Book of Abraham/Book of Joseph

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Book of Joseph

Questions

There's a web site claiming to have the text of something called the "Book of Joseph":

http://www.mormonhaven.com/joseph.htm

It is supposed to be a translation that Joseph Smith made along with the Book of Abraham and the web site claims someone is studying this translation at BYU. Do you have any information about the "Book of Joseph"?

Answer

Joseph Smith mentioned a "book of Joseph" in connection with the Book of Abraham and the Egyptian antiquities he purchased in Kirtland, Ohio. (http://www.boap.org/LDS/History/History_of_the_Church/Vol_II)

While the Book of Abraham was translated and published in the Times and Seasons in 1842, Joseph never got around to translating the Book of Joseph. No such authenticated manuscript exists.

The document on this web site makes some blatant errors of fact regarding Israel's Joseph and other historical figures. Joseph Smith's own works involving ancient persons like Enoch and Abraham never make such strange deviations.

The burden of proof lies with those who insist that the document was produced by Joseph Smith. They must establish this document's provenance and authenticity. Until someone can do so, we should consider the online text to be a forgery.