8:1 And it came to pass that he begat Omer, and Omer reigned in his
stead. And Omer begat Jared; and Jared begat sons and daughters.
8:2 And Jared rebelled against his father, and came and dwelt in the
land of Heth. And it came to pass that he did flatter many people,
because of his cunning words, until he had gained the half of the
kingdom.
8:3 And when he had gained the half of the kingdom he gave battle unto
his father, and he did carry away his father into captivity, and did
make him serve in captivity;
8:4 And now, in the days of the reigns of Omer he was in captivity the
half of his days. And it came to pass that he begat sons and daughters
among whom were Esrom and Coriantumr;
8:5 And they were exceedingly angry because of the doings of Jared
their brother, insomuch that they did raise an army and gave battle
unto Jared. And it came to pass that they did give battle unto him by
night.
8:6 And it came to pass that when they had slain the army of Jared they
were about to slay him also; and he plead with them that they would not
slay him, and he would give up the kingdom unto his father. And it came
to pass that they did grant unto him his life.
8:7 And now Jared became exceedingly sorrowful because of the loss of
the kingdom, for he had set his heart upon the kingdom and upon the
glory of the world.
8:8 Now the daughter of Jared being exceedingly expert, and seeing the
sorrows of her father, thought to devise a plan whereby she could
redeem the kingdom unto her father.
8:9 Now the daughter of Jared was exceedingly fair. And it came to pass
that she did talk with her father, and said unto him: Whereby hath my
father so much sorrow? Hath he not read the record which our fathers
brought across the great deep? Behold, is there not an account
concerning them of old, that they by their secret plans did obtain
kingdoms and great glory?
8:10 And now, therefore, let my father send for Akish, the son of
Kimnor; and behold, I am fair, and I will dance before him, and I will
please him, that he will desire me to wife; wherefore if he shall
desire of thee that ye shall give unto him me to wife, then shall ye
say: I will give her if ye will bring unto me the head of my father,
the king.
8:11 And now Omer was a friend to Akish; wherefore, when Jared had sent
for Akish, the daughter of Jared danced before him that she pleased
him, insomuch that he desired her to wife. And it came to pass that he
said unto Jared: Give her unto me to wife.
8:12 And Jared said unto him: I will give her unto you, if ye will
bring unto me the head of my father, the king.
8:13 And it came to pass that Akish gathered in unto the house of Jared
all his kinsfolk, and said unto them: Will ye swear unto me that ye
will be faithful unto me in the thing which I shall desire of you?
8:14 And it came to pass that they all sware unto him, by the God of
heaven, and also by the heavens, and also by the earth, and by their
heads, that whoso should vary from the assistance which Akish desired
should lose his head; and whoso should divulge whatsoever thing Akish
made known unto them, the same should lose his life.
8:15 And it came to pass that thus they did agree with Akish. And Akish
did administer unto them the oaths which were given by them of old who
also sought power, which had been handed down even from Cain, who was a
murderer from the beginning.
8:16 And they were kept up by the power of the devil to administer
these oaths unto the people, to keep them in darkness, to help such as
sought power to gain power, and to murder, and to plunder, and to lie,
and to commit all manner of wickedness and whoredoms.
8:17 And it was the daughter of Jared who put it into his heart to
search up these things of old; and Jared put it into the heart of
Akish; wherefore, Akish administered it unto his kindred and friends,
leading them away by fair promises to do whatsoever thing he desired.
8:18 And it came to pass that they formed a secret combination, even as
they of old; which combination is most abominable and wicked above all,
in the sight of God;
8:19 For the Lord worketh not in secret combinations, neither doth he
will that man should shed blood, but in all things hath forbidden it,
from the beginning of man.
8:20 And now I, Moroni, do not write the manner of their oaths and
combinations, for it hath been made known unto me that they are had
among all people, and they are had among the Lamanites.
8:21 And they have caused the destruction of this people of whom I am
now speaking, and also the destruction of the people of Nephi.
8:22 And whatsoever nation shall uphold such secret combinations, to
get power and gain, until they shall spread over the nation, behold,
they shall be destroyed; for the Lord will not suffer that the blood of
his saints, which shall be shed by them, shall always cry unto him from
the ground for vengeance upon them and yet he avenge them not.
8:23 Wherefore, O ye Gentiles, it is wisdom in God that these things
should be shown unto you, that thereby ye may repent of your sins, and
suffer not that these murderous combinations shall get above you, which
are built up to get power and gain—and the work, yea, even the work of
destruction come upon you, yea, even the sword of the justice of the
Eternal God shall fall upon you, to your overthrow and destruction if
ye shall suffer these things to be.
8:24 Wherefore, the Lord commandeth you, when ye shall see these things
come among you that ye shall awake to a sense of your awful situation,
because of this secret combination which shall be among you; or wo be
unto it, because of the blood of them who have been slain; for they cry
from the dust for vengeance upon it, and also upon those who built it
up.
8:25 For it cometh to pass that whoso buildeth it up seeketh to
overthrow the freedom of all lands, nations, and countries; and it
bringeth to pass the destruction of all people, for it is built up by
the devil, who is the father of all lies; even that same liar who
beguiled our first parents, yea, even that same liar who hath caused
man to commit murder from the beginning; who hath hardened the hearts
of men that they have murdered the prophets, and stoned them, and cast
them out from the beginning.
8:26 Wherefore, I, Moroni, am commanded to write these things that evil
may be done away, and that the time may come that Satan may have no
power upon the hearts of the children of men, but that they may be
persuaded to do good continually, that they may come unto the fountain
of all righteousness and be saved.