FAIR Study Aids/Book of Abraham

History

• Introduction to Book of Abraham Manuscripts (Joseph Smith Papers)

Overview

• High resolutions photographs of the known existing Joseph Smith Papyri (Joseph Smith Papers)
• Kerry Muhlestein, "Egyptian Papyri and the Book of Abraham: A Faithful, Egyptological Point of View" (Religious Educator)
• John Gee, "Formulas and Faith" (Maxwell Institute)
• John Gee, "Book of Abraham, I presume" (FAIR)
• Book of Abraham Wiki Entries (FAIR)
• John Gee, "A guide to the Joseph Smith Papyri" (Maxwell Institute)
• Paul Y. Hoskisson, "Where Was Ur of the Chaldees?" (BYU Religious Studies Center)
• Kevin L. Barney, "The Facsimiles and Semitic Adaptation of Existing Sources" (Maxwell Institute)

Chapter 1

Text (LDS.org)

• Abraham 1:1 "In the land of the Chaldeans"
  • Paul Y. Hoskisson, "Where Was Ur of the Chaldees?" (BYU Religious Studies Center)
• Abraham 1:2 "peace and rest"
• Abraham 1:2 "prince of peace"
• Abraham 1:6 "god of Elkenah, and the god of Libnah and the god of Mahmackrah, and the god of Korash, and the god of Pharaoh, king of Egypt"
  • Kevin L. Barney, "On Elkenah as Canaanite El" (Maxwell Institute)
  • John Tvednes, "Authentic Ancient Names and Words in the Book of Abraham and Related Kirtland Egyptian Papers" (FAIR-pdf)
• Abraham 1:7 "sacrifice of the heathen in offering up their children unto these dumb idols"
• Abraham 1:7 "The priest of Elkenah was also the priest of Pharaoh"
  • Kevin L. Barney, "On Elkenah as Canaanite El" (Maxwell Institute)
• Abraham 1:8 "Now, at this time it was the custom of the priest of Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, to offer up upon the alter which was built in the land of Chaldea, for the offering unto these strange gods, men, women, and children"
  • Paul Y. Hoskisson, "Where Was Ur of the Chaldees?" (BYU Religious Studies Center)
• Abraham 1:9 "unto the god of Pharaoh, and also unto the god of Shagreel, even after the manner of the Egyptians."
• Abraham 1:9 "Now the god of Shagreel was the sun."
• Abraham 1:10 "Potiphar's Hill, at the head of the plain of Olishem"
  • John Gee, "A Tragedy of Errors" (Maxwell Institute)
  • Daniel C. Peterson, and Matthew Roper, "Ein Heldenleben? On Thomas Stuart Ferguson as an Elias for Cultural Mormons" (Maxwell Institute)
  • Daniel C. Peterson, "Mormonism as a Restoration" (Maxwell Institute)
• Abraham 1:11 "Now, this priest had offered upon this altar three virgins at one time... ...These virgins were offered up because of their virtue; they would not bow down to worship gods of wood or of stone, therefore they were killed upon this altar, and it was done after the manner of the Egyptians."
  • John Gee, "Egyptian Society during the Twenty-sixth Dynasty" (Maxwell Institute) (This may be the wrong time period, need to read it.
  • John Gee, and Kerry Muhlestein, "An Egyptian Context for the Sacrifice of Abraham" (Maxwell Institute)
• Abraham 1:12 "and that you may have a knowledge of this altar, I will refer you to the representation at the commencement of this record."
• Abraham 1:13 "It was after the form of a bedstead, such as was had among the Chaldeans, and it stood before the gods of Elkenah, Libnah, Mahmakrah, Korash, and also a god like unto that of Pharaoh, king of Egypt"
  • Paul Y. Hoskisson, "Where Was Ur of the Chaldees?" (BYU Religious Studies Center)
• Abraham 1:14 "which manner of figures is called by the Chaldeans Rahleenos, which signifies hieroglyphics."
  • Paul Y. Hoskisson, "Where Was Ur of the Chaldees?" (BYU Religious Studies Center)
• Abraham 1:15 "and the Lord hearkened and heard and filled me with the vision of the Almighty, and the angle of his presence stood by me, and immediately unloosed my bands;"
  • Mark Alan Wright, ""According to Their Language, unto Their Understanding": The Cultural Context of Hierophanies and Theophanies in Latter-day Saint Canon" (Maxwell Institute)
  • William James Adams Jr., "Human Sacrifice and the Book of Abraham" (BYU Studies)
• Abraham 1:17 "the god of Elkenah"
  • Kevin L. Barney, "On Elkenah as Canaanite El" (Maxwell Institute)
• Abraham 1:18 "and I will take thee, to put upon thee my name, even the priesthood of thy father"
• Abraham 1:20 "Behold, Potiphar's Hill was in the land of Ur, of Chaldea."
• Abraham 1:21 "Now this king was a descendant from the loins of Ham, and was a partaker of the blood of the Canaanites by birth."
• Abraham 1:22 "...Egyptus, which signifies that which is forbidden"
• Abraham 1:23 "The land of Egypt being first discovered by a woman"
  • Hugh W. Nibley, "A Pioneer Mother" (Maxwell Institute)
• Abraham 1:24 "When this woman discovered the land it was under water"
• Abraham 1:24 "sprang that race which preserved the curse in the land."
• Abraham 1:25 "it was after the manner of the government of Ham, which was patriarchal"
• Abraham 1:26 "but cursed him as pertaining to the Priesthood."
• Abraham 1:27 "Now, Pharaoh being of that lineage by which he could not have the right of Priesthood..."
• Abraham 1:29 "priest of Elkenah was smitten that he died"
  • Kevin L. Barney, "On Elkenah as Canaanite El" (Maxwell Institute)
• Abraham 1:29 "there came a fulfillment of those things which were said unto me concerning the land of Chaldea, that there shoud be a famine in the land."
• Abraham 1:31 "I shall endeavor to write some of these things upon this record for the benefit of my posterity that shall come after me."

Chapter 2

Text (LDS.org)

Chapter 3

Text (LDS.org)

Chapter 4

Text (LDS.org)

Chapter 5

Text (LDS.org)

Facsimile 1

(Facsimile 1)

Facsimile 2

Image and Explanation (LDS.org)

• Fig. 1: "The measurement according to celestial time, which celestial time signifies one day to a cubit."
  • Hollis R. Johnson, "One Day to a Cubit," [1]

Facsimile 3

(Facsimile 3)