Dr. Einar C. Erickson
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The soul becomes imbedded knowledge in the sense to heaven and gives a defense before each power and thus mounts beyond them to the upper Mother and Father of the all from whence the soul came down to this world. Stripped of the garment of the flesh, clothed upon with incorruptibility.

GAD   to  GADIOMNAH

INTRODUCTON:

Turn to page 533 of the Book of Mormon.  There are four pages of names. These list nearly all of the personal and many place names found in the Book of Mormon. There are some missing, however, they have been included in these studies. On page 533 you will immediately note there are no names listed that start with an F. This suggests that the ADAMIC language, seemingly retained by Jaredites, did not have or use the letter F.  Ancient Aramaic and early Semitic languages do not have the letter F.  Could the Semitic languages have been patterned after the Adamic language?  The evidence is strongly for just that.

Early ancient Sumerian, seemingly the earliest written language in Mesopotamia, was using cuneiform notations as early as 3500 BC.  By 2750 BC the cuneiform system of writing, the wedge shaped writing on clay tablets, was read as an East Semitic language known as Akkadian.  The appearance of  traces of early Akkadian in southern Mesopotamia, the areas of the first great cities,  Uruk and Ur, indicated that Akkadian was also present in southern Mesopotamia, perhaps through conquest, from the earliest of times. There was a gradual replacement of Sumerian by Akkadian,  a one-language-defined population,  a feature common in the Near East, is one of the region's most repetitive historical themes. The Jaredites left Mesopotamia during the peak time of the Akkadians.  The way Joseph translated and introduced the names in the Book of Mormon seems intended to draw attention to the preservation of names in the Akkadian and some nearby related Semitic languages. At the time of the translation of the  Book of Mormon it is extremely  unlikely that Joseph knew anything about such languages. None of the other cultures in the region were using F as the first letter of names or words. Joseph didn't blunder here.   

The later Assyrian and Babylonian dialects of Akkadian, which are derived from and resemble OLD  AKKADIAN of the third millennium BC, were spoken and written in Syria and Mesopotamian during the second millennium BC, and then was gradually replaced by Aramaic, a Northwest Semitic language, with its alphabetic script, before and during the first millennium BC.  The LAST cuniform scribes, writing their astronomical observation in Late Babylonian and still copying older Sumerian literature,  left dated documents of inscribed clay tablets written during that period. A multitude of cities and towns provide detailed historical records. ( Weiss pp. 37-40)  The recovery of ancient inscribed tablets In the earliest histories from nearly every major city of the region had Akkadian texts in the archives of palaces and temples. These included Mari, the great Old Syrian city on the Euphrates, and Emar, farther south, near the great bend of the Euphrates, and Ebla, often referred to in this series.  The cuneiform Akkadian writing in Mesopotamia is the lengthiest system known spanning almost three thousand years. (Weiss p. 40)  Appearing strong as early as 2750, Akkadian became very robust and extensively employed by 2500 about l00 or so years before the Jaredites were departing or had departed, and languages had taken on subtle changes that made them  each unique, such as retaining or dropping letters like C, O, F, Q, V, W, X, Y. But this does not apply to most of the languages of the earth. Changes that were made, for whatever purpose,  served the Lord, and confounded the worlds communication system. 

Certainly the origins of Jaredite (Olmec) and later Nephite (Mayan) languages are not going to be looked for in the Americas, they are transplants from the great some-where-else.  The Book of Mormon more than just strongly hints at the places to look for origins and parallels. It provides details, historically and linguistically, of where to look. There are twelve major divisions and geographies of the Indo-European languages, and in the midst of these are five non-indo-European Languages, from England to southern India. (Renfrew , Front Piece Map)  The Book of Mormon narrows it down nicely, look in Egypt, Palestine and Mesopotamia.  And the outstanding language is the ancient Semitic Akkadian and early Egyptian  for the Jaredites; Hebrew and Egyptian for the Nephites; Egyptian and  Phoenician for the Mulekites. This series is focused on Akkadian and as this series has testified, Akkadian has yielded rich treasures of verification and confirmation of Book of Mormon names; way beyond the coincidental. 

For those interested in Chronology we have had occasion to try to harmonize dates with archaeological and Biblical studies and the Book of Mormon events. Generally, as discussed in this web site, for the Jaredites  we are dealing with what is called the Bronze-Iron Age terminology, often referred to as the Third Millennium BC, covering 2000-3000  BC, also called the Early Bronze Age. (Weiss p. 43)

Southwest Semitic languages later began to develop Proto Arabic, which split into two trends. There was  Pre-classical Arabic at about  600 BC but did not seem to persist beyond 300 AD.  The other trend  was classical Arabic that was emerging about 328 AD.  The Koran was written in this language about 650 AD. This trend split into five dialects including Saudi Arabian, Egyptian and North African, which introduced words starting with an F, for royal names. (Weiss p. 39)

Now let' s return to the list of Book of Mormon names, with no names in the F category, we continue  with names that start with the letter G: 

GAD: GAD, GADAKA, GADAKARA, GADATA, GADAUKA, GADAVARA, GADECA, GAD-AICA , GADA,  GADFALALLU, GADALALAU, GADAMAHU(M), GADARU, GADE, GADU,  GADAMU. GADADU, GADE, GADU                                                             

This is a simple,  but most complicated name, in meaning and history.  In the records ofancient sources we find the name GAD, (Black p. 87) and we discuss this name in what follows.  The consonant element GD is found in GAD, and the name and element is found among Amorite personal names at MARI, a contemporary city State at the time of the Jaredites.  (Huffmon p. 179) In several of the sources GAD has the meaning of  GOOD FORTUNE, but in the other ancient sources we find it confirms the Book of Mormon meaning and use of the name for  MURDERERS,  LOOTERS AND ROBBERS.

The first seven names, following the prefix -GAD, have something to do with a weapon of war, (Tavernier pp. 183-185), the 'Mace,' 'leading with the mace,' 'making the mace,' until we get to the name GADA.  THERE, in the ancient sources, back to ancient Sumerian, the MEANING IS GIVEN AS:  "LOOTER, ROBBER!"  (Tavernier  p. 185)  How much more explicit does one need to get to verify Joseph got it right the first time.  But even more interesting is the eight names that are listed after GAD, with GADA  as the last name, they are all ELAMITIC, (Tavernier  pp. 184-185),   and as old, or older than the AKKADIAN.  ELAM has been discussed briefly in an earlier entry.  ELAM is the ancient name for the plain of Khuzistan, watered by the Kerkh river, which joins the Tigris just north of the Persian gulf. Civilization in this area is as old as, and closely connected with, the cultures of lower Mesopotamia. The ELAMITES  cannot with certainty be linked with any other known race, although their language may be related to the DRAVIDAN FAMILY. There is a reference in Genesis 10:22 which identified ELAM as the son of SHEM.  This may reflect the presence of early, post flood,  Semites in this region.  The Jaredites would have had a close affinity with the ELAMITES. There is archaeological evidence in the time of Sargon 1, (c. 2350 BC), and his successors of their influence on the local culture.  Rock sculptures depict typical AKKADIAN figures and bear AKKADIAN  inscriptions, although carved for ELAMITE rulers.  The mountainous region to the north and east was known as Anshan, and from an early period, formed a part of ELAM.  Sumerian and Semitic plainsmen looked upon these ranges as the abode of evil spirits, and early epics describe the terror they held for those who crossed them in search of the mineral wealth of states beyond.  ELAM's control of the trade routes to the Iranian plateau, and to the South East made ELAM the object of constant attacks from the plains of Mesopotamia. These in turn offered great wealth to any  conqueror.  There is a long history of events, much of which is still obscure and only recently are they making progress with the language. (Douglas pp. 432-434)  " Elamite, like Basque in modern Europe, is unrelated to its neighbors, and is unlike any other language known. In the "southern part of the Zagros [Mts.]"  we are close to the two areas, SUMER and ELAM, where in very early historic times, not long after 3000 BC, we have clear written evidence for the existence of two non-Indo-European languages, SUMERIAN and ELAMITE." (Renfrew pp. 45, 173) The capital city was Susa. This is an additional incident where the Jaredite record sheds light on ancient history and geography beyond what Joseph Smith could have had available in his time.  

Somehow in their merchant activities or travels, some Jaredites had passed through the ancient city of SUSA capital city of ancient ELAM;  and came to a knowledge of GAD and GADIANTON with the meaning as given in the Book of Mormon of MURDERS,  LOOTER, ROBBERS!  These had to be avoided if at all possible. Caravans were always subject to ROBBERS.  Nibley is verified, and Book of Mormon confirmed and Joseph Smith vindicated!

The next five names following GADA, all refer to fabric and linen of various quality. Then there is the name GADAMU, which means 'to cut off part of the body as punishment.'  (Black p. 87) This is certainly related to murderers,  "LOOTERS AND ROBBERS." Is this part of the oath and covenant of the murderers?  The name GADADU  in Akkadian means 'to separate off' by cuttingl  (Black p. 87) as a group such as a secret combination?  The name GADE means 'I'm going, I am off', in Old Babylonian, and in New-Assyrian GADU means 'young goat',  In Neo-Assyrian GADJA meant 'lamb,' but it also had the variant  spelling GADIA, which is part of the core element for GADIA-NTON.  GAD, retained in Neo-Assyrian, successor to Akkadian, these names retained the meaning of 'good fortune.'  GAD also had the spelling of GADD, with the two DD's. There are ten names with the prefix GADD. That littler correction in the original manuscript where GADDIANTON was spelled with two DD's is not an accident. And in Neo-Assyrian there are four other names with GAD as a prefix. (Radner pp. 417-418) The meaning of GAD began to change in succeeding languages that followed Akkadian.  (Black p. 87)  There are 22 names with the prefix of GAD found on tablets from Ebla, generally meaning 'good', 'fortune' or 'like.' (Pagan p. 309) We will briefly discuss six different historically diverse  GADS,  where the meaning is GOOD FORTUNE.  

BIBLICAL GAD:  In Hebrew one of the meanings of the name is 'good fortune,' (Mandel p. 165)  a far cry from the name as used in the Book of Mormon. GAD was the seventh son of JACOB, his first by Leah's maid Zilpah (Gen. 30:10). He was a third generation after Abraham about 1800 BC.  When the brothers went into Egypt because of the famine, saved by Joseph the brother they thought they had sold into slavery, GAD has seven sons. (Gen. 46:16)  In his blessings on GAD Jacob promised GAD's descendants a troubled life, but that they would hit back (Gen. 49:19). This was repeated in Moses' blessings (Duet. 33:20-21) . (Douglas p. 532)

The name, GAD, has the consonantal element GD. Contemporary with the Israelites, but with ancient traditions in regards to their use of names, were the Phoenicians, who, in the promised land, as noted, were called Cannanites.  In Phoenician the element GIDD/GAD and  elsewhere in the western Semitic areas, means 'fortune.'  However, there is also a listing under GD', which has the more ominous meaning of:  'to cut, mutiliate'  as in kill or murder. (Benz p. 295) An Akkadian name GADAMU  has about the same meaning. (Black p. 87). This is the element found in GADIANTON as discussed below.  But we were looking for a more definite confirmation that the Book of Mormon attribution  of  the two names, GAD and GADIANTON refers to 'robbers' as one of their chief occupations.  In the Book of Mormon, the word ROBBERS, most often times is in association with GADIANTONS,  and is referred to in Helaman 15 times, in 3 Nephi at least thirty times, in 4 Nephi 2 times, in Mormon at least six times, and in Ether 2 times. Ether, after relating the coming and goings of unrighteous and righteous kings, including MORIANTON, who was cut off from the presence of the Lord (Ether 10:11) has this to say about the robbers past and present in the land: "33.  And in the days of Com, there began to be ROBBERS IN THE LAND; AND THEY ADOPTED THE old plans, and administered OATHS after the MANNER of the ANCIENTS, and sought again to DESTROY the kingdom."  (Ether 10:33)  Since Cain, the OATHS and tactics of Lucifer had been among the people.  Helaman tried to stamp it out by destroying the ancient records, but Lucifer just re-revealed them again and again.  The GADIANTON robbers go way back.  The whole history of GADIATONS AND ROBBERS is astounding to say the least. Then when we check into the ancient sources we find:    

TRIBAL NAME:  GAD, an Israelite tribe descended from Gad with a specified territory that they inherited. As tribal territory Reuben and GAD also received the AMORITE Kingdom of Sihon, on the north, the central and western portions of the Mountains of Gilead, with Manasseh on the east and northeast. The southern limits were at Heshbon.  (Jos. 13:15-23)  Details of the irregular territory held by GAD is provided in Douglas and need not be repeated here. (Douglas p. 532)  Most Biblical Atlas's also described the inheritance of the tribe of GAD.

The BIBLICAL and TRIBAL GAD therefore traces the name back to the conquests by the Israelites of the Territory of Canaan, the Phoenicians.  However, we reach further back into history when we note that GAD is also found in the Amorite name GAD AN NIM, listed as name  No.1727. (Gelb p. 579)   The Amorite and the tribe of GAD had a portion of their borders in common.  There they stayed until the eight century BC when the Assyrians  exiled them and they disappeared as one of the lost ten tribes. (Mandel p. 66)  The name GAD appears in the name of other Biblical figures:  GADI (my fortune) and  GADIEL (God [Elohim] is my fortune). (Mandel pp. 66-67)

BIBLICAL PROPHET:  The name GAD, at the time of David meant in Hebrew, 'seer' providing a third meaning for the name,  and as such,  GAD was the name of a prophet and seer, the contemporary of  Saul and David, and Nathan the prophet who brought David to task over his immorality. GAD the SEER had advised David to leave Moab for Judah (l Sa. 22.5)  Later, GOD, through GAD  offered a choice of three possible punishments to David for taking a census.  David chose a three day plague, which killed 70,000. God then commanded that David build an altar on Araunah's threshing floor. (2 Sa. 24:10) The burnt offering  from this offering caused the Lord to halt the pestilence. (Douglas p.533)  GAD helped organize music for eventual use in the temple.  GAD the  SEER wrote a history of David's reign. (l Ch. 29:29; Gardner p. 11)

THE VALLEY OF GAD:

This the place where the census ordered by David begun, at 'Aroer, on the right side of the city that is in the middle of the valley (Nahal) of Gad.  Actually the census would naturally begin at the South border of the Transjordan territory, toward Gad and Jazer. (Douglas p. 533)

GAD, THE ANCIENT PAGAN GOD: 

The Phoenicians, or the Canaanites, worshiped the pagan deity GAD. The 'God of good Fortune.'  This was just one of the many Gods, since 500 have been listed, like the Catholics who have many saints for blessings, good fortune and protection.  But the chief God was EL,  an abbreviation for Elohim.  This helps confirms the antiquity of the name.  Some of the  above satisfies the Book of Mormon identification of GAD and what he represented to the Nephites as absolute evil.

GAD IN THE DOCTRINE AND COVENANTS: 

Joseph Smith in his revelatory records compiled in the Doctrine and Covenants, provides us information on another GAD, and a separate line of Priesthood that does not go back to ADAM, but directly to GOD, this line is important because it also had the powers of sealing, because  Jethro gave Moses his endowments as well. It does not trace the priesthood back to Abraham, Noah, or Melchizedek (Shem). (Smith, et al. Doctrine and Covenants Commentary, p. 500) . "8. And the sons of Moses, according to the holy priesthood which he received under the hand of his father-in-law Jethro; 7.  And Jethro received it under the hand of Elihu; 9. And Elihu under the hand of Jeremy; 10. And Jeremy under the hand of GAD; 11.  And GAD under the hand of Esaias; 12. And Esaias received it under the hand of GOD. 13. Esaias also lived in the days of Abraham, and was blessed by him." (D&C 84:6-13)  This is about all we know about this ancient GAD, but again, the name probably meant at that time 'good fortune.' It is insertions like this, and there are many of them, that appear in all the revelations and writings of the Prophet Joseph Smith that put the stamp of authenticity on his work.  Such insertions are not fiction. 

THE WICKED CITIES  OF GAD:

In 3 Nephi Christ gives an account  of the many cities and peoples destroyed at his Resurrection,  he had personally overseen the destruction of 12,  singled out by name, and of these, who were among the most wicked were the three mentioned below: (3 Ne. 9:3-12)  The connotation of wickedness associated with the name GAD seems evident. These cities are only mentioned in connection with the destruction at the time of Jesus death. Nothing else is known about them. (Largey p. 283)               

THE CITY OF GAD:  "10. And behold the city of Laman....city of Josh, and the city of GAD...have I caused to be burned with fire and the inhabitants thereof  because of their wickedness in casting out the prophets...stoning those whom I did send...and their abominations. 11. ...because they did cast them all out....none righteous among them, I did send fire and destroy them, that their wickedness and abominations might be hid from before my face, that the blood of the prophets and the saints whom I sent among them might not cry unto me from the ground against them."  (3 Ne. 9:10-11)  Note: it seems that  Christ was personally involved in these destructions.

THE CITIES OF GADIANDI AND GADIOMNAH:

THE CITY OF GADIANDI along with the CITY OF GADIOMNAH, were among the 12 listed cities that were destroyed at the crucifixion of CHRIST:  "8: And behold, the city of GADIANDI and the city of GADIOMNAH, ...have I caused to be sunk, and made hills and valleys in the places thereof; and the inhabitants thereof have I buried up in the depths of the earth, to hide their wickedness and abominations  from before my face, that the blood of the prophets and the saints should not come up any more unto me against them." (3 Ne. 9:8) Note who is doing the destroying.  This was the first and last time these cities were mentioned.  The ending or suffix -IANDI , indicates the word is a Hittite name, just as  --IANTON is a  Jaredite ending for certain names. (Nibley Vol. 6, p. 289)  Now we return to the ROBBERS: 

GAD AND THE SECRET COMBINATIONS

Outstanding among all the evil men mentioned in the Book of Mormon are GAD and GADIANTON.  "We have two opposing ways of life, with strong indication that all the popular support is by no means on the side of the Nephites. That the name of the prize rebel of them all, GADIANTON, [and GAD] is not found in the short Jaredite list is not to be wondered at, but we only need to compare it with such titles as MORIANTON and CORIANTON to realize that it is good Jaredite." (Nibley pp. 245-246)  MORIANTON and CORIANTON are names found in the Jaredite record carrying the suffix -IANTON, the same as in GADIANTON,  all three names were picked up and used by the Nephites. GADIANTON will be discussed below.

"We have ...a definite overlapping of the two cultures [Jaredite and Mulekite].  What clinches the matter is the fact that ...Nephites with Jaredite names all have Mulekite background and connections. That the Mulekite-Jaredite background represented a definite cultural tradition among the Nephites and was consciously cultivated is, I believe, very clearly shown in the behavior of men with Jaredite names. Five out of the six whose names are definitely Jaredite betray strong anti-Nephite leanings, and the sixth one, SHIBLON, [Son of ALMA] was only saved from the ranks of such rebels because an angel converted his anti-Nephite father. [ALMA]. Of the others, MORIANTON sought to lead a great body of people back into the wilderness; CORIANTUMR  was a notorious apostate and subversive  KORIHOR rebelled against the church and state and tried to inaugurate a mass uprising; NEHOR actually succeeded in setting up a rival system of religion and government in opposition to the Nephite rulers, and was only stopped when he was executed for murdering a righteous judge. King NOAH, perhaps of mixed Mulekite descent, horrified the Nephites by introducing the ways of the old Jaredite Kings- oppressive taxation, whoredoms, and abominations, elegant and spacious buildings...pursuit of his opponents...ritual hierodules, and all the rest." (Nibley pp. 245-246)    And the prize rebel of all was GADIANTON.  Details of the other Jaredites names will be discussed in future parts of this series. King Noah's rebellion cost Abinadi his life.                              

With Nibley of the opinion that GADIANTON, with  prefix element  GAD-, and the suffix ending of -IANTON, found in other Jaredite names, was in the Jaredite records, then we need to dig further in order to make sense of the how GAD, and GADIANTON  are used in the Book of Mormon.  The Jaredites repeatedly rejected the  prophets, even killing them, because of the influence of secret societies and wicked abominations among them. (Ether 29:23; Sperry p. 475) Since Cain, secret societies always had totally evil men to lead  them. 

The use of the term COMBINATIONto mean "CONSPIRACY" OR "MONOPOLY" was not  unusual at the time of Joseph, as Noah Webster's 1828 American dictionary makes clear.  The word also occurs in George Washington's Proclamation on the "Whisky Rebellion" (1794) and in his :"Farewell Address" (1796).  It appears numerous times in the Federalist Papers, in Blackstone's COMMENTARIES ON THE LAWS OF ENGLAND, and can easily be found elsewhere. A search of federal and state court opinions available on computer readily yields at least ten occurrences of this phrase, one being in an 1850  decision of the United States Supreme Court. These opinions show that the term 'secret combination' was widely used in the second half of the nineteenth century to describe secret agreements, coalitions for exercising undue influence on the legislature, agreements in restraint of trade , secret business transactions, secret societies, and many other such things. (Welch pp. 227-278)

In 1548, the laws of Edward VI prohibited merchants and workers from swearing mutual oaths  "in any conspiracy, society,  brotherhood, or company of any craft, mystery, or occupation" to fix prices. What better English terms, then could possibly have been used to describe a group who had banded together among the ancient inhabitants of the Americas "that they might get gain?" (Ibid; Helman 6:17)

On June 25, 1831, two years after the publication of the Book of Mormon, Journalist and Massachusetts legislator, Frederick Robinson, wrote to Rufus Choate, taking issue with the bar association calling it a "SECRET BROTHERHOOD." This "SECRET SOCIETY"  he says, is attempting to seize control of the American judicial system and to establish itself as a kind of aristocracy.  I know of no good resulting to the community from the existence of your SECRET BAR ASSOCIATION.  Public good was not the object of your combination. It is a conspiracy against the rights and liberties of the people." (Ibid pp, 278-278)  So what is new? There will be no end to SECRET COMBINATIONS until the millennium. 

The terms 'combination' and 'secret combination' were not special code words in Joseph Smith's day. They were normal words for conspiracies of all kinds. (Welch p. 278) The Book of Mormon makes it quite clear that the Gadiantons, or whenever and whatever they gave for their name, their works were murdering, looting, robbing, and intrigue.  Again, the consistency, continuity, and exposition in the Book of Mormon, of all the robbers for 3,000 years is beyond fiction. 

THIEF AND ROBBER                  

Today there is very little difference between a thief and a robber. But there was considerable differences between these two under ancient Near Eastern Law.  A thief was usually a local person who stole from his own, he was dealt with judicially and tried and punished civilly. A robber was treated as an outsider, as a brigand, or highwayman, he was dealt with militarily, he could be executed summarily.  As a military official, ancient Laban called all the sons of Lehi 'robbers'  and threatened to execute them on the spot. Lamanites are always said to rob fromNephites, but never from their own. The rise and fearful menace of the GADIANTONS was   always called Robbers in the book of Mormon, never thieves. Legal distinctions between theft and robbery under ancient laws, have been analyzed by Bernard  S. Jackson, Professor of  Law at the University of Kent-Canterbury, and editor of the Jewish Law Annual. He shows how robbers usually acted in organized groups rivaling local governments, attacking towns, and how they swore oaths and extorted ransom, a menace worse than outright war; thieves were a much less serious threat to society.  (Welch p. 248) ISIS OR The Calliphate of the state of IS a total threat of IS, as murderous as any can be come, are ROBBERS.

It is no coincidence that the Hebrew word for BAND of  BANDITS: is gedud, it has the consonant element GD. The most famous Book of Mormon robbers were known as GADIANTON'S BAND.  Like  gedud, the name GADIANTON was spelled with two "d"s, GADDIANTON, in the Original Manuscript of the Book of Mormon. If Joseph Smith  had relied on the language of King James Bible for legal definitions of these terms, he would have stumbled into error, for the King James version renders THIEF and ROBBER indiscriminately, so you get DEN OF ROBBERS, and DEN OF THIEVES (Jeremiah 78:11, Matthew 21:113)  The same word (Lestai) is translated sometimes as THIEVES  (Matthew 27:38),  other times as ROBBERS. (John 18:40)  But there was an ancient distinction between thieves and robbers that no translator should neglect , and over which Joseph did not blunder. (Welch p. 249)  As already noted one of the ancient meanings of GAD is LOOTER-ROBBER!

GADIANDI:

GADIANDI is the place name of a city, (see above) location unknown, that had become so wicked that it was their final experience to be dealt with by the Lord personally. " 8. And behold, the city of GADIANDI...I have caused to be sunk, and made hills and valleys in the places thereof; and the inhabitants thereof have I buried up to the depths of the earth, to hide their wickedness and abominations from before my face..." (3 Ne. 9:8)  Wherever it was, there is no longer any trace of it left.  The prefix GAD-, has been discussed above, the suffix, or ending of --IANDI has the element ND, which may mean 'to be' as in NDB, 'to be noble,' so GADIANDI may mean 'to have good fortune.' (Benz p. 359)  Or, taking the other explanation of GAD, it may mean 'to be a place robber.'   (Tavernier p. 185)  The latter may account for its destruction as a totally wicked city.  It also appears that the ending or suffix  -IANDI identifies it as being Jaredite.  In transliteration,the name can be compared with the  HITTITE CITY of CACYANDA. (Nibley Vol. 6, p. 289)  Having already found that there are HITTITE names in the Jaredite record, Nibley's comments are important and in fact confirm that implication.   

GADIANTON:

GADIANTON THE MAN: Helaman, the son of Helaman, was appointed chief judge to replace Pacumeni. Early in Helaman's leadership there was a band of murders, looters and robbers led by a man named Kishkumen, a most evil man, GADIANTON, was a member. (Ludlow p. 76) They had united to murder, rob and gain power. (Hel 2:8, about 32 BC)  This band began with a group of  Nephites who supported Paanchi in his desire to be the new Nephite chief Judge. But when the people selected his brother Pahoran to rule, Paanchi actively rebelled so he was arrested, tried, and condemned to death (Hel 1:5-8).  His angry supporters sent Kishkumen to murder Pahoran (Hel. 1:9-11).  But a servant of Helaman managed to trap Kishkumen  and slay him before he could get to the chief Judge. When he told Helaman of the incident, Helaman sent forth men to seize the robbers and secret murderers,  but GADIANTON had already fled. (Speery p. 375) Kishkumen and those who sent him entered into a covenant never to reveal who murdered the chief judges. GADIANTON, noted for his oratorical ability and skills in killing and robbery, soon rose to be the leader of the evil group (Hel. 2:4)  From then until the end of Nephite history, the band was named after GADIANTON.  (Hel. 6:28; 4 Ne. 1:42; Largey p. 182) )  Mormon promised "more of this GADIANTON shall be spoken hereafter". (Hel. 2:12; Ludlow p. 249) 

THE  OATHS AND COVENANTS OF THE GADIANTON ROBBERS

 GADIANTON ROBBERS had secret signs and passwords in order to distinguish each other from those who did not belong to the band. Under their wicked covenants they proceeded to murder, plunder, steal, and commit all manner of iniquity. The record even implies that the secret signs and passwords were the same that had brought the JAREDITE people to destruction. They had been put into the heart of GADIANTON and his band by Satan, that same individual who had plotted with Cain to murder his brother Able so that it should not be known to the world. (6:18-2)  Note that in the Book of Mormon specific and pointed words are used to identify  secret societies and organization, which, today,  are proliferated all over the world. (Speery p. 379)  The record is quite clear, "the Jaredites rejected the prophets, and even killed them, because of the influence of secret societies and wicked abominations among them." (Sperry p. 375; Ether 11:19-23)

GADIANTON promised power to his group if they helped him become chief judge. Kishkumen sought to murder the then chief judge but he failed and was killed. GADIANTON feared for his life and escaped into the wilderness  (Hel. 2:11) and for years he established  secret combinations in the more settled parts of the land (Hel 3:23), probably at this time some of the cities were converted to his wicked ways leading to their complete destruction.

The GADIANTON ROBBERS,  and murderers, flourished among both Nephites and Lamanites, but particularly among the more wicked part of the Lamanites. (Hel 6:28)  But righteous Lamanites were successful in eliminating the robbers by preaching "the word of God" to them (Hel. 6t:17)  The Nephites chose the opposite to "build them up and support them" so the GADIANTONS were able to gain sole management of the Nephite government and some of their cities. (Hel. 6:38-39). [Their modern counterpart, the Muslim Brotherhood and ISIS are seeking to do the same.] They continued to assassinate Nephite chief judges, killing both Cezoram and his son (Hel. 6:19) and later Seezoram (Hel 8:27-28; 9:27) down to about 20 BC. They hid their deeds  by wicked covenants inspired by Satan (3Ne 26:22).   

During a famine, the robbers were swept away by repentant Nephites who were about to perish in the famine.  But the robbers returned to raise havoc and destruction among the Nephites and Lamanites  (Hel 11:7, 10:26-27).  By 11 BC the GADIANTONS  had become so powerful that they were able to defy the combined armies of both the Nephites and the Lamanites (Hel. 11:12). Not long after the birth of Christ,  the GADIANTONS had become so numerous and destructive that it became expedient that all the people, both the Nephite and the Lamanites should take up arms against them, "and a series of devastating wars followed (3 Ne. 2:11-19) about 13-15 AD. GADIANTON has passed on and was succeeded by GIDDIANHI who had the audacity to write the chief judge Lachoneus a letter demanding that the Nephite surrender and join them (3 Ne. 3). Instead of responding to GIDDIANHI, Lachoneus gathered all the people with their belongings to the center of their land (3 Ne. 3:21-23) about 17 AD, with enough food to last them seven years. (3 Ne. 4:3-4)  "There was no way that they [the ROBBERS] could subsist save it were to plunder and rob and murder." (3 Ne, 4:5)  The robbers no longer able to survive by plundering and looting, were forced to come out in open battle and were then defeated (3Ne. 4:l-7, 12-13, 26-27) about 19-21 AD.  For a time the strategy worked.  With the Nephites triumph over Giddianhi's successor and the GADIANTON robbers  beaten in battle and their chieftain slain, for a time the Nephites repented of their sins. (Sperry p. 390)  They prospered. But, soon, pride, dissensions and works of  darkness came again.   

About 29 AD the secret practices of the GADIANTON robbers resurfaced which resulted in the complete breakdown of the Nephite government (3 Ne. 6:28-39; 7:1 03)  The destruction of the wicked including all their cities and sanctuaries at the time of Christ's crucifixion eliminated the GADIANTON ROBBERS from among the Nephites and Lamanites. For several hundred years there was a ZION SOCIETY, but by about AD 260 "the wicked part of the people began again to build up the secret oaths and combinations of GADIANTON,” (4 Ne. l:42), and it was not long before they again spread over the entire land (4 Ne. l:46; Harding p. 95).  By 300 AD "so the sacred record  informs us, the people of Nephi and the Lamanites were alike in being exceedingly wicked...The GADIANTON robbers spread all over the face of the land, and there was no righteous left except the disciples of Jesus." (Sperry p. 328)

The GADIANTON PATTERN did not originate with GADIANTON, rather it had originated in the design of Satan, launched from the beginning of the world, to thwart the plan of salvation through secret oaths and combinations of murder, mayhem; they were looters and robbers.  "Now behold, those secret oaths and covenants...were put into the heart of GADIANTON  by that same being who did entice our first parents to partake of the forbidden fruit- yea that same being who did plot with Cain, that if he would murder his brother Able it would not be known unto the world...Yea, it is that same being who put into the heart of GADIANTON to still carry on the work of darkness, and of secret murder; and he had brought it forth from the beginning of man even down to this time.  And behold, it is he who is the author of all sin. And behold, he doth carry on his works of darkness and secret murder, and doth hand down their plots, and their oaths, and their covenants, and their plans of awful wickedness, from generation to generation according as he can get hold upon the hearts of the children of men. (Hel. 6:26-27, 29-30; Pinegar pp. 54-55) 

MORMON'S OBSERVATIONS          

After introducing the man GADIANTON, in his abridgement of the plates of Nephi, Mormon's knowledge of the destructive role the GADIANTON ROBBERS played in Nephite history caused him to note for his future readers: "Ye shall see that this  did prove the over throw, yea, almost the entire destruction of the people of Nephi."  ( Hel 2:13; Ether 8:19-21; Largey p. 183)  After pointing out that the Lord "worketh not in secret combinations, neither doth he will that man should shed blood." Moroni  says: "And whatsoever nation shall uphold such secret combinations, to get power and gain, until they shall spread over the nation, behold they shall be destroyed;  for the Lord will not suffer that the blood of his saints, which shall be shed by them, shall always cry unto him from the ground for vengeance upon them and yet he avenge them not." (Ether 8:22; Sperry p. 400-401)  In our day we see the rise and fall of nations and groups, one after another.

"These bands of robbers in the Book of Mormon are not some exotic invention of romantic fancy, but a major factor in world history. We think of the age old traditions of Seth [enemy of Horus] and his robber bands in the Egyptian literature (al-'Arish, Sieg aber Serh),of Pompey's Pirates or the Algerians, the Vikings; the Free Companies of the fourteenth century, the Kazaks, [of southern Russia]  the Robber Barons, the Assassins, the Baguadi, the Druze, the militant orders that imitated them (Templers, Knights of Rhodes, and so on), the Vitalian Brothers, theRiffs, and finally the Medellin drug lords of the south, whose long arm can constrain the leaders of nations. All of these operators were terrorists, and they held whole armies at bay and overthrew kingdoms. The best and perhaps the earliest descriptions of  such bands in action is from the Amarna Letters, [Egypt] where we find Lehi's own ancestors, wandering, plundering  Khabiru of the fourth century BC, actually overthrowing city after city in Palestine and disrupting the lives of nations." (Parry  pp. 480-481)  Joseph knew little or nothing about any of these, but an authentic history which represents that it covers the western hemisphere for three thousand years, would have been extremely suspect unless there was present terrorist organizations, secret combinations, of whatever ilk they may be. The GADIANTON ROBBERS are authentically imbedded in the BOOK OF MOMON.                                             

SATAN'S POWER

In Revelations 12, Satan is depicted as a dragon with seven heads, symbolic of the many ways from which he can attack. The Book of Mormon provides a thorough recounting of the various ways and means by which Satan accomplishes his purposes. He is busy 24/7.  Essentially he gains power because people lack gospel knowledge. "Therefore, my people are gone into captivity, because they have no knowledge; and their honorable men are famished, and their multitude dried up with thirst." (2 Ne. 15-13)   "They will not search for knowledge, nor understand great knowledge, when it is given unto them in plainness, even as plain as word can be." (2 Ne. 32:7)  Sherem, the anti-Christ, deceived the Nephites because they lacked scriptural or gospel knowledge . (Van Orden p. 245)  When Sherem  confessed his lies the people realized the error of their ways. "And it came to pass that peace and the love of god was restored again among the people; and they searched the scriptures, and hearkened no more to the words of the wicked man."  (Jacob 7:23)  Modern Sherems deceive by smooth words and scholarly language and call for modifications in church doctrine and liberalized moral standards. Some are led into inactivity and even apostasy because they do not search and understand and know the scriptures. Satan gains power over people when they become learned and rely on their own knowledge, "supposing they know of themselves, wherefore their wisdom is foolishness and it profiteth them not. And they shall perish." (2 Ne. 9:28)  Such types seek to undermine the doctrine, the authority, and the divinity of the Church. The Sherems, Nehors, and Korihors are Book of Mormon prototypes for today's undermining intellectuals. (Van 0rden p. 246) 

Satan uses his deceptive influence to change people's perception of evil. "Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil, that put darkness for light, and light for darkness, that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!" (2 Ne. 15:20) A great switch in values has taken place in many areas, such as music, movies, marriages, dress, and family size. Many things that are wholesome, modest or uplifting are ridiculed or demeaned as worthless, outdated, or unrealistic.  Things that bring fleeting, temporary pleasure are valued most in today's world.  False attractions, immorality, viewing or doing that which is forbidden and seeking unbounded pleasure as if God  does not exist. There will be a reckoning!  Impulsive anger, and anger over little things, or for anything that seems to give offence, or stirring up anger for any righteous cause and letting things deteriorate into looting and mayhem, seems to prevail today.  When one speaks out against wicked things, adultery, fornication, pornography, licentiousness, and failure to appreciate the beauty and naturalness of the human body; one gets scoffed at and are called prudish.  But there is no ultimate happiness in sin.  Samuel the Lamanite prophet  warned his audiences of the impending fate that awaited them if they continued in their quest to find happiness in sin. "your destruction is made sure; yea for ye have sought all the days of your lives for that which ye could not obtain, and ye have sought for happiness in doing iniquity, which things is contrary to the nature of that righteousness which is in our great and Eternal Head." (Helaman l3:38)  "Wickedness never was happiness." (Alma 41:10)  The audiences have not changed, and neither has the fate.  (Van Orden p. 147)

Advertisements, the internet, portray evil as the source of happiness, alcohol, tobacco, drugs, infidelity, are represented as immediate pleasures and satisfactions;  maximize pleasure, minimize consequences.  But how often is there seen the portrayal of the pain, sorrow, suffering, and misery caused by sin? Seldom!  Satan himself prompts the rumor there is no devil, there is no hell, he is not the devil because there is none, until you realize your are bound by awful chains from whence there is no deliverance. (2 Ne. 289;21-22) An oh, don't pray!  The brother of Jared fell prey to the subtleties of Satan and was chastised by the Lord for lack of diligence in his prayers. (Ether 2:14)  Oh, No! Don't pray.  Don't worry, there is no devil to lead "you by the neck with a flaxen cord, until he bindeth them with his strong cords forever." (2 Ne. 26:22)  But if there is a Devil? Beware of vain imaginations, rumors and contentions, lest you harden your heart  "against that which was good and against that which should come." (Helaman 16:22)  Mankind, under the pretext of wanting enough and then more, really want pride, power and riches, and love the opportunity to indulge in iniquity.  A prophet of old has said:  "And finally I cannot tell you all the things whereby ye may commit sin; for there are divers way and means, even so many that I cannot number them." (Mosiah 4:29  The distance by which we miss the mark of celestial glory will not matter.  What will matter is that we missed! (Williams, C.J., in Van Orden pp. 250-251)

GADIOMNAH  

"8. And behold, the city of  GADIOMNAH...have I caused to be sunk, and made hills and valleys to the places thereof; and the inhabitants thereof have I buried up in the depths of the earth, to hide their wickedness and abominations from before my face, that the blood of the prophets and the saints should not come up any more unto me against them." (3 Ne. 9:8)  This name and city has been briefly discussed above. Like several others it belongs to names and place names that started with the name of GAD. GAD, has also been discussed above. Nibley also thinks it may be compared with a  HITTITE name.  The suffix -IOMNAH has the element -IOMN, likely a Jaredite suffix, because there is no O in Akkadian. But it has another abbreviated ending -AH,  which is a hypocoristicon or abbreviation for YAH, or Jehovah. (Bermant p. 182) This would be consistent with the knowledge that the Jaredites were descendants of SHEM and had the principles and ordinances of the Gospel and, especially the brother of Jared, were witnesses OF and had a direct knowledge of JEHOVAH.  However, it is also thought that the Nephites could have taken the Jaredite name and added to it the AH ending.  It is also clear from the tablets found at EBLA, that date back into Jaredite times, that names with the -AH ending were present. (Bermant pp. 179-182) Though it is not thought that EBLAITES worshipped Jehovah, but tablets recorded names of those who did. The consonant element GD is found among Amorite personal names at Mari and the meaning seems to have been "to be or to become good." (Huffmon p. 179) But it was noted that the names in sources from ELAM assert that for them and perhaps for the Jaredites as well, the name meant a mace, or 'LOOTERS AND ROBBERS.' (Taverneir p. 185) The last meaning seems appropriate given the wickedness of the City. We will resume the study of Book of Mormon names in PART 19.

                                                            BIBLIOGRAPHY 

BENZ, Frank L., Personal Names of the Phoenician and Punic Inscriptions, Biblical Institute Press, Rome, 1972

BERMANT, Chaim & Michael Weitzman, EBLA-A Revelation in Archaeology, Times Books,  New York, 1979

BLACK, Jeremy, Andrew George & Nicholas Postgate., A Concise Dictionary of Akkadian, Harrassowitz Verlag, Wiesbaden, 2000

DOUGLAS, J.D., Ed.  The Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Part l, Tyndale House Publishers, Sidney, 1962 

DI VITO, Robert A., Studies in Third Millennium Sumerian and Akkadian Personal Names, Editrice Pontificio Istituto Biblico, Roma, 1993

GARDNER,  Joseph I., Who's Who in the Bible, Reader's Digest Association Inc., Pleasantville, New York, 1994

HUFFMON, Herbert T., Amorite Personal Names in the Mari Texts, John Hopkins Press, Baltimore, 1965

LARGEY, Dennis L., The Book of Mormon Reference Companion Deseret Book C., Salt Lake City, Utah 2003,

LUDLOW, Daniel H., A companion to your Study of the Book of Mormon, Deseret Book Co., Salt Lake City, Utah, 1976

NIBLEY,  Hugh, Vol. 5,  Lehi in the Deseret, The World of the Jaredites, There were Jaredites,FARMS, BYU, Deseret Book Company, Salt Lake City, Utah, 1988

--------------------- Vol. 6. An Approach to the Book of Mormon, FARMS BYU, Deseret Book Company, Salt Lake City, Utah, 1976

PAGAN, J.M., Personal Names in the Ebla Texts, University Degli Studi Di Roma, Rome, 1998

PARRY, Donald W.,  Daniel C. Peterson, and John W. Welch, Eds. Echoes and Evidences of the Book of Mormon, FARMS, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah, 2002

PINEGAR, Ed J., & Richard J. Allen, Book of Mormon Who's Who, Covenant Communications,  American Fork, Utah, 2007

RADNER, Karen, The  Prosopography of the Neo-Assyrian Empire, Vol. l/11, H-G, University of  Helsinki,  Finland, 1999

RENFREW, Colin, The Archaeology of Language, Cambridge University Press, New York 1988

SPERRY, Sidney B., Book of Mormon Compendium, Bookcraft , Salt Lake City, Utah, 1968

TAVERNIER, J., Orientalea Lovaniensia Analecta 158, Iranica in the Achaemenid Period, Uitgeveru  Peeters. Leuven, Paris, 2007

VAN  ORDEN, Burce A., & Brent L. Top, Eds. Doctrines of the Book of Mormon, The 1991 Sperry Symposium, Deseret Book Store, Salt Lake City, Utah 1992

WEISS, Harvey, Ebla to Damascus , Smithsonian Institution, Washington D.C., 1985

WELCH, John W., Ed.,  Re-exploring the Book of Mormon, FARMS, BYU, Deseret Book Company, Salt Lake City, Utah, 1991

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