Book of Mormon Commentary CofC - Odessa, Missouri Community ...

Book of Mormon Commentary
Ether Chapter 6
Shared gave battle unto Coriantumr in the third year and beat him, bringing him into captivity. But
in the fourth year the sons of Coriantumr beat Shared "and did obtain the kingdom again unto their
father" (26).
Soon they were fighting Shared and his army again. This battle in the valley of Gilgal lasted three
days (29, 30). Coriantumr's army beat him and pursued him to the plains of Heshlon. In the next
battle, Shared drove them back to the valley of Gilgal (31, 32).
They soon were locked in combat again in the valley, and Shared was defeated and killed. But
Coriantumr was wounded in his thigh and "did not go to battle again for the space of two years, in
which time all the people upon all the face of the land were shedding blood, and there was none to
restrain them" (33, 34).
Ether 6:35 And now there began to be a great curse upon the land, because of the iniquity of the people,
in which, if a man should lay his tool or his sword upon the shelf, or upon the place whether he would
keep it, and behold, upon the morrow, he could not find it, so great was the curse upon the land.
A people without morals or faith in God live in desperation and continual suspense. These men
had to. keep their hands on the things they wanted to possess "and every man kept the hilt of his
sword thereof in his right hand, in the defense of his property and his own life, and of his wives
and children" (36).
Two years after Shared's death, his brother Gilead gave battle to Coriantumr and was defeated.
Coriantumr pursued "him to the wilderness of Akish" (37). There they fought again "and many
thousands fell by the sword" (38). Gilead attacked at night and "slew a part of the army of
Coriantumr, as they were drunken" (39). He then went "to the land of Moron, and placed himself
upon the throne of Coriantumr" (40).
During the next two years both armies recruited more strength to continue the struggle. However,
Gilead was "murdered .. . as he sat upon his throne" by the high priest (41-42). Then Lib, "a man
of great stature, more than any other man among all' the people," murdered the high priest in a
secret pass and obtained the kingdom. Coriantumr gave battle to Lib in the land of Moron and was
wounded in his arm. Lib fled to the seashore, and there the battle was renewed (44-47). This time
Coriantumr fled to the wilderness of Akish, then on to the plains of Agosh, and as they went
Coriantumr took all the people with him. Here he slew Lib. But Lib’s brother, Shiz, took up the
battle with such success that "there went a fear of Shiz throughout all the land. . . . He sweepeth
the earth before him," they said (51-54).
Now all the people "began to flock together in armies" (55). They chose one side or the other.
There were no neutrals.
Ether 6:57 And so great and lasting had been the war, and so long had been the scene of bloodshed and
carnage, that the whole face of the land was covered with the bodies of the dead;
None were free to bury the dead, "so swift and speedy was the war." They left the bodies of "men,
women, and children strewed upon the face of the land" (58). Shiz had sworn vengeance and
pursued relentlessly for three days. "So terrible was the destruction among the armies of Shiz, that
the people began to be frightened, and began to flee before the armies of Coriantumr" (63). "They
fled to the land of Corihor, and swept off the inhabitants before them, all they that would not join
them" (64).