2 Nephi 25:5

[David Bokovoy]

Well, happy Sunday night to you all! Hope Church was enjoyable. I'm going to take this opportunity to share with the MA&D family an exciting Book of Mormon issue I've had on my mind for quite a while. I'll try to make this concise, but trust me, this Hebraism is well-worth making your way to the end of this post. I consider this particular Hebraism one of the most interesting examples of evidence for an original Hebraic linguistic background to the Book of Mormon I've witnessed so far.

Like the Old Testament, the Book of Mormon contains many examples of the literary use of a Leitwort. The German term Leitwort refers to a word that appears intentionally repeated throughout a text for a didactic or literary purpose. By recognizing these repetitions, ancient listeners were able to identify the central meaning of a particular text. While several examples of this literary device have been observed throughout the Book of Mormon, I have for many years taken a particular interest in the possible repetition of the Hebrew word dabar in Nephi

[volgadon]

Nice. Seems to me that Nephi was engaged in intentional wordplay, shades of meaning, slightly vague and ambiguous nuances and all that, which might seem ironic coming from the man whose soul delighted in plainness, but I see them more as the raconteur's affectations than what Nephi was denouncing. He loved language and knew how to use it sharply, subtly, eloquently, but always with a high degree of sophistication.

I've noticed more and more this tendency of Nephi, it is a quirk which does not appear to be shared much by Mormon.

By divrei hayehudim Nephi probably primarily intended the affairs of the Jews, but by using the same word devarim in two dimaterically opposed contexts, he could drive home his point more effectively.

Why one would see words is because for anyone in the Middle-East, actions and words are tightly bound together. It seems a feature of Western thought to separate them, but in the ME what you do and how you say it is no less crucial than what you say. They aren't compartmentalised. One of the reasons for the complex Beduin protocols and formula governing any get-together is to give one a way to gauge the sincerity and intents of the other parties.

[USU78]

DB: a few years back a vanity published book came out in which the author used this exact argument and these precise passages to prove the existence of an early version of the Qabbalah in pre-exilic Judah. If I understand you correctly, you're not going quite that far, but you are suggesting that Nephi is using here textual analysis techniques that one also sees in the Zohar. Am I close?

[David Bokovoy]

DB: a few years back a vanity published book came out in which the author used this exact argument and these precise passages to prove the existence of an early version of the Qabbalah in pre-exilic Judah. If I understand you correctly, you're not going quite that far, but you are suggesting that Nephi is using here textual analysis techniques that one also sees in the Zohar. Am I close?

Interesting! Could you provide the full reference? The Kabbalah no doubt preserves some interesting concepts from antiquity, but develops historically out of biblical tradition. As I understand the issue, the ability to see a word/thing of God alludes to the prophet's role as a "seer" in terms of experiencing the divine.

[David Bokovoy]

Nice. Seems to me that Nephi was engaged in intentional wordplay, shades of meaning, slightly vague and ambiguous nuances and all that, which might seem ironic coming from the man whose soul delighted in plainness, but I see them more as the raconteur's affectations than what Nephi was denouncing. He loved language and knew how to use it sharply, subtly, eloquently, but always with a high degree of sophistication.

I've noticed more and more this tendency of Nephi, it is a quirk which does not appear to be shared much by Mormon.

By divrei hayehudim Nephi probably primarily intended the affairs of the Jews, but by using the same word devarim in two dimaterically opposed contexts, he could drive home his point more effectively.

Why one would see words is because for anyone in the Middle-East, actions and words are tightly bound together. It seems a feature of Western thought to separate them, but in the ME what you do and how you say it is no less crucial than what you say. They aren't compartmentalised. One of the reasons for the complex Beduin protocols and formula governing any get-together is to give one a way to gauge the sincerity and intents of the other parties.

This is a fantastic literary description of Nephi's work!

[Olavarria]

This is a fantastic literary description of Nephi's work!

Nice insight DB. I sampled it for my blog. Chargers!!!

[fred57]

Well, happy Sunday night to you all! Hope Church was enjoyable. I'm going to take this opportunity to share with the MA&D family an exciting Book of Mormon issue I've had on my mind for quite a while. I'll try to make this concise, but trust me, this Hebraism is well-worth making your way to the end of this post. I consider this particular Hebraism one of the most interesting examples of evidence for an original Hebraic linguistic background to the Book of Mormon I've witnessed so far.

Like the Old Testament, the Book of Mormon contains many examples of the literary use of a Leitwort. The German term Leitwort refers to a word that appears intentionally repeated throughout a text for a didactic or literary purpose. By recognizing these repetitions, ancient listeners were able to identify the central meaning of a particular text. While several examples of this literary device have been observed throughout the Book of Mormon, I have for many years taken a particular interest in the possible repetition of the Hebrew word dabar in Nephi

[Olavarria]

Wonderful! What is the most profound Reformed Egyptianism that you've ever encountered?

I'm curious fred57. what do you suppose reformed egyptian is?

I'll let DB speak for himself. But there is a theory that RE is some form of Hebrew, written in Egyptian characters.

For example, Papyrus Amherst 63 is an Aramaic text, written in Demotic.

[David Bokovoy]

Wonderful! What is the most profound Reformed Egyptianism that you've ever encountered?

In the Book of Mormon, the term reformed Egyptian refers to the modified Egyptian script used to write the Book of Mormon. It does not refer to the language Nephi and all subsequent Book of Mormon prophets wrote in. As Moroni explains at the end of the Book of Mormon, "And if our plates had been sufficiently large we should have written in Hebrew; but the Hebrew hath been altered by us also; and if we could have written in Hebrew, behold, ye would have had no imperfection in our record" (Mormon 9:33).

It is interesting, however, that the Prophet Joseph provides a further clue as to the nature of the script: "I wish also to mention here, that the title page of the Book of Mormon is a literal translation, taken from the very last leaf, on the left hand side of the collection or book of plates, which contained the record which has been translated; the language of the whole running the same as all Hebrew writing in general [right to left]; and that, said title page is not by any means a modern composition either of mine or of any other man's who has lived or does live in this generation" (HC 1:71.).

Hope that helps!

[fred57]

In the Book of Mormon, the term reformed Egyptian refers to the modified Egyptian script used to write the Book of Mormon. It does not refer to the language Nephi and all subsequent Book of Mormon prophets wrote in. As Moroni explains at the end of the Book of Mormon, "And if our plates had been sufficiently large we should have written in Hebrew; but the Hebrew hath been altered by us also; and if we could have written in Hebrew, behold, ye would have had no imperfection in our record" (Mormon 9:33).

It is interesting, however, that the Prophet Joseph provides a further clue as to the nature of the script: "I wish also to mention here, that the title page of the Book of Mormon is a literal translation, taken from the very last leaf, on the left hand side of the collection or book of plates, which contained the record which has been translated; the language of the whole running the same as all Hebrew writing in general [right to left]; and that, said title page is not by any means a modern composition either of mine or of any other man's who has lived or does live in this generation" (HC 1:71.).

Hope that helps!

In other words, you have not found any profound Reformed Egyptianisms in the Book of Mormon, but you have found a really "cool" Hebraism?

[volgadon]

Because there is no such beast as Reformed Egyptian, unlike what the critics like to harp about. One could easily have written modified Egyptian. This description of a script also comes later than Nephi's narrative.

[cinepro]

I've yet to see it too.

[David Bokovoy]

In other words, you have not found any profound Reformed Egyptianisms in the Book of Mormon, but you have found a really "cool" Hebraism?

No Fred, I'm afraid you still haven't captured the issue. I don't know about you, but it's impossible to find any examples of the original Book of Mormon script in my English edition of the Book of Mormon, profound or otherwise. I'm dealing with an English translation. There's no reformed Egyptian script in my copy of the Book of Mormon. It is possible, however, to uncover Hebraisms, i.e. grammatical evidence that Hebrew was the original source language to the Book of Mormon rather than English, and I have not found "a" really cool Hebraism," those of us familiar with Hebrew have found a variety of these sorts of textual clues.

Best

[David Bokovoy]

I've yet to see it too.

Well get busy reading the OP then! This one is awesome!

[Vance]

<SNIP>

AWESOME!!

[LifeOnaPlate]

In other words, you have not found any profound Reformed Egyptianisms in the Book of Mormon, but you have found a really "cool" Hebraism?

Shades of shades?

[consiglieri]

Fun indeed!!

Beautifully done, David.

And making it even more fun is the way it affects and clarifies what is perhaps the most famous passage from the Book of Mormon, Moroni 10:3-5.

3 Behold, I would exhort you that when ye shall read these things (words), if it be wisdom in God that ye should read them, that ye would remember how merciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men, from the creation of Adam even down until the time that ye shall receive these things (words), and ponder it in your hearts.

4 And when ye shall receive these things (words), I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things (words) are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost.

5 And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things (words).

All the Best!

--Consiglieri

[David Bokovoy]

Beautifully done, David.

And making it even more fun is the way it affects and clarifies what is perhaps the most famous passage from the Book of Mormon, Moroni 10:3-5.

All the Best!

--Consiglieri

Totally agree!

[USU78]

3 Nephi 26:

1 And now it came to pass that when Jesus had told these things he expounded them unto the multitude; and he did expound all things unto them, both great and small.

[consiglieri]

Mormon understood this stuff ^.

Man, this technique seems to be all over the Book of Mormon.

(Nice one, USU!)

What are we to make of this?

Is this as convincing a Hebraism as the "if/and" construct?

Is it something we see in early 19th century American writings?

All the Best!

--Consiglieri

[Woody]

Here's my vote for the most Jewish looking Hebraism in the Book: The whole text had no punctuation at all, but sentences were separated with "and".

The second most salient item is this :

& behold I am also a man of no small reputation among all those who know me yea & behold I have many kindreds & friends & I have also acquired much riches by the hand of my industry

In fact the whole sermonette there is rather telling, but look at Amulek's first statement here. Where else would a man get a large reputation - among those who don't know him? They could have used this in the script for Fiddler on the Roof !

Wood

[Woody]

Wonderful! What is the most profound Reformed Egyptianism that you've ever encountered?

The idea of using Reformed Egyptian to mock the existence of Reformed Egyptian scores pretty big points.

Wood

[USU78]

Interesting! Could you provide the full reference? The Kabbalah no doubt preserves some interesting concepts from antiquity, but develops historically out of biblical tradition. As I understand the issue, the ability to see a word/thing of God alludes to the prophet's role as a "seer" in terms of experiencing the divine.

Here is a review in FARMS of Written by the Finger of G-d:

Linkee to Review

[volgadon]

Woody, one slight correction, I don't think kindreds and friends are separated by '&'.

[fred57]

The idea of using Reformed Egyptian to mock the existence of Reformed Egyptian scores pretty big points.

Wood

So what's your favorite Reformed Egyptianism in the Book of Mormon, since you apparently know something about Reformed Egyptian that others don't?