Ether 10

(All of my own thoughts are in blue 2020 red type 7/20 orange 8/21 Brown 2022-23)

ETHER 10

One king succeeds another—Some of the kings are righteous; others are wicked—When righteousness prevails, the people are blessed and prospered by the Lord.

  1 And it came to pass that Shez, who was a descendant of Heth—for ^aHeth had perished by the famine, and all his household save it were Shez—wherefore, Shez began to build up again a broken people. If your whole family dies by famine except you...seems like you would have very strong feelings about the power of God and the need to walk in His ways or suffer destruction. 
  2 And it came to pass that Shez did remember the destruction of his fathers, and he did build up a righteous kingdom; for he remembered what the Lord had done in bringing Jared and his brother ^aacross the deep; and he did walk in the ways of the Lord; and he begat sons and daughters. Remembering is key; especially the lessons of history. Go back to your roots. What has the Lord done for your ancestors that have brought you to where you are today? Let that gratitude move your feet to walk in the ways of the Lord - or you may repeat the hard lessons of history!

  3 And his eldest son, whose name was Shez, did ^arebel against him; nevertheless, Shez was smitten by the hand of a robber, because of his exceeding riches, which brought peace again unto his father. Really, oldest son? It was just your own father that was saved from famine and ALL your relatives were killed by it? Why was it so easy to not believe in the power of God for you? Look where your riches got you...dead.
  4 And it came to pass that his father did build up many cities upon the face of the land, and the people began again to spread over all the face of the land. And Shez did live to an exceedingly old age; and he begat Riplakish. And he died, and Riplakish reigned in his stead.
  5 And it came to pass that Riplakish did not do that which was right in the sight of the Lord, for he did have many wives and ^aconcubines, and did lay that upon men’s shoulders which was grievous to be borne; yea, he did ^btax them with heavy taxes; and with the taxes he did build many spacious buildings. Sounds like King Noah in the Book of Mormon. 

  6 And he did erect him an exceedingly beautiful throne; and he did build many prisons, and whoso would not be subject unto taxes he did ^acast into prison; and whoso was not able to pay taxes he did cast into prison; and he did cause that they should labor continually for their support; and whoso refused to labor he did cause to be put to death.

  7 Wherefore he did obtain all his fine work, yea, even his fine ^agold he did cause to be refined in prison; and all manner of fine ^bworkmanship he did cause to be wrought in prison. And it came to pass that he did afflict the people with his whoredoms and abominations.

  8 And when he had reigned for the space of forty and two years the people did rise up in rebellion against him; Seems like the Lord waits for us to get tired of our circumstances... and there began to be war again in the land, insomuch that Riplakish was killed, and his descendants were driven out of the land.

  9 And it came to pass after the space of many years, now who is in charge?  Morianton, (he being a descendant of Riplakish) gathered together an army of outcasts, and went forth and gave battle unto the people; and he gained power over many cities; and the war became exceedingly sore, and did last for the space of many years; and he did gain power over all the land, and did establish himself king over all the land.

 10 And after that he had established himself king he did ease the burden of the people, by which he did gain favor in the eyes of the people, and they did anoint him to be their king. Interesting distinction. What is significance of "anointing"? Seems like he first "declared" himself king, but later the people gave their consent.

 11 And he did do justice unto the people, but not unto himself because of his many ^awhoredoms; wherefore he was cut off from the presence of the Lord. I believe this is the most important part of the curse on this land - being cut off from the presence of the Lord. Here we have a man whose personal life isn’t righteous, but he is a fair ruler. Sounds a little like the accusations of Donald Trump. His personal life was questionable (at least before he was President) but he seemed to promote things that were for the good of the people. He was more vocal about God and prayer and Christians so I don’t think he was cut off from the Lord. I have heard that when he visited Welfare Square the First Presidency met him there and gave him a blessing...not sure if true...

 12 And it came to pass that Morianton built up many cities, and the people became exceedingly rich under his reign, both in buildings, and in ^agold and silver, and in raising grain, and in flocks, and herds, and such things which had been restored unto them. Were the people prosperous because they were righteous even though the king was not personally righteous? This makes me think of the current Pres. of our country. Many people do not like him "personally", but he has done good things for the people. This shows you can be "personally" cut off from the Lord and still do justice by your people.

 13 And Morianton did live to an exceedingly great age, and then he begat Kim; and Kim did reign in the stead of his father; and he did reign eight years, and his father died. And it came to pass that Kim did ^anot reign in righteousness, wherefore he was not favored of the Lord. The way this is worded, it sounds like Morianton did "reign in righteousness", again, even if he did not personally live a righteous life. Possible to do both. Is this saying his father was favored of the Lord? Was he just cut off from the presence of the Lord, but not His blessings? 

 14 And his brother did rise up in rebellion against him, by which he did bring him into ^acaptivity; and he did remain in captivity all his days; and he begat sons and daughters in captivity, and in his old age he begat Levi; and he died.

 15 And it came to pass that Levi did serve in captivity after the death of his father, for the space of forty and two years. And he did make war against the king of the land, by which he did obtain unto himself the kingdom.

 16 And after he had obtained unto himself the kingdom he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord; and the people did prosper in the land; and he did live to a good ^aold age, and begat sons and daughters; and he also begat Corom, whom he anointed king in his stead. Seems like this record is trying to establish the pattern of wickedness and righteousness from the kings and the influence on the people; thus our need to choose righteous leaders.

 17 And it came to pass that Corom did that which was good in the sight of the Lord all his days; and he begat many sons and daughters; and after he had seen many days he did pass away, even like unto the rest of the earth; and Kish reigned in his stead. Also seems to be establishing the reality, that after all one's desire for power and gain...you still ultimately end up dead like everyone else

 18 And it came to pass that Kish passed away also, and Lib reigned in his stead.

 19 And it came to pass that Lib also did that which was good in the sight of the Lord. And in the days of Lib the ^apoisonous serpents were destroyed. Wherefore they did go into the land southward, to hunt food for the people of the land, for the land was covered with animals of the forest. And Lib also himself became a great ^bhunter.

 20 And they built a great city by the ^anarrow neck of land, by the place where the sea divides the land.

 21 And they did preserve the land ^asouthward for a wilderness, to get game. The first "protected wilderness area" And the whole face of the land northward was covered with inhabitants.

 22 And they were exceedingly ^aindustrious, and they did buy and sell and traffic one with another, that they might get gain.

 23 And they did ^awork in all manner of ^bore, and they did make gold, and silver, and ^ciron, and ^dbrass, and all manner of metals; and they did dig it out of the earth; wherefore, they did cast up mighty heaps of earth  was this digging all done manually? They didn't have any machinery, right? to get ore, of gold, and of silver, and of iron, and of copper. And they did ^ework all manner of fine work.

 24 And they did have ^asilks, and fine-twined ^blinen; and they did work all manner of ^ccloth, that they might clothe themselves from their nakedness.

 25 And they did make all manner of tools to till the earth, both to plow and to sow, to reap and to hoe, and also to thrash.

 26 And they did make all manner of tools with which they did work their beasts.

 27 And they did make all manner of ^aweapons of war. And they did work all manner of work of exceedingly curious workmanship. "curious" to Mormon? Or does curious mean: "strange; unusual; made carefully"?

 28 And never could be a people more blessed than were they, and more prospered by the hand of the Lord. And they were in a land that was choice above all lands, for the Lord had spoken it. The blessing of the promised land, is that if you worship God, He is with you and the result of that is that you prosper temporally. When you are wicked, you lose His presence and then the riches are lost. There isn't any mention of churches, or prophets, or the gospel or baptism so far in all this history. It just says they "walked in the ways of the Lord" but not what the "ways" were...

 29 And it came to pass that Lib did live many years, and begat sons and daughters; and he also begat Hearthom.

 30 And it came to pass that Hearthom reigned in the stead of his father. And when Hearthom had reigned twenty and four years, behold, the kingdom was taken away from him. And he served many years in ^acaptivity, yea, even all the remainder of his days.

 31 And he begat Heth, and Heth lived in captivity all his days. And Heth begat Aaron, and Aaron dwelt in captivity all his days; and he begat Amnigaddah, and Amnigaddah also dwelt in captivity all his days; and he begat Coriantum, and Coriantum dwelt in captivity all his days; and he begat Com.

 32 And it came to pass that Com drew away the half of the kingdom. And he reigned over the half of the kingdom forty and two years; and he went to battle against the king, Amgid, and they fought for the space of many years, during which time Com gained power over Amgid, and obtained power over the remainder of the kingdom.

 33 And in the days of Com there began to be robbers in the land; and they adopted the old plans, and administered ^aoaths after the manner of the ancients, SECRET COMBINATIONS and sought again to destroy the kingdom. So much war and rebellion, and Secret Combinations. We know Mormon credits them for the complete destruction of the people.

 34 Now Com did fight against them much; nevertheless, he did not prevail against them.

Ether 9

 (All of my own thoughts are in blue 2020 red type 7/20 orange 8/21 brown 2022 -23) 

CHAPTER 9

The kingdom passes from one to another by descent, intrigue, and murder—Emer saw the Son of Righteousness—Many prophets cry repentance—A famine and poisonous serpents plague the people.

  1 And now I, Moroni, proceed with my record. Therefore, behold, it came to pass that because of the ^asecret combinations of Akish and his friends, behold, they did overthrow the kingdom of Omer. BECAUSE OF THE SECRET COMBINATIONS... How many times does Mormon pull this out of the record of Ether? 
  2 Nevertheless, the Lord was merciful unto Omer, and also to his sons and to his daughters who did not seek his destruction.
  3 And the Lord ^awarned Omer in a dream that he should depart out of the land; How many people would trust “a dream” that warned them to pick up and pack up and leave where they are living? We know Lehi did it. Would you have to have had experience with other dreams first or would the first and only dream be enough? wherefore Omer ^bdeparted out of the land with his family, and traveled many days, and came over and passed by the hill of ^cShim, and came over by the place ^dwhere the Nephites were destroyed, and from thence eastward, and came to a place which was called Ablom, by the seashore, and there he pitched his tent, and also his sons and his daughters, and all his household, save it were Jared and his family.
  4 And it came to pass that Jared was anointed king over the people, by the hand of wickedness; I believe our current president was “anointed king” by the hand of wickedness. Our presidents for a long time could have been put in the same way and we “knew it not”. More than ever, our presidents are acting like kings, ruling by “executive order” instead of the the legislature proposing and debating laws according to the will of the people and the president is there to “sign on” or veto and send it back for further discussion. But the president isn’t supposed to make laws. Our governors have gotten used to this kind of “ruling” during this pandemic as well. It’s not good. and he gave unto Akish his daughter to wife.
  5 And it came to pass that Akish ^asought the life of his father-in-law; and he applied unto those whom he had sworn by the ^boath of the ancients, SECRET COMBINATIONS and they obtained the head of his father-in-law, as he sat upon his throne, giving audience to his people. They killed him in front of everyone? 
  6 For so great had been the spreading of this wicked and secret society that it had corrupted the hearts of all the people; SECRET COMBINATION At some point, if it spreads to all the people...is it secret anymore? therefore Jared was murdered upon his throne, and Akish reigned in his stead. Did his wife care that he murdered her father? Maybe not, since she didn't care about human life...
  7 And it came to pass that Akish began to be ^ajealous of his son, therefore he shut him up in prison, and kept him upon little or no food until he had suffered death. completely evil and heartless! No family loyalty....
  8 And now the brother of him that suffered death, (and his name was Nimrah) was angry with his father because of that which his father had done unto his brother. A little family loyalty...
  9 And it came to pass that Nimrah gathered together a small number of men, and fled out of the land, and came over and dwelt with Omer.  How did he know where he was? Did Omer know from his dream where he’d be going? Did he tell others or send someone back to let them know? If he was “warned” to leave, why would he tell anyone where they were going? Was Nimrah “led” to the same place and just happen upon Omer? 
 10 And it came to pass that Akish begat other sons, and they won the hearts of the people, notwithstanding they had sworn unto him to do all manner of iniquity according to that which he desired. SECRET COMBINATION
 11 Now the people of Akish were desirous for gain, even as Akish was desirous for ^apower; wherefore, the sons of Akish did offer them ^bmoney, by which means they drew away the more part of the people after them. SECRET COMBINATION. No doubt that money is driving so much of the evil today. The people are desirous for gain and the ones paying them are the people desirous for power. 
 12 And there began to be a war between the sons of Akish and Akish, which lasted for the space of many years, yea, unto the destruction of nearly all the people of the kingdom, yea, even all, save it were thirty souls, and they who fled with the house of Omer. This is almost complete destruction! 30 souls left? What is the point of power if there is no one to control? and money if there is no one to be earn it for you? 
 13 Wherefore, Omer was restored again to the ^aland of his inheritance. Sounds safe to go back if there are only 30 people to contend with. 
 14 And it came to pass that Omer began to be old; nevertheless, in his old age he begat Emer; and he anointed Emer to be king to reign in his stead.
 15 And after that he had anointed Emer to be king he saw peace in the land for the space of two years, and he died, having seen exceedingly many days, which were full of sorrow. And it came to pass that Emer did reign in his stead, and did fill the steps of his father.
 16 And the Lord began again to take the curse from off the land, Evidence of “the curse” was the destruction of all the people (except 30) in that part of the land and the house of Emer did prosper exceedingly under the reign of Emer; and in the space of sixty and two years they had become exceedingly strong, insomuch that they became exceedingly rich—the opposite of “the curse” is prosperity. 
 17 Having ^aall manner of fruit, and of grain, and of ^bsilks, and of fine linen, and  of ^cgold, and of silver, and of precious things;
 18 And also ^aall manner of cattle, of oxen, and cows, and of sheep, and of swine, and of goats, and also many other kinds of animals which were useful for the food of man. This seems to support the eating of meat by man as meat as described as “useful for food”. 
 19 And they also had ^ahorses, and asses, and there were elephants and cureloms and cumoms; all of which were useful unto man, and more especially the elephants and cureloms and cumoms. Elephants...the one animal that doesn’t seem to to be one native to North America....were they once? Check out this article:(https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/1999/06/990607154315.htm) There seems to be archeological evidence that elephants and other animals that are extinct, were once here. Didn’t know that!
 20 And thus the Lord did pour out his blessings upon this land, which was choice above all other lands; and he commanded that whoso should possess the land should possess it unto the Lord, or they should be ^bdestroyed when they were ripened in iniquity; for upon such, saith the Lord: I will pour out the fulness of my wrath. WARNING FOR US! We just have to hold off the “fullness of iniquity” to keep from being totally destroyed. If we can’t, we’ll have to be “led away” so that God can fulfill his word to the wicked. 
 21 And Emer did execute judgment in righteousness all his days, and he begat many sons and daughters; and he begat Coriantum, and he anointed Coriantum to reign in his stead.
 22 And after he had anointed Coriantum to reign in his stead he lived four years, and he saw peace in the land; yea, and he even saw the ^aSon of Righteousness, and did rejoice and glory in his day; and he died in peace. We don’t have any record of the people having churches or temples but here were see Corantum saw Christ. How much was he given to know or commanded to do? 
 23 And it came to pass that Coriantum did walk in the steps of his father, and did build many mighty cities, and did administer that which was good unto his people in all his days. And it came to pass that he had no children  By choice? Sterile? even until he was exceedingly ^aold.
 24 And it came to pass that his wife died, he was married...was she infertile?  being an hundred and two years old. And it came to pass that Coriantum took to wife, in his old age, a young maid, and begat sons and daughters; wherefore he lived until he was an hundred and forty and two years old. So he wasn’t sterile. But he was faithful.... could an old man father children today? There are still living to a old age, but not as long as Noah.
 25 And it came to pass that he begat Com, and Com reigned in his stead; and he reigned forty and nine years, and he begat Heth; and he also begat other sons and daughters.
 26 And the people had spread again over all the face of the land, and there began again to be an exceedingly great wickedness upon the face of the land, and ^aHeth began to embrace the secret plans again of old, to destroy his father. SECRET COMBINATIONS
 27 And it came to pass that he did dethrone his father, for he slew him with his own sword; and he did reign in his stead. It seems like one of the sure signs of this SC is people killing their own family. When the NT says “father and against son” is this what it’s talking about? 
 28 And there came prophets in the land ^aagain, crying repentance unto them—that they must prepare the way of the Lord or there should come a curse upon the face of the land; What did "prepare the way of the Lord" mean to them? Was He coming? Was it about a personal coming? Or is it preparing the way of the Lord in their hearts? yea, even there should be a great famine, in which they should be destroyed if they did not repent. Seems like it is more merciful to die by famine than by sword...less scary. 
 29 But the people believed not the words of the prophets, but they cast them out; and some of them they cast into ^apits and left them to perish. And it came to pass that they did all these things according to the commandment of the king, Heth. evil king No "Daniel" or "Lehi/Nephi" type deliverance for these prophets?
 30 And it came to pass that there began to be a great ^adearth upon the land, and the inhabitants began to be destroyed exceedingly fast because of the dearth, for there was no rain upon the face of the earth. I'm thinking the speed of death was from no water, more than no food...
 31 And there came forth ^apoisonous serpents what were these? snakes? lizards? something else? also upon the face of the land, and did poison many people. And it came to pass that their flocks began to flee before the poisonous serpents, towards the land ^bsouthward, which was called by the Nephites ^cZarahemla. I’m wondering if the poisonous serpents are a natural phenomenon that follows famine? Is this why the scriptures that talk about “signs” that follow those that believe include the phrase about the poison of a serpent shall not harm you? 
 32 And it came to pass that there were many of them which did perish by the way; nevertheless, there were some which fled into the land southward.
 33 And it came to pass that the Lord did cause the ^aserpents that they should pursue them no more, but that they should hedge up the way that the people could not pass, that whoso should attempt to pass might fall by the poisonous serpents. Notice, "the Lord caused..."
 34 And it came to pass that the people did follow the course of the beasts, and did devour the ^acarcasses of them which fell by the way, until they had devoured them all. Now when the people saw that they must ^bperish they began to ^crepent of their iniquities and cry unto the Lord. The advantage of famine over war is that it gives people more time to repent...seems to usually work.
 35 And it came to pass that when they had ^ahumbled themselves sufficiently before the Lord he did send rain upon the face of the earth; and the people began to revive again, and there began to be fruit in the north countries, and in all the countries round about. And the Lord did show forth his power unto them in preserving them from famine. They could not doubt that they had no control over the rain. Today, man is trying to control the rain, but I don’t know if there is general awareness they are doing it. Seems like it might take longer for us to repent when there is no rain. We are in a drought and people are saying “pray for rain” but not so much “repent”.