17th Century Italics - The CES Letter: A Closer Look

Relationship Between KJV and Gold Plates

CES Letter Core Question

What are 17th century italicized words doing in the Book of Mormon?

CES Letter Claim

When King James translators were translating the KJV Bible between 1604 and 1611, they would occasionally put in their own words into the text to make the English more readable. We know exactly what these words are because they're italicized in the KJV Bible. What are these 17th century italicized words doing in the Book of Mormon? Word for word? What does this say about the Book of Mormon being an ancient record?

ISAIAH 9:1 (KJV)

Nevertheless the dimness shall not be such as was in her vexation, when at the first he lightly afflicted the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, and afterward did more grievously afflict her by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, in Galilee of the nations.

2 NEPHI 19:1

Nevertheless, the dimness shall not be such as was in her vexation, when at first he lightly afflicted the land of Zebulun, and the land of Naphtali, and afterwards did more grievously afflict by the way of the Red Sea beyond Jordan in Galilee of the nations.

CES Letter, Page 9

We do not know the relationship between the King James Version text and the material recorded on the gold plates.

If the plates contained the same essential message as found in the King James Version of the Bible, utilizing that text would be a logical choice.

However, none of the accounts describe Joseph as using the Bible or even owning one at that time.

If the same Spirit that inspired the King James Bible translators also inspired Joseph Smith, a similarity in the texts would not be surprising.

The similarities apparently did not bother any of the scribes who wrote for the Prophet. If something deceptive was involved, they would undoubtedly have been suspicious and critical, especially after several of them left the Church.

Without additional information, this is unsolvable. Critics make negative assumptions, which result in invalid critiques.