2 Nephi 2:16 Textual Variants

The original text here has an historical use of the subjunctive were. In earlier English, the subjunctive was generally used in any conditional statement, as here in 2 Nephi 2:16. In modern standard English, we expect the subjunctive were whenever the conditional statement is contrary to fact (as in “if I were a rich man”, which implies that I am not a rich man). But if the conditional statement is not contrary to fact, we normally expect the indicative was (as in “if he was there, I didn’t see him”). For additional discussion regarding the more extensive use of the subjunctive in earlier English, see pages 171–173 of Charles Barber, Early Modern English (Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 1997).

In this passage in 2 Nephi 2:16, the conditional statement is definitely not contrary to fact. The previous sentence states that “the Lord God gave unto man that he should act for himself ”, so in modern English we expect the indicative was in the subsequent conditional clause (“save it should be that he was enticed by the one or the other”). The 1837 edition implemented this change to was, but the critical text will restore the original subjunctive were.

Here is another Book of Mormon example of were being used in a non-contrary-to-fact conditional statement:

• 3 Nephi 8:1
  • and there was not any man which could do a miracle in the name of Jesus save he were cleansed every whit from his iniquity

Similar examples are found in the King James Bible:

• Exodus 21:2–3
  • if thou buy an Hebrew servant six years he shall serve and in the seventh he shall go out free for nothing if he came in by himself he shall go out by himself if he were married then his wife shall go out with him
• Hebrews 5:8
  • though he were a son yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered

For further discussion regarding the subjunctive usage in the Book of Mormon, see mood in volume 3.