret combinations no one can be trusted anywhere. Even far removed from battle, even the most powerful man in the country is not safe, not on his public throne, not in a secret passage.

Ether 15 / Verses 15:1-34

• Baptism occurs at the age of eight years, circumcision at eight days, Noah was saved as one of eight people on the ark, the Jaredites arrived in eight boats, and now the Jaredites are destroyed in eight days of battle. They are being held accountable by God.

• Ether 15:1-5: Corinatumr misunderstands his situation. The destruction is finally reaching Coriantumr's heart. He wants it to stop. But the problem is that he still fails to recognize his true opponent. He still thinks he can cut a deal with Shiz. In fact he is standing in opposition to God and his prophet Ether, and Ether has already provided the terms under which the destruction will stop. Because Coriantumr instead asks the wrong person (Shiz) to stop the destruction on the wrong terms, the effort is doomed to fail before it even begins.

• Ether 15:1-5: Coriantumr is not a good shepherd. In the opening section of this closing narrative Coriantumr was unwilling to repent, or to give up his way of life. Here he is unwilling to give up his life. He is not a good shepherd.

• Ether 15:12-15. Everyone is forcibly brought into this Satanic machine of destruction, and people are denied the choice of opting out. Society is ripe for destruction.

• Ether 15:15-17. You cannot run away from this machine of destruction. It will chase you down.

Unanswered questions

This section is for questions along the lines of "I still don't understand ..." Please do not be shy. The point of these questions is to identify things that still need to be addressed on this page. Click the link above and to the right to edit or add content to this heading. →

Prompts for life application

This section is for prompts that suggest ways in which a passage can influence a person's life. Prompts may be appropriate either for private self reflection or for a class discussion. Click the link above and to the right to edit or add content to this heading. →

Prompts for further study

This section is for prompts that invite us to think about a passage more deeply or in a new way. These are not necessarily questions that beg for answers, but rather prompts along the lines of "Have you ever thought about ..." Prompts are most helpful when they are developed individually, thoughtfully, and with enough background information to clearly indicate a particular direction for further study or thought. Click the link above and to the right to edit or add content to this heading. →

• Ether 15:31: Death of Shiz. Why is there such a graphic description of the death of Shiz? What's to be gained from reading this?

Resources

This section is for listing links and print resources, including those that are also cited elsewhere on this page. A short comment about the particular strengths of a resource can be helpful. Click the link above and to the right to edit or add content to this heading. →

Notes

Footnotes are not required but are encouraged for factual assertions that average readers cannot easily evaluate for themselves (such as the date of King Solomon’s death or the nuanced definition of a Greek word). In contrast, insights rarely benefit from footnoting, and the focus of this page should always remain on the scriptures themselves rather than what someone has said about them. Links are actively encouraged on all sections of this page, and links to authoritative sources (such as Strong's Bible Concordance or the Joseph Smith Papers) are preferable to footnotes.

Previous page: Chapter 13a                      This is the last page for Ether

Home > The Book of Mormon > Ether > Chapters 12-15 > Chapters 13b-15 / Verses 13:13-15:34
Previous page: Chapter 13a                      This is the last page for Ether

This page would ideally always be under construction. You are invited to contribute.

Summary

This section should be very brief. Click the link above and to the right to edit or add content to this heading. →

Relationship to Chapters 12-15. The relationship of Chapters 13b-15 to the rest of Chapters 12-15 is discussed at Chapters 12-15.

Story. Chapters 13b-15 consists of three major sections:

• Ether's warning to avoid destruction by repenting (Chapter 13b)
• Coriantumr tries to avoid destruction by fighting four usurpers (Chapter 14)
• Coriantumr tries to avoid destruction by negotiating, destruction fulfilled over eight days (Chapter 15)

Message. Themes, symbols, and doctrinal points emphasized in Chapters 13b-15 include:

Discussion

This section is for detailed discussion such as the meaning of a symbol, how a doctrinal point is developed throughout a passage, or insights that can be further developed in the future. Contributions may range from polished paragraphs down to a single bullet point. The focus, however, should always be on understanding the scriptural text consistent with LDS doctrine. Click the link above and to the right to edit or add content to this heading. →

Outline

● Ether's warning to avoid destruction by repenting (Chapter 13b)

a. Ether rejected, views destruction from hiding (13:13-14)

b. wars between secret combinations and king (13:15-16)

c. no one repents (13:17)

b. wars between secret combinations and king (13:18-19)

a. Ether prophesies final destruction and in hiding, no one repents (13:20-22)

● Coriantumr tries to avoid destruction by fighting four usurpers (Chapter 14)

a. Corinatumr and Shared battle three days (13:23-30)

b. curse on the land (13:31-14:2)

c. Coriantumr and Gilead battle in Akish and Moron (14:3-8)

d. self-destruction within secret combinations (14:9-10)

c. Coriantumr and Lib II battle in Moron and Akish (14:11-16)

b. fear of Shiz sweeping the earth (14:17-25)

a. Coriantumr and Shiz battle three days (14:26-31)

● Coriantumr tries to avoid destruction by negotiating, destruction fulfilled over eight days (Chapter 15)

a. Coriantumr sees that prophecy is being fulfilled, tries to avoid destruction by negotiating (15:1-5)

b. battle at seashore, Coriantumr faints (15:6-11)

c. camping four years to gather strength (15:12-14)

d. days 1-2 of final battle (15:15-17)

e. Coriantumr again tries to avoid destruction by negotiating (15:18-19)

d. days 3-6 of final battle (15:20-26)

c. days 7-8 of final battle, Coriantumr's group flees (15:27-29a)

b. Shiz and Coriantumr both faint, Coriantumr kills Shiz (15:29b-32)

a. Ether's witness that prophesied destruction is fulfilled (15:33-34)

How to avoid destruction

A main point of this section is that the destruction can be avoided only through repentance. Ether tells Coriantumr at the beginning to repent. Coriantumr tried to overcome the destructive forces within his society instead by force of arms, or by relying upon the arm of flesh. He then tries to reach an accommodation through negotiation. Neither works because he does not repent as the prophet insisted must be done. So Coriantumr and his people are destroyed over the course of an eight day battle.

The first section (verses 13:13-22) sets up the thesis of the closing narrative in Ether: Destruction may be avoided only by repentance. This is that the prophet Ether tells the king Coriantumr. The rest of this closing narrative is a lesson about what happens when the king ignores this message from the prophet. Throughout this closing narrative Coriantumr thinks he is fighting a succession of competing political foes: Shared, Gilead, Lib, Shiz, but really it is about the conflict between Coriantumr and the prophet Ether.

Ether 13b / Verses 13:13-22

• Ether 13:20-22. In Verse 12:1-3; 13:2, 13 the people rejected Ether's warning to repent. Now in Verse 13:20-22 the king Coriantumr also rejects the warning to repent. Coriantumr was given the chance to repent for his people, much like a Davidic king who stands between the Lord and his people.

Ether 14 / Verses 13:23-14:31

• Ether 13:23-30. We do not know anything about the geography mentioned in the first episode (13:23-30) except that "hills, plains and valleys" may be intended to mean everywhere.

• Ether 13:27: Prophecy. This verse seems to state that Ether would be alive with Coriantumr when he is found in the book of Omni. But then in the last chapter of Ether, it states that all of the Lord's words had been fulfilled, yet I still don't see how Ether saw the Nephites possess this land. Does anyone have any insight into this passage?

• Good question. Ether 15:33 says that Ether wrote that "the words of the Lord had all been fulfilled" and yet Ether doesn't witness (or at least mention) that Coriantumr saw "another people receiving the land"—this prophesy seems to be fulfilled in Omni 1:26, but Ether doesn't mention it.

• One view might be that when Ether "beheld that the words of the Lord had all been fulfilled" (Ether 15:34), Ether witnessed the people of Zarahemla discover Coriantumr. This is reading a bit into the text, but would seem to resolve the issue. Another view might be that the prophecy in verse 21 only consists of the first sentence—that Coriantumr's household would all be destroyed except himself—and that the rest of the verse is an editorial comment by a later redactor.

• Ether 13:31-14:2, 14:17-25. In the first of these two episodes (13:31-14:2) the great curse is that people cannot hang on to their possessions. In the second, parallel episode (14:17-25), the piles of dead bodies indicate that one has trouble even hanging to his or her own life.

• Ether 14:3-8, 11-17. We know that Moron was the Jaredite capitol (7:6; 14:6). We also know that the Wilderness of Akish shares the same name with the man who first introduced secret combinations to the Jaredite people, that he ascended the throne through intrigue against his own father, and that under his rule the Jaredite people were almost completely destroyed for the first time. A connection is thus drawn in the middle episodes (14:3-17) between Corinatumr and his challengers, who alternately occupy these two locations. In fact, at the center of this section (13:23-14:31) it is Coriantumr who dwells in the Wilderness of Akish. Coriantumr and his challengers are thus shown to really all be the same, and Coriantumr is not be viewed as better than his challengers or as the last remaining bastion of civil order.

• Ether 14:9-10. Gilead is murdered by his high priest (nice religion!) while sitting on his throne, who is in turn killed in a hidden secret passageway. While the battles in most of this section (13:23-14:31) show open formal challenges for power, these two central events demonstrate that in an environment of secret combinations no one can be trusted anywhere. Even far removed from battle, even the most powerful man in the country is not safe, not on his public throne, not in a secret passage.

Ether 15 / Verses 15:1-34

• Baptism occurs at the age of eight years, circumcision at eight days, Noah was saved as one of eight people on the ark, the Jaredites arrived in eight boats, and now the Jaredites are destroyed in eight days of battle. They are being held accountable by God.

• Ether 15:1-5: Corinatumr misunderstands his situation. The destruction is finally reaching Coriantumr's heart. He wants it to stop. But the problem is that he still fails to recognize his true opponent. He still thinks he can cut a deal with Shiz. In fact he is standing in opposition to God and his prophet Ether, and Ether has already provided the terms under which the destruction will stop. Because Coriantumr instead asks the wrong person (Shiz) to stop the destruction on the wrong terms, the effort is doomed to fail before it even begins.

• Ether 15:1-5: Coriantumr is not a good shepherd. In the opening section of this closing narrative Coriantumr was unwilling to repent, or to give up his way of life. Here he is unwilling to give up his life. He is not a good shepherd.

• Ether 15:12-15. Everyone is forcibly brought into this Satanic machine of destruction, and people are denied the choice of opting out. Society is ripe for destruction.

• Ether 15:15-17. You cannot run away from this machine of destruction. It will chase you down.

Unanswered questions

This section is for questions along the lines of "I still don't understand ..." Please do not be shy. The point of these questions is to identify things that still need to be addressed on this page. Click the link above and to the right to edit or add content to this heading. →

Prompts for life application

This section is for prompts that suggest ways in which a passage can influence a person's life. Prompts may be appropriate either for private self reflection or for a class discussion. Click the link above and to the right to edit or add content to this heading. →

Prompts for further study

This section is for prompts that invite us to think about a passage more deeply or in a new way. These are not necessarily questions that beg for answers, but rather prompts along the lines of "Have you ever thought about ..." Prompts are most helpful when they are developed individually, thoughtfully, and with enough background information to clearly indicate a particular direction for further study or thought. Click the link above and to the right to edit or add content to this heading. →

• Ether 15:31: Death of Shiz. Why is there such a graphic description of the death of Shiz? What's to be gained from reading this?

Resources

This section is for listing links and print resources, including those that are also cited elsewhere on this page. A short comment about the particular strengths of a resource can be helpful. Click the link above and to the right to edit or add content to this heading. →

Notes

Footnotes are not required but are encouraged for factual assertions that average readers cannot easily evaluate for themselves (such as the date of King Solomon’s death or the nuanced definition of a Greek word). In contrast, insights rarely benefit from footnoting, and the focus of this page should always remain on the scriptures themselves rather than what someone has said about them. Links are actively encouraged on all sections of this page, and links to authoritative sources (such as Strong's Bible Concordance or the Joseph Smith Papers) are preferable to footnotes.

Previous page: Chapter 13a                      This is the last page for Ether