Ether 1:23–24 Textual Variants

Here the 1874 RLDS edition replaced the with a in the phrase “the son of Shez”, a typo probably resulting from the preceding “a descendant of Riplakish”. The 1908 RLDS edition restored the correct the. Although the indefinite article is theoretically possible, similar phraseology elsewhere in the text supports the definite article:

• Alma 10:3
  • and Aminadi was a descendant of Nephi who was the son of Lehi who came out of the land of Jerusalem who was a descendant of Manasseh who was the son of Joseph
• 3 Nephi title (extended)
  • and Helaman was the son of Helaman which was the son of Alma which was the son of Alma being a descendant of Nephi which was the son of Lehi
• Ether 1:6–7
  • he that wrote this record was Ether and he was a descendant of Coriantor and Coriantor was the son of Moron
• Ether 1:16
  • and Aaron was a descendant of Heth who was the son of Hearthom

Thus the definite article the before son is quite correct in Ether 1:24.