What does the word wrought mean that is used in the scriptures?

Question

Dear Gramps,

The word “wrought” is used often in the latter-day scriptures.  It is used in the past tense.  What is the present, or future tense of the word?  And what does it mean?

Thanks for being so kind.

Robert

Answer

Robert,

Wrought is the past participle of wreak, which is a variant of work. The words wreak and work are synonyms, just slightly different forms of the same root Middle English word werken. If we say that someone is “overwrought”, we mean that he is “all worked up”. So you can mentally substitute the word “worked” for “wrought”, as in Ruth 2:19:

…And [Ruth] shewed her mother in law with whom she had wrought [worked], and said, The man’s name with whom I wrought [worked] to day is Boaz.

and in Ether 12:16:

Yea, and even all they who wrought [worked] miracles wrought [worked] them by faith, even those who were before Christ and also those who were after.

Etymologically yours,

Gramps