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Dictionary of the Book of Mormon, p.
182 - 183 KIB The second
king of the Jaredites. He was the son of Orihah, and grandson of Jared.
He was born in his father's old age, and succeeded him to the throne. Among
Kib's sons was one named Corihor, who, when he was thirty-two years old
rebelled against his father and drew many people after him. He first
established himself in the land of Nehor, and when strong enough came against
Kib in the land of Moron, which Moron was near the land called Desolation, by
the Nephites. Having taken his father prisoner, Corihor held him in captivity
for many years. In his old age Kib begat Shule, who, when grown to
manhood, overthrew Corihor and replaced his father on the throne. His father
having then arrived at an exceedingly great age resigned the kingdom to Shule,
who reigned in his stead. Dictionary of the Book of Mormon, p.
183 KIM A king of
the Jaredites. He was the son of Morianton, born to him when he (Morianton) was
very aged. The days
of Morianton were among the most prosperous that the Jaredites saw; they
grew exceedingly rich during his reign. But when he became very aged he
abdicated in favor of Kim, who reigned in his father's place for eight years
before the latter died. Kim, however, did not reign in righteousness, and by
his wickedness he displeased the Lord, so that He permitted the brother of Kim
to rebel against him, dethrone him and hold him in captivity all the remainder
of his life. During his captivity he begat sons and daughters, the only one
whose name is mentioned is Levi, who was born to him in his old age. Dictionary of the Book of Mormon, p.
183 KIMNOR One of the
early Jaredites. He is simply known to us as the father of Akish, the
friend of King Omer. Dictionary of the Book of Mormon, p.
183 - 184 KING-MEN The name
given by the Nephites to those who, in the days of the republic, desired to
reestablish the monarchy. The first royalist outbreak was led by one Amlici, in
the fifth year of the commonwealth, and cost much blood and sorrow; Amalickiah
was another prominent leader of those who wished to overturn the government,
but being defeated by Moroni he fled to the Lamanites, and by treason and
murder worked himself on to the throne of that people. His followers who
remained within the borders of the Nephites were compelled to enter into a
covenant to support the republic, or "the cause of freedom," or be
put to death. But few refused to make this covenant. (B. C. 73.) When the elder
Pahoran died (B. C. 68), great contentions arose between the king-men and the
"free-men." The former thought this an opportune time to re-establish
the royal power. They desired the new chief judge, Pahoran, the younger,
to amend the laws, so that this end might be accomplished. Pahoran declined,
considering he had no authority to so change the national constitution. At the
demand of the royalists, the question was put to the popular vote, or "to
the voice of the people." The majority voted in favor of the continuance
of the existing form of government. The king-men, greatly angered at the
result, broke out in open rebellion. At this
critical juncture, Amalickiah invaded the Nephite territory. The monarchists
refused to assist in the defense of the fatherland. At his own request, full
power was given to Moroni, the Nephite commander-in-chief, to deal with them.
He was made, for the time being, military dictator; he occupied a position
nearly analagous to the Pendragon of the ancient Britons. Moroni attacked the
malcontents in their cities and forts, slew about 4,000 of them, and cast into
prison those who would not take up arms in defense of their country. This
outbreak, which was led by those claiming to be of noble birth, resulted
disastrously for the Nephites; for while Moroni was engaged in putting it down,
the Lamanites made rapid advances northward, capturing many cities on their
route. (B. C. 67.). Four years later, another royalist uprising took place. As
usual, it commenced at the capital, and for a time was quite successful.
Pahoran was driven from the judgment seat and fled to the land of Gideon, while
a man named Pachus was made king. He opened a treasonable correspondence with
the Lamanites, in which he made a treaty with them, and agreed to hold the city
of Zarahemla in their mutual interest, which he supposed would so weaken the
Nephites as to enable the Lamanites to conquer the remainder of the land. This
being accomplished, he would be made king of the Nephites. The success of the
royalist cause was of short duration. Moroni and Pahoran united their forces,
and being joined by thousands of volunteers, they attacked the city of
Zarahemla and defeated the revolutionists. In this battle Pachus was slain, and
his followers, who were captured, were speedily tried for treason, as were also
the king-men of the previous abortive revolt, who, for about five years, had
been lying in prison awaiting trial. Those of both periods, who would not take
up arms in defense of their country, but would fight against it, were executed
according to law. (B. C. 62.) In later
years the Gadianton robbers, when it suited their purposes to obtain power and
plunder, declared in favor of a kingly form of government, but they had to
satisfy themselves by electing to or otherwise placing on the judgment seat men
of their own order, which amounted to much the same thing, as it placed the
reins of government in their hands. In A. D. 30 the final attempt to restore
the monarchy was made. As usual petty place men, and those claiming to be of
higher birth, were the instigators and leaders of this disastrous uprising. The
chief spirit of the revolution was a demagogue named Jacob. He was the one they
chose for king. The outbreak resulted in the assassination of the last chief
judge, Lachoneus the younger, and the breaking up of the nation. A kingdom was
not established, but the people separated into numerous tribes, each with its
independent ruler or chief. Disorganization, degradation and partial anarchy
followed, crime and sin abounded, and bloody and wide-extended wars would
doubtless have followed had not the greater portion of the more wicked been
slain in the convulsions that attended the crucifixion of the Redeemer. King
Jacob, finding his plots had miscarried, hurried his followers to the far
north, where they built a city, called Jacobugath. During its short
existence it became a head centre of depravity and cruel licentiousness, and
was destroyed with its sister cities in the general upheaval at Christ's death. Dictionary of the Book of Mormon, p.
186 KISH A king of
the Jaredites. He was the son of Corum, and succeeded his father on the throne.
Nothing is said in the Book of Ether about his character, the events of his
reign, or the length of his life. All we are told of him is that he reigned in
the place of his father and that, when he died, he was suceeded by his son Lib. Dictionary of the Book of Mormon, p.
186 KISHKUMEN An
assassin, and a leading man among the Gadianton robbers at the time of the
organization of their marauding bands. In the year B. C. 52, Pahoran,
the chief judge of the Nephite commonwealth, died, which event gave rise to
serious contentions among the Nephite people. Three of his sons, named Pahoran,
Pacumeni and Paanchi, were ambitious to fill the exalted position left vacant
by their father's death. Each had his adherents and following, but, according
to the national law, the matter was decided by the voice of the people, and
Pahoran was chosen. Pacumeni
assented to the decision of the citizens, but Paanchi attempted to raise a
rebellion, for which crime he was arrseted, tried by the law and condemned to
death. Still, the more wicked part of the community supported his unlawful
claims. These determined to kill Pahoran, which resolve they carried into
effect, and the chief judge was slain by Kishkumen. This foul murder was
committed while the chief magistrate was sitting in the judgment seat
administering the law, but, through the connivance of the murderer's associates
in iniquity, he escaped. Pacumeni, Pahoran's brother, was next elected
chief judge, but he was slain in war with the Lamanites the following year. In
B. C. 50 Helaman, the son of Helaman, was chosen to fill the judgment
seat. Being a righteous man, his election was very distasteful to the Gadianton
robbers. They determined to slay him, as they had slain Pahoran and the same
vile instrument was chosen to do the murderous work. As
Kishkumen was on his way to fulfil his bloody errand, a servant of Helaman, whose
name is not recorded, met him and gave him one of the secret signs of the
Gadiantons. This admitted him into the confidence of the assassin, who
explained his purpose, and asked to be conducted into the judgment hall, where
Helaman was then sitting in the performance of his duties. This was agreed
upon; the two proceeded to where the murderer expected to find his victim. The
strategy of the attendant disarmed Kishkumen's suspicions. At an opportune
moment the servant stabbed him, and so adroitly did he perform his work that
the robber fell dead without a groan. The servant immediately ran to the
judgment hall, and informed Helaman of all that he had heard, seen and done.
Without delay, orders were issued for the arrest of the band, but its members,
finding that Kishkumen did not return, fled precipitately into the wilderness,
beyond the reach of the offcers. Dictionary of the Book of Mormon, p.
187 KISHKUMEN, CITY OF One of the
iniquitous cities which the Lord, at the time of His crucifixion, caused to be
burned with fire from heaven, with its inhabitants, because of their wickedness
in casting out the prophets and stoning those whom He sent to proclaim their
sinfulness and abominations. So depraved were its people that the Lord declares
that there were none righteous among them, and that He destroyed them that the
blood of the prophets and saints whom He had sent, and they had slain, might no
longer cry unto Him from the ground against them. Kishkumen is mentioned only
in connection with its destruction. Dictionary of the Book of Mormon, p.
187 - 188 KORIHOR An
Anti-Christ, who appeared among the Nephites B. C. 75. He taught many of the
heresies of Nehor, prominent among which were the denial of the coming
of the Redeemer and of the efficacy of His atonement. His doctrine was that
every man fared in this life according to his management, prospered according
to his shrewdness, and conquered according to his strength. He proclaimed that
whatsoever a man did was no crime, for when a man was dead there was an end
thereof. As a
missionary Korihor was, for a short time, a success. We first hear of him
preaching his satanic doctrines in the land of Zarahemla, and, as he claimed to
fully believe all he taught, the law could not touch him, as full religious
liberty was guaranteed under the constitution and laws of the Nephite
commonwealth. From Zarahemla he went to the land of Jershon, to
inoculate the Ammonites with his soul-destroying vagaries. But they were a
wiser and more zealous people for the gospel than were many of the Nephites.
They took him, bound him, and carried him before Ammon, their high priest. He
directed that Korihor should be removed beyond the border of their land, which
command having been obeyed, we next find the unabashed imposter laboring among
the people of the land of Gideon. There he also met with rebuffs. He was
arrested by the people and taken before the chief officers in that land. They
found they could do nothing that would be satisfactory with him, so they
remanded him into the custody of the proper officers with instructions to carry
him before Alma and Nephihah, in Zarahemla. When brought before
these worthies—the highest dignitaries of the church and state—Korihor
continued in his course of loud-mouthed blasphemy, defiant assumption, and
wilful falsehood. He argued against the existence of the Father, and the coming
of His Only Begotten. Alma accused him of arguing against his convictions, but
this he stoutly denied, and clamored for a sign to be given, as he pretended,
that he might be convinced. Alma, at length, wearied of his impious
importunities, told him that God, as a sign, would smite him dumb. This
terrible warning, though it caused the pretender some uneasiness, only resulted
in an attempt at prevarication. He said: I do not deny the existence of a God,
but I do not believe there is a God; and I say also that ye do not know that
there is a God; and except ye show me a sign I will not believe. Then Alma
answered: This will I give unto thee for a sign, that thou shalt be struck
dumb, according to my words; and I say that, in the name of God, ye shall be
struck dumb, that ye shall no more have utterance. Korihor
received his sign: Alma's words were fulfilled; the sign-seeker never more
spoke on earth. When the hand of the Lord fell on him he recanted. By writing,
as he could not speak, he confessed the power of God, and acknowledged that he
had been led astray by Satan, who had come to him in the form of an angel of
light. He begged that the curse might be removed, but Alma, well knowing the
baseness of his heart, refused to intercede before heaven in his behalf, lest
when restored to speech he would again strive to deceive the people. A
proclamation was next sent throughout all the land. In it the chief judge
recited what had happened to Korihor, and called upon those who had believed in
his words to speedily repent, lest the same judgments should come upon them.
This proclamation put an end to the iniquity of Korihor, for his followers were
all brought back again to the truth. But Korihor, deserted by the devil, a
vagabond and a beggar, still continued to beg his way from town to town, from
house to house, until one day, in a city of the Zoramites, he was run
over and trodden down. The injuries that he received at this time were so great
that he soon after died. Dictionary of the Book of Mormon, p.
189 - 190 KUMEN One of the
twelve Disciples called and chosen by Jesus to minister to the Nephites, at the
time of his visit to that people (A. D. 34). Kumen was present near the temple
in the land Bountiful when Jesus appeared, and was baptized by Nephi on the day
following. He is not again mentioned by name in the sacred record. Dictionary of the Book of Mormon, p.
190 KUMENONHI One of the
twelve Disciples called and chosen by Jesus to minister to the Nephites, at the
time of His visit to that people (A. D. 34). Kumenonhi was present near the
temple in the land Bountiful when Jesus apepared, and was baptized by Nephi on
the day following. He is not again mentioned by name in the sacred record. (Dictionary of the Book of Mormon, p. 190) |
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