Book of Mormon Evidence: Repetitive Resumption

The Book of Mormon is full of repeated words and phrases. Many of these repetitions have to do with poetic structures called parallelisms. However, one type of repetition, sometimes referred to as “repetitive resumption,”¹ is likely a feature of the Book of Mormon’s editing process rather than its poetry.

Repetitive resumption was often used by the authors and editors of the Bible to interject commentary or additional information.² After interrupting an idea with an explanatory or clarifying aside, the writer would then repeat a phrase close to the beginning of the interruption. This would provide a signal to the reader that the interruption was over and that there would be a resumption of the original narrative or topic being discussed. One passage that many biblical scholars see as a valid example of this editing feature can be found in Joshua 1:7–9,³ where the concept of being strong and courageous (bolded) sets off the editorial insertion (italicized):

Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest. This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest. (emphasis added)

Repetitive resumption is also found throughout the Book of Mormon. For example, when reporting on the results of Ammon’s missionary efforts, Mormon interrupted the narrative after the phrase “they did establish a church among them.” He then inserted a moral lesson before signaling a return to the narrative by using the similar phrase “they had established a church in that land”:

And it came to pass that there were many that did believe in their words; and as many as did believe were baptized; and they became a righteous people, and they did establish a church among them. And thus the work of the Lord did commence among the Lamanites; thus the Lord did begin to pour out his Spirit upon them; and we see that his arm is extended to all people who will repent and believe on his name. And it came to pass that when they had established a church in that land, that king Lamoni desired that Ammon should go with him to the land of Nephi, that he might show him unto his father. (Alma 19:35–20:1; emphasis added).

Using several criteria for identification,⁴ Larry G. Childs documented 84 occurrences of repetitive resumption (which he refers to as “epanalepsis”) in the text. These occurrences were found in the writings of 15 different authors.⁵ It makes sense that writers like Mormon, who significantly edited and abridged underlying texts, would make frequent use of this feature.⁶ Childs explained that “because the Book of Mormon was engraved in metal plates, the engravers didn’t really have the option of erasing what they had written in order to better organize their thoughts. Epanalepsis [repetitive resumption] is really the best means they had to return to their original train of thought.”⁷

According to biblical scholar David Bokovoy, repetitive resumption is “one of the primary signs of editorial activity in the Old Testament.”⁸ That being the case, its frequent use in the Book of Mormon provides evidence that the text was written by authors and editors who were trained in the Israelite literary tradition. Bokovoy has noted that this textual feature “supports the authenticity of the Book of Mormon” because even though repetitive resumption is repeatedly attested in the Bible, it “had not yet been identified by biblical scholars in 1830” when the Book of Mormon was published.⁹