A Study Guide Companion for The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ
ETHER
Chapter One
“The Book of Ether” is Moroni’s abridgment of a record compiled by a prophet, Ether, a member of a nation of people who came to the American continents centuries before either Lehi’s colony or their close contemporaries, the Mulekites, came. Ether’s record, etched upon twenty-four “Plates of [gold] ore,” was discovered by Limhi’s explorers as they tried to find Zarahemla. Instead of finding Zarahemla, these explorers found a land covered with dried bones—the remains of a once mighty nation (Mosiah 21:25-28) as well as the Plates.
King Mosiah had translated the Plates (Mosiah 28:13-18) which exposed an astonishing history of iniquity, punctuated intermittently by great righteousness. Tragically, the majority of these people—who we know as the Jaredites—chose the evil instead of God’s great blessings. Following centuries of intrigues, betrayals, and wars and, they finally split themselves apart, and at last killed each other off.
Ether’s Plates described the “roots” of the Jaredites. Although he etched his account on permanent metal, Ether almost certainly worked from earlier more perishable sources. The beginning of Ether’s record described the creation of the world and contained the history from Adam and Eve to the “Tower of Babel.” Moroni did not include that information in his abridgment; it was available to readers from other Israelite records, such as the Brass Plates—and now in the Bible and the Pearl of Great Price.
A descendant of Jared, Ether wrote a “skeleton” outline of his genealogy, back to this righteous ancestor. In Moroni’s abridgment of Ether’s writings is a very brief history of happenings during the lifetimes of Ether’s various forbearers. Likely, the Lord wants us as readers to learn the lessons from the tragic fall of this people, rather than their intricate history.
After the Great Flood in about 2344 B.C., Noah’s sons and their families settled throughout various parts of the newly cleansed world. However, in a little over 100 years (about 2200 B.C.) some descendants had become foolish and wicked enough to assume they could by-pass righteous living and reach Heaven if they built a tower tall enough—and that being in the tower would save them if a flood came again.
We do not have enough details from ancient records to know more, but it likely occurred in what is now central Asia—among people who had split into warring tribes, characterized by violence and a desire for greed and power. God “confounded” the language of these people to separate them. Some Bible “scholars” discount the “story of the tower,” recorded in Genesis 11:1-9. This account in Ether witnesses to the truthfulness of the Bible. In turn, the Bible, when it is translated and interpreted correctly, verifies the truth of The Book of Mormon.
Ether reported that among the more righteous of these people were two brothers, one noted especially for his closeness to God and another good man, Ether’s ancestor, Jared. Jared, although a strong believer in God, recognized his brother as “highly favored” of the Lord—perhaps already a prophet. He asked his brother to pray that they could understand each other.
The brother of Jared prayed and the Lord answered his prayer positively so that Jared and his brother could communicate. Jared asked his brother to solicit the Lord to bless their friends with the same understanding of speech. The brother of Jared prayed and the Lord again granted his request.
Although Jared did not feel he had the same right to call upon the Lord for great miracles as his brother did, he displayed faith in the Power of the Lord to grant great miracles. He then requested that his brother ask the Lord to take their colony of friends and family to a new and wonderful place.
The Lord was willing to do what the brothers requested, but He gave them instructions to do their part. Namely they were to gather their flocks and seeds and head to a northward valley, ready to leave. Then the Lord gave them a wonderful promise:
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.
And 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.
CHAPTER 2
It is interesting—and important—to note that although the Lord is willing and glad to help righteous people—He expects them to do what they can. In verses 1 through 3, there is a list of some of the things Jared and his brother and their family and friends did to prepare for their journey to a new land.
They gathered their flocks together.
They trapped fowls of the air in snares.
They prepared a “vessel” to carry fish of the water.
They brought “deseret,” which means “honeybees.”
They gathered all kinds of seeds to take with them.
When all was gathered, the colony traveled first to “the valley of Nimrod” to receive further instructions of the Lord. The Lord directed the company to a “quarter” of the land where no one had ever been and He went before them in a cloud, talking to them and giving them directions.
They traveled both by land and by water. It was necessary for them to stop along the way and build barges to carry themselves, and their equipment, supplies, flocks, and provisions.
This quarter of the land was beautiful and free from all other people. After the Jaredites reached the shores of this enchanting land—likely somewhere in eastern Asia—they stopped and pitched their tents for a long stay. they lived in this land for four years. They called the land Moriancumer
God would eventually lead them to the Promised Land of the western continents.
“And the Lord would not suffer (allow) that they should stop beyond the sea in the wilderness, but He would that they should come forth even unto the land of Promise, which was choice above all other lands, which the Lord had preserved for a righteous people.
“And He had sworn in His wrath unto the brother of Jared that whoso should possess this Land of Promise, that henceforth and forever they should serve Him, the true and only God, or they should be swept off when the fullness of His wrath should come upon them.”
The Jaredites were blessed and protected. However, during the four years they lived in Moriancumer, they stopped praying regularly to the Lord. We are not told the details of their lifestyle, but as they abandoned their prayers, sin came more easily. Finally, God appeared in a cloud to Moriancumer and for three hours chastised him.
Moriancumer, who was a good man, admitted his great wrong and he repented, and then he called upon the name of the Lord for the benefit of his company. The Lord graciously forgave them, but He issued a warning meant for everybody—and particularly for those who would live upon the Promised Land.
As they traveled to Moriancumer with supplies and animals, the Jaredites had voyaged over considerable bodies of water. They built, under God’s direction, tight lightweight barges in which to carry supplies, equipment, and animals as well as themselves. The Lord instructed them to build more of these—this time to carry them across the ocean—a journey that would take about a year before they reached their destination.
Although the Jaredites had previously used similar barges for transport across smaller bodies of water, Moriancumer worried about steering them, and because they were so tight, about using up all of the air in a long journey—and no light getting into them.
The Lord told the brother of Jared that He would steer them Himself. He also said to make a hole in the top and bottom of the boat which could be covered up and opened when they were not under the water.
The brother of Jared had the holes made and they worked for air (very much like those of modern submarines), but he was still concerned about the darkness factor. The Lord told Moriancumer that windows and fire would not work. Windows would be smashed to pieces in the ocean—and for a reason, perhaps because fire requires too much air or because it could set the whole vessel burning, or for other unknown grounds, fire would not be an acceptable solution. The Lord asked him what he wanted the Lord to do about it.
The Lord explained that He Himself would control winds and the rain and bring the vessels “as a whale” under and over gigantic waves as they headed toward the Promised Land.
Again the Lord asked Moriancumer what he wanted the Lord to do so that they could have light.
CHAPTER 3
The brother of Jared had already proved himself humble, and the Lord trusted him to think of a way to light the tight barges in which the Jaredites would travel as they crossed the great sea (with the stipulation that there could be no windows and no fire used).
When the brother of Jared accepted the trust, a wonderful idea came to him. Out of white and clear “rock,” he cut sixteen small stones, two for each of the eight barges. Then climbing a high mountain, Shelem, he cried unto God.
“Our natures have become evil continually” does not mean we are always wicked. It is the nature of Earthly bodies’ to seek to satisfy appetites and physical needs. Also, because we are separated from God, in that we do not have Him in person with us on a daily basis, as did Adam and Eve before the “fall.” Because they were sent forth from the Garden of Eden to “multiply and replenish the Earth,” all of us are more subject to temptation and all of us sin; we must be alert to let our Earthly bodies and minds stay within the Light of Christ.
The great Light of Christ—which is given to all humankind (D & C 88:7-13) and gives light to all things in the immensity of space—can certainly smother the evil influence that the devil and his wicked angels continuallytry to impose on our “natures.”
In comparison to God, we are unworthy because we are not free from sin. Being unworthy, we cannot—by our own efforts—enter into His perfect presence eternally. But Jesus Christ has atoned for our sins so that we may repent and again live forever with both Him and our Father in Heaven.
Then the brother of Jared humbly presented to the Lord an idea to light the barges. He showed the Lord the sixteen stones he had cut and melted from a large clear rock. He asked the Lord to touch them with His finger so they would shine (verse He absolutely knew the Lord could do that.
When the Lord answered the prayer and the brother of Jared actually saw the finger of the Lord, He was so astonished that it looked like other people’s fingers, he fell down before the Lord in fear.
The Lord told the brother of Jared to get up and asked him why he had fallen down.
The brother of Jared frankly told the Lord that he was surprised to see the finger like a mortal’s finger and was afraid the Lord would “smite him”. Although the brother of Jared had been led for many years by the Lord and had even talked with Him—and although he had tremendous faith in the Lord—he did not understand man was actually made in the image of God.
Jehovah (Jesus) explained that what the brother of Jared saw was the Lord’s spirit body, not actually flesh and blood, since the Lord had not yet been born—and He explained that the brother of Jared’s own great faith let him see the Lord’s Finger light the stones.
Then—not from curiosity—but with great hope and a strong righteous desire to actually see the Lord—and also with great daring (He had been afraid of being “smitten” by God.), he requested to see the whole body of the Lord.
Christ asked him if he believed what Christ would say. Without hesitation, the brother of Jared expressed his belief in the Lord’s words, although he had not yet heard what the Lord would say.
The brother of Jared could not behold the Lord without being transfigured, meaning changed so that the glory of God was upon him so that he could withstand the Lord’s glory as did Moses (Moses 1:2). Remember the faithful three Nephite Disciples who were at first transfigured and brought into the Lord’s presence before they were translated with a much longer change to their mortal bodies to stay on Earth until the Judgment Day.
Because of the brother of Jared’s profound faith, he was able to be transfigured so that he could actually see the Lord.
Christ the Lord said:
Behold, I am He who was prepared from the foundation of the world
to redeem my people. Behold, I am Jesus Christ.
am the Father and the Son. In Me shall all mankind have Light, and that Eternally, even they who shall believe on my name;
and they shall become my sons and my daughters.
The brother of Jared knew that Jesus Christ was the God and Lord who had been leading his people. Christ said that He was “the Father and the Son,” He did not mean that He was Heavenly Father. He meant that through His great atoning Sacrifice, everyone who believes in Him—obeying His will and following His example, including having faith in Him, and then repents and is baptized with a commitment to always remember Him—would be “born again,” becoming His “sons and daughters” in righteousness.
We are all spirit sons and daughters of Heavenly Father and we all have an Earthly father of our bodies; to be a son or daughter of Jesus Christ is dependent on righteousness and Eternal commitment to Him. What a wonderful blessing—to be a daughter or a son of the Savior as well as a spirit child of Heavenly Father!
Christ let him know that not only would there be light in the barges—brought forth by Christ touching the stones—but even more important, those who believe in Him and become His daughters and His sons would forever have Light—Eternal Light. The light in the barges were symbols, physical manifestations, of this higher spiritual light.
Christ the Lord said:
And never have I showed myself unto man whom I have created,
for never has man believed in Me as thou hast.
Seest thou that ye are created after mine own image? Yea, even all men were created in the beginning after mine own image.
One wonderful feature in the book of Ether is the opportunity to learn from Moroni’s insightful commentaries that are judicially placed throughout the book.
Moroni commented on the brother of Jared’s great experience—Moroni himself was ministered to by Jesus Christ:
Jesus showed Himself unto this man in the spirit,
even after the manner and in the likeness of the same body
even as He showed Himself unto the Nephites.
[Christ’s pre-mortal spirit looked like His resurrected body.]
And He [Jesus Christ] ministered unto him [the brother of Jared]
[taught him]even as He ministered unto the Nephites…
that this man might know that He [Jesus Christ] was God,
because of the many great works which the Lord had showed unto him.
…Because of the knowledge of this man
he could not be kept from beholding within the veil;
he saw the Finger of Jesus, which, when he saw, he fell with fear;
for he knew that it was the Finger of the Lord;
and he had faith no longer, for he knew, nothing doubting.
Wherefore, having this perfect knowledge of God,
he could not be kept from within the veil;
therefore he saw Jesus; and He [Jesus] did minister unto him.
The brother of Jared possessed this attribute of faith—as will be shown by how he used the power of faith. The Lord told the brother of Jared earlier, “in times before,” that “if he would believe in Him” all things could be shown to him. The Lord always keeps His promises; He is a God of truth—therefore, because of the brother of Jared’s extremely strong faith—unto knowledge—the Lord could not withhold anything from him.
In his growing personal relationship with his Savior and God, the brother of Jared received many wonderful messages and lived through many wonderful experiences. He gave him a urim and thummin, which was a special device of seer stones and showed him all things concerning Earth past and future, but he was commanded that he was not to reveal these things to the world until after the Savior had been born in the flesh.
CHAPTER 4
The Lord told the brother of Jared that the amazing things he was shown were to be written, but not to be made generally known until Christ’s mission on Earth was completed. Because of this, king Mosiah, after translating the record found by king Limhi’s men, kept it apart from the scriptures that were accessible to the general public.
It seems that Christ gave these things to the righteous Nephites after He appeared unto them—but then, when almost all of the people became wicked after about 200 years, these wondrous things, as well as other scriptures were hidden away.
Although Moroni wrote all of the things that the brother of Jared saw, those things are part of the “sealed” portion of The Book of Mormon and will not be shown to us until the “day that [the Gentiles] repent of their iniquity and become clean before the Lord.”
The Lord made two wonderful promises to the Gentiles who exercise the same faith in Him as did the brother of Jared:
They will become “sanctified in Christ.”
They will be shown all things that the brother of Jared was shown.
In contrast, those who do not show faith in Christ and deny His holy word will not see greater things.
The Lord chooses when to open the Heavens, or reveal His word and when to shut the Heavens. At His word the earth will shake.
Listening and believing Christ’s Disciples is believing Christ’s words, and Believers will be visited with Christ’s Holy Spirit who will persuade them to do good.
Whatever persuades people to do good comes from Christ, who is the light, the life, and the truth of the world” Through His atoning Sacrifice, with His grace, He has assured that everyone will be resurrected, and He is the creator of this and countless other worlds, and He has been given the mantle of authority by Heavenly Father and is totally One in accord with Heavenly Father, and He has atoned for all of us that we may be “born again” to Eternal Life.
Before we came to this world, God presented a plan which in we were given the glorious opportunity to obtain a body of flesh and bone—which, by the grace of our Redeemer Jesus Christ, would rise with us when we are resurrected. We were promised that through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, repentance, baptism, with the gift of the Holy Ghost sanctifying us, we can obtain eternal life. Specific manifestations of great blessings, which the brother of Jared saw, were written by him and are hidden in the sealed portion of The Book of Mormon, waiting to be revealed—when Gentiles and Israelites show sufficient faith in Christ to receive them.
In striking parallelism, God made beautiful promises to those of the House of Israel who would “come unto Him,” including worthy Gentiles who will become part of the House of Israel.
Christ calls everyone to “rend the veil of unbelief” and call upon Heavenly Father in Christ’s name. The veil of unbelief causes people to remain in a wicked state with hardness of heart and blindness of mind. But calling on Heavenly Father in Christ’s holy name with a “broken heart and contrite spirit” will make one part of the covenant made by Heavenly Father.
Moroni records the Lord’s words so when the Gentiles and the House of Israel show sufficient faith in Him to have the brother of Jared’s writings, they will also understand John’s revelations.
The Book of Mormon is a vital sign that the final dispensation has begun; it is important we all heed the Lord’s call, believe in Him, and repent—thankfully taking advantage of His great atoning Sacrifice, making commitments to be on His side, obeying His commandments—signifying this by baptism in His holy name.
These are always the foundation principles of Christ’s Gospel—faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, repentance, baptism by immersion for the remission of sins, and then receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost (3rd Article of Faith, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints).
In verse 19, Christ gives this beautiful promise:
And blessed is he
that is found faithful unto my name at the Last Day,
for he shall be lifted up
to dwell in the Kingdom prepared for him
from the foundation of the world.
And behold it is I that hath spoken it.
Amen.
CHAPTER 5
Emma Smith and Oliver Cowdery were both scribes for Joseph Smith as he translated The Book of Mormon. They said that when Joseph dictated, it was without hesitation—line after line.
How awed Joseph must have felt as he came to what has now been organized into “Ether 5.” Moroni taught Joseph for three years before Joseph was allowed to take the Plates from the Hill Cumorah. Perhaps this chapter was a review of some of the things Moroni told Joseph—or it may have been new to him. In either case, it was directly written to Joseph from Moroni—about 1400 years before Joseph began to fill his mission as prophet, seer, and revelator.
Some of the things Moroni told Joseph were sealed up, not yet to be translated.
Moroni then told Joseph that he would be able to show the Plates to three who have been assisting him in the translation. These three were to establish and witness to the truth of the Power of God bringing forth all “these things”.
This Gospel is the Gospel of repentance. What wonderful news—to know that Jesus Christ has paid for our sins, and upon the condition of our repentance we can follow Him into eternal life.
As Angel of the Restoration, Moroni had full authority, but even thousands of years before, when he wrote to Joseph, he had authority to present these things. He said if people didn’t believe his authority now, they certainly would at the last day when they both stood before the bar of God. But then it would be “too little too late for unbelievers”.
The testimony of the three witnesses who not only saw the Plates and sacred artifacts, but saw an angel and heard God’s Voice from Heaven attesting to the truth, as well as the testimony of eight witnesses who saw and handled the Plates, is found at the first of The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ.
CHAPTER 6
Moroni interrupted the history of the Jaredites to give important spiritual information. He quoted actual words of the Savior, and then he gave instructions and information to Joseph Smith. In Chapter 6, Moroni resumes the abridgement of the record of Jared and his brother.
The brother of Jared put two stones that had been lit by Jesus Christ Himself in each of the eight vessels and they lit up the barges.
This company had great faith in God. Facing a long journey where they knew they would be confined in tight barges and tossed below and above giant waves must have been frightening to contemplate. Nevertheless, they bravely packed their provisions and animals into the barges, got aboard, “commended themselves to God” and set forth.
Tremendous wind and storms pushed the barges across the sea.
The barges were tossed upon the waves of the sea.
They were often buried below the huge waves caused by fierce tempests.
Because the barges were so tight no water could hurt them.
The tightness of the vessels was similar to the tightness of Noah’s ark.
When the people were below the waves for a long time and cried to the Lord, He brought them to the surface where they could open the special shutters and get more air.
The wind continually blew them onward to their destination.
These early Jaredites sang praises to the Lord night and day.
Although during the long 344-day journey they were tossed about, they were protected from the hazards under the ocean—like whales or sea “monsters.” The lights lit by the finger of the Lord was a continual reminder of His great power and promise.
When the meek righteous company arrived in the Promised Land, they “bowed themselves down upon the Earth…and they humbled themselves before the Lord, and did shed tears of joy before the Lord, because of the multitude of His tender mercies over them, and they went to work.
In a back flash, Moroni wrote that before the company began the long journey with the same language, there were only twenty-two people, including Jared, his brother, and their friends. However, before they left for the Promised Land they had had more children. All of these children were taught by their parents to “walk humbly before the Lord.” They were also actually taught by the Lord Himself. So we can see that the group had a great beginning in righteousness.
Jared had four sons and eight daughters, but we are not told if they were born before arriving in the Promised Land. The brother of Jared had sons and daughters.
Soon the families began to spread out over the land. Jared’s brother (and also Jared) were beginning to get old, and they called a large family meeting. In the meeting they numbered the people and asked the assembly what they wanted before the two patriarchs passed to the next world. Unfortunately, the answer eventually would cause them much trouble. They wanted one of their sons to be their king.
The brother of Jared warned them that this would bring them into captivity, but the people insisted. None of the patriarchs’ sons wanted to be king, but finally Orihah, a son of Jared’s, agreed to be king, saying, “We must continue to remember the blessings the Lord has given us and serve Him in righteousness.” The people agreed.
Both Jared and his brother died. Orihah was a good king and the people prospered and remembered God.
CHAPTER 7
Orihah, continued to reign in righteousness, had thirty-one children, and lived to an old age. The Lord blessed the people to multiply throughout the land.
Then Orihah’s youngest son, Kib, became the next king and also was apparently a good king, although we only have one verse telling of his early reign. He was captured and finally freed, and we have a bit more of his later life.
Corihor, son of Kib, grandson of Orihah, started trouble, He revived ancient traditions of disloyalty, deception, and lust for greed and power. He first rebelled against his father Kib, and went to live in a nearby land. He enticed others to join him; he then eventually gathered a large enough army to capture Kib and take over the throne.
Shule was born while his father Kib was a captive, but when Shule was old enough to know what Corihor had done to Kib, their father, he was angry at the injustice. Shule grew strong, both in body and mind. He got the kingdom back for his father Kib who was already old when he regained the kingdom, eventually turned the rule over to Shule. Shule was a righteous king and had a big family.
Among his other qualities, Shule must have been a forgiving man. When his older brother Corihor repented “of the many evils which he had done,” Shule gave him power in the kingdom. Corihor had many children, among them the ambitious Noah. Noah reverted to what his father had done and “drew away” many of the people in rebellion, including his brother. He was able to get part of the land and take Shule captive.
Rather than keeping Shule captive, Noah decided to kill him. But Shule’s own sons took steps to stop the execution—they broke into Noah’s house by night and killed him. They broke down the door where Shule was imprisoned and freed him. They placed Shule back on the throne in his part of the kingdom.
Noah’s son, Cohor continued to reign in the territory that Noah had gained, so there were two kingdoms.
Although Cohor tried to gain back Shule’s part of the land, he was unsuccessful.
The people who lived under Shule’s reign “did prosper exceedingly and wax great.”
Cohor went again to battle, trying to gain Shule’s kingdom. In the battle, Shule killed Cohor.
Next in the kingdom over which Cohor had reigned was his son, Nimrod. Unlike his greedy father, Nimrod gave the whole kingdom back to Shule, uniting the country under one rule. In appreciation, Shule rewarded Nimrod.
Although Shule was a righteous king, many of the people in the kingdom were wicked and idolatrous. The Lord had warned them that if the people grew ripe with iniquity, they would be swept from the land. In compassion, He sent prophets to warn the people that the land would be cursed if they continued their abominations.
The people retaliated against the prophets by mocking them and reviling them. King Shule executed laws protecting the prophets and the people were brought to repentance, and Shule had sons and daughters in his old age.
CHAPTER 8
Orihah, continued to reign in righteousness, had thirty-one children, and lived to an old age. The Lord blessed the people to multiply throughout the land.
Then Orihah’s youngest son, Kib, became the next king and also was apparently a good king, although we only have one verse telling of his early reign. He was captured and finally freed, and we have a bit more of his later life.
Corihor, son of Kib, grandson of Orihah, started trouble, He revived ancient traditions of disloyalty, deception, and lust for greed and power. He first rebelled against his father Kib, and went to live in a nearby land. He enticed others to join him; he then eventually gathered a large enough army to capture Kib and take over the throne.
Shule was born while his father Kib was a captive, but when Shule was old enough to know what Corihor had done to Kib, their father, he was angry at the injustice. Shule grew strong, both in body and mind. He got the kingdom back for his father Kib who was already old when he regained the kingdom, eventually turned the rule over to Shule. Shule was a righteous king and had a big family.
Among his other qualities, Shule must have been a forgiving man. When his older brother Corihor repented “of the many evils which he had done,” Shule gave him power in the kingdom. Corihor had many children, among them the ambitious Noah. Noah reverted to what his father had done and “drew away” many of the people in rebellion, including his brother. He was able to get part of the land and take Shule captive.
Rather than keeping Shule captive, Noah decided to kill him. But Shule’s own sons took steps to stop the execution—they broke into Noah’s house by night and killed him. They broke down the door where Shule was imprisoned and freed him. They placed Shule back on the throne in his part of the kingdom.
Noah’s son, Cohor continued to reign in the territory that Noah had gained, so there were two kingdoms.
Although Cohor tried to gain back Shule’s part of the land, he was unsuccessful.
The people who lived under Shule’s reign “did prosper exceedingly and wax great.”
Cohor went again to battle, trying to gain Shule’s kingdom. In the battle, Shule killed Cohor.
Next in the kingdom over which Cohor had reigned was his son, Nimrod. Unlike his greedy father, Nimrod gave the whole kingdom back to Shule, uniting the country under one rule. In appreciation, Shule rewarded Nimrod.
Although Shule was a righteous king, many of the people in the kingdom were wicked and idolatrous. The Lord had warned them that if the people grew ripe with iniquity, they would be swept from the land. In compassion, He sent prophets to warn the people that the land would be cursed if they continued their abominations.
The people retaliated against the prophets by mocking them and reviling them. King Shule executed laws protecting the prophets and the people were brought to repentance, and Shule had sons and daughters in his old age.
CHAPTER 9
Orihah, continued to reign in righteousness, had thirty-one children, and lived to an old age. The Lord blessed the people to multiply throughout the land.
Then Orihah’s youngest son, Kib, became the next king and also was apparently a good king, although we only have one verse telling of his early reign. He was captured and finally freed, and we have a bit more of his later life.
Corihor, son of Kib, grandson of Orihah, started trouble, He revived ancient traditions of disloyalty, deception, and lust for greed and power. He first rebelled against his father Kib, and went to live in a nearby land. He enticed others to join him; he then eventually gathered a large enough army to capture Kib and take over the throne.
Shule was born while his father Kib was a captive, but when Shule was old enough to know what Corihor had done to Kib, their father, he was angry at the injustice. Shule grew strong, both in body and mind. He got the kingdom back for his father Kib who was already old when he regained the kingdom, eventually turned the rule over to Shule. Shule was a righteous king and had a big family.
Among his other qualities, Shule must have been a forgiving man. When his older brother Corihor repented “of the many evils which he had done,” Shule gave him power in the kingdom. Corihor had many children, among them the ambitious Noah. Noah reverted to what his father had done and “drew away” many of the people in rebellion, including his brother. He was able to get part of the land and take Shule captive.
Rather than keeping Shule captive, Noah decided to kill him. But Shule’s own sons took steps to stop the execution—they broke into Noah’s house by night and killed him. They broke down the door where Shule was imprisoned and freed him. They placed Shule back on the throne in his part of the kingdom.
Noah’s son, Cohor continued to reign in the territory that Noah had gained, so there were two kingdoms.
Although Cohor tried to gain back Shule’s part of the land, he was unsuccessful.
The people who lived under Shule’s reign “did prosper exceedingly and wax great.”
Cohor went again to battle, trying to gain Shule’s kingdom. In the battle, Shule killed Cohor.
Next in the kingdom over which Cohor had reigned was his son, Nimrod. Unlike his greedy father, Nimrod gave the whole kingdom back to Shule, uniting the country under one rule. In appreciation, Shule rewarded Nimrod.
Although Shule was a righteous king, many of the people in the kingdom were wicked and idolatrous. The Lord had warned them that if the people grew ripe with iniquity, they would be swept from the land. In compassion, He sent prophets to warn the people that the land would be cursed if they continued their abominations.
The people retaliated against the prophets by mocking them and reviling them. King Shule executed laws protecting the prophets and the people were brought to repentance, and Shule had sons and daughters in his old age.