When King Shule died, he was succeeded by his son Omer. Omer fathered some children including a son named Jared.
Sources:
• Ether 8:1-2
Jared settled in the land of Heth. Using cunning words of flattery, he drew away the support of half his father’s kingdom.
Sources:
• Ether 8:2
Then Jared gathered an army and marched against his father’s kingdom to conquer it.
Sources:
• Ether 8:3
But two of King Omer's other sons led forces that attacked Jared's army at night and killed them all. Jared had to beg for his life to be spared. Jared was extremely sad because he had his heart set on the kingdom and worldly glory.
Sources:
• Ether 8:5-6
Now Jared had an extremely attractive daughter who was extremely clever. She informed him that the ancient records of their people told of secret combinations—groups of wicked people who secretly join together to lie, cheat, steal, murder, or do whatever is necessary to gain riches, wealth, or power.
She proposed a plan. They would invite King Omer's friend Akish to visit. Jared's daughter would dance for him, and please him such that he would want to marry her. Then Jared would offer him a deal: Akish could marry his daughter if he brought him the head of King Omer. The plan worked as intended.
Sources:
• Ether 8:10-12
And so Akish gathered his family and his friends at Jared's house and they used the ancient oaths that dated back to Cain and Satan to form a secret combination. Now these secret societies are viewed by God to be supremely wicked and abominable. This is a warning to all readers: any nation that allows these secret combinations to exist and gain power will be destroyed by Jesus's vengeance.
Akish and his secret society seized control of Omer's kingdom, but Jesus was merciful to Omer and warned him in a dream to escape. So Omer and his family traveled east for days and passed through the land that would later be known as western New York State where Joseph Smith lived 4,000 years later when Heavenly Father and Jesus appeared to him.
Jared was made king and he gave his daughter to Akish in marriage. But Akish plotted with members of his secret society, and while King Jared sat on his throne listening to his people, his head was cut off. Then Akish became the king.
Sources:
• Ether 9:4-6
The wickedness of the secret society had corrupted all the people. King Akish became jealous of one of his sons, so he locked him up in prison and starved him to death.
Sources:
• Ether 9:6-7
King Akish had other sons and they used money to bribe the people to support them instead of their father. A long war broke out between King Akish and his sons that was so deadly it killed the entire population of the kingdom except for 30 survivors.
Sources:
• Ether 9:10-12
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Jesus Sends Snakes
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