“The Prophecy of Kings Leading to Captivity Fulfilled”

Monte S. Nyman

Orihah having 31 children plus Kib (v. 2), certainly suggests more than one wife. If so, it seems to fit the teaching of Jacob, son of Lehi, “For if I will, saith the Lord, raise up seed unto me, I will command my people; otherwise they shall hearken to [having one wife]” (Jacob 2:30). It was a time to populate the land, and Orihah was a righteous man (Ether 7:1). The second generation under Kib was also righteous, but the third generation brought about the captivity warned of by the brother of Jared. The long life of these kings suggests many years of righteousness under the rule of kings, but the captivity eventually came. It happened also among the Nephites in the land of Nephi. Zeniff was a righteous man, but his son Noah “did not walk in his ways of his father.” He “had many wives and concubines” among other sins (Mosiah 11:1–2). Noah’s people rejected the prophets of the Lord, and were taken into captivity (Mosiah 12:1–8; 29:16–19). Did the practice of plural marriage, if it were practiced without the approval of the Lord, led to immorality among the Jaredites as it later did among the Nephites? Someday we will know the answer to that question.

The land of Moron where the king dwelt (Ether 7:5–6) was in the north part of the land since the Nephite Land of Desolation was north of the land of Bountiful. We will make no attempt to make comparisons with modern lands.

Book of Mormon Commentary: I Mormon Make a Record

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