Ether 15

People in this chapter

This is the last chapter of the Jaredite record, and Moroni tells it plainly. Coriantumr wakes from his wounds and finally began to remember the words which Ether had spoken unto him (v. 1). He sees nearly two million of his people dead. His soul mourned and refused to be comforted (v. 3). He writes to Shiz offering to give up the kingdom to spare the people (v. 4).

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Ether 15:1-5He Began to Remember

1And it came to pass when Coriantumr had recovered of his wounds, he began to remember the words which Ether had spoken unto him. 2He saw that there had been slain by the sword already nearly two millions of his people, and he began to sorrow in his heart; yea, there had been slain two millions of mighty men, and also their wives and their children. 3He began to repent of the evil which he had done; he began to remember the words which had been spoken by the mouth of all the prophets, and he saw them that they were fulfilled thus far, every whit; and his soul mourned and refused to be comforted.

When Coriantumr recovered from his wounds, he remembered Ether's warnings. He saw that nearly two million of his people had died, and he was filled with sorrow and began to repent.

4And it came to pass that he wrote an epistle unto Shiz, desiring him that he would spare the people, and he would give up the kingdom for the sake of the lives of the people. 5And it came to pass that when Shiz had received his epistle he wrote an epistle unto Coriantumr, that if he would give himself up, that he might slay him with his own sword, that he would spare the lives of the people.

Coriantumr wrote to Shiz offering to give up the kingdom if Shiz would spare the people. Shiz wrote back that he would spare the people only if Coriantumr surrendered so Shiz could kill him himself.

Ether 15:6-17Every One to the Army Which He Would

6And it came to pass that the people repented not of their iniquity; and the people of Coriantumr were stirred up to anger against the people of Shiz; and the people of Shiz were stirred up to anger against the people of Coriantumr; wherefore, the people of Shiz did give battle unto the people of Coriantumr. 7And when Coriantumr saw that he was about to fall he fled again before the people of Shiz. 8And it came to pass that he came to the waters of Ripliancum, which, by interpretation, is large, or to exceed all; wherefore, when they came to these waters they pitched their tents; and Shiz also pitched his tents near unto them; and therefore on the morrow they did come to battle. 9And it came to pass that they fought an exceedingly sore battle, in which Coriantumr was wounded again, and he fainted with the loss of blood. 10And it came to pass that the armies of Coriantumr did press upon the armies of Shiz that they beat them, that they caused them to flee before them; and they did flee southward, and did pitch their tents in a place which was called Ogath. 11And it came to pass that the army of Coriantumr did pitch their tents by the hill Ramah; and it was that same hill where my father Mormon did hide up the records unto the Lord, which were sacred.

The people did not repent. They were angry at each other, and the fighting started again. Both sides were wounded and moved from place to place.

Coriantumr's army camped by the hill Ramah. Moroni notes that this was the same hill where his father Mormon later hid the sacred records.

12And it came to pass that they did gather together all the people upon all the face of the land, who had not been slain, save it was Ether. 13And it came to pass that Ether did behold all the doings of the people; and he beheld that the people who were for Coriantumr were gathered together to the army of Coriantumr; and the people who were for Shiz were gathered together to the army of Shiz. 14Wherefore, they were for the space of four years gathering together the people, that they might get all who were upon the face of the land, and that they might receive all the strength which it was possible that they could receive. 15And it came to pass that when they were all gathered together, every one to the army which he would, with their wives and their children—both men, women and children being armed with weapons of war, having shields, and breastplates, and head-plates, and being clothed after the manner of war—they did march forth one against another to battle; and they fought all that day, and conquered not. 16And it came to pass that when it was night they were weary, and retired to their camps; and after they had retired to their camps they took up a howling and a lamentation for the loss of the slain of their people; and so great were their cries, their howlings and lamentations, that they did rend the air exceedingly. 17And it came to pass that on the morrow they did go again to battle, and great and terrible was that day; nevertheless, they conquered not, and when the night came again they did rend the air with their cries, and their howlings, and their mournings, for the loss of the slain of their people.

For four years both armies gathered everyone left in the land, including women and children. Ether watched it all. They fought by day, and at night they cried and mourned for their dead.

Ether 15:18-22The Spirit of the Lord Had Ceased Striving

18And it came to pass that Coriantumr wrote again an epistle unto Shiz, desiring that he would not come again to battle, but that he would take the kingdom, and spare the lives of the people. 19But behold, the Spirit of the Lord had ceased striving with them, and Satan had full power over the hearts of the people; for they were given up unto the hardness of their hearts, and the blindness of their minds that they might be destroyed; wherefore they went again to battle.

Coriantumr wrote to Shiz again, offering him the kingdom to spare the people. But the Spirit of the Lord had stopped striving with the people, and Satan had full power over them, so the war went on.

20And it came to pass that they fought all that day, and when the night came they slept upon their swords. 21And on the morrow they fought even until the night came. 22And when the night came they were drunken with anger, even as a man who is drunken with wine; and they slept again upon their swords.

They fought every day and slept on their swords at night. They were drunk with anger, the way a person can be drunk with wine.

Ether 15:23-32Save It Were Coriantumr

23And on the morrow they fought again; and when the night came they had all fallen by the sword save it were fifty and two of the people of Coriantumr, and sixty and nine of the people of Shiz. 24And it came to pass that they slept upon their swords that night, and on the morrow they fought again, and they contended in their might with their swords and with their shields, all that day. 25And when the night came there were thirty and two of the people of Shiz, and twenty and seven of the people of Coriantumr. 26And it came to pass that they ate and slept, and prepared for death on the morrow. And they were large and mighty men as to the strength of men. 27And it came to pass that they fought for the space of three hours, and they fainted with the loss of blood. 28And it came to pass that when the men of Coriantumr had received sufficient strength that they could walk, they were about to flee for their lives; but behold, Shiz arose, and also his men, and he swore in his wrath that he would slay Coriantumr or he would perish by the sword.

Day by day the numbers fell, until only a few dozen men were left on each side. Shiz swore he would kill Coriantumr or die trying.

29Wherefore, he did pursue them, and on the morrow he did overtake them; and they fought again with the sword. And it came to pass that when they had all fallen by the sword, save it were Coriantumr and Shiz, behold Shiz had fainted with the loss of blood. 30And it came to pass that when Coriantumr had leaned upon his sword, that he rested a little, he smote off the head of Shiz. 31And it came to pass that after he had smitten off the head of Shiz, that Shiz raised up on his hands and fell; and after that he had struggled for breath, he died. 32And it came to pass that Coriantumr fell to the earth, and became as if he had no life.

At last everyone had died except Coriantumr and Shiz. Coriantumr killed Shiz and then collapsed. He was the only one left, just as Ether had prophesied.

Ether 15:33-34It Mattereth Not

33And the Lord spake unto Ether, and said unto him: Go forth. And he went forth, and beheld that the words of the Lord had all been fulfilled; and he finished his record; (and the hundredth part I have not written) and he hid them in a manner that the people of Limhi did find them.

The Lord told Ether to go out. He saw that everything the Lord had said had come true. He finished his record and hid it, and the people of Limhi later found it.

34Now the last words which are written by Ether are these: Whether the Lord will that I be translated, or that I suffer the will of the Lord in the flesh, it mattereth not, if it so be that I am saved in the kingdom of God. Amen.

Moroni, writing these words, was in the same situation as Ether: the last prophet of a destroyed people, not knowing what would happen to him.

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.

Where this echoes in Scripture

He Began to Remember

Every One to the Army Which He Would

The Spirit of the Lord Had Ceased Striving

Save It Were Coriantumr

It Mattereth Not