Prince of pharaoh, king of egypt, as written above the hand. Translation and historicity of the book of abraham. Hauglid has acknowledged that most of my concerns and questions presented in the book of abraham section of the ces letter are legitimate questions and concerns. Kolob, signifying the first creation, nearest to the celestial, or the residence of god. Source hypocephalus as published in the book of abraham. For instance, on a webpage previously housed at byu, a farms author avoids the most obvious question that any lds person would have regarding facsimile 2. A number of criticisms relate to the three facsimiles associated with the book of abraham. According to joseph smiths introductory comments in the translation, abraham wrote the book himself, by his own hand, upon papyrus smith, 1842, 93. Book of abrahamjoseph smith papyrifacsimilesfacsimile 3. In fact, according to joseph smith, they had a unique name, a name that even most mormons have been ignorant of. Mormon and nonmormon egyptologists agree that the characters on the fragments do not match the translation given in the book of abraham. Gods instruction to abraham to introduce sarai as his sister is echoed in the genesis apocryphon column 19 as having come through a dream. Previous post facsimile 1 depicted the egyptian sed fevistalwhich involved abraham next post did joseph smith correctly translate facsimile 3 in. According to smith, the book was a translation of some ancient records.
There is a simple explanation for the apparent differences between these counting systems. In addition, facsimile 1 is specifically referenced in the text of the book of abraham 1. Book of abrahamjoseph smith papyrifacsimilesfacsimile 1. Chapter one of the book of abraham describes how abraham acted as a substitute sacrifice for the king in what is known today as the sedfestival, and facsimile 1 illustrates the same kind of scene. Official response of the mormon church to the book of abraham. Facsimile 2 in the book of abraham is a common egyptian hypocephalus. Teaching the book of abraham facsimiles, by michael d. Critical appraisal of the book of abraham wikipedia.
Illustration 3 ending of papyrus scroll prepared for horus. From this, and from facsimile 1, the mormon scripture known as the book of abraham was translated worlds in the words of joseph smith fig. The book of abraham likewise presents names purporting to be egyptian. The book of mormon appears to do this very thing in at least three instances. Did joseph smith correctly translate facsimile 2 in the. Did joseph smith correctly translate facsimile 1 in the. These pages were written while the saints lived in kirtland, ohio, and were recorded in the general time frame that joseph was translating the book of abraham.
Fairs apologetics regarding the book of abraham offends intellect. 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. In 1835, joseph smith, founder of the original mormon church the church of christ purchased several egyptian papyrus scrolls and fragments from the owner of a traveling road show which exhibited egyptian mummies and documents. Debunking fairmormon letter to a ces director book of. If the world can find out these numbers, so let it be. Among the early book of abraham relatedmanuscripts that have survived from the days of joseph smith are a number of papers collectively referred to as the kirtland egyptian papers kep. It seems obvious that smith improvised facsimile no. The book of mormon if the book of abraham was a fraud.
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. Files are available under licenses specified on their description page. Lyon, appreciating hypocephali as works of art and faith, farms book of abraham lecture series, 1999. In the entry on the facsimiles from the book of abraham in the encyclopedia of mormonism we are told that the prophets explanations of each of the facsimiles accord with present understanding of egyptian religious practice. This is problematic for mormons, however, for if the papyri are only about 2,000 years old, they are far too new to have been written on by the hand of abraham. There is another facsimile in the book of abraham revealing additional areas of mistranslation.
Facsimile 2 as found in the kirtland egyptian papers. Eldon tanner, sent out for the translation, expecting it to prove smiths true translation abilities. And a latterday joseph invites the world to give it a go. 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 hathor cow facsimile 2, figure 5 pearl of great. Many of the words and definitions from these documents are found in the book of abraham and the facsimile definitions. Unlike controversial and less respected mormon apologists, mr. Examining facsimile one from the book of abraham youtube. A mormon apologist has informed me that many of the original references to abraham in the first publishing of the book of abraham were abram, but that they were changed to abraham when it was published by the latter day saints publication, the millennial star, in england.
The writings of abraham while he was in egypt, called the book of abraham, written by his own hand, upon papyrus. How the book of abraham exposes the false nature of. The following are common criticisms associated with facsimile 3. Mormon handbook the book of abraham facsimile 2 facsimile 2 is a common egyptian hypocephalus. Kolob, signifying the first creation, nearest to the celestial or the residence of god.
Hauglids essay, i would like to note here that i appreciate mr. All structured data from the file and property namespaces is available under the creative commons cc0 license. Joseph smith used to create facsimile 2, this drawing leads us to believe that it was copied into the kirtland egyptian papers and that the original hypocephalus had. The book of abraham skinny frequently, when reading a discussion on the lds problem of the book of abraham, the apologists and critics beat around the bushconfusing the reader. None of the characters on the papyrus fragments mentioned abrahams name or any of the events recorded in the book of abraham. The book of abraham is a book of lds scripture that joseph smith translated from a collection of ancient egyptian papyri the church purchased. It is also claimed that abraham has never been associated with the lion couch vignette such. This is a remarkable statement in view of the fact that nonmormon egyptologists who have commented on joseph smiths interpretation of the. A facsimile from the book of abraham church of jesus christ. For all of these, not having the hieroglyphic vorlage, we enjoy broad scope for speculation. The figures refer to the numbers written onto the facsimile 2 is a drawing made by joseph smith.
First in government, the last pertaining to the measurement of time. According to smith, the book comprised ancient records. Early in the book of mormon, the lehite tribes are numbered at seven, consisting of the nephites, jacobites, josephites, zoramites, lamanites, lemuelites, and ishmaelites. Some skeptics frame the book of mormon and book of abraham as a model that has no evidence for. Signifies abraham in egypt as given also in figure 10 of facsimile no. The book of abraham is the second book in the pearl of great price. This some people includes the mormon church, which under the direction of apostle n. This planet receives its power through the medium of kliflosises, or hahkokaubeam, the stars represented by numbers 22 and 23, receiving light from the revolutions of kolob. The book of abraham narrative clearly demonstrates the manner in which the lds church works diligently to massage or reinterpret inconvenient facts to continue to defend its most extraordinary truth. Book of abrahamjoseph smith papyrifacsimiles fairmormon. Reconstruction designated as part of the book of abraham. It is noted that joseph smiths translation of the facsimiles does not agree with that provided by egyptologists, and that some missing portions of the facsimiles were incorrectly restored before they were published.
The book of abraham itself is specifically subtitled translated from the papyrus, by joseph smith again emphasis added. Translation and historicity of the book of abraham a. First in government, the last pertaining to the measurement of time the measurement according to the celestial time, which celestial time signifies one day to a cubit. Book of mormon numerology rational faiths mormon blog. They argue that some ancient texts do not support the book. The egyptians associated with the book of abraham, were distinct from other egyptians. Apologetics press facsimile 1 from the book of abraham. Of all the sacred texts of the mormon church, one of the most fascinating is the book of abraham, a fivechapter book that purportedly records the travels of abraham in egypt. Here is the link to make a donation to faithful word baptist church donations processed by word of truth baptist church. 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.
Joseph only interpreted one figure of anubis as a priest, in facsimile 1. Researchers have found the lion couch scene sometimes references this sedfestival ritual which goes back to early egyptian times. The book of abraham is a book of ancient scripture translated by the prophet joseph smith from ancient papyri. Abrahams teaching astronomy to egyptians book of abraham facsimile 3 is described in pseudoeupolemus 9. His book was republished four times by the year 1905. Book of abraham facsimile number 2 wikimedia commons. That version, according to him, is what is used today, but he had no. Numbers, corresponding to book of abraham facsimile 2, have been inserted, and figure 7 has been adjusted slightly to more authentically represent the egyptian depiction. It is also claimed that abraham has never been associated with the. They point to the fragments of the joseph smith papyri that we now possess and claim that since the contents of these papyri bear little obvious relationship to the book of abraham, the book is a fraud. F or many mormons, an examination of the book of abraham and its true history becomes the most significant stumbling block to joseph smiths claim as a prophetic translator of ancient languages. The inspiration and basis for the text of the book of abraham is p. The above donut chart shows percentages of the book of abraham section of letter to a ces director that fairmormon is in agreement, disagreement, and neutral on if one assumes that fairmormons undisputed silence is acceptance of the facts, fairmormon agrees with 90.
Evidence for the book of abraham sign in to follow this. However, facsimile 3 also shows anubis, yet smith made him out to be a tinyheaded, racist caricature of an african slave. 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. Book of abraham mormonism, the mormon church, beliefs. The book is comprised of five chapters and three facsimiles.
The remainder of the month, i was continually engaged in translating an alphabet to the book of abraham, and arranging a grammar of the egyptian language as practiced by the ancients. Critics have long attempted to make a case against the book of abraham. An early rendering of it reveals damage, and egyptologists agree that facsimile 2 is a poor and inaccurate restoration. Kolob pic, signifying the first creation, nearest to the celestial, or the residence of god.
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