Many phrases or formulaic expressions distinguish the prophetic speech of the Old Testament. These expressions are often used at the beginning of a prophecy or revelation with the purpose of introducing important, sacred information. Not surprisingly, these speech patterns also appear in the Book of Mormon. The following are examples from both volumes:
• The woe oracle—“Woe unto …” (Isaiah 5:8, 11, 20; Habakkuk 2:0, 12, 15; 1 Nephi 1:13; 2 Nephi 9:27; 15:21). This formula is found approximately forty times in the Book of Mormon.
• The messenger formula—“Thus saith the Lord” (Amos 1:3, 6; 1 Nephi 20:17; Mosiah 3:24; Alma 8:17).
• The proclamation formula—“Hear the word of the Lord” (1 Kings 22:19; Amos 7:16; Isaiah 49:1); “hearken to the word of the Lord” (Jacob 2:27); “hear the words of Jesus” (3 Nephi 30:1); and “hearken unto the words which the Lord saith” (Helaman 13:21).
• The oath formula—”The Lord God hath sworn …” (Amos 4:2, 8:7) or “as the Lord liveth (Judges 8:19, Ruth 3:13, 1 Nephi 3:15, 4:32).
• The revelation formula—“The word of the Lord came to …” (1 Samuel 15:10; Zechariah 7:1); “the voice of the Lord came unto him” (Helaman 13:3; Jacob 2:11; Alma 43:24).
A writer attempting to imitate the Bible would probably have either overlooked these formulas or used them incorrectly. Not so with the Prophet Joseph Smith, whose inspired translation of the Book of Mormon includes authentic prophetic speech formulas reflecting the antiquity of the text (see Echoes, 169–170).