Now we come to the shortest record of any writer in the whole Book of Mormon. Altogether Chemish wrote only two sentences. Even those are practically a wasted effort. He gives us no dates and tells us nothing about himself or any events during his days.
Now in verses 10-11 we learn that the next custodian of the plates was named Abinadom who is the son of Chemish. He tells us that during his lifetime there were great wars between the Nephites and the Lamanites. He, himself, shed the blood of many Lamanites while defending the land of the Nephites. He says it has been a period in which there have been no new revelations or prophecies. The Nephites have apparently had to depend upon those which were already written.
The reader can almost sense the dark clouds of wickedness, apostasy and war which is hovering over the whole land at this time. The righteous are becoming increasingly few and spiritual blessings have virtually disappeared from among the people. Without giving us any dates or further details, Abinadom ends his writing.