Hugh Pinnock writes that polysyndeton is among the easiest of repetitious ancient Hebrew writing forms to identify because it repeats "the word and at the beginning of successive clauses." A good example of polysyndeton in the Book of Mormon is found in Alma 1:29:
an abundance of flocks
and herds
and fatlings of every kind,
and also abundance of grain,
and of gold,
and of silver,
and of precious things,
and abundance of silk
and fine-twined linen,
and all manner or good homely cloth.
Easily recognizable, polysyndeton was a tool frequently used by Hebrew writers and is an obvious support for the Book of Mormon's Hebraic roots. [Hugh W. Pinnock, Finding Biblical Hebrew and Other Ancient Literary Forms in the Book of Mormon, FARMS, 1999, pp. 21-23, 27] [See the commentary on Helaman 3:14, 3 Nephi 11:19-20]
Note* Richardson, Richardson and Bentley note that other uses of polysyndeton in the Book of Mormon are found in 1 Nephi 2:4; 49; 2 Nephi 33:9; Enos 1:21; Alma 7:27; 8:21-23; 9:21; Helaman 3:14; 3 Nephi 4:7; 11:19-20; 17:13-25; 4 Nephi 1:5-7; Mormon 8:37 and Ether 9:17-27. [Allen H. Richardson, David E. Richardson and Anthony E. Bentley, 1000 Evidences for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints: Part Two-A Voice from the Dust: 500 Evidences in Support of the Book of Mormon, p. 262]
“Flocks and Herds”
According to Brant Gardner, in the Book of Mormon, "flocks and herds" are a paired set. "Herds" are not mentioned except as in conjunction with "flocks." For example, we have Nephi's statement about flocks and herds (2 Nephi 5:11), and another example from Alma:
And now, because of the steadiness of the church they began to be exceedingly rich, having abundance of all things whatsoever they stood in need--an abundance of flocks and herds, and fatlings of every kind . . . (Alma 1:29)
This usage of the paired terms "flocks and herds" matches well with Old Testament usage, where the vast majority of cases have "flocks and herds" paired (see for example, Exodus 12:38). This consistent pairing indicates that there was a linguistically tied phrase common in the Old World that was perpetuated in the New World, where mention of "herds" would also automatically require the paired word "flocks." This pairing was required only by the presence of the term "herd," however, as "flocks" could appear singly (and "herd" could rarely occur on its own in the Old Testament, but never in the Book of Mormon).
In Old Testament usage, "flocks" refer to sheep (as in Genesis 29:2). Similarly, "herds" were typically associated with cattle. However, the KJV translation will at times use the word "cattle" as a translation for miqneh "a possession, thing purchased" (Strong's Analytical Concordance). . . .
While there is no direct evidence, there is the possibility that the Old Testament usage of miqneh "possessions" could have become the transferred meaning of the paired "flocks/herds." The usage of "flocks and herds" could easily fit into this meaning, where the singly used "flocks" might not (such as Mosiah 2:3 "And they also took of the firstlings of their flocks, that they might offer sacrifice and burnt offerings according to the law of Moses"' where a specific animal for sacrifice is intended rather than a generic "possessed animal").
John L. Sorenson suggests that flocks and herds may have been categories for smaller and larger animals respectively. He includes fowl in the flocks, which is completely expected in the English usage of the term, but not supported in Biblical usage (Sorenson, Setting, p. 293). His discussion of the possible animals under semi-domestication is worthwhile, but the meaning of "flocks and herds" may have been much different than his more conventional analysis suggests. [Brant Gardner, "Book of Mormon Commentary," at [http://www.highfiber.com/~nahualli/LDStopics/Alma/Alma1.htm]]