Helaman 11:34 Textual Variants

The first RLDS edition (1874) replaced the preposition unto with the more expected upon. Nonetheless, either reading is possible in the Book of Mormon text. Earlier in this chapter, there is one more example of this usage with unto:

• Helaman 11:32 and they did cause great fear to come unto the people

This nearby example provides strong support for the occurrence of unto in verse 34 rather than the more expected upon. All other examples, however, have the preposition upon rather than unto:

• Mosiah 29:34 but that the burden should come upon all the people
• Helaman 9:5 lest all the judgments … should come upon the people
• 3 Nephi 3:16 that they did cause fear to come upon all the people
• 3 Nephi 7:5 and all this iniquity had come upon the people
• Ether 11:6 for they had testified that a great curse should come upon the land and also upon the people
• Ether 13:13 and by night he went forth viewing the things which should come upon the people
• Ether 13:14 viewing the destructions which came upon the people by night

In each of these cases, the critical text will follow the earliest reading, thus unto here in Helaman 11:34 (and earlier in Helaman 11:32).