protected function insertMultiple(string $table, array $values): ?array {
		
		// first, we need to verify that our columns will provide us the ability to
		// actually insert.  the verifyColumns() method will assist with that below.
		// that method will throw Exceptions if they fail to verify which we'll let
		// bubble up so that the programmer using this library can handle them.
		
		$columns = array_keys($values[0]);
		if ($this->verifyColumns($columns, $values)) {
			
			// now, we need a separate parenthetical $values statement for each of our
			// $values.  then, we need to merge those parenthetical statements into a
			// series of them.  e.g., if we're inserting sets of two columns, this'll
			// make (?,?), (?,?), (?,?)... for us.
			
			$parenthetical = $this->placeholders(sizeof($columns));
			$parentheticals = $this->placeholders(sizeof($values), $parenthetical, false);
			$columns = join(", ", $columns);
			
			$statement = "INSERT INTO $table ($columns) VALUES $parentheticals";
			
			return $this->insertExecute($statement, $this->mergeBindings($values));
		}
		
		// currently, the verifyColumns() method either returns true or throws an exception.
		// but in case that changes or is altered in by a child of this object, we'll want to
		// return null here to match the expected interface of the insert method above.
		
		return null;
	}