“Great Many More Things Which Cannot Be Written”

Brant Gardner

Redaction: Mormon tells us very clearly that he is providing selections from Samuel’s prophecies. He says the excluded material “cannot be written,” although it is not clear whether “cannot” means a divine commandment or the exigencies of space on Mormon’s plates and time limitations. This explanation underscores that the prophecies are chosen for Mormon’s specific purposes.

Chapter 13 contained Samuel’s prophecy of the Nephites’ future destruction. Chapter 14 contains his prophecies about the Messiah’s birth.

Second Witness: Analytical & Contextual Commentary on the Book of Mormon, Vol. 5

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