Alma 7:11 Textual Variants

Royal Skousen
and he shall go forth suffering [pain >+ pains 1|pains ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRST] and [affliction >+ afflictions 1|afflictions ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRST] and [temptation >+ temptations 1|temptations ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRST] of every kind

In this passage, scribe 2 of 𝓟 initially wrote “pain and affliction and temptation”, then corrected this sequence of singulars to plurals (each s is inserted inline and with slightly heavier ink flow, perhaps the result of scribe 2 redipping his quill). Either the singular or the plural is possible for these nouns. Consider, in particular, other passages that refer to the suffering of Christ; for these passages, there are instances of both singular and plural for pain(s) and temptation(s):

Generally, the three nouns pain(s), affliction(s), and temptation(s) are not conjoined in the text, neither all together nor in pairs; the only other example besides the one in Alma 7:11 is in Mosiah 3:7, listed above. Overall, the text allows both the singular and plural for these nouns:

singular plural

pain 8 times pains 19 times
affliction 12 times afflictions 79 times
temptation 9 times temptations 10 times

In each case, we will let the earliest textual source determine the number. Here in Alma 7:11, the corrected plural nouns do not appear to be due to conscious editing; instead, they probably represent the reading of the original manuscript. The critical text will accept the plural readings for this passage.

Summary: Accept in Alma 7:11 the corrected plural nouns pains, afflictions, and temptations; the original manuscript, not extant here, probably read in the plural since either singular or plural forms are acceptable.

Analysis of Textual Variants of the Book of Mormon, Part. 3

References