Ether 6
Crossing the Waters
Ether 6:1–3
1 And now I, Moroni, proceed to give the record of Jared and his brother.
2 For it came to pass after the Lord had prepared the stones which the brother of Jared had carried up into the mount, the brother of Jared came down out of the mount, and he did put forth the stones into the vessels which were prepared, one in each end thereof; and behold, they did give light unto the vessels.
3 And thus the Lord caused stones to shine in darkness, to give light unto men, women, and children, that they might not cross the great waters in darkness.
Moroni understood that he had inserted himself and his interests into the story of the brother of Jared, and therefore, specifically marks the return to the text in verse 1. The quick conclusion to the story is that the brother of Jared descended the mountain with the stones that Yahweh had touched. They now provided light. While Moroni explains that “the Lord caused stones to shine in darkness, to give light unto men, women, and children,” we should read that statement as having dual intent. The first intent is just as he said. It was an event. The stones provided the light that they needed. However, it was also important that Yahweh had touched them, and the light of the world gave part of that light to the stones. In Ether 4:12, Yahweh had explained: “Behold, I am the Father, I am the light, and the life, and the truth of the world.” That is the unstated second meaning of verse 3.
Ether 6:4
4 And it came to pass that when they had prepared all manner of food, that thereby they might subsist upon the water, and also food for their flocks and herds, and whatsoever beast or animal or fowl that they should carry with them—and it came to pass that when they had done all these things they got aboard of their vessels or barges, and set forth into the sea, commending themselves unto the Lord their God.
There are old Jewish legends speaking of a stone giving light to Noah’s ark. This verse appears to similarly tap into the story of Noah. There is all manner of “flocks and herds, and whatsoever beast or animal or fowl that they should carry with them.” From a historical point of view, they certainly had to take with them food and water, and perhaps that was a reason to take live animals as a way to continually provide food during the long sea journey. However, the wording appears to imitate the ark story. Since we know from both Mosiah2 and Moroni that the early part of the record of Ether contained the old creation stories, it is probable that it also included the story of Noah, and this part would be an intentional echo that would tie this journey across the waters to Noah’s journey. Both preserved a people upon the waters.
Ether 6:5–8
5 And it came to pass that the Lord God caused that there should be a furious wind blow upon the face of the waters, towards the promised land; and thus they were tossed upon the waves of the sea before the wind.
6 And it came to pass that they were many times buried in the depths of the sea, because of the mountain waves which broke upon them, and also the great and terrible tempests which were caused by the fierceness of the wind.
7 And it came to pass that when they were buried in the deep there was no water that could hurt them, their vessels being tight like unto a dish, and also they were tight like unto the ark of Noah; therefore when they were encompassed about by many waters they did cry unto the Lord, and he did bring them forth again upon the top of the waters.
8 And it came to pass that the wind did never cease to blow towards the promised land while they were upon the waters; and thus they were driven forth before the wind.
The descriptions of the “furious wind” not only provide an explanation of how the vessels traveled, it underscores the divine assistance of the journey. Yahweh is the God of the earth and the elements, and particularly the seas. God had said as much in Ether 2:24: “for the winds have gone forth out of my mouth.”
This is an ancient connection. Robert Alter’s translation of Genesis 1:1 says, “When God began to create heaven and earth, and the earth then was welter and waste and darkness over the deep and God’s breath hovering over the waters, God said . . .” The power of the wind was used as a metaphor for God’s Spirit, a practice that continued in the New Testament. Therefore, when there is a wind propelling the vessels, we are to understand that it was God who drove them to their promised land.
Ether 6:9–10
9 And they did sing praises unto the Lord; yea, the brother of Jared did sing praises unto the Lord, and he did thank and praise the Lord all the day long; and when the night came, they did not cease to praise the Lord.
10 And thus they were driven forth; and no monster of the sea could break them, neither whale that could mar them; and they did have light continually, whether it was above the water or under the water.
These two verses reinforce the concept that it was God who moved and protected them. The people of Jared recognize God’s hand, and therefore sing his praises. Not only were they driven by the wind (indicating God’s spirit moving them), but they were not affected by any monster of the sea. Yahweh was the God who, in the old stories, had defeated the water monster Rahab.
They were physically protected, and they understood that they owed it to their God.
Arrival in the Land of Promise
Ether 6:11–13
11 And thus they were driven forth, three hundred and forty and four days upon the water.
12 And they did land upon the shore of the promised land. And when they had set their feet upon the shores of the promised land they bowed themselves down upon the face of the land, and did humble themselves before the Lord, and did shed tears of joy before the Lord, because of the multitude of his tender mercies over them.
13 And it came to pass that they went forth upon the face of the land, and began to till the earth.
Note the similarities between this terse explanation of crossing the waters and landing with the similar event that preceded the establishment of the Nephite nation:
And it came to pass that I, Nephi, did guide the ship, that we sailed again towards the promised land. And it came to pass that after we had sailed for the space of many days we did arrive at the promised land; and we went forth upon the land, and did pitch our tents; and we did call it the promised land. And it came to pass that we did begin to till the earth, and we began to plant seeds; yea, we did put all our seeds into the earth, which we had brought from the land of Jerusalem. And it came to pass that they did grow exceedingly; wherefore, we were blessed in abundance (1 Nephi 18:22–24).
In both cases, there is very little mentioned about the actual journey, and the indication of the success of the journey is that both peoples began to till the earth. In both cases, the intent is to indicate that they arrived safely, and that their promised land would supply their needs, represented by being able to start a new civilization by planting both food, and themselves, in the land.
Ether 6:14–18
14 And Jared had four sons; and they were called Jacom, and Gilgah, and Mahah, and Orihah.
15 And the brother of Jared also begat sons and daughters.
16 And the friends of Jared and his brother were in number about twenty and two souls; and they also begat sons and daughters before they came to the promised land; and therefore they began to be many.
17 And they were taught to walk humbly before the Lord; and they were also taught from on high.
18 And it came to pass that they began to spread upon the face of the land, and to multiply and to till the earth; and they did wax strong in the land.
The origin story of the Jaredites continues with further evidence that they prospered in their new land. They multiplied. They “were taught to walk humbly before the Lord,” which allowed them to fulfill their part of the covenant of the land. Therefore, they prospered and “they began to spread upon the face of the land, and to multiply and to till the earth.”
Choosing a King
Ether 6:19–21
19 And the brother of Jared began to be old, and saw that he must soon go down to the grave; wherefore he said unto Jared: Let us gather together our people that we may number them, that we may know of them what they will desire of us before we go down to our graves.
20 And accordingly the people were gathered together. Now the number of the sons and the daughters of the brother of Jared were twenty and two souls; and the number of sons and daughters of Jared were twelve, he having four sons.
21 And it came to pass that they did number their people; and after that they had numbered them, they did desire of them the things which they would that they should do before they went down to their graves.
The genesis story of the Jaredite people arrives at the important part of the story. Jared “began to be old,” a phrase we see in the Book of Mormon, which indicates that the patriarch is on his deathbed. This is the story of the transition from a single family (and friends) to larger divisions that would still trace their origin back to Jared. It is a parallel to the delineation of the tribal affiliations which we saw as Lehi1 gathered his family and blessed them according to what became a standard tribal identification system.
Ether 6:22–24
22 And it came to pass that the people desired of them that they should anoint one of their sons to be a king over them.
23 And now behold, this was grievous unto them. And the brother of Jared said unto them: Surely this thing leadeth into captivity.
24 But Jared said unto his brother: Suffer them that they may have a king. And therefore he said unto them: Choose ye out from among our sons a king, even whom ye will.
Either the record of Jared echoed a similar hesitation for a king like unto what Nephi1 had, or we have a translation colored by Nephite history. Both are possible. The people desire a king, and the brother of Jared cautions against it.
Jared, who has a ruler over him, tells his brother: “Suffer them that they may have a king.” It was understood that the king would be declared from Jared’s lineage.
Reigns and Rebellions of Orihah, Kib, and Corihor
Ether 6:25–30
25 And it came to pass that they chose even the firstborn of the brother of Jared; and his name was Pagag. And it came to pass that he refused and would not be their king. And the people would that his father should constrain him, but his father would not; and he commanded them that they should constrain no man to be their king.
26 And it came to pass that they chose all the brothers of Pagag, and they would not.
27 And it came to pass that neither would the sons of Jared, even all save it were one; and Orihah was anointed to be king over the people.
28 And he began to reign, and the people began to prosper; and they became exceedingly rich.
29 And it came to pass that Jared died, and his brother also.
30 And it came to pass that Orihah did walk humbly before the Lord, and did remember how great things the Lord had done for his father, and also taught his people how great things the Lord had done for their fathers.
The brother of Jared’s hesitation to have a king may have influenced most of Jared’s sons to refuse the position of becoming king. While this event has similarities to the episode of the sons of Mosiah2 also declining to become king, there is no implication in this record that the reason was that they had a higher purpose in mind. In this case, we are simply left to guess why they declined.
Orihah accepts. Even though he was not the firstborn, he accepted the position. It was not a question of righteousness, however, for Orihah “did walk humbly before the Lord, and did remember how great things the Lord had done for his father.” The Jaredite nation, therefore, begins with a righteous king.
This is not the end of a chapter in the 1830 edition of the Book of Mormon.
