Jaredites

2025-07-24T06:40:21Z

166.199.151.110: /* Proposed relations */Was that uncaught vandalism?

{{Short description|People mentioned in the Book of Mormon}}
{{More citations needed|date=October 2011}}

{{Book of Mormon}}
The '''Jaredites''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|dʒ|ær|ə|d|aɪ|t}})<ref>[https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/bofm/pronunciation?lang=eng churchofjesuschrist.org: "Book of Mormon Pronunciation Guide"] (retrieved 2012-03-29), [[Wikipedia:IPA for English|IPA]]-ified from «jĕr´a-dīt»</ref> are one of four peoples (along with the [[Nephites]], [[Lamanites]], and [[Mulekites]]) that the [[The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints|Latter-day Saints]] believe settled in ancient America.

The [[Book of Mormon]] (mainly its [[Book of Ether]]) describes the Jaredites as the descendants of [[Jared (Book of Mormon)|Jared]] and his brother, who lived at the time of the [[Tower of Babel]]. According to the Book of Mormon, they fled across the ocean on unique barges and established an ancient civilization in America.

Mainstream [[archaeology]] has found no evidence of the existence of Jaredites or any of the other three groups.<ref>Terryl L. Givens, ''By the Hand of Mormon: The American Scripture that Launched a New World Religion'' (New York: Oxford University Press, 2002), pp. 146-147.</ref>

==Book of Ether narrative==
According to the Book of Mormon, the Jaredites are the descendants of [[Jared (Book of Mormon)|Jared]], his brother, their immediate family, and their friends. ([[Joseph Smith]] later identified the brother of Jared as [[Brother of Jared|Mahonri Moriancumer]].) At the time of the [[Tower of Babel]], when the tongues of all nations were confounded, the Lord acceded to the desires of Jared, and his people's language was not confounded. The people were also granted a land of promise.

The Lord guided the people through the wilderness and were eventually directed to cross the sea in "barges". The vessels were sealed and watertight<ref>{{Sourcetext|source=Book of Mormon (1981)|book=Ether|chapter=2|verse=17}}</ref><ref>{{Sourcetext|source=Book of Mormon (1981)|book=Ether|chapter=6|verse=7}}</ref> and able to be swamped by waves without sinking.<ref>{{Sourcetext|source=Book of Mormon (1981)|book=Ether|chapter=2|verse=24}}</ref> Air was obtained from outside the vessels, as needed.<ref>{{Sourcetext|source=Book of Mormon (1981)|book=Ether|chapter=2|verse=14}}</ref><ref>{{Sourcetext|source=Book of Mormon (1981)|book=Ether|chapter=2|verse=20}}</ref> They also brought with them animals and food.<ref>{{Sourcetext|source=Book of Mormon (1981)|book=Ether|chapter=6|verse=4}}</ref> The recorded length of the trip was 344 days.<ref>{{Sourcetext|source=Book of Mormon (1981)|book=Ether|chapter=6|verse=11}}</ref> Among other things they carried in their voyage were honeybees, which, in the language of the Jaredites were called "deseret".

[[Ether (Book of Mormon)|Ether]] is the last in the royal line that began with one of the sons of Jared. From the time of the [[Jaredite kings|first king]] to the destruction of the Jaredites, there were only occasional periods of peace and prosperity. The times of peace were interrupted by intrigue over the throne, civil war, and the accession of wicked kings. The history of the Jaredites confirmed the fears of Jared and his brother that a monarchy would lead to evil.<ref>{{Sourcetext|source=Book of Mormon (1981)|book=Omni|chapter=6|verse=22|range=-23}}</ref>

The Book of Mormon claims that the Jaredites grew to become a civilization that exceeded two million people before its destruction.<ref>{{Sourcetext|source=Book of Mormon (1981)|book=Ether|chapter=15|verse=2}}</ref> They finally destroyed themselves about the time [[Lehi (Book of Mormon prophet)|Lehi]] and the other refugees from [[Jerusalem]] arrived in America.{{Citation needed|date=July 2025}} A prophecy of [[Ether (prophet)|Ether]] was fulfilled: the last Jaredite king, [[Coriantumr (Last Jaredite King)|Coriantumr]], lived to see both the total destruction of his entire house, the scattering of the remaining Jaredites, and the arrival of another people to inherit the land.<ref>{{Sourcetext|source=Book of Mormon (1981)|book=Ether|chapter=13|verse=20|range=-21}}</ref><ref name="auto">{{Sourcetext|source=Book of Mormon (1981)|book=Omni|chapter=1|verse=20|range=, 21}}</ref>

===Other references in Book of Mormon===
Outside the Book of Ether, the Book of Mormon relates that Coriantumr was found by the [[Mulekites]]. The Nephites later encountered the Mulekites and taught them the Nephite language. The Mulekites told them that Coriantumr had died some nine months after he had come to live with them. The Nephite prophet King [[Mosiah I]] was able to translate a large stone with engravings that gave an account of Coriantumr.<ref name="auto"/> Another record on twenty-four plates, discovered by the people of King [[Limhi]], was translated by the Nephite King [[Mosiah II]].<ref>{{Sourcetext|source=Book of Mormon (1981)|book=Mosiah|chapter=28|verse=11|range=-17}}</ref> An abridged account of the Jaredite records was later included by [[Moroni (Book of Mormon prophet)|Moroni]], as the Book of Ether, in the Book of Mormon.

==Geography==
{{See also|Limited geography model}}

The ocean crossed is not specified in the Book of Mormon. [[Hugh Nibley]]'s ''There were Jaredites'' and ''The World of the Jaredites'' argue for the [[Pacific Ocean]], but [[Milton R. Hunter]] argues for the [[Atlantic Ocean]].{{Citation needed|date=July 2025}}

The location of the Jaredite's civilization is also not specified in the Book of Mormon except that it was north of a narrow neck of land in what was called the "Land Northward" by the Nephites. The New World location of the Jaredites and Nephites is a subject of disagreement among [[Mormons]].{{Citation needed|date=July 2025}} Joseph Smith indicated that the Jaredites arrived in "the lake country of America"<ref>''[http://www.centerplace.org/history/ts/v3n16.htm Times and Seasons]'', June 15, 1842, Vol. 3, No. 16, pp. 818-820</ref> and that "the Nephites... lived about the narrow neck of land, which now embraces Central America, with all the cities that can be found."<ref>''[http://www.centerplace.org/history/ts/v3n22.htm Times and Seasons]'', September 15, 1842, Vol. 3, No. 22, p. 915</ref>

==Proposed relations==
{{fringe-section|date=June 2024}}
[[File:Olmeca_head_in_Villahermosa.jpg|thumb|Some LDS have argued for the Jaredites as the ancestors of the Olmec civilisation.]]

===Descendants of Ham===
Some early Latter Day Saints, including Apostle [[Parley P. Pratt]] believed the Jaredites were descendants of [[Ham (son of Noah)|Ham]], based on the group's origins near the Tower of Babel, and initial migration into the Valley of Nimrod, an area associated with the descendants of Ham.<ref>Matthew Harris, Newell Bringhurst "The Mormon Church and Blacks: A Documentary History" University of Illinois Press 2015 e-book location 197 of 6260</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|Latter-day Saints}}

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}

==Sources==
*{{Citation
| last=Petersen
| first=Mark E.
| author-link=Mark E. Petersen
| title=The Jaredites
| publisher=Deseret Book Co
| year=1984
| isbn=0-87747-998-4
}}
*{{Citation
| last=Nibley
| first=Hugh
| author-link=Hugh Nibley
| title=Lehi in the Desert/The World of the Jaredites/There Were Jaredites
| publisher=Deseret Book Co
| year=1988
| isbn=0-87579-132-8
| url=http://publications.maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/book/lehi-in-the-desert-the-world-of-the-jaredites-there-were-jaredites/
| access-date=2014-01-21
| archive-date=2013-12-20
| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131220162648/http://publications.maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/book/lehi-in-the-desert-the-world-of-the-jaredites-there-were-jaredites/
| url-status=dead
}}
*{{cite book |chapter-url= http://rsc.byu.edu/archived/book-mormon-fourth-nephi-through-moroni-zion-destruction/4-jaredites-case-study-following |chapter= The Jaredites—A Case Study in Following the Brethren |last= Brinley |first= Douglas E. |pages= 45–59 |title= Fourth Nephi, From Zion to Destruction |editor1-last= Nyman |editor1-first= Monte S. |editor1-link= Monte S. Nyman |editor2-first= Charles D. Jr. |editor2-last= Tate |place= Provo, Utah |publisher= [[Religious Studies Center]], [[Brigham Young University]] |year= 1995 |isbn= 0-88494-974-5 |oclc= 32500560 |access-date= 2014-02-04 |archive-date= 2013-10-22 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20131022042610/http://rsc.byu.edu/archived/book-mormon-fourth-nephi-through-moroni-zion-destruction/4-jaredites-case-study-following |url-status= dead }}
*{{cite book |chapter-url= http://rsc.byu.edu/archived/book-mormon-fourth-nephi-through-moroni-zion-destruction/12-jaredite-zion-societies-hope |chapter= Jaredite Zion Societies: Hope for a Better World |last= Judd |first= Frank F. |pages= 147–52 |title= Fourth Nephi, From Zion to Destruction |editor1-last= Nyman |editor1-first= Monte S. |editor1-link= Monte S. Nyman |editor2-first= Charles D. Jr. |editor2-last= Tate |place= Provo, Utah |publisher= [[Religious Studies Center]], [[Brigham Young University]] |year= 1995 |isbn= 0-88494-974-5 |oclc= 32500560 |access-date= 2014-02-04 |archive-date= 2013-10-22 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20131022041502/http://rsc.byu.edu/archived/book-mormon-fourth-nephi-through-moroni-zion-destruction/12-jaredite-zion-societies-hope |url-status= dead }}

==External links==
*[http://publications.maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/fullscreen/?pub=952 Jaredite chronology] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150813151152/http://publications.maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/fullscreen/?pub=952 |date=2015-08-13 }}

[[Category:Book of Mormon peoples]]
[[Category:Book of Mormon words and phrases]]
[[Category:Mormonism and Native Americans]]

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Jaredites