Mormon (prophet)
Encyclopedia
Mormon is believed by followers of Mormonism
to have been the narrator of much of the Book of Mormon
, a sacred text of the Latter Day Saint movement
, which describes him as a prophet-historian and a member of a tribe of indigenous Americans
known as the Nephite
s. According to the Book of Mormon, the prophet Mormon engraved an abridgement of his people's history on golden plates, which were later translated by Joseph Smith, Jr.. Based on the chronology of the book, Mormon lived during the 4th century AD.
As a narrator in the text, Mormon presents himself as a redactor
. He quotes and paraphrases other writers, collects and includes whole texts by other authors, contributes running commentary, and also writes his own narrative. He writes about the process of making the book, both in terms of compiling the works of other prophets and also in terms of engraving the words on metal plates. He alludes to content that is left out of the book, and refers to a larger collection of records at his disposal.
The Book of Mormon states that Mormon was instructed by the prophet Ammaron
where to find the records that had been passed down from their ancestors. It also claims that Mormon later abridged the near-millennium-long history of his ancestors, and added additional revelations into the Book of Mormon. Divisions of the book relating to Mormon's personal history are the Words of Mormon
and the first seven chapters
of the larger book. The book says that Mormon eventually passed all of the records on to his son Moroni
.
prophets and on what to engrave upon them. At the age of eleven, Mormon was taken to the land of Zarahemla
by his father.
Mormon writes that at age fifteen he was visited by Jesus Christ
.
At age fifteen (or "in his sixteenth year"), Mormon became the leader of the Nephite armies, and fought against the Lamanites in many battles thereafter.
Mormon went to the hill (called Shim) at about the age of 24, as instructed by Ammaron, to take and abridge the Nephite records.
In AD 362, Mormon writes that he "utterly refuse[d]...to be a commander and a leader" to the Nephites "because of their wickedness and abomination." However, about thirteen years later, Mormon decided to return as commander of the Nephite armies as they were being badly beaten by the Lamanites.
Upon returning, Mormon again led them in battle against the Lamanites until the entire destruction of the Nephite nation, which took place as a result of a huge battle fought between the two groups in 385. The prophet Moroni
, Mormon's son to whom he delivered the Golden Plates
, records that Mormon was killed by the Lamanites (presumably in AD 385 or shortly thereafter). As the last prophet and keeper of the record, Moroni is said to have become the angel or messenger who revealed the location of the Golden Plates to Joseph Smith in 1823.
Mormonism
Mormonism is the religion practiced by Mormons, and is the predominant religious tradition of the Latter Day Saint movement. This movement was founded by Joseph Smith, Jr. beginning in the 1820s as a form of Christian primitivism. During the 1830s and 1840s, Mormonism gradually distinguished itself...
to have been the narrator of much of the Book of Mormon
Book of Mormon
The Book of Mormon is a sacred text of the Latter Day Saint movement that adherents believe contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the American continent from approximately 2600 BC to AD 421. It was first published in March 1830 by Joseph Smith, Jr...
, a sacred text of the Latter Day Saint movement
Latter Day Saint movement
The Latter Day Saint movement is a group of independent churches tracing their origin to a Christian primitivist movement founded by Joseph Smith, Jr. in the late 1820s. Collectively, these churches have over 14 million members...
, which describes him as a prophet-historian and a member of a tribe of indigenous Americans
Indigenous peoples of the Americas
The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...
known as the Nephite
Nephite
According to the Book of Mormon, a Nephite is a member of one of the four main groups of settlers of the ancient Americas. The other three groups are the Lamanites, Jaredites and Mulekites. In the Book of Mormon, the Nephites were a group of people descended from or associated with Nephi, the...
s. According to the Book of Mormon, the prophet Mormon engraved an abridgement of his people's history on golden plates, which were later translated by Joseph Smith, Jr.. Based on the chronology of the book, Mormon lived during the 4th century AD.
As a narrator in the text, Mormon presents himself as a redactor
Redaction
Redaction is a form of editing in which multiple source texts are combined and subjected to minor alteration to make them into a single work. Often this is a method of collecting a series of writings on a similar theme and creating a definitive and coherent work...
. He quotes and paraphrases other writers, collects and includes whole texts by other authors, contributes running commentary, and also writes his own narrative. He writes about the process of making the book, both in terms of compiling the works of other prophets and also in terms of engraving the words on metal plates. He alludes to content that is left out of the book, and refers to a larger collection of records at his disposal.
The Book of Mormon states that Mormon was instructed by the prophet Ammaron
Ammaron
According to the Book of Mormon, Ammaron was a Nephite record-keeper and perhaps a prophet...
where to find the records that had been passed down from their ancestors. It also claims that Mormon later abridged the near-millennium-long history of his ancestors, and added additional revelations into the Book of Mormon. Divisions of the book relating to Mormon's personal history are the Words of Mormon
Words of Mormon
The Words of Mormon is one of the books that make up the Book of Mormon. It consists of a single chapter of eighteen verses. According to the text, it is a comment inserted by the prophet Mormon while compiling the records which became the Book of Mormon....
and the first seven chapters
Book of Mormon (Mormon's record)
The Book of Mormon is the name of a book, or division, in the larger Book of Mormon. This "inner" book has nine chapters. According to the text, the first seven chapters were written by the prophet Mormon and the last two by his son Moroni...
of the larger book. The book says that Mormon eventually passed all of the records on to his son Moroni
Moroni (prophet)
The Angel Moroni is an angel that Joseph Smith, Jr. said visited him on numerous occasions, beginning on September 21, 1823. According to Smith, the angel was the guardian of the golden plates, which Latter Day Saints believe were the source material for the Book of Mormon, buried in a hill near...
.
Life history
According to Mormon's record in the Book of Mormon, he was born in about AD 311 to a father whose name was also Mormon. At about the age of ten, he was visited by Ammaron and given instructions on where to find the sacred engravings of the NephiteNephite
According to the Book of Mormon, a Nephite is a member of one of the four main groups of settlers of the ancient Americas. The other three groups are the Lamanites, Jaredites and Mulekites. In the Book of Mormon, the Nephites were a group of people descended from or associated with Nephi, the...
prophets and on what to engrave upon them. At the age of eleven, Mormon was taken to the land of Zarahemla
Zarahemla
Zarahemla is the name of a prominent land, a capital city, and a leader in the Book of Mormon. The Book of Mormon is revered by members of various Latter Day Saint churches as sacred scripture....
by his father.
Mormon writes that at age fifteen he was visited by Jesus Christ
Jesus
Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...
.
At age fifteen (or "in his sixteenth year"), Mormon became the leader of the Nephite armies, and fought against the Lamanites in many battles thereafter.
Mormon went to the hill (called Shim) at about the age of 24, as instructed by Ammaron, to take and abridge the Nephite records.
In AD 362, Mormon writes that he "utterly refuse[d]...to be a commander and a leader" to the Nephites "because of their wickedness and abomination." However, about thirteen years later, Mormon decided to return as commander of the Nephite armies as they were being badly beaten by the Lamanites.
Upon returning, Mormon again led them in battle against the Lamanites until the entire destruction of the Nephite nation, which took place as a result of a huge battle fought between the two groups in 385. The prophet Moroni
Moroni (prophet)
The Angel Moroni is an angel that Joseph Smith, Jr. said visited him on numerous occasions, beginning on September 21, 1823. According to Smith, the angel was the guardian of the golden plates, which Latter Day Saints believe were the source material for the Book of Mormon, buried in a hill near...
, Mormon's son to whom he delivered the Golden Plates
Golden Plates
According to Latter Day Saint belief, the golden plates are the source from which Joseph Smith, Jr. translated the Book of Mormon, a sacred text of the faith...
, records that Mormon was killed by the Lamanites (presumably in AD 385 or shortly thereafter). As the last prophet and keeper of the record, Moroni is said to have become the angel or messenger who revealed the location of the Golden Plates to Joseph Smith in 1823.
See also
- Book of Mormon prophetsBook of Mormon prophetsIn the Book of Mormon, there are numerous prophets mentioned. Here, the prophets included are the people who inherited the plates of Nephi and who otherwise are called prophets within the text...
- The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints