Keywords

Samuel the Lamanite, Book of Mormon, Source Criticism, Redaction Criticism

Abstract

During the second day of Christ’s ministry to the New World, a curious event took place. Having taught and commented on a number of biblical texts, Christ then had Nephi3 present his own record for review.1 The inspection uncovered a missing event that Christ brought to the attention of the gathered disciples: “Verily I say unto you, I commanded my servant Samuel, the Lamanite, that he should testify unto this people, that at the day that the Father should glorify his name in me that there were many saints who should arise from the dead, and should appear unto many, and should minister unto them. And he said unto them: Was it not so?” (3 Nephi 23:9). The disciples responded that Samuel had indeed uttered that prophecy and that it had come to pass, which in turn led Christ to ask why there was no written confirmation of the prophecy’s fulfillment.

Original Publication Citation

“There Was One Samuel”: Possible Multiple Sources for the Samuel Narrative,” in Samuel the Lamanite: That Ye Might Believe, ed. by Charles L. Swift, Book of Mormon Academy Series 3. (Salt Lake City: (Religious Studies Center and Deseret Book, 2021), 251-292)