Coriantor was a Jaredite, the son of King Moron, who lived during a time of significant political upheaval and moral decline among his people. His birth into captivity was a harbinger of the life he himself would live, as he remained captive throughout his days (Ether 11:19). Coriantor’s circumstances situated him amidst the dire warnings of prophets who came prophesying to the Jaredite people. These prophets declared that without repentance, the people were destined for utter destruction and that another nation would inherit their land (Ether 11:20).
Despite these foreboding conditions, Coriantor’s life held a notable significance through his lineage. He was the father of Ether, a prophet whose teachings and record would become a critical part of the Book of Mormon narrative (Ether 1:6-7). The lineage from Coriantor to Ether indicated that even in times of great wickedness and personal hardship, the Lord prepares individuals to accomplish His purposes. Coriantor’s existence, bounded by captivity, came to a close without witnessing the fulfillment of the prophecies heralded during his life. His son, Ether, however, lived to document the tragic fulfillment of those prophecies, detailing the destruction of the Jaredite civilization, a testament to the serious consequences of a nation’s rejection of prophetic warnings (Ether 11:23).