The Word "Traffic" in the Book of Mormon

1. The word traffic occurs 3 times in all of the LDS Scriptures. Twice in 4 Nephi 1:46 and once in Ether 10:22 (see below)
2. In all three instances it occurs with a description of what happens when the people focus on acquiring wealth (gold and silver) and forget the commandments of God.
3. In the OED meaning 2b for traffic we read “To have dealings of an illicit or secret character; to deal, intrigue, conspire.” This meaning is old and is a possible Archaic English example. It is also a possible meaning for the word traffic as used in both these verses.
4. The double occurrence in 4 Nephi 1:46 is also a classic example of a Hebraism called paired cognate. This structure pairs a noun and a verb from the same cognate (root word).

Scriptures

46 And it came to pass that the robbers of Gadianton did spread over all the face of the land; and there were none that were righteous save it were the disciples of Jesus. And gold and silver did they lay up in store in abundance, and did traffic in all manner of traffic.
(Book of Mormon | 4 Nephi 1:46)

22 And they were exceedingly industrious, and they did buy and sell and traffic one with another, that they might get gain.

23 And they did work in all manner of ore, and they did make gold, and silver, and iron, and brass, and all manner of metals; and they did dig it out of the earth; wherefore, they did cast up mighty heaps of earth to get ore, of gold, and of silver, and of iron, and of copper. And they did work all manner of fine work.
(Book of Mormon | Ether 10:22–23)