“The Brother of Shared Did Give Battle Unto Him in the Wilderness of Akish”

Brant Gardner

Once again the kin-group continues the struggle. Shared’s brother continues the war. The important part of this sequence is that Coriantumr is in the field with his army. In the wilderness of Akish they apparently have an advantage over the army of the brother of Shared, and they lay siege to them. This indicates that the army of the brother of Shared is somehow hemmed it, and Coriantumr’s army believes that it can simply out wait them. However, there is a daring strike at night. The description is that the men of Coriantumr fell “as they were drunken.”

While this might be a metaphor, it may also be quite correct. Major initiatives were seldom launched at night because they were dangerous both in the terrain and in the change what one might not fight the right enemy. However, the brother of Shared’s army is in a desperate situation. They not only attack at night, but they do so suddenly. It appears that their goal is not to destroy the army, but rather to escape. They not only escape, but realize that Coriantumr has left Moron relatively unguarded. Therefore they have a fairly easy conquest, and the brother of Shared gains the throne of Moron.

Multidimensional Commentary on the Book of Mormon

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