Akish, the son of Kimnor, emerges as a prime example of the destructive power of secret combinations and personal ambition in the Book of Mormon’s narrative of the Jaredite civilization. He is infamously known for his role in the murder of two Jaredite kings, Omer and Jared, the latter being his father-in-law, through treachery facilitated by secret pacts and oaths that ultimately precipitated the near-total annihilation of his people.
Driven by his desire for the daughter of Jared, Akish conspired with her and her father, Jared, to assassinate Omer, who was the reigning monarch at that time. Successfully enchanting Akish with her dance, she and Jared hinged her betrothal on Akish’s willingness to execute their dark plan (Ether 8:10-11). Akish agreed and proceeded to bind his relatives and close associates with gruesome oaths, invoking the direst curses on any who reneged on their pact or revealed their plots, reminiscent of secret combinations from ancient times associated even with Cain (Ether 8:14-18). The plot against Omer failed due to divine intervention, though this did not inhibit the ascendancy of Jared to the throne or Akish’s marriage to Jared’s daughter.
In time, his insatiable lust for power led him to betray his own father-in-law, employing the same secret society he previously forged, securing Jared’s violent death, and thus seizing the throne for himself (Ether 9:4-5). Akish’s rule was marked by fear, paranoia, and despotism, manifested most brutally when he imprisoned and starved his own son to death, spurred by jealousy (Ether 9:6-7). His reign ended in tragedy, with his own offspring following his footsteps in treachery and wreaking havoc upon the land. Akish’s sons instigated a rebellion, which spiraled into a prolonged and bloody civil war, decimating nearly the entire Jaredite population save thirty souls and those who had escaped with Omer (Ether 9:11-12).
Herein lies a poignant warning against the corroding influence of power sought through unrighteous means, for Akish’s tale culminates in a civilizational collapse borne from the seeds of conspiracy he had sown, as inscribed by Moroni with a clear message that such wickedness is in direct opposition to the will of God and has repercussions not only for the individuals engaged in such deeds but also for the society at large (Ether 8:22-26).