View source for Question: Why was the phrase "white and delightsome" changed to "pure and delightsome" in the 1840 edition of the Book of Mormon?

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==Question: Why was the phrase "white and delightsome" changed to "pure and delightsome" in the 1840 edition of the Book of Mormon?==
{{BMCentral|title=What Does it Mean to be a White and Delightsome People?|url=https://knowhy.bookofmormoncentral.org/knowhy/what-does-it-mean-to-be-a-white-and-delightsome-people|number=57}}
===This change was originally made in the 1840 edition, lost, and then restored again in the 1981 edition===

This change was originally made in the 1840 edition but because subsequent editions were based off the European editions (which followed the 1837 edition), the change did not get perpetuated until the preparation of the 1981 edition. The change is not (as the critics want to portray it) a "recent" change designed to remove a "racist" original.

The idea that the Church has somehow "hidden" the original text or manuscripts of the Book of Mormon in order to hide this is simply unbelievable. Replicas of the 1830 Book of Mormon are easily obtained on Amazon.com, and the text is freely available online. In addition, Royal Skousen has extensively studied the original Book of Mormon manuscripts and published a critical text edition of the Book of Mormon. The claim by the critics that the Church has somehow hidden these items is seriously outdated.

===The change in the 1840 edition was probably made by Joseph Smith===

This change actually first appeared in the 1840 edition, and was probably made by Joseph Smith:

* {{s|2|Nephi|30|6}} (1830 edition, italics added): "...they shall be a ''white'' and a delightsome people."
* {{s|2|Nephi|30|6}} (1840 edition, italics added): "...they shall be a ''pure'' and a delightsome people."

===The 1837 edition was used for the European editions, which were in turn used as the basis for the 1879 and 1920 editions, so the change was lost until the 1981 edition===

This particular correction is part of the changes referred to in the note "About this Edition" printed in the introductory pages:
<blockquote>
"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."
 </blockquote>
It’s doubtful that Joseph Smith had racism in mind when the change was done in 1840 or other similar verses would have been changed as well.

===The "pure" meaning likely reflected the original intent of the passage and translator===

Furthermore, "white" was a synonym for "pure" at the time Joseph translated the Book of Mormon:

<blockquote>
3. Having the color of purity; pure; clean; free from spot; as white robed innocence....5. Pure; unblemished....6. In a scriptural sense, purified from sin; sanctified. Psalm 51.<ref>{{Book:Webster:Dictionary:1828|word=white}}</ref>
</blockquote>

Thus, the "pure" meaning likely reflected the original intent of the passage and translator.
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