According to John Tvedtnes, the Hebraisms in the Book of Mormon help persuade us that it is authentic . . . A difference between Hebrew and English in the use of conjunctions is that in biblical Hebrew, a language with no punctuation, the conjunction also serves as a marker of parenthesis. The words we would put inside parenthesis in English are preceded by the conjunction in Hebrew, and, at the conclusion, the next phrase is introduced by the conjunction. One example among many found in the Book of Mormon is in 3 Nephi 12:1 (the parentheses have been added for illustration), "When Jesus had spoken these words unto Nephi, and to those who had been called, (now the number of them who had been called, and received power and authority to baptize, was twelve) and behold, he stretched forth his hand . . . [John A. Tvedtnes, "The Hebrew Background of the Book of Mormon," in Rediscovering the Book of Mormon, F.A.R.M.S., pp. 84-85]
3 Nephi 12:1 Now the number of them who had been called . . . was twelve ([Illustration]): Christ Ordaining the Twelve. Jesus Christ called and ordained twelve Apostles in America, just as He had done in Israel. Artist: Gary Kapp. [Thomas R. Valletta ed., The Book of Mormon for Latter-day Saint Families, 1999, p. 529]
[3 Nephi 12:1] Blessed Are Ye If Ye Shall Give Heed unto the Words of These Twelve:
John Welch notes that at Bountiful, Jesus ordained and called priesthood leaders. 3 Nephi 12 begins with two ecclesiastical beatitudes not found in the Sermon on the Mount. "Blessed are ye if ye shall give heed unto the words of these twelve whom I have chosen; . . . again, more blessed are they who shall believe in your words because that ye shall testify that ye have seen me, and that ye know that I am" (3 Nephi 12:1-2). [John W. Welch, The Sermon at the Temple and the Sermon on the Mount, F.A.R.M.S., p. 105]