1 Nephi 18:17
1830 Edition
Now, my father, Lehi, had said many things unto them, and also unto the sons of Ishmael; but, behold, they did breathe out much threatnings against any one that should speak for me; and my parents being stricken in years, and having suffered much grief because of their children, they were brought down, yea, even upon their sick beds.
Changes
Simple English
My father, Lehi, had said many things to them and to Ishmael’s sons. But they made many threats against anyone who would speak for me. My parents were old and had suffered much sadness because of their children. They were brought down to their sick beds.
Paraphrase
My father Lehi had tried to talk to them, and so had Ishmael’s sons. But they threatened anyone who defended me. My parents were old and had suffered so much grief because of their children that they collapsed—they were confined to their sickbeds.
Notes
"In the Book of Mormon many of the stories appear to be biblical stories retold in a new setting. In 1 Nephi we read about a great storm that the Israelites encountered on the way to America. Interestingly, the story bears a remarkable resemblance to an incident mentioned in the New Testament concerning Jesus (see Mark 4:37-39). Both stories use identical language when speaking of the storm. In 1 Nephi 18:13 we read: 'there arose a great storm...' Mark 4:37 also says: 'there arose a great storm...'
In both cases people in the boat become concerned that they are about to 'perish' and seek help from their spiritual leader. In both cases, after the leader comes forth, the storm ceases.
Almost identical wording appears in both accounts concerning the calming of the sea. 1 Nephi 18:21 states: 'the winds did cease... and there was a great calm.' In Mark 4:39 we read: 'the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.'
It seems obvious that the author of the Book of Mormon borrowed from the gospel of Mark. The close parallels certainly show a dependence on the King James account. Lehi's family, of course, would not have had access to the books of the New Testament, which were written hundreds of years after they left Jerusalem." -Jerald and Sandra Tanner, Joseph Smith's Plagiarism of the Bible in the Book of Mormon, p. 13.