Chiasmus in Mormon 7
The Book of Mormon is known to have chiasmus, the hebraism that sets forth ideas up until a high point, and then repeats (perhaps in a different manner) those same words in reverse order. Alma 36 is the chapter that is probably the best example of this. But I think there are others. There
seems to be this kind of structure in Mormon 7, which contains the last words of Mormon before he gave the plates to his son Moroni.
Here’s how I see the chiasmus:
These
all fit very well except for perhaps 3 and 7, which are really portraying contrasting ideas instead of the same idea. The major themes here
are that we will know we are of the House of Israel, we need to come to
repentance, and that Jesus Christ will bring to pass the resurrection. The most important theme of redemption and
resurrection through Jesus Christ is at the center as it should be in chiasmus. These same three themes seem to be the
essence of Moroni’s last words as well: he speaks of the covenants of the house
of Israel in Moroni 10:31, “the remission of sins” in Moroni 10:33, and the
resurrection being “brought forth triumphant through the air” in Moroni
10:34. Given the death that has surrounded them with the destruction of their people, it's no wonder that both Moroni and Mormon glory in the resurrection.
A (v1):
“Ye are a remnant of the house of
Israel”
B (v2):
“Know that ye are of the house of
Israel”
C (v3): “Know that ye must come unto repentance”
D (v4): “Delight
no more in the shedding of blood”
E (v5): “He hath gained the victory over the grave”
E (v6): “He bringeth to pass the resurrection of the dead”
D (v7): “In a state of happiness which hath no end”
C (v8): “Therefore repent, and be baptized in the name of Jesus”
B (v9):
“Ye will know concerning your
fathers”
A (v10):
“Ye will also know that ye are a remnant
of the seed of Jacob”
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