1 Nephi 4:5 Textual Variants

In 1 Nephi 4:5, the original manuscript reads “without the wall”. Besides the example here in verse 5, we have two more later on in this chapter:

• 1 Nephi 4:24
  • and I also spake unto him that I should carry the engravings which were upon the plates of brass to my elder brethren which were without the [wall 0|walls 1ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRST]
• 1 Nephi 4:27
  • and he spake unto me many times concerning the elders of the Jews as I went forth unto my brethren which were without the [wall 0|walls 1ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRST]

In the original manuscript, all three of these verses consistently have the singular wall. The first one is in the hand of scribe 2, the second and third in the hand of scribe 3. It is of course possible that the singular wall is the result of accidentally dropping the plural s. For this tendency in scribe 2, see the examples listed under 1 Nephi 3:16. For scribe 3, we have these examples:

• 1 Nephi 5:18
  • these [plate 0|plates 1ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRST] of brass should go forth unto all nations kindreds tongues and people
• 1 Nephi 5:19
  • these [plate 0|plates 1ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRST] of brass should never perish
• 1 Nephi 6:6
  • they shall not occupy these [plate 0|plates 1ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRST] with things which are not of worth unto the children of men
• 1 Nephi 7:13
  • for all [thing 0|things 1ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRST] which the Lord hath spoken concerning the destruction of Jerusalem must be fulfilled

In addition, scribe 3’s immediate corrections show the same tendency to accidentally omit the plural s:

• 1 Nephi 8:38
  • and after that he had preached unto them and also prophesied unto them of many [thing > things 0|things 1ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRST] he bade them to keep the commandments of the Lord
• 1 Nephi 9:4
  • and the other plates are for the more part of the reigns of the kings and the [war > wars 0|wars 1ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRST] and contentions of my people
• 1 Nephi 10:11
  • he spake unto my brethren concerning the gospel which should be preached among the [ jew > jews 0|Jews 1ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRST]

But the question is whether the singular wall is an example of this scribal tendency to drop the plural s. All three instances of wall are used to describe where the brothers of Nephi are hiding (“without the wall”). In each case, there is no of prepositional phrase or other modifying phrase after the word wall. The only other passages in the Book of Mormon with the phrase “without the wall(s)” have the plural walls, but both are followed by a modifying prepositional phrase that begins with of:

• 1 Nephi 4:4
  • nevertheless they did follow me up until we came without the walls of Jerusalem
• Mosiah 21:19
  • and the king himself did not trust his person without the walls of the city

The same singular/plural difference occurs in the phrase “without the gate(s)”. If postmodification occurs, we have the plural; otherwise, we have the singular:

• Mosiah 7:10
  • and now I desire to know the cause whereby ye were so bold as to come near the walls of the city when I myself was with my guards without the gate
• Mosiah 21:23
  • and the king having been without the gates of the city with his guard he discovered Ammon and his brethren

The consistency of the three cases of “without the wall” in the original manuscript is thus supported by the use of “without the gate” in Mosiah 7:10. Only when postmodified by an of prepositional phrase do we find the plurals “without the walls” and “without the gates”.