Evidence: Bloodsheds, and Great Visitations—Plural Amplification

Ed J. Pinegar, Richard J. Allen

Consider the grammatical construction used in this verse. The words bloodshed and visitation are rendered plural—in order to amplify the themes. In biblical Hebrew, a noun is often pluralized when one would expect a singular in order to amplify or emphasize the idea. However, the translators of the King James version changed these nouns to the singular. A few examples, with the correct Hebrew translation in brackets, include “and strength of salvation [salvations] …” (Isaiah 33:6), and “Thy brother’s blood [bloods] crieth unto me from the ground” (Genesis 4:10). The Book of Mormon contains many such plural nouns, suggesting that its authors were familiar with the Hebrew writing style (see 1 Nephi 2:11, Jacob 4:7, Mormon 1:19, Alma 20:13). (See Echoes, 173.)

Commentaries and Insights on the Book of Mormon, Vol. 1

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