KnoWhy #444 - How is the Phrase "Make a Record" an Evidence for the Book of Mormon? (1 Nephi 19:4)

The writers of the Book of Mormon often stated that they would “make a record” of the things that they had seen or done. The phrase “make a record” is similar to Ecclesiastes 12:12. Ancient texts reveal that when scribes were expected to “make a record” they were simply being asked to write a book. The unusual phrase “make a book” as found in Ecclesiastes is a result of the influence of ancient Near Eastern scribal culture on the person who wrote those verses of Ecclesiastes. Nephi’s use of this phrase suggests that he similarly had training in ancient scribal practices.