Embedded Files
Annotation of Helaman 16 – preliminary
Helaman 16 is a good example because it shows that a high percentage of Joseph Smith’s language is also KJV language. Few of the KJV words/phrases are not also found in Edwards, including the so-called "blended" passages.
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A particularly interesting example is in verse 21. “And they will, by the cunning and the mysterious arts of the evil one, work some great mystery which we cannot understand… thus will they keep us in ignorance if we will yield ourselves unto them, all the days of our lives.”
The bolded phrases are “misquotes” from the KJV, but they are identical to the way Edwards “misquoted” (or paraphrased) the Bible.
The phrase “evil one” appears once in the NT, but not describing a being. “Speak not evil one of another”(James 4:11)
But the Book of Mormon and D&C use the phrase several times to refer to the devil. Why?
One possible explanation is that Edwards paraphrased Matt 13:17 by substituting “evil one” for “wicked one.”
Edwards paraphrasing “Matthew 13:19, "Then cometh the evil one , and catcheth…”
KJV Matthew 13:19, “then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth…”
The Book of Mormon and D&C use the term to refer to the devil as the “evil one,” just as Edwards did.
Isaiah 38:20 and Luke 1:75 both use the term “all the days of our life.” Edwards paraphrased this by writing “all the days of our lives,” even when he cited Luke 1:74-5. He used the phrase on its own as well.
Edwards: “we shall walk humbly before God and men all the days of our lives.”
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The blue 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 and D&C 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 wording that are also found in Edwards' works.
Purple are biblical or nonbiblical 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 and receiving revelations. Passages with the Lord’s personal pronouns obviously are not usually found in Edwards.
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 = biblical/nonbiblical BofM/D&C similar to JE
Chapter 16
The Nephites who believe Samuel are baptized by Nephi—Samuel cannot be slain with the arrows and stones of the unrepentant Nephites—Some harden their hearts, and others see angels—The unbelievers say it is not reasonable to believe in Christ and His coming in Jerusalem. About 6–1 B.C.
1 And now, it came to pass that there were many who heard the words of Samuel, the Lamanite, which he spake upon the walls of the city. And as many as believed[1] on his word[2] went forth and sought for Nephi; and when they had come forth and found him they confessed[3] unto him their sins and denied not[4], desiring that they might be baptized[5] unto the Lord[6].
2 But as many as there were who did not believe in the words of Samuel were angry with[7] him[8]; and they cast stones[9] at him upon the wall, and also many shot arrows at him as he stood upon the wall; but the Spirit of the Lord[10] was with him, insomuch that[11] they could not hit him with their stones neither with their arrows.
3 Now when they saw that they could not hit him, there were many more who did believe on his words[12], insomuch that they went away unto Nephi to be baptized.
4 For behold, Nephi was baptizing, and prophesying, and preaching, crying repentance unto the people, showing signs and wonders[13], working miracles[14] among the people, that they might know that the Christ must shortly come—
5 Telling them of things which must shortly come[15], that they might know and remember at the time of their coming that they had been made known unto them beforehand[16], to the intent that[17] they might believe; therefore as many as believed[18] on the words of Samuel went forth unto him to be baptized, for they came repenting and confessing[19] their sins.
6 But the more part of them did not believe in the words of Samuel; therefore when they saw that they could not hit him with their stones and their arrows, they cried unto their captains, saying: Take this fellow and bind him[20], for behold he hath a devil; and because of the power of the devil[21] which is in him we cannot hit him with our stones and our arrows; therefore take him and bind him[22], and away with him[23].
7 And as they went forth to lay their hands on him, behold, he did cast himself down[24] from the wall, and did flee out of their lands, yea, even unto his own country, and began to preach and to prophesy among his own people.
8 And behold, he was never heard of more[25] among the Nephites; and thus were the affairs of the people[26].
9 And thus ended the eighty and sixth year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi.
10 And thus ended also the eighty and seventh year of the reign of the judges, the more part[27] of the people remaining in their pride and wickedness[28], and the lesser part walking more circumspectly[29] before God.
11 And these were the conditions[30] also, in the eighty and eighth year of the reign of the judges.
12 And there was but little alteration[31] in the affairs of the people, save it were the people began to be more hardened in[32] iniquity, and do more and more of that which was contrary to[33] the commandments[34] of God[35], in the eighty and ninth year of the reign of the judges.
13 But it came to pass in the ninetieth year of the reign of the judges, there were great signs given unto the people, and wonders; and the words of the prophets began to be fulfilled.
14 And angels did appear unto men, wise men, and did declare unto them glad tidings of great joy; thus in this year the scriptures began to be fulfilled.
15 Nevertheless, the people began to harden their hearts, all save it were the most believing part[36] of them, both of the Nephites and also of the Lamanites, and began to[37] depend upon[38] their own strength[39] and upon their own wisdom[40], saying:
16 Some things they may have guessed right[41], among so many[42]; but behold, we know that all these great and marvelous[43] works cannot come to pass, of which has been spoken.
17 And they began to reason[44] and to contend among[45] themselves, saying:
18 That it is not reasonable that such a being as a Christ shall come; if so, and he be the Son of God, the Father of heaven and of earth, as it has been spoken, why will he not show himself unto us as well as unto them who shall be at Jerusalem?
19 Yea, why will he not show himself in this land as well as in the land of Jerusalem?
20 But behold, we know that this is a wicked tradition[46], which has been handed down[47] unto us by our fathers, to cause us that[48] we should believe in some great and marvelous thing which should come to pass, but not among us, but in a land which is far distant[49], a land which we know not; therefore they can keep us in ignorance[50], for we cannot witness[51] with our own eyes[52] that they are true.
21 And they will, by the cunning[53] and the mysterious arts[54] of the evil one[55], work some great mystery which we cannot understand, which will keep us down[56] to be servants to their words, and also servants unto them, for we depend upon them to teach us the word; and thus will they keep us in ignorance if we will yield ourselves[57] unto them, all the days of our lives[58].
22 And many more things did the people imagine up in their hearts, which were foolish and vain[59]; and they were much disturbed[60], for Satan did stir them up[61] to do iniquity continually[62]; yea, he did go about spreading rumors[63] and contentions[64] upon all the face of the land[65], that he might harden the hearts[66] of the people against that which was good and against that which should come.
23 And notwithstanding the signs and the wonders[67] which were wrought among the people of the Lord, and the many miracles[68] which they did, Satan did get great hold[69] upon the hearts of the people upon all the face of the land.
24 And thus ended the ninetieth year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi.
25 And thus ended the book of Helaman, according to the record of Helaman and his sons.
(Helaman 16–16:25)
[1] BM (4) PGP (2)
[2] “believed on his word“ BM (3)
[3] OT (1) BM (1) JE (2) JE: “They confessed that they were pilgrims and strangers on the earth” paraphrasing Heb 11:13.
[4] NT (1) BM (1) NT: “And he confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ.” (John 1:20)
[5] BM (3)
[6] «baptized unto the Lord » BM (2)
[7] OT (15) NT (1) BM (49) DC (3) PGP (2) JE (200+)
[8] “angry with him” BM (11) DC (1) JE (20) JE: “ the further they should be from any disposition to be angry with him”
[9] OT (2) NT (1) BM (6)
[10] OT (26) NT (5) BM (40) DC (2) PGP (1) JE (90)
[11] OT (2) NT (17) BM (178) DC (5) PGP (2) JE (80)
[12] BM (3) DC (1)
[13] BM (1)
[14] NT (1) BM (2) JE (45) Note: NT is « spirits of devils” working miracles. BM and JE is God working miracles. JE: “was also poured out abundantly in extraordinary or miraculous gifts, such as the gifts of prophecy, and working miracles” “When God endows anyone with a spirit of prophecy and favors him with immediate inspiration, or when he gives any a power of working miracles , healing the sick, casting out devils, and the like, these are great privileges which God bestows on men”
[15] NT (1) BM (5) DC (2) PGP (1)
[16] NT (5) BM (4) DC (1) JE (200)
[17] OT (5) NT (1) BM (7) JE (8)
[18] BM (4) PGP (2)
[19] BM (1) JE (1) JE: “Repenting and confessing is nothing in God's account, without forsaking”
[20] BM (1)
[21] BM (7) DC (1) JE (15) JE: “The redemption of the church by Christ from the power of the devil was typified of old”
[22] OT (2) NT (2) BM (2) JE (7)
[23] NT (3) BM (2) JE (8)
[24] OT (1) BM (1) JE (2)
[25] BM (3) JE (2) JE: “designed to go from thence to the East Indies, and never was heard of more”
[26] “affairs of the people” BM (6)
[27] NT (2) BM (25)
[28] BM (2)
[29] NT (1) BM (3) JE (4) NT: “See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise” (Ephesians 5:15)
[30] BM (7) DC (3) JE (60) cf NT : « desireth conditions of peace” (Luke 14:32) “promises in Christ's covenant with his people, but they are the conditions of the covenant of the Father with his Son.”
[31] BM (1) JE (4) JE: “upon an indefinitely little alteration or turn, especially in men's minds”
[32] OT (1) BM (1) JE (15) OT: “his mind hardened in pride” (Daniel 5:20) JE: “Matthew 11:21. "Sinners under means of grace are ordinarily more hardened in sin than the heathen." “so hardened in wickedness”
[33] NT (9) BM (20) DC (6) JE (200+)
[34] “contrary to the commandments” BM (3)
[35] NT (3) BM (68) DC (4) PGP (2) JE (30)
[36] BM (1)
[37] “began to depend” BM (1)
[38] BM (4) JE (200+) JE: “many that don't openly profess either their own righteousness or their own strength, do very much depend upon both”
[39] OT (2) BM (8) DC (1) JE (180)
[40] OT (1) BM (5) DC (1) JE (60) JE: “how easily does Satan make fools of men, if confident in their own wisdom and strength”
[41] BM (1) JE (1808): “If he does not know, he may guess wrong
[42] NT (1) BM (2) JE (3)
[43] BM (25) DC (6) JE (3) “great and marvellous” NT (2) JE (2) NT: “Great and marvellous are thy works”
(Revelation 15:3)
[44] NT (1) BM (1)
[45] BM (1)
[46] BM (1)
[47] BM (18) DC (1) JE (25) JE: “the habits of selfishness handed down to us from our fathers” : From traditions handed down to the nations from the fathers of the ancient church of God”
[48] BM (2)
[49] BM (4) JE (30) JE: “out of his own country and from his kindred to a far distant country.” “ in strange and far distant lands, from the north country”
[50] OT (1) BM (4) DC (1) JE (30) JE : « agreeable to the genius of their religion and maxims of their church, keep the Indians in ignorance »
[51] BM (1)
[52] OT (13) NT (1) BM (7) PGP (1) JE (200)
[53] )T (32) NT (1) BM (24) DC (3) JE (70)
[54] BM (1)
[55] “evil one” as an entity BM (7) DC (1) JE (7) JE: “Matthew 13:19, "Then cometh the evil one , and catcheth…” paraphrasing “then cometh the wicked one” (Matthew 13:19) JE: “He is called emphatically the evil one , the wicked one,”
cf. NT (1) and DC (1) “speak not evil one of another”
[56] BM (1)
[57] BM (1) JE (3) JE: “he promises that if we will yield ourselves willingly to serve him as we are able”
[58] BM (1) JE (4) JE paraphrased Isaiah 38 :20 and Luke 1 :75. “all the days of our life” (Luke 1:75) JE: “Luke 1:74–75, "That he would grant us, that we being delivered out of the hands of our enemies, might serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our lives ." “we shall walk humbly before God and men all the days of our lives.”
[59] BM (2) JE (1) JE: “how foolish and vain are you in thinking that you…”
[60] BM (1) JE (100) JE: “The State of the Empire was very much disturbed both by foreign Wars”
[61] BM (11) DC (1) JE (40) JE: “it tends to stir them up to holiness of life, to quicken them to duty”
[62] BM (1)
[63] BM (1)
[64] OT (4) NT (2) BM (54) DC (2) JE (120)
[65] BM (24) PGP (1)
[66] OT (1) BM (2) DC (1) JE (5)
[67] OT (2) BM (1) JE (1)
[68] NT (2) BM (4) DC (1) JE (20)
[69] BM (6) DC (1)
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