BM-KJV and JE-3 Nephi 4

Annotation of 3 Nephi 4 – preliminary

3 Nephi 4 is a good example because it shows that a high percentage of its 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 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/PGP w/o JE 

Red = nonbiblical BofM/D&C/PGP and JE 

Purple = nonbiblical BofM/D&C/PGP similar to JE

Chapter 4

The Nephite armies defeat the Gadianton robbers—Giddianhi is slain, and his successor, Zemnarihah, is hanged—The Nephites praise the Lord for their victories. About A.D. 19–22.

1 And it came to pass that in the latter end[1] of the eighteenth year those armies of robbers[2] had prepared for battle[3], and began to come down and to sally forth[4] from the hills, and out of the mountains, and the wilderness, and their strongholds[5], and their secret places[6], and began to take possession[7] of the lands, both which were in the land south and which were in the land north, and began to take possession of all the lands which had been deserted[8] by the Nephites, and the cities which had been left desolate[9].

2 But behold, there were no wild beasts[10] nor game[11] in those lands which had been deserted by the Nephites, and there was no game for the robbers save it were[12] in the wilderness.

3 And the robbers could not exist[13] save it were in the wilderness, for the want of food[14]; for the Nephites had left their lands desolate[15], and had gathered their flocks[16] and their herds and all their substance[17], and they were in one body[18].

4 Therefore, there was no chance[19] for the robbers to plunder[20] and to obtain food[21], save it were to come up in open battle[22] against the Nephites; and the Nephites being in one body, and having so great a number[23], and having reserved for[24] themselves provisions[25], and horses and cattle, and flocks of every kind, that they might subsist[26] for the space of[27] seven years, in the which[28] time they did hope to destroy[29] the robbers from off the face of the land; and thus the eighteenth year did pass away.

5 And it came to pass that in the nineteenth year Giddianhi found that it was expedient[30] that he should go up to battle against the Nephites, for there was no way[31] that they could subsist save it were to plunder and rob and murder[32].

6 And they durst not[33] spread themselves[34] upon the face of the land insomuch that they could raise grain[35], lest the Nephites should come upon them and slay them; therefore Giddianhi gave commandment unto his armies that in this year they should go up to battle against the Nephites.

7 And it came to pass that they did come up to battle; and it was in the sixth month; and behold, great and terrible[36] was the day that they did come up to battle; and they were girded about[37] after the manner of robbers; and they had a lamb-skin about their loins, and they were dyed[38] in blood, and their heads were shorn[39], and they had head-plates upon them; and great and terrible was the appearance of the armies of Giddianhi, because of their armor, and because of their being dyed in blood.

8 And it came to pass that the armies of the Nephites, when they saw the appearance[40] of the army of Giddianhi, had all fallen to the earth[41], and did lift their cries to the Lord their God, that he would spare them and deliver them out of the hands of[42] their enemies.

9 And it came to pass that when the armies of Giddianhi saw this they began to shout with a loud voice[43], because of their joy, for they had supposed that the Nephites had fallen with fear because of the terror[44] of their armies.

10 But in this thing they were disappointed[45], for the Nephites did not fear them; but they did fear their God and did supplicate[46] him for protection[47]; therefore, when the armies of Giddianhi did rush[48] upon them they were prepared to meet them; yea, in the strength of the Lord[49] they did receive them.

11 And the battle commenced in this the sixth month; and great and terrible was the battle thereof, yea, great and terrible was the slaughter thereof, insomuch that there never was known so great a slaughter among all the people of Lehi since he left Jerusalem.

12 And notwithstanding the threatenings[50] and the oaths[51] which Giddianhi had made, behold, the Nephites did beat them[52], insomuch that they did fall back[53] from before them.

13 And it came to pass that Gidgiddoni commanded that his armies should pursue them as far as[54] the borders of the wilderness, and that they should not spare any[55] that should fall into their hands[56] by the way[57]; and thus they did pursue[58] them and did slay them, to the borders of the wilderness, even until they had fulfilled the commandment of Gidgiddoni.

14 And it came to pass that Giddianhi, who had stood and fought[59] with boldness[60], was pursued as he fled; and being weary[61] because of his much fighting[62] he was overtaken[63] and slain. And thus was the end of Giddianhi the robber.

15 And it came to pass that the armies of the Nephites did return again[64] to their place of security[65]. And it came to pass that this nineteenth year did pass away, and the robbers did not come again to battle; neither did they come again in the twentieth year.

16 And in the twenty and first year they did not come up to battle, but they came up on all sides[66] to lay siege[67] round about the people of Nephi; for they did suppose[68] that if they should cut off the people of Nephi from their lands, and should hem[69] them in on every side[70], and if they should cut them off from all their outward privileges[71], that they could cause them to yield themselves up according to their wishes[72].

17 Now they had appointed unto themselves another leader, whose name was Zemnarihah; therefore it was Zemnarihah that did cause that this siege should take place.

18 But behold, this was an advantage[73] to the Nephites; for it was impossible[74] for the robbers to lay siege sufficiently long[75] to have any effect[76] upon the Nephites, because of their much provision[77] which they had laid up[78] in store[79],

19 And because of the scantiness[80] of provisions among the robbers; for behold, they had nothing save it were meat for their subsistence[81], which meat they did obtain in the wilderness;

20 And it came to pass that the wild game became scarce[82] in the wilderness insomuch that the robbers were about to perish with hunger[83].

21 And the Nephites were continually marching out by day and by night[84], and falling upon their armies, and cutting[85] them off by thousands and by tens of thousands.

22 And thus it became the desire of[86] the people of Zemnarihah to withdraw from[87] their design[88], because of the great destruction[89] which came upon them by night and by day.

23 And it came to pass that Zemnarihah did give command unto his people that they should withdraw themselves[90] from the siege, and march into the furthermost[91] parts of the land northward.

24 And now, Gidgiddoni being aware[92] of their design[93], and knowing of their weakness because of the want of food, and the great slaughter[94] which had been made among them, therefore he did send out his armies in the night-time, and did cut off the way of their[95] retreat[96], and did place his armies in the way of their retreat.

25 And this did they do in the night-time, and got on their march beyond the robbers, so that on the morrow[97], when the robbers began their march, they were met by the armies of the Nephites both in their front[98] and in their rear[99].

26 And the robbers who were on the south were also cut off in their places of retreat[100]. And all these things were done by command[101] of Gidgiddoni.

27 And there were many thousands[102] who did yield themselves[103] up prisoners unto the Nephites, and the remainder of them were slain.

28 And their leader, Zemnarihah, was taken and hanged[104] upon a tree, yea, even upon the top thereof until he was dead. And when they had hanged him until he was dead they did fell the tree[105] to the earth, and did cry with a loud voice, saying:

29 May the Lord preserve his people in righteousness and in holiness of heart[106], that they may cause to be felled[107] to the earth all who shall seek to slay them because of power[108] and secret combinations[109], even as this man hath been felled to the earth.

30 And they did rejoice and cry again with one voice[110], saying: May the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, protect this people in righteousness, so long as[111] they shall call on the name[112] of their God for protection.

31 And it came to pass that they did break forth[113], all as one[114], in singing, and praising[115] their God for the great thing[116] which he had done for them, in preserving them from falling into the hands[117] of their enemies.

32 Yea, they did cry: Hosanna to the Most High God. And they did cry: Blessed be the name[118] of the Lord God Almighty[119], the Most High God.

33 And their hearts were swollen with joy[120], unto the gushing[121] out of many tears[122], because of the great goodness[123] of God[124] in delivering them out of the hands of their enemies; and they knew it was because of[125] their repentance[126] and their humility[127] that they had been delivered from[128] an everlasting destruction[129].

(3 Nephi 4–4:33)

[1] OT (10) NT (10 BM (8) JE (100s)

[2] OT (8) NT (3) BM (55) DC (1) JE (30)

[3] BM (1)

[4] BM (2)

[5] BM (14) JE (4) « strong holds » OT (18) NT (1) JE (10)

[6] OT (9) BM (7) DC (1) JE (15)

[7] OT (3) BM (19) JE (20)

[8] BM (4) JE (40) JE : « If you live very much in spiritual darkness, and without the comfortable presence of God, it may be this is the cause. If you complain that you have but little sweet communion with God, that you seem to be left and deserted of God, that God seems to hide his face from you, and but seldom gives you the sweet views of his glory and grace, that you seem to be left very much to grope in darkness, and to wander in a wilderness;”

[9] BM (93) JE (2) JE : « the world would be left desolate with respect to them, and that another generation would come on that would be very little concerned about them, and so one after another” “the whole land was about to be broken up and left desolate”

[10] OT (9) NT (3) BM (15) JE (100)

[11] BM (5) JE (8) JE : «  they treated them as wild beasts , as the huntsman does his game. They hunt for the precious life. Ezekiel 14:14.” “ laid snares to catch and destroy their neighbors, as hunters used to lay snares on these mountains in pursuit of their game”

[12] BM (76) DC (1) PGP (1) Google ngram shows usage from 1808-1828, peaking in 1820

[13] BM (2) DC (4) PGP (7) JE (300)

[14] BM (4) JE (7)

[15] OT (141) NT (7) BM (22) DC (1) PGP (2) JE (100+)

[16] BM (2)

[17] OT (1) BM (3) JE (3)

[18] NT (3) BM (5) JE (14)

[19] BM (1) cf JE: “men stand no better chance”

[20] BM (12) JE (12) JE: (1808) “The same may be said of the plunder of the Babylonians; and other instances might be given.”

[21] BM (4)

[22] BM (1)

[23] BM (3) JE (8) JE: “there being so great a number of them, and their motion being every way, in all manner of directions, through the expanse of the heavens”

[24] BM (1) JE (30) cf: “reserve for” DC (2) JE (15) And continue thenceforth their labor as had been promised by the Lord, and be partakers of all blessings which were held in reserve for them that love him.(Doctrine and Covenants 138:52) which their minds were pointed to by the angels, as held in reserve for the fulness of their glory; (Doctrine and Covenants 121:27)  JE : « they are peculiar blessings which he bestows on the righteous; they are precious things that God has in reserve for his own favorites,” “How can you tell what blessings God has yet in reserve for you if you do but continue in well-doing?” “yet there are glorious rewards in reserve for us if we do but show that we are heartily desirous to glorify him,”

[25] BM (37) DC (1) JE (65) JE: “ In things that concern men's temporal interest, they easily discern the difference between things of a long and short continuance. 'Tis no hard matter to convince men of the difference between a being admitted to the accommodations, and entertainments of a convenient, beautiful, well-furnished habitation, and to partake of the provisions and produce of a plentiful estate, for a day or a night; and having all given to them and settled upon them as their own, to possess as long as they live, and to be theirs, and their heirs' forever: there would be no need of men's preaching sermons, and spending their strength and life to convince men of the difference.”

[26] BM (4) JE (100) (1808 44 versions) JE: (1808) “There was as may be fairly computed at least two millions of souls in that congregation that could not subsist any better without meat and drink than other men.“

[27] NT (1) BM (69) DC (4) PGP (3) JE (12)

[28] OT (5) NT (9) BM (28) DC (10) PGP (2) JE (6)

[29] BM (1)

[30] NT (1) BM (11) DC (2) JE (1)

[31] BM (3) JE (7)

[32] OT (4) NT (5) BM (35) DC (7) PGP (2) JE (100+)

[33] OT (1) NT (3) BM (32) JE (50+)

[34] OT (7) BM (1) JE (5)

[35] BM (3)

[36] OT (6) BM (16) JE (35)

[37] NT (1) BM (6) NT: “Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning;” (Luke 12:35)

[38] OT (7) BM (2) DC (1) JE (10) OT: “rams’ skins dyed red” (Exodus 25:5)

[39] OT (1) NT (3) BM (3) JE (40) NT : « having shorn his head in Cenchrea: for he had a vow (Acts 18:18)

[40] OT (34) NT (4) BM (4) DC (2) PGP (1) JE (100s)

[41] OT (1) NT (1) BM (14) JE (1)

[42] OT (3) BM (31) DC (1) JE (50)

[43] NT (18) NT (30) BM (10) DC (8) PGP (5) JE (80)

[44] OT (3) NT (1) BM (1) DC (2) JE (10)

[45] OT (1) BM (4) DC (1) JE (100+)

[46] BM (2) JE (10) JE (1808): “That we, when we stand in need of any mercy of God, or desire to receive any mercy from him, should go to God, and humbly supplicate the divine Being for the bestowment of that mercy,”

[47] BM (5) JE (4)

[48] OT (4) BM (2) JE (20)

[49] OT (2) BM (10) JE (8)

[50] NT (2) BM (10) JE (100s)

[51] OT (2) NT (1) BM (13) DC (1) PGP (1) JE (70)

[52] OT (3) NT (1) BM (8) JE (10)

[53] BM (1) JE (3) JE : « Hence also many fall back , and pine away in spiritual security and slothfulness.”

[54] OT (3) NT (5) BM (1) DC (1) PGP (3) JE (200)

[55] Bm (1) DC (1) JE (3) JE: « Let us therefore not spare any pains and labors in these things:”

[56] BM (2) JE (2) JE : « the Camp of the syrians Encompassed the City all Round so that none Could fly from the City but they must fall into their hands”

[57] OT (83) NT (15) BM (14) DC (18) PGP (1) JE (150)

[58] OT (29) BM (25) DC (2) PGP (1) JE (200+)

[59] BM (1) JE (1) JE : « So the sun stood and fought for Joshua and the Israelites.”

[60] NT (1) BM (7) JE (15)

[61] BM (2) JE (13)

[62] BM (1)

[63] )T (1) NT (1) BM (4) DC (1) JE (20)

[64] OT (4) NT (1) BM (12) DC (1) JE (60)

[65] BM (3)

[66] OT (1) BM (1) JE (20)

[67] OT (3) BM (3) JE (2) JE: “They that have the care of a city in time of war, and especially at a time when the city is encompassed by enemies that lay siege to it, are wont, if faithful, to maintain incessant vigilance to defend it. “

[68] OT (1) NT (9) BM (64) DC (3) PGP (1) JE (100s)

[69] BM (1) in context of garment, OT (5) NT (2) BM (2) JE (14)

[70] OT (29) NT (3) BM (3) JE (80)

[71] BM (1) JE (2) JE (1808): “the saintship of those who are admitted to the outward privileges of the covenant of grace?” “Mr. Williams does very greatly misrepresent the opinion I am of, and the principles I maintain in my book, in many respects. 1. He says (p. 5b), "The whole argument, and indeed the whole controversy turns upon this single point, viz. what is that evidence, which by divine appointment the church is to have, of the saintship of those who are admitted to the outward privileges of the covenant of grace? Mr. Edwards seems to suppose, this must be the highest evidence a man can give of sincerity; and I apprehend to be the lowest evidence the nature of the thing will admit." But this is very strange, since I had particularly declared in my stating of the question (p. 5), that the evidence I insisted on, was "some outward manifestation, that ordinarily rendered the thing probable.”

[72] BM (1) JE (100) JE: “ they loved God and holiness; but yet don't find that their wishes produce the effect”

[73] OT (1) NT (3) BM (10) DC (2) JE (100s)

[74] NT (1) BM (3) PGP (1) JE (70)

[75] BM (1)

[76] BM (1) JE (3) JE: “The knowledge of the rational arguments that are brought to prove the truth of religion, whether they have any effect upon mere natural reason or no, prepares the mind for grace another way: viz. as hereby the mind has ideas and notions set in that order, has those arguments present, that when grace has removed prejudices and given eyes to see, they will see the connection and relation of the ideas”

[77] BM (1) JE (2) JE: “There are none of the senses but God allows of the gratification of; yea, he has made much provision for their gratification. “ [note: “much provisions” BM (2) JE (1)]

[78] OT (15) NT (4) BM (5) DC (1) JE (100+)

[79] “laid up in store” OT (3) BM (1) DC (1) JE (3)

[80] BM (1) JE (5) JE (1808): “God is pleased sometimes in dealing forth spiritual blessings to his people, in some respect to exceed the capacity of the vessel, in its present scantiness, so that he does not only fill it full, but he makes their cup to run over” “fact obliges us to get over the difficulty, either by finding out some solution, or by shutting our mouths, and acknowledging the weakness and scantiness of our understandings; as we must in innumerable other cases, where apparent and undeniable fact” “which God may know and exactly determine, though we, by reason of the scantiness of our understandings, cannot.”

[81] BM (1) JE (100)

[82] OT (1) NT (2) BM (2) JE (100)

[83] NT (1) BM (4) JE (2)

[84] OT (1) BM (3) JE (1)

[85] OT (4) NT (1) BM (1) JE (70) JE : «  Cutting them off in the midst of their Course in sin”

[86] OT (17) BM (8) DC (1) JE (100)

[87] BM (2) DC (1) JE (30)

[88] BM (9) DC (5) PGP 91) JE (100s)  

[89] OT (6) BM (14) JE (30)

[90] BM (1) DC (1) JE (4)

[91] BM (1)

[92] BM (1) JE (3) JE (1808): “And it is a thousand pities, that we should fail of that which would be so glorious, for want of being sensible of our opportunity, or being aware of those things that tend to hinder it, or our taking improper courses to obtain it, or not being sensible in what way God expects we should seek it.” NOTE: “be aware” BM (1) JE (10) Also, JE (2) “be well aware”

[93] BM (5) JE (45) JE: “ if Providence had not prevented their Design that was resolved upon… that they were not aware of”

[94] OT (15) BM (8) JE (30)

[95] “their retreat” BM (4)

[96] BM (13) JE (15) JE: (1808) “For when you give way, though it be but little, it is like giving way to an enemy in the field of battle; the first beginning of a retreat greatly encourages the enemy, and weakens the retreating soldiers.“

[97] OT (28) NT (11) BM (38) JE (6)

[98] BM (1)

[99] BM (5)

[100] BM (2) JE (1) JE: “Yale - “where is the place of retreat ?”

[101] BM (1)

[102] OT (1) NT (1) BM (13) DC (1) JE (100)

[103] BM (4) JE (10) JE : « he makes them to submit to his rule and government, to yield themselves up to him as his servants and followers, and to trust in him to mortify and subdue sin, and deliver them from that as well as from punishment”

[104] OT (23) NT (7) BM (2) DC (1) JE (45)

[105] BM (1)

[106] BM (2) DC (10 JE (40)

[107] OT (1) BM (2) OT: “they stopped all the wells of water, and felled all the good trees” (2 Kings 3:25)

[108] BM (1)

[109] BM (21) DC (1) JE (4) JE : « They labor hard in the day time and the night is, much of it, spent in contriving. This is the subject of man's study alone, and this is what they consult about and enter in plots and combinations about one with another. How do men unite their strength and wit to this end, that they may get much of the world. Men are not wont to seek the world only by fits and starts, but they are constant and continual in it.” 1808: “It gloriously appears in conquering him in that greatest and strongest combination and opposition of the devil and his adherents against Christ and his church, just before the fall of Antichrist, wherein his visible kingdom has a fatal blow given it, on which an universal downfall of it follows all over the world.”

[110] OT (1) NT (2) BM (5) JE (15) JE : «  tending to promote their offering up their cries with one heart, and, as it were, with one voice”

[111] OT (6) NT (1) BM (7) DC (7) JE (100)

[112] OT (4) NT (1) BM (3) JE (5)

[113] OT (11) NT (1) BM (9) DC (3) JE (80)

[114] BM (1) JE (7) JE : « The matter of all these psalms seems to confirm that this title belongs to 'em all as one continued song. “

[115] BM (3) JE (1) JE: “The song of Deborah, after the victory, signifies the church's great joy and singing and praising God”

[116] OT (4) NT (2) BM (3) JE (100+)

[117] BM (7) JE (3) JE : « The danger of falling into the hands of cruel enemies, that will probably torture us to death, is more terrible. “

[118] OT (3) BM (7) DC (3) PGP (2) JE (6)

[119] NT (5) BM (4) DC (2) PGP (1) JE (10)

[120] BM (1)

[121] BM (1) JE (1) JE : « after they were gone, they left channels everywhere, into which the waters, afterwards gushing out in the various parts of the continent”

[122] NT (2) BM (2) JE (30)

[123] OT (4) BM (3) JE (45)

[124] “great goodness of God” BM (1) JE (5) JE: “in that great goodness of God to sinners “ (Brainerd) “Through the great goodness of God I was favored with a constant flow of pertinent matter”

[125] BM (5) JE (4)

[126] BM (1) DC (1) JE (35)

[127] BM (5) JE (15)

[128] OT (5) NT (5) BM (5) DC (5) PGP (1) JE (100s) JE : « So that Christ's death and sufferings were absolutely necessary, in order [to] our being delivered from destruction for the sake of Christ's worthiness and excellency”

[129] NT (1) BM (9) JE (35)