and when their priests left their labor to impart the word of God unto the people the people also left their labors to hear the word of God and when the priest had imparted unto them the word of
God they all returned again diligently unto their labors and the priest not esteeming himself above his hearers for the preacher was no better than the hearer neither was the teacher any better
than the learner and thus they were all equal and they did all labor every man according to his strength
Alison Coutts has suggested (personal communication, 2 June 2005) that there might be an also missing after the phrase “and the priest” in Alma 1:26 (that is, “and the priest also”).
Here we apparently have an instance of the Hebraistic delayed conjoined subject (although it is also possible to interpret “and the priest not esteeming himself above his hearers” as an
incomplete participial clause). Most examples in the Book of Mormon text of the delayed conjoined subject have the also, but most lack a verb:
- 1 Nephi 3:28 and also was Lemuel
- 1 Nephi 4:28 and also Lemuel and Sam
- The Words of Mormon 1:18 and also the prophets
- Mosiah 11:15 and also his people
- Alma 8:30 and also Amulek
- Alma 16:15 and also many more which had been chosen …
- Alma 19:33 and also did all the servants of Lamoni
- Alma 21:11 and also Ammah and his brethren
- Alma 27:19 and also the joy of Aaron of Omner and Himni
- Alma 27:25 and also Alma with him
- Alma 54:13 and also my people
- Alma 62:9 and also those kingmen which had been taken …
- Alma 63:2 and also did his brother
- Helaman 5:4 and his brother Lehi also
- Helaman 9:38 and also was Nephi
- 3 Nephi 3:19 and also was the chief judge
- 3 Nephi 20:1 and also his disciples
- Ether 2:16 and also his brethren
- Ether 9:3 and also his sons and his daughters and all his household
- Ether 15:28 and also his men
Note that in all but one of these examples, the also comes before the subject noun phrase, which would suggest an alternative emendation for Alma 1:26: “and also the priest”. Despite
these examples supporting an also, there is evidence that sometimes the also is omitted from this Hebrew-like construction:
- Mosiah 27:32
- and now it came to pass that Alma began from this time forward to teach the people and those which were with Alma at the time the angel appeared unto them
- Ether 7:7
- and it came to pass that Kib dwelt in captivity and his people under Corihor his son until he became exceeding old
Also note that for these two examples, the delayed conjoined subject lacks a verb, just as in Alma 1:26. For further discussion of the delayed conjoined subject, see under hebraisms in volume 3.
