5 And the people shall be oppressed, every one by another, and every one by his neighbor; the child shall behave himself proudly against the ancient, and the base against the honorable.5 And the people shall be oppressed, every one by another, and every one by his neighbour: the child shall behave himself proudly against the ancient, and the base against the honourable.6 When a man shall take hold of his brother of the house of his father, and shall say: Thou hast clothing, be thou our ruler, and let not this ruin come under thy hand—6 When a man shall take hold of his brother of the house of his father, saying, Thou hast clothing, be thou our ruler, and let this ruin be under thy hand:7 In that day shall he swear, saying: I will not be a healer; for in my house there is neither bread nor clothing; make me not a ruler of the people. [2 Nephi 13:5–7, bold added]7 In that day shall he swear, saying, I will not be an healer; for in my house isneither bread nor clothing: make me not a ruler of the people. [Isaiah 3:5–7]
The only retention of significance in the Book of Mormon is in verse 6, the last phrase of which states “and let not this ruin come under thy hand.” The KJV has lost the word “not,” which points to a desire to escape the coming ruin. This is apparently similar to the situation which came upon the wicked Nephites four years before the Savior visited them. “The people were divided one against another; and they did separate one from another into tribes, every man according to his family and his kindred and friends; and thus they did destroy the government of the land” (3 Nephi 7:2). The separation was not a righteous patriarchal division, but an attempt for survival.