Alma 1:24 Textual Variants

Royal Skousen
for the hearts of many were hardened and their names were blotted out that they were remembered no more among the people of God

As argued under 1 Nephi 15:16, the original text here in Alma 1:24 read “they were numbered no more among the people of God”. Usage elsewhere in the text consistently states that when people’s names are blotted out, the people are no longer numbered as members of the church (four passages are listed under 1 Nephi 15:16). In support of this conjectural emendation, we have the accidental change of numbered to remembered in 1 Nephi 15:16 (which therefore shows that the verb number can be visually misread as the verb remember). It is much more reasonable that people were no longer numbered rather than no longer remembered.

Summary: Emend Alma 1:24 to read “they were numbered no more among the people of God”.

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

References