As part of his abridgment responsibilities, Moroni states that he is going to "give an account of those ancient inhabitants who were destroyed by the hand of the Lord upon the face of this north country" (Ether 1:1). According to Millet and McConkie, in adding the book of Ether to the Book of Mormon, Moroni was probably following instructions from his father Mormon. In the book of Mosiah, as Mormon was giving an account of the discovery and translation of the twenty-four gold plates upon which this record was engraved, he had inserted this comment: "And this account shall be written hereafter; for behold, it is expedient that all people should know the things which are written in this account" (Mosiah 28:19). Since this abridgment was made by Moroni, we can assume that Mormon was unable to work on the Jaredite record and had directed his son to do so. . . . the book of Ether is intended to serve as a second witness of yet another society whose experience parallels that of the Nephites. [Joseph F. McConkie, Robert L. Millet, and Brent L. Top, Doctrinal Commentary on the Book of Mormon, Vol. IV, p. 259]
Ether 1:1 And now I Moroni proceed to give an account of those ancient inhabitants who were destroyed [Illustration]): Six Tragic Cycles in the Book of Ether. [Lee L. Donaldson, "The Plates of Ether and the Covenant of the Book of Mormon," in The Book of Mormon: Fourth Nephi through Moroni, From Zion to Destruction, p. 76]
“Give an Account”
In Ether 1:1, Moroni states that he is going to "give an account of those ancient inhabitants who were destroyed by the hand of the Lord." According to Hugh Nibley, to destroy is to wreck the structure not to annihilate the parts. Thus in 1 Nephi 17:31 we read of Israel in Moses' day that, "according to his word he did destroy them; and according to his word he did lead them," bringing them together after they had been "destroyed," (i.e., scattered, and in need of a leader). "As one generation hath been destroyed among the Jews," according to 2 Nephi 25:9, "even so they have been destroyed from generation to generation according to their iniquities." A complete slaughter of any one generation would of course be the end of their history altogether, but that is not what "destroyed" means. . . .
So when we read that the Jaredites "were destroyed by the hand of the Lord upon the face of this north country" in the very first verse of Ether, we are to understand that the nation was smashed and dispersed, but not that the catastrophic final battle was necessarily the whole story. The first thing that occurs to king Limhi on relating the discovery of the twenty-four gold plates to Ammon was, "perhaps they will give us a knowledge of a remnant of the people who have been destroyed, from whence this record came" (Mosiah 8:12), showing that to king Limhi at least it was perfectly possible for a remnant of a people to exist after that people had been "destroyed." [Hugh Nibley, The World of the Jaredites, pp. 239-240]
“This North Country”
Apparently by using the phrase, "this north country" (Ether 1:1), Moroni seems to imply that he was writing from a location somewhere in the north country, or in other words, from the land northward (the place where both the Nephites and the Jaredites were destroyed). Just how far "this north country" extended and whether it encompassed all the lands of the Jaredites is not told here in the book of Ether. However, one key geographical correlation that we are told elsewhere in the Book of Mormon is that the final battle site of the Jaredites (the hill Ramah) and the final battle site of the Nephites (the hill Cumorah) were the same (Mormon 8:1-4). We are also told that Mormon "hid up in the hill Cumorah all the records" which had been entrusted to him except apparently the abridgement (Mormon 6:6). Therefore, the fact that Moroni is making this record of the Jaredites seems to imply that he has returned to the hill Cumorah, located in "this north country." [Alan C. Miner, Personal Notes]
According to Joseph Allen, Ixtlilxochitl, who wrote the native history of Mexico in the 16th Century, told us that the first settlers, who came from the Tower, "populated the major part of the land, and more particularly the northern part." (Ixtlilxochitl:21)
The "north country" of Moroni and the "northern part" mentioned by Ixtlilxochitl are in all probability the Gulf of Mexico area that today is called the "faja de oro," or Golden Lane, because of the abundance of oil that has been discovered there. This area is where archaeology bears testimony of the most ancient civilization of Mesoamerica. [Joseph Allen, Exploring the Lands of the Book of Mormon, p. 257]
Geographical [Theory Map]: Ether 1:1-4 Moroni Writes from This North Country (401 A.S.--421 A.S.)
Ether 1:1 This north country ([Illustration]): The area referred to by Ixtlilxochitl as the "northern parts of the land." This area is the heartland of the ancient Olmecs. Moroni referred to the Jaredite heartland as "this north country." [Joseph L. Allen, Exploring the Lands of the Book of Mormon, p. 56]
Ether 1:1 This north country ([Illustration]): Olmec (Jaredite) archaeological sites along Mexico's Gulf Coast. [Joseph L. Allen, Exploring the Lands of the Book of Mormon, p. 63]
“Inhabitants Who Were Destroyed”
According to Donl Peterson, as one analyzes Mormon's writing style it is apparent that he often chose to finish a particular thought before expanding upon a new theme that he had introduced into the story. That is, Mormon usually chose to inform his readers that he was not ignoring the new topic, but that he would develop it in due time. Some examples of this style are: Mosiah 21:35 (Mormon promises to discuss baptism)---Mosiah 25:17-18 (Mormon discusses baptism); Alma 35:13 (Mormon promises to discuss the war)---Alma 43 and 44 (Mormon discusses the war); Helaman 2:12 (Mormon promises to discuss Gadianton)---Helaman 6 (Mormon discusses Gadianton).
Now of all these promised future explanations, Mormon only failed to expand on one (possibly two) important themes: (1) the Jaredite record (see Mosiah 28:17-19), and (2) perhaps the Savior's authorization to his Twelve to bestow the Holy Ghost (see 3 Nephi 18:36-37). One might ask, Why?
Since Mormon's Book of Mormon was written to warn and instruct this dispensation, it seems illogical that Mormon would sidestep the responsibility of writing a brief synopsis of that great Jaredite civilization. After all, this additional witness further substantiated several of his great teachings. However, the following explanation may be feasible.
It is hypothesized that after Moroni wrote Mormon 8:14-41 and chapter 9, and bade his future readers farewell, he had occasion to carefully study his father's writings. Recall that the Book of Mormon was written between A.D. 380 and 384, just prior to that last great Nephite-Lamanite war. Both Mormon and Moroni were heavily involved in preparations for the final military encounter. It seems doubtful that Moroni, prior to the battle, would have had the opportunity to make a detailed study of his father's abridgment. Now after A.D. 401, when his days were long and lonely, he carefully studied his father's record. He perceived that two (or one) of Mormon's promised explanations were missing. He prayed to the Lord, and he was then commanded to abridge the Jaredite record (the book of Ether) and to include the Savior's authorization to the Twelve (see Moroni 2).
The preceding explanation appears logical but it is still conjectural. In answer to the question "Why did Moroni abridge the Jaredite record?" the only sure answer is that the Lord commanded him to. [H. Donl Peterson, Moroni: Ancient Prophet Modern Messenger, p. 34]
Note* It is also possible that Mormon's primary responsibility was to tell the "sad tale of destruction of [his] people" (see Mormon 8:1-4). Thus it was left up to Moroni to write the tale of the Jaredites. [See the commentary by Jerry Ainsworth on Moroni 7:2]