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Chapter 4 - No chapter

Brief Explanation about

the book of Mormon

The Book of Mormon is a sacred record of peoples in ancient America and

was engraved upon metal plates. Sources from which this record was

compiled include the following:

1. The Plates of Nephi, which were of two kinds: the small plates and the

large plates. The former were more particularly devoted to spiritual

matters and the ministry and teachings of the prophets, while the lat- ter were occupied mostly by a secular history of the peoples concerned

(1 Nephi 9:2–4). From the time of Mosiah, however, the large plates also

included items of major spiritual importance.

2. The Plates of Mormon, which consist of an abridgment by Mormon from

the large plates of Nephi, with many commentaries. These plates also

contained a continuation of the history by Mormon and additions by his

son Moroni.

3. The Plates of Ether, which present a history of the Jaredites. This record

was abridged by Moroni, who inserted comments of his own and incorpo- rated the record with the general history under the title "Book of Ether."

4. The Plates of Brass brought by the people of Lehi from Jerusalem in

600 b.c. These contained "the five books of Moses, . . . and also a record of

the Jews from the beginning, . . . down to the commencement of the reign

of Zedekiah, king of Judah; and also the prophecies of the holy prophets"

(1 Nephi 5:11–13). Many quotations from these plates, citing Isaiah and

other biblical and nonbiblical prophets, appear in the Book of Mormon.

The Book of Mormon comprises fifteen main parts or divisions, known,

with one exception, as books, usually designated by the name of their princi- pal author. The first portion (the first six books, ending with Omni) is a trans- lation from the small plates of Nephi. Between the books of Omni and Mosiah

is an insert called the Words of Mormon. This insert connects the record

engraved on the small plates with Mormon's abridgment of the large plates.

The longest portion, from Mosiah through Mormon chapter 7, is a trans- lation of Mormon's abridgment of the large plates of Nephi. The concluding

portion, from Mormon chapter 8 to the end of the volume, was engraved

by Mormon's son Moroni, who, after finishing the record of his father's life,

made an abridgment of the Jaredite record (as the book of Ether) and later

added the parts known as the book of Moroni.

In or about the year a.d. 421, Moroni, the last of the Nephite prophet-

historians, sealed the sacred record and hid it up unto the Lord, to be brought

forth in the latter days, as predicted by the voice of God through His ancient

prophets. In a.d. 1823, this same Moroni, then a resurrected personage, visited

the Prophet Joseph Smith and subsequently delivered the engraved plates

to him.

About this edition: The original title page, immediately preceding the contents

page, is taken from the plates and is part of the sacred text. Introductions in

a non-italic typeface, such as in 1 Nephi and immediately preceding Mosiah

chapter 9, are also part of the sacred text. Introductions in italics, such as in

chapter headings, are not original to the text but are study helps included for

convenience in reading.

Some minor errors in the text have been perpetuated in past editions of

the Book of Mormon. This edition contains corrections that seem appropriate

to bring the material into conformity with prepublication manuscripts and

early editions edited by the Prophet Joseph Smith.