Ether 1
People in this chapter
Moroni had watched his own people destroyed. Now, alone, he opens the record of another people who were destroyed by the hand of the Lord (v. 1). He takes it from the twenty and four plates which were found by the people of Limhi (v. 2), and he tells us what he is leaving out: everything from the Creation to the great tower, which he supposes the Jews already have (vv. 3-5).
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Ether 1:1-5From the Tower Down
1And now I, Moroni, proceed to give an account of those ancient inhabitants who were destroyed by the hand of the Lord upon the face of this north country. 2And I take mine account from the twenty and four plates which were found by the people of Limhi, which is called the Book of Ether.
Moroni is the last Nephite prophet. After his own people are destroyed, he writes a shortened account of an earlier people who were also destroyed.
The record came from twenty-four gold plates found generations earlier by explorers from King Limhi's people. King Mosiah translated them.
3And as I suppose that the first part of this record, which speaks concerning the creation of the world, and also of Adam, and an account from that time even to the great tower, and whatsoever things transpired among the children of men until that time, is had among the Jews— 4Therefore I do not write those things which transpired from the days of Adam until that time; but they are had upon the plates; and whoso findeth them, the same will have power that he may get the full account. 5But behold, I give not the full account, but a part of the account I give, from the tower down until they were destroyed.
Ether's record began with the Creation and Adam. Moroni skips that part because he supposes the Jews already have it, and starts at the great tower.
Ether 1:6-32Ether, a Descendant of Coriantor
6And on this wise do I give the account. He that wrote this record was Ether, and he was a descendant of Coriantor. 7Coriantor was the son of Moron. 8And Moron was the son of Ethem. 9And Ethem was the son of Ahah. 10And Ahah was the son of Seth. 11And Seth was the son of Shiblon. 12And Shiblon was the son of Com. 13And Com was the son of Coriantum. 14And Coriantum was the son of Amnigaddah. 15And Amnigaddah was the son of Aaron. 16And Aaron was a descendant of Heth, who was the son of Hearthom. 17And Hearthom was the son of Lib. 18And Lib was the son of Kish. 19And Kish was the son of Corom. 20And Corom was the son of Levi. 21And Levi was the son of Kim. 22And Kim was the son of Morianton. 23And Morianton was a descendant of Riplakish. 24And Riplakish was the son of Shez. 25And Shez was the son of Heth. 26And Heth was the son of Com. 27And Com was the son of Coriantum. 28And Coriantum was the son of Emer. 29And Emer was the son of Omer. 30And Omer was the son of Shule. 31And Shule was the son of Kib. 32And Kib was the son of Orihah, who was the son of Jared;
Moroni lists Ether's ancestors, starting with Ether and going back to Jared. Many of these names return later in the book as kings.
Ether 1:33-37Cry unto the Lord
33Which Jared came forth with his brother and their families, with some others and their families, from the great tower, at the time the Lord confounded the language of the people, and swore in his wrath that they should be scattered upon all the face of the earth; and according to the word of the Lord the people were scattered.
Jared, his brother, and their families came from the great tower, when the Lord confounded the people's language and scattered them.
34And the brother of Jared being a large and mighty man, and a man highly favored of the Lord, Jared, his brother, said unto him: Cry unto the Lord, that he will not confound us that we may not understand our words. 35And it came to pass that the brother of Jared did cry unto the Lord, and the Lord had compassion upon Jared; therefore he did not confound the language of Jared; and Jared and his brother were not confounded. 36Then Jared said unto his brother: Cry again unto the Lord, and it may be that he will turn away his anger from them who are our friends, that he confound not their language. 37And it came to pass that the brother of Jared did cry unto the Lord, and the Lord had compassion upon their friends and their families also, that they were not confounded.
The brother of Jared was a large, mighty man and highly favored of the Lord. Jared trusted him to pray for the family.
The Lord heard the prayer, and Jared's family kept their language. Then Jared asked his brother to pray for their friends too, and the Lord spared them as well.
Ether 1:38-43I Will Go Before Thee
38And it came to pass that Jared spake again unto his brother, saying: Go and inquire of the Lord whether he will drive us out of the land, and if he will drive us out of the land, cry unto him whither we shall go. And who knoweth but the Lord will carry us forth into a land which is choice above all the earth? And if it so be, let us be faithful unto the Lord, that we may receive it for our inheritance. 39And it came to pass that the brother of Jared did cry unto the Lord according to that which had been spoken by the mouth of Jared. 40And it came to pass that the Lord did hear the brother of Jared, and had compassion upon him, and said unto him: 41Go to and gather together thy flocks, both male and female, of every kind; and also of the seed of the earth of every kind; and thy families; and also Jared thy brother and his family; and also thy friends and their families, and the friends of Jared and their families.
Jared hopes the Lord might lead them to a choice land, and he resolves that they should be faithful to receive it. The Lord hears and tells them to gather everything and everyone for a journey.
42And when thou hast done this thou shalt go at the head of them down into the valley which is northward. And there will I meet thee, and I will go before thee into a land which is choice above all the lands of the earth. 43And there will I bless thee and thy seed, and raise up unto me of thy seed, and of the seed of thy brother, and they who shall go with thee, a great nation. And there shall be none greater than the nation which I will raise up unto me of thy seed, upon all the face of the earth. And thus I will do unto thee because this long time ye have cried unto me.
The Lord promises to make a great nation of their descendants, and says He will do it because they have cried to Him for a long time.
Research trail
Sources & further study
These references support the historical, linguistic, manuscript, and contextual notes in this chapter. Scripture remains the primary text; external sources are provided so readers can inspect the research directly.
- JareditesOverview of the people whose record Moroni abridges in the book of Ether.
- Jared, Brother ofScriptures on the prophet who cries unto the Lord in verses 34-43.
- EtherThe prophet who wrote the record and whose genealogy opens the book (v. 6).
- Babel, BabylonBackground on the tower and the confounding of languages in Genesis 11.
- PrayerScriptures on crying unto the Lord, the pattern of this whole chapter.
Where this echoes in Scripture
From the Tower Down
- Mormon 8:3-5I even remain alone to write the sad tale of the destruction of my people.Moroni's situation as he writes.
- Mosiah 28:11-17He translated them by the means of those two stones which were fastened into the two rims of a bow.King Mosiah translates the twenty-four plates.
- Ether 15:33He finished his record ... and he hid them in a manner that the people of Limhi did find them.
- Genesis 11:1-9Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another's speech.The tower where Ether's account picks up.
Ether, a Descendant of Coriantor
- Ether 11:23And it came to pass that Coriantor begat Ether.
- Ether 6:27Orihah was anointed to be king over the people.The son of Jared in verse 32.
- Luke 3:23-38Jesus ... being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, which was the son of Heli ... which was the son of Adam.A genealogy that also runs backward.
- Ether 12:2Ether was a prophet of the Lord.
Cry unto the Lord
- Genesis 11:4-9Let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven ... therefore is the name of it called Babel.
- Omni 1:22His first parents came out from the tower, at the time the Lord confounded the language of the people.
- James 5:16Pray one for another ... The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
- Alma 34:26-27Pour out your souls in your closets ... and also for the welfare of those who are around you.
I Will Go Before Thee
- John 10:4He goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.
- Exodus 13:21The LORD went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way.
- 1 Nephi 2:20Ye shall prosper, and shall be led to a land of promise ... a land which is choice above all other lands.The same promise given to Nephi.
- Ether 2:5The Lord did go before them, and did talk with them as he stood in a cloud.
- D&C 84:88I will go before your face. I will be on your right hand and on your left.