As with the Nephites, the Jaredite society moved through various stages of decline. As recorded thus far in their history, the Jaredites went through a cycle of prosperity, apostasy, judgment, repentance, prosperity, and so on. But eventually, as with the Nephites, the depths of apostasy and wickedness became more and more serious.
Ether 11 contains the final stages of the Jaredite cycle of apostasy. They had earlier rejected, mocked, and reviled the prophets. Though King Shule had passed a law protecting the prophets and punishing those who persecuted them (see Ether 7:23–26), a later king made it state policy to execute the prophets (see Ether 11:5). Finally, the wickedness became so rampant that the prophets “withdrew from among the people” (v. 13).