Omni, a warrior, reported many seasons of war and peace. Omni’s son Amaron, Amaron’s brother Chemish, and Chemish’s son Abinadom all inscribed brief reports.
Omni described himself as a wicked man, lax in observance of the Lord’s commandments. He was not so wicked, however, that he did not take seriously his responsibility to keep the records. We sympathize with him and wonder how much of his lack of strict obedience was the result of his life as a warrior.
The destruction of “the more wicked part of the Nephites” represents the fulfillment of a prophecy given to God’s people living in the new covenant land in the days of the brother of Jared—the inhabitants of this land must serve God or be swept off it “when the fulness of his wrath cometh upon them” (Ether 2:9). Verse 11 may be an indictment against the people of Abinadom in general: no new revelation or prophecy was given because they needed to live what they had already been given.