2 Nephi 25:2 Textual Variants

for their works were works of darkness and their doings were doings of [abomination 1PS|abominations ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOQRT]

Here it appears that the 1830 typesetter accidentally replaced the singular abomination with the plural. Although the plural abominations is considerably more frequent in the Book of Mormon text, there are specific cases of singular usage that contextually do not permit the plural usage:

Jacob 2:16
- O that he would rid you from this iniquity and abomination
Alma 39:5
- these things are an abomination in the sight of the Lord
Helaman 7:25
- yea woe be unto you because of that great abomination which hath come among you and ye have united yourselves unto it
Moroni 9:9
- and notwithstanding this great abomination of the Lamanites it doth not exceed that of our people in Moriantum

Note, in particular, the pronominal use of the singular it in the last two examples.

There are no other examples of doing(s) occurring with abomination(s), so a comparison with another example of this specific construction “doing(s) of abomination(s)” is not possible. The critical text will maintain the reading of the earliest textual source here in 2 Nephi 25:2.

Summary: Restore in 2 Nephi 25:2 the singular abomination, the reading in the printer’s manuscript (“doings of abomination”); the singular is clearly possible in this context.

Analysis of Textual Variants of the Book of Mormon, Part. 2

References