Chemish

Chemish was the brother of Amaron and one of the authors who contributed to the Book of Omni in the Book of Mormon [Omni 1:9]. In the book of Omni, Chemish makes an interesting comment about the record-keeping tradition that had been passed down to him:

“Now I, Chemish, write what few things I write, in the same book with my brother; for behold, I saw the last which he wrote, that he wrote it with his own hand; and he wrote it in the day that he delivered them unto me. And after this manner we keep the records, for it is according to the commandments of our fathers. And I make an end.” (Omni 1:9)

This comment suggests that for several generations, the record keepers had been fulfilling the duty of passing down the plates, but had largely lost the original spirit and purpose behind it. The plates were kept “according to the commandments of [their] fathers,” but the record keepers were not necessarily recording “preaching which was sacred, or revelation which was great, or prophesying” as instructed in Jacob 1:4.

Instead, it seems the record keepers were simply going through the motions of keeping the records, without the same spiritual focus and testimony-bearing that had characterized the earlier record keepers like Nephi. Chemish’s brief entry is indicative of this more perfunctory approach to the sacred records.

Overall, Chemish’s comments provide insight into how the original intent behind the small plates of Nephi may have become diluted over the generations, as the record keepers focused more on the duty of transmission rather than the spiritual purpose behind it.

Learn more:

1. Omni 1
2. Introduction to the Book of Omni
3. Omni 1 | ScriptureCentral