Sherrizah Widows were a group of individuals mentioned in the aftermath of a catastrophic conflict between the Nephites and Lamanites described in the Book of Mormon narrative. During the period of great strife and war, Zenephi, referenced as the leader of part of the Nephite army, is reported to have engaged in intense battles with the Lamanites, leading to many being taken captive or slain.
The widows and their daughters in Sherrizah, who were already victims of the Lamanite aggression, experienced further suffering at the hands of Zenephi’s army, which seized the remaining provisions and left them in a state of desperation. The Sherrizah Widows, along with many helpless old women, were thus left to fend for themselves, wandering in search of sustenance. The situation was so dire that several of the old women succumbed to exhaustion and died along their paths (Moroni 9:16).
This tragic scenario is detailed in a letter from Mormon to his son Moroni, wherein he exposes the declining moral fabric of Nephite society and illustrates the extreme hardship faced by the most vulnerable during these war-torn times. The account of the Sherrizah Widows serves as a vivid example of the broader suffering and degeneration transpiring during the latter days of the Nephite civilization. Their mention in the context of war underscores the broader tumultuous and tragic conditions of the period leading up to the ultimate collapse of the Nephite nation.