Mosiah 25:12 Textual Variants

and it came to pass that [when >js NULL 1|when A| BCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRST] those which were the children of Amulon and his brethren which had taken to wife the daughters of the Lamanites [they >js NULL 1|they A| BCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRST] were displeased with the conduct of their fathers and they would no longer be called by the names of their fathers therefore they took upon themselves the name of Nephi

The original text of the Book of Mormon frequently used a redundant pronominal subject to refer to an immediately preceding complex noun phrase, as in the following nearby examples that involve relative clauses:

Mosiah 15:22
- and all those that have believed in their words
  —or all those that have kept the commandments of God—
  [these >js NULL 1|these A| BCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRST] shall come forth in the first resurrection
Mosiah 16:5
- but remember that he that persists in his own carnal nature and goes on in the ways of sin and rebellion against God [he 1A| BCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRST] remaineth in his fallen state

Here in Mosiah 25:12 the complex noun phrase is quite long and involves two relative clauses: “those which were the children of Amulon and his brethren which had taken to wife the daughters of the Lamanites”. The original redundant they helps the reader recover the subject after processing this long noun phrase. The critical text will restore such usage whenever it is supported by the earliest textual sources. See the discussion under Mosiah 15:22 and Mosiah 16:5. For other examples of this kind, see under SUBJECT REPETITION in volume 3.

Also in this passage Joseph Smith deleted the subordinate conjunction when at the beginning of the passage. The scope of the original when-clause seems to have extended all the way down to the word therefore, which means that the original text explained that when these children had decided to reject their fathers, then they decided to call themselves Nephites. Thus the original when in Mosiah 25:12 increases the clausal dependency in this passage and should be restored.

The original text had quite a few examples of a complex when-clause followed by a logically related independent clause preceded by therefore. The following examples have been retained in the current text:

Alma 27:4
- now when Ammon and his brethren saw this work of destruction among those who they so dearly beloved and among those who had so dearly beloved them
  —for they were treated as though they were angels sent from God to save them from an everlasting destruction— therefore when Ammon and his brethren saw this great work of destruction they were moved with compassion and they said unto the king …
Alma 46:29
- and it came to pass that when Amalickiah saw that the people of Moroni were more numerous than the Amalickiahites —and he also saw that his people were doubtful concerning the justice of the cause which they had undertaken— therefore fearing that he should not gain the point he took those of his people which would and departed into the land of Nephi
Alma 58:15
- and it came to pass that when they saw that we were not strong according to our numbers and fearing that we should cut them off from their support except they should come out to battle against us and kill us and also supposing that they could easily destroy us with their numerous hosts therefore they began to make preparations to come out against us to battle
Helaman 1:9
- now when those people which were desirous that he should be their governor saw that he was condemned unto death therefore they were angry

For additional examples of this kind of construction, but with as-clauses rather than when- clauses, see under Mosiah 23:12.

Summary: Restore the original when in Mosiah 25:12; this subordinate conjunction increases the dependency between the complex subordinate clause and the subsequent main clause in the passage (“therefore they took upon themselves the name of Nephi”); also restore the redundant subject pronoun they, which helps the reader to process the complex syntax in this sentence.

Analysis of Textual Variants of the Book of Mormon, Part. 3

References