Moroni tells us this record was written “in the characters
which are called among us the reformed Egyptian” (Mormon 9:32). Nephi told us
this in the very beginning of the small plates. “Yea, I make a record in the
language of my father, which consists of the learning of the Jews and the
language of the Egyptians” (1 Nephi 1:2).
“And it came to pass that [King Benjamin] had three sons;
and he called their names Mosiah, and Helorum, and Helaman. And he caused that
they should be taught in all the language of his fathers, that thereby they
might become men of understanding; and that they might know concerning the
prophecies which had been spoken by the mouths of their fathers, which were
delivered them by the hand of the Lord.
“And he also taught them concerning the records which were
engraven on the plates of brass, saying: My sons, I would that ye should
remember that were it not for these plates, which contain these records and
these commandments, we must have suffered in ignorance, even at this present
time, not knowing the mysteries of God.
“For it were not possible that our father, Lehi, could have
remembered all these things, to have taught them to his children, except it
were for the help of these plates; for he having been taught in the language of
the Egyptians therefore he could read these engravings, and teach them to his
children, that thereby they could teach them to their children, and so
fulfilling the commandments of God, even down to this present time” (Mosiah
1:2-4).
“Here we learn that reformed Egyptian, whatever it may have
been, was directly linked to the popular language spoken by the Nephites. It is
likely that Moroni meant that their speech patterns had brought about
alterations in their grammar and that it therefore subsequently forced changes
in the more literarily useful reformed Egyptian.”
“Nephi originally wrote in some form of Egyptian script;
however, as the language and script were handed down from generation to
generation they were ‘reformed’ or ‘altered by us, according to our manner of
speech’ (Mormon 9:32). The imperfection in language derives not from the
original Hebrew and Egyptian, but from the subsequent mixing of these languages
with New World languages that occurred during the nearly thousand years of
Nephite history.”
Moroni refers to the size of the plate as the reason for
writing in “reformed Egyptian.” The Hebrew language, in some form, was
preserved among the Nephites according the Moroni. Had the plates been larger,
they would have written in Hebrew, which would have given us a perfect record.
“And as these plates are small, and as these things are
written for the intent of the benefit of our brethren the Lamanites, wherefore,
it must needs be that I write a little; but I shall not write the things of my
prophesying, nor of my revelations. For what could I write more than my fathers
have written? For have not they revealed the plan of salvation? I say unto you,
Yea; and this sufficeth me…
“And I, Jarom, do not write more, for the plates are small.
But behold, my brethren, ye can go to the other plates of Nephi; for behold,
upon them the records of our wars are engraven, according to the writings of
the kings, or those which they caused to be written” (Jarom 1:2, 14).
Mormon breaks into the record of 3 Nephi to explain, “And I
know the record which I make to be a just and a true record; nevertheless there
are many things which, according to our language, we are not able to write” (3
Nephi 5:18).
34 But the Lord knoweth the things which we have written,
and also that none other people knoweth our language; and because that none
other people knoweth our language, therefore he hath prepared means for the
interpretation thereof.
The Lord knows what they have written. No one knows the
Nephite language. Because of the lack of knowledge, the Lord has prepared a way
for the record to be translated. We see he was referring to the Urim and
Thumim. “Now Ammon said unto him: I can assuredly tell thee, O king, of a man
that can translate the records; for he has wherewith that he can look, and
translate all records that are of ancient date; and it is a gift from God. And
the things are called interpreters, and no man can look in them except he be
commanded, lest he should look for that he ought not and he should perish. And
whosoever is commanded to look in them, the same is called seer” (Mosiah 8:13).
“And behold, these two stones will I give unto thee, and ye
shall seal them up also with the things which ye shall write…
“And it came to pass that the Lord commanded him that he
should seal up the two stones which he had received, and show them not, until
the Lord should show them unto the children of men” (Ether 3:23, 28).
“Behold, I say unto you, that you must rely upon my word,
which if you do with full purpose of heart, you shall have a view of the
plates, and also of the breastplate, the sword of Laban, the Urim and Thummim,
which were given to the brother of Jared upon the mount, when he talked with
the Lord face to face, and the miraculous directors which were given to Lehi
while in the wilderness, on the borders of the Red Sea” (D&C 17:1).
“We know that Egyptian glyphs were occasionally used in
ancient Palestine to write the sounds of Hebrew words. Initially, at least,
Nephi began his record by writing in this ‘language of my father’ (1 Nephi
1:2), apparently using glyphic signs to represent the Hebrew tongue; yet by the
end of the record Moroni said, ‘none other people knoweth our language’ (Mormon
9:34). That may mean that the system of writing they used for their sacred and
historical records could convey more than one spoken language.”
The records are written for the Lamanites, so “that we may
rid our garments of the blood of our brethren” (Mormon 9:35). “After my seed
and the seed of my brethren shall have dwindled in unbelief, and shall have
been smitten by the Gentiles; yea, after the Lord God shall have camped against
them round about, and shall have laid siege against them with a mount, and
raised forts against them; and after they shall have been brought down low in
the dust, even that they are not, yet the words of the righteous shall be
written, and the prayers of the faithful shall be heard, and all those who have
dwindled in unbelief shall not be forgotten” (2 Nephi 26:15).
The Nephites, Moroni reminds us, hoped to bring the gospel
truths to the Lamanites. This has been subject of numerous people who dwelt in
the land of their inheritance.
“And he knoweth their prayers, that they were in behalf of
their brethren. And he knoweth their faith, for in his name could they remove
mountains; and in his name could they cause the earth to shake; and by the
power of his word did they cause prisons to tumble to the earth; yea, even the
fiery furnace could not harm them, neither wild beasts nor poisonous serpents,
because of the power of his word.
“And behold, their prayers were also in behalf of him that
the Lord should suffer to bring these things forth.
“And no one need say they shall not come, for they surely
shall, for the Lord hath spoken it; for out of the earth shall they come, by
the hand of the Lord, and none can stay it; and it shall come in a day when it
shall be said that miracles are done away; and it shall come even as if one
should speak from the dead” (Mormon 8:24-26).
Moroni, believing he had completed the Nephite record,
closed the record with these words: “And may the Lord Jesus Christ grant that
their prayers may be answered according to their faith; and may God the Father
remember the covenant which he hath made with the house of Israel; and may he
bless them forever, through faith on the name of Jesus Christ. Amen” (Mormon
9:37).
And here ends the Nephite record, or so Moroni believed.
