Alma 57:20 Textual Variants

The compositor for the 1953 RLDS edition accidentally set remainder as reminder, an obvious typo. The critical text will, of course, retain remainder.

Notice the use of the plural were for the subject remainder. Semantically, the text here is referring to the remaining individuals in the army, so the plural were is possible. In fact, the text consistently uses a plural verb form when referring to the remainder of a group of people, including these five other cases where the plural verb form is distinct from the singular in the past tense (only with the verb be):

• Alma 2:11 and the remainder were called Nephites
• Alma 46:33 and the remainder were delivered up into the hands of Moroni and were taken back into the land of Zarahemla
• Alma 51:20 and the remainder of those dissenters … were compelled to hoist the title of liberty upon their towers
• Alma 59:8 that the remainder of the people of Nephihah were obliged to flee
• 3 Nephi 4:27 and the remainder of them were slain

Thus there is nothing wrong with the plural were in Alma 57:20.