Ether 6:7 they were tight like unto the ark of Noah
There are more similarities
between Noah’s ark and the Jaredite barges than one might think. Both had to be
built to withstand torrential rains and tidal waves. Therefore, they were both
built “tight,” in other words, completely sealed when the hatch was closed. For
the Jaredites, we know that this design meant that extraordinary means would be
needed to provide light. Well then, what did Noah and family do in order to see
when they were sealed up in their “tight” ark? By rabbinical and ancient Oriental tradition, they also were given
lighted stones to illuminate the ark.
Hugh Nibley
“Truly
remarkable is the statement in Ether that the submarine nature of Jared's ships
made them ‘like unto the ark of Noah,’ since
that aspect of the ark, perhaps its most characteristic, is not specifically
mentioned in the Bible, and has led to great confusion among Bible
illustrators, ancient, medieval, and modern…They lead us directly to the most
puzzling problem of all-that of the illumination of the ark, for while the
window is called a zohar (more properly tsohar), i.e., shiner or
illuminator…in a boat equipped to go under water other sources for both [light
and ventilation] would have to be found, and it is in the lighting department
that the Jewish sources are most specific.
For the Rabbis do not settle for the zohar-the lighter of the
Ark-as being simply a window: for some
of them it was rather a miraculous light-giving stone…Rabbi Akiba ben Kahmana,
for example, says it was a skylight, while Rabbi Levi said it was a precious
stone. He quotes R. Phineas as saying
that ‘during the whole twelve months that Noah was in the Ark he did not
require the light of the sun by day or the moon by night, but he had a polished
gem which he hung up; when it was dim he knew that it was day, and when it
shone he knew it was night.’” (A Book of Mormon Treasury, p. 140)
Hugh Nibley
“The
oldest accounts of the ark of Noah, the Sumerian ones, describe it as a ‘magur
boat,’ peaked at the ends, completely covered but for a door, without sails,
and completely covered by the waters from time to time, as men and animals rode
safe within. But the remarkable thing about Jared's boats was their
illumination by stones which shone in the dark because they had been touched by
the finger of the Lord (Ether 3:6, 6:3).
“The
Rabbis tell of a mysterious Zohar that illuminated the ark, but for
further instruction we must go to much older sources: the Pyrophilus is traced
back to the Jalakanta stone of India, which shines in the dark and
enables its owner to pass unharmed beneath the waters; this in turn has been
traced back through classical and Oriental sources to the Gilgamesh Epic, where
Alexander's wonderful Pyrophilus stone turns up as the Plant of Life in the
possession of the Babylonian Noah.
“A
large number of ancient traditions, first brought together in the present
century, justify one in assuming some sort of legendary shining stones in the
ark of Noah. Whether or not there is any historical reality behind it, the fact
is that we now know, from sources completely inaccessible to the world of
Joseph Smith, that such a tradition actually did exist in very ancient times.
It is nothing to laugh at after all.” (The Prophetic Book of Mormon, p. 244)
Ether 6:9 they did sing praises unto the Lord
One can only imagine what it
would have been like to be cooped up in one of those Jaredite barges for 344
days with furious winds, terrible tempests, and mountain waves which buried
them in the deep (v. 5-7). The reader gets seasick just thinking about it! Yet
their difficult journey was not marred by murmuring and mayhem as it was with
Laman and Lemuel (1 Ne 18:9-13). In retrospect, this is truly amazing! The
Jaredite journey was no pleasure cruise but it lacked nothing for joy and
gratitude for they did thank and praise the Lord all
the day long. By comparison, we often complain if our plane-ride or
car-ride lasts longer than 344 minutes, let alone 344 days.
Music has the power to lift
people in the most trying of circumstances. Michael F. Moody said, “Music has
the power to transport us from the hard realities of day-to-day living, to a
peaceful, beautiful realm in which we can find a renewed perspective of life.”
(Church News, 11/16/91) It was this peaceful, beautiful realm to which
the Jaredites were transported by their songs of praise. Furthermore, the Lord
has declared, my soul delighteth in the song of the
heart; yea, the song of the righteous is a prayer unto me (DC 25:12).
The parallelism between the song of the righteous and the prayer of the
righteous is seen in the language used by Moroni and Enos. The Jaredites did thank and praise the Lord all the day long; and when
the night came, they did not cease to praise the Lord. Enos records, all the day long did I cry unto him; yea, and when the
night came I did still raise my voice high that it reached the heavens.
(Enos 1:4)
Gordon B. Hinckley
“We
recognize the universal power of music to touch the hearts of men and women
everywhere and in all generations--to inspire and encourage, to sustain and
lift, to comfort and bring peace.” (Teachings of Gordon B. Hinckley,
“Music”)
Neal A. Maxwell
“I’m
continually impressed with the power of music to comfort and counsel in a way
that often exceeds the power of the spoken word.” (Church News,
11/16/91)
Ether 6:11 they were driven forth, three hundred and forty and four
days
Even though the Jaredites
traveled for a very long time, Noah and his family had to suffer even longer.
Noah and his family remained on the ark for a record 366 days (see Gen 7:11-13;
8:14-16).
“Their
mode of travel from the shores of Asia was in barges ‘upon
the waters,’ and their motivated power was furnished by ‘furious winds’ (v. 5). Quite probably their route was in the Japan Current, which
travels from east to west at a rate of between twelve and twenty-one miles a
day, and if the Pacific is about seven thousand miles across, the ‘three hundred and forty and four days’ that they
were upon the water would be pretty well consumed. They disembarked near the land called Desolation by the Nephites,
‘it being the place of their first landing’
(Alma 22:30).” (A. L. Zobell, Sr., A Book of Mormon Treasury, p. 169)
Ether 6:12 they did humble themselves before the Lord, and did shed tears
of joy
“Recognizing
the blessings of the Lord in one's life brings a sense of gratitude and
humility. As a person ponders the
workings of the Lord in his life, he may be filled with a sense of awe and
wonder and a feeling of overwhelming love for the Lord. When the heart is softened by gratitude and
humility and the mind is quickened by a recognition of God's hand, the Spirit
of the Lord fills the soul with joy even to tears. President Ezra Taft Benson declared: ‘Spiritual promptings
move us on occasion to great joy, sometimes to tears.... The Holy Ghost causes
our feelings to be more tender. We feel
more charitable and compassionate. We
are calmer. We have a greater capacity
to love.’ (Come Unto Christ, p. 20.)
The ‘tender mercies of the Lord’ are
manifested in our lives both in temporal and spiritual ways. We experience his tender mercy through his
forgiveness of our sins and the transformation of our lives through his
grace. We are protected and blessed in
temporal ways by his ever-watchful loving-kindness and care. When we recognize and experience these
temporal spiritual mercies of the Lord we are indeed filled with joy-a joy
that, as Ammon declared, borders on ‘boasting’ or ‘glorying’ in the goodness of
God (see Alma 26:12-16).” (McConkie, Millet, and Top, Doctrinal Commentary on the
Book of Mormon, vol. 4, p. 287)
Ether 6:19 Let us gather together our people
Hugh Nibley
“Jaredite
history in the New World was formally inaugurated by a general assembly and
census of the entire nation (Ether 6:19), a thoroughly Asiatic practice which
goes back to the days of prehistoric hunters and which lies at the root of all
ancient political organization, as I have demonstrated in a number of articles.
Strictly in accordance with the ancient pattern, this assembly was the occasion
for the choosing of a king, and the establishment of a dynasty, which as the
brother of Jared clearly foresaw, could only lead straight to the slough of Old
World intrigue and turmoil from which the Jaredites had already been once
delivered (Ether 6:23). He was right, for presently one Corihor ‘rebelled against his father, and went over and dwelt in
the land of Nehor; . . . and . . . drew away many people after him’ (Ether
7:4).” (Lehi in the Desert and the World of the Jaredites, p. 224)
Ether 6:23 surely this thing leadeth into captivity
What may be the most
impressive aspect of this statement by the brother of Jared is the quick
perceptiveness that only comes through the Spirit. He did not need to think
about the proposition, ruminate over the possibilities, and contemplate the
implications before giving his opinion. His spiritual eyesight was 20-20 or
better. He immediately knew that a monarchial form of government was a bad
idea. He could see trouble ahead while his whole family was completely
oblivious to the danger. This is the way of the prophets. Their ideas are not
popular. Their counsel often seems illogical to the spiritually near-sighted
who can’t see the end of the trail because they are so focused on the fork in
the road.
The problem with a Monarchy
is the great potential for abuse. While the Book of Mormon records the history
of several righteous kings: Nephi,
Benjamin, Mosiah, and others, these men were exceptions to the rule. The general
rule is that less righteous, or frankly wicked, men eventually rise to power
only to make the people suffer. As Mosiah says, because
all men are not just it is not expedient that ye should have a king or kings to
rule over you (Mosiah 29:16). Therefore, the prophets were always leery
of establishing a government of kings. Nephi was faced with a people who looked
up to them as their leader, And it came to pass that
they would that I should be their king. But I, Nephi, was desirous that they
should have no king; nevertheless, I did for them according to that which was
in my power (2 Ne 5:18). In the Old Testament, we read that when the
Israelites asked the prophet Samuel for a king so that they could be like all
the other nations in the land, the Lord replied, Hearken
unto the voice of the people…for they have not rejected thee, but they have
rejected me, that I should not reign over them (1 Sam 8:7). The
Israelites and the Jaredites would have benefited most if they had the KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS (Rev 19:16) as their king, for I,
the Lord, the king of heaven, will be their king, and I will be a light unto
them forever, that hear my words (2 Ne 10:14).