Moriancumer

Mesopotamian costal region

Moriancumer

Moriancumer is a coastal area mentioned in the Book of Mormon where the Jaredites, led by the prophet Jared and his brother, established a temporary settlement. This encampment by the great sea served as their residence for a span of four years (Ether 2:13). During their sojourn in Moriancumer, the Jaredites were instructed by the Lord to construct barges for their upcoming transoceanic voyage to what would become their promised land (Ether 2:16–17).

The significance of Moriancumer in Jaredite history extends beyond being a mere stopover. It was there that the brother of Jared repented after being rebuked by the Lord for his extended prayerlessness (Ether 2:14) and where he later ascended Mount Shelem to seek divine guidance. His faith-filled plea atop Mount Shelem led to a profound theophany where he witnessed the premortal Christ and received the Urim and Thummim, two stones that would illuminate the barges during their voyage (Ether 3:1-16). The name Moriancumer shares linguistic parallels with the revealed name of the brother of Jared, Mahonri Moriancumer, and it is reasonable to infer that the encampment’s name commemorated him or bore relevance to the Jaredites’ culture or language.

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