Amaron, the son of Omni, was a Nephite record keeper who played a role in the preservation and continuation of the sacred records entrusted to successive generations of Nephite historians. His tenure as a custodian of these records occurred around 279 B.C., a time of both peace and tumultuous war among his people. In the brief account that Amaron himself inscribed on the plates, he attested to the deliverance of the righteous and the destruction that befell the more wicked part of the Nephites. His writings bear out the fulfillment of the Lord’s warnings, as he observed and recorded the consequences that came upon those who did not keep the commandments, thus not prospering in the land (Omni 1:4-6).
Amaron’s contribution to the record, although succinct, emphasized the immutable word of God and His judgments upon the people. He confirmed the prophecies uttered to the Nephite fathers, that adherence to the commandments is directly linked to the prosperity of the people in the promised land. Following his father Omni’s example, he was true to the commandments regarding the keeping of the records and, in turn, conferred the plates onto his brother Chemish (Omni 1:8). In doing so, Amaron ensured the continued lineage of record-keepers, which would eventually lead to King Benjamin. His writings not only serve as a testament to the spiritual state of his people during his lifetime but also as a record of God’s dealings with the Nephites.