The Book of Mormon

2 Nephi 15:2

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~559–545 BC

1830 Edition

and he fenced it, and gathered out the stones thereof, and planted it with the choicest vine, and built a tower in the midst of it, and also made a wine-press therein: and he looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes.

Influences

Isaiah 5:2 (KJV)
And he fenced it, and gathered out the stones thereof, and planted it with the choicest vine, and built a tower in the midst of it, and also made a winepress therein: and he looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes.

Changes

aAnd he fenced it, and gathered out the stones thereof, and planted it with the choicest vine, and built a tower in the midst of it, and also made a wine-press therein:; and he looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes.

Simple English

He built a fence around it. He picked out the stones. He planted the best vines. He built a tower in the middle of it. He also made a place to press grapes for wine. He expected it to grow good grapes. But it grew wild grapes.

Paraphrase

He built a fence around it, cleared out the stones, and planted the finest grapevines. He built a watchtower in the middle and carved out a wine press. He expected a harvest of sweet grapes. Instead, he got sour, wild fruit.

Notes

15:2

It is interesting to note that the words, "he fenced it" is a mistranslation in the King James Bible, and should be rendered "he dug it" as reflected in modern translations. This is another example of the Book of Mormon author's usage and dependence of the KJV, even when the KJV translation is in error.

For additional examples, see 2 Nephi 13:2; 2 Nephi 23:15; 3 Nephi 12:15.