Ether 13
People in this chapter
Moroni is nearly finished with the Jaredites. He opens the chapter by saying he will finish my record concerning the destruction of the people (v. 1), and then, before the destruction, he gives us the most hopeful prophecy in the book of Ether.
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Ether 13:1-6A New Jerusalem upon This Land
1And now I, Moroni, proceed to finish my record concerning the destruction of the people of whom I have been writing. 2For behold, they rejected all the words of Ether; for he truly told them of all things, from the beginning of man; and that after the waters had receded from off the face of this land it became a choice land above all other lands, a chosen land of the Lord; wherefore the Lord would have that all men should serve him who dwell upon the face thereof;
Moroni says he will now finish the story of how the Jaredites were destroyed. First he tells us what Ether taught them, which they rejected.
After the Flood this land became a choice land, chosen by the Lord. Everyone who lives on it is to serve Him.
3And that it was the place of the New Jerusalem, which should come down out of heaven, and the holy sanctuary of the Lord. 4Behold, Ether saw the days of Christ, and he spake concerning a New Jerusalem upon this land.
5And he spake also concerning the house of Israel, and the Jerusalem from whence Lehi should come—after it should be destroyed it should be built up again, a holy city unto the Lord; wherefore, it could not be a new Jerusalem for it had been in a time of old; but it should be built up again, and become a holy city of the Lord; and it should be built unto the house of Israel— 6And that a New Jerusalem should be built up upon this land, unto the remnant of the seed of Joseph, for which things there has been a type.
Ether spoke of two holy cities. Old Jerusalem would be destroyed and then rebuilt for the house of Israel. A New Jerusalem would be built on this land for the descendants of Joseph.
Ether 13:7-12Washed in the Blood of the Lamb
7For as Joseph brought his father down into the land of Egypt, even so he died there; wherefore, the Lord brought a remnant of the seed of Joseph out of the land of Jerusalem, that he might be merciful unto the seed of Joseph that they should perish not, even as he was merciful unto the father of Joseph that he should perish not. 8Wherefore, the remnant of the house of Joseph shall be built upon this land; and it shall be a land of their inheritance; and they shall build up a holy city unto the Lord, like unto the Jerusalem of old; and they shall no more be confounded, until the end come when the earth shall pass away.
Joseph saved his father Jacob by bringing him to Egypt. In the same way, the Lord saved a branch of Joseph's family by bringing them out of Jerusalem to this land.
9And there shall be a new heaven and a new earth; and they shall be like unto the old save the old have passed away, and all things have become new. 10And then cometh the New Jerusalem; and blessed are they who dwell therein, for it is they whose garments are white through the blood of the Lamb; and they are they who are numbered among the remnant of the seed of Joseph, who were of the house of Israel. 11And then also cometh the Jerusalem of old; and the inhabitants thereof, blessed are they, for they have been washed in the blood of the Lamb; and they are they who were scattered and gathered in from the four quarters of the earth, and from the north countries, and are partakers of the fulfilling of the covenant which God made with their father, Abraham.
Ether saw a time when there would be a new heaven and a new earth, and all things would become new.
12And when these things come, bringeth to pass the scripture which saith, there are they who were first, who shall be last; and there are they who were last, who shall be first.
When these things happen, the saying will come true that the first will be last and the last will be first.
Ether 13:13-19In the Cavity of a Rock
13And I was about to write more, but I am forbidden; but great and marvelous were the prophecies of Ether; but they esteemed him as naught, and cast him out; and he hid himself in the cavity of a rock by day, and by night he went forth viewing the things which should come upon the people. 14And as he dwelt in the cavity of a rock he made the remainder of this record, viewing the destructions which came upon the people, by night.
Moroni wanted to write more of Ether's prophecies, but the Lord did not allow it.
The people cast Ether out. He hid in a hollow in a rock during the day and went out at night to watch what was happening, and he wrote the rest of his record there.
15And it came to pass that in that same year in which he was cast out from among the people there began to be a great war among the people, for there were many who rose up, who were mighty men, and sought to destroy Coriantumr by their secret plans of wickedness, of which hath been spoken. 16And now Coriantumr, having studied, himself, in all the arts of war and all the cunning of the world, wherefore he gave battle unto them who sought to destroy him. 17But he repented not, neither his fair sons nor daughters; neither the fair sons and daughters of Cohor; neither the fair sons and daughters of Corihor; and in fine, there were none of the fair sons and daughters upon the face of the whole earth who repented of their sins. 18Wherefore, it came to pass that in the first year that Ether dwelt in the cavity of a rock, there were many people who were slain by the sword of those secret combinations, fighting against Coriantumr that they might obtain the kingdom. 19And it came to pass that the sons of Coriantumr fought much and bled much.
The same year Ether was cast out, war began. Coriantumr was skilled in war, but neither he nor anyone else repented.
Ether 13:20-22If He Would Repent
20And in the second year the word of the Lord came to Ether, that he should go and prophesy unto Coriantumr that, if he would repent, and all his household, the Lord would give unto him his kingdom and spare the people— 21Otherwise they should be destroyed, and all his household save it were himself. And he should only live to see the fulfilling of the prophecies which had been spoken concerning another people receiving the land for their inheritance; and Coriantumr should receive a burial by them; and every soul should be destroyed save it were Coriantumr. 22And it came to pass that Coriantumr repented not, neither his household, neither the people; and the wars ceased not; and they sought to kill Ether, but he fled from before them and hid again in the cavity of the rock.
The Lord sent Ether to tell Coriantumr that if he and his family repented, he would keep his kingdom and the people would be spared. Coriantumr refused.
Ether also prophesied that Coriantumr would be the last one left, would see another people come into the land, and would be buried by them. The book of Omni records that the people of Zarahemla found him.
Ether 13:23-31None to Restrain Them
23And it came to pass that there arose up Shared, and he also gave battle unto Coriantumr; and he did beat him, insomuch that in the third year he did bring him into captivity. 24And the sons of Coriantumr, in the fourth year, did beat Shared, and did obtain the kingdom again unto their father. 25Now there began to be a war upon all the face of the land, every man with his band fighting for that which he desired. 26And there were robbers, and in fine, all manner of wickedness upon all the face of the land.
Soon there was war everywhere, with every man fighting with his own group for what he wanted. Robbers and wickedness filled the land.
27And it came to pass that Coriantumr was exceedingly angry with Shared, and he went against him with his armies to battle; and they did meet in great anger, and they did meet in the valley of Gilgal; and the battle became exceedingly sore. 28And it came to pass that Shared fought against him for the space of three days. And it came to pass that Coriantumr beat him, and did pursue him until he came to the plains of Heshlon. 29And it came to pass that Shared gave him battle again upon the plains; and behold, he did beat Coriantumr, and drove him back again to the valley of Gilgal. 30And Coriantumr gave Shared battle again in the valley of Gilgal, in which he beat Shared and slew him. 31And Shared wounded Coriantumr in his thigh, that he did not go to battle again for the space of two years, in which time all the people upon the face of the land were shedding blood, and there was none to restrain them.
Coriantumr and Shared fought back and forth until Coriantumr killed Shared, but Coriantumr was wounded and could not fight for two years. Meanwhile, everyone in the land kept killing, and no one stopped them.
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.
- New JerusalemScriptures on the holy city Ether foretold (vv. 3-10).
- ZionHow the scriptures use Zion for a people, a city, and the pure in heart.
- Lamb of GodBackground for the garments made white through the blood of the Lamb (vv. 10-11).
- EtherThe prophet who kept this record and wrote it from the cavity of a rock.
- CoriantumrThe last Jaredite king, whose survival Ether foretold (v. 21).
Where this echoes in Scripture
A New Jerusalem upon This Land
- 3 Nephi 20:22It shall be a New Jerusalem. And the powers of heaven shall be in the midst of this people; yea, even I will be in the midst of you.
- 3 Nephi 21:22-25That they may build a city, which shall be called the New Jerusalem... and I also will be in the midst.
- D&C 84:2, 4The gathering of his saints to stand upon Mount Zion, which shall be the city of New Jerusalem... built by the gathering of the saints.
- Articles of Faith 1:10We believe in the literal gathering of Israel... that Zion (the New Jerusalem) will be built upon the American continent; that Christ will reign personally upon the earth.
- Revelation 21:2-3I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven... and he will dwell with them.
Washed in the Blood of the Lamb
- Revelation 7:14These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
- 1 Nephi 12:10-11Because of their faith in the Lamb of God their garments are made white in his blood.Said of the twelve disciples who would minister to Nephi's seed.
- Genesis 45:7God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance.Joseph, the type of verse 7.
- Moroni 10:31That thou mayest no more be confounded, that the covenants of the Eternal Father... may be fulfilled.
- Isaiah 65:17Behold, I create new heavens and a new earth.
In the Cavity of a Rock
- Mormon 8:3I even remain alone to write the sad tale of the destruction of my people.Moroni's own situation as he abridges.
- Ether 4:4-5He commanded me that I should seal them up.Another time Moroni was told what not to write.
- Hebrews 11:37-38They wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.Prophets of whom the world was not worthy.
- 1 Kings 19:9-12He came thither unto a cave... and after the fire a still small voice.Elijah alone in a cave, still hearing the Lord.
If He Would Repent
- Omni 1:21Coriantumr was discovered by the people of Zarahemla; and he dwelt with them for the space of nine moons.The fulfillment, seen from the Nephite record.
- Mosiah 25:2The people of Zarahemla, who was a descendant of Mulek.
- Helaman 8:21Will ye say that the sons of Zedekiah were not slain, all except it were Mulek?
- Jonah 3:6-10God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil.A king who did repent.
- Ezekiel 33:11I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live.
None to Restrain Them
- Mormon 4:5It is by the wicked that the wicked are punished.
- Genesis 6:11The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence.
- Ether 8:22Whatsoever nation shall uphold such secret combinations... they shall be destroyed.
- James 4:1From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members?