Book of Mormon (Plain English Version)/Ether/Chapter 8

by Timothy B. Wilson

Wicked plans to gain power...
(compare Ether, chapter 8)

Shule’s son, Omer was the next king. Omer had a son, Jared, who also had sons and daughters. Jared rebelled against his father and went to the land of Heth to live. There he flattered many people with his cunning words until he gained the support of half the kingdom.

Jared formed an army and conquered his father, Omer, bringing him into captivity and forcing him to serve in the land of Heth.

Omer was in captivity half of his life. Two of Omer's sons, Esrom and Coriantumr, were very angry with their brother Jared, and they raised an army that attacked his army by night.

After killing his army, they were about to kill Jared as well, but he pled with his brothers to spare him, and said that he would give the kingdom back to his father.

Even though his life had been spared, Jared was very sad over the loss of the kingdom, for he had set his heart on it and upon the world's glory.

Jared had a cunning daughter who was an expert in the ancient ways. Seeing the sorrow of her father, she devised a plan to get the kingdom back for him. She asked her father, "Why are you so

sad? Have you not read the record that our forefathers brought with them across the ocean? In that record, there is an account about those of old, who by their secret plans obtained kingdoms and great glory! Here's my plan: Invite Kimnor's son, Akish, to come to our house. I will dance for him. Because I am beautiful, I will please him, and he will desire me for his wife. If he asks you to give me to him to marry, say, 'I will give her to you if you bring me my father's head."

Now Akish was one of King Omer's friends, and he came to Jared's house as Jared had asked. Jared's daughter danced for Akish, and he asked Jared if he could marry her. Jared replied to Akish, "I will give her to you, if you will bring me King Omer's head.”

Akish then invited all his relatives to Jared's house for a meeting and said to them, "Will you swear to me that you will be faithful to me in doing what I will ask of you?"

They all swore to Akish, by God, by the heavens, by the earth, and by their heads, that whoever would not help Akish would lose his head, and that whoever told anyone what Akish told them would die.

After they had all sworn allegiance to Akish, he administered the ancient oaths to them that had been handed down by those who had sought power, even from Cain, a murderer from the beginning.

These oaths were preserved by the devil's power to keep the people in darkness, and to give power to those who wanted to murder, plunder and commit all kinds of wickedness. Jared's daughter had convinced her father to search out these ancient oaths, who in turn convinced Akish.

So Akish administered them to his family and friends, leading them away by promising them great rewards for their assistance. They formed a secret combination, as the ancient ones had, which is the most serious form of wickedness in God's sight.

The Lord does not work in secret combinations, nor does He want His children to kill one another. He has forbidden these things from the beginning.

Now I, Moroni, will not write the details of their oaths and combinations, for it has been made known to me that all people have them, including the Lamanites. These secret combinations caused the destruction of these ancient people, the Jaredites. They have also caused the destruction of all my people, the Nephites.

Any nation that builds up and upholds these secret combinations in order to get power and gain, spreading them all over the nation, will be destroyed.

The Lord will not allow His saints, who will be murdered by members of these combinations, to continue to cry to Him without avenging them.

This is why this record of destruction will be shown to you Gentiles, to give you the chance to repent, that you may not allow these murderous combinations to get above you.

If you do build up and support these secret combinations, then the work of destruction will come upon you as the Eternal God's sword of justice falls upon you, causing your overthrow.

Note: Compare this, Moroni's warning to us, with a warning from the prophet Ezra Taft Benson to LDS Church members, "If we don't quit building up and supporting secret combinations, the situation will

continue to degenerate (destruction) as it did anciently." (ENSIGN, Jan. 1988, pg. 5).

The Lord commands you Gentiles (including LDS Gentiles) to wake up and realize your awful situation when you see these secret combinations that will be among you.

Note: The prophet Ezra also testified, "I testify that wickedness is rapidly expanding in every segment of our society. It is more highly organized, more cleverly disguised, and more powerfully promoted than ever before. Secret combinations lusting for power, gain, and glory are flourishing. A secret combination that seeks to overthrow the freedom of all lands, nations, and countries is increasing its evil influence and control over America and the entire world." (ENSIGN, Nov. 1988, pg. 86).

For judgments will fall upon those secret combinations, and upon those who build them up, because those who have been murdered by them will cry from the dust for vengeance.

Those who build up secret combinations seek to overthrow freedom in all lands, nations, and countries, and to bring about the destruction of all people.

They follow the instructions of the devil, the father of all lies, who by his lies has caused people to murder from the beginning of the world. He has hardened the people's hearts so they will cast out the prophets and kill them.

I, Moroni, have been commanded to write about these secret combinations so that evil may be done away--that

the time may come when Satan may have no more power over people's hearts--that they may be persuaded to do good continually and come to the fountain of all righteousness and be saved.