"Thou Shalt Have Place With Us"

A careful study of the Book of Mormon reveals the beauty and pure translation of this wonderful book we are blessed to have. It is an Old Testament Hebrew text with literary styles used in the Old Testament, non-Biblical texts, and even Hebrew poetry. Recognizing these styles gives us a greater appreciation for the pure translation, but perhaps more importantly gives the reader doctrinal direction to emphasize particular concepts. After all, such Hebrew styles were not employed just to sound poetic, but to highlight themes and pure doctrine.

One literary style found in the Old Testament is called Leitwort. It is a German word coined by Martin Buber, a Jewish philosopher and Bible scholar. Leitwort mean literally "leading word," and is used in a poetic style to lead the reader into a theme. In the Old Testament you will find these theme words or phrases being repeated. The theme words are used in a context to convey a certain meaning. The word place means holy place or temple.

The wording can sometimes sound awkward in English as the word place is sometimes not needed to convey the meaning. For example,

"Enlarge the place of thy tent, and let them stretch forth the curtains of thine habitations" (Isaiah 54: 2).

This phrase could be rendered, "Enlarge thy tent . . . ." But the concept of temple, or holy place, is highlighted by the Leitwort place. This prayer-like petition connects "habitation" of the Lord with house of the Lord, and the "curtains" could represent the veil.

It is interesting that the Lord, even in our dispensation, speaks in this Leitwort parallel style. Look at this verse:

"Verily this is the word of the Lord, that the city New Jerusalem shall be built by the gathering of the saints, beginning at this place, even the place of the temple, which temple shall be reared in this generation" (D&C 84: 4).

Notice the use of Leitwort and parallelism, as the verse is structured with the parallels, place, place, temple, temple.

Perhaps the most classic example of the Leitwort place occurs in the Old Testament as Jacob has a temple-like experience in Bethel, a name meaning "house of God" in Hebrew. Look at the following verses:

"And he lighted upon a certain place, and tarried there all night, because the sun was set; and he took of the stones of that place, and put them for his pillows, and lay down in that place to sleep.

"And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it.

"And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of.

"And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said, Surely the Lord is in this place; and I knew it not.

"And he was afraid, and said, How dreadful is this place! this is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.

"And he called the name of that place Beth-el: but the name of that city was called Luz at the first" (Genesis 28: 11-12, 15-17, 19).


In the Book of Mormon, after Nephi obtains the brass plates of Laban, he invites Laban's servant Zoram to go with them on the journey, eventually leading to the promised land, representing exaltation. Nephi makes an oath or form of covenant with Zoram, although the setting would make it more of an oath than a covenant according to Jewish tradition. Interestingly, the Book of Mormon uses the word oath, and not covenant (see 1 Nephi 4: 33, 35).

Nephi promises the following:

"Surely the Lord hath commanded us to do this thing; and shall we not be diligent in keeping the commandments of the Lord? Therefore, if thou wilt go down into the wilderness to my father thou shalt have place with us" (1 Nephi 4: 34).

The words up and down are also Hebrew Leitworts. Up represents coming into God's presence, and down represents leaving God's presence. Notice how often Nephi speaks of going up to Jerusalem and going down into the wilderness. Joseph Smith never missed one of these in translation. 

Zoram is being asked to leave Jerusalem where the temple was located. The scriptural purpose for the temple is to come back into the presence of God. Zoram is being asked to go down into the wilderness, away from the temple, or the symbolic presence of God. But Nephi promises him place, meaning temple experience. It's as if Nephi were saying, "You're leaving the temple of Jerusalem, but if you come with us you will have a new temple."

When the entire party leaves the Holy Land to cross the waters, the Book of Mormon text repeats the word down three times in true Leitwort fashion to emphasize the idea that they are leaving the temple area. They go down into the ship. In the Old Testament, Jonah also goes down into the ship to run away from the presence of God (see 1 Nephi 18: 5, 6, 8; Jonah 1: 3, 5).

It is also interesting that after Nephi's party arrives in the promised land, representing exaltation, Nephi builds a temple. Consistent with this temple theme and Nephi's promise to give Zoram "place," a new temple is constructed, and guess whose name is mentioned first among those going to the new temple place? Zoram is the first mentioned by name among those going with Nephi (see 2 Nephi 5: 6).

This is such a great book! And so true.