Evidence #284 | December 13, 2021

Book of Mormon Evidence: Synonymous Words

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Scripture Central

Abstract

The Book of Mormon’s frequent repetition of synonymous words is consistent with its claimed Hebrew literary origins.

Synonyms are words that have the same or a similar meaning, such as happy and glad. A separate evidence summary discusses synonymous parallelisms, which feature synonymous lines of text.1 This summary deals strictly with the repetition of synonymous words. As explained by Hebrew scholar Donald W. Parry, this is achieved when “a group of three or more words, similar in sense but not identical in meaning, come together in a verse or passage with characteristics that parallel one another.”2 As an example, Parry points to this passage from Exodus 1:7 that features four words that all signify an increase:

And the children of Israel were fruitful,

and increased abundantly,

and multiplied,

and waxed exceeding mighty

A more extensive example can be seen in Zephaniah 1:15–16:

That day is a day of wrath,

a day of trouble

and distress,

a day of wasteness

and desolation,

a day of darkness

and gloominess,

a day of clouds

and thick darkness,

A day of the trumpet

and alarm

The repetition of synonymous words is also present throughout the Book of Mormon, as can be seen in this passage from Alma 30:28:

and have brought them to believe,

by their traditions

and their dreams

and their whims

and their visions

and their pretended mysteries

Here is another example from Alma 63:2:

And he was a just man,

and he did walk uprightly before God;

and he did observe to do good continually,

to keep the commandments of the Lord his God

Conclusion

The repetition of synonyms isn’t a uniquely ancient literary feature. It certainly can be found in the literature of Joseph Smith’s day. Nevertheless, the frequent presence of synonymous words in the Book of Mormon adds another layer of consistency with the text’s claimed Hebrew literary origins (see Appendix).

Further Reading
Appendix
Endnotes
Literary Features
Parallelisms
Synonymous Words
Book of Mormon