3 Nephi 4:16 Textual Variants

As discussed under 1 Nephi 19:10, the Book of Mormon text uses the adverb up in the phrase “to yield oneself (up)” when surrendering to an opponent in war:

• Helaman 1:32 and the Lamanites did yield themselves up into the hands of the Nephites
• 3 Nephi 3:7 yield yourselves up unto us
• 3 Nephi 4:27 and there were many thousands which did yield themselves up prisoners unto the Nephites

But the up is lacking when voluntarily yielding to someone else’s power:

• 1 Nephi 19:10 yea the God of Abraham ... yieldeth himself … as a man into the hands of wicked men to be lifted up
• Alma 5:20 when you have yielded yourselves to become subjects to the devil
• Alma 10:25 why will ye yield yourselves unto him
• Helaman 3:35 because of their yielding their hearts unto God
• Helaman 16:21 if we will yield ourselves unto them
• 3 Nephi 7:5 because they did yield themselves unto the power of Satan

Consistent with this distinction, the 1830 reading with up in 3 Nephi 4:16 is very likely the correct reading.

This conclusion is supported by errors in the early transmission of the Book of Mormon text. On the one hand, we find considerable evidence that Oliver Cowdery frequently omitted the up; see under Alma 27:3 for a list of five clear examples, three that were momentary and two that were permanent. On the other hand, there are no cases where the 1830 typesetter accidentally added an up (although in two cases he accidentally omitted it, in Alma 62:22 and in Ether 13:8). In other words, the odds are high here in 3 Nephi 4:16 that Oliver is the one responsible for the variation. The critical text will therefore maintain the up in the phrase “to yield themselves up”.