“And”

Alan C. Miner

Hugh Pinnock writes that polysyndeton is among the easiest of repetitious ancient Hebrew writing forms to identify because it repeats "the word and at the beginning of successive clauses." A good example of how polysyndeton strengthens a prophet's message is found in 3 Nephi 11:19-20:

And Nephi arose

and went forth

and bowed himself before the Lord

and did kiss his feet.

And the Lord commanded him that he should arise.

And he arose

and stood before him.

Easily recognizable, polysyndeton was a tool frequently used by Hebrew writers and is an obvious support for the Book of Mormon's Hebraic roots. For additional examples of polysyndeton, see Genesis 8:22; 22:9-11, 13; Exodus 1:7; 1 Samuel 17:34-35; 2 Kings 5:26; Isaiah 2:12-19; Haggai 1:11; Matthew 24:29-31; Mark 3:31-35; Luke 7:11-18; 1 Nephi 2:4; 4:9; Enos 1:23; Alma 7:27; 8:21-23; 9:21; 4 Nephi 1:5-7; Mormon 8:37; Ether 9:17-19, 21-27.

[Hugh W. Pinnock, Finding Biblical Hebrew and Other Ancient Literary Forms in the Book of Mormon, FARMS, 1999, pp. 21, 26-27] [See the commentary on Alma 1:29, Helaman 3:14, 3 Nephi 4:7]

Step by Step Through the Book of Mormon: A Cultural Commentary

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