| 8:1 And it came to pass that he begat Omer, and
Omer reigned in his stead. And Omer begat Jared; and
Jared begat sons and daughters. |
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| 8:2 And Jared rebelled against his father, and came
and dwelt in the land of Heth. And it came to pass that
he did flatter many people, because of his cunning words,
until he had gained the half of the kingdom. |
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| 8:3 And when he had gained the half of the kingdom
he gave battle unto his father, and he did carry away his
father into captivity, and did make him serve in
captivity; |
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| 8:4 And now, in the days of the reigns of Omer he
was in captivity the half of his days. And it came to
pass that he begat sons and daughters, among whom were
Esrom and Coriantumr; |
|
| 8:5 And they were exceedingly angry because of the
doings of Jared their brother, insomuch that they did
raise an army and gave battle unto Jared. And it came to
pass that they did give battle unto him by night. |
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| 8:6 And it came to pass that when they had slain
the army of Jared they were about to slay him also; and
he plead with them that they would not slay him, and he
would give up the kingdom unto his father. And it came to
pass that they did grant unto him his life. |
|
| 8:7 And now Jared became exceedingly sorrowful
because of the loss of the kingdom, for he had set his
heart upon the kingdom and upon the glory of the world. |
|
| 8:8 Now the daughter of Jared being exceedingly
expert, and seeing the sorrows of her father, thought to
devise a plan whereby she could redeem the kingdom unto
her father. |
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| 8:9 Now the daughter of Jared was exceedingly fair.
And it came to pass that she did talk with her father,
and said unto him: Whereby hath my father so much sorrow?
Hath he not read the record which our fathers brought
across the great deep? Behold, is there not an account
concerning them of old, that they by their secret plans
did obtain kingdoms and great glory? |
|
| 8:10 And now, therefore, let my father send for
Akish, the son of Kimnor; and behold, I am fair, and I
will dance before him, and I will please him, that he
will desire me to wife; wherefore if he shall desire of
thee that ye shall give unto him me to wife, then shall
ye say: I will give her if ye will bring unto me the head
of my father, the king. |
Compare with
Matthew 14:6-11 |
| 8:11 And now Omer was a friend to Akish; wherefore,
when Jared had sent for Akish, the daughter of Jared
danced before him that she pleased him, insomuch that he
desired her to wife. And it came to pass that he said
unto Jared: Give her unto me to wife. |
|
| 8:12 And Jared said unto him: I will give her unto
you, if ye will bring unto me the head of my father, the
king. |
|
| 8:13 And it came to pass that Akish gathered in unto
the house of Jared all his kinsfolk, and said unto them:
Will ye swear unto me that ye will be faithful unto me in
the thing which I shall desire of you? |
|
| 8:14 And it came to pass that they all sware unto
him, by the God of heaven, and also by the heavens, and
also by the earth, and by their heads, that whoso should
vary from the assistance which Akish desired should lose
his head; and whoso should divulge whatsoever thing Akish
made known unto them, the same should lose his life. |
|
| 8:15 And it came to pass that thus they did agree
with Akish. And Akish did administer unto them the oaths
which were given by them of old who also sought power,
which had been handed down even from Cain, who was a
murderer from the beginning. |
|
| 8:16 And they were kept up by the power of the devil
to administer these oaths unto the people, to keep them
in darkness, to help such as sought power to gain power,
and to murder, and to plunder, and to lie, and to commit
all manner of wickedness and whoredoms. |
|
| 8:17 And it was the daughter of Jared who put it
into his heart to search up these things of old; and
Jared put it into the heart of Akish; wherefore, Akish
administered it unto his kindred and friends, leading
them away by fair promises to do whatsoever thing he
desired. |
|
| 8:18 And it came to pass that they formed a secret
combination, even as they of old; which combination is
most abominable and wicked above all, in the sight of
God; |
|
| 8:19 For the Lord worketh not in secret
combinations, neither doth he will that man should shed
blood, but in all things hath forbidden it, from the
beginning of man. |
|
| 8:20 And now I, Moroni, do not write the manner of
their oaths and combinations, for it hath been made known
unto me that they are had among all people, and they are
had among the Lamanites. |
|
| 8:21 And they have caused the destruction of this
people of whom I am now speaking, and also the
destruction of the people of Nephi. |
|
| 8:22 And whatsoever nation shall uphold such secret
combinations, to get power and gain, until they shall
spread over the nation, behold, they shall be destroyed;
for the Lord will not suffer that the blood of his
saints, which shall be shed by them, shall always cry
unto him from the ground for vengeance upon them and yet
he avenge them not. |
|
| 8:23 Wherefore, O ye Gentiles, it is wisdom in God
that these things should be shown unto you, that thereby
ye may repent of your sins, and suffer not that these
murderous combinations shall get above you, which are
built up to get power and gain--and the work, yea, even
the work of destruction come upon you, yea, even the sword of the justice of the Eternal God shall fall
upon you, to your overthrow and destruction if ye shall
suffer these things to be. |
|
| 8:24 Wherefore, the Lord commandeth you, when ye
shall see these things come among you that ye shall awake
to a sense of your awful situation, because of this
secret combination which shall be among you; or wo be
unto it, because of the blood of them who have been
slain; for they cry from the dust for vengeance upon it,
and also upon those who built it up. |
|
| 8:25 For it cometh to pass that whoso buildeth it up
seeketh to overthrow the freedom of all lands, nations,
and countries; and it bringeth to pass the destruction of
all people, for it is built up by the devil, who is the 1father
of all lies; even that same liar who 2beguiled
our first parents, yea, even that same liar who hath
caused man to commit murder from the beginning; who hath
hardened the hearts of men that they have murdered the
prophets, and stoned them, and cast them out from the
beginning. |
[1] John 8:44: Ye are of your father the devil...
for he is a liar, and the father of it.
[2] II Corinthians 11:3: ...as the serpent
beguiled Eve... |
| 8:26 Wherefore, I, Moroni, am commanded to write
these things that evil may be done away, and that the
time may come that Satan may have no power upon the
hearts of the children of men, but that they may be
persuaded to do good continually, that they may come unto
the fountain of all righteousness and be saved. |
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