1. Form Analyzed
I chose to look at the language used by Samuel the Lamanite, particularly the use of repetition.
2. Passage Analyzed
I looked at the verses from Helaman chapter 13, verses 5 through 11.
3. Annotated Text
4. Breakdown / Listing of things found:
Samuel the Lamanite warns of some kind of destruction or loss in 6 different sentences, but also promises them with a way to be saved 5 different times.
5. Interpretation:
Imagine being responsible for an entire peoples' salvation, through a one-time-only warning from the Lord. You'd want to make sure they got the message, right? Especially if you're on top of a wall trying to yell at them. In both his words and the Lord's words, Samuel explains that destruction awaits them unless they repent, and then repeats that idea a good handful of times. "Bad things are coming unless you repent...and unless you repent bad things will come." Also, by using both his words and the Lord's he provides the "two witnesses" that are required for these words to be established.
6. Connections / Questions:
Repetition appears all over the Book of Mormon, particularly as prophets explain things to the people. Words of Nephi (as Elijah pointed out in his blog post) and even Jesus Christ come to mind. I wonder if there's any pattern to the repetition, or is it just naturally given?
I chose to look at the language used by Samuel the Lamanite, particularly the use of repetition.
2. Passage Analyzed
I looked at the verses from Helaman chapter 13, verses 5 through 11.
3. Annotated Text
Samuel the Lamanite warns of some kind of destruction or loss in 6 different sentences, but also promises them with a way to be saved 5 different times.
5. Interpretation:
Imagine being responsible for an entire peoples' salvation, through a one-time-only warning from the Lord. You'd want to make sure they got the message, right? Especially if you're on top of a wall trying to yell at them. In both his words and the Lord's words, Samuel explains that destruction awaits them unless they repent, and then repeats that idea a good handful of times. "Bad things are coming unless you repent...and unless you repent bad things will come." Also, by using both his words and the Lord's he provides the "two witnesses" that are required for these words to be established.
6. Connections / Questions:
Repetition appears all over the Book of Mormon, particularly as prophets explain things to the people. Words of Nephi (as Elijah pointed out in his blog post) and even Jesus Christ come to mind. I wonder if there's any pattern to the repetition, or is it just naturally given?
Very interesting. I noticed through your annotation that "sword" and "heart" are repeated often. There is a similar repetitious pattern when Pahoran is writing his letter to Moroni. "Heart" vs "Sword" is an interesting theme throughout the Book. Violence vs Spirituality?
ReplyDeleteI would agree that there is quite a bit of repetition in the scriptures. In Jewish culture, nothing mattered unless it was a pattern or had happened before. That's why Nephi's journey was so significant because it reflects a similar journey with Moses and the Jews. Also Nephi quotes Joseph of Egypt directly as one who had a similar story. We see this a lot in the Book of Mormon with several prophets saying several times "Keep the commandments and ye shall prosper in the land."
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