Jershon

[Olavarria]

More than ten years ago, John Tvedtnes and Stephen Ricks made a case for viewing the place name Jershon as being derived from a Hebrew verb. Assuming that the reformed Egyptian characters were used to write an underlying Semitic text, as in Papyrus Amherst 63, there is additional reason to believe their etymology was correct.

The yod (יִ) in Hebrew is often rendered as "j" in English; for example: Judah (יהוּדָה) and Joseph (יוֹסֵף). Following that convention, Jershon could well be rendered as Yershon. In Hebrew, the verb יִרְשׁוּ(yrshu) can be translated as "inherit". It can also be translated as "possess".

It should also be noted that waw(וַ), when placed before a verb, makes the future tense into past tense and vice versa. When adding waw(וַ), possess(יִרְשׁוּ) is turned into and possessed(וַיִּרְשׁוּ). When we keep these Hebrew items in mind, we see Jershon used in a way that is only visible in Hebrew.

Alma 27:24

24) And now behold, this will we do unto our brethren, that they may inherit the land Jershon;

Alma 27:26

26)And it came to pass that it did cause great joy among them. And they went down into the land of Jershon, and took possession of the land of Jershon;

[Robert F. Smith]

More than ten years ago, John Tvedtnes and Stephen Ricks made a case for viewing the place name Jershon as being derived from a Hebrew verb. Assuming that the reformed Egyptian characters were used to write an underlying Semitic text, as in Papyrus Amherst 63, there is additional reason to believe their etymology was correct.

The yod (יִ) in Hebrew is often rendered as "j" in English; for example: Judah (יהוּדָה) and Joseph (יוֹסֵף). Following that convention, Jershon could well be rendered as Yershon. In Hebrew, the verb יִרְשׁוּ(yrshu) can be translated as "inherit". It can also be translated as "possess".

It should also be noted that waw(וַ), when placed before a verb, makes the future tense into past tense and vice versa. When adding waw(וַ), possess(יִרְשׁוּ) is turned into and possessed(וַיִּרְשׁוּ). When we keep these Hebrew items in mind, we see Jershon used in a way that is only visible in Hebrew.

Alma 27:24

24) And now behold, this will we do unto our brethren, that they may inherit the land Jershon;

Alma 27:26

26)And it came to pass that it did cause great joy among them. And they went down into the land of Jershon, and took possession of the land of Jershon;

Yes, this is a good Hebraism. Should have taken note of this before in my argument for Egyptianisms in the Book of Mormon. It appears that the wordplay is only good with a Hebrew text, or with a text in Egyptian characters transliterating Hebrew words.

[Olavarria]

I wonder if 1 and 2 Nephi were written in Egyptian and the large plates in Hebrew, both using Egyptian characters.

Edited December 3, 2011 by Pedro A. Olavarria

[Robert F. Smith]

I wonder if 1 and 2 Nephi were written in Egyptian and the large plates in Hebrew, both using Egyptian characters.

There are several people who might take that approach -- at least that it was all Hebrew using Egyptian characters. I agree with Nibley that this does not comport with the description of the use of Egyptian language (I Nephi 1:2, Mormon 9:32-33).

[Olavarria]

Hebraisms in the BoM exist, the question is: are they the product of the plates or the product of Joseph's upbringing with the Bible.

Can my piece be accommodated to your theory?

[Robert F. Smith]

Hebraisms in the BoM exist, the question is: are they the product of the plates or the product of Joseph's upbringing with the Bible.

Can my piece be accommodated to your theory?

Yes, and no.

Yes, because the etymologies and wordplays may indeed be correct in Hebrew, and understandable to a bilingual person writing and editing the plates in Egyptian.

No, because the Egyptian transcription or translation of such words and wordplays (as in the LXX Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible), would place the wordplays at one step removed from the actual Hebrew, and thus at two steps removed from our current English Book of Mormon.