INTRODUCTION
As we follow the list of names as given on pages 532-535 of the Book of Mormon, Biblical names will be encountered and an effort to trace their antiquity using the resources available will be made, for the most part they will be treated only briefly. The emphasis has been in this research to find names in the Book of Mormon on clay tablets recovered from archaeological excavations from all over the Mesopotamian region. Many thousands of tablets, stored for decades in museums and now being translated are identifying names. At least two on every tablet, the sender and a the receiver. Sometimes lists of the names of workers are included, or personnel involved in the military or the kingdom. Form these translations, extensive dictionaries are being assembled. To these discoveries, some knowledge of who bore the name, who they were, is sometimes found on the tablets. This is called prosopography. We also try to find the meaning of the names. If the Book of Mormon is fiction we should not find any names, so when names in the Jaredite records by the dozens are found on clay tablets, coming from discoveries made in the context of the times and historical areas where traditionally the Jaredites are supposed to have come from, then discoveries are significant. They are factual and powerful confirmation that the Great Joseph had ancient documents before him and he translated them correctly.
ISAAC
Nephi tells us that he wants to write about the things of god "For the fullness of mine intent is that I may persuade men to come unto the God of Abraham, and the God o f Isaac, and the God of Jacob, and be saved." (1 Ne. 6:4) ISAAC was the second patriarch of ancient Israel and was the second son of Abraham, the son of the promised birthright. (Gen 15;1) The name means 'he will laugh,' (Mandel p. 215) also 'He laughs, or laughter" At the announcement of Isaac's birth Abraham laughed, he was about 100 years old. (Gen. 17:17) , Sarah herself laughed, she was about 90 years old, at the thought as old as she was she would have a son. On the day of Isaac's weaning Ishmael laughed (Gen. 21:9; Wood pp. 697-698) I think it is evident the Lord had the last laugh. The often told story is well known to most.
The ABRAHAMIC TEST required the acquiescence of ISSAC when, in an act of great obedience and submittal to the will of GOD, Abraham took ISSAC to Jerusalem and explained to him the command he had to obey. He had to sacrifice his birth-right son. Most know the end of the story, and all of us are fearful that we may be called to endure in some way, the ABRAHAMIC TEST. ISAAC also exhibited his obedience and submittal, he had his father bind him so he could not resist being sacrificed. He was the exemplar of piety, kindness, and gentleness, and obedience, and he provides a direct link between the crucial figures of Abraham and Jacob. (Gardiner p. 162) We are all part of the rest of the story. He is in our ancestry.
ISABEL
This name appears only in Alma 39:3. Alma, in talking to his son Corianton about his grievous sin of going over to harlots, in particular ISABEL, in the land of the Zoramites said: "Thou didst do that which was grievous unto me; for thou didst forsake the ministry, and did go over into the land of Siron among the borders of the Lamanites after the harlot Isabel." (Alma 39:3-4) This was about 73 BC. ALMA instructed his son how to get forgiveness.
Corianton changed his ways so completely that at the end of his life he chose to go north by ship to help those who had gone before, to carry provisions to them, rather than assume the mantle of the prophet (Alma 63:10). Details of his story of repentance and spiritual development was not included in the Book of Mormon. He was never heard of again, though some archaeologists working on credible evidence think some of the recorded appearances of a lone prophet or leader to some Ancient Native Americans was Corianton, though the lone figure could also have been Moroni. But Moroni is generally depicted as carrying a load on his back. (Erickson p. 93)
The main elements of the name are ISA-, and -BEL. The prefix, ISA-, is found in Akkadian in the name ISA-IU, meaning 'man [or women] of the city,' and it appears also as 'City' in the name ISA-NAIU, meaning 'native of the city.' (Baker p. 65) We also find in the tablets of EBLA the prefix ISA- alone as meaning 'he [or she] helped,' (Pagan p. 325) where it also appears as the prefix of three other names, all with the meaning of 'helped.' The prefix thus has considerable antiquity and may have been transmitted down in the Jaredite records, but it also may have been in the Brass Plates. The suffix -BEL also has antiquity, it was used in ancient times in Babylonian-Akkadian names, meaning 'Lord, God'. BEL was one of the chief Gods of Babylon. (Mandel p. 82) The name ISABEL is not found in any of the other scriptures, even though somehow it has come down into English. If Joseph Smith was supposed to have gotten his names from Biblical sources, that could not have been claimed for ISABEL, and for that matter, most of the Book of Mormon names are not Biblical. That ISABEL appears in Alma after the translation of the Jaredite records, could be significant. The meaning would be 'the Lord's City or God's Help.' However, the name is an example of Metonymy: the practice of giving a person or place a name whose meaning reflect an event or trait associated with that person or place. Her name may be generic; related in moral concept to Jezebel, the Harlot discussed in 2 Kings 9:22; for other examples of see Nahom, Zeerom, (FARMS p. 1).
In Akkadian the feminine form is BEL-TU(M) with a mimation and gender suffix- meaning 'goddess.' (Black p. 42) The background for Isabel in Ancient Akkadian is proper and unusual.
ISAIAH
ISAIAH was an Old Testament prophet about 740-701 BC who administered in the kingdom of Judah during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz and Hezechiah. (Isa 1:1) The name means 'God has saved.' One source suggests that ISAIAH was king Hezekiah's son in law. (Largey p. 140) There followed an era of political unrest , war, and apostasy. Israel became divided into the two warring kingdoms, Israel in the north, and Judah (and Benjamin) in the south. They were always under threat of attack from the brutal Assyrian empire under wicked kings that regularly were assassinated or overthrown, and alternating wicked and righteous kings of divided people. ISAIAH labored to turn the people back to Jehovah, his message was largely rejected, so he witnessed the fall and removal of Israel to Assyria about 722 BC. Most of those who went north became known later as the Lost Ten Tribes. One source (Ginsberg, 4:279 in Largey p. 140; Heb. II:37) records that ISAIAH was killed by being placed in a hollow log and sawed to death with a wooden saw by king Hezekiah's wicked son Manasseh. (Largey p. 140)
The Book of ISAIAH was regularly used and highly recommended by Christ and the early Book of Mormon prophets because of two themes which pervade his writing: (l) the status and future of God's covenant people, and (2) the ministry and mission of the Messiah. There are numerous publications by Mormon writers on the Book of ISAIAH, including those by Ludlow, Parry, Sperry, and Skousen. The Dead Sea Scroll collection of ancient documents had ten copies, not all the same, but were agreement with the Book of Mormon usage of designating the Messianic passages with the mark of the TAW, an x on its side. (See St. MARK'S SCROLL.
The early Nephite prophets and the resurrected Christ himself quoted ISAIAH emphasizing four themes: (1) repentance and judgments of God, (2) God's covenants and promises (3) messianic prophecies, and (4) key events relating to the latter days. While many commentaries and dictionaries have much to recommend them, one of the best treatments and summaries from the standpoint of Mormon doctrine is the one prepared by Largey. (Largey pp 340-400)
ISHMAEL
The proverbial ancestor of the Arabs is ancient ISHMAEL. His one of the few Old Testament names which is also at home in ancient Arabia. His traditional homeland was the TIH, the desert between Palestine and Egypt, and his people were hunters of the "borders" between the desert and the town. He was regarded as the legitimate offspring of Abraham by an Egyptian mother. HAGAR; most know the story. This ISHMAEL was born about 1963 BC when Abraham was about 89 years old. (Shulman p. 23) The angel promised his mother, "he will be a wild man, his hand will be against everyone, and every mans' hand against him." (Nibley p 40) Almost describing today's relationship with certain elements of the Arabs.
LEHI AND ISHMAEL POSSIBLY BROTHERS
ISHMAEL, in the Book of Mormon, is the name of a possible relative of LEHI, in fact he may have been a brother. The Prophet Joseph taught that ISHMAEL who joined LEHI'S group in the wilderness, was of the lineage of Ephraim, and that Lehi was a descendent of Manasseh (Alma 20:3) both were sons of the ancient Joseph, fulfilling the blessings ancient Jacob gave the two sons of Joseph. (Gen. 48:16) If brothers, they may have been half brothers, sons of a different mother or father. Whatever, the intermarriage of the two families conjoined these two branches of ancient Joseph's family. It has ever been such among the desert people for a man to marry the daughter of his paternal uncle. It is hard to avoid the impression that Lehi and Ishmael were related, perhaps half brothers with a common life style. (Nibley p. 40)
LEHI, faced with the daunting reality of a long journey in the wilderness, sent back for ISHMAEL, who promptly followed him into the desert with a large party; this means that he and his family, mostly women, must have been hardly less adept at moving than Lehi himself. Nephi takes Ishmael completely for granted; (but he did not for Zoram,) never explaining who ISHMAEL is or how he fits into the picture. Perhaps this was just an omission by Mormon. It seemed a natural thing to invite Ishmael to join them, and especially for the prospect of finding husbands and wives for their mutual families. (Nibley p. 40)
ISHMAEL had at least five daughters and two sons, (l Ne. 7:2-6) Nephi had told him of the words of the Lord, but the Lord, to help matters, softened the heart of ISHMAEL. (1 Ne. 7:4) He and his family joined Lehi's family. The Book of Mormon is essentially the story of these two families for the next one thousand years.
ISHMAEL, SON OF ABRAHAM
The name ISHMAEL means 'God hears,' (Gen 16:11). He was born about 1963 BC when Abraham was about 89 years old. His mother was Hagar, a women given to Abraham by Pharaoh as a gift. Besides his three known wives, Sarah, Hagar, and Keturah, Abraham had other wives and concubines that bore him children. (D&C 132:34-37) But we only have a sparse record of the children of the these three wives. A number of them were major players in history.
THE LAND OF ISHMAEL
A portion of the original land of Nephi was ruled by the Lamanite, Lamoni, a descendant of ISHMAEL. (Alma 17:21) An account of events happening in the LAND of ISHMAEL is summarized by Largey, (Largey p. 401) involving Ammon, Lamoni, and the parents of the stripling warriors whose parents buried their weapons and refused to even defend themselves. Later these people would help make up the contingent 5400 men with their wives and children who migrated way to the north, and may be part of the HOPI INDIANS who have traditions which says they buried their weapon and would not kill. (See THEY DID BURY THEIR WEAPONS, 18 MAY 2009.)
ISMAELITES
In the Book of Mormon, these are the descendants of ISHAMEL whose family helped colonize the western Hemisphere. Just the sons of ISHMAEL joined with Laman and Lemuel in rebellion (l Ne. 7:6; 18:9), almost entirely assimilating with the Lamanites. They therefore were subject to the same judgments that fell upon the Lamanites. (Alma 3:7) But through the restoration of the gospel they will have an opportunity to partake of the gospel, and that has been a realization this past century.
Then there is another man called ISHMAEL only a single mention of him in the Book of Mormon. AMULEK, missionary and companion of ALMA, beginning with their ministry in the city of AMMONIHAH around 82 BC, Amulek described his heritage to his listeners "I am AMULEK; I am the son of Giddonah, [The Phoenician name for the ancient port of SIDON discussed elsewhere in this series], who was the son of ISHMAEL, who was a descendant of AMINADI and it was the same AMINADI who interpreted the writing which was upon the wall of the temple which was written by the finger of God" (Alma 10:2). We don't know who this prophet AMINADI was, or what was written on the wall of the temple, or which temple. It is clear that the insertion by MORMON served a genealogical purpose, and is indicative of a much larger document than we know he was working on.
ISRAEL
There are at least five categories involving ISRAEL.
l. ISRAEL is the name of Jacob, son of Isaac. This is the Biblical ISRAEL. (Gen. 32:28) Many books discuss this Biblical figure.
2. JACOB (ISRAEL) the son of LEHI, (l Ne 12:9).
3. The scattering of JACOB, (ISRAEL)(1 Ne 20:3).
4. The gathering of JACOB, (ISRAEL) (I Ne. 10:14).
5. Ten Lost Tribes of JACOB, (ISRAEL) (1 Ne 22:4).
ISRAELITES AND ISHMAELITES
The suffix or ending of -ITE or -ITES, is a term generally denoting the progeny of ISRAEL. In the Book of Mormon, ISHMAELITES are the descendants of ISHMAEL who accompanied Lehi and his family. Specifically, in the Book of Mormon , it was a group of people found in 4 Nephi l:17. The terms have no good English equivalent. The term -ITES seem to have been a word in the language written by Moroni.
"They who rejected the gospel were called Lamanites, and Lemuelites, and ISHMAELITES, and they did dwindle in unbelief and did willfully rebel against the gospel of Christ and they did teach their children that they should not believe." (4 Ne. 1:38)
Speaking of the coming forth in the latter days of the Book of Mormon: "And this testimony shall come to the knowledge of the Lamanites and the Lemuelites, and the ISHMAELITES, who dwindled in unbelief because of the iniquity of their fathers, whom the Lord has suffered to destroy their brethren and Nephites because of their iniquities and their abominations...that the promise of the LORD might be fulfilled, which he made to his people. " (D&C 3:16-10) Jump ahead some 184 years since this was revealed to the Prophet Joseph, this is a significant prophecy that has been and is being fulfilled in our life time.
The prophet Nephi, son of Helaman, referred to the ISRAELITES when speaking with the corrupt judges and lawyers of his day in ZARAHEMLA , around 23 BC. His reference was of the Lord having given power to Moses to part the Red Sea and allow the ISRAELITES to cross over on dry ground. (Hel.8:11) Why should He not give power to HELAMAN in his day 'whereby I may know concerning the judgments that shall come upon you except ye repent?" (Hel. 8:12) There is no other reference to the ISRAELITES in the Book of Mormon. (Pinegar p 71)
JACOB
JACOB is a good example of Nephite Papponymy. The name means "he struggles with God" or "God struggles." (Reyburn p. 765) There are at least eleven references or categories for the name JACOB
1. JACOB is the name of the elder of twin sons born to ISAAC, and is the father of the 12 tribes. Rebekah had a vision of the birth of Leah and Rachel when they were born, it was the time Jacob received his blessing. (Gen. 22:21-22) Leah and Rachel were married to Jacob when they were 22, Rachel was 37 when she died and gave birth to Benjamin, Benjamin was nine years old when his brothers sold Joseph. Jacob spent 14 years studying with the Partriach Eber. Jacob lived to be 147. (Shulman p. 24) Jacob was 50 years old when Shem (Melchizedic) died. He had his name changed by the Lord to Israel. (I Ne. 5:14) Rachel died after giving birth to BENJAMIN, but not until she had impressions about the massacre of the babies that would held in that area a long time in the future), called the Lament of Rachel. BEN-ONI, "SON OF MY SORROW,' was the name Rachel wanted for her son, but JACOB more wisely named him BENJAMIN, meaning "son of the right hand." (Gardiner p. 58) JACOB had been told by the Lord to leave Haran and head for home. He traveled on the east bank of the Jordan with his large entourage and family. (Gen. 32:24-32) In the night, he had his family cross the BROOK JABBOCK, (Heap p. 182) at the ford, expecting a confrontation with his brother EASU the next day. He was left alone when there was a sudden appearance of a stranger (in verse 30, JACOB considers him God) "Then a MAN came and took hold of him and they-two were wrestling until nearly daybreak." Until the rising of the dawn, before the sun actually rises. (Reyburn p. 763) "When the MAN, saw the he was not winning the struggle, he hit JACOB on the hip and it was thrown out of joint. The MAN said let me go daylight is coming. I won't unless you bless me Jacob answered, [and he said I will not let thee go, except thou bless me. JST] What is your name? the man asked, [and he said, Jacob] , he answered. The man said, "Your name will no longer be Jacob. You have struggled with GOD and with men, and you have won; so your name will be ISRAEL. [For as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and has prevailed JST) Jacob said, now tell me your name. But HE answered, why do you want to KNOW my name? Then he blessed JACOB. " (Rayburn p. 763)
So JACOB called the name of the place PENIEL [HEBREW for "the face of GOD.']' (TEV version: Jacob said, "I have SEEN GOD face-to- face, and I am still alive; so he named the Place PENIEL For I have seen God face-to-face, and yet my life is preserved. Jacob said, I have seen GOD's face." (Gen, 32:25-28; Reyburn pp. 763-767) JACOB knew the DOCTRINES that would later be written by Moses: "You cannot see my face; for man shall not see me and live.'' (Exo. 33:20) In the translator's handbook it seems that Jacob actually said: "I have seen GOD, and I didn't die" (Reyburn p. 767; Heaps p. 183)) Nephi said it simply, his name was "changed by the Lord to Israel." (l Ne, 5:14) It is an unusual encounter of man with GOD! Some would say that it was an angel that Jacob wrestled, but the combined scriptures do not indicate it was an angel, it could have been that he wrestled with an angel, but Jehovah was there to bless him and give him a new name. The remaining chapters of Genesis devoted to Jacob portray him as a changed man, dedicated to the Lord--that it what a special witness can do and requires. (Gardner p. 172) JACOB was one of the great patriarchs and with ISAAC and ABRAHAM, has, like them, "entered into his exaltation according to the promises and [they] sit on thrones ...and are GODs." (D&C 132:27)
2. JACOB was the name of the fifth son of LEHI and the elder of the two sons born in the wilderness, about 598 BC. (l Ne 18:7; )
3. JACOB was also the name of an apostate of the Zoromite sect, about 44 BC. (Alma 52:20)
4. JACOB was also the name of an apostate Nephite chosen king by secret combinations, about 30 BC. (3 Ne 7:18)
5. JACOB was the name of a city. (3 Ne 9:8) It was mentioned as one of the most wicked cities destroyed at the time of Jesus' death. (3 Ne. 9:8)
6. JACOB is the name given to the HOUSE OF JACOB. (1 Ne 20:1) The House of Jacob is also known as the House of Israel. Lengthy details are provided by Largey. (Largey pp. 401-416) They are the covenant people of the Lord who descended from Jacob, son of Isaac, heirs to the Abrahamic Covenant.
7. JACOB was also the name of the King of JACOBUGATH that Christ destroyed. (3 Ne 9:9) See below.
8 JACOB was the name of a king of Nephite Dissenters about 30 AD. Around 29-30 BC the wickedness was so rampant among the people of the land that they no longer had a central government. Mormon observed the degraded state of society, commenting that "six years had not passed away since the more part of the people had turned from their righteousness, like the dog to his vomit, or like the sow to her wallowing in the mire." (3 Ne. 7:8) The dissenters chose Jacob to be their leader because he was "one of the chiefest who had given his voice against the prophets who testified of Jesus." (3 Ne. 7:10) Then came the disasters at the time of the Crucifixion of the Lord. Only those were saved "who had not shed the blood of the saints" (3 Ne. 10:12). This Jacob could be the same as No. 4 above.
9. JACOB was also the name of the leader of the Lamanite occupation force in the city of Mulek during the Nephite-Lamanite confrontation around 64 BC. JACOB refused to move. (Alma 52:30) By a stratagem Moroni enticed JACOB out of the City by sending Teancum on a march away from the City. JACOB could not resist following them, it was a trap. Teancum lead them into the waiting forces of Lehi, surrounding JACOB'S army, a fierce battle ensued of "exceeding fury..." (Alma 52:33). Moroni was wounded, but JACOB was killed, the Lamanites surrendered or were taken captive. (Pinegar pp. 76-77)
10. Then there is the Biblical use of the name in Gen 25:24.
11. JACOB is also the name of a Book in the collection of the Book of Mormon written by JACOB the son of Lehi.
JACOBITE
This is the name in the Book of Mormon given to the descendants of JACOB. (Jacob 1:13)
JACOBUGATH
JACOBUGATH is the name of an extremely wicked city of the followers of JACOB. "And behold, that great city JACOBUGATH, which was inhabited by the people of king JACOB, have I caused to be burned with fire because of their sins and their wickedness, which was above all the wickedness of the whole earth, because of their secret murders and combinations; for it was thy that did destroy the peace of the land; therefore, I did cause them to be burned, to destroy them from before my face, that the blood of the prophets and the saints should not come up unto me any more against them." (3 Ne. 9:9) Note, the cries of killed prophets for vengeance are heard by deity. The city was one of many Christ destroyed after his resurrection. They came to know the full wrath of God. (3 Ne. 7:6-13; Largey p. 427)
JACOM
JACOM is the name of one of the sons of JARED the family about which the Book of Ether is written. (Ether 6:14) He declined the invitation of the people to become their king (Ether 6:27), he heeded the prophetic warning of the brother of Jared that "surely this thing [a monarchy] leadeth into captivity" (Ether 6:23; Pinegar p. 79). And it did.
JARED
A JARED is the name of the father of Enoch of old who recorded the last discourse and prophecies of Adam (D&C 107). An antediluvian, JARED was the son of Mahaleleel, (Gen. 5:15) He was the grandfather of MEHUSELAH JARED He lived for 962 years. He was a member of the great First Dispensation. His visions were profuse, many are recorded in Chapters 6-8 of the Pearl of Great Price, one of his great ones was he saw Christ ascend to heaven to the Father after Christ confronted Mary.
JARED is also the name of the founder of the Jaredites, therefore, the name is of great antiquity (Ether 1:32). For some time now, archaeologists have equated the OLMEC civilization, the first great Civilization , (Coe pp. 18, 23), in Mesoamerica with the Jaredites. (Sorenson pp. 508-510; Soustelle p. 1) The Jaredite nation is unknown in world history to any but Latter-day Saints. It was hidden by the Almighty from all peoples, spanning nearly two thousand years. It roots go back to the Tower of Babel, near Babylon, in ancient Mesopotamia. Despite the doubts of some scholars that there ever was such a tower, these people came from it, (Petersen pp. 79-80)carrying their baggage of history and their languges reflected in their unique names. How might you prove that? Just find the names in ancient documents, especially on clay tablets. This whole exercise on names is confirmation that there were Jaredites and names came from that period in history, and Joseph got it all right; the first time! God pronounced both a blessing and a curse upon the great land. Sometimes they enjoyed the rich fruits of obedience, but when sin finally triumphed, they collapsed in the throes of corruption and rebellion. The Jaredites were granted some of the most remarkable spiritual manifestations known in religious history. (Petersen pp. 1-2; Pinegar p. 79-80; Largey p. 428-433) Winners never rebel, rebels never survive.
JARED is also that of an early JAREDITE king (Ether 8:11) who was the son of OMER, who also was an early king, in the fourth generation, of the Jaredites. (l:30-33) JARED was a rebellious son and had deposed and imprisoned his father out of greed and political ambition. When Jared's brothers rose up in support of their father and defeated Jared's forces, Jared was promised the return of the kingdom in exchange for his life. But that did not diminish his appetite for power and wealth, he had set his heart upon the kingdom and the glory of the world. (Ether 8:7) Jared's daughter (name unknown) reminded him of the accounts of the secret combinations of antiquity contained in the "RECORD which our fathers brought across the great deep." (Ether 8:9) We would have liked more information about this wicked daughter, how and why she had access to the ancient records, what evil motivated her, and what the ancient combinations called themselves? Was the combinations called GAD or GADA, or GADIANTON, as it was called during Nephite times?
GAD and GADIANTON has been discussed in an earlier web site submittal. The implication and reference indicates there is an ancient record the Jaredites possessed that predates their departure from the Babylonian area contained details of these ancient evil practices. In tracing the name of GAD, it is found as a prefix in more than thirteen very ancient names (Tavernier pp. 184-186) In the form GADA, it confirms the great antiquity of the source of these combinations by identifying the form or name as ELAMITIC older than Akkadian! SUMERIAN and ELAMITE were two of the oldest languages in ancient Mesopotamia. So the Jaredites brought with them records that reflect combinations going back into these ancient sources and times. (Tavernier p. 186) References to ELAM are found in the GARSANA ARCHIVES with reference to the ancient Third Dynasty of Ur, major studies are now available dealing with these discoveries. (Kleineman pp. v, 627) These were not available until after 2006 and 2009. In keeping with the Book of Mormon description of the followers of GAD or GADIANTON, the meaning of the name of the secret combination is: LOOTER, ROBBER, (but not thieves) the distinction is found elsewhere and is important to maintain the cultural aspect of it as it was understood by the Jaredites and Nephites. (Tavernier p. l85) In the Book of Mormon, the most common meaning is ROBBERS.
Drawing on these ancient documents, the daughter of Jared hatched a most diabolical and evil scheme to get the kingdom back for her father. She devised a plan to seduce AKISH, a friend of OMER, with her dancing so the he would want her as his wife. Then she and her father would induce AKISH to be part of a secret plot to slay OMER and regain the kingdom. AKISH joined them in the plot and they succeeded in taking back the kingdom, but OMER was warned in a dream to flee to safety with his family. AKISH killed JARED as he sat on his throne creating a long power struggle involving his own rebellious sons, leading to civil war that destroyed virtually the entire nation, except for thirty souls who joined with OMER as he recovered his throne once again. (Ether 8; 9:1-13; Pinegar p. 80) The world has never been without the secret combinations, they are abundant everywhere today.
JARED was a great-grandson of the first JARED. (Ether l:30-33; Largey p. 431). The founder of the Jaredite dynasty was the brother of the first great Jaredite prophet Mahonri Moriancumer. When "Elder Reynolds asked the prophet Joseph Smith to name and bless his new born son, Joseph gave him the name of MAHONRI MORIANCUMER and said this was the name of the brother of Jared that had been revealed to him, and that was the first time that name was known to the Church." (Improvement ERA, 8:705; Sperry pp. 465-466) When JARED and all who came with him first landed in the promised land, and where they first pitched their tents, they named the place MORIANCUMER (Ether 2:13), after their prophet.
The name JARED is also an example of Book of Mormon papponymy. The name JARED in Hebrew, means 'descent'. (Mandel p. 242) The name of JARED seems to have been transmitted down through time from the first dispensation to the current and Last dispensation. I have a nephew who is named Jared.
JAREDITE
JAREDITE is the name given to the descendants of JARED, his brother, and his friends. (Ether 1:33-37)
JAROM
JAROM was a Nephite Prophet about 420 BC. (Jarom 1:1) There is no J in the ancient Akkadian. (Black p. 139) Existing documents show no parallel or approximate name to JAROM. The personal names listed for ELBA also show no parallel name. (Fagan p. 343) There are no J names in Ancient Assyrian. ( Baker p. 591) There are no J names in ancient Sumerian or Elamitic (DI VITO p. 23). In those languages without a J, the name JEHOVAH would not appear, but the abbreviation and substitute for JEHOVAH, YAHWEH, utilizes the Y instead of the J. In Phoenician the names that would fall in the J sequence or place in the dictionary are represented by names that have a Y instead of a J.
Petrius Galatinus, in AD 1520 combined the consonants of the TETRARAMMATION, YAHWEH, with the substitute vowels introduced when the Massoretes, as a rule, added to the consonants "YHWH" so that ADONAI should be read instead. The Massoretic Text (MT) was fixed in the sixth-seventh centuries BC. (Kenyon pp.76- 78 In the postexilic period, after 538 BC, the sacred name was withdrawn from popular usage for fear that it would be profaned, and the name ADONAI (meaning LORD) was employed. Ancient synagogue practice renders "the LORD" by using ADONAI. (Buttrick p.817) The Mormons, however, record in their sacred ceremonies and scriptures, that when Christ appeared to the ancients he appeared as JEHOVAH by saying "My name if JEHOVAH" (Abraham 2:8). So, Christ, the literal SON OFGOD, personally called himself: JEHOVAH. And in this dispensation, that is how HE is addressed and referred to. Even though present scholars debate whether or not the references on clay tablets of the consonants YHW indicate the name JEHOVAH. (Bermant p. 193) They do not want to admit JEHOVAH was worshipped anciently. They have lost much of the significance of early history and doctrine. Hence, the need for the restoration!
So the consonantal element in JAROM is not JRM, it is YRM, or just RM, (Benz p. 126) with the vowels supplied by the reader. Benz makes reference to YRM or to just RM, with the meaning "to be high, exalted". (Benz p. 408) For JAROM, who as a prophet, had many spiritual experiences and PROPHESYING and REVELATIONS, (Jarom l:2), just like his father the prophet ENOS, that name and meaning would have been most appropriate.
JAROM knew all about the doctrines of the kingdom and is the first of all the Book of Mormon Prophets to mention by name the great Gospel Plan as THE PLAN OF SALVATION. (Ibid) The only other prophet in the Book of Mormon who mentioned the great gospel PLAN OF SALVATION, is ALMA. (Alma 47:5) The only other place in all of the Standard Works the PLAN OF SALVATION is mentioned is in MOSES 6:62, as it was known in the days of ENOCH. The Plan goes back to the Adamic dispensation, not to mentioned its use in the spirit world, and the dispensations that have followed. It was known by that name when Christ presented it to Intelligences and Spirits in the preexistence. The PLAN OF SALVATION is also mentioned as the PLAN OF HAPPINESS, (Alma 42:16) and other such declarations found in ancient records, Alma refers to it many times as the PLAN OF REDEPTION (Shapiro p. 740)
However, when HEBREW was formalized sometime after or about 1500 BC, with only the most scarce of written evidence on a piece of inscribed silver or a piece of pottery and other shards, dating not much earlier than about 1200 BC, they included the J in their language. Thus you have the consonantal elements in Hebrew JR and M. In Hebrew there are many names that have the prefix JAR-. One that is close to JAROM is the name JARAH, both of the two names have endings that are abbreviations for deity. OM as discussed in previous entries is a hypocoristicon for deity, and -AH is the same for JEHOVAH. So the meaning "to be high, exalted" or "God like" would again, be appropriate. (Mandel p. 242) Most certainly JAROM was high, exalted, and God like, he was a prophet with great spiritual experiences, but was reluctant to leave us much about them.
JASHON
The young commander of the Nephite armies, Mormon, leads the Nephites in one bloody battle after another. Blood and carnage sweep the land, the Nephites lament and mourn with the sorrowing of the damned, the day of grace has passed, but Mormon is on the lord's errand, and had been given charge of the records and plates from Ammaron . He takes the Plates of Nephi to record his experiences and observation. The wars continue. The Nephites flee before the onslaught of the Lamanites who pursued them until they came even to the LAND OF JASHON, where for a while, they stopped in their retreat. (Mormon 2:16) "And now the CITY OF JASHON was near the land where AMMARON had deposited the records unto the Lord, that they might not be destroyed. (Mormon 1:3; 3:17, 20) He had gone there to get the plates of Nephi to make his record" (Mormon 2:17), as he had been instructed by AMMARON, (Mormon 1:4; 2:16-20) about 340 AD. (Largey p. 438)
In Hebrew there is the name JASHEN, the difference between it and JASHON is in the vowel in the suffix. The consonantal elements are the same for both: JSHN Most likely either vowel would apply. The name may have been brought over with Lehi or it may have been in the Brass Plates. The names are probably the same, the meaning 'is'sleepy.' I am not sure how that meaning applies to a land or a city, but it might. (Mandel p. 243)
JEBERECHIAH
The name means 'Yahu blesses,' ( Buttrick p. 807) JEBERECHIAH is the father of a priest called ZECHARIAH who assisted ISAIAH. He is mentioned once in the book of Mormon in a quotation by Nephi from Isaiah 8:2. "And I took unto me faithful witnesses to record, Uriah the priest, and Zechariah, the son of JEBERECHIAH." (2 Ne. 18:2) His lineage is not given.''
JEHOVAH
JEHOVAH, also discussed above, is an anglicized form of the Hebrew YHWH, meaning "eternal one" or "self-existent one" (Talmage p. 36). As applied to God, with or without the definite article it denotes His power over the world and men, as the Creator, the ruler, and the gaiver of life and death. (Taylor p.39, 47) The name is found only twice in the Book of Mormon (2 Ne. 22:2, Moro. 10:34). JEHOVAH is related to the name-title I AM in Hebrew (Ex. 3:14-15) As Moroni indicated by using language similar to that of the New Testament (Acts 10:42, Tim 4:1, l Pet. 4.5). For Mormons, JEHOVAH is one of the name-titles of JESUS CHRIST, the Creator-God and Judge of this world and SAVIOR of all the worlds that kareen in Space. (Lundwall p. 158)
JENEUM
JENEUM was a Nephite military leader killed with his ten thousand troops in the last Battle between the Nephites and Lamanites (Morm. 6:14; about AD 385). The name is not found in Hebrew or any of the ancient Semitic languages since they do not have J in their alphabets. In Akkadian the closest word to this name is YA' YA' U(M, meaning 'my, or mine'. (Black p. 441) There is the prefix of JENE-, which in another language would be YENE, and the suffix of -UM, which is characteristic of JAREDITE mimation. It could be a name in the JAREDITE vocabulary but not in the genealogy of Jared, which is what most of the book of Ether is about. So far at Ebla very few names beginning with a Y have been found, where they substitute of a Y for a J, the closest is YA- DA- U- UM which means 'he knows.' ( Pagan p. 382) So, the name JENEUM complicates the names from the Jaredite period in a way that is re-assuring. Joseph is not trying to make up names but actually had a record before him wherein the name was recorded, with proper attention to mimation and the exchange of letters in harmony with what has been learned about the Jaredite-Adamic language. Some Nephite had access to the unabridged record of the Jaredites and liked the meaning and sound of the name and it entered the Book of Mormon nearly 550 years after Mosiah had translated the Jaredite record.
JEREMIAH
JEREMIAH was a great prophet descended from a priestly family in Anathoth, a village about three miles northeast of Jerusalem. He was a contemporary of LEHI, Zephaniah, Habakkuk, Obadiah, Daniel, and Ezekiel. The Lord called Jeremiah to be a prophet about 627 BC. (Jer. l:1-2). Like Lehi he cried repentance for forty years to the people, like Lehi he was rejected. (Jer. l:7, l Ne. 1:4; 7:14) The Brass Plates contain his prophecies. (l Ne. 5:13) Some of his prophecies are collected in the Biblical Book of Jeremiah and Lamentations, which contain details of his call and ministry. When the conquests carried away his people into captivity, he choose to remain with the people. At the end of his life a group of Jews, fearful of Babylonian reprisals for renewed Judean revolts, forced Jeremiah to accompany them to Egypt, where he died. (Largey pp. 438-439) Elements of Chapter 30-31 of Jeremiah were quoted to Joseph Smith by Moroni in his visits. (Cowdery 1:7) HELAMAN invoked the name of JEREMIAH to remind the people of the certainty of the coming of the Redeemer. (Hel. 8:19-20; Pinegar p. 82) In his day, JEREMIAH was the voice of the Lord proclaiming the LAST DAYS.
JEREMIAH THE NEPHITE APOSTLE
JERMIAH is the name of one of the twelve disciples chosen by the resurrected Savior when HE organized His Church among the remnant of Israel in ancient America, (3 Ne. 19:4). He was part of the authorized religious leaders that led the people of his day to a level of a Zion people as recorded in 4 Nephi. The Nephites and the Lamanites were all converted to the Church of Christ, having all things in common, working miracles and prospering in the land. It lasted for two hundred years before divisions, evils and false churches and persecutions arose. Both groups then became wicked again, and AMMARON hides up the sacred records. (4 Ne. l:2-8) Nephi, the leader of the twelve becomes one of the three translated Nephites.
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