KnoWhy #248 - How Could Shiz Move and Breathe After Being Beheaded? (Ether 15:31)

During the final Jaredite battle, when Coriantumr cut off the head of Shiz, Shiz “raised up on his hands and fell; and after that he had struggled for breath, he died” (Ether 15:31). When someone is decapitated through the base of the skull, certain muscles in the arms and legs contract, as does the rib cage. This caused Shiz to raise up on his hands, and caused his rib cage to expand and contract automatically, making it sound like Shiz was “struggling for breath.” This is a reminder, both of the authenticity of the Book of Mormon, but also of the horrors of war.