“Riplakish Was Killed and His Descendants Were Driven Out”

Alan C. Miner

Those who could not pay Riplakish's heavy taxes were imprisoned and forced to labor for his support. So unreasonable were his demands that after forty-two years the people finally rebelled. According to Ether 10:8-9:

there began to be war again in the land, insomuch that Riplakish was killed, and his descendants were driven out of the land. And it came to pass after the space of many years, Morianton, (he being a descendant of Riplakish) gathered together an army of outcasts, and went forth and gave battle unto the people; and he gained power over many cities; and the war became exceeding sore, and did last for the space of many years; and he did gain power over all the land, and did establish himself king over all the land.

This is an intriguing set of verses, both from a geographical perspective and a chronological perspective. First, the fact that there began to be war "again" in the land seems to be a general statement referring to the lands of the Jaredites. However, the statement that "[Riplakish's descendants were driven out of the land" seems to imply that they were banished from the local land where they had ruled from (Moron, Heth, etc.). We are also told that Morianton "did establish himself king over all the land, implying the general lands of the Jaredites, but we are not told where Morianton chose to rule from. The Book of Mormon geographer is left to his own to decide whether Morianton ruled from the local land of Moron, or from the local land of Heth, or from some other location. [See Geographical Theory Maps]

The fact that Riplakish's "descendants" (rather than "sons) were driven out of the land and that a "descendant" (Morianton) regained power "after the space of many years" seems to imply an extended length of time. The Book of Mormon student should note that in the genealogy of Ether 1:6-32, Morianton is also listed as a "descendant" of Riplakish. [Alan C. Miner, Personal Notes] [See Appendix A--Chronology]

Ether 10:9 [Morianton] being a descendant of Riplakish (Illustration): A Projected Chronology of Jaredite History. [Glenn A. Scott, Voices from the Dust: New Light on an Ancient American Record, p. 46]

Step by Step Through the Book of Mormon: A Cultural Commentary

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