Keywords
1 Nephi, Book of Mormon, scribal training, colophon
Abstract
Nephi begins his book according to traditions he learned in his scribal training.277 He adds a colophon,278 which had two functions: describe the contents of the book and to identify that author. The synoptic header prior to chapter I provides the outline of the events to be covered in Nephi’s first book: the departure of the family from Jerusalem, the journey into the wilderness, the return to Jerusalem for the brass plates, the acquisition of wives from Ishmael’s family, the arrival at Bountiful, the building of a ship, and the journey to the new world. Evidence from Mormon’s use of the synoptic headers suggests that the synopsis was considered a part of the text. There was no apparent difference between the synopsis and the beginning of the text, as there is no evidence of such separation either in the extant original manuscript or in the printer’s manuscript. Separating the synopsis appears to have been the compositor’s choice. It is not unreasonable under modern considerations, and certainly followed typical practices for printed texts of the day.
Recommended Citation
Gardner, Brant
(2020)
"Chapter 11: Book of 1 Nephi,"
Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship: Vol. 35, Article 17.
Available at:
https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/interpreter/vol35/iss1/17
