In Hugh Nibley’s, Teachings of the Book of Mormon, Vol. 4, he laments the “exacting editor” who, in some perceived wisdom, removed an “insignificant” word from Book of Mormon, Ether 2:20—a word that proves not so insignificant to a proper understanding.1
So, how do we stop these (chronic) “exacting editors” who give no notice of their edits from edition to edition of sacred scripture? And WHY have we not learned about the dangers of tampering with “plain and precious” words from the example in Book of Mormon 1 Nephi 13:28-34 and from Article of Faith #8?2
This question of tampering arose one day while I was reading:
And the Lord said: I will prepare unto my servant Gazelem,[3] a stone, which shall shine forth in darkness unto light, that I may discover unto my people who serve me, that I may discover unto them the works of their brethren, yea, their secret works, their works of darkness, and their wickedness and abominations. (Book of Mormon Alma 37:23)Gazelem?! Why did I suddenly attach that word to Joseph Smith? and how many times had I read that verse and never connected it—till that day—to the olden days (pre-1981) Doctrine and Covenants? There, in sections 78 and 104 (if one can find an old D&C), the similar word Gazelam is used (but now removed). Thus, how many new (and old) members don't have a clue about code names because they have been totally excised? How many don't have a clue that one of the Prophet’s code names was Gazelam?
Are these code names of no import? Can we safely assume they have no meaning, considering how mysterious and subtle God can be? Were they just snatched out of thin air or were they inspired4—with some meaning yet to be understood? Why couldn't the original code names remain—just in case they had greater purpose—while inserting the real names in square brackets?
And who is to say that the excised Shinehah (code name for Kirtland) has no historical or prophetic meaning, considering its uses elsewhere?5
In recent years, there has been considerable discussion over the use of a so-called “peep-stone” in preference to the Urim and Thummin, during the Prophet Joseph’s translation of the Book of Mormon. Considering Alma 37:23 and its reference to “a stone”—not stones or Urim and Thummin—maybe the code name Gazelam is a clue to something we don’t yet understand about the translation process.
So, the question is: Have we had an important prophetic fulfillment regarding Joseph Smith stripped from our awareness by “exacting editors” who decided that Doctrine and Covenants’ code words were nothing more than subterfuge, fluff, or paranoia?
Why can’t we admit what was and is; confess that we don’t always understand or like what surfaces; and be open to the possibility that our best interpretation of past records and events might be flawed?
But please, whatever the case or reason, can we stop editing scripture? If we are trying to squeeze it into some latter-day expectation or norm, that's not a good sign.
Note: Yes, this critique is based on faith that Joseph Smith was a prophet; that the Book of Mormon is his genuine translation of an ancient record; and that prophetic words are best left alone by subsequent generations. If subsequent generations wish to make amendments to revelations, please let them do it by recording separate, independent revelation,6 not by quietly editing old ones. In this writer’s view: to quietly edit another's revelation—no matter how innocuous the edit may seem—is to compromise the integrity of the original revelation as well as the integrity of the (presumptuous?) editor. (In the near words of Groucho Marx, “These are my [views]; if you don’t like them, I have others.”)
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1. (Hugh Nibley, Teachings of the Book of Mormon--Semester 1: Transcripts of Lectures Presented to an Honors Book of Mormon Class at Brigham Young University, 1988--1990 [Provo: Foundation for Ancient Re 270.) Ether 2:20: "And the Lord said unto the brother of Jared: Behold, thou shalt make a hole in the top [thereof], and also in the bottom [thereof]; and when thou shalt suffer for air thou shalt unstop the hole [it doesn't say open the window] and receive air." That's a very different thing from opening windows. It talks about opening windows, and this is something else. There's a hole in the top. What is this, an air compressor? "Thou shalt unstop the hole and receive air. And if it be so that the water come in upon thee, behold, ye shall stop the hole, that ye may not perish in the flood."
Notice "the hole thereof"; there's the hole of the air and the hole of the water, "that ye may not perish in the flood." An exacting editor, by removing the very significant thereofs [has changed the meaning]. When you suffer for air, you unstop the hole thereof and receive air. That means air hole, you see. But he removed the [word] thereof, and he said, "When thou shalt suffer for air thou shalt unstop the hole and receive air." He doesn't mention thereof, meaning air hole. He made it to appear that when Jared wanted air, he had to open the top window of the boat to admit fresh air. That's the very time he had to keep it closed. When they didn't have air inside, they had to keep it closed because the waves are dashing outside. That was not what the original of the Book of Mormon said. For one thing, the ships had no windows communicating with the outside. "Ye cannot have windows," it said. Each ship had an air-tight door, we're told, and that was all. Air was received not by opening and closing doors and windows. Only when they were quiet and riding on the surface could they open the window and replenish the air. But he says by unplugging air holes "thou shalt unstop the hole [thereof] and receive air," this being done only when the ship was not on the surface. "When thou shalt suffer for air"-that is, when the ships were not able to open the hatches and replenish their air. Well, this can only refer to a reserve supply of air, and indeed the brother of Jared recognizes that the people cannot possibly survive on the air contained within the ship at normal pressure. Ether 2:19 : "We shall perish, for in them we cannot breathe, save it is the air which is in them; therefore we shall perish."
So the Lord recommended a device for compressing air with a hole in the top thereof and also in the bottom thereof-not referring to the ship but to the air chamber with the peculiar language "unstop an air hole." When the crew found it impossible to remain on the surface, [verse 20], "And if it be so that the water come in upon thee," they were to plug up the air chamber. "Ye shall stop the hole [thereof], that ye may not perish in the flood"-to keep the air after you've replenished it. (Bold emphasis added. Square brackets are in the original transcripted book.)
2. Book of Mormon 1 Nephi 13:24-29 ~ And the angel of the Lord said unto me: Thou hast beheld that the book proceeded forth from the mouth of a Jew; and when it proceeded forth from the mouth of a Jew it contained the fulness of the gospel of the Lord, of whom the twelve apostles bear record; and they bear record according to the truth which is in the Lamb of God. Wherefore, these things go forth from the Jews in purity unto the Gentiles, according to the truth which is in God. And after they go forth by the hand of the twelve apostles of the Lamb, from the Jews unto the Gentiles, thou seest the formation of that great and abominable church, which is most abominable above all other churches; for behold, they have taken away from the gospel of the Lamb many parts which are plain and most precious; and also many covenants of the Lord have they taken away. And all this have they done that they might pervert the right ways of the Lord, that they might blind the eyes and harden the hearts of the children of men. Wherefore, thou seest that after the book hath gone forth through the hands of the great and abominable church, that there are many plain and precious things taken away from the book, which is the book of the Lamb of God. And after these plain and precious things were taken away it goeth forth unto all the nations of the Gentiles; and after it goeth forth unto all the nations of the Gentiles, yea, even across the many waters which thou hast seen with the Gentiles which have gone forth out of captivity, thou seest—because of the many plain and precious things which have been taken out of the book, which were plain unto the understanding of the children of men, according to the plainness which is in the Lamb of God—because of these things which are taken away out of the gospel of the Lamb, an exceedingly great many do stumble, yea, insomuch that Satan hath great power over them.
Pearl of Great Price Articles of Faith 1:8 ~ We believe the Bible to be the word of God as far as it is translated correctly; we also believe the Book of Mormon to be the word of God.
3. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gazelem ~ Although wiki suggests Gazelem might mean the name of the stone, a cursory review of scripture shows “my servant X” used hundreds of times in reference to a person and never in reference to an object.
4. Orson Hyde’s comments about the "inspired" code names published in The Seer, 2 no. 3 (March 1854):228 found at http://contentdm.lib.byu.edu/cdm/compoundobject/collection/NCMP1820-1846/id/18143 . Thanks to Karl Ricks Anderson, I came across this reference in his book, The Savior in Kirtland: Personal Accounts of Divine Manifestations at p. 3, fn. 3, (© 2012) on January 23, 2014 and added this footnote here the following day.
5. Doctrine and Covenants Section 117:8 ~ Is there not room enough on the mountains of Adam-ondi-Ahman, and on the plains of Olaha Shinehah, or the land where Adam dwelt, that you should covet that which is but the drop, and neglect the more weighty matters?
Pearl of Great Price Abraham 3:13 ~ And he said unto me: This is Shinehah, which is the sun. And he said unto me: Kokob, which is star. And he said unto me: Olea, which is the moon. And he said unto me: Kokaubeam, which signifies stars, or all the great lights, which were in the firmament of heaven.
6. (as the Prophet Joseph did with his inspired translation of the Bible).
