Hebraism in the Book of Mormon — Progressive repetitions
The repetition of a thought or of a specific grouping of words is a very common grammatical occurrence in the Hebrew and Semitic languages. It is used much less frequently in English, the language into which Joseph Smith translated the Book of Mormon. This Hebraic influence is seen repeatedly in the Bible and the Book of Mormon. Examples include:
From the Bible:
- Amos 4: 6-11 — “And I also have given you cleanness of teeth…And also I have withholden the rain from you…I have smitten you with blasting and mildew…I have sent among you the pestilence… I have overthrown some of you…”
- Matthew 5:3-11 — notice the obvious repetition of “Blessed are the…”
- 1 Corinthians 13:11 — “When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child…”
- Philippians 4:8 — “…whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, if there be any praise…
From the Book of Mormon:
- 1 Nephi 10:19 — “…as well in these times as in times of old, and as well in times of old as in times to come…”
- 2 Nephi 26:26-28 — “…hath he commanded any that they should depart out of the synagogues?…hath he commanded any that they should not partake of his salvation? … hath the Lord commanded any that they should not partake of his goodness?”
- 2 Nephi 27:3 — “…shall be as a dream of a night vision…as a hungry man which dreameth, and behold he eateth, but he awaketh and his soul is empty; or like unto a thirsty man which dreameth, and he drinketh but he awaketh and behold he is faint,”
- 2 Nephi 27:4 — “…ye shall be drunken but not with wine, ye shall stagger but not with strong drink.”
- Alma 5:6 — “… have you sufficiently retained in remembrance … have you sufficiently retained in remembrance … have ye sufficiently retained in remembrance …”
- Alma 7:6 — “…I trust that…I trust that…I trust that…I trust that…”
- 3 Nephi 9:3-11 — notice the obvious repetition of names of cities and the disasters that occurred in each one.
- Mormon 9:26 — “… who can stand against the works … Who can deny his sayings … Who will rise up against the almighty … Who will despise the works … Who will despise the children…”
- Ether 2:17 — “… they would hold water like unto a dish … the bottom was tight like unto a dish … the sides were tight like unto a dish … the top was tight like unto a dish … it was tight like unto a dish.”
All of the above is further evidence that the Book of Mormon is indeed sacred, translated scripture, and not the crafty deceptions of a cunning, sinister young man in upstate New York in the 1820’s, as the critics would propose.
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