The four sons of horus facsimile 2, figure 6 pearl of. Egyptian context is different skeptics say joseph smith mistranslated facsimile 2. Comparing the source papyrus to the published facsimile joseph smith filled in the areas where the papyrus was damaged sketchings are seen on the source papyrus at left. This book presents the original transcription of joseph smiths dictated translation of the golden plates. Some of joseph s interpretations are similar to those of trained egyptologists, but most are not. Explanation to accompany facsimile 2, circa 15 march 1842. All structured data from the file and property namespaces is available under the creative commons cc0 license.
Joseph smith explained that facsimile 2 contained representations of god, the earth, the holy ghost, etc. One of the most disturbing facts the ces letter author. Also, notes about the book of moses from the pearl of great price. The difference between egyptologists translation and joseph smith s interpretations has caused considerable controversy. However, facsimile 3 also shows anubis, yet smith made him out to be a tinyheaded, racist caricature of an african slave. By comparing these with facsimile 2, i was able to reconstruct the original text of the joseph smith hypocephalus with only a few uncertain readings. The book of abraham opens with a vignette, in facsimile, representing abraham upon an altar. Skeptics say joseph smith mistranslated facsimile 3. The hathor cow facsimile 2, figure 5 pearl of great.
Fairs apologetics regarding the book of abraham offends intellect. In the mormon joseph smiths facsimile 2, why does he say. A web site about joseph smith and his translations. The book of abraham is a book of lds scripture that joseph smith translated from a collection of ancient egyptian papyri the church purchased. There is another facsimile in the book of abraham revealing additional areas of mistranslation. Joseph smith declared that many of the papyrus documents, including facsimile no. The book of abraham papyri were thought to have been lost in the 1871 great chicago fire. Egyptologists say joseph smith mistranslated facsimile no. Facsimile 2 from the book of abraham as printed in the times. Joseph smith began his translation of the book of abraham from the hieroglyphics at right.
A scribe then copied them into the manuscript books, portions of which were eventually typeset and published as scripture. The vignette is one and the sameand its been a delight to visit the church history library of late, where the vignette is on display. Book of abrahamjoseph smith papyrifacsimiles fairmormon. Book of mormon by joseph smith, facsimile edition abebooks. New joseph smith papers volume published book of mormon.
Book of abraham facsimile 1 facsimile 2 facsimile 3 translation manuscripts. The mormon god and a phallic god could be considered one and the same. 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. From the accounts we have about the joseph smith hypocephalus and the other associated egyptian papyri, it seems they were found in egypt in the gurneh area of thebes around the year 1818. The measurement according to celestial time, which. Rhodes, a byu associate professor of ancient scripture, published, a translation and commentary of the joseph smith hypocephalus, in brigham young university studies 17 no. Debunking fairmormon letter to a ces director book of. Skeptics say joseph smith mistranslated facsimile 2. First in government, the last pertaining to the measurement of time. Joseph smiths notes to facsimile 2 identify it as representing god sitting in the heavens among the stars and others of his creations.
His explanations are, in general, reasonable in light of modern egyptological knowledge. In the book of abraham, joseph included three facsimiles of illustrations from the papyri, along with commentary about what the images and their individual parts represented. Critical appraisal of the book of abraham wikipedia. It may constitute the printers manuscript for the explanation of the papyrus cut facsimile 2 published in the second installment of the book of abraham under date of 15 march but actually printed on 19 march woodruff, journal, 19 mar. The following is a sidebyside comparison of what joseph smith translated in facsimile 2 versus what it actually says according to egyptologists and modern egyptology. As for the bird found in facsimile 2, this could symbolize the ba or soul which the egyptians often represented as a bird presenting the wedjateye to the seated god. However, in 1966 several fragments of the papyri were found in the archives of the metropolitan museum of art in new york and in the lds church archives. This is an exact facsimile reprint of the original, 1830 edition of the book of mormon, the authoritative scripture of the church of jesus christ of latterday saints. Book of mormon photographic facsimile of 1830 edition by smith, joseph, jun. For example, joseph smith dictated a revelation on 6 december 1832 as sidney rigdon wrote it. Theres no good reason to think joseph smith overlooked heavenly fathers great big erect penis in facsimile 2.
By its very nature, it would have nothing to do with the book of abraham, as joseph smith claimed. That young man was joseph smith, who had translated the book of mormon from an ancient americanindian record about four or five years earlier. Note the lacuna, or missing portions of the vignette. Indeed, one can reasonably wonder if thats what gave smith the idea for a god the father who was separate and distinct from jesus, and. An interpretation of facsimile 2 in 1977 egyptologist michael d. Book of abrahamjoseph smith papyrifacsimilesfacsimile 2. Facsimile 2 in the book of abraham is a common egyptian hypocephalus.
As both the translation of facsimile 2 and the comparison to the leiden hypocephalus demonstrate, the hypocephalus had a singular purpose, which was to assist the deceased egyptian in the afterlife. Joseph smith said figure 1 represents kolob, signifying the first creation, nearest to the celestial, or the residence of god. Book of abraham facsimile 2 that one mission thing. There are no egyptologists in the world that find the explanations of facsimile no. The illustration represented by facsimile 2 is a hypocephalus, a disc made of linen, papyrus, or bronze, covered with inscriptions and images which relate to one of the last spells in the book of the dead.
The church believed that the papyri were preserved through the millennia to be translated by joseph smith for the benefit of the restored church and the world. Duane hursts notes and translations of ancient egyptian hieroglyphs from the book of abraham. A book of commandments, for the government of the church of christ, organized according to law, on the 6th of april, 1830. Did joseph smith give a correct meaning for facsimile 2, years before scientists unlocked the mysterious of ancient egyptian. Reprint of the actual papyrus used by joseph smith. 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 abrahams own hand. Joseph only interpreted one figure of anubis as a priest, in facsimile 1. Did joseph smith correctly translate facsimile 3 in the. Joseph smith dictated the words of these texts to a scribe, who committed them to paper. Book of abraham facsimile number 2 wikimedia commons. A facsimile from the book of abraham church of jesus christ. Joseph smith claimed that a hypocephalus, depicted as facsimile 2 in the book of abraham, was part of a collection of writings by abraham and joseph of.
The three facsimiles found in the book of abraham all derive from ancient egyptian papyri that joseph smith obtained in kirtland in 1835. Joseph smith s notes to facsimile 2 identify it as representing god sitting in the heavens. Figure 1 is in the very heart of the round facsimile 2 and to me, looks like the focal point of the facsimile. How the book of abraham exposes the false nature of. Smith sought divine truth from his own age and from ancient documents, recorded that truth in a scriptural text, and imparted it to his people and the world.
A portion of the papyri used by joseph smith as the source of the book of abraham. Joseph smiths notes to facsimile 2 identify it as representing god sitting in the heavens. The book of abraham typifies joseph smiths experience as revelator and translator, jensen and hauglid observe. For example, the four standing figures in the lower portion of the facsimile are said by joseph smith to represent earth in its four quarters. In early july 1835, joseph smith and other latterday saints in kirtland, ohio, acquired four ancient egyptian mummies and several papyrus scrolls from michael chandler, an antiquities dealer visiting the area. Files are available under licenses specified on their description page. It is in these that joseph smith finished the drawing resulting in facsimile no. The joseph smith book of breathings opens with a vignette representing osiris on a lioncouch.
These are egyptian illustrations and they have nothing to do with abraham, skeptics claim. Initially joseph smith was only mildly interested in the mummies, until he discovered that the burial documents contained, among other things. Kolob, signifying the first creation, nearest to the celestial, or the residence of god. A preliminary survey and first translation of facsimile no.
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