Alma 47:34 Textual Variants

There has been some confusion here regarding whether also belongs to the preceding or the following clause—that is, do we have “they said also” or “also they have fled”? The 1830 typesetter avoided making this decision by placing a comma both before and after also. Moreover, this equivocating punctuation was followed by the 1837 and 1841 editions as well as the 1849 LDS edition. But the 1840 edition and the 1852 LDS edition (independently, it would appear) removed the first comma, thus deciding that also belongs with the preceding clause (“they said also”).

We can find evidence elsewhere in the text for each interpretation. For instance, in a few cases, because of a following subordinate conjunction that, the also must be interpreted as belonging with the preceding verb say:

• 1 Nephi 17:14 and the Lord said also that after ye have arriven …
• Mosiah 13:35 yea and have they not said also that he should bring to pass the resurrection of the dead
• Alma 30:26 and ye say also that he shall be slain for the sins of the world
• Alma 30:48 and I say also that ye do not know that there is a God

On the other hand, there are numerous examples of also being preceded by a connective element (such as and ), thus showing that a clause can begin with an also right before the subject, as in these examples:

• Alma 9 preface and also they are cast into prison
• Alma 32:3 and also they were poor in heart
• Alma 43:19 and also they were dressed with thick clothing
• Helaman 5:34 yea and also they were immovable because of the fear …
• Helaman 11:22 and also they had peace in the seventy and eighth year
• Ether 6:7 and also they were tight like unto the ark of Noah

So it seems that in cases where we have the verb say followed by also and then immediately followed by the subject of an independent clause, we will have to rely on the context to decide which clause the word also should be parsed with. Here in Alma 47:34, either reading seems acceptable.

There are other examples in the text where there has been some question regarding which sentence also should go with: namely, 2 Nephi 3:18, Alma 9:4, and Alma 42:15–16. In the first two of these, the verb is say (just like here in Alma 47:34), and in both of these cases internal evidence favors placing the also with the say:

• 2 Nephi 3:18
  • and the Lord said unto me also : I will raise up one unto the fruit of thy loins
• Alma 9:4
  • and they saith also : we will not believe thy words

(See the discussion under each of these passages.) And here is another example where also belongs with the preceding verb say:

• Alma 17:10–11
  • and it came to pass that the Lord did visit them with his Spirit and said unto them : be comforted and they were comforted and the Lord said unto them also : go forth among the Lamanites thy brethren and establish my word

In this instance, the Lord is not saying that the sons of king Mosiah should “also go forth among the Lamanites and establish my word” since that alone is precisely the purpose of their mission. Moreover, it is very clear from the previous verse that the Lord had previously said something else (namely, for them to be comforted).

Since also belongs with the verb say in the other instances of potential ambiguity, the critical text will adopt that interpretation here in Alma 47:34.