Ether’s Book

Ether 1

Sorry for the out of context placement.

I am Moroni and this is the story of God’s ancient victims in the north country. My source material: twenty-four plates Limhi’s people found in Mosiah’s time, a book named “Ether’s Book.”

The prologue, i.e., Adam, et al., to the Tower of Babel, is in the brass plates. No point rehashing it here. This book traces the aftermath. It’s brief, but punched up and direct.

The obligatory genealogy, with a few gaps noted:

The author, Ether, descended from Corantor,

son of Moron

son of Ethem

son of Ahah

son of Seth

son of Shiblon

son of Com

son of Coriantum

son of Amnigaddah

son of Aaron

descendant of Heth

son of Hearthom

son of Lib

son of Kish

son of Corom

son of Levi

son of Kim

son of Morianton

descendant of Riplakish

son of Shez

son of Heth

son of Com

son of Coriantum

son of Emer

son of Omer

son of Shule

son of Kib

son of Orihah

son of Jared.

He’s the first one we want to talk about.

Jared left the bustling Tower neighborhood with his brother and their families and their families’ families right when God stirred up the language pot and booted people across the known tribal borders.

Actually, the interesting guy here isn’t Jared, it’s his brother. Nobody knows his name. It’s just “Jared’s brother” from here on out. Some people like cult hero branding.

He was that sort. A burly ox of a man, God-favored, so he was always getting asked to win God over to this or that cause. Jared asked his brother to ask God if he’d let this group of emigrants keep their old language in perpetuity. Things were already confusing enough around the dinner table. A new language would smash whatever good relationships they’d managed to craft.

So Jared’s brother prayed, God complied, and it was on to the next exploitation of God’s niceness.

Jared said to his brother, “Ask God to let our friends keep their language too.”

Jared’s brother did, God complied, and the next favor-quest entered the chute.

Jared said to his brother, “Ask God where we’re supposed to go now. And put in a good plug for us to go to the best place on earth. Oh, and ask him to sign the deed over to us for eternity.”

Jared’s brother did, and God answered this way: “You and your friends go leash up your herds, cage your flocks, and bag up every seed you can find. Then head north into a valley where I’ll meet you and arrange for your departure to the best place on earth. I have a plan, though it depends mostly on you for success. Let’s just say the premise is that you will not only go to the best place on earth, you’ll be the best people on earth. Why am I doing this? Because I have this bizarre favoritism toward you, Jared’s brother. I know I’m supposed to treat everyone the same, but I’m not quite there yet. Call me irresponsible. But keep calling me.”