1 Nephi 16:35 Textual Variants

The 1830 typesetter replaced the plural afflictions with the singular affliction, probably because he expected the singular after the determiner much. The following singulars (hunger, thirst, and fatigue) may have also influenced this change in number.

The plural afflictions is probably correct. First of all, it is supported by the plural afflictions found earlier in the verse:

• 1 Nephi 16:35
  • and it came to pass that the daughters of Ishmael did mourn exceedingly because of the loss of their father and because of their [affliction > afflictions 0| afflictions 1ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRST] in the wilderness

Note, by the way, that Oliver Cowdery initially wrote the singular affliction in 𝓞, which he immediately corrected to the plural.

More importantly, there are a number of other cases of “much afflictions” in the text, as well as “many afflictions” and “much affliction”. In a few cases, textual variation has also occurred:

many afflictions (eight times)

• 1 Nephi 1:1
  • and having seen many afflictions in the course of my days
• 1 Nephi 17:6
  • and notwithstanding we had suffered many afflictions and much difficulty
• Alma 17:5
  • for they had many afflictions
• Alma 25:6
  • after having suffered much loss and so many afflictions they began to be stirred up in remembrance of the words
• Alma 53:13
  • when they saw the danger and the many afflictions and tribulations which the Nephites bare for them they were moved with compassion
• Helaman 12:3
  • and thus we see that except the Lord doth chasten his people with many afflictions
• Helaman 15:12
  • and notwithstanding the many afflictions which they shall have
• 3 Nephi 2:19
  • and thus were the people in a state of many afflictions

much affliction (four times)

• 1 Nephi 17:1
  • and we did travel and wade through much [affliction 0ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRST|afflictions >% affliction 1] in the wilderness
• Alma 1:23
  • and it was a cause of much affliction to the church
• Alma 4:7
  • now this was the cause of much affliction to Alma
• Helaman 3:34
  • now this was a great evil which did cause the more humble part of the people to suffer great persecutions and to wade through much [affliction 1ABDEFIJLMNOPQRST|afflictions CGHK]

much afflictions (three times, including 1 Nephi 16:35)

• 1 Nephi 16:35
  • and we have suffered much [afflictions 01|affliction ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRST] hunger thirst and fatigue
• Alma 7:5 (two occurrences)
  • nevertheless I do not desire that my joy over you should come by the cause of so much afflictions and sorrow which I have had for the brethren at Zarahemla for behold my joy cometh over them after wading through much [afflictions 1ABCDEGHKPS|affliction FIJLMNOQRT] and sorrow

Two observations about the textual variation should be made. First, there has actually been a tendency to change “much affliction” to “much afflictions”: namely, in 1 Nephi 17:1, where Oliver Cowdery initially wrote afflictions in 𝓟 but immediately corrected his error by erasing the plural s; and in Helaman 3:34, where the 1840 typesetter seems to have accidentally set afflictions. This second change persisted in the RLDS text until the third RLDS edition (1908).

Second, we observe that in the last example listed above (the second occurrence in Alma 7:5), the 1852 LDS edition changed the plural afflictions to the singular, which has continued in all subsequent LDS editions. (Note, however, that the first occurrence of “much afflictions” in that verse was left unchanged.) The plural should be restored not only in 1 Nephi 16:35 but also in Alma 7:5.