Hebrew Parallelism

Punctuation Issues in the Book of Mormon

 

English punctuation often detracts from Hebrew meaning. 

The original Book of Mormon book printers did not know the book of Mormon was of 'Hebrew' origin. 

Original meaning can be confused simply by inappropriate English punctuation.

 

English Book of Mormon punctuation improvements are required to convey the Hebrew intent.

 

For instance, consider this verse as it reads in the English Book of Mormon:

 

 

Helaman 4:71 And may God grant in His great fullness that men might be brought unto repentance and good works, That they might be restored unto grace for grace according to their works.

 

First, the verse is not originally a run-on sentence, but that is how American book publishers wrote it.  Run-on sentencing makes meaning obscured.

 

To better understand the intent, consider the Hebrew elements of this verse missed by the English punctuation:

·        The Parallel,

·        The Ellipsis,

·        The Epistrophe.

 

The Parallel. The verse compares these parallel ideas: 

In this verse, the parallel is being brought unto repentance leads to being restored unto grace (Jesus).

 

It is better to show these parallels as separate lines:

 

That men might be brought unto repentance and good works,

             That they might be restored unto grace

 

The Ellipsis. Ellipsis is a missing noun or verb. The missing noun or verb emphasizes meaning.

 

In this verse 'be restored' is the verb stated first, then omitted in the last line.

The missing ellipsis in the last line implies: 'they will be restored to'

 

That they might be restored unto grace.

For (they will be restored to) grace according to their works.

 

The Epistrophe is the culminating thought or the climax of the verse. Epistrophe summarizes the previous points.

 

This Epistrophe is summarized by the last line, teaching that we will be judged by our works to return to Jesus (the 'work' being a broken and contrite heart): 

 

For grace according to their works.

 

Better Format and Punctuation of Helaman 4:71

How can improved punctuation and formatting better convey meaning?

 

Here the same verse shows parallel, ellipsis and epistrophe using the same words:

Improved:

 

Helaman 4:71 

And may God grant in His great fullness,

   That men might be brought unto repentance and good works,         (Parallel)

   That they might be restored unto grace.                                                    (Parallel and Ellipsis)

For grace according to their works.                                                                (Epistrophe)

 

The confusion of 'grace for grace according to their works' was a run-on sentence now omitted.

 

By understanding Hebrew intent, so much can be learned from this verse:

·        The fullness of God's gift is to restore us to Him.

·        This is his gracious gift to us. 

·        This gift is only received after our repentance and evidence of a changed heart. 

·        The restoration of grace to us (returning to God's presence) only is given when our works demonstrate a broken and contrite (changed) heart (i.e. 'works')

 

Other examples where English punctuation detracts from the Book of Mormon's intent

 

2 Nephi 1:114 But behold, all things have been done in the wisdom of Him who knoweth all things; 

(LDS: 2 Nephi 2:24)

Improved:

 

And now behold, if Adam had not transgressed,

   he would not have fallen.

   but he would have remained in the garden of Eden;

And all things which were created must have remained in the same state which they were after that they were created,

   And they must have remained forever and had no end.

   And they would have had no children;

Wherefore, they would have remained in a state of innocence

   having no joy for they knew no misery,

   doing no good for they knew no sin.

But behold, all things have been done in the wisdom of Him who knoweth all things.

Correction:  verse 114 is the Epistophe (conclusion) to the thought of verse 113, and shouldn't be left on its own. Rather verse 114 should be grouped with verses 111-113)

___

 

2 Nephi 5:86 Awake, awake. put on strength, O arm of the Lord. Awake, as in the ancient days. 

(LDS: 2 Nephi 8:9)

It is not 'awake, awake' but 'Awake.  Awake, put on strength'  See Watson's explanation.

Improved:

Awake.

Awake put on strength,

   O arm of the Lord.

Awake as in the ancient days. 

This verse has synonymous parallelism ending with a climactic conclusion (Epistrophe)

___

 

 

2 Nephi 5:100 Awake, awake. stand up, O Jerusalem, which hast drunk at the hand of the Lord the cup of His fury. 

(LDS: 2 Nephi 8:17)

 

Improved:

Awake.

Awake, stand up,

   O Jerusalem.

Which hast drunk at the hand of the Lord the cup of His fury. (Ellipsis: Jerusalem)

This verse has synonymous parallelism ending with a climactic conclusion (Epistrophe) and Ellipsis

___

 

2 Nephi 5:112 Awake, awake. put on thy strength, O Zion; Put on thy beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city. 

(LDS: 2 Nephi 8:24)

Improved:

Awake.

Awake put on thy strength,

   O Zion.

Put on thy beautiful garments

   O Jerusalem the holy city. 

___

 

2 Nephi 11:10 And I have made mention unto my children concerning the judgments of God which hath come to pass among the Jews - unto my children, according to all that which Isaiah hath spoken; And I do not write them; 

(LDS: 2 Nephi 25:6)

Improved:

 

And I have made mention unto my children concerning the judgments of God which hath come to pass among the Jews unto my children,

    according to all that which Isaiah hath spoken;

 And I do not write them; 

(Hyphen is incorrect, the point is that Nephi has mentioned these to his children)

___

 

2 Nephi 12:13-2 Nephi 12:15

Yea, they have all gone out of the way - They have become corrupted,
because of pride, And because of false teachers and false doctrines, their churches have become corrupted and their churches are lifted up, Because of pride, they are puffed up;
They rob the poor, because of their fine sanctuaries, They rob the poor, because of their fine clothing; And they persecute the meek and the poor in heart, because in their pride they are puffed up –

(LDS: 2 Nephi 28:13)

 

Improved:

 

Yea, they have all gone out of the way.

They have become corrupted because of pride,

And because of false teachers and false doctrines,

   their churches have become corrupted                               (Synonymous Parallel)

   and their churches are lifted up because of pride.

They are puffed up.
   They rob the poor because of their fine sanctuaries,     (Synonymous Parallel)

   They rob the poor, because of their fine clothing;

And they persecute the meek and the poor in heart because in their pride they are puffed up. (Epistrophe)

·        (The comma's are incorrect.

·        Shift the commas and the meaning changes.

·        The point is what has happened because of pride

·        The verse includes synonymous parallelism on pride and robbing the poor. 

·        The end is the climax (Epistrophe) summarizing all the previous thought.)

 

___

2 Nephi 13:31-2 Nephi 13:32

And now behold, my beloved brethren, this is the way, And there is none other way nor name given under heaven whereby man can be saved in the kingdom of God.
And now behold, this is the doctrine of Christ, And the only and true doctrine of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost, which is one God without end. Amen.

(LDS: 2 Nephi 31:21)

 

Parallelism conveys more profound meaning:

 

And now behold my beloved brethren this is the way.

   And there is none other way nor name given under heaven whereby man can be saved in the kingdom of God.
And now behold, this is the doctrine of Christ.

   And the only and true doctrine of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost.

Which is one God without end.

Amen.

Through parallel form, the verse conveys that Jesus is the way, that there is no other way to salvation. And that the Father, Son and Holy Ghost are one God.

___

 

2 Nephi 13:14 And the Father saith: Repent ye. Repent ye. And be baptized in the name of My beloved Son. 

(LDS: 2 Nephi 31:11)

 

Just as the examples of 'awake' above, the first 'repent ye' stands by itself:

 

And the Father saith Repent ye.

Repent ye and be baptized in the name of My beloved Son. 

___

 

Jacob 4:14-Jacob 4:15

Know ye not that if ye will do these things, that the power of the redemption and the resurrection which is in Christ will bring you to stand with shame and awful guilt before the bar of God?
And according to the power of justice - for justice cannot be denied - that ye must go away into that lake of fire and brimstone, Whose flames are unquenchable and whose smoke ascendeth up forever and ever, which lake of fire and brimstone is endless torment?
(LDS: Jacob 6:10)

Improved:

 

Know ye not that if ye will do these things,

    That the power of the redemption

    And the resurrection which is in Christ

Will bring you to stand with shame and awful guilt before the bar of God?

And according to the power of justice

    For justice cannot be denied,

   That ye must go away into that lake of fire and brimstone,

      Whose flames are unquenchable,

      And whose smoke ascendeth up forever and ever.

Which lake of fire and brimstone is endless torment?

___

 

Jacob 4:16 O then, my beloved brethren, repent ye and enter ye in at the strait gate. And continue in the way which is narrow until ye shall obtain eternal life; 

(LDS: Jacob 6:11)

 

Improved:

O then my beloved brethren repent ye.

   and enter ye in at the strait gate.

And continue in the way which is narrow

  until ye shall obtain eternal life; 

___

 

Mosiah 1:9-Mosiah 1:10

O my sons, I would that ye should remember that these sayings are true, and also that these records are true,
And behold, also the plates of Nephi which contain the records and the sayings of our fathers from the time they left Jerusalem until now - and they are true; And we can know of their surety because we have them before our eyes.
(LDS: Mosiah 1:6)

 

Improved:

 

O my sons, I would that ye should remember that these sayings are true,    

   and also that these records are true.
And behold also the plates of Nephi

   which contain the records and the sayings of our fathers

  from the time they left Jerusalem until now –

And they are true.

And we can know of their surety

   because we have them before our eyes.
(Synonymous parallelism on 'truth', summarized in Epistrophe restating 'truth' as 'their surety.')

___

 

 

Mosiah 1:91 O remember, remember that these things are true, for the Lord God hath spoken it. 

(LDS: Mosiah 2:41)

 

Improved:

O remember.

Remember that these things are true,

   for the Lord God hath spoken it. 

___

 

Mosiah 5:44 And because he saith unto them that Christ was the God, the Father, of all things, And saith that He should take upon Him the image of man, And it should be the image after which man was created in the beginning - 

(LDS: Mosiah 7:27)

 

Improved:

 

A:   And because he saith unto them that Christ was the God

B:     the Father of all things.

A': And saith that He should take upon Him the image of man.

B':   And it should be the image after which man was created in the beginning – 

 

·        Removed commas with God the father of all things.

·        This is an ABAB parallelism.

·        Parallels:

Christ was God in the image of Man (the A/A') and

The Father of all Created man after His Image (B/B')

___

 

Alma 3:89 And also the Spirit saith unto me, yea, crieth unto me with a mighty voice, saying: 'Go forth and say unto this people, Repent. For except ye repent ye can in no wise inherit the kingdom of heaven.' 

(LDS: Alma 5:51)

 

Improved:

 

And also the Spirit saith unto me,

    yea, crieth unto me with a mighty voice saying

Go forth and say unto this people repent.

For except ye repent

   ye can in no wise inherit the kingdom of heaven. 

___

Alma 5:17 But behold, the Spirit hath said this much unto me, saying: Cry unto this people, saying: 'Repent ye, repent ye. and prepare the way of the Lord, And walk in His paths which are strait.' 

(LDS: Alma 7:9)

 

Improved:

 

 But behold the Spirit hath said this much unto me,

    Saying cry unto this people

   Saying repent ye.

Repent ye and prepare the way of the Lord.

And walk in His paths which are strait.

___

 

Alma 5:42 

And may the Lord bless you and keep your garments spotless, That ye may at last be brought to sit down with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and the holy prophets which have been ever since the world began, Having your garments spotless, even as their garments are spotless, In the kingdom of heaven, to go no more out. 

(LDS: Alma 7:25)

 

Improved:

 

And may the Lord bless you and keep your garments spotless,

That ye may at last be brought to sit down with Abraham,

   Isaac and Jacob and the holy prophets

which have been ever since the world began,

Having your garments spotless,

   even as their garments are spotless,

In the kingdom of heaven, to go no more out. 

___

 

Alma 6:37 And the word came to Alma, saying: Go and also say unto My servant Amulek, 'Go forth and prophesy unto this people, saying: Repent ye. for thus saith the Lord, Except ye repent, I will visit this people in Mine anger, Yea, and I will not turn My fierce anger away.' 

(LDS: Alma 8:29)

 

Improved:

 

And the word came to Alma, saying

Go and also say unto My servant Amulek

   'Go forth and prophesy unto this people saying repent ye.

For thus saith the Lord,

   Except ye repent I will visit this people in Mine anger.

Yea, and I will not turn My fierce anger away.'

___

 

Alma 7:39 And now for this cause - that ye may not be destroyed - the Lord hath sent His angel to visit many of His people, declaring unto them that they must go forth and cry mightily unto this people, saying: ' Repent ye, repent ye. for the kingdom of heaven is nigh at hand; 

(LDS: Alma 9:25)

 

Improved:

 

And now for this cause that ye may not be destroyed

   The Lord hath sent His angel to visit many of His people

   Declaring unto them that they must go forth

   And cry mightily unto this people saying Repent ye.

 Repent ye for the kingdom of heaven is nigh at hand. 

___

 

Alma 8:29 And now I say unto you, that well doth the Lord judge of your iniquities; Well doth He cry unto this people by the voice of His angels, 'Repent ye. repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. ' 

(LDS: Alma 10:20)

 

Improved:

 

And now I say unto you that well doth the Lord judge of your iniquities;

  Well doth He cry unto this people by the voice of His angels repent ye. Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. 

___

Alma 17:43 O remember, remember, my son Helaman, how strict are the commandments of God. 

(LDS: Alma 37:13)

 

Improved:

 

O remember.

Remember my son Helaman how strict are the commandments of God. 

___

Alma 17:55 And the Lord said: I will prepare unto My servant Gazelem a stone which shall shine forth in darkness unto light, That I may discover unto My people which serve Me - That I may discover unto them the works of their brethren - Yea, their secret works, their works of darkness and their wickedness and abominations. 

(LDS: Alma 37:23)

 

Improved:

 

And the Lord said I will prepare unto My servant Gazelem a stone

   Which shall shine forth in darkness unto light.

That I may discover unto My people which serve Me

   That I may discover unto them the works of their brethren.

    Yea, their secret works.

Their works of darkness

   and their wickedness and abominations. 

___

 

Alma 19:97 And now the plan of mercy could not be brought about, except an atonement should be made; Therefore, God Himself atoneth for the sins of the world to bring about the plan of mercy to appease the demands of justice, that God might be a perfect, just God and a merciful God also. 

(LDS: Alma 42:15)

 

Improved:

 

And now the plan of mercy could not be brought about,

   Except an atonement should be made.

Therefore God Himself atoneth for the sins of the world.

   To bring about the plan of mercy

   To appease the demands of justice.

That God might be a perfect just God

And a merciful God also. 

(The punctuation improvement highlights that God made the atonement, and the parallel balance between justice and mercy. Within God is the perfect balance of justice and mercy.)
___

Alma 21:122 Drinking in with the traditions of the Lamanites, Giving way to indolence and all manner of lasciviousness, Yea, entirely forgetting the Lord their God. 

(LDS: Alma 47:36)

 

Improved:

 

Drinking in with the traditions of the Lamanites,

   Giving way to indolence and all manner of lasciviousness.

Yea, entirely forgetting the Lord their God. 
___

Helaman 2:45 And it was because of the pride of their hearts, because of their exceeding riches; Yea, it was because of their oppression to the poor - withholding their food from the hungry, withholding their clothing from the naked - And smiting their humble brethren upon the cheek, Making a mock of that which was sacred, Denying the spirit of prophecy and of revelation, Murdering, plundering, lying, stealing, committing adultery, raising up in great contentions, And dissenting away into the Land of Nephi, among the Lamanites 

(LDS: Helaman 4:12)

 

Improved:

 

And it was because of the pride of their hearts,

   Because of their exceeding riches.

Yea, it was because of their oppression to the poor

   Withholding their food from the hungry,

   Withholding their clothing from the naked.

And smiting their humble brethren upon the cheek,

   Making a mock of that which was sacred,

   Denying the spirit of prophecy and of revelation,

   Murdering, plundering, lying, stealing, committing adultery,

   Raising up in great contentions.

And dissenting away into the Land of Nephi among the Lamanites. 

___

Helaman 2:71 O remember, remember, my sons, the words which King Benjamin spake unto his people; Yea, remember that there is no other way nor means whereby man can be saved, Only through the atoning blood of Jesus Christ, which shall come; Yea, remember that He cometh to redeem the world. 

(LDS: Helaman 5:9)

 

Improved:

 

Remember.

Remember my sons the words which king Benjamin spake unto his people.

Yea, remember that there is no other way nor means whereby man can be saved,   

   Only through the atoning blood of Jesus Christ which shall come.

Yea, remember that he cometh to redeem the world. 

___

Helaman 2:74-Helaman 2:75 And now my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the Rock of our Redeemer, which is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; That when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, 

Yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, It shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, Because of the Rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men buildeth, they cannot fall."

(LDS: Helaman 5:12)

 

Improved:

 

And now my sons remember.

Remember that it is upon the Rock of our Redeemer

   which is Christ the Son of God

That ye must build your foundation.

   That when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds,

   Yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, 

Yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you,

   It shall have no power over you to drag you down

   To the gulf of misery and endless wo.

Because of the Rock upon which ye are built which is a sure foundation,

A foundation whereon if men buildeth they cannot fall.

 

___

 

Helaman 2:93 And it came to pass that there came a voice as if it were above the cloud of darkness, saying: Repent ye, repent ye. And seek no more to destroy My servants which I have sent unto you to declare good tidings. 

(LDS: Helaman 5:29)

 

Improved:

 

And it came to pass that there came a voice as if it were above the cloud of darkness  saying repent ye.

Repent ye and seek no more to destroy My servants

   which I have sent unto you to declare good tidings. 

___

 

Helaman 2:96 And behold, the voice came again, saying: Repent ye, repent ye. for the kingdom of heaven is at hand; And seek no more to destroy My servants. 

(LDS: Helaman 5:32)

 

Improved:

 

And behold, the voice came again saying repent ye.

   Repent ye for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

And seek no more to destroy My servants. 

___

 

Helaman 3:18 O repent ye. repent ye. Why will ye die? Turn ye. turn ye unto the Lord your God. Why hath He forsaken you? 

(LDS: Helaman 7:17)

 

Improved:

 

O repent ye.

   Repent ye, why will ye die?

Turn ye.

   Turn ye unto the Lord your God.

Why hath He forsaken you? 

___

 

Helaman 5:74 Therefore, repent ye, repent ye. Lest by knowing these things and not doing them, ye shall suffer yourselves to come under condemnation and ye are brought down unto this second death. 

(LDS: Helaman 14:19)

 

Improved:

 

Therefore, repent ye.

Repent ye lest by knowing these things and not doing them,

  Ye shall suffer yourselves to come under condemnation,

  And ye are brought down unto this second death. 

___

 

Helaman 5:85 And now remember, remember, my brethren, That whosoever perisheth, perisheth unto himself; And whosoever doeth iniquity, doeth it unto himself; For behold, ye are free - ye are permitted to act for yourselves; For behold, God hath given unto you a knowledge and He hath made you free - 

(LDS: Helaman 14:30)

 

Improved:

 

And now remember.

Remember, my brethren that whosoever perisheth,

   Perisheth unto himself;

And whosoever doeth iniquity,

   Doeth it unto himself;

For behold, ye are free.

   Ye are permitted to act for yourselves;

For behold, God hath given unto you a knowledge

  And He hath made you free.

___

 

3 Nephi 2:103 

I have reason to bless my God

   and my Savior Jesus Christ - That He brought our fathers out of the Land of Jerusalem - and no one knew it, save it were Himself and those which He brought out of that land - And that He hath given me and my people so much knowledge unto the salvation of our souls. 

(LDS: 3 Nephi 5:20)

 

Improved:

 

A:   I have reason to bless my God and my Savior Jesus Christ

B:      That He brought our fathers out of the Land of Jerusalem

A:   And no one knew it save it were Himself

B:      And those which He brought out of that land

A:   And that He hath given me and my people so much knowledge

B:      Unto the salvation of our souls. 

 

·        (The original separates 'my God' from 'my savior Jesus Christ.' 

·        These two are theologically and doctrinally the same 'my God and my savior Jesus Christ.'

·        This is AB parallelism, where the "A" phrase is expanded by "B")

___

 

3 Nephi 9:74-3 Nephi 9:75

And then shall be brought to pass that which is written: 'Awake. awake again, and put on thy strength, O Zion. Put on thy beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city. For henceforth there shall no more come into thee the uncircumcised and the unclean.
Shake thyself from the dust - arise. Sit down, O Jerusalem. Loose thyself from the bands of thy neck, O captive daughter of Zion.
(LDS: 3 Nephi 20:37)

 

Improvement:

 

And then shall be brought to pass that which is written:

Awake.

Awake again and put on thy strength,

   O Zion.

Put on thy beautiful garments,

   O Jerusalem the holy city.

For henceforth there shall no more come into thee the uncircumcised and the unclean.
Shake thyself from the dust.

 Arise.

Sit down

   O Jerusalem.

Loose thyself from the bands of thy neck

   O captive daughter of Zion.

Awake and Arise are single word commands. With proper punctuation, the parallelism becomes obvious.  This is also a chiastic parallelism. Zion/Jerusalem // Jerusalem/Zion are parallel with antithetical ideas of garments of captivity vs garments of beauty, freedom vs captivity.

___

 

Mormon 2:54 Therefore, repent ye and humble yourselves before Him, lest He shall come out in justice against you - Lest a remnant of the seed of Jacob shall go forth among you as a lion and tear you in pieces and there is none to deliver. 

(LDS: Mormon 5:24)

 

Improvement:

 

Therefore, repent ye

   And humble yourselves before Him.

Lest He shall come out in justice against you,

   Lest a remnant of the seed of Jacob shall go forth among you as a lion and tear you in pieces.

   And there is none to deliver. 

___

 

Mormon 4:62 Do ye suppose that ye could be happy to dwell with that Holy Being when your souls are racked with a consciousness of your guilt, that ye have ever abused His laws? 

(LDS: Mormon 9:3)

 

Improvement:

 

A:        Do ye suppose that ye could be happy to dwell with that Holy Being

B:           When your souls are racked with a consciousness of your guilt?

C:       That ye have ever abused His laws? 

 

(Ellipsis at the end is lost in the run-on English punctuation.  This is an ABC parallelism, with C culminating including the Ellipsis, omitting 'souls are racked with a consciousness')
___

 

Mormon 4:87 And these signs shall follow them that believe - In My name shall they cast out devils; They shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; And if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; They shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover. 

(LDS: Mormon 9:24)

 

Improvement:

 

And these signs shall follow them that believe.

In My name shall they cast out devils,

   They shall speak with new tongues;

   They shall take up serpents;

And if they drink any deadly thing,

   It shall not hurt them;

They shall lay hands on the sick

   And they shall recover. 

___

 

Moroni 10:28 And awake. And arise from the dust, O Jerusalem. Yea, and put on thy beautiful garments, O daughter of Zion. And strengthen thy stakes and enlarge thy borders forever, that thou mayest no more be confounded, That the covenants of the Eternal God which He hath made unto thee, O house of Israel, may be fulfilled. 

(LDS: Moroni 10:31)

 

And awake and arise from the dust,

   O jerusalem.

Yea, and put on thy beautiful garments,

   O daughter of zion.

And strengthen thy stakes

   And enlarge thy borders forever,

That thou mayest no more be confounded.

That the covenants of the eternal god

   Which he hath made unto thee o house of Israel may be fulfilled.