A Dictionary of the Book of Mormon/Jared, Brother of
JARED, BROTHER OF. The prophet and leader of the founders of the Jaredite race. His name is not given in the Book of Mormon, but we learn through modern revelation, that it was Mahonri Moriancumer. He was in all probability a descendant of Shem, and was present at the building of the Tower of Babel, if not actually engaged in that work; though he and his brother had not fallen into idolatry, as had so many of the builders of that notorious edifice. When God scattered these presumptuous builders, Jared and his brother pleaded with the Lord that their language and that of their friends, might not be confounded. Their prayer was heard, their mother tongue was preserved. In answer to their further entreaties, the Lord promised to lead them into a land choice above all others, where He would make of them a great people; and He Himself would go before them, as their guide. In obedience to the heavenly command, Jared, his brother, and their friends, with their respective families, gathered their flocks, and seeds of various kinds, and started to follow as the Lord should lead.
The valley into which the Lord first led them was called Nimrod, after that mighty hunter of the early post-diluvian age. Here the people of Jared tarried for a time, while they prepared for the long journey which was before them. Their flocks and herds they had with them; they now went to work and snared fowls; they carried with them hives of honey bees (known to them by the name of deseret); and prepared a vessel in which they transported the fish of the waters. They appear to have collected everything that could possibly be of use to them. They were going to a land that had been swept clean by the waters of the Deluge; it had been bereft of all its animal life; the seeds of grains and fruits no longer germinated in its soil; and the colony had to replenish the continent with the animal and vegetable life necessary for their comfort and sustenance, as though it was a new earth. When in the valley of Nimrod, the Lord came down and talked with the brother of Jared. But the brother of Jared saw Him not, for the Lord remained concealed in a cloud. And God directed that the company should go forth into the wilderness, into that quarter where man had never yet been. As they journeyed the Heavenly Presence went before them in the cloud, instructed them and gave directions which way they should travel. In the course of their journey they had many waters — seas, rivers, and lakes, to cross, on which occasions they built barges, as directed by the Lord. It must have been an arduous labor, requiring much time and great patience to transport their flocks and herds, with all the rest of their cumbrous freight, across these many waters. As they advanced to a great distance from the centre of population in western Asia, it is possible they traveled beyond the limits to which the larger animals had by that time scattered; and if so, they were entirely without the aid of the food obtained by the chase; on the other hand, it is probable that the fish in the lakes and rivers formed a valuable source of food supply; yet it must also be remembered they carried fish in a vessel with them.
Led by the Lord personally, instructed by His own mouth, protected by His presence, the colony, of which Jared's brother appears to have been the prophet and leader, at last reached the borders of the great sea which divides the continents. To the place where they tarried they gave the name of Moriancumer. Here they remained for a period of four years, at the end of which time the Lord again visited the brother of Jared in a cloud, and chastened him and his brethren, because of their neglect to call upon His name. Repentance followed this reproof, and because of their repentance their sins were forgiven them.
The brother of Jared was then commanded by the Lord to build eight barges, after the same pattern as those he had previously constructed. This command he obeyed with the assistance of the company. The vessels were small, light in construction and water tight. As they were dark in the interior, by reason of being without windows, the Lord, at the entreaty of the brother of Jared, touched sixteen small white stones, which the latter had molten out of a high mountain called Shelem; and after the Lord touched them they shone forth and gave light to the vessels in which they were placed. When the Lord put forth His finger to touch these stones, the veil was taken from before the eyes of the brother of Jared and he saw the finger of the Lord; and it was as the finger of a man, like unto flesh and blood.
And because of the brother of Jared's great faith the Lord showed Himself unto him, and declared Himself to be Jesus Christ, who should come into the world to redeem His people.
All things being prepared, Jared and his people, with their animals, fishes, bees, seeds and multitudinous other things, went on board; a favorable wind wafted them from shore, and they gradually crossed to the American coast. At the end of a somewhat stormy voyage of three hundred and forty-four days the colony reached this continent. It is generally understood that the place where they landed was south of the Gulf of California and north of the land Desolation, which was north of the Isthmus of Panama.
No sooner had the people of Jared landed than they humbled themselves before the Lord, many of them shedding tears of joy because of the multitude of His tender mercies in bringing them so safely to this new land of promise. Their next duty was to prepare for the future. They commenced to till the soil and perform the other labors incidental to founding a new home. In these efforts they prospered greatly. They began to grow and increase in numbers and in wealth; and even better than this, they were a righteous people, being taught directly from on high. In process of time Jared and his brother grew old, and perceiving that their course on earth was nearly finished, the latter proposed that they gather the people, number them, give them necessary teachings, and learn their wishes. This was done; but to the grief of the brother of Jared, the people desired that a king be anointed to rule over them. He saw, by the spirit of prophecy, that this action would lead to many evils, and he was inclined to refuse their request, but Jared pleaded that the wishes of the people be granted, and his brother finally consented. It was the first step in the wrong direction, and led to much sin, misery, contention and captivity. The people having the privilege granted them, chose Pagag, the eldest son of their prophet. He declined, as did all of his brothers, and also all the sons of Jared except Orihah. The last named accepted the royal dignity and was anointed king. Soon after this the brother of Jared died, full of years and honor. Like Enoch, he had been privileged to enter the presence of the Lord, and to have revealed to him the history of the world in all its generations. He was also a seer, having received the priceless gift of a Urim and Thummim. His faith was never exceeded by the sons of men; he laid hold of the promises of the Almighty with unshaken confidence. By that faith he performed miracles; Moroni tells us that by its power he "said unto the mountain Zerin, remove, and it was removed,” (Ether, 12:30); but of the circumstances that attended this manifestation of Divine power, we have not the slightest details. The brother of Jared is also said to have been “mighty in writing:" the uncorrupted language which he used being, unquestionably, most favorable for expressing niceties of thought in written characters. He was a "large and mighty man" in personal appearance, and undoubtedly as strong in his integrity to God, and in his moral courage, as he was in physical characteristics. Altogether, we deem him one of the greatest prophets and leaders of God's people that ever graced this earth. When he died he left behind him twenty-two sons and daughters.