Of the 8 verses from the Book of Mormon that contain possible or likely KJV translation errors all of these “errors” seem to be preserved in the 1611 King James Version.

In general, the Book of Mormon appears to rely exclusively on the 1769 King James translation (compared with the 1611 King James Version or other derivatives) in other instances where the two texts diverge.

For instance, compare Isaiah 49:13 (and 1 Nephi 21:13):

  • 1611 - Sing, O heauen, and be ioyfull, O earth, and breake forth into singing, O mountaines: for God hath comforted his people, and will haue mercy vpon his afflicted.
  • 1769 - Sing, O heavens; and be joyful, O earth; and break forth into singing, O mountains: for the LORD hath comforted his people, and will have mercy upon his afflicted.
  • BofM - Sing, O heavens; and be joyful, O earth; for the feet of those who are in the east shall be established; and break forth into singing, O mountains; for they shall be smitten no more; for the Lord hath comforted his people, and will have mercy upon his afflicted.

Also, the Book of Mormon appears not to have been directly influenced by the 1611 KJV syntax, as reported in Royal Skousen and Stanford Carmack’s latest BYU Studies article (2018, from a pre-print copy):

… Stanford Carmack has found that the Book of Mormon syntax matches best what we find in English from the second half of the 1500s, but it does not match the syntax of the 1611 King James Bible … (emphasis added)

Finally, in matters of style and spelling, it seems clear that the Book of Mormon generally followed after the 1769 KJV but not the 1611 version.

1611, 1769, BoM comparision of problematic verses

I used bomdb to pull from the Book of Mormon, which defaults to the 1829 edition. I used this 1611 KJV and this 1769 KJV.

  1. Isaiah 10:18; 2 Nephi 20:18
    • 1611 - And shall consume the glory of his forrest, and of his fruitfull field both soule and body: and they shall bee as when a standerd bearer fainteth.
    • 1769 - And shall consume the glory of his forest, and of his fruitful field, both soul and body: and they shall be as when a standardbearer fainteth.
    • BofM - and shall consume the glory of his forest and of his fruitful field, both soul and body. And they shall be as when a standard-bearer fainteth.
  2. Isaiah 3:2; 2 Nephi 13:2
    • 1611 - The mighty man, and the man of warre; the Iudge and the Prophet, and the prudent, and the ancient,
    • 1769 - The mighty man, and the man of war, the judge, and the prophet, and the prudent, and the ancient,
    • BofM - the mighty man and the man of war, the judge and the prophet and the prudent and the ancient,
  3. Isaiah 2:16; 2 Nephi 12:16
    • 1611 - And vpon all the ships of Tarshish, and vpon all pleasant pictures.
    • 1769 - And upon all the ships of Tarshish, and upon all pleasant pictures.
    • BofM - and upon all the ships of the sea and upon all the ships of Tarshish, and upon all the pleasant pictures.
  4. Isaiah 3:3; 2 Nephi 13:3
    • 1611 - The captaine of fiftie, and the honourable man, and the counseller, and the cunning artificer, and the eloquent oratour.
    • 1769 - The captain of fifty, and the honourable man, and the counsellor, and the cunning artificer, and the eloquent orator.
    • BofM - the captain of fifty and the honorable man and the counselor and the cunning artificer and the eloquent orator.
  5. Isaiah 9:1; 2 Nephi 19:1
    • 1611 - Neuerthelesse the dimnesse 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 grieuously afflict her by the way of the Sea, beyond Iordan in Galile of the nations.
    • 1769 - 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.
    • BofM 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 grieviously afflict by the way of the Red Sea, beyond Jordan in Galilee of the nations.
  6. Isaiah 11:3; 2 Nephi 21:3
    • 1611 - And shal make him of quicke vnderstanding in the feare of the Lord, and he shall not iudge after the sight of his eyes, neither reproue after the hearing of his eares.
    • 1769 - And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the LORD: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears:
    • BofM - and shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the Lord. And he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears,
  7. Isaiah 13:22; 2 Nephi 23:22
    • 1611 - And the wilde beastes of the Ilands shal cry in their desolate houses, and dragons in their pleasant palaces: and her time is neere to come, and her dayes shall not be prolonged.
    • 1769 - And the wild beasts of the islands shall cry in their desolate houses, and dragons in their pleasant palaces: and her time is near to come, and her days shall not be prolonged.
    • BofM - And the wild beasts of the islands shall cry in their desolate houses, and dragons in their pleasant palaces. And her time is near to come and her day shall not be prolonged, for I will destroy her speedily. Yea, for I will be merciful unto my people, but the wicked shall perish.
  8. Isaiah 49:5; 1 Nephi 21:5
    • 1611 - And now, saith the Lord that formed me from the wombe to be his seruant, to bring Iacob againe to him; Though Israel be not gathered, yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of the Lord, and my God shall bee my strength.
    • 1769 - And now, saith the LORD that formed me from the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob again to him, Though Israel be not gathered, yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of the LORD, and my God shall be my strength.
    • BofM - And now saith the Lord that formed me from the womb that I should be his servant to bring Jacob again to him. Though Israel be not gathered, yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of the Lord, and my God shall be my strength.