DC-KJV and JE-D&C 5
Annotation of D&C 5 – preliminary
D&C 5 is a good example because it shows that a high percentage of Joseph Smith’s language is also KJV language. Few of the KJV words/phrases are not also found in Edwards, including the so-called "blended" passages.
The blue D&C words/phrases in the annotation are nonbiblical and also not found in Edwards. In some cases noted below, the nonbiblical language is close to Edwards (e.g., plural instead of singular). There are several examples in the Book of Mormon and D&C of paraphrased or misquoted passages from the KJV that are identical to paraphrased or misquoted KJV passages in Edwards' works.
The red words/phrases are nonbiblical D&C wording that are also found in Edwards' works.
Purple are nonbiblical D&C words/phrases similar to Edwards.
Naturally, Edwards is not the only person who ever used this nonbiblical Book of Mormon terminology. English is a common language or we couldn't understand one another. But the ready availability of Edwards' works in Palmyra during Joseph's youth indicates that Edwards was a possible source for Joseph's vocabulary that he used when translating the plates and receiving revelations.
Bold = KJV
Blue = nonbiblical BofM/D&C w/o JE (If unique to this instance, no footnote is given)
Red = nonbiblical BofM/D&C and JE
Purple = nonbiblical BofM/D&C similar to JE
Section 5
Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet, at Harmony, Pennsylvania, March 1829, at the request of Martin Harris.
1–10, This generation will receive the Lord’s word through Joseph Smith;
11–18, Three witnesses will testify of the Book of Mormon;
19–20, The word of the Lord will be verified as in previous times;
21–35, Martin Harris may repent and be one of the witnesses.
1 Behold, I say unto you, that as my servant Martin Harris has desired a witness at my hand[1], that you, my servant Joseph Smith, Jun., have got the plates of which you have testified and borne record that you have received of me;
2 And now, behold, this shall you say unto him—he who spake unto you, said unto you: I, the Lord, am God, and have given these things unto you, my servant Joseph Smith, Jun., and have commanded you that you should stand as a witness[2] of these things;
3 And I have caused you that you should enter into a covenant with me, that you should not show them except to those persons to whom I commanded you; and you have no power over them except I grant it unto you.
4 And you have a gift to translate the plates; and this is the first gift that I bestowed[3] upon you; and I have commanded that you should pretend[4] to no other gift until my purpose is fulfilled in this; for I will grant unto you no other gift until it is finished.
5 Verily, I say unto you, that woe shall come unto the inhabitants of the earth[5] if they will not hearken[6] unto my words;
6 For hereafter you shall be ordained and go forth and deliver my words unto the children of men.
7 Behold, if they will not believe my words, they would not believe you, my servant Joseph, if it were possible[7] that you should show them all these things which I have committed unto you.
8 Oh, this unbelieving and stiffnecked generation[8]—mine anger is kindled[9] against them.
9 Behold, verily I say unto you, I have reserved those things which I have entrusted[10] unto you, my servant Joseph, for a wise purpose[11] in me, and it shall be made known unto future generations[12];
10 But this generation shall have my word through you;
11 And in addition to your testimony, the testimony of three of my servants, whom I shall call and ordain, unto whom I will show these things, and they shall go forth with my words that are given through you.
12 Yea, they shall know of a surety[13] that these things are true, for from heaven will I declare it unto them.
13 I will give them power that they may behold and view these things as they are;
14 And to none else will I grant this power, to receive this same testimony among this generation, in this the beginning of the rising up[14] and the coming forth[15] of my church out of the wilderness—clear as the moon[16], and fair as the sun[17], and terrible as an army with banners[18].
15 And the testimony of three witnesses will I send forth of my word.
16 And behold, whosoever believeth on my words, them will I visit with the manifestation of[19] my Spirit; and they shall be born of me, even of water and of the Spirit[20]—
17 And you must wait yet a little while, for ye are not yet ordained—
18 And their testimony shall also go forth unto the condemnation of[21] this generation if they harden their hearts[22] against them;
19 For a desolating[23] scourge[24] shall go forth among the inhabitants of the earth, and shall continue to be poured out from time to time[25], if they repent not, until the earth is empty, and the inhabitants thereof are consumed away[26] and utterly destroyed[27] by the brightness [28]of my coming.
20 Behold, I tell you these things, even as I also told the people of the destruction of Jerusalem[29]; and my word shall be[30] verified[31] at this time as it hath hitherto been verified.
21 And now I command you, my servant Joseph, to repent and walk more uprightly[32] before me, and to yield to the persuasions[33] of men no more;
22 And that you be firm[34] in keeping the commandments[35] wherewith I have commanded you; and if you do this, behold I grant unto you[36] eternal life, even if you should be slain.
23 And now, again, I speak unto you, my servant Joseph, concerning the man[37] that desires the witness—
24 Behold, I say unto him, he exalts himself and does not humble himself[38] sufficiently[39] before me; but if he will bow down[40] before me, and humble himself in mighty prayer and faith, in the sincerity of his heart[41], then will I grant unto him a view of the things which he desires to see.
25 And then he shall say unto the people of this generation: Behold, I have seen the things which the Lord hath shown unto Joseph Smith, Jun., and I know of a surety[42] that they are true, for I have seen them, for they have been shown unto me by the power of God and not of man[43].
26 And I the Lord command him, my servant Martin Harris, that he shall say no more unto them concerning these things[44], except he shall say: I have seen them, and they have been shown unto me by the power of God; and these are the words which he shall say.
27 But if he deny this he will break the covenant[45] which he has before covenanted with me, and behold, he is condemned.
28 And now, except he humble himself and acknowledge unto me the things that he has done which are wrong, and covenant with me that he will keep my commandments, and exercise faith[46] in me, behold, I say unto him, he shall have no such views, for I will grant unto him no views of the things of which I have spoken.
29 And if this be the case[47], I command you, my servant Joseph, that you shall say unto him, that he shall do no more, nor trouble me any more concerning this matter[48].
30 And if this be the case, behold, I say unto thee Joseph, when thou hast translated a few more pages thou shalt stop for a season, even until I command thee again; then thou mayest translate again.
31 And except thou do this, behold, thou shalt have no more gift, and I will take away the things which I have entrusted with thee.
32 And now, because I foresee the lying in wait[49] to destroy thee, yea, I foresee that if my servant Martin Harris humbleth not himself and receive a witness from my hand, that he will fall into transgression[50];
33 And there are many that lie in wait[51] to destroy thee from off the face of the earth; and for this cause, that thy days may be prolonged[52], I have given unto thee these commandments.
34 Yea, for this cause I have said: Stop, and stand still[53] until I command thee, and I will provide means[54] whereby thou mayest accomplish the thing[55] which I have commanded thee.
35 And if thou art faithful in keeping my commandments[56], thou shalt be lifted up at the last day[57]. Amen.
(Doctrine and Covenants 5–5:35)
[1] OT (2) DC (2) PGP (2) JE (1)
[2] BM (1) DC (2)
[3] OT (7) NT (7) BM (6) DC (8) JE (700)
[4] “pretend” BM (1) DC (2) JE (750) JE: “I, who pretend to no such degree of modesty in writing” “those who pretend to no experiences “
[5] OT (7) NT (1) BM (6) DC (24) PGP (2) JE (70)
[6] OT (17) BM (6) DC (2) PGP (1) JE (21)
[7] NT (5) BM (10) DC (2) JE (40)
[8] “stiffnecked” OT (8) NT (1) BM (20) DC (1) JE (35). “Stiffnecked generation” DC (1) JE (1) JE notes: “The old generation were like the stiffnecked generation in this world…”
[9] OT (1) DC (5) PGP (3) JE (1)
[10] BM (5) DC (8) JE (25) JE: “The church is represented in Scripture as the household of God, that are in a peculiar manner entrusted with the care of his name” “would not the prince expect that he, with whom he had entrusted this treasure, should use great care in keeping it? “
[11] BM (6) DC (2) JE (1) JE: “to influence them to any good and wise purpose “
[12] BM (7) DC (1) JE (40)
[13] OT (1) NT )1) BM (11) DC (3) JE (1)
[14] DC (1) JE (3)
[15] DC (1) JE (2) JE: “the second treats the coming forth of Christ”
[16] DC (2)
[17] DC (2)
[18] OT (2) DC (2) JE (10) OT: “10 ¶ Who is she that looketh forth as the morning, fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners?” (Song of Solomon 6:10) Note: DC 109:73 quotes SofS correctly. JE also compared SofS to the church: “The congregation in the wilderness were in the form of an army, and an army with banners . So the church of the Messiah is often represented as an army.”
[19] NT )3) BM (2) DC (4) JE (500) NT: « But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.
(1 Corinthians 12:7)”
[20] NT (1) DC (1) PGP (1) JE (8)
[21] NT (1) DC (3) JE (20) NT : « the devil » DC : « this generation, man, the ungodly” JE: “the devil, sinners, the law”
[22] OT (1) BM (24) DC (5) JE (20)
[23] DC (2) JE (3) JE: “a state of great prosperity without such terrible, desolating calamities as wars, pestilences, and the like to diminish them”
[24] OT (5) NT (7) BM (11) DC (6) JE (40)
[25] OT (3) BM (12) DC (16) PGP (1) JE (900)
[26] OT (1) DC (1) JE (3)
[27] OT (21) BM (3) DC (1) PGP (1) JE (60)
[28] OT (19) NT (3) BM (7) DC (3) PGP (2) JE (500) NT : « shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:”
(2 Thessalonians 2:8)
[29] BM (4) DC (1) PGP (1) JE (180)
[30] “shall be verified” DC (1) JE (1)
[31] OT (3) BM (7) DC (2) JE (100)
[32] OT (11) NT (1) BM (6) DC (7) JE (35) Psalms15 :2 «He that walketh uprightly”
[33] BM (2) DC (2) JE (20) JE: “the deceitful persuasions of a pretended friend”
[34] DC (1) JE (10) JE: “be firm in your resolution in this matter”
[35] BM (17) DC (3) JE (10) JE: “They endure temptation and continue keeping the commandments of God through all difficulties and trials”
[36] BM (9) DC (5)
[37] DC (1) JE (3)
[38] Nt (2) dc (5) je (30)
[39] OT (2) BM (18) DC (5) je (330)
[40] OT (23) NT (1) BM (12) DC (2) PGP (1) JE (50)
[41] BM (1) DC (1) JE (3) JE: “he professed the sincerity of his heart”
[42] OT (1) NT (1) BM (11) DC (3) JE (1)
[43] DC (3) JE (8) JE: “the excellency of the power might be of God and not of man” paraphrasing “the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.” (2 Corinthians 4:7)
[44] BM (15) DC (5) JE (19)
[45] OT (1) BM (1) DC (2)
[46] BM (4) DC (2) JE (7) JE (Brainerd): “I am persuaded God enabled me to exercise faith in him”
[47] BM (4) DC (2) JE (30)
[48] OT (1) (matter in italics) BM (4) DC (6) JE (20)
[49] OT (3) NT (2) DC (1) JE (1) JE: “ the chief Captain, of the Jews lying in wait to kill him”
[50] BM (10) DC (1)
[51] OT (11) NT (2) DC (3) JE (3)
[52] OT (2) DC (1)
[53] OT (6) NT (1) DC (2) JE (35)
[54] BM (2) DC (1) JE (3)
[55] BM (3) DC (1) JE (1)
[56] BM (2) DC (4) JE (1)
[57] BM (9) DC (5)