Redaction: Ether’s vision of the future speaks of the house of Israel, and includes a recognition of the Old Jerusalem which becomes contrasted with the New Jerusalem. Once again, we have the allusion to the vision without the citation of the vision.
Moroni explains that while the Old Jerusalem might have been rebuilt and therefore renewed it is nevertheless a renewal and not the New Jerusalem. Since Ether would not have any familiarity with any Jerusalem except through vision, this explanation separating the possible confusion between the two must be Moroni’s. Ether would not be confused for he saw the two. For Moroni, there would be some confusion because there was a historical Jerusalem that would be his most common reference. Therefore, Ether sees the vision, and this explanation is part of Moroni’s retelling, not the original vision.