The Book of Ether

When Mormon abridged the account of the discovery and translation of the book of Ether, he wrote, “This account shall be written hereafter; for behold, it is expedient that all people should know the things which are written in this account” (Mosiah 28:19). Moroni, true to his father’s desires, abridged the book of Ether and included it on the plates of Mormon.

Moroni wrote that he did not include even a “hundredth part” of the Jaredite record (Ether 15:33). This is not surprising, since their history extends from the Tower of Babel (about 2500–2200 B.C.) until after the people of Mulek came to the Americas (after 587 B.C.). The book of Ether provides a powerful second witness to the Nephite record that if the inhabitants of the promised land do not serve Jesus Christ, they will be destroyed (see Ether 2:8).