Book of Mormon (Plain English Version)/Ether/Chapter 15
Coriantumr alone survives...
(compare Ether, chapter 15)
As Coriantumr recovered from his wounds, he remembered what Ether had told him.
Seeing nearly two million families killed by the sword (perhaps more than eight million dead), Coriantumr began to sorrow in his heart. He began to repent of the evil he had done, remembering the words of all the prophets that had been fulfilled so far in every detail.
His soul mourned and refused to be comforted. He wrote a letter to Shiz, saying, “If you will spare my people, I will give the kingdom to you."
Shiz wrote back to Coriantumr, "If you give yourself up so that I may kill you with my own sword, then I will spare your people."
Coriantumr's people would not repent, and they were angry with Shiz. The people of Shiz were also angry with Coriantumr's people, so Shiz and his people came against them again.
During the battle, when Coriantumr realized his people were about to fall, he ran from the people of Shiz.
He and his people camped near the waters of Ripliancum, which means "to exceed all." The people of Shiz also camped nearby.
The next day they went to battle. They fought a very sore battle in which Coriantumr was again wounded, and again he fainted with the loss of blood.
The armies of Coriantumr pressed upon the armies of Shiz and beat them, causing them to run before them. They ran south and camped in a place called Ogath.
Coriantumr's army camped near Ramah Hill--that same hill where my father, Mormon, hid the sacred records unto the Lord.
During the next four years, Ether watched as the people gathered and joined either of the opposing armies, and prepared for war. Even the women and children were armed with weapons and wore shields, breastplates and helmets.
When all the people had joined one side or the other, they marched against one another to battle. They fought all that day, and neither side conquered.
By nightfall they were tired and returned to their camps. They pierced the air with their howling and lamenting for those who had been killed.
The next day they went to battle again. That day was great and terrible, but still neither side conquered. When night came, they cried and howled again, mourning the loss of their people.
Again, Coriantumr wrote to Shiz, begging him not to come again to battle, but to take the kingdom and spare the lives of the people. But the Spirit of the Lord had left them, and Satan had full power over the people, who had given in to their pride and ignorance. So they went to battle again.
At the end of the third and fourth days of fighting, they slept on their swords, drunken with anger. By the end of the fifth day of fighting, only 52 of Coriantumr's people and 69 of Shiz's people remained.
During the sixth day, they fought with all their might, using their swords and shields. By the end of the sixth day, 32 of Shiz's people and 27 of Coriantumr's people remained. And they were all large, strong men. They ate, slept and prepared to die the next day.
On the seventh day, they fought for three hours before fainting with the loss of blood. Coriantumr's men regained their strength and were about to escape when Shiz and his men arose. Shiz vowed in his wrath that he would kill Coriantumr or die by the sword.
Shiz and his men chased Coriantumr and his men and caught up with them the next day. All the men on both sides killed one another, except for Shiz and Coriantumr, and Shiz fainted from the loss of blood.
After Coriantumr rested a little while by leaning on his sword, he cut off Shiz's head. Shiz raised up on his hands, struggling for breath, and then fell dead. Then Coriantumr fell down as if he, too were dead.
Then the Lord said to Ether, "Go forth."
Ether went out and saw how the Lord's words had all been fulfilled. Then he finished his record and hid them in a way that they could easily be found. (And they were found by Limhi's men.)
- I, Moroni, have not written even one percent of what Ether wrote, but these are the last words he wrote:
- "Whether the Lord will translate me or allow me to suffer in the flesh, it does not matter, as long as I am saved in God's kingdom. Amen."