Why did King Benjamin become King Mosiah?
A friend found two passages where the 1830 Book of Mormon names Benjamin and the current edition names Mosiah. They think the first edition put Benjamin in the story after his death.
Your question from the walkthrough
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Exchange 1 of 3
“Were both names changed in 1837?”
Exchange 2 of 3
“If the old verse says Benjamin had the gift, does it say he translated the plates?”
Exchange 3 of 3
“What makes the Ether verse harder to explain?”
A response you could give
The first edition does say Benjamin in both places. I can see why a later editor would prefer Mosiah, who received and translated the records. The two three-year notices leave the exact timing open. Ether is the harder case because Benjamin would need access to the writings. A chronology correction is plausible. The editions show the change and leave the earlier reading’s origin open.