Only facsimile 1 corresponds with the published text of the book of abraham. The following are common criticisms associated with facsimile 3. Jan 17, 2020 figure 6 of facsimile 2 of the book of abraham was interpreted straightforwardly by joseph smith as representing this earth in its four quarters. The book of abraham is a book of lds scripture that joseph smith translated from a collection of ancient egyptian papyri the church purchased. Abraham s teaching astronomy to egyptians book of abraham facsimile 3 is described in pseudoeupolemus 9.
Illustration 3 ending of papyrus scroll prepared for horus. I had not considered, though, the possibility that we might infer what the remaining 75% talked about by looking at the facsimile interpretations. Facsimile 1 published in the book of abraham is a common egyptian funerary scene. Mormon and nonmormon egyptologists agree that the characters on the fragments do not match the translation given in the book of abraham, though there is not unanimity, even among nonmormon scholars, about the proper interpretation of. Source hypocephalus as published in the book of abraham. The idolatrous priest of elkenah attempting to offer up abraham as a sacrifice. A facsimile from the book of abraham church of jesus christ. Fairs apologetics regarding the book of abraham offends intellect. Book of abraham and egyptian material the joseph smith papers.
An examination of the smith papyri shows that portions were torn and missing. This book, a record of the prophet and patriarch abraham, largely follows the biblical narrative but adds important information regarding abrahams life and teachings. Accompanying the written portion of the book of abraham were three illustrations or facsimiles. In his explanation for figure 1, the prophet joseph smith 180544 said that kolob is first in government, the. It is claimed that facsimile 1 is simply a typical funerary scene and there are many other papyri showing the same basic scene, and that the missing portions of the drawing were incorrectly restored. The facsimile is a judgement scene like described in 2 nephi 29, all about the covenant of abraham. It is evident that a part of the book of abraham that has been lost contains information revealed to abraham by god concerning the cosmology of the heavenly world probably similar to what is found in doctrine and covenants section 76. Book of abraham manuscript and explanation to accompany. Ashmen t carried out an extensive study of the original of facsimile 1 and restored it based on traces found on the papyrus and egyptian parallels. The original of facsimile 1 of the book of abraham is found at the beginning of the hor book of breathings papyrus, and the hieroglyphic writing on it associates the figure on the couch figure 1 with hor, the owner of the papyrus, who is portrayed as being resurrected by the god anubis, who stands over him.
Joseph smiths manner of translating the book of abraham and its facsimiles is shrouded in mystery. Ashment, the facsimile s of the book of abraham, sunstone 4 1979, 56. Common egyptian hypocephalus comparing the source hypocephalus to the published facsimile while we dont have the original hypocephalus, an early rendering of it reveals damage, and egyptologists agree that facsimile 2 is a poor and. The four sons of horus facsimile 2, figure 6 by book of. Copy of book of abraham manuscript and explanation to accompany facsimile 1. Nibley also argues that smiths interpretation of the facsimile avoids making romantic and quite unjustified conclusions e. Papyrus fragment, once in the possession of joseph smith, which includes what is now book of abraham, facsimile 1. Abraham and osiris facsimile 3, figure 1 pearl of great. Reconstruction designated as part of the book of abraham. The four sons of horus facsimile 2, figure 6 pearl of. As is made clear by the introduction to the book of abraham, the church maintains that, regardless of what the surviving facsimiles and scrolls indicate, the book of abraham is a sacred book of scripture and was written by the hand of abraham. It was released by the church to help explain how it can be possible that joseph smiths translation of the book of abraham does not match what we now know egyptian to mean, and how it can still be the word of god when even the church itself admits in this.
Its very fascinating to find that this was discovered in 1975, and its from the same time and place that the papyri were found in thebes, egypt, that same. Apologetics press facsimile 1 from the book of abraham. Debunking fairmormon letter to a ces director book of abraham. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. The book of abraham has with uncanny skill anticipated the trends of modern scholarship. A web site about joseph smith and his translations. The following is his translation, interpretation, and commentary on facsimile 2 as found in our present book of abraham.
Kolob, signifying the first creation, nearest to the celestial, or the residence of god. None of the characters on the papyrus fragments mentioned abrahams name or any of the events recorded in the book of abraham. Book of abraham translation the church of jesus christ of latterday saints embraces the book of abraham as scripture. The themes of 2 nephi 29 involving abraham are also the same. The book of abraham largely follows the biblical narrative but adds important. However, facsimile 3 also shows anubis, yet smith made him out to be a tinyheaded, racist caricature of an african slave. Figure 6 of facsimile 2 of the book of abraham was interpreted straightforwardly by joseph smith as representing this earth in its four quarters. What i am trying to demonstrate below is that the figures can be conformed to the expected appearance to a certain degree without damaging the interpretation and, in the case of 1. Well, facsimile 1 from the book of abraham are often criticised for being different to the reconstructions of facsimile 1 made by egyptologists.
Did joseph smith correctly translate facsimile 2 in the. Feb 16, 2012 i knew that the current canonized book of abraham is only about 25% of what joseph translated the rest being lost. Facsimile 2, the hypocephalus, is also a late egyptian religious text. Joseph smiths interpretation of these cuts is a farrago of nonsense from beginning to end. The following essay is the official lds released essay entitled translation and historicity of the book of abraham. Abraham chapter 1 speaks of this occasion directly. The book of abraham is a work produced between 1835 and 1842 by joseph smith based, he said, on egyptian papyri purchased from a traveling mummy exhibition. The relationship between the extant fragments and the book of abraham is not fully known or understood. Facsimile 2 in the book of abraham is a common egyptian hypocephalus. Critical appraisal of the book of abraham wikipedia. In facsimile 2, they appear to be represent the delivering of the power, authority, and governance of god to the four quarters, lands, and peoplessymbolized by the four heads of the river eden that the book of abraham talks about. Mormon handbook the book of abraham facsimile 2 facsimile 2 is a common egyptian hypocephalus.
Book of abrahamjoseph smith papyrifacsimilesfacsimile 3. The likely explanation here is that the original illustrations done by abraham. Remember, joseph smith said this is heavenly father revealing the grand key words of the priesthood, with the sign of the holy ghost in the form of a dove. This book, a record of the biblical prophet and patriarch abraham, recounts how abraham sought the blessings of the priesthood, rejected the idolatry of his father, covenanted with jehovah, married sarai, moved to canaan and egypt, and received knowledge about the creation. An egyptian book of the dead was a corrupted mishmash of original teachings from adam down to subsequent patriarchs, such as abraham. The color images provided below, while not always accurate, may help in visualizing each figure complete color facsimile 2 available here. Joseph smith and the lds church for over 170 years have claimed that the book of abraham is a translation of a portion of the papyri scrolls purchased by the church in 1835 kirtland, ohio, and that this portion contains the writings of abraham written by abraham s own hand. Those who heard either joseph smith or his mother, who was charged with the care and exhibition of the papyri and mummies, speak of the source of the book of abraham, indicate that the long scroll. A similar argument proposed by michael rhodes is that the facsimiles that are found in the book of abraham represent a corrupted version of a document originally written by abraham, and smith gave the interpretation of the original document. Translation and historicity of the book of abraham the university. Teaching the book of abraham facsimiles religious studies center. How could joseph smith possibly have known to put the same order of directions when writing the book of.
I recall hugh nibley telling a sunday school class about the egyptian nature of section 88 of that book, a section he cites time and again in his elucidation of. Gods instruction to abraham to introduce sarai as his sister is echoed in the genesis apocryphon column 19 as having come through a dream. Mormon and nonmormon egyptologists agree that the characters on the fragments do not match the translation given in the book of abraham, though there is not unanimity, even among nonmormon scholars, about the proper interpretation of the vignettes on these fragments. Compared with the book of moses, the book of abraham seems to more forcefully state the idea. Chandler, a traveling entrepreneur from pennsylvania. Because of the torn condition of smiths original, there is neither head nor. If you look closely at this picture, the facsimile 1, which joseph interpreted as abraham on a lion couch, critics say this was osiris on a lion couch, nothing to do with abraham. An online handbook to the lds church mormon comparing the source hypocephalus to the published facsimile while we dont have the original hypocephalus, an early rendering of it reveals damage, and egyptologists agree that facsimile 2 is a poor and inaccurate restoration.
I return herewith, under separate cover, the pearl of great price. First in government, the last pertaining to the measurement of time. Book of abrahamjoseph smith papyrifacsimilesfacsimile 1. Joseph only interpreted one figure of anubis as a priest, in facsimile 1. The association of these facsimiles with the book of abraham might be explained as joseph smiths attempt to find illustrations from the papyri he owned that most closely matched what he had received in revelation when translating the book of abraham. Did joseph smith correctly translate facsimile 3 in the.
Jan 21, 2020 if you look closely at this picture, the facsimile 1, which joseph interpreted as abraham on a lion couch, critics say this was osiris on a lion couch, nothing to do with abraham. An early rendering of it reveals damage, and egyptologists agree that facsimile 2 is a poor and inaccurate restoration. Abraham with an illustration similar to facsimile 1 in the book of abraham. The church of jesus christ of latterday saints embraces the book of abraham as scripture. Then, in 1873, deverias interpretation, juxtaposed. The book of abraham was published in the churchs periodical times and. The book of abraham emerged from a set of unique historical events. Did joseph smith translate even a single word correctly in. Book of abraham manuscript and explanation to accompany facsimile 1, circa february 1842 abraham 1. Book of abraham translation church of jesus christ.
Travis wayne goodsell goes over josephs manner of translation of the facsimiles of the book of abraham in a step by step level process to explain this mystery. Book of abraham facsimile 2 that one mission thing. For example, eupolemus, who lived under egyptian rule in the second century b. As for the egyptian facsimiles published with the book of abraham see. What about the association of facsimiles 1 and 3 with the hor book of breathings. Some book of abraham editions in facsimile 2 show min without the pornography. The mormon god and a phallic god could be considered one and the same. The book of abraham and the facsimile imagepart i several papyri and eleven mummies were discovered near the ancient egyptian city of thebes by antonio lebolo between 1818 and 1822, and around 1830, he arranged to have them sold. Egyptian characters can now be read almost as easily as greek, and five minutes study in an egyptian gallery of any museum should be enough to convince any educated. The book of abraham, it is hardly necessary to say, is a pure fabrication. As for josephs interpretation of figures from the hypocephalus facsimile 2, he was correct. Interpretations of the facsimiles by most egyptologists begin with the assumption that the facsimiles are standard illustrations for funerary texts. According to smith, the book was a translation of some ancient records. Facsimile 2 as found in the kirtland egyptian papers.
Did joseph smith correctly translate facsimile 2 in the book. Scriptural studies egyptology and the book of abraham. Abrahams teaching astronomy to egyptians book of abraham facsimile 3 is described in pseudoeupolemus 9. Teaching the book of abraham facsimiles religious studies. See his the facsimiles of the book of abraham, 3338. The altar for sacrifice by the idolatrous priests, standing before the gods of elkenah, libnah, mahmackrah, korash, and pharaoh. Did joseph smith correctly translate facsimile 3 in the book. Abraham sitting upon pharaohs throne, by the politeness of the king, with a crown upon his head, representing the priesthood, as emblematical of the grand presidency in heaven. In 1912, a letter about the book of abraham was published by arthur cruttenden mace, assistant curator in the department of egyptian art in new yorks metropolitan museum of art. In july 1835, while living in kirtland, ohio, the prophet joseph smith purchased, on behalf of the church, four egyptian mummies and accompanying papyri from michael h.
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