Evidence #437 | February 20, 2024
Woe Oracles
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Scripture Central
Abstract
The Book of Mormon contains dozens of “woe oracles”—a form of prophetic speech that is also found throughout the Bible. This feature of the text is consistent with its claimed Hebrew origins.Woe-Oracles in the Bible
The Bible contains many statements of woe pronounced upon groups or individuals.1 In the Old Testament, such judgments are predominantly found in the writings of the prophets, while in the New Testament they are concentrated in the words of Jesus found in the Gospels. One well-known example can be seen in Isaiah 5:20: “Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!”
Since at least the early 1960s, such statements have been classified under a particular form of speech called the “woe oracle.”2 Precisely where this oracular language originated, why it was used, how it relates to other speech forms, and what specific linguistic or conceptual features it strictly entails is a matter of ongoing discussion and debate among scholars.3 However, there is a general consensus that the woe oracle is indeed a distinct form of speech and that it played an important role in ancient Hebrew prophecy.
Woe-Oracles in the Book of Mormon
Since the Book of Mormon begins in Jerusalem around 600 BC, one might expect that this speech form would have been used by the text’s founding prophets and perpetuated by their descendants. As noted by Hebrew scholar Donald W. Parry, “Some forty examples of the woe oracle are attested in the Book of Mormon.”4 Based on Parry’s analysis, the speech form can be broken down into four basic components: (1) expression of woe, (2) addressee, (3) reason for judgment, and (4) promise of judgment.5
Some passages in the Book of Mormon present all four of these concepts distinctly and in order. For example, in the opening chapter Lehi declared, “Wo, wo, unto Jerusalem, for I have seen thine abominations! Yea, and many things did my father read concerning Jerusalem—that it should be destroyed, and the inhabitants thereof; many should perish by the sword, and many should be carried away captive into Babylon” (1 Nephi 1:13). Here is the prophecy broken down into its separate components:
Expression of Wo: And he read, saying: Wo, wo,
Addressee: unto Jerusalem,
Reason for Judgment: for I have seen thine abominations!
Promise of Judgment: Yea, and many things did my father read concerning Jerusalem—that it should be destroyed, and the inhabitants thereof; many should perish by the sword, and many should be carried away captive into Babylon.
Nephi gave a similar prophecy, except his concerned the Gentiles: “Therefore, wo be unto the Gentiles if it so be that they harden their hearts against the Lamb of God. For the time cometh, saith the Lamb of God, that I will work a great and a marvelous work among the children of men; a work which shall be everlasting, either on the one hand or on the other—either to the convincing of them unto peace and life eternal, or unto the deliverance of them to the hardness of their hearts and the blindness of their minds unto their being brought down into captivity” (1 Nephi 14:6–7).
Expression of Wo: Therefore, wo
Addressee: be unto the Gentiles
Reason for Judgment: if it so be that they harden their hearts against the Lamb of God.
Promise of Judgment: … unto the deliverance of them to the hardness of their hearts and the blindness of their minds unto their being brought down into captivity, and also into destruction
In other instances, the addressee and the reason for judgment get lumped together into a single concept, typically because the addressee is directly described or labeled as some type of sinner. Jacob declared, “And wo unto the deaf that will not hear; for they shall perish” (2 Nephi 9:31).
Expression of Wo: And wo
Addressee/Reason: unto the deaf that will not hear;
Promise of Judgment: for they shall perish.
Another example can be seen in the words of King Benjamin: “But wo, wo unto him who knoweth that he rebelleth against God! For salvation cometh to none such except it be through repentance and faith on the Lord Jesus Christ” (Mosiah 3:12).
Expression of Wo: But wo, wo
Addressee/Reason: unto him who knoweth that he rebelleth against God!
Promise of Judgment: For salvation cometh to none such except it be through repentance and faith on the Lord Jesus Christ.
Concerning biblical oracles, Erhard Gerstenberger explains, “In some rare cases the woe-exclamation is followed by nothing but a description of the evildoers in participial expressions.”6 In other words, the expression of woe is delivered, an addressee is designated, and a reason for judgment is given, but the promise of judgment is left vague or only implied. Although they make up a minority, such examples can also be found in the Book of Mormon. For instance, to King Noah’s priests, Abinadi declared, “I say unto you, wo be unto you for perverting the ways of the Lord!” (Mosiah 12:26).
Expression of Wo: I say unto you, wo
Addressee: be unto you [King Noah’s priests]
Reason for Judgment: for perverting the ways of the Lord!
Promise of Judgment: N/A
On several occasions, biblical woes turn up as a series of two or more connected oracular pronouncements, as seen in Isaiah 5:8–22 and Matthew 23:13–29. Woe lists can also be found in extracanonical texts, as seen in 1 Enoch.7 Similar lists of woes are present in the Book of Mormon, such as Jacob’s list of ten woes found in 2 Nephi 9:27–38.8
Conclusion
The mere fact that the Book of Mormon contains numerous woe oracles shouldn’t be seen as especially strong evidence of its authenticity. After all, examples of this form of speech are sprinkled liberally throughout the Old and New Testaments, and it can also be found in some pseudo-biblical texts surrounding Joseph Smith’s day.9
Still, the concentration and variety of these oracles in the Book of Mormon is certainly consistent with its claimed ancient origins. In Parry’s opinion, “It is not by chance that the Book of Mormon contains these formulas, and a writer who wished to imitate the Bible would likely have overlooked them, employed them in improper contexts, or failed to integrate them into the text in a natural manner.”10 Much work still needs to be done to compare the Book of Mormon’s woe oracles with those in the biblical and relevant extrabiblical corpuses from the ancient world, but Parry’s view shouldn’t be taken lightly. As an accomplished Hebrew scholar, it is notable that he found the integration of these speech forms in the Book of Mormon as believably authentic.
A couple other factors need to be considered as well. First, this is just one of many seemingly ancient literary features in the Book of Mormon. While it is helpful to first assess the text’s numerous woe oracles on their own terms, they shouldn’t ultimately be viewed in isolation. Instead, they must be understood as part of a much larger constellation of ancient literary forms and patterns in the text, which any would-be forger would have to fabricate in toto.11
Second, it must be remembered that unlike most authors of pseudo-biblical texts, Joseph Smith didn’t have the liberty to carefully massage his writing into a biblical dialect through various rounds of editing and revision. Instead, he would have needed to produce the dozens of woe-oracles in the Book of Mormon in a single dictated draft, without using any notes or outlines and without making any major revisions.12 When viewed in that light, the eloquence, verbal power, and rhetorical sophistication of these numerous oracular statements are really quite impressive. For a comprehensive presentation of the Book of Mormon’s woe oracles, each broken down into its separate components, see the Appendix.
Donald W. Parry, “Hebraisms and Other Ancient Peculiarities in the Book of Mormon,” in Echoes and Evidences of the Book of Mormon, ed. Donald W. Parry, Daniel C. Peterson, and John W. Welch (Provo, UT: FARMS, 2002), 155–189.
Donald W. Parry, “‘Thus Saith the Lord’: Prophetic Language in Samuel’s Speech,” in Pressing Forward with the Book of Mormon: The FARMS Updates of the 1990s, ed. John W. Welch and Melvin J. Thorne (Provo, UT: FARMS, 1999), 204–207.
S. Kent Brown, “The Prophetic Laments of Samuel the Lamanite,” in From Jerusalem to Zarahemla: Literary and Historical Studies of the Book of Mormon (Provo, UT: BYU Religious Studies Center, 1998), 128–145.
1 Nephi 1:131 Nephi 14:6–72 Nephi 9:27–282 Nephi 9:30–382 Nephi 27:142 Nephi 28:15–32Jacob 3:3Mosiah 2:33Mosiah 3:12Mosiah 4:23Mosiah 11:20Mosiah 12:2Mosiah 12:26Alma 5:31–32Alma 33:21–22Helaman 7:22Helaman 7:25–28Helaman 12:21–22Helaman 13:10–17Helaman 15:2–33 Nephi 9:23 Nephi 16:8–103 Nephi 18:333 Nephi 21:143 Nephi 28:343 Nephi 29:4–53 Nephi 29:6Mormon 8:31Ether 8:24Moroni 7:37–38Moroni 8:16Moroni 8:20–21Moroni 9:15Moroni 10:24–26Appendix: Woe Oracle Textual Data
1 Nephi 1:13
13 And he read, saying: Wo, wo, unto Jerusalem, for I have seen thine abominations! Yea, and many things did my father read concerning Jerusalem—that it should be destroyed, and the inhabitants thereof; many should perish by the sword, and many should be carried away captive into Babylon.
Expression of Wo: And he read, saying: Wo, wo,
Addressee: unto Jerusalem,
Reason for Judgment: for I have seen thine abominations!
Promise of Judgment: Yea, and many things did my father read concerning Jerusalem—that it should be destroyed, and the inhabitants thereof; many should perish by the sword, and many should be carried away captive into Babylon.
1 Nephi 14:6–7
6 Therefore, wo be unto the Gentiles if it so be that they harden their hearts against the Lamb of God.
7 For the time cometh, saith the Lamb of God, that I will work a great and a marvelous work among the children of men; a work which shall be everlasting, either on the one hand or on the other—either to the convincing of them unto peace and life eternal, or unto the deliverance of them to the hardness of their hearts and the blindness of their minds unto their being brought down into captivity, and also into destruction, both temporally and spiritually, according to the captivity of the devil, of which I have spoken.
Expression of Wo: Therefore, wo
Addressee: be unto the Gentiles
Reason for Judgment: if it so be that they harden their hearts against the Lamb of God.
Promise of Judgment: … unto the deliverance of them to the hardness of their hearts and the blindness of their minds unto their being brought down into captivity, and also into destruction, both temporally and spiritually, according to the captivity of the devil, of which I have spoken.
2 Nephi 9:27–28
27 But wo unto him that has the law given, yea, that has all the commandments of God, like unto us, and that transgresseth them, and that wasteth the days of his probation, for awful is his state!
28 O that cunning plan of the evil one! O the vainness, and the frailties, and the foolishness of men! When they are learned they think they are wise, and they hearken not unto the counsel of God, for they set it aside, supposing they know of themselves, wherefore, their wisdom is foolishness and it profiteth them not. And they shall perish.
Expression of Wo: But wo
Addressee: unto him that has the law given, yea, that has all the commandments of God, like unto us,
Reason for Judgment: and that transgresseth them, and that wasteth the days of his probation, for awful is his state!
Promise of Judgment: … wherefore, their wisdom is foolishness and it profiteth them not. And they shall perish.
2 Nephi 9:30
30 But wo unto the rich, who are rich as to the things of the world. For because they are rich they despise the poor, and they persecute the meek, and their hearts are upon their treasures; wherefore, their treasure is their god. And behold, their treasure shall perish with them also.
Expression of Wo: But wo
Addressee: unto the rich, who are rich as to the things of the world.
Reason for Judgment: For because they are rich they despise the poor, and they persecute the meek, and their hearts are upon their treasures; wherefore, their treasure is their god.
Promise of Judgment: And behold, their treasure shall perish with them also.
2 Nephi 9:31
31 And wo unto the deaf that will not hear; for they shall perish.
Expression of Wo: And wo
Addressee/Reason: unto the deaf that will not hear;
Promise of Judgment: for they shall perish.
2 Nephi 9:32
32 Wo unto the blind that will not see; for they shall perish also.
Expression of Wo: Wo
Addressee: unto the blind
Reason for Judgment: that will not see;
Promise of Judgment: for they shall perish also.
2 Nephi 9:33
33 Wo unto the uncircumcised of heart, for a knowledge of their iniquities shall smite them at the last day.
Expression of Wo: Wo
Addressee/Reason: unto the uncircumcised of heart,
Promise of Judgment: for a knowledge of their iniquities shall smite them at the last day.
2 Nephi 9:34
34 Wo unto the liar, for he shall be thrust down to hell.
Expression of Wo: Wo
Addressee/Reason: unto the liar,
Promise of Judgment: for he shall be thrust down to hell.
2 Nephi 9:35
35 Wo unto the murderer who deliberately killeth, for he shall die.
Expression of Wo: Wo
Addressee/Reason: unto the murderer who deliberately killeth,
Promise of Judgment: for he shall die.
2 Nephi 9:36
36 Wo unto them who commit whoredoms, for they shall be thrust down to hell.
Expression of Wo: Wo
Addressee/Reason: unto them who commit whoredoms,
Promise of Judgment: for they shall be thrust down to hell.
2 Nephi 9:37
37 Yea, wo unto those that worship idols, for the devil of all devils delighteth in them.
Expression of Wo: Yea, wo
Addressee/Reason: unto those that worship idols,
Promise of Judgment: for the devil of all devils delighteth in them.
2 Nephi 9:38
38 And, in fine, wo unto all those who die in their sins; for they shall return to God, and behold his face, and remain in their sins.
Expression of Wo: And, in fine, wo
Addressee/Reason: unto all those who die in their sins;
Promise of Judgment: for they shall return to God, and behold his face, and remain in their sins.
2 Nephi 27:14
14 And behold it shall come to pass that after the Messiah hath risen from the dead, and hath manifested himself unto his people, unto as many as will believe on his name, behold, Jerusalem shall be destroyed again; for wo unto them that fight against God and the people of his church.
15 Wherefore, the Jews shall be scattered among all nations; yea, and also Babylon shall be destroyed; wherefore, the Jews shall be scattered by other nations.
Expression of Wo: wo unto
Addressee/Reason: unto them that fight against God and the people of his church.
Promise of Judgment: Wherefore, the Jews shall be scattered among all nations; yea, and also Babylon shall be destroyed; wherefore, the Jews shall be scattered by other nations.
2 Nephi 28:15
15 O the wise, and the learned, and the rich, that are puffed up in the pride of their hearts, and all those who preach false doctrines, and all those who commit whoredoms, and pervert the right way of the Lord, wo, wo, wo be unto them, saith the Lord God Almighty, for they shall be thrust down to hell!
Expression of Wo: wo, wo, wo be unto them, saith the Lord God Almighty,
Addressee/Reason: O the wise, and the learned, and the rich, that are puffed up in the pride of their hearts, and all those who preach false doctrines, and all those who commit whoredoms, and pervert the right way of the Lord,
Promise of Judgment: for they shall be thrust down to hell!
2 Nephi 28:16
16 Wo unto them that turn aside the just for a thing of naught and revile against that which is good, and say that it is of no worth! For the day shall come that the Lord God will speedily visit the inhabitants of the earth; and in that day that they are fully ripe in iniquity they shall perish.
Expression of Wo: Wo
Addressee/Reason: unto them that turn aside the just for a thing of naught and revile against that which is good, and say that it is of no worth!
Promise of Judgment: For the day shall come that the Lord God will speedily visit the inhabitants of the earth; and in that day that they are fully ripe in iniquity they shall perish.
2 Nephi 28:24
24 Therefore, wo be unto him that is at ease in Zion!
Expression of Wo: Therefore, wo
Addressee/Reason: be unto him that is at ease in Zion!
Promise of Judgment: N/A
2 Nephi 28:25
25 Wo be unto him that crieth: All is well!
Expression of Wo: Wo
Addressee/Reason: be unto him that crieth: All is well!
Promise of Judgment: N/A
2 Nephi 28:26
26 Yea, wo be unto him that hearkeneth unto the precepts of men, and denieth the power of God, and the gift of the Holy Ghost!
Expression of Wo: Yea, wo
Addressee/Reason: be unto him that hearkeneth unto the precepts of men, and denieth the power of God, and the gift of the Holy Ghost!
Promise of Judgment: N/A
2 Nephi 28:27
27 Yea, wo be unto him that saith: We have received, and we need no more!
Expression of Wo: Yea, wo
Addressee/Reason: be unto him that saith: We have received, and we need no more!
Promise of Judgment: N/A
2 Nephi 28:28
28 And in fine, wo unto all those who tremble, and are angry because of the truth of God! For behold, he that is built upon the rock receiveth it with gladness; and he that is built upon a sandy foundation trembleth lest he shall fall.
Expression of Wo: And in fine, wo
Addressee/Reason: unto all those who tremble, and are angry because of the truth of God!
Promise of Judgment: For behold, he that is built upon the rock receiveth it with gladness; and he that is built upon a sandy foundation trembleth lest he shall fall.
2 Nephi 28:29
29 Wo be unto him that shall say: We have received the word of God, and we need no more of the word of God, for we have enough!
30 For behold, thus saith the Lord God: I will give unto the children of men line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little; and blessed are those who hearken unto my precepts, and lend an ear unto my counsel, for they shall learn wisdom; for unto him that receiveth I will give more; and from them that shall say, We have enough, from them shall be taken away even that which they have.
Expression of Wo: Wo
Addressee/Reason: be unto him that shall say: We have received the word of God, and we need no more of the word of God, for we have enough!
Promise of Judgment: … and from them that shall say, We have enough, from them shall be taken away even that which they have.
2 Nephi 28:32
32 Wo be unto the Gentiles, saith the Lord God of Hosts! For notwithstanding I shall lengthen out mine arm unto them from day to day, they will deny me; nevertheless, I will be merciful unto them, saith the Lord God, if they will repent and come unto me; for mine arm is lengthened out all the day long, saith the Lord God of Hosts.
Expression of Wo: Wo be
Addressee: unto the Gentiles, saith the Lord God of Hosts!
Reason for Judgment: For notwithstanding I shall lengthen out mine arm unto them from day to day, they will deny me
Promise of Judgment:
Jacob 3:3
3 But, wo, wo, unto you that are not pure in heart, that are filthy this day before God; for except ye repent the land is cursed for your sakes; and the Lamanites, which are not filthy like unto you, nevertheless they are cursed with a sore cursing, shall scourge you even unto destruction.
Expression of Wo: But, wo, wo,
Addressee/Reason: unto you that are not pure in heart, that are filthy this day before God;
Promise of Judgment: for except ye repent the land is cursed for your sakes; and the Lamanites, which are not filthy like unto you, nevertheless they are cursed with a sore cursing, shall scourge you even unto destruction.
Mosiah 2:33
33 For behold, there is a wo pronounced upon him who listeth to obey that spirit; for if he listeth to obey him, and remaineth and dieth in his sins, the same drinketh damnation to his own soul; for he receiveth for his wages an everlasting punishment, having transgressed the law of God contrary to his own knowledge.
Expression of Wo: there is a wo pronounced
Addressee/Reason: upon him who listeth to obey that spirit;
Promise of Judgment: for if he listeth to obey him, and remaineth and dieth in his sins, the same drinketh damnation to his own soul; for he receiveth for his wages an everlasting punishment
Mosiah 3:12
12 But wo, wo unto him who knoweth that he rebelleth against God! For salvation cometh to none such except it be through repentance and faith on the Lord Jesus Christ.
Expression of Wo: But wo, wo
Addressee/Reason: unto him who knoweth that he rebelleth against God!
Promise of Judgment: For salvation cometh to none such except it be through repentance and faith on the Lord Jesus Christ.
Mosiah 4:23
22 And if ye judge the man who putteth up his petition to you for your substance that he perish not, and condemn him, how much more just will be your condemnation for withholding your substance, which doth not belong to you but to God, to whom also your life belongeth; and yet ye put up no petition, nor repent of the thing which thou hast done.
23 I say unto you, wo be unto that man, for his substance shall perish with him; and now, I say these things unto those who are rich as pertaining to the things of this world.
Expression of Wo: I say unto you, wo be unto
Addressee: that man,
Reason for Judgment: And if ye judge the man who putteth up his petition to you for your substance that he perish not, and condemn him
Promise of Judgment: for his substance shall perish with him
Mosiah 11:20
20 And it came to pass that there was a man among them whose name was Abinadi; and he went forth among them, and began to prophesy, saying: Behold, thus saith the Lord, and thus hath he commanded me, saying, Go forth, and say unto this people, thus saith the Lord—Wo be unto this people, for I have seen their abominations, and their wickedness, and their whoredoms; and except they repent I will visit them in mine anger.
Expression of Wo: Wo be
Addressee: unto this people,
Reason for Judgment: for I have seen their abominations, and their wickedness, and their whoredoms;
Promise of Judgment: and except they repent I will visit them in mine anger.
Mosiah 12:2
2 Yea, wo be unto this generation! And the Lord said unto me: Stretch forth thy hand and prophesy, saying: Thus saith the Lord, it shall come to pass that this generation, because of their iniquities, shall be brought into bondage, and shall be smitten on the cheek; yea, and shall be driven by men, and shall be slain; and the vultures of the air, and the dogs, yea, and the wild beasts, shall devour their flesh.
Expression of Wo: Yea, wo
Addressee: be unto this generation!
Reason for Judgment: … because of their iniquities,
Promise of Judgment: shall be brought into bondage, and shall be smitten on the cheek; yea, and shall be driven by men, and shall be slain; and the vultures of the air, and the dogs, yea, and the wild beasts, shall devour their flesh.
Mosiah 12:26
26 I say unto you, wo be unto you for perverting the ways of the Lord! For if ye understand these things ye have not taught them; therefore, ye have perverted the ways of the Lord.
Expression of Wo: I say unto you, wo
Addressee: be unto you
Reason for Judgment: for perverting the ways of the Lord!
Promise of Judgment: N/A
Alma 5:31
30 And again I say unto you, is there one among you that doth make a mock of his brother, or that heapeth upon him persecutions?
31 Wo unto such an one, for he is not prepared, and the time is at hand that he must repent or he cannot be saved!
Expression of Wo: Wo unto such an one,
Addressee/Reason: is there one among you that doth make a mock of his brother, or that heapeth upon him persecutions
Promise of Judgment: for he is not prepared, and the time is at hand that he must repent or he cannot be saved!
Alma 5:32
32 Yea, even wo unto all ye workers of iniquity; repent, repent, for the Lord God hath spoken it!
Expression of Wo: Yea, even wo
Addressee/Reason: unto all ye workers of iniquity; repent
Promise of Judgment: N/A
Alma 33:21–22
21 O my brethren, if ye could be healed by merely casting about your eyes that ye might be healed, would ye not behold quickly, or would ye rather harden your hearts in unbelief, and be slothful, that ye would not cast about your eyes, that ye might perish?
22 If so, wo shall come upon you; but if not so, then cast about your eyes and begin to believe in the Son of God, that he will come to redeem his people, and that he shall suffer and die to atone for their sins; and that he shall rise again from the dead, which shall bring to pass the resurrection, that all men shall stand before him, to be judged at the last and judgment day, according to their works.
Expression of Wo: If so, wo shall come upon you
Addressee: O my brethren
Reason for Judgment: or would ye rather harden your hearts in unbelief, and be slothful, that ye would not cast about your eyes,
Promise of Judgment: that ye might perish
Helaman 7:22
21 But behold, it is to get gain, to be praised of men, yea, and that ye might get gold and silver. And ye have set your hearts upon the riches and the vain things of this world, for the which ye do murder, and plunder, and steal, and bear false witness against your neighbor, and do all manner of iniquity.
22 And for this cause wo shall come unto you except ye shall repent. For if ye will not repent, behold, this great city, and also all those great cities which are round about, which are in the land of our possession, shall be taken away that ye shall have no place in them; for behold, the Lord will not grant unto you strength, as he has hitherto done, to withstand against your enemies.
Expression of Wo: And for this cause wo shall
Addressee: come unto you
Reason for Judgment: But behold, it is to get gain, to be praised of men, yea, and that ye might get gold and silver. And ye have set your hearts upon the riches and the vain things of this world, for the which ye do murder, and plunder, and steal, and bear false witness against your neighbor, and do all manner of iniquity.
Promise of Judgment: For if ye will not repent, behold, this great city, and also all those great cities which are round about, which are in the land of our possession, shall be taken away that ye shall have no place in them
Helaman 7:25
25 Yea, wo be unto you because of that great abomination which has come among you; and ye have united yourselves unto it, yea, to that secret band which was established by Gadianton!
Expression of Wo: Yea, wo be
Addressee: unto you
Reason for Judgment: because of that great abomination which has come among you; and ye have united yourselves unto it, yea, to that secret band which was established by Gadianton!
Promise of Judgment: N/A
Helaman 7:26
26 Yea, wo shall come unto you because of that pride which ye have suffered to enter your hearts, which has lifted you up beyond that which is good because of your exceedingly great riches!
Expression of Wo: Yea, wo shall
Addressee: come unto you
Reason for Judgment: because of that pride which ye have suffered to enter your hearts, which has lifted you up beyond that which is good because of your exceedingly great riches!
Promise of Judgment: N/A
Helaman 7:27–28
27 Yea, wo be unto you because of your wickedness and abominations!
28 And except ye repent ye shall perish; yea, even your lands shall be taken from you, and ye shall be destroyed from off the face of the earth.
Expression of Wo: Yea, wo be
Addressee: unto you
Reason for Judgment: because of your wickedness and abominations!
Promise of Judgment: And except ye repent ye shall perish; yea, even your lands shall be taken from you, and ye shall be destroyed from off the face of the earth.
Helaman 12:21–22
21 And if the Lord shall say—Because of thine iniquities thou shalt be cut off from my presence—he will cause that it shall be so.
22 And wo unto him to whom he shall say this, for it shall be unto him that will do iniquity, and he cannot be saved; therefore, for this cause, that men might be saved, hath repentance been declared.
Expression of Wo: And wo
Addressee: unto him to whom he shall say this,
Reason for Judgment: Because of thine iniquities
Promise of Judgment: thou shalt be cut off from my presence … for it shall be unto him that will do iniquity, and he cannot be saved
Helaman 13:10–11
10 Yea, I will visit them in my fierce anger, and there shall be those of the fourth generation who shall live, of your enemies, to behold your utter destruction; and this shall surely come except ye repent, saith the Lord; and those of the fourth generation shall visit your destruction.
11 But if ye will repent and return unto the Lord your God I will turn away mine anger, saith the Lord; yea, thus saith the Lord, blessed are they who will repent and turn unto me, but wo unto him that repenteth not.
Expression of Wo: wo
Addressee: unto him
Reason for Judgment: that repenteth not.
Promise of Judgment: Yea, I will visit them in my fierce anger, and there shall be those of the fourth generation who shall live, of your enemies, to behold your utter destruction; and this shall surely come except ye repent, saith the Lord; and those of the fourth generation shall visit your destruction.
Helaman 13:12–13
12 Yea, wo unto this great city of Zarahemla; for behold, it is because of those who are righteous that it is saved; yea, wo unto this great city, for I perceive, saith the Lord, that there are many, yea, even the more part of this great city, that will harden their hearts against me, saith the Lord.
13 But blessed are they who will repent, for them will I spare. But behold, if it were not for the righteous who are in this great city, behold, I would cause that fire should come down out of heaven and destroy it.
Expression of Wo: Yea, wo …
Addressee: unto this great city of Zarahemla;
Reason for Judgment: for I perceive, saith the Lord, that there are many, yea, even the more part of this great city, that will harden their hearts against me, saith the Lord.
Promise of Judgment: I would cause that fire should come down out of heaven and destroy it
Helaman 13:14–15
14 But behold, it is for the righteous’ sake that it is spared. But behold, the time cometh, saith the Lord, that when ye shall cast out the righteous from among you, then shall ye be ripe for destruction; yea, wo be unto this great city, because of the wickedness and abominations which are in her.
15 Yea, and wo be unto the city of Gideon,
Expression of Wo: wo be
Addressee: unto this great city … unto the city of Gideon
Reason for Judgment: when ye shall cast out the righteous from among you … because of the wickedness and abominations which are in her.
Promise of Judgment: then shall ye be ripe for destruction
Helaman 13:16–17
16 Yea, and wo be unto all the cities which are in the land round about, which are possessed by the Nephites, because of the wickedness and abominations which are in them.
17 And behold, a curse shall come upon the land, saith the Lord of Hosts, because of the people’s sake who are upon the land, yea, because of their wickedness and their abominations.
Expression of Wo: Yea, and wo be
Addressee: unto all the cities which are in the land round about, which are possessed by the Nephites
Reason for Judgment: because of the wickedness and abominations which are in them … because of the people’s sake who are upon the land, yea, because of their wickedness and their abominations.
Promise of Judgment: And behold, a curse shall come upon the land, saith the Lord of Hosts
Helaman 13:24
23 For this cause hath the Lord God caused that a curse should come upon the land, and also upon your riches, and this because of your iniquities.
24 Yea, wo unto this people, because of this time which has arrived, that ye do cast out the prophets, and do mock them, and cast stones at them, and do slay them, and do all manner of iniquity unto them, even as they did of old time.
Expression of Wo: Yea, wo
Addressee: unto this people,
Reason for Judgment: because of your iniquities … because of this time which has arrived, that ye do cast out the prophets, and do mock them, and cast stones at them, and do slay them, and do all manner of iniquity unto them, even as they did of old time.
Promise of Judgment: For this cause hath the Lord God caused that a curse should come upon the land, and also upon your riches
Helaman 15:2–3
2 Yea, except ye repent, your women shall have great cause to mourn in the day that they shall give suck; for ye shall attempt to flee and there shall be no place for refuge; yea, and wo unto them which are with child, for they shall be heavy and cannot flee; therefore, they shall be trodden down and shall be left to perish.
Expression of Wo: wo
Addressee: unto them which are with child, for they shall be heavy and cannot flee; therefore,
Reason for Judgment: Yea, except ye repent,
Promise of Judgment: your women shall have great cause to mourn in the day that they shall give suck; for ye shall attempt to flee and there shall be no place for refuge … they shall be trodden down and shall be left to perish.
3 Nephi 9:2
2 Wo, wo, wo unto this people; wo unto the inhabitants of the whole earth except they shall repent; for the devil laugheth, and his angels rejoice, because of the slain of the fair sons and daughters of my people; and it is because of their iniquity and abominations that they are fallen!
Expression of Wo: Wo, wo, wo … wo unto the inhabitants of the whole earth
Addressee: unto this people;
Reason for Judgment: except they shall repent; … and it is because of their iniquity and abominations that they are fallen!
Promise of Judgment: for the devil laugheth, and his angels rejoice, because of the slain of the fair sons and daughters of my people;
3 Nephi 16:8–10
8 But wo, saith the Father, unto the unbelieving of the Gentiles …
10 At that day when the Gentiles shall sin against my gospel, and shall reject the fulness of my gospel, and shall be lifted up in the pride of their hearts above all nations, and above all the people of the whole earth, and shall be filled with all manner of lyings, and of deceits, and of mischiefs, and all manner of hypocrisy, and murders, and priestcrafts, and whoredoms, and of secret abominations; and if they shall do all those things, and shall reject the fulness of my gospel, behold, saith the Father, I will bring the fulness of my gospel from among them.
Expression of Wo: But wo, saith the Father,
Addressee: unto the unbelieving of the Gentiles—
Reason for Judgment: At that day when the Gentiles shall sin against my gospel, and shall reject the fulness of my gospel, and shall be lifted up in the pride of their hearts above all nations, and above all the people of the whole earth, and shall be filled with all manner of lyings, and of deceits, and of mischiefs, and all manner of hypocrisy, and murders, and priestcrafts, and whoredoms, and of secret abominations; and if they shall do all those things, and shall reject the fulness of my gospel, behold, saith the Father,
Promise of Judgment: I will bring the fulness of my gospel from among them.
3 Nephi 18:33
33 Therefore, keep these sayings which I have commanded you that ye come not under condemnation; for wo unto him whom the Father condemneth.
Expression of Wo: wo unto
Addressee: him whom the Father condemneth.
Reason for Judgment: Therefore, keep these sayings which I have commanded
Promise of Judgment: that ye come not under condemnation
3 Nephi 21:14
14 Yea, wo be unto the Gentiles except they repent; for it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Father, that I will cut off thy horses out of the midst of thee, and I will destroy thy chariots;
Expression of Wo: Yea, wo
Addressee: be unto the Gentiles
Reason for Judgment: except they repent;
Promise of Judgment: for it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Father, that I will cut off thy horses out of the midst of thee, and I will destroy thy chariots
3 Nephi 28:34
34 And wo be unto him that will not hearken unto the words of Jesus, and also to them whom he hath chosen and sent among them; for whoso receiveth not the words of Jesus and the words of those whom he hath sent receiveth not him; and therefore he will not receive them at the last day;
Expression of Wo: And wo be
Addressee: unto him that will not hearken unto the words of Jesus, and also to them whom he hath chosen and sent among them;
Reason for Judgment: for whoso receiveth not the words of Jesus and the words of those whom he hath sent receiveth not him;
Promise of Judgment: and therefore he will not receive them at the last day;
3 Nephi 29:4–5
4 And when ye shall see these sayings coming forth among you, then ye need not any longer spurn at the doings of the Lord, for the sword of his justice is in his right hand; and behold, at that day, if ye shall spurn at his doings he will cause that it shall soon overtake you.
5 Wo unto him that spurneth at the doings of the Lord; yea, wo unto him that shall deny the Christ and his works!
Expression of Wo: Wo unto
Addressee: him that spurneth at the doings of the Lord; yea, wo unto him that shall deny the Christ and his works!
Reason for Judgment: and behold, at that day, if ye shall spurn at his doings
Promise of Judgment: he will cause that it shall soon overtake you.
3 Nephi 29:6
6 Yea, wo unto him that shall deny the revelations of the Lord, and that shall say the Lord no longer worketh by revelation, or by prophecy, or by gifts, or by tongues, or by healings, or by the power of the Holy Ghost!
Expression of Wo: Yea, wo unto
Addressee/Reason: him that shall deny the revelations of the Lord, and that shall say the Lord no longer worketh by revelation, or by prophecy, or by gifts, or by tongues, or by healings, or by the power of the Holy Ghost!
Promise of Judgment: N/A
3 Nephi 29:7
7 Yea, and wo unto him that shall say at that day, to get gain, that there can be no miracle wrought by Jesus Christ; for he that doeth this shall become like unto the son of perdition, for whom there was no mercy, according to the word of Christ!
Expression of Wo: Yea, and wo unto
Addressee/Reason: him that shall say at that day, to get gain, that there can be no miracle wrought by Jesus Christ;
Promise of Judgment: for he that doeth this shall become like unto the son of perdition, for whom there was no mercy, according to the word of Christ!
Mormon 8:31
31 Yea, it shall come in a day when there shall be great pollutions upon the face of the earth; there shall be murders, and robbing, and lying, and deceivings, and whoredoms, and all manner of abominations; when there shall be many who will say, Do this, or do that, and it mattereth not, for the Lord will uphold such at the last day. But wo unto such, for they are in the gall of bitterness and in the bonds of iniquity.
Expression of Wo: But wo unto such,
Addressee/Reason: there shall be many who will say, Do this, or do that, and it mattereth not , for the Lord will uphold such at the last day.
Promise of Judgment: for the Lord will uphold such at the last day.
Ether 8:24
24 Wherefore, the Lord commandeth you, when ye shall see these things come among you that ye shall awake to a sense of your awful situation, because of this secret combination which shall be among you; or wo be unto it, because of the blood of them who have been slain; for they cry from the dust for vengeance upon it, and also upon those who built it up.
Expression of Wo: wo be unto it
Addressee: this secret combination which shall be among you
Reason for Judgment: because of the blood of them who have been slain;
Promise of Judgment: for they cry from the dust for vengeance upon it, and also upon those who built it up
Moroni 7:37–38
37 Behold I say unto you, Nay; for it is by faith that miracles are wrought; and it is by faith that angels appear and minister unto men; wherefore, if these things have ceased wo be unto the children of men, for it is because of unbelief, and all is vain.
38 For no man can be saved, according to the words of Christ, save they shall have faith in his name; wherefore, if these things have ceased, then has faith ceased also; and awful is the state of man, for they are as though there had been no redemption made.
Expression of Wo: wo be
Addressee: unto the children of men,
Reason for Judgment: for it is because of unbelief
Promise of Judgment: … and awful is the state of man, for they are as though there had been no redemption made
Moroni 8:16
16 Wo be unto them that shall pervert the ways of the Lord after this manner, for they shall perish except they repent. Behold, I speak with boldness, having authority from God; and I fear not what man can do; for perfect love casteth out all fear.
Expression of Wo: Wo be
Addressee/Reason: unto them that shall pervert the ways of the Lord after this
Promise of Judgment: for they shall perish except they repent.
Moroni 8:20–21
20 And he that saith that little children need baptism denieth the mercies of Christ, and setteth at naught the atonement of him and the power of his redemption.
21 Wo unto such, for they are in danger of death, hell, and an endless torment. I speak it boldly; God hath commanded me. Listen unto them and give heed, or they stand against you at the judgment-seat of Christ.
Expression of Wo: Wo unto such,
Addressee/Reason: he that saith that little children need baptism denieth the mercies of Christ, and setteth at naught the atonement of him and the power of his redemption
Promise of Judgment: for they are in danger of death, hell, and an endless torment.
Moroni 9:15
15 Behold, my heart cries: Wo unto this people. Come out in judgment, O God, and hide their sins, and wickedness, and abominations from before thy face!
Expression of Wo: Wo
Addressee: unto this people.
Reason for Judgment: hide their sins, and wickedness, and abominations from before thy face!
Promise of Judgment: Come out in judgment, O God,
Moroni 10:24–26
24 And now I speak unto all the ends of the earth—that if the day cometh that the power and gifts of God shall be done away among you, it shall be because of unbelief.
25 And wo be unto the children of men if this be the case; for there shall be none that doeth good among you, no not one. For if there be one among you that doeth good, he shall work by the power and gifts of God.
26 And wo unto them who shall do these things away and die, for they die in their sins, and they cannot be saved in the kingdom of God; and I speak it according to the words of Christ; and I lie not.
Expression of Wo: And wo be … And wo unto them
Addressee: unto the children of men … who shall do these things away and die
Reason for Judgment: it shall be because of unbelief
Promise of Judgment: for they die in their sins, and they cannot be saved in the kingdom of God
- 1 The word “woe” shows up collectively more than 100 times in the Bible (more than 60 instances in the Old Testament and over 40 in the New Testament). However, not all instances involve the woe-oracle speech formula which is discussed throughout this article. Textual data was collected via WordCruncher.
- 2 See Erhard Gerstenberger, “The Woe-Oracles of the Prophets,” Journal of Biblical Literature 81, no. 3 (1962): 249–263.
- 3 For a survey of treatments of this topic, see Gerstenberger, “The Woe-Oracles of the Prophets,” 249–263; James G. Williams, “The Alas-Oracles of the Eight Century Prophets,” Hebrew Union College Annual 38 (1967): 75–91; Waldemar Janzen, Mourning Cry and Woe Oracle (Berlin: De Gruyter, 1972); George W. Ramsey, “Speech-Forms in Hebrew Law and Prophetic Oracles,” Journal of Biblical Literature 96, no. 1 (1977): 55–56; George W. E. Nickelsburg, “The Apocalyptic Message of 1 ‘1 Enoch’ 92–105,” The Catholic Biblical Quarterly 39, no. 3 (1977): 310–312; Robert A. Coughenour, “The Woe-Oracles in Ethiopic Enoch,” Journal for the Study of Judaism 9, no. 2 (1978): 192–197; Delbert R. Hillers, “Hôy and Hôy-Oracles: A Neglected Syntactic Aspect,” in The Word of the Lord Shall Go Forth, ed. Carol L. Meyers and M. O’Connor (Philadelphia, PA: Eisenbruns, 1983), 185–188; David Edward Aune, Prophecy in Early Christianity and the Ancient Mediterranean World (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1983), 96–97, 116–117; Steven Horine, “A Study of the Literary Genre of the Woe Oracle,” Calvary Baptist Theological Journal 5, no. 2 (Fall 1989): 74–97; JoAnna M. Hoyt, “Discourse Analysis of Prophetic Oracles: Woe, Indictment, and Hope,” Hebrew Studies 60 (2019): 153–174.
- 4 Donald W. Parry, “‘Thus Saith the Lord’: Prophetic Language in Samuel’s Speech,” in Pressing Forward with the Book of Mormon: The FARMS Updates of the 1990s, ed. John W. Welch and Melvin J. Thorne (Provo, UT: FARMS, 1999), 205. See also, Donald W. Parry, “Hebraisms and Other Ancient Peculiarities in the Book of Mormon,” in Echoes and Evidences of the Book of Mormon, ed. Donald W. Parry, Daniel C. Peterson and John W. Welch (Provo, UT: FARMS, 2002), 155–189. Note that the number of woe oracles identified by Scripture Central staff is 55, but some of these are missing the promise of judgment or don’t follow the typical order identified by Parry. See Appendix.
- 5 Note that these categories differ slightly from those proposed by Parry, which he labeled as (1) Accusation, (2) Addressee, (3) Intent, and (4) Promise of Judgment. See Parry, “‘Thus Saith the Lord’: Prophetic Language in Samuel’s Speech,” 205. The difference, however, is mostly in terms rather than concepts.
- 6 Gerstenberger, “The Woe-Oracles of the Prophets,” 252. Passages cited as examples include Isaiah 5:18, 20–21; 33:1; 45:10; Amos 6:1; Habakkuk 2:6, 19.
- 7 See Coughenour, “The Woe-Oracles in Ethiopic Enoch,” 192: “The woe indictments in Ethiopic Enoch are more numerous than any book of the Hebrew canon. Thirty-two times the woe oracle occurs in Enoch, most often in a series.” See also, James H. Charlesworth, ed., The Old Testament Pseudepigrapha, Volume 1: Apocalyptic Literature and Testaments (Garden City, NY: Doubleday, 1983), 5–89. Another pseudepigraphic text of Jewish and Christian relevance that is saturated with statements of woe is the Sibylline Oracles (pp. 317–472).
- 8 See Evidence Central, “Book of Mormon Evidence: Jacob’s Ten Woes,” Evidence# 0394, February 28, 2023, online at evidencecentral.org; Evidence Central, “Book of Mormon Evidence: Symbolism of the Number Ten,” Evidence# 0046, September 19, 2020 (updated March 17, 2023), online at evidencecentral.org. For other lists of woes in the Book of Mormon, see 2 Nephi 28:15–32; Alma 5:31–32; Helaman 7:22–28; 13:10–24; 3 Nephi 29:4–7.
- 9 Pseudo-biblical texts are those which, to various extents, seek to imitate the language and style of the Bible. For example, a text written in the mid-1700s states, “But woe unto you whoremongers, adulterers, and fornicators, and woe unto you harlots and street-walkers, that lie in wait for prey, and spread your nets in every corner; for a disease hath stricken ye through the reins, and the heat of your lusts shall burn ye up.” Nathan Ben Saddi, Chronicle of the Kings of England (London: J. Fairburn, 1821, first printed in 1740), 83.
- 10 Parry, “Hebraisms and Other Ancient Peculiarities in the Book of Mormon,” 170.
- 11 For a helpful but incomplete sampling of additional ancient literary features, see Evidence Central, “Book of Mormon Evidence: Ancient Literary Features,” online at evidencecentral.org.
- 12 See Evidence Central, “Book of Mormon Evidence: Translation (Main Category),” online at evidencecentral.org.