The Jaredites were a prosperous society. In addition to
their precious metals, they had silks, linen, and cloth fabrics. “’Silk and
fine-twined linen’ are mentioned (e.g., Alma 1:29; Ether 10:24) along with
common (cotton?) cloth. The ‘silk’ is unlikely to have been produced from silkworms
as in China, but similar fabrics were known, at least in Mesoamerica. For
example, in Guatemala fiber from the wild pineapple plant, and among the Aztecs
rabbit hair, served to make silklike fabrics. Although flax apparently was not
known in America prior to the arrival of the Spaniards (linen was made from
flax in the Old World), several vegetable-based fabrics with similar
characteristics are well attested in ancient America (Update, Nov. 1988).”[1]
They had tools to till and plow their land. They grew
assorted crops. They also used animals as a part of their farming practices.
Moroni explains “they did work all manner of work of exceedingly
curious workmanship” (Ether 10:27). “[T]he word curious, which is used to
describe various artifacts ten times in the KJV (Exodus 28:8, 27–28; 29:5;
35:32; 39:5, 20–21; Leviticus 8:7; Acts 19:19) and six times in the Book of
Mormon (1 Nephi 16:10; 18:1; Alma 37:39; 63:5; Helaman 6:11; Ether 10:27)
should not be understood as ‘strange’ or ‘inquisitive.’ In all of those
passages, it means ‘skilled’ and alludes to the craftsmanship that produced the
artifact. That the word continued to have this meaning in nineteenth century
American English is affirmed by Webster’s 1828 dictionary and its use in
describing Mormon’s plates in the Testimony of Eight Witnesses, published near
the beginning of the Book of Mormon.”[2]
During this time, the people were a blessed people. After
Lib’s death, his son Hearthom became king. Somehow (Moroni does not explain the
circumstances), Hearthom lost the kingdom. He lived his days in captivity. For three
generations, Hearthom’s descendants lived in captivity. Com was the fourth
generation.
Com successfully conquered and ruled half the kingdom. He
reigned forty-two years. Eventually he attacked Amgid, who ruled the other half
of the kingdom, consolidating it into one kingdom again.
During Com’s rule, the secret combinations reared their ugly
heads. They followed the old plans and oaths administered in the past. Their
goal was to overthrow the kingdom. Com fought the robbers, but he did not
defeat them.
[1] Economy
and Technology, Daniel C. Peterson, Maxwell Institute website.
[2] Isaiah
in the Bible and the Book of Mormon, John A. Tvedtnes. FARMS Review 16/2
(2004): 170.
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