Translation published as book of abraham 1844 papyri sold after josephs death 1858 english translation of rosetta stone complete 1860 egyptologists identify book of abraham facsimiles as common funerary documents. Did joseph smith correctly translate facsimile 2 in the book. Evidence from multiple sources suggests that js may have produced other abraham material that is no longer extant. Explanations of the facsimiles other than those provided by the prophet joseph smith, which are printed with the facsimiles in the pearl of great price, are tentative and subject to revision by additional revelation and insight from modern prophets. The book of abraham, it is hardly necessary to say, is a pure fabrication. Any attempt to connect the facsimiles with abraham is an attempt to obfuscate the real issues surrounding the book of abraham.
A study guide to the facsimiles of the book of abraham by. When examining the book of abraham facsimiles, we need to realize that all scholars, both mormon and nonmormon, agree that joseph. It is evident that the writings of abraham while he was in egypt, of which our printed book of abraham is a copy, must of necessity be older than. However, we dont have much of joseph smiths original papyri its been lost and the description we have of the abraham papyri doesnt match the new york fragments.
These are egyptian illustrations and they have nothing to do with abraham, skeptics claim. Later that same year, a pamphlet containing the book of abraham s facsimiles was sent to the louvre. Book of abraham facsimile number 2 wikimedia commons. Book of abrahamjoseph smith papyrifacsimilesfacsimile 3. Did joseph smith correctly translate facsimile 3 in the. Book of abraham and facsimiles, 1 march16 may 1842, page 703. If you would like to learn about the book of abraham, check out by his own hand upon papyrus by larson. Jul 27, 2015 the 3 facsimiles contained in the book of abraham are excerpts from the breathing permit for an egyptian priest named hor and a hypocephalus for a completely different individual. Debunking fairmormon letter to a ces director book of abraham. Skeptics hold the facsimiles to a strict egyptian context, while joseph focused on how the facsimiles related to abraham instead of giving the text translation or the egyptian funerary meaning. The pearl of great price i hold to be one of the most intelligent, one of the most religious books that the world has ever had. Joseph smith worked on the translation off and on between the summer of 1835 and the spring of 1842. I return herewith, under separate cover, the pearl of great price.
Did joseph smith give a correct meaning for facsimile 2, years before scientists unlocked the mysterious of ancient egyptian. The book of abraham was originally published a few excerpts at a time in times and seasons, a church publication, beginning in march 1842 at nauvoo, illinois see the introduction to the pearl of great price. Fairs apologetics regarding the book of abraham offends intellect. 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 facsimiles and their respective explanations were later included with the text of the pearl of great price in a reengraved format. Jan 24, 2020 and, most remarkably, abraham is a jewish substitute for the pagan god osirisjust as is the case in facsimiles 1 and 3. However, it was actually the book of abraham published in 1878 that omitted the words. This website contains reference information, articles, links, etc. Thus, these statements in the text seem to be nineteenthcentury additions approved by, if not made by, joseph smith.
All five chapters of the book of abraham, along with three illustrations now known as facsimiles 1, 2, and 3, were published between march and may 1842. Facsimiles from the book of abraham introduces the ancient egyptian. And, most remarkably, abraham is a jewish substitute for the pagan god osirisjust as is the case in facsimiles 1 and 3. Critical appraisal of the book of abraham wikipedia. Book of abrahamjoseph smith papyrifacsimilesfacsimile 1. All are similar to egyptian illustrations known from other sources. Book of abraham and egyptian material the joseph smith papers. I want to say to you, read the book, the pearl of great price, and read the book of abraham. Facsimiles with explanations authored by joseph smith himself. Teaching the book of abraham facsimiles religious studies center. I have shown that the extant papyrus was deemed by joseph smith to be, in the very least, the beginning of the book of abraham. Modern egypologists hold the facsimiles to strict egyptian context but mormon apologists do not. The phrase can be understood to mean that abraham is the author and not the literal copyist.
Scriptural studies egyptology and the book of abraham. Jun 22, 2008 pt 2 proving book of abraham facsimiles refuting larson duration. Iconotropy and the js abraham facsimiles book of abraham. The book of abraham actually reads smoothly without these additions. Facsimiles 2 and 3, which have not survived, clearly demonstrate that other parts of the alleged book of abraham were actually from the book of breathings, the book of the dead, or just part of egyptian burial practices. Here, theodule deveria, an egyptologist at the museum, had the opportunity to examine the facsimiles, which he recognized as common egyptian funerary documents, of which he had examined hundreds. The facsimiles of the book of abraham are a part of the pearl of great price. To find these four old friends at home in the apocalypse of abraham is an undeniable link between the book of abraham and the book of the dead. Did joseph smith correctly translate facsimile 3 in the book. Latterday saint egyptologist kerry muhlestein discusses josephs involvement with the interpretation of the facsimiles in the book of abraham. There appears to be another instance of the biblical figure abraham anciently being associated with the egyptian god osiris. The book of abraham is a canonized book of scripture for the church of jesus christ of latterday saints. Did joseph smith correctly translate facsimile 2 in the.
Hugh nibley, the facsimiles of the book of abraham, sunstone, 4 dec. Hugh nibley and michael rhodes, one eternal round salt lake city, ut. Egyptian context is different skeptics say joseph smith mistranslated facsimile 2. Book of abraham manuscript and explanation to accompany. The book of abraham is a book of lds scripture that joseph smith translated from a collection of ancient egyptian papyri the church purchased. According to smith, the book was a translation of some ancient records. The following are common criticisms associated with facsimile 3. Appealing to translation, inspiration, and likening. Eightysix percent of the verses in these three chapters came from genesis, 1, 2, 12, and 11.
What would be the correct translation of a fivepointed star. As explained on the pearl of great price central website, these short articles aim to provide readers with useful insights as they explore this rich and rewarding text and to bolster confidence in joseph smiths. The book of abraham is an 1835 work produced by latter day saints lds movement founder joseph smith that he claimed were translated from egyptian papyri purchased from a traveling mummy exhibition. Nov 27, 20 iconotropy and the js abraham facsimiles this post was originally written and published online by bill hamblin at mormon scripture explorations on april 7, 20, and is reproduced here without alteration except for slight formatting changes, courtesy of professor hamblin my sincere appreciation. Sometime between 1818 and 1822, antonio lebolo, who was working as superintendent of the archaeological excavations for bernardino drovetti in upper egypt, discovered many mummies in a tomb in thebes. Book of abraham manuscript and explanation to accompany facsimile 1, circa february 1842 abraham 1. It is also claimed that abraham has never been associated with the lion couch vignette such. For details and some intriguing answers, see some puzzles from the joseph smith papyri by dr. Apologetics press facsimile 1 from the book of abraham.
A study guide to the facsimiles of the book of abraham shows the meaning of every character in the facsimiles and helps readers comprehend their great value. Representations similar to facsimile 1 abound in egyptian religious texts. 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. A study guide to the facsimiles of the book of abraham. Approaching the facsimiles pearl of great price central. The published insights explore the book of abraham text, the facsimiles, and the coming forth and translation of the record. Instead, they translate to the book of breathings, an ordinary funeral text. Teaching the book of abraham facsimiles byu scholarsarchive. Teaching the book of abraham facsimiles pdf paperity. In the book of abraham also we are told that the plan of the cosmos, represented by facsimile no. This was the second edition of the pearl of great price published before canonization by the lds church in 1880. There is much about the book of abraham and the facsimiles that is unconventional and not readily explained.
Hugh nibley, the facsimiles of the book of abraham, farms paper nfac, provo, utah. Book of abraham joseph smith approved the facsimiles before they were published in the times and seasons. Manuscripts for the contents of both facsimile 3 and the last nine verses in the times and seasons version of the book of abraham currently abraham 4. An examination of the smith papyri shows that portions were torn and missing. Maxwell institute for religious scholarship, where he is a series editor for studies in the book of abraham and a member of the editorial board of the eastern christian texts series. Rhodes is an associate professor of ancient scripture at byu. The published text of the book of abraham is accompanied by three woodcut. However, facsimile 3 also shows anubis, yet smith made him out to be a tinyheaded, racist caricature of an african slave.
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. Book of abraham facsimile 2 book of abraham translation manuscripts. Teaching the book of abraham facsimiles 117 questions raised by the papyri these egyptian documents can be reliably dated to somewhere between 220 and 150 b. The pearl of great price is one of the canonized scriptures of the church of jesus christ of latterday saints. There is some evidence that josephs explanations should be taken seriously. The article book of abraham facsimile number 2 on wikipedia projects. Thompson in the entry on the facsimiles from the book of abraham in the encyclopedia ofmormonism we are told that the prophets explanations of each of the facsimiles accord with present understanding of egyptian religious practice. Abraham and osiris facsimile 3, figure 1 pearl of great.
Abraham sitting upon pharaohs throne, by the politeness of the king, with a crown upon his head, representing the priesthood, as emblematical. The prophet joseph smith indicated that he would publish more of the book of abraham later, but he was martyred before he was able to do so. A few years ago i tried to track down a highresolution version of the facsimiles from the book of abraham. An interesting literary example of iconotropy can be found in robert graves novel king jesus, where jesus and a canaanite priestess undergo a type of a contest offering opposing interpretations of a sequence of ritual panels ch. Facsimiles from the book of abraham introduces the ancient. Mormon handbook the book of abraham since abraham lived before moses, who authored the torah the first five books of the old testament, it would make the papyrus older than the book of genesis. Some evidence indicates that the papyri containing the facsimiles of the book of abraham were already damaged when joseph smith obtained them.
Rhodes, teaching the book of abraham facsimiles, religious educator 4, no. Copy of book of abraham manuscript and explanation to accompany facsimile 1. All five chapters of the book of abraham, along with three illustrations now known as facsimiles 1, 2, and 3, were published in the times and seasons, the. Smiths detailed explanations for the individual egyptian characters on these two facsimiles in the book of abraham have been thoroughly discredited by egyptologists.
Facsimile 3 published in the book of abraham is a scene from the ancient egyptian book of the dead. The book of abraham was published in the churchs periodical times and. Three facsimiles are published with the text of the book of abraham in the pearl of great price. Aug 08, 2016 i want to say to you, read the book, the pearl of great price, and read the book of abraham. As translated by the prophet joseph smith, they bear witness of the gospel as had by adam, noah, and other ancient patriarchs. The hieroglyphics in the found facsimiles dont translate to the book of abraham. Accompanying the written portion of the book of abraham were three illustrations or facsimiles. According to smith, the book comprised ancient records. Facsimile 1, printed in the times and seasons, 1 march 1842 teaching the bool o f abraham facsimiles michael d. Joseph smiths interpretation of these cuts is a farrago of nonsense from beginning to end. Apr 17, 2010 what is the message and point of the facsimiles. One of the most difficult aspects of teaching the book of abraham is dealing with the three facsimiles found there.
Teaching the book of abraham facsimiles religious studies. Later that same year, a pamphlet containing the book of abrahams facsimiles was sent to the louvre. The church website has them, but they are only 400 pixels wide, which isnt very good. As we discuss all of the facsimiles, we must keep in mind what i wrote about challenge two. Translation and historicity of the book of abraham university of. Abraham is reasoning upon the principles of astronomy, in the kings court. Book of abraham, which included letters from eight egyptologists and semitists who had responded to his inquiry concerning the interpretations of the three facsimiles published with the book of abraham text.