Alma 63:14–15 Textual Variants

Royal Skousen
and it came to pass also in this year that there were some dissenters which had gone forth unto the Lamanites and they were stirred up [again 1ABCDEFGIJLMNOPQRST| HK] to anger against the Nephites and also in this same year they came down with a numerous army to war against the people of Moronihah or against the army of Moronihah in the which they were beaten and driven back [again 01ABCDEFGIJLMNOPQRST| HK] to their own lands

In these two verses, the 1874 RLDS edition omitted the word again both times. Each instance of the word was restored in the 1908 RLDS edition. The again is fully appropriate since the earlier war between the Lamanites and the Nephites was initiated by Amalickiah, a Nephite dissenter who had stirred up the Lamanites (as described in Alma 48:1–3). In the end of that war, the Nephites prevailed and the Lamanites were forced to return to their own lands (as described in Alma 62:38).

Summary: Maintain the two instances of again in Alma 63:14–15 since the author wants the reader to connect the failed attacks described in this passage with the earlier ones instigated by Amalickiah, a Nephite dissenter.

Analysis of Textual Variants of the Book of Mormon, Part. 5

References