Annotation of Alma 38

We'll occasionally post examples of intertextuality on this blog.

Annotation of Alma 38

Alma 38 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.

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 38

 

Shiblon was persecuted for righteousness’ sake—Salvation is in Christ, who is the life and the light of the world—Bridle all your passions. About 74 B.C.

 

1 My son, give ear to my words[1], for I say unto you, even as I said unto Helaman, that inasmuch as ye shall keep the commandments[2] of God ye shall prosper in the land[3]; and inasmuch as[4] ye will not keep the commandments of God[5] ye shall be cut off from[6] his presence[7].

2 And now, my son, I trust that[8] I shall have great joy[9] in you[10], because of your[11] steadiness[12] and your faithfulness[13] unto God[14]; for as you have commenced[15] in your youth[16] to look to the Lord your God, even so I hope that you[17] will continue in[18] keeping his commandments[19]; for blessed is he that[20] endureth to the end[21].

3 I say unto you, my son, that I have had great joy in thee already, because of thy faithfulness and thy diligence[22], and thy patience and thy long-suffering[23] among the people of the Zoramites.

4 For I know that thou wast in bonds[24]; yea, and I also know that thou wast stoned[25] for the word’s sake[26]; and thou didst bear all these things with patience because the Lord was with thee; and now thou knowest that the Lord did deliver thee.

5 And now my son, Shiblon, I would that[27] ye should remember[28], that as much as ye shall put your[29] trust in God[30] even so much ye shall be delivered out of your trials[31], and your troubles[32], and your afflictions[33], and ye shall be lifted up at the last day[34].

6 Now, my son, I would not that ye should think that I know these things[35] of myself[36], but it is the Spirit of God[37] which is in me[38] which maketh these things known[39] unto me; for if I had not been born of God[40] I should not have known these things[41].

7 But behold, the Lord in his great mercy[42] sent his angel[43] to declare unto me that I must stop the work of destruction[44] among his people; yea, and I have seen an angel[45] face to face[46], and he spake with me, and his voice was as thunder[47], and it shook the whole earth.

8 And it came to pass that I was three days and three nights in the most bitter pain and anguish of soul[48]; and never, until I did cry out unto the Lord Jesus Christ for mercy, did I receive a remission of[49] my sins. But behold, I did cry unto him and I did find peace[50] to my soul[51].

9 And now, my son, I have told you this that ye may learn wisdom[52], that ye may learn of me[53] that there is no other way[54] or means[55] whereby man can be saved[56], only in and through[57] Christ. Behold, he is the life and the light[58] of the world[59]. Behold, he is the word of truth[60] and righteousness[61].

10 And now, as ye have begun to teach the word[62] even so I would that ye should continue to teach; and I would that ye would be diligent[63] and temperate[64] in all things.

11 See that ye are not lifted up unto pride; yea, see that ye do not boast[65] in your own wisdom[66], nor of your much strength[67].

12 Use boldness, but not overbearance; and also see that ye bridle[68] all your passions[69], that ye may be filled with love[70]; see that ye refrain from[71] idleness.

13 Do not pray as the Zoramites do, for ye have seen that they pray to be heard of men, and to be praised for their wisdom.

14 Do not say: O God, I thank thee that we are better[72] than our brethren; but rather say[73]: O Lord, forgive my unworthiness[74], and remember my brethren in mercy—yea, acknowledge your unworthiness before God at all times[75].

15 And may the Lord[76] bless your soul, and receive you[77] at the last day[78] into his kingdom[79], to sit down in peace. Now go, my son, and teach the word[80] unto this people. Be sober[81]. My son, farewell.

 

(Alma 38–Alma)

 

---

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

[2] OT (7) NT (3) BM (39) DC (2) PGP (1) JE (16)

[3] BM (21) JE (1)

[4] OT (2) NT (7) BM (31) DC (114) PGP (3) JE (264)

[5] NT (3) BM (68) DC (4) PGP (2) JE (34)

[6] OT (47) BM (31) DC (4) PGP (2) JE (112)

[7] “cut off from his presence” BM (6)

[8] NT (2) BM (7) JE (9)

[9] OT (4) NT (7) BM (30) DC (4) JE (128)

[10] “joy in you” BM (2)

[11] OT (2) NT (1) BM (30) DC (5) JE (5)

[12] BM (4) JE (30)

[13] OT (19) BM (10) DC (6) JE (316)

[14] “faithfulness unto God” BM (1)

[15] BM (14) DC (3) PGP (5) JE (21)

[16] BM (1) JE (8)

[17] BM (1) JE (35)

[18] OT (3) NT (10) BM (10) DC (14) PGP (1) JE (473)

[19] OT (1) BM (4) JE (10)

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

[21] NT (1) BM (7) JE (6)

[22] OT (1) NT (9) BM (33) DC (9) JE (457)

[23] “longsuffering” OT (4) NT (13) DC (1) JE (55) “long-suffering” BM (17) DC (4)

[24] NT (4) BM (1) DC (1) JE (3)

[25] OT (13) NT (9) BM (11) JE (29)

[26] NT (1) BM (1) DC (1)

[27] NT (4) BM (62) DC (4) JE (8)

[28] NT (1) BM (21) JE (17)

[29] “put your trust” OT *2) BM (3) DC (1) JE (13)

[30] “trust in God” BM (4) JE (91)  JE: “put your trust in God”

[31] BM (1) JE (5)

[32] BM (1) JE (2)

[33] BM (5) JE (6)

[34] BM (9) DC (5)

[35] NT (2) BM (7) DC (1) JE (12)

[36] NT (12) BM (17) DC (1) PGP (2) JE (74) “know of myself” BM (3)

[37] OT (14) NT (12) BM (20) DC (3) PGP (4) JE (1592)

[38] BM (15) DC (1) “that is in me” OT (1) NT (1) JE (12)

[39] BM (5) DC (1) “make known” OT (20) NT (5) BM (7) DC (7) JE (106)

[40] NT (6) BM (9) JE (123)

[41] BM (3) JE (2)

[42] OT (4) NT (1) BM (3) JE (126)

[43] OT (2) NT (2) BM (3) PGP (1) JE (4)

[44] BM (8)

[45] OT (1) NT (1) BM (4) JE (3)

[46] OT (7) NT (4) BM (5) DC (2) PGP (4) JE (104)

[47] BM (2) JE (6)

[48] BM (3) JE (9) JE: “Was in bitter anguish of soul”

[49] NT (9) BM (28) DC (19) PGP (3) JE (148)

[50] BM (1) JE (1)

[51] OT (3) NT (1) BM (2) JE (49)

[52] BM (6) DC (2) JE (1) JE: “they will not learn wisdom”

[53] NT (1) BM (2) DC (3) JE (20)

[54] BM (2) JE (243)

[55] “way or means” BM (1) JE (1)

[56] BM (6) DC (1) JE (1)

[57] BM (7) JE (25) JE: “Persons ought to seek salvation only in and through Christ”

[58] BM (1) DC (2)

[59] “light of the world” NT (3) BM (1) DC (2) JE (91)

[60] “word of truth” OT (1) NT (4) BM (1) DC (2) JE (25)

[61] “truth and righteousness” BM (1) DC (2) PGP (1) JE (15)

[62] BM (6)

[63] OT (11) NT (4) BM (11) DC (13) JE (371)

[64] NT (3) BM (2) DC (2) JE (42)

[65] OT (10) NT (10) BM (15) DC (2) JE (166)

[66] OT (1) BM (5) DC (1) JE (25+)

[67] OT (1) BM (6) JE (5)

[68] OT (8) NT (1) BM (1) JE (59)

[69] BM (1) JE (6) JE: “regulate your passions”

[70] BM (2) JE (12)

[71] OT (1) NT (1) BM (3) DC (2) JE (35)

[72] BM (1) JE (1)

[73] NT (1) BM (1) JE (5)

[74] BM (3) JE (400); JE: “my unworthiness” (4) “your unworthiness” (8)

[75] OT (8) BM (5) DC (5) JE (256)

[76] BM (10) JE (14)

[77] NT (8) BM (5) DC (8) JE (34)

[78] NT (5) BM (49) DC (8) JE (108)

[79] OT (2) BM (2) JE (9)

[80] BM (6)

[81] NT (8) BM (2) DC (4) JE (30) 

Intertextuality: King James Bible, Book of Mormon

The Museum of the Book of Mormon (mobom.org) features annotated versions of chapters from the Book of Mormon showing the intertextuality between the Book of Mormon, the King James Bible, and the works of Jonathan Edwards.

You can see the material here:

https://www.mobom.org/jonathan-edwards

Judge for themselves

 

And if this doctrine I preach be true, then in refusing to suffer your children to hear and judge for themselves, and so as it were forcing them to come blindfold to the Lord's table to eat and drink unworthily, your children will eat and drink your condemnation more than their own: for it will be found that you willfully kept them in ignorance and would not let 'em use the proper means to judge for themselves.

God's church, as I have observed, have hitherto generally been in some error of one kind or other, and God's manner is to wink at errors for a season and not to mark them against his people but to bestow his blessing on them notwithstanding, as He did of old on Jacob, David and others that went on in that error of a plurality of wives. 

But then God won't wink at such things always. 

God has his appointed season for the bringing greater light to correct error, and after that he will wink at such errors no more: but if when light is come men won't see it but love darkness rather than light, God departs from 'em and gives them his blessing no more.

_____

The laws of nature and the laws of Christ require me to love this people, to whom I have been so related, and to value their charity and esteem. 

I have reason also to think that there are many of my spiritual children in this congregation, who now entertain hard thoughts on account of my opinion. Now I ought not to be driven from hence without opportunity to exhibit a testimony for myself before them, and so with the people at large. 

When I have done so, I demand nothing of them but an impartial hearing. I desire not to lord it over their consciences. 

They have a right to judge for themselves, and may use what means to see the strengths of the arguments on the other side they please, by reading books or conversing with ministers who differ with me in judgment.

Hebrew form of emphasis

 

5. We may observe the manner of prayer agreed on, or the manner in which they agree to engage in and perform the duty. "Let us go speedily to pray" [Zechariah 8:21]; or as it is in the margin, "Let us go continually." The words literally translated are, "Let us go in going."3 

Such an ingemination4 or doubling of words is very common in the Hebrew language, when it is intended that a thing shall be very strongly expressed; it generally implies the superlative degree of a thing; as the "Holy of Holies" signifies the most holy: but it commonly denotes, not only the utmost degree of a thing, but also the utmost certainty; as when God said to Abraham, "In multiplying, I will multiply thy seed" (Genesis 22:17), it implies both that God would certainly multiply his seed, and also multiply it exceedingly. 

So when God said to Adam, "In the day that thou eatest thereof, in dying thou shalt die" [Genesis 2:17] (as the words are in the original),5 it implies, both that he should surely die, and also that he should die most terribly, should utterly perish, and be destroyed to the utmost degree. 

Yea, sometimes it seems to imply something else still: and in short, as this ingemination of words in the Hebrew, in general denotes the strength of expression, so it is used to signify almost all those things that are wont to be signified by the various forms

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of strong speech in other languages: sometimes it signifies the utmost degree of a thing; sometimes certainty; sometimes the peremptoriness and terribleness of a threatening, or the greatness and positiveness of a promise, the strictness of a command, and the earnestness of a request. 

When God says to Adam, "Dying thou shalt die," it is equivalent to such strong expressions in English, as, "Thou shalt die indeed," or, "Thou shalt die with a witness." So when it is said in the text, "Let us go in going, and pray before the Lord," the strength of the expression represents the earnestness of those that make the proposal, their great engagedness in the affair; and with respect to the duty proposed, it may be understood to signify, that they should be speedy, fervent, and constant in it; or, in one word, that it should be thoroughly performed.

6. We may learn from the tenor of this prophecy, together with the context, that this union in such prayer is foretold as a becoming and happy thing, and that which would be acceptable to God, and attended with glorious success.

From the whole we may infer, that it is a very suitable thing, and well-pleasing to God, for many people, in different parts of the world, by express agreement, to come into a visible union, in extraordinary, speedy, fervent and constant prayer, for those great effusions of the Holy Spirit, which shall bring on that advancement of Christ's church and kingdom, that God has so often promised shall be in the latter ages of the world.

And so from hence I would infer the duty of God's people, with regard to the Memorial lately sent over into America, from Scotland, by a number of ministers there, proposing a method for such an union as has been spoken of, in extraordinary prayer for this great mercy.

And it being the special design of this discourse, to persuade such as are friends to the interests of Christ's kingdom, to a compliance with the proposal and request made in that Memorial, I shall first give a short historical account of the affair it relates to, from letters, papers and pamphlets, that have come over from Scotland; to which I shall annex the Memorial itself: and then I shall offer some arguments and motives, tending to induce the friends of religion to fall in with what is proposed: and lastly, make answer to some objections that may possibly be made against it.

1808 Edition, Kindle, at 23447

http://edwards.yale.edu/archive?path=aHR0cDovL2Vkd2FyZHMueWFsZS5lZHUvY2dpLWJpbi9uZXdwaGlsby9nZXRvYmplY3QucGw/Yy40OjUud2plby4xMDAzMDYxLjEwMDMwNjguMTAwMzA3MQ==

The moon: types and shadows

271. Revelation 12:1. The moon is a type of the revelation God made and the ordinances he instituted under the Old Testament, or of me Old Testament constitution and administration, and is so used (Revelation 12:1). See notes in loc.

And it is made use of in Scripture also as a type of the church; it is so in the festival of the new moon. See notes on Numbers 10:10.

[JE identifies the new moon as "a type of the beginning the new and glorious dispensation introduced by Jesus Christ, wherein the gospel was to be clearly and plainly preached and proclaimed unto all nations. The moon is a lively image of the church, as she borrows all her light from the sun; so doth the church receive light from Christ, the Son of Righteousness." He contrasted the old moon, the church under the Old Testament, with the new moon, the church under the New Testament.]

The former received light from "Christ yet to come," and the latter "from Christ already come." 

[JE associates "the conjunction of the sun and moon in the time of the change" with the incarnation of Christ, and he cites Arthur Bedford's judgment that Christ's conception probably occurred in the Virgin Mary at the "time of the change of the moon" ("Blank Bible"). ]

The church under the Old Testament, in the institution

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of that festival, must be supposed to be represented under the type of the moon before its conjunction with the sun, i.e. Christ the Sun, from whom the church borrows her light. The gospel light granted to the Old Testament church in its different successive ages was very much like the light of the moon in the several parts of the revolution it performs, which ends in its conjunction with the sun. 

The first calling of Abraham, the father of the nation and founder of their church, as separated from the rest of the world by God's revealing, and establishing, and sealing his covenant to him and his seed, and bestowing the privileges of it upon them, and also the first institution of the administration of the church of Israel by Moses, may each of them be looked upon as the beginning of the moon's course in this revolution, wherein it sets out in the beginning of its month for a conjunction with Christ, its sun, at the conclusion of it. 

Christ's coming, and so mercifully and remarkably appearing to Abraham from time to time as his friend, and sometimes in the form of a man, as if incarnate, eating and drinking with him, and doing such great things for him and by him, and particularly his entering into covenant with him as the father and founder of this church, may be looked upon as this moon's first conjunction with the sun, or with Christ, from whence in her revolution she set out for the other conjunction at Christ's coming by his incarnation and resurrection. 

Abraham was not only the natural, but in some sense the spiritual, father of the church (as he is called in the New Testament, the father of believers), and therein is a type of Christ, and was in some respect a father instead of Christ, till Christ came.This sentence is a later interlineation. After this, that nation and church at first was very small and weak, but they gradually grew greater and more and more flourishing till Solomon's time, which was about the middle of the space between Abraham and Christ, or the middle of the revolution from one conjunction to another.

-- 227 --

And then it was full moon; then both the nation and church were in their greatest glory. But from that time they were gradually diminished and dwindled, first by the nation's dividing into two kingdoms, and then by the captivity of the ten tribes, and then the captivity of the kingdom of Judah, and then after that by various calamities they suffered after the captivity, under the Persian, Grecian, and Roman monarchies, until at last the scepter departed from Judah, and they were put under a Roman governor; and their light was as it were put out, as the moon when she is just come to her conjunction with the sun.

But as the calling of Abraham, the father of the church and nation, may be looked upon as the beginning of the revolution with respect to the being and prosperity of the nation or church itself, so Christ's revealing himself to that people by Moses, the teacher of the church and the father of the prophets, by whom the administration they were under was first instituted, and who gave the first written revelation to it, may be looked upon as the beginning of the revolution with respect to the light that church had by prophecy and revelation by God's word, as written in the Old Testament, which Old Testament revelation is, as has been already observed, compared in Scripture to the reflected light of the moon in the night, to serve in the absence of the sun. 

Christ's coming, as he did to the children of Israel in Moses' time, his appearing first to him in the burning bush, and in such a wonderful way redeeming them out of Egypt—which was, if I may so say, the Old Testament redemption—redeeming them and revealing himself to them by Moses, and entering covenant with them by Moses (their great prophet, and king, and intercessor, like to Christ, and that was instead of God to Pharaoh, and instead of Christ to the people, and was as it were the Old Testament Christ; and therefore that church is called his "body," by Jude, Jude 9 of his epistle), his coming down out of heaven to dwell amongst the people, whereby he as it were bowed the heavens and came down [Psalms 18:9], and the mountains flowed down at his presence [Isaiah 64:3], his speaking to the people with an audible voice, his speaking to Moses face to face, as a man speaks with his friend, his appearing in the form of a man to the seventy elders [Numbers 11:24–25] (when they saw the God of Israel, and did eat and drink, which is spoken of as a new thing); and afterwards leading them into Canaan, and working such wonders for them by Joshua, who bears the name of Jesus and was called the shepherd and stone of Israel in Jacob's blessing of Ephraim [Genesis 49:24], and was to the people in Christ's stead, as their leader and captain of salvation—I say, these things were as it

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were the first conjunction of the moon with the sun, whence she set out in her revolution, when the gospel light, or the revelation of Christ and the great truths respecting him, was but very small and dim, being almost wholly hid under types and shadows. 

After this it gradually increased; the prophets that were afterwards in Israel were more clear than Moses was in what they taught of gospel truth. The succession of prophets began in Samuel, and David had much of the spirit of prophecy. Gospel light was much more full and clear in the revelations made by him than it had been in any revelation the church enjoyed before. But in the revelations that were given by the prophet Isaiah, gospel light is fullest and clearest of all, beyond what we have in any other Old Testament revelation. 

This was at about the middle of the space between Moses and Christ. In Isaiah, the Old Testament church enjoyed gospel light as it were reflected from a full moon. There was no prophet afterwards that spake so fully of Christ, and afterwards the spirit of prophecy diminished. It continued in a smaller degree till some time after the captivity, and then wholly ceased in Malachi, or a little after his time; and the minds of the people became more [and] more darkened as to their notions of Christ and his kingdom, till Christ's time when they were exceeding corrupt and carnal, [and] expected a temporal messiah. They were under blind guides that led 'em into the ditch, and had in a great measure made void the commandment of God by their tradition, as the light of the moon ceases as she approaches to her conjunction with the sun.

http://edwards.yale.edu/archive?path=aHR0cDovL2Vkd2FyZHMueWFsZS5lZHUvY2dpLWJpbi9uZXdwaGlsby9nZXRvYmplY3QucGw/Yy4xNDozLndqZW8uNzIzMDgxLjcyMzA4NS43MjMwOTEuNzIzMDk3LjcyMzEwMQ==