Attesting

John W. Welch

Understanding how difficult this writing process would have been, Moroni’s attestations that he has done the best he could makes perfect sense. “We have written … according to our knowledge” (9:32); with larger plates “we should have written in Hebrew” (9:33); and if we “could have written in Hebrew” there would have been fewer chances for misunderstanding (9:33); but “the Lord knoweth the things which we have written” (9:34), and “these things are written that we may rid our garments of the blood of our brethren” (9:35). In the best scribal form, Moroni validates his efforts. He closes his writing with a five-fold attestation that he and his father have written the best they possibly could.

John W. Welch Notes

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