This word found in both the Old Testament and the Book of Mormon has given some an understanding that more than two are meant in the Hebrew language. As one theorist tried to point out regarding an article we posted, in which we quoted Nephi who said in part: “And we did find all manner of ore, both of gold, and of silver, and of copper” (1 Nephi 18:25, emphasis added).
In any language, the word “both” in this case means only two, though there are three items following. As an example, gold and silver are precious metals and copper is not. Consequently, gold and silver are used as one item, and copper another. This is like saying “both dad, mom and child,” which groups dad and mom as one unit (parents, adults) and child as the second unit.
However, the theorist had a different viewpoint, saying: “You did point out that and of is a Hebrew carryover, so it's certainly conceivable that Nephi simply wrote a Hebrew word that is translated into English as "both" but in Hebrew usage simply denotes a list of any length.”
In 1828, Noah Webster published his American dictionary of the English language—a dictionary Joseph Smith used in his School of the Prophets—in which Webster defined “both” as meaning Two, considered as distinct from others or by themselves; the one and the other as in Abraham, who “took sheep and oxen, and gave them to Abimelech; and both of them made a covenant (Genesis 21:27). That is, both Abraham and Abimelech made a covenant between the two of them.
“Both” is also seen in:
• best of both worlds הטוב בכל העולמות
• cut both ways היו לו פנים לכאן ולכאן, היו בו צד חיובי וצד שלילי
• a foot in both camps קשר אוהד של אדם אחד עם שני מחנות יריבים
• both sides בשני הצדדים
• both parties. שני הצדדים
In Hebrew, the word “both” is יַחַד yachad, which means “unitedness,” or “to be united” and is properly a unit, i.e. (adverb) unitedly, alike, at all (once), both, likewise, only, altogether, withal, in which two is meant as two individual or collective people, units, items or actions—in no case is more than two implied.
As an example, in Psalm 34:4, ונרוממה שׁמו יחדו means “let us exalt his name together,” which can mean “you and me,” or “all of you and me,” in either case in this usage the word yachad means only two people or two groups or one group and one person—there is no continuation of a list. The same can be said of “So they sat down, and the two of them ate and drank together” (Judges 19:6)
However, the majority of uses of “both,” in Hebrew mean “together” as in the action, “when the stars of God shouted together,” בְּרָןיַֿחַד כּוֺכְבֵי אֵל (Job 38:7), and “we together will build”—meaning “you and I,” as opposed to you alone (Ezra 4:3). בְּשׁוֹר־ וּבַחֲמֹ֖ר יַחְדָּֽו׃ ס “with an ox and an ass together” (Deuteronomy 22:10).
The theorist also stated: “In fact, I think there is good reason to believe these three ores as constituting a list rather of more than two, rather than a single ore- and that is the antecedent to "gold, silver and copper."
There is no indication in Hebrew that a list of items is implied beyond the meaning of “both.” As an example, “I did teach my people to build buildings, and to work in all manner of wood, and of iron, and of copper, and of brass, and of steel, and of gold, and of silver, and of precious ores, which were in great abundance” (2 Nephi 5:15, emphasis added).
As can clearly be seen, when stating more than both (two items, groups, people, or action), the list is stated in full, or a general term is added at the end as a separate item (“and of precious ores” or “and also many other kinds of animals which were useful for the food of man”).
Again, the theorist stated: “They probably refer back to the simple direct object manner and not the object of the proposition ore. Why do they refer to 'manner' and not 'ore?' Because Nephi is speaking in the plural: "...we did find all manner..." His meaning is clearly referring to more than one kind of ore or ore combination.”
In the 1828 American Dictionary of the English Language, the word “manner” means a sort or kind and has the sense of a plural word; all sorts or kinds. So when Nephi said he taught his people to work in all manner of wood, he is referring to more than one type of wood, and probably for more than one purpose. So in “all manner of ore,” it can be suggested that the Nephites worked with and had available to them various types of ore, which included gold, silver, copper, iron, and no doubt others not mentioned in the scriptural record, such as zinc, lead, bismuth, tin, manganese and other precious ores.
In
Hebrew, it has always been the habit in Hebrew writing and speaking to state a
list with each item on the list following “and of,” which is seen in “And we
did find all manner of ore, both of
gold, and of silver, and of copper” (1 Nephi 18:25, emphasis
added); 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 of good homely cloth” (Alma 26:16,
emphasis added); and, “Yea, who can say too much of his great power, and of his mercy, and of his long-suffering towards the children of men?” (Alma
26:16, emphasis added); and ”with all manner of seeds, with seeds of corn, and of wheat, and of barley” (Mosiah
9:9, emphasis added); and “raise up unto me of
thy seed, and of the seed of thy
brother” (Ether 1:43, emphasis added); “the Father of the heavens and of
the earth” (Ether 4:7, emphasis added).
Obviously, items stated in lists in Hebrew are stated separately, and almost always follow the wordage “and of.” To really point this out, Moroni states quite clearly, “Having all manner of fruit, and of grain, and of silks, and of fine linen, and of gold, and of silver, and of precious things; And also all manner of cattle, of oxen, and cows, and of sheep, and of swine, and of goats, and also many other kinds of animals which were useful for the food of man” (Ether 9:17-18, emphasis added).
So let us take a look at the comment Nephi made in his discovery of their new, initial home in the Land of Promise. Breaking it down:
• Subject and verb: “We did find”... (What?)
• Direct object...”all manner”... (manner of what?)
• Insertional Prepositional phrase adjective:...”of ore.”
Notice the direct object and prepositional object agreement manner/ore. It's not manners/ore, manner/ores or manners/ores. It's singular, manner/ore. However, with the modifier 'all' it becomes plural, and hence the list refers back to manner and not ore.
Unaware of all that has been written above, this theorist continues with: “I would say that it's quite likely he simply used a word that translated into "both" in English, but is not restricted to lists of only 2. Since the syntax after both suggests Hebrew, then probably it's the Hebrew word.”
Quite possibly the Hebrew word? This is not a mystery. Hebrew is available to all in dictionary or instructional form. As an example, there are 141 uses of the Hebrew word “yachad,” in the Old Testament. Nearly all but four basically mean “together.” Other meanings are “all together, or “together in unity,” “united,” “completely,” “each other,” “one accord,” “safely.” All of these words refer to people or action, such as “dwelling together,” or “walking together,” “gathered together,” “left together,” and not to lists of items or possessions. This is seen in: “of woolen and linen together” (Deuteronomy 22:11); or “that they might dwell together” (Genesis 36:7); or “so they went both of them together” (Genesis 22:8).
(See the next post, “The Hebrew Word “Both” – Part II,” for more information on the use of the word “both” in Hebrew and, in knowing this, gain a better understanding in its use in the Book of Mormon)
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