Ether 1:2-5

Moroni tells us here that his account of the Book of Ether is from the 24 Jaredite plates, but it is only an abridgement. He is leaving out the “things which transpired from the days of Adam until that time [of the great tower].” He tells us later in Ether 15:33 that he has not written a hundredth part of the record of Ether. The abridged version known as Book of Ether is 15 chapters long and goes from page 487 to page 518 of the current edition of the Book of Mormon, or 31 pages. Some of the 31 pages is commentary by Moroni. There are 16,629 words in the Book of Ether (not counting chapter summaries). Taking out Moroni’s commentary, I come up with 13,293 words. That’s 79.9%. Taking 79.9% of 31 pages gives 24.8 pages of the Book of Ether without Moroni’s commentary.

Summary:
The abridgement of the 24 Jaredite plates which does not contain the first part of the 24 plates (history from Adam until the tower) and is not a hundredth part of the record of Ether, translates to 24.8 pages in the current English version.

Ether 1:6-32

Moroni is supposedly writing an abridgement, but he takes 27 verses to supply this genealogy, so we can do what with it?

Also consider that there are 29 generations between Ether and Jared. Doing the math from 600 BCE (roughly when Ether put his book together) back to Jared, we’d have to assume an average age difference between the fathers and sons listed of about 55 years in order for the math to work out to place Jared at the tower of Babel at about 2200 BCE.

Now it’s possible that in Ether 1:23 where it says “Morianton was a descendant of Riplakish,” multiple generations were left out. That’s doubtful from the beginning to me, because it would be like saying “It’s important to have all these son/father relationships listed, but not for this one span of generations.” In addition, in the other two instances in this genealogy, where it says “was a descendant of” we know the author means “was a son of.”

Ether 1:6 says Ether “was a descendant of Coriantor.” Then in Ether 11:23 we learn that, “Coriantor begat Ether,” so we know that in this case “was a descendant of” means “was the son of.” Same for Aaron and Heth in Ether 1:16 and Ether 10:31.

This declares the Tower of Babel account a literal and factual event. If true, this would mean that until about 4,200 years ago (according to Bible chronologies I’ve seen including those at www.churchofjesuschrist.org) there was only one language on the earth, then at the Tower of Babel event, all languages were confounded (except for the Jaredites). This is not compatible with what we know about the evolution of language. (See also the second paragraph to the [Introduction to the Book of Mormon](https://a-bom.github.io/intro.html#2) , Omni 1:22, Mosiah 28:17, Helaman 6:28)

This verse closely resembles two KJV Old Testament verses. Compare this verse with "Jared spake again unto his brother, saying: Go and inquire of the Lord" to 2 Chronicles 34:21 with "Go, enquire of the LORD for me". Note that of the 10 instances of the phrase "[enquire of the Lord](https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/search.php?q=%22enquire+of+the+LORD%22)" only 3 include include the verb "go" (which are the verse in 2 Chronicles chapter 34 as well as 2 Kings 8:8 and 2 Kings 22:13).

Next compare this verse with "And who knoweth but the Lord will carry us forth into a land which is choice above all the earth?" to Joel 2:14 with "Who knoweth if he will return and repent, and leave a blessing behind him". Note that the phrase "[who knoweth](https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/search.php?q=%22who+knoweth%22)" has 12 instances within the KJV bible with the verse from Joel chapter following the phrase with the conjunction "if" (in place of "but") and mentioning a potential blessing.

The Book of Ether

Ether

Book of Mormon

Tower of Babel

a-bom

auricularis_posterior

And now I, Moroni, proceed to give an account of those ancient inhabitants who were destroyed by the hand of the Lord upon the face of this north country.

And I take mine account from the twenty and four plates which were found by the people of Limhi, which is called the Book of Ether.

And as I suppose that the first part of this record, which speaks concerning the creation of the world, and also of Adam, and an account from that time even to the great tower, and whatsoever things transpired among the children of men until that time, is had among the Jews--

Therefore I do not write those things which transpired from the days of Adam until that time; but they are had upon the plates; and whoso findeth them, the same will have power that he may get the full account.

But behold, I give not the full account, but a part of the account I give, from the tower down until they were destroyed.

And on this wise do I give the account. He that wrote this record was Ether, and he was a descendant of Coriantor.

And Aaron was a descendant of Heth, who was the son of Hearthom.

And Morianton was a descendant of Riplakish.

And Kib was the son of Orihah, who was the son of Jared;

Which Jared came forth with his brother and their families, with some others and their families, from the great tower, at the time the Lord confounded the language of the people, and swore in his wrath that they should be scattered upon all the face of the earth; and according to the word of the Lord the people were scattered.

And the brother of Jared being a large and mighty man, and a man highly favored of the Lord, Jared, his brother, said unto him: Cry unto the Lord, that he will not confound us that we may not understand our words.

And it came to pass that the brother of Jared did cry unto the Lord, and the Lord had compassion upon Jared; therefore he did not confound the language of Jared; and Jared and his brother were not confounded.

Then Jared said unto his brother: Cry again unto the Lord, and it may be that he will turn away his anger from them who are our friends, that he confound not their language.

And it came to pass that the brother of Jared did cry unto the Lord, and the Lord had compassion upon their friends and their families also, that they were not confounded.

And it came to pass that Jared spake again unto his brother, saying: Go and inquire of the Lord whether he will drive us out of the land, and if he will drive us out of the land, cry unto him whither we shall go. And who knoweth but the Lord will carry us forth into a land which is choice above all the earth? And if it so be, let us be faithful unto the Lord, that we may receive it for our inheritance.

And it came to pass that the brother of Jared did cry unto the Lord according to that which had been spoken by the mouth of Jared.

And it came to pass that the Lord did hear the brother of Jared, and had compassion upon him, and said unto him:

Go to and gather together thy flocks, both male and female, of every kind; and also of the seed of the earth of every kind; and thy families; and also Jared thy brother and his family; and also thy friends and their families, and the friends of Jared and their families.

And when thou hast done this thou shalt go at the head of them down into the valley which is northward. And there will I meet thee, and I will go before thee into a land which is choice above all the lands of the earth.

And there will I bless thee and thy seed, and raise up unto me of thy seed, and of the seed of thy brother, and they who shall go with thee, a great nation. And there shall be none greater than the nation which I will raise up unto me of thy seed, upon all the face of the earth. And thus I will do unto thee because this long time ye have cried unto me.