# Ether 8

*Paraphrase*

### Jared’s Rebellion

Omer became king after his father died. He had a son named Jared, who grew up and had children of his own.

Jared turned against his father and moved to the land of Heth. He was a smooth talker, and with his clever words he won over so many people that soon half the kingdom was on his side. Once he controlled half the kingdom, he declared war on his father. He defeated him, took him prisoner, and forced him into slavery.

Omer spent half his reign as a captive. During those years, he had more children—including Esrom and Coriantumr. They were furious at what their brother Jared had done. They raised an army and attacked him under cover of night. After wiping out Jared’s army, they were about to kill him too. But he begged for his life, promising to give the kingdom back to their father. They spared him.

Jared was crushed. He’d lost the kingdom he craved—the power, the glory, all of it.

### The Daughter’s Plot

His daughter was clever. Seeing her father’s grief, she came up with a plan to win the kingdom back for him.

Jared’s daughter was beautiful. She went to her father and said, “Why are you so miserable? Haven’t you read the old records our ancestors brought across the ocean? Don’t they tell how people in ancient times used secret conspiracies to seize kingdoms and win great power? Here’s what we’ll do. Send for Akish, the son of Kimnor. I’ll dance for him. I’m beautiful—he’ll want to marry me. When he asks you for my hand, tell him: ‘I’ll give her to you if you bring me the head of my father, the king.’”

Akish was a friend of Omer. When Jared sent for him, the daughter danced before him. She captivated him completely. He wanted her as his wife. So he said to Jared, “Give her to me in marriage.” Jared replied, “I’ll give her to you—if you bring me the head of my father, the king.”

### The Secret Conspiracy

Akish gathered all his relatives at Jared’s house and said to them, “Will you swear to be loyal to me in what I’m about to ask of you?”

They all took an oath—swearing by the God of Heaven, by the heavens themselves, by the earth, and by their own heads—that anyone who refused to help Akish would lose his head, and anyone who revealed what Akish told them would lose his life.

They made this pact with Akish. Then Akish administered to them the ancient oaths once used by others who sought power—oaths that had been passed down from Cain, who was a murderer from the beginning. The devil kept these oaths alive to bind people in darkness, to help power-hungry men gain control—so they could murder, plunder, lie, and commit every kind of evil and sexual sin. It was Jared’s daughter who put it in his mind to dig up these ancient secrets. Jared planted the idea in Akish’s mind. And Akish brought his family and friends into it, using false promises to get them to do whatever he wanted.

They formed a secret conspiracy, just like the ones in ancient times. These conspiracies are the most disgusting and wicked thing in God’s sight. The Lord doesn’t work through secret conspiracies. He doesn’t want people murdering each other. He’s forbidden it from the very beginning.

### Moroni’s Warning

I, Moroni, won’t write down the details of their oaths and conspiracies. I know they exist among all peoples—even among the Lamanites.

They destroyed the Jaredite people I’m telling you about. They also destroyed the Nephites.

Any nation that allows these secret conspiracies to gain power and spread will be destroyed. The Lord won’t let the blood of his people—murdered by these conspirators—cry out to him from the ground forever without answering. He will avenge them. That’s why God is showing you these things—so you’ll turn from your sins and not let these murderous conspiracies rise above you. They’re built to seize power and wealth. They will destroy you. The sword of God’s justice will strike you down and wipe you out if you allow them to flourish. So the Lord commands you: when you see these things appearing among you, wake up to the danger you’re in. These secret conspiracies will bring disaster—because the blood of those they’ve murdered cries out from the dust for justice, both against the conspiracy itself and against those who support it.

Anyone who builds up these conspiracies is trying to destroy freedom everywhere—in every land, nation, and country. They bring destruction to all people. They’re built by the devil, the father of lies—the same liar who deceived our first parents. The same liar who has caused murder from the beginning. The one who has hardened hearts so that people murder the prophets, stone them, and drive them out. I, Moroni, have been commanded to write these things so that evil can be stopped—so that the day will come when Satan has no power over people’s hearts anymore. Instead, they’ll be moved to do good continually, and come to the source of all righteousness and be saved.

---

*Source: [The Book of Mormon](https://bookofmormon.com/paraphrase/ether/8)*
