BM-KJV and JE-1 Ne 2

Annotation of 1 Nephi 2 – preliminary

1 Nephi 2 is a good example because it shows that a high percentage of Book of Mormon language is also KJV language. Few of the KJV words/phrases are not also found in Edwards, including the so-called "blended" passages.

The blue Book of Mormon words/phrases in the annotation are nonbiblical and also not found in Edwards. In some cases noted below, the nonbiblical language is close to Edwards (e.g., plural instead of singular). There are several examples in the Book of Mormon of paraphrased or misquoted passages from the KJV that are identical to paraphrased or misquoted KJV passages in Edwards' works.

The red words/phrases are nonbiblical Book of Mormon wording that are also found in Edwards' works as available on the Yale database, which includes most but not all of the 1808 edition, as well as material not included in the 1808 edition.

Purple are nonbiblical Book of Mormon words/phrases similar to Edwards.

Naturally, Edwards is not the only person who ever used this nonbiblical Book of Mormon terminology. English is a common language or we couldn't understand one another. But the ready availability of Edwards' works in Palmyra during Joseph's youth indicates that Edwards was a possible source for Joseph's vocabulary that he used when translating the plates.

Bold = KJV 

Blue = nonbiblical BofM/D&C w/o JE (If unique to this instance, no footnote is given)

Red = nonbiblical BofM/D&C and JE 

Purple = nonbiblical BofM/D&C similar to JE

Chapter 2

Lehi takes his family into the wilderness by the Red Sea—They leave their property—Lehi offers a sacrifice to the Lord and teaches his sons to keep the commandments—Laman and Lemuel murmur against their father—Nephi is obedient and prays in faith; the Lord speaks to him, and he is chosen to rule over his brethren. About 600 B.C.

1 For behold, it came to pass that the Lord spake unto my father, yea, even in a dream[1], and said unto him: Blessed art thou Lehi, because of the things[2] which thou hast done; and because thou hast been faithful and declared unto this people the things which I commanded thee, behold, they seek to take[3] away thy life.

2 And it came to pass that the Lord commanded my father, even in a dream, that he should take his family and depart into[4] the wilderness.

3 And it came to pass that he was obedient[5] unto the word of the Lord, wherefore he did as the Lord commanded him.

4 And it came to pass that he departed into the wilderness. And he left his house, and the land of his inheritance[6], and his gold, and his silver, and his precious things[7], and took nothing[8] with him, save it were[9] his family, and provisions[10], and tents, and departed into[11] the wilderness.

5 And he came down by the borders[12] near the shore of the Red Sea; and he traveled in the wilderness in the borders[13] which are nearer the Red Sea; and he did travel in the wilderness[14] with his family, which consisted of[15] my mother, Sariah, and my elder brothers, who were Laman, Lemuel, and Sam.

6 And it came to pass that when he had traveled three days in the wilderness, he pitched his tent in a valley by the side of a river of water[16].

7 And it came to pass that he built an altar of stones[17], and made an offering[18] unto the Lord, and gave thanks[19] unto the Lord our God.

8 And it came to pass that he called the name[20] of the river, Laman, and it emptied into the Red Sea; and the valley was in the borders near the mouth thereof.

9 And when my father saw that the waters of the river emptied into the fountain of the Red Sea, he spake unto Laman, saying: O that thou mightest be like unto this river, continually running[21] into the fountain of all righteousness!

10 And he also spake unto Lemuel: O that thou mightest be like unto this valley, firm and steadfast[22], and immovable[23] in keeping the commandments[24] of the Lord!

11 Now this he spake because of the stiffneckedness of Laman and Lemuel; for behold they did murmur in many things[25] against their father, because he was a visionary[26] man[27], and had led them out of the land of Jerusalem, to leave the land of their inheritance, and their gold, and their silver, and their precious things, to perish in the wilderness[28]. And this they said he had done because of the foolish[29] imaginations[30] of his heart.

12 And thus Laman and Lemuel, being the eldest, did murmur against[31] their father. And they did murmur because they knew not[32] the dealings[33] of that God who had created them.

13 Neither did they[34] believe that Jerusalem, that great city, could be destroyed[35] according to the words of the prophets[36]. And they were like unto the Jews who were at Jerusalem, who sought to take away the life of my father.

14 And it came to pass that my father did speak[37] unto them in the valley of Lemuel, with power[38], being filled with the Spirit[39], until their frames[40] did shake[41] before him. And he did confound[42] them, that they durst not[43] utter against him; wherefore, they did as he commanded them.

15 And my father dwelt in a tent.

16 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, being exceedingly young[44], nevertheless being large in stature[45], and also having great desires[46] to know of the mysteries of God, wherefore, I did cry unto the Lord[47]; and behold he did visit me, and did soften my heart[48] that I did believe all the words[49] which had been spoken by my father; wherefore, I did not rebel against[50] him like unto my brothers.

17 And I spake unto Sam, making known[51] unto him the things which the Lord had manifested[52] unto me by his Holy Spirit. And it came to pass that he believed in my words.

18 But, behold, Laman and Lemuel would not hearken[53] unto my words; and being grieved[54] because of the hardness of their hearts[55] I cried unto the Lord for them.

19 And it came to pass that the Lord spake unto me, saying: Blessed art thou, Nephi, because of thy faith, for thou hast sought me diligently[56], with lowliness of heart[57].

20 And inasmuch as[58] ye shall keep my commandments, ye shall prosper, and shall be led to a land of promise[59]; yea, even a land which I have prepared for you; yea, a land which is choice above all other lands[60].

21 And inasmuch as thy brethren shall rebel against[61] thee, they shall be cut off[62] from the presence of the Lord[63].

22 And inasmuch as thou shalt keep my commandments, thou shalt be made a ruler and a teacher over thy brethren.

23 For behold, in that day that they shall rebel against me, I will curse them even with a sore curse[64], and they shall have no power[65] over thy seed except they shall[66] rebel against me also.

24 And if it so be[67] that they rebel against me, they shall be a scourge[68] unto thy seed, to stir them up[69] in the ways of remembrance[70].

(1 Nephi 2–2:24)

[1] OT (8) NT (6) BM (4) JE (10)

[2] BM (8) DC (1)

[3] BM (3) JE (1) JE : « Valiant Resolute soldiers that seek to take a Kingdom”

[4] BM (11) JE (2) JE : « when the Life of a saint is at an End and they depart into another”

[5] BM (1) JE (3)

[6] BM (2)

[7] OT (12) BM (23) DC (2) JE (40)

[8] BM (1)

[9] BM (76) DC (1) PGP (1)

[10] BM (37) DC (1) JE (60)

[11] NT (2) BM (10) JE (3)

[12] OT (1) BM (5)

[13] OT (3) NT (1) BM (31) JE (4) JE : « And so when he began to preach, it was in the borders of the wilderness where he had lived all his days (Matthew 3:1, Matthew 3:3, Mark 1:4): NOTE: Only BM and JE connect “wilderness” with “in the borders”

[14] BM (4) JE (1) JE : « Were the children of Israel sorry, after forty years travel in the wilderness , when they had almost got to Canaan?”

[15] BM (3) JE (10) JE : « The redemption of the children of Israel out of Egypt considered as the benefit which they enjoyed consisted of two parts:” “unless the whole council consisted of more than fourteen”

[16] NT (1) BM (4) JE (40)

[17] OT (1) BM (1)

[18] BM (2) PGP (2) JE (1) JE: “'tis said of the same person, "he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter," that "he was taken from prison and from judgment," and "cut off out of the land of the living," and that "he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death," and that his soul should be made " an offering for sin," and should "pour out his soul unto death." He was to have a body.”

[19] OT (4) NT (7) BM (6) JE (4)

[20] OT (32) BM (4) PGP (2) JE (20)

[21] BM (1) JE (2) JE: “the Glass of his Time is Continually Running out (as it were) in Golden sands”

[22] BM (3)

[23] BM (5) DC (1) JE (60) JE : « The Apostle in this place is giving a reason why he went on with so much boldness and immovable steadfastness, through such labors, sufferings and dangers of his life,”

[24] BM (17) DC (3) JE (8) JE : « Luke 8:15, that "the good ground are they" that receive the word into "an honest and good heart," and "keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience"; that is, with perseverance, as the word is often used. They endure temptation and continue keeping the commandments of God through all difficulties and trials; they never depart from their integrity”

[25] NT (2) BM (1) JE (100)

[26] BM (3) JE (5) JE: “And this, not in any parabolical, visionary , or prophetic description, in which difficult and obscure representations are wont to be made use of”

[27] “visionary man” BM (3)

[28] BM (4) JE (1) JE : « will be the way for him to Perish in the wilderness”

[29] OT (35) NT (17) BM (19) DC (1) PGP (2) JE (200+)

[30] OT (4) NT (2) BM (3) JE (200) JE : « it seems to be implied that this that is here said of the evil imaginations of men's hearts” “the reason why they did not glorify him as God, was because they became vain in their imaginations , and had darkened their foolish heart” “Tis our foolish imagination that will not suffer us to see” “It is because you have low thoughts of God, that you entertain such a foolish imagination “

[31] OT (7) BM (8) JE (3)

[32] OT (11) NT (2) BM (12) JE (50)

[33] BM (3) JE (1) JE : « Tis certain that the inhabitants of heaven do increase in their knowledge. "The angels know more than they did before Christ's incarnation; for they are said to know by the church, i.e. by the dealings of God with the church,” Note: “dealings” OT (1) NT (1) BM (3) DC (1) JE (200)

[34] OT (1) BM (7) JE (2)

[35] BM (1) JE (1) JE : « it was a sign that neither the nation nor the house of David could be destroyed inasmuch as this blessing was in them”

[36] OT (4) NT (1) BM (14) DC (1) JE (1)

[37] BM (17) JE (1) JE : « gathering up many sentences here and there, which prove that their Scriptures did speak of some as wicked men”

[38] OT (1) NT (8) BM (10) DC (14) PGP (2) JE (50)

[39] OT (1) NT (1) BM (7) DC (1) JE (10)

[40] BM (1) JE (200) JE : « it follows that when persons have the least exercise of love, and most of contrary principles, they have least of heaven and are farthest from it in their frames of mind.” “this kind of confidence of hypocrites will not be shaken by sin: they (at least some of them), will maintain their boldness in their hope, in the most corrupt frames and wicked ways”

[41] OT (33) NT (6) BM (31) DC )12) PGP (1) JE (100)

[42] OT (3) NT (2) BM (11) DC (4) JE (90)

[43] OT (1) NT (3) BM (32) JE (70)

[44] BM (1)

[45] BM (3)

[46] BM (2) JE (4)

[47] OT (7) BM (20) DC (1) PGP (1) JE (7)

[48] BM (1)

[49] OT (41) NT (1) BM (19) DC (1) JE (20)

[50] OT (8) BM (16) JE (30)

[51] OT (1) BM (3) DC (1) JE (30)

[52] NT (10) BM (9) DC (7) PGP (2) JE (200+)

[53] OT (14) BM (13) PGP (2) JE (30)

[54] NT (3) BM (5) JE (8)

[55] NT (1) BM (18) JE (19)

[56] OT (26) NT (11) BM (23) DC (20) JE (200+)

[57] BM (4) DC (3) JE (5) JE: “We should travel along in the same way of meekness and lowliness of heart , in the same way of obedience, and charity, and diligence to do good, and patience under afflictions. The way to heaven is an heavenly life. We must be traveling towards heaven in a way of imitation of those that are in heaven”

[58] OT (2) NT (7) BM (31) DC (114) PGP (3) JE (200)

[59] NT (1) BM (22) DC (3) PGP (1) JE (10)

[60] BM (9) JE (1) JE : « He was said of old to dwell in the land of Israel above all other lands “

[61] OT (8) BM (16) JE (30)

[62] OT (60) NT (1) BM (23) DC (11) PGP (3) JE (100)

[63] OT (11) NT (2) BM (21) DC (2) PGP (2) JE (30)

[64] BM (2) PGP (2)

[65] OT (3) NT (1) BM (10) DC (3) JE (40)

[66] BM (4)

[67] BM (37) DC (3) [Note: “if it be” OT (35) NT (13) BM (9) DC (12) JE (100)]

[68] OT (1) NT (1) BM (4) DC (2) JE (4)

[69] BM (11) DC (1) JE (30) JE: “a true hope not only does not tend to harden men in sin, and make them more careless of their duty, but it tends to stir them up to holiness of life,”

[70] BM (1) NT/JE: “I now write unto you; in both which I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance:(2 Peter 3:1)