Old Testament

The Book of Abraham: Origins, history, meaning

Hurricane Utah Adult Religion Class

Bernardino Drovetti

Egyptian pit tomb

(Image: Wikipedia)

Kirtland Mormons buy Chandlers collection

July 1835

(Image: LDS.org)

Kirtland Egyptian Papers (KEP)

JulyDecember 1835. About 16 documents, 120 written pages.

Book of Abraham manuscripts

(Image: JosephSmithPapers.org)

Grammar & Aphabet of the Egyptian Language

(Image: JosephSmithPapers.org)

Contents of the Book of Abraham

Text:
1. Abrahams early life. 2. Flight to Egypt; covenant. 3. Astronomy; premortal life. 4. = Genesis 1. 5. = Genesis 2.

Facsimiles:
1. Abraham on the altar. 2. Astronomical symbols. 3. Abraham on Pharaohs throne.

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Owners of the Joseph Smith Papyri

Antonio Lebolo Michael Chandler Alice Combs Weaver Heusser Edward Heusser Joseph Smith, Jr. Lucy Mack Smith Emma Smith & Lewis Bidamon

Charlotte E. Benecke Weaver Huntsman

Abel Combs

St. Louis Museum

Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York City)

Woods Museum (Chicago)

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Joseph Smith Papyri (JSP) returned

Egyptian materials presented to President N. Eldon Tanner (R), November 1967.

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Book of Breathings belonging to Hor

Joseph Smith Papyrus X

JSP XI

JSP I

(Scroll fragments reassembled in their original order.)

(Images: JosephSmithPapers.org)

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Book of the Dead belonging to Tshemmin

JSP II

JSP IV

JSP VI

JSP V

JSP VII JSP VIII

(Scroll fragments reassembled in their original order.)

(Images: JosephSmithPapers.org)

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Book of the Dead belonging to Neferirnub

JSP III

(Image: JosephSmithPapers.org)

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Reference to a fourth scroll belonging to Amenhotep

Transcript from the Kirtland Egyptian Papers (original scroll not recovered).

(Image: JosephSmithPapers.org)

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Hypocephalus of Sheshonq

(Not recovered.)

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(Image courtesy of John Gee)

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Criticisms of the Book of Abraham

1. The Joseph Smith Papyri are Egyptian funerary documents; they dont contain the Book of Abraham. 2. Joseph Smiths explanations of the facsimiles dont match Egyptologists translations. 3. Written by [Abrahams] own hand, upon papyrusbut the JSP were written long after Abraham.
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Criticism #1
The Book of Abraham isnt on the Joseph Smith Papyri.
1. Egyptologists are wrong. 2. Missing papyrus theory.
Somewhere in the missing 87%? Biblical stories in Egyptian religious texts.

3. JSP as catalyst for revelation.

D&C 7, JST as translations.

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Criticism #2
Scholars translations of the facsimiles dont match Josephs explanations.
Original context vs. Book of Abraham context.

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Lion couch scenes

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Canopic jars
Canopic jars of Neskhons, wife of Pinedjem II. Made of calcite, with painted wooden heads. Circa 990-969 B.C.

(Image: Wikipedia)

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Facsimile 1: Resurrection of Hor

(Image above reversed for comparison.)

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JSP I missing portions (lacunae)

(Image: JosephSmithPapers.org)

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Joseph Smith Papyri-I (recovered original)

Facsimile 1 woodcut by Reuben Hedlock

Conjectural restoration by Roger Nicholson

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Joseph Smith bullseye

BofA: the idolatrous god of Pharaoh. Egyptian religion: Pharaoh is the living incarnation of Sobek.

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Leiden Papyrus I 384

A demotic magical papyrus from Thebes, dated to 3rd or 2nd century B.C.

Abraham
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Facsimile 3: A throne scene

Isis Osiris Maat Hor Anubis

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Throne scene

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Facsimile 3: A new context

Pharaoh Abraham The prince Shulem Olimlah

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Facsimile 2: The hypocephalus of Sheshonq

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Hypocephali

Hypocephalus 37909

Hypocephalus Abydos
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Why dont Josephs explanations match?

Originally Egyptian funerary documents. Attached to Book of Abraham, given new meanings.
By an ancient Jewish-Egyptian scribe? By Joseph Smith?

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Criticism #3
Joseph Smith said the Book of Abraham was written by his own hand, upon papyrus.
Joseph believed that; so what? Its the content of the book that matters!

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Message of the Book of Abraham

Whats in the text of the book? Ties to ancient texts and stories about Abraham. Importance to Latter-day Saints:
Priesthood. Covenant. Premortal existence.

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In two weeks:
Abraham

Abraham 12 Genesis 1223