The Book of Mormon

Alma 2:27

1830 Edition

And behold, as they were crossing the river Sidon, the Lamanites and the Amlicites, being as numerous almost, as it were, as the sands of the sea, came upon them to destroy them;

Influences

Genesis 32:12 (KJV)
And thou saidst, I will surely do thee good, and make thy seed as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude.

Changes

And behold, as they were crossing the river Sidon, the Lamanites and the Amlicites, being as numerous almost, as it were, as the sands of the sea, came upon them to destroy them;.

Simple English

As they crossed the river Sidon, the Lamanites and Amlicites came to kill them. There were almost as many enemies as the sand on the beach.

Paraphrase

As they were crossing the Sidon River, the Lamanites and Amlicites—countless as the sand of the sea—attacked them.