On the insertion, beginning in 1840, to 1 Nephi 20:1 (= Isa 48:1) of the phrase “or out of the waters of baptism”:
This change was made by the
author, Joseph Smith, and is apparently an attempt to clarify the meaning of “the
waters of Judah.” It is admitted by the Church that Joseph Smith probably used
the King James version of the Bible as a guide when he translated the sections
of the Bible found in the Book of Mormon. It is possible that for this reason
the quotation “or out of the waters of baptism” was omitted. Whatever the
reason, the quotation at least givens a meaning, and a logical meaning, to “the
waters of Judah.,” for Dr. Alfred Edersheim states that the Jewish law
required:
That those who had contracted Levitical
defilement were to immerse before offering sacrifice. Again, it was prescribed “proselytes
of the Covenant,” were to be admitted to the full participation in the
privilege of Israel by the three-fold rites of circumcision, baptism and
sacrifice—the immersion being, as it were, the acknowledgement and symbolic removal
of mortal defilement, corresponding to that of Levitical uncleanness. (Alfred
Edersheim, The Life and Times of Jesus, the Messiah, Vol. 1, pp.
273-274) (Larry Wilcox, "A Comparative Analysis of Those Portions of the
Bible Found in the Book of Mormon," p. 5, August 29, 1949, Box 11, Folder
9, Louis C. Zucker papers, 1904-1982, Special Collections, J. Willard Marriott
Library, University of Utah)
Isaiah 29 – II Nephi 27.
II Nephi 27 quotes several verses of the 29th chapter of Isaiah. Again there is
no indication in the surrounding text that they are quotations. For this reason
they shall not be discussed here. Furthermore, they are woven into the sermon
which is being given by Nephi. (Larry Wilcox, "A Comparative Analysis of
Those Portions of the Bible Found in the Book of Mormon," p. 17, August
29, 1949, Box 11, Folder 9, Louis C. Zucker papers, 1904-1982, Special
Collections, J. Willard Marriott Library, University of Utah)
