Annotation
of Alma 36 – preliminary
In the 30 verses of Alma chapter 36, there are over 60 examples of nonbiblical terms/phrases that also appear in the writings of Jonathan Edwards.
Alma 36 is a good example of intertextuality 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 36
Alma testifies to Helaman of his conversion after seeing an angel—He suffered the pains of a damned soul; he called upon the name of Jesus, and was then born of God—Sweet joy filled his soul—He saw concourses of angels praising God—Many converts have tasted and seen as he has tasted and seen. About 74 B.C.
1 My son, give ear to[1]
my words; for I swear unto you, that inasmuch as ye shall[2]
keep the commandments[3]
of God[4]
ye shall prosper in the land[5].
[1] OT
(8) BM (3) DC (4) JE (8)
[2] « shall
keep the commandments of God” BM (4)
[3] OT (12) NT (3) BM (62) DC (8) PGP (4) JE
(14)
[4]
“keep the commandments of God” NT (2) BM (37) DC (1) PGP (1) JE (2)
[5] BM
(24) JE (1) JE: “he would Cause them to flourish & Prosper in the Land”
_____
2 I would that ye should do as I have done, in remembering[1]
the captivity of our fathers; for they were in bondage, and none could
deliver[2]
them except it was the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of
Jacob; and he surely did deliver them in their afflictions.
3 And now, O my son Helaman, behold, thou art in thy youth, and
therefore, I beseech of thee that thou wilt hear my words and learn of me; for I do know[3]
that whosoever shall put their trust in God[4]
shall be supported in their trials, and their troubles, and their afflictions,
and shall be lifted up at the last day.
[1] OT (4) NT (13) BM (21) DC (8) JE (4)
[2] OT
(1) BM (5)
[3] BM
(8) JE (4)
[4] BM
(4) JE (3) JE : « the souls of those that put their trust in God are
in his hands, and none can pluck them thence”
_____
4 And I would not that ye think that I know
of myself[1]—not
of the temporal but of the spiritual, not of the carnal mind[2]
but of God.
[1] BM (3)
[2] NT (1) BM (2) DC (1) JE (16)
[3] BM
(2) DC (1) JE (400) JE : « not for any worthiness of
theirs”
[4] OT
(7) NT (7) BM (4) JE (60)
[5] BM
(3) DC (1) JE (3) JE: “The devil is continually seeking to destroy 'em”
_____
5 Now, behold, I say unto you, if I had not[1]
been born of God[2]
I should not have known these things[3];
but God has, by the mouth of his holy angel[4],
made these things known unto me, not of any worthiness[5]
of myself;
6 For I went about[6]
with the sons of Mosiah, seeking to destroy[7]
the church of God; but behold, God sent his holy angel to stop us by the
way.
[1] NT (2) BM (3) JE (7)
[2] NT (6) BM (9) JE (100)
[3] BM
(3) JE (2) JE: “After this death there were attempts still to destroy the church of
God “ :”Either God never has made known these things at
all, which it is unreasonable to think, or he has made them known in the Bible.”
[4] NT
(1) BM (2) DC (1) JE (5)
[5] BM
(2) DC (1) JE (400) JE : « not for any worthiness of
theirs”
[6] OT
(7) NT (7) BM (4) JE (60)
[7] BM
(3) DC (1) JE (3) JE: “The devil is continually seeking to destroy 'em”
_____
7 And behold, he spake unto us, as it were[1]
the voice of thunder[2],
and the whole earth[3]
did tremble[4]
beneath our feet; and we all fell to the earth[5],
for the fear of the Lord[6]
came upon us[7].
8 But behold, the voice said unto me: Arise. And I arose and stood up[8],
and beheld the angel.
9 And he said unto me: If thou wilt of thyself be destroyed, seek no more[9]
to destroy the church[10]
of God.
[1] OT (23) NT (21) BM (20) PGP (2) JE (300+)
[2] BM (5) DC (2)
[3] OT (27) NT ()1) BM (22) DC (12) PGP (2)
JE (150)
[4] OT (2) BM (3) JE (2)
[5] OT (2) NT (1) BM (16) JE (1)
[6] OT (29) NT (1) BM (10) PGP (1) JE (60)
[7] NT (1) BM (1) JE (1)
[8] OT (1) BM (1)
[9] BM (4) JE (4)
[10]
BM (8) JE (3) JE: “After this death there were attempts still to destroy the church of
God .”“Never were there so many and so potent endeavors to destroy anything
else as there has been to destroy the church” “the
tribulation is not constantly continued through this whole time, for if it
should be so, it would wear out the saints, and would wholly root out and destroy the church .
Therefore, "for the elect's sake," God will take out many of those
days for respite, so that the days of actual tribulation shall be much fewer
than this whole period.”
_____
10 And it came to pass that I fell to the earth; and it was for the
space of[1]
three days and three nights that I could not open my mouth[2],
neither had I[3]
the use of my limbs[4].
11 And the angel spake more things unto me, which were heard by my
brethren, but I did not hear them; for when I heard the words—If thou wilt be
destroyed of thyself, seek no more to destroy the
church of God—I was struck with[5]
such great fear[6]
and amazement[7]
lest perhaps[8]
I should be destroyed, that I fell to the earth and I did hear no more.
12 But I was racked[9]
with eternal torment[10],
for my soul was harrowed[11]
up to the greatest degree[12]
and racked
with all my sins.
[1] OT (4) NT (12) BM (80) DC (4) PGP (5) JE
(65)
[2] OT
(1) NT (2) BM (1) JE (2)
[3] OT
(2) BM (1) JE (1)
[4] BM
(2) JE (1) JE: “so that my limbs grew cold”
[5] BM
(8) JE (15) JE: “Their consciences are struck with fear,
and they have some sense of the awfulness of God's anger”
[6] OT
(2) NT (4) BM (7) JE (25) JE : « He loses his garments, which are
also burnt up, and escapes naked, and with great difficulty saves his own life,
escapes through great fear and terrible amazement,
and is vehemently scorched with the fire, though he escapes being consumed.”
[7] NT
(2) BM (4) PGP (1) JE (60) JE : « He loses his garments, which are
also burnt up, and escapes naked, and with great difficulty saves his own life,
escapes through great fear and terrible amazement , and
is vehemently scorched with the fire, though he escapes being consumed. “
[8] NT
(1) BM (2)
[9] BM
(8) PGP (1) JE (1) JE: “used by the enemies of this doctrine, to wrest and
darken this paragraph of Holy Writ, which stands so much in their way, as it
were to force the Bible to speak a language that is agreeable to their mind!
How have expressions been strained, words and phrases racked “ NOTE:
“wracked” not in scriptures, JE (8). JE: “when he was so weakened by pain and
the loss of blood, and every nerve in his body was so wracked with
torment, and he almost dead, life struggling with death.”
[10] BM
(2) JE (6) JE : « God created man with nothing that should torment
him, as a desire that could never be satisfied would be an eternal torment .”
[11]
BM (5)
[12] Bm
(1) JE (30) JE : « we Read in Gods word that there should be
Indignation and Wrath tribulation and Anguish upon every soul that doth
Evil Rom L. 9v. 2 9 Which are words that express the Greatest degree of
misery “ Brainerd “ Had the greatest degree of
inward anguish that almost ever I endured:”
_____
13 Yea, I did remember all my sins
and iniquities[1],
for which I was tormented[2]
with the pains of hell[3];
yea, I saw that I had rebelled against[4]
my God, and that I had not kept his holy
commandments[5].
14 Yea, and I had murdered[6]
many of his children[7],
or rather[8]
led them away[9]
unto destruction[10];
yea, and in fine[11]
so great had been[12]
my iniquities, that the very thought[13]
of coming into the presence[14]
of my God[15]
did rack[16] my soul with inexpressible[17]
horror[18].
15 Oh, thought I, that I could be banished[19]
and become extinct[20]
both soul and body, that I might not be[21] brought to stand[22]
in the presence[23]
of my God, to be judged of my deeds[24].
[1] NT (1) BM (9)
[2] NT (8) BM (1) PGP (1) JE (200)
[3] OT (1) BM (4) JE (12)
[4] OT (28) BM (9) DC (3) PGP (2) JE (40)
[5] BM (1) PGP (1)
[6] BM
(28) DC (2) JE (40) JE : « Can it be thought that God will let a
Nero, who was guilty of the murder of so many thousand souls: who murdered his
own nearest relations, his best friends and benefactors, the best and most
honorable men in the city, without any manner of occasion”
[7] BM
(1)
[8] NT (1) BM (12) JE (150)
[9] OT
(1) BM (1)
[10]
BM (12) JE (1) JE: “the broad way which leadeth unto destruction.” This
is a paraphrase of « for wide is the gate, and broad is the
way, that leadeth to destruction” (Matthew 7:13)
[11] BM
(19) JE (20) meaning, in summary. Note : « in fine linen/flax” OT (3)
NT (3) BM. JE: “There must needs be therefore, said they, some most excellent
and perfect Being at the head of all. In fine , they
endeavored to prove the existence of a God from this, that the cause must be
more perfect than the effect”
[12]
BM (2)
[13] BM
(1) JE (5) JE : (Brainerd) « my soul abhorred the very thought of
a party in religion!”
[14]
BM (5) JE (20) JE: “For everything that comes into the presence or
before the throne of God, must be perfectly purified, and made free of all
filthiness or stain.”
[15] OT (14) NT (3) BM (9) PGP (1) JE (20)
[16]
BM (1) JE (15) “wrack” JE (3) JE : « And in Christ's chambers they
are safe. Let the nations of the world tumultuate and rage never so much, or if
all the world should be filled with confusion and wars and the most dreadful
uproars, yea, if heaven and earth should all go to wrack , if
the mountains should be carried into the midst of the sea, and the earth should
be broken to pieces with earthquakes, and the stars of heaven should fall to
the earth, and the whole visible world should be all wracked into one
ruinous heap, yet they need not fear”
[17]
BM (1) JE (100+) JE: “all the world rent to pieces before him with earthquakes
and thunder and lightning, and devils and wicked men trembling in inexpressible horror
and amazement at the sight of him”
[18]
OT (4) BM (1) JE (100)
[19]
OT (2) BM (1) JE (60)
[20]
BM (7) “extinct” OT (2) BM (7) JE (50)
[21]
BM (2) JE (7) JE : « I thought I should wish, that I had been more
importunate with God, to fit me for death, and lead me into all truth, and
that I might not be deceived, about the state
of my soul.” Brainerd: “God has made me willing to do anything that I can do,
consistent with truth, for the sake of peace, and that I might not be a
stumbling block and offense to others.”
[22] BM (8) DC (1)
[23] “stand
in the presence” NT (1) BM (2) JE (1)
[24]
BM (1)
_____
16 And now, for three days and for three nights was I racked, even with the pains[1]
of a damned soul[2].
17 And it came to pass that as I was thus racked with torment[3],
while I was harrowed up by the memory[4]
of my many sins[5],
behold, I remembered also to have heard[6]
my father prophesy unto the people concerning
the coming[7]
of one Jesus Christ[8],
a Son of God, to atone for[9]
the sins of the world[10].
18 Now, as my mind caught hold[11]
upon this thought, I cried within my heart[12]:
O Jesus, thou Son of God, have mercy on me, who am in the gall of bitterness[13],
and am encircled[14]
about by the everlasting chains[15]
of death[16].
19 And now, behold, when I thought this, I
could remember[17]
my pains[18]
no more; yea, I was harrowed up by the
memory of[19]
my sins no more.
[1] OT
(1) NT (1) BM (15) JE (100+)
[2] BM
(1) JE (7) JE: “As the DEATH of the body and damnation are called by the same
name in Scripture, and the grave and hell, so the dead body itself is put for
the damned soul; and the state and circumstances of it, as eaten with
worms or burnt on a funeral pile, is put for the misery of the damned soul “
[3] “with
torment” BM (1) JE (8) JE: “every nerve in his body was so wracked with torment”
“Christ's pure eyes will pierce their souls with torment”
[4] BM
(2)
[5] BM
(4) JE (35)
[6] BM
(1) JE (9)
[7] BM
(12) JE (4) JE : « Ezekiel is particular in several places concerning the coming of
Christ.”
[8] NT (1) BM (1) JE (1)
[9] BM
(5) JE (40) “For this custom of offering up sacrifices to the gods to atone for sin
was common to all nations. No nation, however barbarous, was found without it
anywhere, which is a great evidence of the truth of the Christian religion.” “and
so the infinite excellency of that offering he has made to God for us, and so
its sufficiency to atone for our sins”
[10]
BM (17) DC (6) JE (6) NOTE: “sin of the world” NT (1) “Behold the Lamb of God,
which taketh away the sin of the world.” (John 1:29)
[11]
OT (4) BM (3)
[12] OT (3) BM (1) JE (15)
[13] NT (1) BM (5) JE (15)
[14] BM (20)
[15] NT (1) BM (2) JE (6)
[16] “chains
of death” BM (1) DC (1) JE (8) JE: “ It was a day of great refreshment and
joy to Christ, being the day of his deliverance from the chains of death ,
the day of his finishing that great and difficult work of redemption that had
been upon his heart from all eternity, the day of his justification of the
Father, the day of the beginning of his exaltation and the fulfillment of the
promises of his Father, the day when he had eternal life”
[17]
BM (1)
[18]
BM (2) JE (a5) JE: [Brainerd] « he helped me to improve my time profitably
amidst my pains and weakness”
[19]
OT (4) BM (3) JE (70) NOTE: BM only refers to sins. JE: “otherwise he might
make 'em miserable and at the same time blot out the memory of their
sins, and not let 'em know what it is done for.”
_____
20 And oh, what joy[1],
and what marvelous light[2]
I did behold; yea, my soul was filled with joy[3]
as exceeding as[4]
was my pain[5]!
21 Yea, I say unto you, my son, that there
could be nothing[6]
so exquisite[7]
and so bitter[8]
as were my pains. Yea, and again I
say unto you, my son, that on the other hand[9],
there can be nothing[10]
so exquisite
and sweet as was[11]
my joy.
22 Yea, methought[12] I saw, even as our father Lehi saw, God sitting
upon his throne, surrounded with numberless[13]
concourses[14]
of angels, in the attitude[15] of singing and
praising[16]
their God; yea, and my soul did long[17]
to be there.
23 But behold, my limbs did receive[18]
their strength again, and I stood upon my feet, and did
manifest[19] unto the people that I had been born of God.
[1] BM
(1) PGP (2) JE (12) JE: “With what joy may the lovers of
Christ think and meditate of what he has done for them.”
[2] NT (1) [marvellous] BM (4) JE (30)
[marvellous] 30 [marvelous]
[3] NT
(2) BM (9) DC (2) JE (12)
[4] BM
(1)
[5] OT
(2) BM (1) JE (3)
[6] BM
(2) JE (3) JE: “It seems not liable to any doubt that there could be nothing future,
or no future existence worthy to be desired or sought by God”
[7] BM
(2) DC (1) PGP (1) JE (80) JE: “the devil, that has so set himself against him,
as his bitter, inveterate enemy, in such a malicious war that has lasted
so many thousand years, wherein he has made such dreadful havoc of God's
workmanship, and maliciously and cruelly killed Christ himself, with the utmost
ignominy and most exquisite torture “ « the sublimity,
and exquisite sweetness of which, there were no words
to set forth”
[8] BM
(1) JE (3) JE: “ it would abundantly add to the comforts I have in the
circumstances of this providence, in itself so bitter and
afflictive to me”
[9] BM (9) PGP (1) JE (300)
[10] BM (2) JE (15)
[11] OT (2) NT (5) BM (9) DC (2) PGP (2) JE
(400)
[12]
BM (2) JE (7) JE: [Brainerd] “Methought I saw a stately house, a very
beauteous building…”
[13]
BM (4) PGP (1) JE (20) JE: “Though every degree of hell torments be very great,
yet there are numberless degrees in proportion to man's sin
and wickedness.”
[14] “concourses”
BM (3); “concourse” OT (1) NT (1) JE (20) JE : « His funeral
was attended by eight of the neighboring ministers, and 17 other gentlemen of
liberal education, and a great concourse of people.”
[15]
BM (4)
[16]
BM (3) JE (1) JE: “The song of Deborah, after the victory, signifies the
church's great joy and singing and praising God,
after this victory at Armageddon”
[17]
BM (1) JE (1) JE: “my soul did long after my father's
house”
[18]
BM (10) JE (2 JE: “ That I did receive the blessed
Spirit as my teacher, sanctifier and only comforter”)
[19]
BM (3)
_____
24 Yea, and from that time[1]
even until now[2],
I have labored without ceasing[3],
that I might bring souls[4]
unto repentance; that I might bring them to
taste[5]
of the exceeding joy[6]
of which I did taste; that they might also be born of God, and be filled
with the Holy Ghost[7].
25 Yea, and now behold, O my son, the Lord doth give me exceedingly[8]
great joy[9]
in the fruit of[10]
my labors[11];
26 For because of the word[12]
which he has imparted[13]
unto me, behold, many have been born of God, and have tasted[14]
as I have tasted, and have seen eye to eye[15]
as I have seen; therefore they do know of these
things[16] of which I have spoken, as I do know; and the knowledge which I have is
of God[17].
[1] OT (5) NT (4) BM (20) DC (3) PGP (6) JE
(60)
[2] OT
(5) NT (1) BM (2) JE (3)
[3] NT
(6) BM (5) JE (30)
[4] BM
(2) DC (4) JE (5) JE: “The law brings persons into the wilderness, that is,
can bring souls under convictions”
[5] BM
(2) JE (30) JE : « they long to taste the love
of God”
[6] OT (1) NT (2) BM (3) JE (30)
[7] NT (8) BM (6) DC (1) PGP (2) JE (7)
[8] « exceedingly
great » BM (57) DC (2) JE (5) JE: “Yea, a Christian's life may be attended
with many and exceedingly great imperfections, and yet be
a holy life, a truly Christian life”
[9] OT (4) NT (7) BM (30) DC (4) JE (100)
[10] OT (65) NT (11) BM (41) DC (5) PGP (9) JE
(300+)
[11] “the
fruit of my labors” BM (1) JE (1) JE: [Brainerd] “Oh, how heart-reviving and
soul-refreshing is it to me to see the fruit of my labors”
[12]
OT (1) NT (1) BM (3) JE (3)
[13]
OT (1) NT (1) BM (5) JE (80)
[14]
NT (3) BM (4) DC (1) JE (60)
[15]
OT (1) BM (6) DC (1) JE (18)
[16] BM
(4)
[17] OT (1) NT (8) BM (3) DC (3) JE (50)
_____
27 And I have been supported[1]
under trials and troubles[2]
of every kind[3],
yea, and in all manner of[4] afflictions[5];
yea, God has delivered[6]
me from prison, and from bonds[7],
and from death; yea, and I do put my trust[8]
in him, and he will still[9]
deliver me.
28 And I know that he will raise[10]
me up at the last day[11],
to dwell with[12]
him in glory; yea, and I will praise him forever[13],
for he has brought our fathers out of
Egypt[14],
and he has swallowed up[15]
the Egyptians in the Red Sea; and he led them by his power[16]
into the promised land[17];
yea, and he has delivered them out of bondage[18]
and captivity[19]
from time to time[20].
29 Yea, and he has also brought our
fathers[21]
out of the land of Jerusalem[22];
and he has also, by his everlasting power[23],
delivered them out of bondage and captivity,
from time to time even down to the
present day[24];
and I have always retained[25]
in remembrance[26]
their captivity; yea, and ye also ought to retain[27]
in remembrance, as I have done[28],
their captivity.
[1] BM
(1) JE (2)
[2] BM
(2)
[3] OT
(1) NT (1) BM (38) DC (1) JE (40) JE : « when there are many of these
acts and exercises, following one another in a course, under various trials, of every kind ,
the evidence is still heightened”
[4] OT (31) NT (11) BM (110) DC (3) PGP (1) JE
(300+)
[5] “all
manner of afflictions” BM (9)
[6] BM
(1) JE (4)
[7] BM
(2)
[8] OT
(8) NT (1) BM (2) JE (4)
[9] BM
(1) DC (1) JE (6)
[10]
OT (1) BM (2) JE (10) OT/JE: “he will raise us up” BM: “he will raise me up”
JE: “he will raise all the rest”
[11]
NT (5) BM (49( DC (8) JE (100) NT: « I will raise him up at the last
day” (John 6:40)
[12]
OT (3) NT (2) BM (9) JE (80) JE: « He has chosen you to be blessed forever
in the enjoyment of himself, chosen you to dwell with him
in his glory, given you from all eternity to his Son to be united unto him
to become the spouse of Christ, chosen you that you might be holy and without
blame, that you might have your filth taken away, and that you might have the
image of God put upon you”
[13]
BM (3) JE (1) JE: “in a rapturous manner calling on one another, crying
"Hallelujah, praise ye the Lord, praise him forever “
[14]
OT (74) NT (2) BM (2) JE (300+)
[15]
OT (11) NT (4) BM (15) JE (200)
[16]
OT (5) BM (4) JE (30)
[17]
BM (21) JE (21) JE: “The blessed land of Canaan, passing over Jordan into the promised land ,
Zion, Jerusalem were all remarkable types whose meaning will be fully manifest
only in the future the New Testament promises God's people”
[18]
BM (26) DC (1) JE (4) JE: “is the day that Christ brought us out of
Egypt, out of bondage to sin and Satan”
[19] « bondage
and captivity » BM (2) JE (4) JE: “ the rebuilding the cities of
Judah and God's people's being restored to the possession of it, after they had
been in a state of bondage and captivity”
[20] OT (3) BM (12) DC (16) PGP (1) JE (800)
[21]
BM (5)
[22]
BM (42) DC (1)
[23]
BM (1)
[24]
BM (1) JE (45)
[25]
OT (4) NT (2) BM (12) DC (2) JE (120) JE : [Brainerd] « inquiring of
them what they remembered of the great truths that had been taught them
from day to day, and may justly say 'twas amazing to see how they had received
and retained the instructions given them”
[26] OT (4) NT (13) BM (20) DC (8) JE (90)
[27] OT (5) NT (2) BM (25) DC (5) JE (140)
[28]
OT (8) NT (1) BM (5) JE (20)
_____
30 But behold, my son, this is not all[1];
for ye ought to know as I do know,
that inasmuch as ye shall keep the
commandments of God ye shall prosper in the
land; and ye ought to know[2]
also, that inasmuch as ye will not keep the
commandments[3]
of God ye shall be cut off from[4]
his presence. Now this is according to his word[5].
(Alma 36–36:30)
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