Alma 1:7 Textual Variants

While proofing 𝓟 against 𝓞, Oliver Cowdery apparently expected the singular “the word of God” and started to correct the text by crossing out scribe 2’s words. When he realized that 𝓞 actually read words (namely, in the plural), Oliver supralinearly inserted what he had crossed out, the plural words. As noted under 1 Nephi 16:24, both the singular and plural for “the word(s) of God” are possible. The singular dominates, with 91 occurrences in the original text, including a nearby one in verse 3 that may have triggered Oliver’s initial reaction against the plural “the words of God” in verse 7:

• Alma 1:3
  • and he had gone about among the people preaching to them that which he termed to be the word of God

But there are three other occurrences in the earliest text of the plural “the words of God”:

• Alma 1:9
  • now because Gideon withstood him with the words of God he was wroth with Gideon
• Alma 3:18
  • now the Amlicites knew not that they were fulfilling the words of God
• Alma 8:30
  • and it came to pass that Alma went forth and also Amulek among the people to declare the words of God unto them

The first of these examples (in verse 9 of this chapter) refers to the same event as in verse 7— namely, Gideon admonishing Nehor “with the words of God”. Thus the plural usage is selfsupporting for these two verses. For one other example involving variation for “the word(s) of God”, see Alma 5:11.