1 Nephi 17:30 Textual Variants

Here we have another case of subject-verb disagreement in the original text (“all things ... which was expedient”). For the 1837 edition, Joseph Smith edited the singular was to the plural were. The critical text will follow the earliest reading, despite its ungrammaticality in standard English. For a complete discussion, see subject-verb agreement in volume 3.

In this particular instance, we have a plural antecedent (“all things”) for the relative pronoun which. The original text consistently used the singular in the relative clause “which is/was expedient”, no matter whether the antecedent was singular or plural. Besides the example here in 1 Nephi 17:30, we have the following:

• 2 Nephi 2:27
  • and all things are given them which [is >js are 1|is A|are BCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRST] expedient unto man
• 2 Nephi 3:19
  • and the words which he shall write shall be the words which [is >js are 1|is A|are BCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRST] expedient in my wisdom should go forth unto the fruit of thy loins
• 3 Nephi 26:9
  • and when they shall have received this which is expedient that they should have first to try their faith …
• Moroni 10:23
  • if ye have faith ye can do all things which [is 1ABCDEFGHIJKLMNP|are OQRST] expedient unto me

The singular form of the be verb (either is or was) has been edited to the plural are or were in all these cases where the antecedent is plural.