Ether and the Books of Kings

The brass plates which Lehi and his family carried from Jerusalem to the promised land contained much of the content in our Old Testament. Among other types of writings, they contained “a record of the Jews from the beginning, even down to the commencement of the reign of Zedekiah, king of Judah” (1 Nephi 5:12). This description sounds similar to the historical books of 1 & 2 Kings, which tell the story of the kingdoms of Israel and Judah from Solomon through the Babylonian captivity. (A similar account also appears in the book of 2 Chronicles.)

It seems reasonable that Moroni would have had access to these or similar histories as he thought about how to fulfill his father’s assignment to abridge the record of the Jaredites. Today, I’ve been thinking about similarities between these books of scripture and what lessons we can learn from their structure and themes. Here are a few observations:

1. Many Kings

The books of Ether and 1 & 2 Kings survey the lives of a large number of monarchs in rapid succession, providing the reader with a broad overview of the impact of a single life. Consider, for example, Pekah, whose twenty-year reign over Israel is covered in just five verses (2 Kings 15:27-31). Compare that with the following one-verse summary of the reign of Corom, a Jaredite king:

It came to pass that Corom did that which was good in the sight of the Lord all his days; and he begat many sons and daughters; and after he had seen many days he did pass away, even like unto the rest of the earth; and Kish reigned in his stead.

Ether 10:17

In both records, the righteousness or wickedness of kings is identified with phrases such as, “He did that which was right,” or, “He did that which was evil.” (See, for example, 2 Kings 15:3, 9, 18, 24, 28, 34 and Ether 10:16-17, 19.) The implication is that the behavior of a leader influences the behavior of their people, and that positive or negative consequences for an entire nation are highly correlated with the character of its leader.

2. Treachery and Disunity

Both of these historical accounts emphasize the destabilizing effect of treachery and rebellion on a nation. Zimri, a servant of the king of Israel, conspires against his leader and assassinates him, claiming the throne for himself. His reign lasts all of seven days before a counterinsurgency destroys him. (See 1 Kings 16:8-20.)

Likewise in the book of Ether, a man named Jared becomes king by dethroning his father with the help of a man named Akish. But after the successful coup, Akish sees no reason not to repeat the process and claim the throne for himself. The subsequent cycle of war between Akish and his own sons leads to the collapse of his kingdom. (See Ether 8:1-15, Ether 9:1-12.)

The books of Kings end with both kingdoms conquered and carried into captivity by foreign empires. The book of Ether ends with the self-destruction of the Jaredite civilization. In both instances, betrayal and perfidy weaken the society, leading ultimately to its downfall.

3. Prophets in the Land

Many times in 1 & 2 Kings, inspired followers of God are called “the prophets” or “the sons of the prophets.” (See, for example, 2 Kings 2:3, 5, 7, 15.) The narrator describes them as a warning voice, sent by God: “The Lord testified against Israel, and against Judah, by all the prophets. … Notwithstanding they would not hear” (2 Kings 17:13-14).

In the book of Ether, unnamed prophets serve a similar function. Multiple times, Moroni says some variation of, “There came prophets in the land again … But the people believed not the words of the prophets” (Ether 9:28-29; see also Ether 7:23-24, Ether 11:1-2, 12-13, 20-22).

God sends messengers to us with inspired warnings; we ignore them at our peril.

4. Elijah, Elisha, and Ether

In addition to the general groups of prophets, several specific prophets are highlighted in the books of 1 & 2 Kings, particularly Elijah and his successor, Elisha. Both of them speak boldly to kings although neither occupies a position of authority. Elijah angers the queen of Israel, Jezebel, and must retreat to the wilderness and live in a cave to avoid her wrath. (See 1 Kings 19:1-9.)

Ether similarly shares messages from God with the king, Coriantumr, and with his people. They reject his messages, and he survives by hiding in “the cavity of a rock.” (See Ether 12:1-2, Ether 13:2, 13-14, 20-22.)

The message: Prophets are not afraid to share the truth, even when it’s unpopular.

Conclusion

Today, I will support and uphold leaders of character, and I will strive to build trust and unity among the people I interact with. I will take seriously the warnings God sends to me, and I will strive to be receptive to those messages, even when they are hard to hear.