Among the Jaredites, a period of intense conflict and strife saw various factions vying for dominion, leading up to the eventual fall of their civilization as described in the record of Ether. The children of Cohor were participants in the complex social and political landscape of the Jaredite nation during the reign of Coriantumr, a descendant of the Jaredites’ founding lineage. The mention of Cohor’s offspring comes at a time when Coriantumr, experienced in all the arts of war, engaged in battles against those who rose to challenge his rule.
Coriantumr’s own intransigence in the face of prophetic warnings is highlighted by the refusal of his family, as well as the families of Cohor and Corihor, to repent from their sins. The record registers a particular emphasis on their collective failure to turn from their wicked ways with the phrase, “But he repented not, neither his fair sons nor daughters; neither the fair sons and daughters of Cohor” (Ether 13:17). This stubbornness is pointed out as a noteworthy feature among the elite and beautiful offspring of these Jaredite leaders, marking a pervasive rejection of spiritual counsel among those who might have employed their privileged status for the benefit of their society.
The portrayal of Cohor’s children is one that undeniably associates them with a broader societal refusal to embrace repentance, a theme that is recurrent in the downfall narratives within the Book of Mormon. The record implicitly warns that beauty and nobility offer no protection against the moral and physical calamities that come from the choice to reject divine commandments and prophets’ warnings. The demise of the Jaredites, precipitated by widespread iniquity, becomes a tragic testament to the results of such obstinate pride and sin among its people, including those like Cohor’s children, who are remembered not for their contributions to their people’s welfare but for their part in their civilization’s rueful end.