# Ether 10

*Paraphrase*

### Shez Rebuilds a Broken People

Shez was a descendant of Heth. When Heth and his entire household died in the famine—except for Shez—this survivor set out to rebuild a broken people. Shez remembered what had destroyed his ancestors. He built up a kingdom founded on righteousness. He remembered how the Lord had brought Jared and his brother across the ocean, and he walked in the Lord’s ways. He had many sons and daughters. His oldest son—also named Shez—rebelled against him. But the son was killed by a robber who wanted his wealth, and that brought peace back to his father’s kingdom. The father built many cities across the land, and people spread out everywhere again. Shez lived to be very old. He had a son named Riplakish, and then he died. Riplakish took the throne.

### Riplakish’s Tyranny

Riplakish didn’t do what was right in the Lord’s eyes. He took many wives and concubines. He put crushing burdens on his people—taxing them heavily so he could build extravagant palaces. He built himself a magnificent throne and many prisons. Anyone who wouldn’t pay taxes got thrown in prison. Anyone who couldn’t pay taxes got thrown in prison. He forced them to work constantly just to survive. Anyone who refused to work was executed. That’s how he got all his luxury—even his fine gold was refined by prison labor. Every kind of skilled craftsmanship came from prisoners. He oppressed the people with his sexual immorality and other corruptions. After forty-two years of his rule, the people rose up in rebellion. War broke out again. Riplakish was killed, and his descendants were driven from the land.

### Morianton Seizes Power

Many years later, a man named Morianton—a descendant of Riplakish—gathered an army of outcasts and attacked. He conquered many cities. The war was brutal and lasted for years. Eventually he gained control of the entire land and declared himself king. Once he’d established his rule, he lightened the people’s burdens. This won their favor, and they officially anointed him as their king. He brought justice to the people, but not to himself. His many affairs cut him off from the Lord’s presence. Morianton built many cities. Under his rule, the people became wealthy—constructing buildings, accumulating gold and silver, growing crops, raising livestock, and recovering all they had lost.

### Generations of Captivity

Morianton lived to a very old age. Then he had a son named Kim, who took the throne. Kim ruled for eight years, and then his father died. Kim didn’t rule righteously, so the Lord didn’t bless him. Kim’s brother rebelled and captured him. Kim spent the rest of his life in captivity. He had sons and daughters while imprisoned, and in his old age he had a son named Levi. Then he died. Levi also served in captivity after his father’s death—for forty-two years. Then he waged war against the king and won the kingdom for himself.

Once he had the throne, he did what was right in the Lord’s eyes. The people thrived. He lived to a good old age and had many sons and daughters. He also had a son named Corom, whom he anointed to rule after him. Corom did what was good in the Lord’s eyes all his days. He had many sons and daughters. After living a long life, he passed away like everyone else, and Kish took the throne. Kish also died, and Lib became king.

### A Time of Prosperity

Lib also did what was good in the Lord’s eyes. During his reign, the poisonous snakes were destroyed. So the people could travel south to hunt game—the land was full of wild animals. Lib himself became a great hunter. They built a great city by the narrow strip of land where the sea divides the territory. They kept the southern land wild for hunting. The entire northern territory was filled with inhabitants.

They were incredibly industrious. They bought and sold and traded with each other to make profit. They worked with every kind of ore. They made gold, silver, iron, brass, and all kinds of metals. They dug them out of the earth, piling up huge mounds of dirt to mine gold, silver, iron, and copper. They did all kinds of fine metalwork. They had silk and fine linen. They wove every kind of fabric to clothe themselves. They made every kind of farming tool—plows for tilling, tools for sowing, reaping, hoeing, and threshing. They made tools for working with livestock. They made all kinds of weapons of war. They crafted work of extraordinary artistry. No people could have been more blessed or more prosperous than they were under the Lord’s hand. They lived in the choicest land anywhere, just as the Lord had promised.

Lib lived many years and had many sons and daughters. He also had a son named Hearthom.

### The Kingdom Changes Hands

Hearthom took the throne after his father. But after twenty-four years, the kingdom was taken from him. He spent many years in captivity—all the rest of his days, in fact. He had a son named Heth, and Heth lived his whole life in captivity. Heth had a son named Aaron, and Aaron lived his whole life in captivity. Aaron had a son named Amnigaddah, and Amnigaddah lived his whole life in captivity. Amnigaddah had a son named Coriantum, and Coriantum lived his whole life in captivity. Coriantum had a son named Com.

Com pulled away half the kingdom. He ruled over that half for forty-two years. Then he went to war against King Amgid. They fought for many years, and Com gained power over Amgid and took control of the rest of the kingdom. During Com’s reign, robbers appeared in the land. They revived the ancient secret plans, swore the old oaths, and once again tried to destroy the kingdom. Com fought hard against them, but he couldn’t defeat them.

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*Source: [The Book of Mormon](https://bookofmormon.com/paraphrase/ether/10)*
