Many ancient writers were faced with need to insert a later text into an earlier document, or perhaps to simply write an aside to the main text. To mark this inserted, out-of-line, text into their document, they used a technique that has been called repetitive resumption. The name is basically the description.
When faced with an inserted text, there are two important points. The first is the departure point in the original text. The second is the return to the original text. To mark the insertion, ancient authors would repeat important information from the departure text. The text in our chapter 6, verses 1-6 is the first example of the kind of typical insertion we will see often in Nephi’s writing, and later in Mormon’s.
A short example comes from Mormon’s abridgment of the book of Alma. In this section, Mormon is copying, and then inserts his own information that Alma didn’t need to write, because he already knew it. Mormon inserted it for his future audience:
13 And it came to pass when they had arrived in the borders of the land of the Lamanites, that they separated themselves and departed one from another, trusting in the Lord that they should meet again at the close of their harvest; for they supposed that great was the work which they had undertaken.
[The inserted text begins here]
14 And assuredly it was great, for they had undertaken to preach the word of God to a wild and a hardened and a ferocious people; a people who delighted in murdering the Nephites, and robbing and plundering them; and their hearts were set upon riches, or upon gold and silver, and precious stones; yet they sought to obtain these things by murdering and plundering, that they might not labor for them with their own hands.
15 Thus they were a very indolent people, many of whom did worship idols, and the curse of God had fallen upon them because of the traditions of their fathers; notwithstanding the promises of the Lord were extended unto them on the conditions of repentance.
16 Therefore, this was the cause for which the sons of Mosiah had undertaken the work, that perhaps they might bring them unto repentance; that perhaps they might bring them to know of the plan of redemption.
[The insertion ends, and the next sentence repeats the information from the story he copied from Alma]
17 Therefore they separated themselves one from another, and went forth among them, every man alone, according to the word and power of God which was given unto him.
Repetitive resumption occurs when an interrupted text resumes by repeating words, or meaning from the text just before the departure.