And now I, M’roni, proceed with my record. Therefore behold, it came to pass that because of the secret conspiracies of Akish and his friends, behold, they did overthrow the kingdom of Omer. Nevertheless, yhwh was merciful unto Omer, and also to his sons and to his daughters who did not seek his destruction. And yhwh warned Omer in a dream that he should depart out of the land. Wherefore, Omer departed out of the land with his family, and traveled many days, and came over and passed by the hill of Shim, and came over by the place where the Nefites were destroyed, and from that place eastward, and came to a place which was called Ablom, by the seashore. And there he pitched his tent, and also his sons, and his daughters, and all his household, except it were Yered and his family.
And it came to pass that Yered was anointed king over the people by the hand of wickedness, and he gave unto Akish his daughter to wife. And it came to pass that Akish sought the life of his father-in-law, and he applied unto those whom he had sworn by the oath of the ancients. And they obtained the head of his father-in-law as he sat upon his throne giving audience to his people. For so great had been the spreading of this wicked and secret society that it had corrupted the hearts of all the people. Therefore, Yered was murdered upon his throne, and Akish reigned in his place.
And it came to pass that Akish began to be jealous of his son. Therefore, he shut him up in prison and kept him upon a little or no food until he had suffered death. And now the brother of him that suffered death (and his name was Nimrah) and he was angry with his father because of that which his father had done unto his brother. And it came to pass that Nimrah gathered together a small number of men and fled out of the land, and came over and dwelt with Omer. And it came to pass that Akish fathered other sons; and they won the hearts of the people, even though they had sworn unto him to do all manner of iniquity according to that which he desired. Now the people of Akish were desirous for gain, even as Akish was desirous for power. Wherefore, the sons of Akish did offer them money, by which means they drew away the more part of the people after them. And there began to be a war between the sons of Akish and Akish, which lasted for the space of many years, yes, unto the destruction of nearly all the people of the kingdom, yes, even all except it were thirty souls, and they who fled with the house of Omer. Wherefore, Omer was restored again to the land of his inheritance.
And it came to pass that Omer began to be old. Nevertheless, in his old age he fathered Emer; and he anointed Emer to be king, to reign in his place. And after that he had anointed Emer to be king, he saw shalom in the land for the space of two years, and he died, having seen exceedingly many days which were full of sorrow. And it came to pass that Emer did reign in his place and did fill the steps of his father. And yhwh began again to take the curse from off the land. And the house of Emer did prosper exceedingly under the reign of Emer. And in the space of sixty and two years they had become exceedingly strong, insomuch that they became exceedingly rich, having all manner of fruit, and of grain, and of silks, and of fine linen, and of gold, and of silver, and of precious things, and also all manner of cattle, of oxen and cows, and of sheep, and of swine,37 and of goats, and also many other kinds of animals which were useful for the food of man. And they also had horses and asses, and there were elephants, and cureloms, and cumoms, all of which were useful unto man, and more especially the elephants, and cureloms, and cumoms. And thus yhwh did pour out his blessings upon this land which was choice above all other lands. And he commanded that whoever should possess the land should possess it unto yhwh, or they should be destroyed when they were ripened in iniquity. For upon such, says yhwh, I will pour out the fulness of my wrath.
And Emer did execute judgment in righteousness all his days, and he fathered many sons and daughters; and he fathered Coriantum, and he anointed Coriantum to reign in his place. And after that he had anointed Coriantum to reign in his place, he lived four years and he saw shalom in the land. Yes, and he even saw the Son of Righteousness and did rejoice and glory in his day, and he died in shalom.
And it came to pass that Coriantum did walk in the steps of his father, and did build many mighty cities, and did administer that which was good unto his people in all his days. And it came to pass that he had no children, even until he was exceedingly old. And it came to pass that his wife died, being a hundred and two years old. And it came to pass that Coriantum took to wife in his old age a young maid, and fathered sons and daughters; wherefore, he lived until he was a hundred and forty and two years old. And it came to pass that he fathered Com, and Com reigned in his place. And he reigned forty and nine years, and he fathered Heth, and he also fathered other sons and daughters. And the people had spread again over all the face of the land. And there began again to be an exceedingly great wickedness upon the face of the land; and Heth began to embrace the secret plans again of old, to destroy his father. And it came to pass that he did dethrone his father, for he slew him with his own sword; and he did reign in his place.
And there came prophets in the land again, crying repentance unto them, that they must prepare the way of yhwh or there should come a curse upon the face of the land; yes, even there should be a great famine, in the which they should be destroyed if they did not repent. But the people believed not the words of the prophets, but they cast them out. And some of them they cast into pits and left them to perish. And it came to pass that they did all these things according to the commandment of the king Heth. And it came to pass that there began to be a great scarcity upon the land. And the inhabitants began to be destroyed exceedingly fast because of the famine, for there was no rain upon the face of the earth. And there came forth poisonous serpents also upon the face of the land, and did poison many people. And it came to pass that their flocks began to flee before the poisonous serpents towards the land southward, which was called by the Nefites, Zerach’mla. And it came to pass that there were many of them which did perish by the way; nevertheless, there were some which fled into the land southward. And it came to pass that yhwh did cause the serpents that they should pursue them no more, but that they should hedge up the way, that the people could not pass, that whoever should attempt to pass might fall by the poisonous serpents. And it came to pass that the people did follow the course of the beasts, and did devour the carcasses of those which fell by the way until they had devoured them all.
Now when the people saw that they must perish, they began to repent of their iniquities and cry unto yhwh. And it came to pass that when they had humbled themselves sufficiently before yhwh, yhwh did send rain upon the face of the earth. And the people began to revive again, and there began to be fruit in the north countries and in all the countries round about. And yhwh did show forth his power unto them in preserving them from famine.38
And it came to pass that Shez, who was a descendant of Heth (for Heth had perished by the famine, and all his household except it were Shez), wherefore Shez began to build up again a broken people. And it came to pass that Shez did remember the destruction of his fathers, and he did build up a righteous kingdom; for he remembered what yhwh had done in bringing Yered and his brother across the deep. And he did walk in the ways of yhwh, and he fathered sons and daughters. And his eldest son, whose name was also Shez, did rebel against him. Nevertheless, Shez was killed by the hand of a robber because of his great riches, which brought shalom again unto his father. And it came to pass that his father did build up many cities upon the face of the land. And the people began again to spread over all the face of the land. And Shez did live to a great old age, and he fathered Riplakish, and he died. And Riplakish reigned in his place.
And it came to pass that Riplakish did not do that which was right in the sight of yhwh, for he did have many wives and concubines, and did lay that upon men’s shoulders which was grievous to be borne. Yes, he did tax them with heavy taxes, and with the taxes he did build many spacious buildings. And he did erect for himself an exceedingly beautiful throne. And he did build many prisons. And whoever would not be subject unto taxes he did cast into prison. And whoever was not able to pay taxes he did cast into prison. And he did cause that they should labor continually for their support. And whoever refused to labor he did cause to be put to death. Wherefore, he did obtain all his fine work; yes, even his fine gold he did cause to be refined in prison, and all manner of fine workmanship he did cause to be worked in prison.
And it came to pass that he did afflict the people with his whoredoms and abominations. And when he had reigned for the space of forty and two years, the people did rise up in rebellion against him. And there began to be war again in the land, insomuch that Riplakish was killed and his descendants were driven out of the land. And it came to pass, after the space of many years, Morionton (he being a descendant of Riplakish) gathered together an army of outcasts, and went forth and gave battle unto the people. And he gained power over many cities, and the war became exceedingly sore and did last for the space of many years; and he did gain power over all the land and did establish himself king over all the land. And after that he had established himself king, he did ease the burden of the people, by which he did gain favor in the eyes of the people; and they did anoint him to be their king. And he did do justice unto the people, but not unto himself because of his many whoredoms; wherefore, he was cut off from the presence of yhwh.
And it came to pass that Morionton built up many cities. And the people became exceedingly rich under his reign, both in buildings, and in gold, and in silver, and in raising grain, and in flocks, and herds, and such things which had been restored unto them. And Morionton did live to an exceedingly great age, and then he fathered Kim. And Kim did reign in the place of his father; and he did reign eight years, and his father died. And it came to pass that Kim did not reign in righteousness; wherefore, he was not favored of yhwh. And his brother did rise up in rebellion against him, in the which he did bring him into captivity. And he did remain in captivity all his days, and he fathered sons and daughters in captivity. And in his old age he fathered Levi, and he died.
And it came to pass that Levi did serve in captivity, after the death of his father, for the space of forty and two years. And he did make war against the king of the land, by which he did obtain unto himself the kingdom. And after he had obtained unto himself the kingdom, he did that which was right in the sight of yhwh.39 And the people did prosper in the land. And he did live to a good old age and fathered sons and daughters; and he also fathered Corom, whom he anointed king in his place.
And it came to pass that Corom did that which was good in the sight of yhwh all his days, and he fathered many sons and daughters. And after that he had seen many days, he did pass away, even like unto the rest of the earth; and Kish reigned in his place. And it came to pass that Kish passed away also, and Lib reigned in his place. And it came to pass that Lib also did that which was good in the sight of yhwh. And in the days of Lib the poisonous serpents were destroyed. Wherefore, they did go into the land southward to hunt food for the people of the land, for the land was covered with animals of the forest; and Lib also himself became a great hunter. And they built a great city by the narrow neck of land, by the place where the sea divides the land. And they did preserve the land southward for a wilderness to get game. And the whole face of the land northward was covered with inhabitants. And they were exceedingly industrious, and they did buy, and sell, and traffic one with another, that they might get gain. And they did work in all manner of ore, and they did make gold, and silver, and iron, and brass, and all manner of metals; and they did dig it out of the earth. Wherefore, they did cast up mighty heaps of earth to get ore, of gold, and of silver, and of iron, and of copper. And they did work all manner of fine work.40 And they did have silks and fine-twined linen, and they did work all manner of cloth, that they might clothe themselves from their nakedness. And they did make all manner of tools to till the earth, both to plow and to sow, to reap and to hoe, and also to thresh. And they did make all manner of tools, with which they did work their beasts. And they did make all manner of weapons of war. And they did work all manner of work of exceedingly elegant workmanship. And never could be a people more blessed than were they, and more prospered by the hand of yhwh. And they were in a land that was choice above all lands, for yhwh had spoken it.
And it came to pass that Lib did live many years and fathered sons and daughters, and he also fathered Hearthom. And it came to pass that Hearthom reigned in the place of his father. And when Hearthom had reigned twenty and four years, behold, the kingdom was taken away from him. And he served many years in captivity, yes, even all the remainder of his days. And he fathered Heth. And Heth lived in captivity all his days, and Heth fathered Aharon. And Aharon dwelt in captivity all his days, and he fathered Amnigaddah. And Amnigaddah also dwelt in captivity all his days, and he fathered Coriantum. And Coriantum dwelt in captivity all his days, and he fathered Com.
And it came to pass that Com drew away the half of the kingdom, and he reigned over the half of the kingdom forty and two years. And he went to battle against the king Amgid, and they fought for the space of many years, during which time Com gained power over Amgid and obtained power over the remainder of the kingdom. And in the days of Com there began to be robbers in the land, and they adopted the old plans and administered oaths after the manner of the ancients, and sought again to destroy the kingdom. Now Com did fight against them much; nevertheless, he did not prevail against them.
And there came also in the days of Com many prophets and prophesied of the destruction of that great people, except they should repent and turn unto yhwh, and abandon their murders and wickedness. And it came to pass that the prophets were rejected by the people and they fled unto Com for protection, for the people sought to destroy them. And they prophesied unto Com many things, and he was blessed in all the remainder of his days. And he lived to a good old age and fathered Shiblon. And Shiblon reigned in his place.
And the brother of Shiblon rebelled against him, and there began to be an exceedingly great war in all the land. And it came to pass that the brother of Shiblon caused that all the prophets who prophesied of the destruction of the people should be put to death. And there was great calamity in all the land — for they had testified that a great curse should come upon the land, and also upon the people, and that there should be a great destruction among them, such a one as never had been upon the face of the earth, and their bones should become as heaps of earth upon the face of the land, except they should repent of their wickedness.41 And they hearkened not unto the voice of yhwh because of their wicked conspiracies; wherefore, there began to be wars and contentions in all the land, and also many famines and pestilences, insomuch that there was a great destruction, such a one as never had been known upon the face of the earth. And all this came to pass in the days of Shiblon. And the people began to repent of their iniquity; and inasmuch as they did, yhwh did have mercy on them.
And it came to pass that Shiblon was slain, and Shet was brought into captivity and he did dwell in captivity all his days. And it came to pass that Ahah, his son, did obtain the kingdom, and he did reign over the people all his days. And he did do all manner of iniquity in his days, by which he caused the shedding of much blood; and few were his days. And Ethem, being a descendant of Ahah, did obtain the kingdom, and he also did do that which was wicked in his days. And it came to pass in the days of Ethem, there came many prophets and prophesied again unto the people; yes, they did prophesy that yhwh would utterly destroy them from off the face of the earth except they repented of their iniquities. And it came to pass that the people hardened their hearts and would not hearken unto their words. And the prophets mourned and withdrew from among the people.
And it came to pass that Ethem did execute judgment in wickedness all his days, and he fathered Moron. And it came to pass that Moron did reign in his place, and Moron did that which was wicked before yhwh. And it came to pass that there arose a rebellion among the people because of that secret conspiracy which was built up to get power and gain. And there arose a mighty man among them in iniquity and gave battle unto Moron, by which he did overthrow the half of the kingdom; and he did maintain the half of the kingdom for many years. And it came to pass that Moron did overthrow him and did obtain the kingdom again. And it came to pass that there arose another mighty man, and he was a descendant of the brother of Yered. And it came to pass that he did overthrow Moron and obtain the kingdom; wherefore, Moron dwelt in captivity all the remainder of his days, and he fathered Coriantor.
And it came to pass that Coriantor dwelt in captivity all his days. And in the days of Coriantor there also came many prophets and prophesied of great and marvelous things, and cried repentance unto the people, and except they should repent, Adonai yhwh would execute judgment against them to their utter destruction, and that Adonai yhwh would send or bring forth another people to possess the land by his power, after the manner which he brought their fathers. And they did reject all the words of the prophets because of their secret society and wicked abominations. And it came to pass that Coriantor fathered ’Eter, and he died having dwelt in captivity all his days.