“Therefore I Will Write and Hide Up the Records in the Earth”

Brant Gardner

Moroni’s essential task for the remainder of his life is “to write” and then hide the record. Moroni here declares that he has fulfilled both commandments as far as the brother of Jared’s vision is concerned. He has written and sealed the brother of Jared’s account along with the necessary interpreters. This sealed portion has not yet been revealed. After writing this statement of a “seal” on the brother of Jared’s vision, Moroni obviously wrote a fair amount which is contained in our Book of Mormon. Therefore, the “seal” upon this section cannot be the same as the “seal” that he placed on the entire work (Title Page).

As he records the assurance that the sealed portion “shall not go forth unto the Gentiles until the day that they shall repent” (v. 6), his focus on the future hijacks his narrative. He begins lecturing future readers. The discourse appears as Yahweh’s words; but he surely did not take dictation when Yahweh spoke to him. Therefore, he is retelling a personal experience in which Yahweh gave him information about the future. Because of its source, Moroni associates his vision with the brother of Jared’s, making it relevant as Moroni tells the story from Ether’s record.

Second Witness: Analytical & Contextual Commentary on the Book of Mormon, Vol. 6

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