2 Nephi 6:7 Textual Variants

Royal Skousen
they shall bow down to thee with their faces towards the earth

Isaiah 49:23 (King James Bible) they shall bow down to thee with their face toward the earth

The Book of Mormon text favors towards over toward, while the King James Bible has only toward. We see this favoring of towards even when the Book of Mormon quotes from Isaiah. This same verse is quoted in 1 Nephi 21, and there we also have towards:

There is, however, one instance in an Isaiah quote where the earliest textual sources support toward. For discussion, see 2 Nephi 21:14.

As discussed under 1 Nephi 5:22, we let the earliest textual sources determine the correct reading for each instance of toward(s). This procedure will be followed even if the passage disagrees with the reading of the King James Bible. For discussion of that specific issue, see 1 Nephi 21:23. Also see the general discussion under towards in volume 3.

Summary: Maintain the use of towards in 2 Nephi 6:7 (as well as in 1 Nephi 21:23); in both cases, the earliest textual sources read towards, the normal form in the Book of Mormon.

Analysis of Textual Variants of the Book of Mormon, Part. 1

References