Emer has been made king. He was a righteous king who ruled
over the land. Towards the end of his life, he appointed Coriantum to be his
successor. “[H]e even saw the Son of Righteousness, and did rejoice and glory in
his day; and he died in peace” (Ether 9:21).
Coriantum was a good king, following the example of his
father. During his reign, we read he built many cities throughout the land.
“History attests to the military and political significance
of royal building projects. Assyrian kings, for instance, ‘constantly founded
new cities and peopled them with prisoners of war’ pursuant to a policy of
forced urbanization. These building activities pacified and secured regions
surrounding the nation ‘by enabling pressure to be exerted upon unstable
population elements and by securing the trade routes.’ In Egypt, the Pharaoh
commanded the construction of ‘large fortified cities and fortresses in the
eastern Delta.’ This effort protected the area from attacks by surrounding
enemies who ‘usually attacked the small, unprotected settlements, while
avoiding the larger fortified cities.’ Despite their nomadic traditions,
Jaredite kings also paused from their expansive military campaigns to engage in
building activities.”[1]
City building gives us an insight to the population of the
land. The Jaredite party that made the voyage to the new world consisted of
twenty-four males, along with the families. The total population might be
around eighty people. The population rapidly grew. The size of the population a
few generations later was larger than we could expect from a party of eighty
people. The people had become “exceeding numerous” (Ether 7:11). A generation
later, a war decimated the population, leaving only thirty people (Ether 9:12).
Yet two generations later, many cities were build (Ether 9:23). The only
explanation for this growth is that the area was populated well before the
Jaredites arrived. Some of the existing population must have become integrated
with the Jaredites.[2]
He had no children with his first wife. She died, being 102
years old. Coriantum married a younger woman and had children with her. He
lived to be 142 years old.
Coriantum’s son, Com, reigned for forty-two years. The
population continued to grow. During Com’s reign, wickedness spread through the
land.
Com’s son, Heth, wanted the kingdom and began to plot to
overthrow his father. Through Heth, secret combinations became present again in
the land. Heth assassinated his father and became king.
Once again, prophets began preaching repentance to the
people. They warned the people a great famine would come upon the land if they
did not repent.
The Jaredites rejected the prophets and forced them to leave
the cities. Some were thrown into pits and left to die. All these things were
done under Heth’s direction.
The words of the prophets were fulfilled. Famine and drought
spread across the land. Many people died.
Poisonous serpents spread across the land. Many people and
their flocks were poisoned by the serpents. Many died. To flee them, the people
spread land in the south. This land would be known as the land of Zarahemla
among the Nephites.
Eventually, the Lord caused the serpents to stop pursuing
the people; however, they acted as a barrier, preventing the people from
passing through the south part of the land.
The people followed the beasts as they fled. When the beasts
died, the people ate the carcasses of the animals to survive. When mass death
was the only possibility, the people finally began to repent of their sins. The
Lord made this observation in a revelation received by Joseph Smith. “In the
day of their peace they esteemed lightly my counsel; but, in the day of their
trouble, of necessity they feel after me” (D&C 101:8).
When the people had sufficiently humbled themselves, the
Lord sent rain and ended the famine and the people were preserved. “Behold, I
say unto him, he exalts himself and does not humble himself sufficiently before
me; but if he will bow down before me, and humble himself in mighty prayer and
faith, in the sincerity of his heart, then will I grant unto him a view of the
things which he desires to see” (D&C 5:24).
[1] Ancient
Aspects of Nephite Kingship in the Book of Mormon, Todd R. Kerr, Maxwell
Institute website.
[2] When
Lehi's Party Arrived in the Land, Did They Find Others There, John L.
Sorenson, Maxwell Institute website.
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