One may wonder if there is an accidentally missing pronoun (such as he) between yea and hath in this passage. Evidence elsewhere argues, however, that this usage is
intended, although not especially common:
- Alma 5:51
- and also the Spirit saith unto me yea crieth unto me with a mighty voice saying …
- Alma 13:22
- yea and the voice of the Lord by the mouth of angels doth declare it unto all nations yea doth declare it that they may have glad tidings of great joy
- Alma 29:4
- yea I know that he allotteth unto man yea decreeth unto them decrees which are unalterable according to their wills whether it be unto salvation or unto destruction
- Alma 60:8
- yea even they which have looked up to you for protection yea have placed you in a situation that ye might have succored them yea ye might have sent armies unto them to
have strengthened them and have saved thousands of them from falling by the sword
- Helaman 11:33
- yea for they did visit many parts of the land and did do great destruction unto them yea did kill many and did carry away others captive into the wilderness
- 3 Nephi 7:1
- but in this same year yea the thirtieth year they did destroy upon the judgment seat yea did murder the chief judge of the land
This kind of subject ellipsis is definitely possible in yea-clauses in the Book of Mormon. There are also a few examples of this usage in the King James Bible:
- Job 21:7
- wherefore do the wicked live / become old yea are mighty in power
- Psalm 84:2
- my soul longeth yea even fainteth for the courts of the LORD
- John 16:32
- behold the hour cometh yea is now come that ye shall be scattered
The critical text will therefore maintain the reading “yea hath given unto me the exceeding great joy of knowing” in Alma 7:4.
