Some more food for thought:
From: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gazelem“The word Gazelem appears to have its roots in Gaz - a stone and Aleim, a name of God as a revelator or interposer in the affairs of men. If this suggestion be correct, its roots admirably agree with its apparent meaning-a seer.” (George Reynolds, A Dictionary of the Book of Mormon, p. 92)
Here is the scripture and some added verses for context:
Whether Gazelem is the servant or the stone the bolded part of verse 23 seems to be about the purpose of the stone. The context of Alma's referring to Gazelem is discovering secret combinations and discovering those who server the Lord - very interesting indeed!Alma 37:22 For behold, the Lord saw that his people began to work in darkness, yea, work secret murders and abominations; therefore the Lord said, if they did not repent they should be destroyed from off the face of the earth.
23 And the Lord said: I will prepare unto my servant Gazelem, a stone, which shall shine forth in darkness unto light, that I may discover unto my people who serve me, that I may discover unto them the works of their brethren, yea, their secret works, their works of darkness, and their wickedness and abominations.
24 And now, my son, these interpreters were prepared that the word of God might be fulfilled, which he spake, saying:
25 I will bring forth out of darkness unto light all their secret works and their abominations; and except they repent I will destroy them from off the face of the earth; and I will bring to light all their secrets and abominations, unto every nation that shall hereafter possess the land.
My linguist pal thaabit said gazel may be related to anther word as "El" rarely appears but at the beginning or end of a name.
If that's what gazel means, then it reminds of Gileadi's definition of Maher Shalal Hash Baz: Hasten the Plunder, Hurry the Spoilגָּזֵל gāzēl ; h1498
From gzl {h1497}
Mean robbery, or (concretely) plunder
KJV robbery, thing taken away by violence
BDB 160a
(g gāzēl–gāzēl BDB)
גּזל gzl ; h1497
From a primitive root
Mean to pluck off; specifically to flay, strip or rob
KJV catch, consume, exercise [robbery], pluck (off), rob, spoil, take away (by force, violence), tear
BDB 159d
(g gzl–gzl BDB)
That is the name Isaiah gave one of his sons as he was not permitted to share the meaning publicly but has a dual reference to the destruction of Israel and an end-times nation that represents Assyria.
http://www.isaiahexplained.com/8#commentary
Peter's name meaning cephas or stone could also have something to do with the fact Gazelem is tied to the end times servant. I do believe the end times Elias is ascending to Peter's spiritual level after all. Hey what's with the new smileys?