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57 - Book of Mormon - Joseph Smith Jr · Sacred Texts Archive

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Ether Chapter five. And now I, Marona, I have written the words
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which were commanded me according to my memory. And I have told you the
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things which I have sealed up. Therefore touch them not in order that ye
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may translate, for that thing is forbidden you, except by and by it
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shall be wisdom in God. And behold, ye may be privileged that ye
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may show the plates unto those who shall assist to bring forth this work,
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and unto three shall they be shewn by the power of God. Wherefore they
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shall know of a surety that these things are true. And in the mouth
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of three witnesses shall these things be established. And the testimony of three and
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this work in the which shall be shown forth the power of God, and
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also His word, of which the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost
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bear record. And all this shall stand as a testimony against the world at
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the last day. And if it so be that they repent and come unto
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the Father in the name of Jesus, they shall be received into the Kingdom
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of God. And now, if I have no authority for these things,
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judge ye, for ye shall know that I have authority when ye shall see
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me, and we shall stand before God at the last day, Amen Ether
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chapter six. And now I Marona, I proceed to give the record of
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Jared and his brother. For it came to pass that after the Lord had
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prepared the stones, which the brother of Jared had carried up into the mount,
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the brother of Jared came down out of the mount, and he did
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put forth the stones into the vessels, which were prepared, one in each
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end thereof. And behold, they did give light unto the vessels. And
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thus the Lord caused stones to shine in darkness, to give light unto men,
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women and children, that they might not cross the great waters in darkness.
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And it came to pass that when they had prepared all manner of food,
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that thereby they might subsist upon the water, and also food for their
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flocks and herds, and whatsoever beasts or animal or fowl, that they should
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carry with them. And it came to pass that when they had done all
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these things, they got aboard of their vessels or barges, and set forth
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into the sea, commending themselves unto the Lord their God. And it came
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to pass that the Lord God caused that there should be a furious wind blow
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upon the face of the waters towards the promised Land. And thus they were
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tossed upon the waves of the sea before the wind. And it came to
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pass that they were many times buried in the depths of the sea because of
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the mountain waves which broke upon them, and also the great and terrible tempests
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which were caused by the fierceness of the wind. And it came to pass
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that when they were buried in the deep, there was no water that could
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hurt them, their vessels being tight like unto a dish. And also they
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were tight like unto the ark of Noah. Therefore, when they were encompassed
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about by many waters, they did cry unto the Lord, and he did
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bring them forth again upon the top of the waters. And it came to
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pass that the wind did never cease to blow towards the promised land while they
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were upon the waters. And thus they were driven forth before the wind.
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And they did sing praises unto the Lord. Yea, the brother of Jared,
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did sing praises unto the Lord. And he did thank and praise the
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Lord all the day long, And when the night came, they did not
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cease to praise the Lord. And thus they were driven forth, and no
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monster of the sea could break them, neither wail that could mar them.
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And they did have light continually, whether it was above the water or under
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the water. And thus they were driven forth three hundred and forty and four
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days upon the water, and they did land upon the shore of the Promised
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Land. And when they had set their feet upon the shores of the Promised
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Land, they bowed themselves down upon the face of the land, and did
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humble themselves before the Lord, and had shed tears of joy before the Lord
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because of the multitude of his tender mercies over them. And it came to
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pass that they went forth upon the face of the land and began to till
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the earth. And Jared had four sons, and they were called Jacob and
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Gilga, and Maha and Oraihah. And the brother of Jared also begat sons
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and daughters. And the friends of Jared and his brother were in number about
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twenty and two souls, and they also begat sons and daughters before they came
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to the Promised Land. And therefore they began to be many. And they
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were taught to walk humbly before the Lord. And they were also taught from
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on high, and it king to pass that they began to spread upon the
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face of the land, and to multiply, and to till the earth.
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And they did wax strong in the land. And the brother of Jared began
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to be old, and saw that he must soon go down to the grave.
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Wherefore he said, unto Jared, let us gather together our people,
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that we may number them, that we may know of them what they will
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desire of us, before we go down to our graves. And accordingly the
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people were gathered together. Now the number of the sons and the daughters of
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the brother of Jared were twenty and two souls, and the number of sons
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and daughters of Jared were twelve, he having four sons. And it came
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to pass that they did number their people. And after that they had numbered
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them, they did desire of them the things which they would that they should
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do before they went down to their graves. And it came to pass that
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the people desired of them that they should annoint one of their sons to be
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a king over them. And now behold, this was grievous unto them,
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And the brother of Jared said, unto them, surely this thing leadeth into
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captivity. But Jared said, unto his brother, suffer them that they may
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have a king. And therefore he said, unto them, choosey out from
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among our sons a king, even whom you will. And it came to
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pass that they chose even the first born of the brother of Jared, and
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his name was Pagag. And it came to pass that he refused and would
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not be their king. And the people would that his father should constrain him,
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but his father would not, and he commanded them that they should constrain
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no man to be their king. And it came to pass that they chose
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all the brothers of Pagag, and they would not. And it came to
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pass that neither were the sons of Jared, even all save it were one.
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And Oraihah was anointed to be king over the people, and he began
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to reign, and the people began to prosper, and they became exceedingly rich.
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And it came to pass that Jared died, and his brother also,
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And it came to pass that Araiha did walk humbly before the Lord and did
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remember how great things the Lord had done for his father, and also taught
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his people how great things the Lord had done for their fathers Ether chapter seven.
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And it came to pass that Ouri had did execute judgment upon the land
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in righteousness all his days, whose days were exceedingly many, and he begat
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sons and daughters. Yea, he begat thirty and one, among whom were
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twenty and three sons. And it came to pass that he also begat KiB
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in his old age. And it came to pass that KiB reigned in his
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stead, and KiB begat Korihor. And when Korihor was thirty and two years
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old, he rebelled against his father and went over and dwelt in the land
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of Nihor, and he begat sons and daughters, and they became exceedingly fair.
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Wherefore Korihor drew away many people after him. And when he had gathered
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together an army, he came up unto the land of Morn where the king
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dwelt, and took him captive, which brought to pass the saying of the
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brother of Jared, that they would be brought into captivity. Now the land
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of Morn where the king dwelt, was near the land which is called desolation
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by the Nephites. And it came to pass that KiB dwelt in captivity,
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and his people under Korihor, his son, until he became exceedingly old.
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Nevertheless, KiB begat Schul in his old age, while he was yet in
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captivity, and it came to pass that Shul was angry with his brother.
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And Shul waxed strong and became mighty as to the strength of a man.
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And he was also mighty in judgment. Wherefore he came to the hill Ephraim,
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and he did molten out of the hill and made swords out of steel
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for those whom he had drawn away with him. And after he had armed
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them with swords, he returned to the city Nihor and gave battle unto his
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brother Korihor, by which means he obtained the kingdom and restored it unto his
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father KiB And now, because of the thing which Shul had done, his
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father bestowed upon him the kingdom. Therefore he began to reign in the stead
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of his father. And it came to pass that he did execute judgment in
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righteousness, and he did spread his kingdom upon all the face of the land.
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For the people had become exceedingly numerous, and it came to pass that
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Shul also begat many sons and daughters, and Korihor repented of the many evils
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which he had done. Wherefore Shul gave him power in his kingdom. And
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it came to pass that Korihor had many sons and daughters. And among the
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sons of Korihor, there was one whose name was Noah. And it came
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to pass that Noah rebelled against Shul the King and also his father Korihor,
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and drew away Kohor, his brother, and also all his brotherren and many
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of the people. And he gave battle unto Shul the King, in which
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he did obtain the land of their first inheritance, and he became a king
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over that part of the land. And it came to pass that he gave
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battle again unto Shul the King, and he took Shul the King and carried
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him away captive into Moron. And it came to pass as he was about
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to put him to death, the sons of Shul crept into the house of
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Noah by night and slew him and broke down the door of the prison and
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brought out their father and placed him upon his throne in his own kingdom.
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Wherefore the son of Noah did build up his kingdom in his stead. Nevertheless,
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they did not gain power any more over. Shul the King and the
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people who were under the reign of Shul the King did prosper exceedingly and wax
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great. And the country was divided, and there were two kingdoms, the
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Kingdom of Shul and the kingdom of Kohor, the son of Noah. And
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Kohor, the son of Noah, caused that his people should give battle unto
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Shul, in which Shul did beat them and did slay Kohor. And now
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Kohor had a son who was called Nimrad. And Nimrad gave up the kingdom
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of Kohor unto Shul, and he did gain favor in the eyes of Shul.
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Wherefore Shul did bestow great upon him, and he did doe in the
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Kingdom of Shule according to his desires. And also in the reign of Schule.
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There came prophets among the people who were sent from the Lord, prophesying
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that the wickedness and idolatry of the people was bringing a curse upon the land,
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and they should be destroyed if they did not repent. And it came
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to pass that the people did revile against the prophets and did mock them.
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And it came to pass that King Shul did execute judgment against all those who
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did revile against the prophets. And he did execute a law throughout all the
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land which gave power unto the prophets, that they should go whithersoever they would.
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And by this cause the people were brought unto repentance. And because the
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people did repent of their iniquities and idolatries, the Lord did spare them,
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and they began to prosper again in the land. And it came to pass
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that Shul begat sons and daughters in his old age, and there were no
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more wars in the days of Schule. And he remembered the great things that
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the Lord had done for his fathers and bringing them across the great deep into
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the promised land. Wherefore he did execute judgment and righteousness all his days Ether
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chapter eight. And it came to pass that he begat Omer, and Omer
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reigned in his stead, and Omer begat Jared, and Jared begat sons and
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daughters, and Jared rebelled against his father and came and dwelt in the land
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of Heath. And it came to pass that he did flatter many people because
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of his cunning words, until he had gained the half of the kingdom.
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And when he had gained the half of the kingdom, he gave battle unto
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his father, and he did carry away his father into captivity, and did
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make him serve in captivity. And now in the days of the reigns of
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Omer, he was in captivity the half of his days. And it came
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to pass that he begat sons and daughters, among whom were Ezram and Coriantomer.
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And they were exceedingly angry because of the doings of Jared, their brother,
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insomuch that they did raise an army and gave battle unto Jered. And
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it came to pass that they did give battle unto him by night. And
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it came to pass that when they had slain the army of Jared, they
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were about to slay him also, and he pled with them that they would
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not slay him, and he would give up the kingdom unto his father.
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And it came to pass that they did grant unto him his life. And
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now Jered became exceedingly sorrowful because of the loss of the kingdom, for he
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had set his heart upon the kingdom and upon the glory of the world.
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Now, the daughter of Jared, being exceedingly expert, and seeing the sorrows
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of her father, thought to devise a plan whereby she could redeem the kingdom
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unto her father. Now, the daughter of Jared was exceedingly fair, and
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it came to pass that she to talk with her father, and said,
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unto him, whereby hath my father so much sorrow? Hath he not read
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the record which our fathers brought across the great deep? Behold, is there
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not an account concerning them of old, that they, by their secret plans
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did obtain kingdoms and great glory. And now therefore let my father send for
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Akish, the son of Kymnor. And behold, I am fair, and
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I will dance before him, and I will please him that he will desire
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me to wife. Wherefore, if he shall desire of thee that ye shall
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give unto him me to wife, then shall ye say, I will give
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her if ye will bring unto me the head of my father, the king
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and now Omer was a friend to Akish. Wherefore, when Jared had sent
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for Akish, the daughter of Jared danced before him that she pleased him insomuch
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that he desired her to wife. And it came to pass that he said,
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unto Jared, give her unto me to wife. And Jared said,
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unto him, I will give her unto you, if ye will bring unto
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me the head of my father, the king. And it came to pass
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that Akish gathered in unto the house of Jared all his kinsfolk, and said,
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unto them, will ye swear unto me that ye will be faithful unto
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me in the thing which I shall desire of you. And it came to
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pass that they all swear unto him by the God of heaven, and also
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by the heavens, and also by the earth, and by their heads,
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that whoso should vary from the assistance which Akish desired should lose his head,
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and whoso should divulge whatsoever thing Akish made known unto them, the same should
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lose his life. And it came to pass that thus they did agree with
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Akish, and AKSh did administer unto them the oaths which were given by them
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of old, who also sought power, which had been handed down even from
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Cain, who was a murderer from the beginning. And they were kept up
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by the power or of the devil, to administer these oaths unto the people,
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to keep them in darkness, to help such as sought power, to
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gain power, and to murder, and to plunder, and to lie,
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and to commit all manner of wickedness and hortoms. And it was the daughter
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of Jared who put it into his heart to search up these things of old,
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And Jared put it into the heart of Akish. Wherefore Akish administered it
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unto his kindred and friends, leading them away by fair promises to do whatsoever
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thing he desired. And it came to pass that they formed a secret combination,
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even as they of old, which combination is most abominable and wicked above
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all in the sight of God. For the Lord worketh not in secret combinations.
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Neither doth he will that man should shed blood. But in all things
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hath forbidden it from the beginning of man. And now I, moron,
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I do not write the manner of their oaths and combinations, for it hath
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been made known unto me that they are had among all people, and they
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are had among the Lamanites. And they have caused the destruction of this people
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of whom I am now speaking, and also the destruction of the people of
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Nephi. And whatsoever nation shall uphold such secret combinations to get power and gain,
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until they shall spread over the nation. Behold, they shall be destroyed.
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For the Lord will not suffer that the blood of his saints, which
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shall be shed by them, shall always cry unto him from the ground for
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vengeance upon them. And yet he avenge them not. Wherefore, o,
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ye gentiles, it is wisdom in God that these things should be shown unto
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you, that thereby ye may repent of your sins and suffer. Not that
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these murderous combinations shall get above you, which are built up to get power
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and gain. And the work, yea, even the work of destruction come
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upon you. Yea, even the sword of the justice of the Eternal God
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shall fall upon you to your overthrow and destruction, if ye shall suffer these
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things to be. Wherefore, the Lord commandeth you, when ye shall see
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these things come among you, that ye shall awake to a sense of your
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awful situation because of this secret combination which shall be among you, or woe
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be unto it, because of the blood of them who have been slain.
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For they cry from the dust for vengeance upon it, and also upon those
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who built it up. For it cometh to pass that whoso buildeth it up
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seeketh to overthrow the freedom of all lands, nations, and countries. And
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it bringeth to pass the destruction of all people. For it is built up
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by the devil, who is the father of all lies, even that same
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liar who beguiled our first parents. Yea, even that same liar who hath
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caused man to commit murder from the beginning, who hath hardened the hearts of
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men, that they have murdered the prophets, and stoned them and cast them
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out from the beginning. Wherefore, I, Marona, I am commanded to
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write these things, that evil may be done away, and that the time
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may come that Satan may have no power upon the hearts of the children of
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men, but that they may be persuaded to do good continually, that they
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may come unto the fountain of all righteousness and be saved. Ether Chapter nine.
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And now I, Marona, I proceed with my record. Therefore behold
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it came to pass that because of the secret combinations of Akish and his friends,
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behold, they did overthrow the kingdom of Omer. Nevertheless, the Lord
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was merciful unto Omer, and also to his sons and to his daughters,
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who did not seek his destruction. And the Lord warned Omer in a dream
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that he should depart out of the land. Wherefore Omer departed out of the
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land with his family, and traveled many days, and came over and passed
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by the Hill of Shim, and came over by the place where the Nephites
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were destroyed, and from thence eastward and came to a place which was called
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Ablam by the sea shore. And there he pitched his tent, and also
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his sons and his daughters, and all his household save it were Jered in
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his family. And it came to pass that Jered was anointed king over the
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people by the hand of wickedness, and he gave unto Akish his daughter to
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wife. And it came to pass that Akish sought the life of his father
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in law, and he applied unto those whom he had sworn by the oath
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of the ancients, and they obtained the head of his father in law,
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as he sat upon his throne giving audience to his people. For so great
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had been the spreading of this wicked and secret society that it had corrupted the
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hearts of all the people. Therefore, Jered was murder upon his throne,
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and Akish reigned in his stead. And it came to pass that Akish began
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to be jealous of his son. Therefore he shut him up in prison and
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kept him upon little or no food, until he had suffered death. And
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now the brother of him that suffered death, and his name was Nimrah,
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was angry with his father because of that which his father had done unto his
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brother. And it came to pass that Nimrah gathered together a small number of
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men and fled out of the land and came over and dwelt with Omer.
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And it came to pass that Akish begat other sons, and they won the
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hearts of the people, notwithstanding they had sworn unto him to do all manner
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of iniquity according to that which he desired. Now, the people of Akish
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were desirous for gain, even as Akish was desirous for power. Wherefore the
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sons of Akish did offer them money, by which means they drew away the
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more part of the people after them, and there began to be a war
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between the sons of Akish and Akish, which lasted for the space of many
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years. Yea, unto the destruction of nearly all the people of the kingdom.
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Yea, even all save it were thirty souls, and they who fled
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with the house of Omer. Wherefore Omer was restored again to the land of
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his inheritance. And it came to pass that Omer began to be old.
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Nevertheless, in his old age, he begat Emer, and he anointed Emr
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to be king, to reign in his stead. And after that he had
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anointed Emer to be king. He saw peace in the land for the space
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of two years, and he died having seen exceedingly many days which were full
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of sorrow. And it came to pass that Emer did reign in his stead
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and did fill the steps of his father, and the Lord began again to
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take the curse from off the land. And the house of Emer did prosper
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exceedingly under the reign of Emer, And in the space of sixty and two
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years they had become exceedingly strong, insomuch that they became exceedingly rich, having
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all manner of fruit and of grain, and of silks, and of fine
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linen, and of gold, and of silver, and of precious things,
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and also all manner of cattle, of oxen and cows, and of sheep,
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and of swine, and of goats, and also many other kinds of
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animals, which were useful for the food of man. And they also had
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horses and asses. And there were elephants and culums and coumams, all of
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which were useful unto man, and more especially the elephants and culams and cumums.
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And thus the Lord did pour out his blessings upon this land, which
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was choice above all other lands. And he commanded that whoso should possess the
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land should possess it unto the Lord, or they should be destroyed when they
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were ripened in iniquity. For upon such saith, the Lord I will pour
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out the fullness of my wrath. And Emer did execute judgment in righteousness all
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his days. And he begat many sons and daughters, and he begat Coriantum,
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and he anointed Coriantum to reign in his stead. And after he had
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anointed Coriantum to reign in his stead. He lived four years, and he
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saw peace in the land Yea, and he even saw the Son of Righteousness,
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and did rejoice and glory in his day. And he died in peace.
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And it came to pass that Coriantum did walk in the steps of his
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father, and did build many my mighty cities, and did administer that which
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was good unto his people in all his days. And it came to pass
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that he had no children even until he was exceedingly old. And it came
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to pass that his wife died, being an hundred and two years old.
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And it came to pass that Coriantum took to wife, in his old age,
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a young maid, and begat sons and daughters. Wherefore he lived until
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he was an hundred and forty and two years old, and it came to
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pass that he begat Comb, and Combe reigned in his stead, and he
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reigned forty and nine years, and he begat Heath, and he also begat
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other sons and daughters. And the people had spread again over all the face
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of the land, and there began again to be in exceedingly great wickedness upon
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the face of the land, and Heath began to embrace the secret plans again
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of old to destroy his father. And it came to pass that he did
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dethrone his father, for he slew him with his own sword, and he
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did reign in his stead. And there came prophets in the land again,
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crying repentance, unto them, that they must prepare the way of the Lord,
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or there should come a curse upon the face of the land. Yea,
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even there should be a great famine in which they should be destroyed if
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they did not repent. But the people believed not the words of the prophets,
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and they cast them out, and some of them they cast into pits
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and left them to perish. And it came to pass that they did all
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these things according to the commandment of the King Heth. And it came to
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pass that there began to be a great dearth upon the land, and the
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inhabitants began to be destroyed exceedingly fast because of the dearth, for there was
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no rain upon the face of the earth. And there came forth poisonous serpents
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also upon the face of the land, and did poison many people. And
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it came to pass that their flocks began to flee before the poisonous serpents towards
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the land southward, which was called by the Nephites Zarahemla. And it came
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to pass that there were many of them which did perish by the way.
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Nevertheless, there were some which fled into the land southward. And it came
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to pass that the Lord did cause the serpents that they should pursue them no
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more, but that they would hedge up the way that the people could not
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pass, that whoso should attempt to pass might fall by the poisonous serpents.
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And it came to pass that the people did follow the course of the beasts
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and did devour the carcasses of them which fell by the way, until they
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had devoured them all. Now, when the people saw that they must perish,
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they began to repent of their iniquities and cry unto the Lord. And
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it came to pass that when they had humbled themselves sufficiently before the Lord,
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he did send rain upon the face of the earth. And the people began
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to revive again, and there began to be fruit in the north countries and
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in all the countries round about. And the Lord did show forth his power
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unto them in preserving them from famine. End of Ether, Chapters five through nine,