“*”

Climactic Hebrew poetry takes the form of staircase parallelism, demonstrating to the reader a gradual ascent through the recurrence of several identical words. This duplication of words creates a continuation of thought from one sentence to the next, which adds power through repetition to the discourse, while at the same time connecting the lines into an inseparable body. Like the Bible, the Book of Mormon contains a varied and beautiful selection of climactic forms. One good example is found in Moroni 8:25-26:

And the first fruits of repentance is [1] baptism;

and [1] baptism cometh by faith unto [2] the fulfilling the commandments;

and [2] the fulfilling the commandments bringeth [3] remission of sins;

and [3] the remission of sins bringeth [4] meekness, and lowliness of heart;

and [4] because of meekness and lowliness of heart cometh [5] the visitation of the Holy Ghost,

which [5] Comforter filleth with [6] hope and perfect love,

which [6] love endureth by diligence unto prayer, until [7] the end shall come, when all the saints shall dwell with God.

Other examples of climactic poetry are found in 1 Nephi 15:13-20, 33-35; 2 Nephi 1:13; Mosiah 2:17-19; Alma 42:17-20; Helaman 5:6-8; Ether 3:15-16; Mormon 9:11-13. [Donald W. Parry, "Climactic Forms in the Book of Mormon," in Reexploring the Book of Mormon, pp. 290-292]