# Ether 15

*Paraphrase*

### Coriantumr’s Grief

After Coriantumr recovered from his wounds, he started remembering what Ether had told him. He realized nearly two million of his people had already been killed in battle. His heart broke. Two million strong warriors—and their wives and children too. He began to regret the evil he’d done. He remembered the warnings the prophets had given, and he could see they’d all come true, down to the last detail. His soul was crushed with grief. Nothing could comfort him.

So he wrote a letter to Shiz, begging him to spare what was left of the people. He offered to give up the kingdom just to save their lives. When Shiz got the letter, he wrote back with his own terms: If Coriantumr would surrender himself to be killed by Shiz’s own sword, then he’d spare everyone else.

But the people refused to turn away from their sins. Coriantumr’s people became furious with Shiz’s people, and Shiz’s people became furious right back. The battle lines were drawn again. When Coriantumr saw his army was about to collapse, he retreated once more from Shiz’s forces.

### The Waters of Ripliancum

He came to the waters of Ripliancum—which means “large” or “beyond measure.” When they reached these waters, both armies set up camp on opposite sides. The next morning, they prepared for battle.

They fought a brutal battle. Coriantumr was wounded again and passed out from blood loss. Coriantumr’s army pressed hard against Shiz’s forces and beat them back. Shiz’s army fled south and set up camp at a place called Ogath. Coriantumr’s army camped by the hill Ramah—the same hill where my father Mormon later buried the sacred records.

### The Final Gathering

Over time, they gathered everyone left alive from across the entire land. Only Ether remained hidden away. Ether watched everything unfold. He saw supporters of Coriantumr gathering to his army, and supporters of Shiz gathering to his. For four years they spent gathering people—trying to collect everyone they could find and amass every bit of strength possible.

### Days of Slaughter

When everyone had finally chosen a side and gathered—with their wives and children—they all armed themselves for war. Men, women, and children wore shields, breastplates, and helmets, dressed for battle. Then the two armies marched toward each other. They fought all day without either side winning. When night came, they were exhausted and returned to their camps. Then they began wailing and mourning for their dead. Their cries and howls of grief pierced the air. The next morning they fought again. It was a terrible, devastating day. Still neither side won. When night fell again, their cries and howls of mourning tore through the darkness.

Coriantumr wrote another letter to Shiz, pleading with him not to fight anymore. He offered the kingdom—just let the people live. But the Spirit had stopped trying to reach them. Satan had complete control over their hearts. They’d been given over to their own hardness and blindness, sealed for destruction. So they went back to battle.

### The Last Battle

They fought all day. When night came, they slept with their swords in their hands. The next morning they fought until nightfall. When night came, they were drunk with rage—like someone intoxicated with wine. Again they slept clutching their swords. The next day they fought again. By nightfall, almost everyone had been killed. Only fifty-two of Coriantumr’s people and sixty-nine of Shiz’s people were left standing. They slept on their swords that night. The next morning they fought again, battling fiercely with swords and shields all day long. When night came, only thirty-two of Shiz’s people and twenty-seven of Coriantumr’s were still alive.

They ate and slept, then prepared to die the next day. They were massive, powerful men—incredibly strong. They fought for three hours straight, then collapsed from blood loss.

When Coriantumr’s men had recovered enough strength to walk, they tried to escape. But Shiz and his men got up too. Shiz swore in fury that he would kill Coriantumr or die trying. So he chased them down. The next day he caught up with them, and they fought again with swords. Everyone fell dead except Coriantumr and Shiz. Shiz collapsed from blood loss.

Coriantumr leaned on his sword to rest for a moment. Then he cut off Shiz’s head. After Coriantumr severed his head, Shiz’s body raised up on his hands, then fell. He struggled for breath, then died. Coriantumr collapsed to the ground, lifeless.

### Ether’s Witness

The Lord spoke to Ether: “Go out now.” So Ether came out and saw that everything the Lord had said had come true. He finished his record (though I haven’t written even a hundredth part of it) and hid it where the people of Limhi would later find it.

These are Ether’s last written words: “Whether the Lord wants me taken up to heaven or to die here in the flesh—it doesn’t matter to me, as long as I’m saved in God’s kingdom. Amen.”

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*Source: [The Book of Mormon](https://bookofmormon.com/paraphrase/ether/15)*
