Evidences that support the Book of Abraham

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Question: What evidence does the Book of Abraham demonstrate to support its own antiquity?

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The stories and worldviews we find in the translated text of our Book of Abraham coincide nicely with what we find from ancient Abrahamic lore

The stories and worldviews we find in the translated text of our Book of Abraham coincide nicely with what we find from ancient Abrahamic lore. Joseph Smith demonstrated extensive knowledge of these areas, which he then integrated into a theologically rich whole. He could only have received this information through revelation, since there were no resources available to him on many of these traditions. The Book of Josephus was known to Joseph Smith and it is likely that he read it, although it has not been proven. The Book of Josephus would have only been useful to Joseph for identifying that Abraham knew astronomy and that he taught it to the Egyptians, however it would not have been useful in identifying the type of astronomy taught to them. Thus this becomes a strong evidence for the Book of Abraham. The other book that he may have known of is the Book of Jasher. However, documentary evidence shows that Joseph had already completed up to Abraham 3:13 before the Book of Jasher was published and circulated in his vicinity Thus none of the traditions with the Book of Jasher listed below could have come from it. Following is a listing of the traditions along with some of the Abrahamic lore that supports the tradition

Abraham's fathers worshipped idols (Abraham 1:5-6)

• Abel and the Other Pieces, p.
• Abel and Other Pieces, p. 287
• Abü al-Fida' 2, pp. 433—34
• Al—Kisä’i 68—72, p. 388
• Al-Mas‘u‘di, Meadows 4:2, p. 352
• Al-Nisa‘bu‘ri 14:13; 16:4, pp. 400, 402
• Al—Rabghu‘zi 28, p. 440
• Al-_Tabar1' 220; 252—70:41, pp. 334, 343
• Al-T‘arafi 1, 53—55, pp. 370, 374—75
• Anonymous Christian Chronicle 10, pp. 228—29
• Armenian Paraphrase of Genesis: after Genesis 11:30, version A, pp. 284—85
• Bar Hebraeus 2, p. 274
• Book of usher 9:6, 19; 11:45—46, pp. 138, 139, 142
• Book ofthe Bee 23, p. 272
• Book ofthe Cave ofTreasures 23a.1, pp. 189—90
• Book ofthe Rolls 118b, pp. 207—8
• Catena Severi 1, p. 241
• Conflict ofAdam and Eve III, 24:1—7, pp. 220—21
• Damascus Document, p. 30
• Epiphanius, Panarion 1.1:
• Anac. 1.3.1;
• Proem 2.3.4, pp. 197, 198
• Hellenistic Synagogal Prayers 12:61—62, p. 72
• .L‘U 5378 7° Traditions about the Early Lfie ofAbraham
• Ibn al-Tayyib 7:1—2, p. 253 '
• Ibn Kathir 11, p. 455
• Ishäq ibn Bishr 161B:3, p. 312 John Chrysostom, p. 193
• Jubilees 11:4, 7, 16, pp. 14, 15
• Judith 5:7, p. 4
• Kebra Nagast 1, p. 277
• Mahbu’b of Menbidj (Agapius) 2, pp. 247—48
• Michael Glycas 1, p. 265
• Michael the Syrian 2.3.3, 2.5, p. 262
• Midrush Rubbuh Numbers 2:12, p. 107
• Qiqel and Yahya 2, pp. 488—89 Qu1°an 21:53; 26:70—76, pp. 293, 295
• Symeon Logothetes 2, pp. 250—51
• Syrzu'c Commentary on Genesis 7, p. 243
• Targum Neofiti 1 Genesis 20:13, p. 69
• See also Pirqe de Rabbi Eliezer 26, pp. 45—46

Idols were made of wood and stone (Abraham 1:11)

• Anonymous Christian Chrom‘cle 10, pp. 228—29
• Apocalypse ofAbraham 1:2; 25:1, pp. 52, 59
• Book of Jasher 9:6—8, 19; 11:32, 42—45, 47, pp. 138—39, 141, 142
• Book of the Cave of Treasures 23a.2, p. 190
• Book of the Rolls 119a, p. 208
• Chronicles ofJerahmeel 34:10, p. 132
• Conflict ofAdam and Eve III, 24:1, p. 220
• Epiphanius, Panarion 1.1: Anac. 1.3.3;
• Proem 2.3.5, pp. 197, 198
• Hecataeus, p. 3
• Kebru Nugust 12—13, pp. 277—78
• Qiqel and Yahya 2, pp. 488—89

Terah, Abraham’s father, worshiped idols (Abraham 1:16—17, 27)

• Abu‘ al—Fidä 2, pp. 433-—34
• Al-Bukhäri 569, pp. 327—28
• Al-Kisa'ü' 9, 41, pp. 382, 385
• Al—Nisa‘bu‘ri 14:1; 15:2—3, pp. 397, 400—401
• Al-Rabghu’zi 12, 17, 20, pp. 437—39
• Al-Tabari 224—25; 252-70:11, 18, 41;
• 346—47:1,pp. 334, 336—38, 343, 349
• Al-T_arafi 27—29, p. 372
• Al-Tha‘labi 2:3, p. 361
• Al-Ya‘qu’bi 2, p. 330
• Apocalypse of Abraham 1:1; 25:1; 26:1, pp. 52, 59, 60
• Augustm'e, City of God 16.12, pp. 200—201
• Book of Iasher 9:7; 11:20-22, 29, 32—33, 42—48, 53, pp. 138, 140—42
• Cutenu Severi 5, p. 241
• Chronicles ofJerahmeel 33:1, 5, pp. 129, 130
• Conflict of Adam and Eve III, 24:9; IV, 1:2, pp. 221, 222
• Epiphanius, Panarion 1.1:
• Anac. 1.3.3;
• Proem 2.3.5, pp. 197, 198
• Falasha Story 3, p. 486
• George Hamartolos, pp. 237—38
• George Syncellus 1, 5, pp. 224, 225
• Ibn al—Athir 6, pp. 423—24
• Ibn Isha‘q 7, p. 305
• Ibn Kathir 13, 16, pp. 455—56
• Isha'q ibn Bishr 165B27—8, p. 318
• Jacob of Edessa 4, p. 212
• John Malalas, p. 206 Jubilees 11:16, p. 15
• Ka‘b al-Ahba‘r 10, p. 300
• Mz'drush Rubbuh Genesis 38:13, p. 91;Numbers 19:1; 29:33, p. 111
• Pesiktu Rubbuti 33:3a—b, pp. 80—81
• Qur’an 6:74; 19:42; 26:86; 60:4, pp. 292, 293, 295, 296
• Revelation ofMoses, p. 180
• Story ofAbraham . . . with Nimrod 14, p. 168
• Symeon Logothetes 2, pp. 250—51
• Tunnu debe Eliyahu 2, 5, pp. 74—75
• Turgum Neofiti 1 Deuteronomy 6:4, p. 70
• Zohar: Genesis 78b, pp. 157—58

Terah, after repenting, returned to his idols (Abraham 2:5)

• Abü al-Fida' 2, pp. 433—34
• Al—Kisä’i 72, p. 388
• Al-T‘aban‘ 252—70241; 325—2621, pp. 343, 349
• Apocalypse of Abraham 26:3, p. 60
• Book of Jasher 12:68, p. 149
• Chronicles of Jerahmeel 35:1, p. 133
• Ibn al-Tayyib 7:6, pp. 254-55
• Qur'an 60:4, p. 296
• Tanna debe Eliyahu 8, pg.
• Zohar: Genesis 77b, 78b, pp. 155-56, 157-58

Abraham connected to Egyptian Idols (Abraham 1:6-7, 13,17,20,29; 2:13; 3:20; Facisimle 1, figures 4-9)

• Bar Hebraeus 4, pp. 274-75
• Kebra Nagast 82, pp. 279-80
• Michael Glycas 1, p. 265

Children were sacrificed (Abraham 1:7-8, 10-11)

• Al-Baida‘wi 2:4, 8, p. 428
• Al-Biru’ni 2, p. 369
• Al-Kisa"1' 32, 41, 43, 98, pp. 384, 385, 386, 390
• Al-Maqdisi 48, p. 355
• Al-Mas‘u‘di, Meadows 3:1, pp. 351—52
• Al-Nisa'bu'ri 14:2, p. 397
• Al-Rabghu‘zi 11, p. 436
• Al-Tabari 204-521; 206, pp. 332—33
• Al-Tha‘labi 1:2—3, pp. 358—59
• Anonymous Christian Chronicle 10, pp. 228—29
• Apocalypse of Abraham 2522—3, p. 60
• Bakhayla Mikä’eAl (Zo‘srrn‘a‘s) 16b.2, p. 282
• Book of [usher 8:34, p. 138
• Book ofthe Cave of Treasures 23b.2‚ pp. 190—91
• Book ofthe Rolls 120a, pp. 208-9
• Conflict of Adam and Eve III, 24:15—17; 25:1, 8, pp. 221—22
• Falasha Story 3, p. 486
• Ibn al-Athir 3, p. 422
• Ibn Ishäq 3, p. 304
• Isha'q ibn Bishr 1628:6; 163A:6‚' 166A:1;
• 166B210—11; 167A:8—9, pp. 313, 314, 319, 320, 321
• Kebra Nagast 12, p. 277
• Petrus Comestor, pp. 267-68
• Philo of Alexandria, De Abrahamo 188, p. 41
• Pseudo-Philo 4:16, p. 21
• Other Musllm' Traditions: ProphetAbraham 3, pp. 459—60
• Story ofAbraham . . . with Nimrod 3, 5, p. 165

Those who would not worship idols were killed (Abraham 1:11)

• Al-Kisa"1' 85—87, 98, pp. 389, 390
• Alcuin, Interrogationes et responsiones in Genesim 152, p. 217
• Anonymous Christian Chronicle 6, 27, pp. 228, 230—31
• Asatir 5:27, p. 469
• Bede, Commentarium in Pentateuchem, p. 214 Bede (7.),
• Quaestiones super Genesim, pp. 214—15
• Commentarium in Genesim, p. 205
• Expositio super septem vz’siones, commentm'g on Rev. 6:4, p. 218
• Falasha Story 4, pp. 486—87
• Freculphus Lexoviensis, pp. 234—35
• Jerome, Quaestiones Hebraicrze in Genesim 11:28, pp. 194—96
• Midrash Rabbah Genesis 44:7, p. 98
• Other Mushm' Traditions: Prophet Abraham 7, p. 461
• Rabanus Maurus, Commentaria in Genesim, pp. 232—33 Rupertus Tuitensrs‘,
• Commentarium in Ioannem 4, pp. 257—58

Abraham was brought to be killed or sacrificed because he would not worship idols (Abraham 1:7, 12, 15; Facsimle 1, figure 3)

• Abu' al-Fida' 2, pp. 433-44
• Al-Baida‘wi 4:8, p. 431
• Al-Bukha‘n’ 579, p. 329
• Al-Kisä’i 135, p. 393
• Al-Maqdisi 53-54, pp. 355—56
• Al-Mas‘u‘di, Meadows 4:2, p. 352; News 1, p. 353
• Al-Nisäbu'ri 18:2; 19:2, pp. 404, 405—6
• Al-Rabghuz‘i 31—43, 47, pp. 441—44, 445-46 Al-Tabari 252—70:4, 27—37; 316-17:1—2; 318—2421—2; 346—47zl—2, pp. 335, 340—42, 345, 346, 349—50
• Al-Tarafi 88—93, pp. 377—78
• Al-Tha‘labi 2:10, 12, pp. 364—65, 366
• Al-Ya‘qübi 3, p. 331
• Al-Zamakhshari 2:578, pp. 412—13
• Alcum', Interrogationes et responsiones in Genesim 152, p. 217
• Angelomus Luxoviensis, Commentarium in Genesim, pp. 239—40
• Anonymous Christian Chronicle 6, p. 228
• Asatz'r 5:27, p. 469
• Augustine, City of God 16.15;
• Quaestiones in Heptateuchum, pp. 202—3, 204
• Babylonian Talmud ‘Erubin 53a, pp. 119—20;
• Pesahz'm 118a, p. 120;
• Sunhedrz'n 93a, pp. 121—22;
• A‘bodah Zarah 3a, p. 122
• Book of [usher 12:6, 23, pp. 144, 145
• Bede, Hexaemeron 3—4, pp. 213—14 Bede (.7),
• Quaestiones super Genesz'm, 214—15
• Catena Severi 8, p. 242
• Chronicles of Ierahmeel 33:4—5; 34:12, pp. 130, 132
• Commentarium in Genesim, p. 205
• De computo, p. 226
• Expositio super septem vz'siones, commenting on Rev. 1:13, p. 218
• Falasha Story 4, pp. 486—87
• Freculphus Lexoviensis, pp. 234—35
• Glossa ordz'naria, p. 236
• Herveus Burgidolensis, p. 260
• Hugh of St. Victor, p. 259
• Ibn al-Athir 10, p. 425
• Ibn al-Jawzi 2, pp. 419—20
• Ibn Isha‘q 13, p. 307
• Ibn Kathir 26, p. 457
• Ioannes Zonaras, p. 261
• Isha‘q ibn Bishr 168A:17; 1683:5—6, p. 323
• Jacob of Edessa 8, p. 212
• Jerome, Quaestiones Hebraicae in Genesim, commentm'g on Genesis 11:28; 12:4, pp. 194—96
• Judith 8:27, p. 5
• Ka‘b al-Ahba‘r 11, p. 300
• Mz'drash Rabbah Genesis 34:9; 38:13; 39:3; 42:3, 7; 44:4, 7; 48:1, pp. 90, 91, 92, 96, 97, 98, 100; Exodus 44:5; 49:2, p. 104; Leviticus 11:7; 36:4, pp. 105, 106—7; Numbers 2:12; 12:8, pp. 107, 110; Deuteronomy 9:4, p. 112;
• Ruth Proem 7:1, p. 112;
• Ecclesiastes 4:81, p. 114;
• Esther Proem 11; 6:2, pp. 114, 115; Song of Songs 1:13.1; 225.1; 326.2; 3:11.1; 8:8.2, pp. 115, 116—17, 118
• Nicophorus Gregoras, p. 276
• Other Mushm' Traditions: Yusuf, p. 463
• Pesikta Rabbati 33:4a, p. 81 Petrus Comestor, pp. 267—68
• Pseudo-Philo 6:16, p. 24
• Qiqel and Yahya 11, p. 489
• Qur’an 21:68; 37:97, pp. 294, 296
• Rabanus Maurus, pp. 232—33
• Rashi, regardm'g Genesis 11:28, p. 125
• Ra'wandi 3, 8, 10, pp. 415, 416, 417
• Rupertus Tuitensis, Commentarium in Ioamzem 4, pp. 257—58
• Story of Abraham . . . with Nimrod 25, 29, pp. 172, 173
• Study (Midrash) ofAbraham Our Father 3, p. 179
• Tanna debe Eliyahu 1—3, 6, pp. 74—75, 76
• Targum Ionatlzrm Genesis 11:28; 14:1; 16:5, pp. 66, 67
• Targum Rishon of Esther 5:14, p. 71
• Zohar: Genesis 77b, pp. 155—56; Leviticus 57a, pp. 162—63

Terah was behind the attempt to kill Abraham (Abraham 1:7, 30)

• Al-Nisa'bu‘ri 15:4, p. 401
• Book of Iasher 11:51, p. 143
• Falasha Story 3, p. 486
• lsha‘q ibn Bishr 163828, p. 315
• Qur’an 19:46; 26:86; 60:4, pp. 293, 295, 296
• Rashi, regardm'g Genesis 11:28, p. 125
• Story ofAbraham . . . with Nimrod 8, pp. 166—67

Abraham was fastened or bound (Abraham 1:15; Facsimile 1, figure 2)

• Al-Baida‘wi 4:4, 7, pp. 430, 431
• Al-Nisa'bu‘ri 18:2; 19:2, pp. 404, 405—6
• Al-Rabghu‘zi 33—34, p. 442 Al-T_araf1' 109, p. 379
• Al-Tha‘labi 2:10—11, pp. 364—66
• Al-Zamakhshari 2:578, pp. 412—13
• Book of [usher 12:23, p. 145
• Chronicles of Ierahmeel 33:4, p. 130
• Ibn Kathir 25, p. 457
• Isha‘q ibn Bishr 168A:14; 168B26, pp. 322, 323
• Philo the Epic Poet, p. 6
• Ra'wandi 10, p. 417
• Story _ofAbraham . . . with Nimrod 29, p. 173
• Study (Mz'drnsh) of Abraham OurFather 3, p. 179
• Tamza debe Eliyahu 4, p. 75

When his life was in danger, Abraham prayed (Abraham 1:15)

• Al-Baidäwi 4:7, p. 431
• Al-Kisä’i 138, p. 393
• Al-T_abari 252—70:31, p. 341
• Al—Tarafi 90—93, pp. 377—78
• Al—Tha‘labi 2:10—11, pp. 364—66
• Ibn al-Jawzi 2, pp. 419—20
• Ibn Kathir 26, p. 457
• Philo the Epic Poet, p. 6
• Ra‘wand1‘4—5, pp. 415—16
• Story ofAbraham . . . with Nimrod 11, 29, pp. 167, 173 Contrast al—Rabghu‘zi 39, pp. 443—44

An angel came to rescue Abraham (Abraham 1:15; 2:13; Facsimile 1, figure 1)

• AI-Baidäwi 4:8, 11, pp. 431—32
• Al-Kisa"i 52, 88, 138—39, 142, pp. 387, 389, 393, 394
• Index A: Thematic 0 541
• Al-Rabghu‘zi 35, 38, 42, pp. 443, 444
• Al-Tabari 252—7031, 33—34, pp. 341-42
• Al-Tarafi 93—96, p. 378
• Al-Tha‘labi 2:10, pp. 364—65
• Al-Zamakhshari 2:578, pp. 412—13
• Babylonian Talmud Pesahim 118a, p. 120
• Chronicles of Iorahmecl 34:13; 35:3, pp. 133, 134
• Falasha Story 4, pp. 486—87
• Ibn al—Athir 10—11, pp. 425—26
• Ibn al-Iawzi 2, pp. 419—20
• Ibn Isha’q 13—14, pp. 307—8
• Ibn Kathir 27—30, p. 457
• Isha’q ibn Bishr 168B23—4, 8, 11, p. 323
• Ka‘b al-Ahbär 13, p. 301
• Midrash Rabbah Genesis 44:13, p 99; Exodus 18:5, p. 103; Song of Songs 1:12.1; 3:11.1, pp. 116-17
• Other Mushm' Traditions: Prophet Abraham 6, p. 461
• Ra‘wandi 4, 6, pp. 415, 416
• Story of Abraham . . . with Nimrod 32, p. 174
• Study (Mz'drash) ofAbraham Our Father 4, p. 179

God rescued Abraham from death (Abraham 1: 16; 3:20)

• Al-Kisa"i 139—41, p. 393
• Al—Maqdisi 53—54, pp. 355—56
• Al-Mas‘u‘di, Meadows 4:2, p. 352;
• News 1, p. 353
• Al-Nisa‘bu‘ri 18:3, p. 404
• Al-Rabghu'zi 49, p. 446
• Al-T,araf1' 112, p. 379
• Al-Ya‘qu'bi 3, p. 331
• Alcum’, Interrogationes et responsz'ones in Genesim, p. 217
• Angelomus Luxoviensis, Commentarium in Genesim on Genesis 12:4, pp. 239—40
• Asatir 5:27, p. 469
• Babylonian Talmud Pesohim 118a, p. 120
• Bede, Hexaemeron 3, 4, pp. 213-14
• Bede (7.), Quaestiones super Genesim, pp. 214—15
• Book of [asher 12:24, 38, pp. 145, 146
• Chronicles of Ierahmeel 33:6; 34:13, pp. 130, 133
• Commentarium in Genesim, p. 205
• Ethiopic Story of loseph, p. 281
• Asatir 5:16; 6:11, 24, pp. 467, 472, 473—74 (continued)
• Bar Hebraeus 1, 7, pp. 274, 275
• Freculphus Lexoviensis, pp. 234—35
• Book oflas/1er 11:33—36, p. 141
• Glossa ordiuarla', p. 236
• Book of the Bee 23, 30, pp. 272, 273
• Isha‘q ibn Bishr 1688:6—7, p. 323
• Jerome, Commentarium in Isaiam;
• Quaestiones Hebraicae in Genesim on Genesis 11:28; 12:4;
• Vulgate Ezra, pp. 194—96
• Midrash Rabbah Genesis 63:2, p. 102; Exodus15:12; 18:5; 23:4, p. 103; Numbers 12:8, p. 110; Deuteronomy 2:27, p. 111; Song of Songs 3:11.1, p. 117
• Pesikta Rabbati 33:4a, p. 81
• Phflo the Epic Poet, p. 6
• Pirqe de Rabbi Eliezer 26, pp. 45-46
• Pseudo-Philo 6:9; 23:5; 32:1, pp. 22, 24—25
• Rabanus Maurus, pp. 232—33
• Ra‘Wandi 4, 8, pp. 415, 416
• Rupertus Tujtensis, Commentarium in ]oannem 4, pp. 257—58
• Story ofAbraham 8, p. 177
• Story ofAbraham . . . with Nimrod 11, 32, p. 167, 174
• Study (Midrash) ofAbraham Our Father 4, p. 179
• Targum Jonathan Genesis 15:7, p. 67
• Targum Neofiti 1 Genesis 15:7, p. 69
• Book of the Cave of Treasures 23b.1; 24a.1, pp. 190, 191
• Book of the Rolls 119b, 120a, pp. 208—9 Catena Severi 6—7, p. 242
• Chronicles ofJerahmeel 34:9, 11, p. 132
• Conflict ofAdam and Eve III, 24:8; 25:2, p. 221
• Falasha Story 3, p. 486
• George Hamartolos, pp. 237—38
• George Syncellus 3, 5, pp. 224, 225
• Ibn al-Athir 3, 6, pp. 422, 423—24
• Ibn Isha‘q 2, 7, pp. 304, 305
• Ibn Kathir 17, 19, p. 456
• Isha‘q ibn Bishr 165B:11,' 166A:13—14, 17, pp. 318, 319
• Jacob of Edessa 6—7, p. 212
• John Malalas, p. 206
• Jubilees 12:12, p. 17
• Kebra Nagast 13, pp. 277—78
• Michael the Syrian 2.3.4, 2.6.6, 3.1.1, pp. 262, 263
• Other Mushm' Traditions: Prophet Abraham 5, pp. 460—61
• Philaster of Brescia, p. 199

The altar (furnace) and the idols were destroyed (Abraham 1:20)

• Pseudo-Philo 6:18, p. 24
• Qur’an 21:57—58, p. 294
• Rashi, regardm'g Genesis 11:28, p. 125
• Al-Birüni 2, p. 369
• Räwandi 10, p. 417
• Al-Kisa"1‘ 41, 129, pp. 385, 392
• Study (Midrash) of Abraham Our Father 1, p. 178
• Al-Mas‘u‘di, News 1, p. 353
• Story of Abraham 5, p. 176
• Al-Nisa‘bu'ri 17:2, p. 402
• Story ofAbraham . . . with Nimrod 23, p. 171
• Al—Rabghüzi 6, 22, 43, 66, pp. 436, 439—40, 450
• Symeon Logothetes 2, pp. 250—51
• Al-T_abar1‘ 252—7026, 19—20; 318—2426, 9, pp. 335—36, 338—39, 347—48

The priest (or leader) was smitten and died (Abraham 1:20, 29)

• Al-T_araf1‘ 60, 70, pp. 375, 376
• Al-Tha‘labi 2:3, 6, pp. 361, 362—63
• Al-Kisa‘h‘ 42, 159, pp. 385, 395
• Al-Ya‘qu'bi 3, p. 331
• Al-Mas‘u'di, News 1, p. 353
• Al-Zamakhshari 2:576, p. 412
• Al-Nisa‘bu‘ri 19:2, pp. 405—6
• Anonymous Christian Chrom'cle 8, 23,
• Al-Rabghu‘zi 60, p. 448 pp. 228, 230
• Al-Tabari 252—7029; 318-2422, pp. 340, 342
• Apocalypse ofAbraham 8:6, p. 57
• Al-„Tarafi 99, p. 378
• Bar Hebraeus 1, 7, pp. 274, 275
• Catena Severi 6—7, p. 242
• George Hamartolos, pp. 237—38
• George Syncellus 3, 5, pp. 224, 225
• Jacob of Edessa 6—7, p. 212
• Iubilees 12:14; 22:22, pp. 17, 20
• Michael the Syrian 2.3.4, 2.6.6, pp. 262, 263
• Other Mushm' Traditions: ProphetAbraham 5, 9, pp. 473—74
• Pseudo-Philo 6:9, 17 pp. 22, 24
• Qur’an 37:98, p. 296
• Ra'wandi 6, p. 416
• Story ofAbraham . . . with Nimrod 28, p. 173
• Symeon Logothetes 2, pp. 250-51

Abraham was heir to the priesthood of his fathers (Abraham 1:2-3, 18)

• Ibn al-Tayyib 7:6, pp. 254—55
• Midrash Rabbah Leviticus 25:6, p. 105; Numbers 4:8, p. 109
• Mishnah Aboth 5:2, p. 62

Abraham held the priesthood (Abraham 1:2; 2:9, 11; Facsimile 2, figure 3; Facsimile 3, figure 1)

• Al-Nisa'bu'ri 18:4, p. 404
• Babylonian Talmud Nedarz'm 32b, pp. 120—21
• Georgius Cedrenus 1, pp. 269—70
• Kebra Nagast 105, p. 280
• Midrash Rabbah Genesis 46:5; 55:6, pp. 100, 101; Leviticus 25:6, p. 105; Numbers 4:8; 10:1, p. 109; Song of Songs 5215.1, p. 117
• Pesz‘kta Rabbati 40:6a, p. 81
• Philo of Alexandria, De Abrahamo 98, p. 41

Abraham was linked to Noah (Abraham 1:19; Facsimile 2, figure 3)

• Al-Kisa"1' 46, p. 386
• Al-,Tabari 252—70z6, pp. 335—36
• Augustin'e, City of God 16.12, p. 200
• Book of Iasher 9:5—6, 10—11, 19; 12:61, pp. 138, 139, 148
• Book of the Bee 30, p. 273
• Ibn al-Tayyib 7:3, p. 253
• Iubilees 21:10, p. 19
• Qur’an 37:83, p. 296

Believers are the seed of Abraham and are blessed through him (Abraham 2:10-11)

• Armenian Paraphrase of Genesis: after Genesis 11:30, versions A and B, pp. 284-85
• Midrash Rabbah Genesis 14:6, pp. 89—90
• Qur’an 14:36, p. 293

Abraham sought God earnestly (Abraham 2:12)

• Al-Kisa‘fi' 51, pp. 386—87
• Al-Mas‘u‘di, Meadows 4:1, p. 352
• Al-Rabghu'zi 16, p. 438
• Al-T_abari 252—7028—10, p. 336
• Al-Tha‘labi 2:10, pp. 364—65
• Apocalypse of Abraham 7:12; 8:3, pp. 56, 57
• Armenian Paraphrase of Genesis: after Genesis 11:30, versions A and B, pp. 284—85 Augustine, City of God 10.32, p. 200
• Book ofIasher 11:14, p. 140
• Clementine Recognitions 33, p. 186
• Falasha Story 2, pp. 485—86
• George Hamartolos, pp. 237—38
• Gregory of Nyssa, pp. 187—88
• Ibn Isha‘q 5—6, pp. 304—5
• [ubilees 11:17, p. 15
• Kebra Nagast 14, pp. 278—79
• Medieval Testament ofNaphtali 10:2, p. 128
• Michael the Syrian 2.6.2, p. 263
• Other Muslim Traditions: Prophet Abraham 5, pp. 460—61
• Pcsikta Rabbati 3323a, p. 80
• Philo of Alexandria, De Abrahamo 68, p. 39
• Pirqe dc Rabbi Eliewr 26, pp. 45—46
• Zohar: Genesis 76b, 86a, pp. 155, 160—61

Abraham made converts in Haran (Abraham 2:15)

• ’Abot de Rabbi Nathan 12, version A, pp. 63—64,
• Abu‘ al-Fida' 3, p. 434
• AI-Kisa"1' 85, 121, 160, pp. 389, 391—92, 395
• Al—Nisa‘bu‘ri 22:1, p. 410
• Al-Rabghuz‘i 30, 61, 68—69, pp. 441, 449, 451—52
• Al-Iabari 252—70:41, p. 343
• Al-Tha‘labi 3:1, p. 367
• Book of lasher 12:41—43; 13:2, 10, 21, 24, pp. 147, 149, 150, 151
• Chronicles of [erahmeel 34:13, p. 133
• Midrash Rabbah Genesis 39:14, 16; 48:2; 84:4, pp. 93—94, 100, 102; Numbers 14:11, p. 110; Esther 6:2, p. 115; Song of Songs 1.33, p. 115
• Other Mushm' Traditions: Prophet Abraham 11, p. 463
• Pesikta Rabbati 43:6, p. 83
• Qur’an 14:36, p. 293
• Rashi, regardm'g Genesis 12:5, p. 126
• Story ofAbraham . . . with Nimrod 33, p. 174
• Study (Midrash) ofAbraham Our Father 5, p. 179
• Targum lonathan Genesis 12:5, p. 66
• Targum Neofitz' 1 Genesis 12:5, p. 69
• Targum anelos Genesis 12:5, p. 73
• Zohar: Genesis 78b, 79a—b, 86b, 88b, pp. 157—58, 161; Exodus 129a, 147b, p. 162 Compare Sefer Yetzirah Gra-Ari 6:7, pp. 86—87

Abraham possessed the Urim and Thummim, by means of which he received revelation from God (Abraham 3:1,4)

• Babylonian Talmud Baba Bathra 16b, p. 123
• Bahir 190, 192, pp. 50—51
• Compare George Hamartolos, pp. 237—38

Abraham was knowledgable about astronomy, which he learned from ancient records and from God (Abraham 1:31, 3:1-18; Facsimile 2 and 3)

• 4 Ezra 3:14, p. 61
• AI—Baidäwi 2:2, 13—14, 18, 20—21, pp. 427, 429—30
• Al—Kisa"1‘ 51, pp. 386-87
• Al—Maqdisi 53—54, pp. 355—56
• Al-Nisa‘bu‘ri 1419—10, p. 399
• Al-Rabghu’zi 4, 16, pp. 436, 438
• A1—T_abari 252—7028—9, 16—17; 316—1721—5, pp. 336, 338, 345 A1—T.araf1‘ 31—32, 42—43, 52, pp. 373, 374
• Al-Tha‘labi 2:1-2, pp. 360—61
• Al-Ya‘qu'bi 1, p. 330
• Alcuin, Epistola 83, p. 216
• Anonymous Christian Chronicle 7, p. 228
• Apocalypse of Abraham 19:3—9, p. 57
• Armenian Paraphrase of Genesis: after Genesis 11:30, versions A and B, pp. 284—85 Babylonian Talmud Shabbath 156a—b, p. 119;
• Yoma 28b, p. 120
• Book ofIasher 9:17—18, p. 139
• Book of the Cave of Treasures 25a.1, p. 192
• Book of the Rolls 122a, pp. 209—10
• Chronicles of[erahmeel 35:4, p. 134
• Clementine Recognitions 32, pp. 185—86
• De computo, p. 226
• Eupolemus 3—4, p. 8
• Falasha Story 2, pp. 485—86
• Fimu'cus Matemus, Mathesis 4 Proem 5; 4.17.2, 5; 4.18.1; 8.35—84.14, pp. 478-84
• George Hamartolos, pp. 237—38
• George Syncellus 4, pp. 225
• Gregory of Nyssa, pp. 187—88
• Ibn al—Athir 4—5, pp. 422—23
• Ibn a1~]awzi 1, pp. 418—19
• Ibn Isha‘q 4—5, 7, pp. 304—5
• lsha'q ibn Bishr 164A:13, 17; 164821—4, p. 316
  • Josephus, Antiquities of the Iews 1.7.1—2; 1.8.2, pp. 47-48, 49
• luliilees 11:8; 12:17, pp. 15, 17
• Midrash Rabbah Genesis 44:12; 48:6; 53:4, pp. 99, 100, 101; Exodus 38:6, p. 104; Numbers 2:12, 14, pp. 107—8
• Orphica 27—29, pp. 12—13
• Other Muslim Traditions: Turkish 5, p. 459
• Pesikta Rabbati 11:4a; 43:1, pp. 78, 82
• Philo of Alexandria, De Mutatione Nominum 67, 72, p. 36; De Sonmiis 53—54, p. 37; Quaestiones et Solutiones in Genesin 3.42—43, pp. 42—43
• Pseudo-Philo 18:5, p. 24
• Qiqel and Yahya 1, 7, pp. 488, 489
• Qur’an 6:75, p. 292
• Räwandi 2, p. 415
• Sefer Yetzirah Gra-Ari 6:7; Short 6:4; Long 6:8, pp. 86—87
• Sibylline Oracles 3218—28, p. 11
• Symeon Logothetes 1—2, pp. 249—50 Vettius Valens, Anthologiae 2.29.1-6, pp. 476—77
• Zohar: Genesis 80a, 86a, pp. 158, 160—61
• Contrast Zohar: Numbers 148a, p. 163

Abraham taught astronomy to the Egyptians (Abraham Facsimile 3)

• Anonymous Work, p. 10
• Artapanus, p. 7
• Eupolemus 8, p. 8—9
• George Syncellus 5, pp. 225
• Index A: Thematic 0 545
• Ioannes Zonaras, p. 261
  • Josephus, Antiquities ofthe Jews 1.8.2, p. 49
• Zohar: Genesis 83a, p. 160
• Contrast Chronicles of lerahmeel 35:4, p. 134;
• Mahbu‘b of Menbidj (Agapius) 4, p. 248

Earth has four quarters (Abraham Fac-simile 2, figure 6)

• Book of lasher 8:2, 10; 12:9, pp. 135, 136, 144
• Chronicles of Ierahmeel 34:1, pp. 130—31
• Story ofAbraham 1, p. 175
• Zohar: Genesis 78a, pp. 156-57

Abraham knew about the creation (Abraham 1:31; 4-5)

• Al—Nisäbu’ri 14:10, p. 399
• A1-T_araf1' 53—54, pp. 374—75
• Al-Tha‘labi 2:1, pp. 360—61
• Apocalypse ofAbraham 7:10—11; 19:9; 21:1—6, pp. 56, 57, 58
• Chronicles ofIerahmeel 34:3, p. 131
• Clementine Recognitions 33, p. 186
• Ibn Isha‘q 4, p. 304
• Ioannes Zonaras, p. 261
• lubilees 12:19, p. 17

There was advance planning for the creation (Abraham 4:31-55; Moses 3:4-5)

• Apocalypse ofAbraham 22:2, p. 59

The elements of the earth obeyed God (Abraham 4:9-12, 18, 21, 24-25, 31)

• Apocalypse ofAbraham 19:9, p. 57

Abraham saw the premortal spirits (Abraham 3:21-24)

• Al-Kisä’i 28, p. 384
• A1-T.abar1‘ 216, p. 333
• Al-T,araf1‘ 32, p. 373
• Apocalypse ofAbraham 19:6—7; 21:7—22:5, pp. 57, 58—59
• Book ofIasher 12:38, p. 146
• Clementine Recognitions 33, p. 186
• Firmicus Maternus, Mathesis 4.18.1, p. 479
• Medieval Testament of Naphtali 9:5, p. 127
• Midrash Rabbah Genesis 14:6, pp. 89—90; Ecclesiastes 3:112, p. 113
• Philo of Alexandria, De Cherubim 4, p. 35
• Scfer Yetzirah Long 6:8;
• Saadia 8:5, pp. 87—88
• Symeon Logothetes 2, pp. 250-51
• Vettius Valens,
• Anthologla‘e 2.29.1—6, pp. 476—77

The Lord instructed Abraham to say that Sarah was his sister (Abraham 2:22—25)

• Bakhayla M1k“a"él (Zo‘srm‘a‘s) 17b.1, p. 283
• Genesis Apocryphon XIX, 14-21, pp. 26—27
• Isha‘q ibn Bishr 169B:17—170A:1, p. 325
• Zohar: Genesis 81b, 82a, p. 159
• Contrast Zohar: Genesis 82a, p. 159; see al-Tarafi 115, pp. 379—80

Abraham possessed records from the fathers (Abraham 1:28, 31)

• Al—Mas‘u’di, p. 353
• Meadows 4:5, p. 353;
• News 2,p. 353
• Al-T_abari 350, p: 350
• Al-Tha‘labi 1:2, p. 358
• Book of Noah, versions B and C, p. 124
• Eupolemus 8, pp. 8—9
• Genesis Apocryphon XIX, 25, p. 27
• Ibn al-T,ayyib 7:3, p. 253
• jubilees 11:16; 12:27; 21:10, pp. 15, 18, 19
• Midmsh Rabbah 39:10, p. 93
• Zohar: Genesis 55b, p. 154

Abraham left a record of his own (Abraham 1:31)

• Babylonian Talmud A‘bodah Zarah 14b, 25a, pp. 122, 123
• Firmicus Maternus, Mathesis 4 Proem 5; 4.17.5; 4.18.1; 8.3.5, pp. 478, 479
• Iubilees 39:6, p. 20
• Qur’an 87:19—20, p. 297
• Sefer Yetzirah Gra-Ari 6:7;
• Short 6:4;
• Long 6:8, pp. 86—87
• Vettius Valens, Anthologiae 2.28.3, p. 476

The founding of Egypt (Abraham 1:21-27)

• Al-Kisä’i 59—60, p. 387
• Al-Mas‘u‘di, Meadows 3:1, pp. 351—52
• Al-Rabghu’zi 9, p. 436
• Al—T_abar1' 215; 216; 252—7025, 42, pp. 333, 335, 343
• Al-Tha‘labi 1:1; 3:1, pp. 357—58, 367
• Anonymous Christian Chronicle 16, p. 229
• Armenian Question, p. 286
• Artapanus, p. 7
• Book ofthe Cave of Treasures 22b2, p. 189
• Book of the Rolls 118b, pp. 207—8
• Conflict ofAdam und Eve III, 23:4—8, pp. 219—20
• Genesis Apocryphon XIX, 13, p. 26
• Ibn al-T_ayyib 6:2, p. 253
• Mahbüb of Menbidj (Agapius) 3, p. 248
• Other Muslim Traditions: Turkish 1, p. 458
• Targum Ionathan Genesis 1621, 5, p. 67
• Zohar: Genesis 73a, pp. 154—55 Contrast Abu' al—Fida‘ 3, p. 433;
• al-T‚abari 325—26:1, p. 349

Pharoah was a descendant of Ham but also of Canaan (Abraham 1:21-22, 24-25, 27)

• Al-Baida’wi 2:1, p. 427
• Al-Tarafi 4, 35, pp. 371, 373
• Al-Tha‘labi 1:1, pp. 357—58
• Eupolemus 9, p. 9
• Jubilees 22:20-21, p. 20
• Peskita Rabbati 21:22, p. 80
• Story ofAbraham . . . with Nimrod 7, p. 166

The first pharaoh, a good man, was blessed by Noah (Abraham 1:26)

• Ibn al-Tayyib 6:1-2, pp. 252-53
• Other Muslim Traditions: Turkish 1-2, pp. 458-59

Abraham was allowed to sit on a king's throne (Abraham Facsimile 3, figure 1)

• Al-Kisa'i 170, p. 396
• Al-Rabhguzi 64-65, 69, pp. 449-50, 451-52
• Babylonian Talmud Sanhedrin 108b, p. 122
• Book of Jasher 15:22, p. 153
• Midrash Rabbah Genesis 42:5, 55:6, pp. 97,101; Deuteronomy 2:33, p. 112; Ecclesiastes 4:14.1, p. 114
• Tanna debe Eliyahu 8-9, p. 76

There was a famine in Abraham's homeland (Abraham 1:29-30; 2:1, 5)

• Al-Kisa"1‘ 120, p. 391
• Al-Rabghu'zi 29, 44, pp. 441, 445
• Anonymous Christian Chronicle 26, p. 230
• Bar Hebraeus 6, p. 275
• Catena Severi 2, p. 241
• Jacob of Edessa 2, p. 211
• Iubilees 11:11—13, p. 15
• Michael the Syrian 2.6.2, p. 263
• Midrash Rabbah Genesis 25:3; 40:3; 64:2, pp. 90, 94, 102
• Other Musllm' Traditions: Turkish 4, p. 459
• Philo of Alexandria, De Abrahamo 91, p. 40

Abraham prayed that God would end the famine in Chaldea (Abraham 2:17)

• Al-Kisa"1' 121, pp. 391—92
• Al-Rabghu‘zi 44, p. 445
• Catena Severi 3—4, p. 241
• Jacob of Edessa 3, pp. 211—12
• Iubilees 11:18—24, pp. 15—16

Haran died in the famine (Abraham 2:1)

• Al-Rabghu’zi 21, 47, pp. 439, 445—46

Abraham was sixty-two years of age when he left Haran, not seventy five as Genesis says (Abraham 2:14)

• Al-Mas‘u‘di, News 2, p. 353
• Babylonian Talmud A‘bodalz Zarah 9a, p. 122
• Genesis Commentary: 4QcommGen A, p. 31
• Georgius Cedrenus 3, p. 270
• Pesikta Rabbati 42:3a, pp. 81—82
• Sa‘id ibn Batriq (Eutychius) 3, p. 246
• Contrast Isha‘q ibn Bishr 169A216, p. 324

Abraham became like God (Doctrine and Covenants 132: 29, 37, 49)

• Armenian Paraphrase of Genesis: after Genesis 11:30, version A, pp. 284—85
• Midmsh Rabbah Genesis 43:7; 44:4, pp. 97—98; Numbers 14:2, p. 110; Song of Songs 1:3.3, pp. 115-16

Gospel Topics on LDS.org, "Translation and Historicity of the Book of Abraham"

Gospel Topics on LDS.org, (8 July 2014)

The book of Abraham is consistent with various details found in nonbiblical stories about Abraham that circulated in the ancient world around the time the papyri were likely created. In the book of Abraham, God teaches Abraham about the sun, the moon, and the stars. “I show these things unto thee before ye go into Egypt,” the Lord says, “that ye may declare all these words.” Ancient texts repeatedly refer to Abraham instructing the Egyptians in knowledge of the heavens. For example, Eupolemus, who lived under Egyptian rule in the second century B.C.E., wrote that Abraham taught astronomy and other sciences to the Egyptian priests. A third-century papyrus from an Egyptian temple library connects Abraham with an illustration similar to facsimile 1 in the book of Abraham.44 A later Egyptian text, discovered in the 20th century, tells how the Pharaoh tried to sacrifice Abraham, only to be foiled when Abraham was delivered by an angel. Later, according to this text, Abraham taught members of the Pharaoh’s court through astronomy.45 All these details are found in the book of Abraham.

Other details in the book of Abraham are found in ancient traditions located across the Near East. These include Terah, Abraham’s father, being an idolator; a famine striking Abraham’s homeland; Abraham’s familiarity with Egyptian idols; and Abraham’s being 62 years old when he left Haran, not 75 as the biblical account states. Some of these extrabiblical elements were available in apocryphal books or biblical commentaries in Joseph Smith’s lifetime, but others were confined to nonbiblical traditions inaccessible or unknown to 19th-century Americans.

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Facsimile 1 explanations

Facsimile 1 is the most studied and best attested of the facsimiles. Below we list the evidences for Joseph's interpretations.

The Angel of the Lord (Figure 1)

Angels or heavenly messengers were frequently represented by birds in ancient Egyptian literature. The Egpytian word for angel is " 'ḫ". The Greek word for angel is "ἄγγελος". Both terms are used. In the respective lore, they could potentially turn into birds and bring messages from God. Additionally, see above for traditions that mention the appearance of an angel to Abraham.

The Egyptian term for angel is 'ḫ. The term “designates entities or beings . . . [and] their

(spirit-)state and the power emanating from them.” It was part of a larger spiritual world. The Egyptian spirit world was generally divided into three classes: gods [egpytian and greek translation included], angels [Egyptian and greek translation included], and demons [Egyptian and Greek translation included]. The larger category of these beings was the spirit [Egyptian and Greek translation included]. When an individual died, his or her soul [Egpytian and Greek translation included] either became an angel [Egyptian and Greek Translation included] or a demon [Egyptian and Greek translation included] depending on whether the proper rites had been performed, and whether he or she had lived properly.

[. . .]

These are all features of the 'ḫ, who had power over the damned, and the living, could cause health, sickness, childbirth, financial distress, or general malady. They could also send dreams, lead men and women, do work, fight demons, light lamps, kill, move ships, transform themselves into lotuses, barley, falcons, phoenixes, herons, geese, swallows, ibises, vultures, other birds, bulls, crocodiles, snakes, spirits, gods, fire, air, whatever form desired, and in that form they could appear in various places, to whomever they wished.They open doors, travel through fire, loose bonds, drive away crocodiles, snakes, vultures, pigs, cockroaches, and other undesirable creatures, control water, winds, fire, and enemies, brings bread, water, beer, and other foods.

As shown in the following table, the descriptions overlap considerably showing that the Roman period

description is a continuation of previous pharaonic understandings, and that both ἄγγελος and [other Greek term] are attempts to render the Egyptian term 'ḫ into Greek.

Human sacrifice for upsetting standing religious order (Figures 2, 3, and 4)

Human sacrifice is well attested in ancient Egypt. It was common to those who rejected the standing religious order as a human sacrifices to the Gods as form of capital punishment. This was virtually unknown during Joseph Smith's day. He could only have learned this information from revelation.

Kerry Muhlestein and John Gee, "An Egyptian Context for the Sacrifice of Abraham"

Kerry Muhlestein and John Gee,  Journal of the Book of Mormon and Other Restoration Scripture, (2010)

The existence of human sacrifice in ancient Egypt has been variously debated and denied. While Egyptologists generally admit that the practice existed in the formative periods of Egyptian society, opinions among Egyptologists for later time periods range from claiming that "there is no certain evidence for the practice of human sacrifice . . . from the Old Kingdom onwards" to asserting that there is "indisputable evidence for the practice of human sacrifice in classical ancient Egypt." However difficult it may be for modern societies to accept that a practice we detest, such as human sacrifice, occurred in past civilizations we admire, further research and discoveries necessitate a reassessment of the possibility of this practice within Egyptian culture. While there is not a universally accepted definition of human sacrifice, for the purposes of this paper we will define human sacrifice as the slaying of a person in a ritual context.

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Of interest in this publication is the citation of Dr. Robert Ritner (the most vocal critic of the Book of Abraham) in support of human sacrifice in ancient Egypt.

Abraham fastened upon an altar (Figure 2)

Traditions about Abraham confirm that he was nearly sacrificed and that he was bound upon an altar. See above for the extrabiblical traditions that testify to this. Additionally, scholars have found links between Abraham and Osiris in Semitic adaptations of Egyptian lore.

Kevin Barney:

The adaptation of an Egyptian psychostasy vignette from chapter 125 of the Book of the Dead in the judgment scene of the Testament of Abraham, the adaptation of the Egyptian original underlying the Demotic Story of Setna in a Jewish popular version (replacing Osiris with Abraham), and the adaptation of a hypocephalus in the Apocalypse of Abraham provide a stunning glimpse of how J-red, living and working in the same era, may have adapted vignettes from a Book of Breathings and a hypocephalus as illustrations of the Book of Abraham, which had come under his care as a part of the ancient transmission of the text. In my view, the Semitic Adaptation theory turns the facsimiles and their interpretations from a perceived weakness of the Book of Abraham into a real strength.

The idolatrous God of Elkenah and an association with sacrifice (Figures 3, 4, and 5)

We began by examining the Book of Abraham text to see what it tells us about the figure Elkenah. Based on an assumption that the El- element in the name is Semitic ʾel, we identified a number of possible linguistic structures for an ancient El combination. We then reviewed six concrete proposals for Elkenah, concluding that the strongest possibilities, “El of Canaan” and “El the Creator,” both point in the direction of the same deity: Canaanite El.

This deity compares favorably with the information set forth in the Book of Abraham text regarding Elkenah. In particular, the type of sacrifice described in Abraham 1 fits a cultic setting in Syro-Palestinian or Canaanite territory much more readily than it fits a Mesopotamian or AssyroBabylonian scenario. More to the point, the scene on Facsimile 1, with its representation of a human sacrifice on an Egyptian lion couch, fits extremely well with Egyptian Middle Kingdom evidence for

the cultic ritual of human sacrifice. Although there is much more work to be done (including similar studies of the other names in the Book of Abraham onomasticon), both the name Elkenah and the cult described in the text seem to point to a Syro-Palestinian context for Abraham 1. Consistent with Lundquist’s study, I believe that future research should focus on this region as a prime location for the possible setting of the text.

The idolatrous Gods of Libnah, Korash, and Mahmackrah (Figures 6, 7, and 8)

The idolatrous Gods of Libnah, Korash, and Mahmakrah have been identified as Gods worshipped by ancient Mesopotamians. Below is preliminary scholarship that has been done on these deities.

Michael Rhodes:

The names of the idolatrous gods mentioned in facsimile 1 provide another example of the validity of the Prophet Joseph’s explanations. If Joseph Smith had simply made up the names, the chances of their corresponding to the names of ancient deities would be astronomically small. The name Elkenah, for example, is clearly related to the Hebrew ttt ‘el q?n?h/ q?neh “God has created / the creator.” Elkenah is found in the Old Testament as the name of several people, including Samuel’s father (see 1 Samuel 1:1). The name is also found as a divine name in Mesopotamian sources as dIl-gi-na / dIl-kí-na / dÉl-ké-na.[21] Libnah may be related to the Hebrew leb?n?h “moon” (see Isaiah 24:23) from the root l?b?n “white.” A city captured by Joshua was called libn?h (see Joshua 10:29). The name Korash is found as a name in Egyptian sources.[22] A connection with K?reš the name of the Persian king Cyrus (Isaiah 44:28), is also possible.

John Tvedtnes:

John Gee and others have more recently reexamined the names and come to similar conclusions. John M. Lundquist also noted that each of the gods or idols mentioned in Abraham 1:17 appears in the compilation of some 3,800 Mesopotamian deities published in 1950 by Anton Deimel. Many of these names are Akkadian a Semitic language related to Hebrew and more distantly to Egyptian.

The idolatrous God of Pharoah (figure 9)

There is a close association with a God of Pharoah and a crocodile that dates to around Abraham's time.

Daniel C. Peterson:

One noteworthy element of the religious situation portrayed in the Book of Abraham is the identification of a crocodile as the idolatrous god of Pharaoh, right there underneath the lion couch. That’s a kind of odd thing to come up with if you’re a yokel farm-boy from upstate New York. Is that the first thing that comes to your mind? “Oh, idolatrous god of Pharaoh!”

Although this may have seemed strange in Joseph Smith’s day, discoveries in other ancient texts confirm this representation. Unas or Wenis, for example, was the last king of the fifth dynasty, around 2300 B.C., and his pyramid still stands at Saqqara, south of modern Cairo. Utterance 317, Unas’ pyramid texts, includes the following: “The king appears as the crocodile god Sobek, and Unas has come today from the overflowing flood. Unas is Sobek, green plumed, wakeful, alert….Una arises as Sobek, son of Neith. One scholar observes that “the god Sobek is … viewed as a manifestation of Horus, the god most closely identified with the kingship of Egypt” during the Egyptian Middle Kingdom era (around 2000 B.C., maybe a little later), which includes the time period that tradition indicates is Abraham’s time.

Intriguingly, Middle Kingdom Egypt saw a great deal of activity in the large oasis to the southwest of modern Cairo known as the Faiyum. Crocodiles were common there. You know what the name of the place was to the Greeks? The major town there was called “Crocodileopolis.”

Abraham in Egypt (Figure 10)

Foreigners in Egpyt, like Abraham was, are usually represented by a Lotus Flower, the figure depicted here as argued by Dr. Hugh Nibley. References for further study will be posted soon.

Pillars of Heaven (Figure 11)

In Hebrew cosmology, the raqîa’ or “firmament” was believed to be a solid dome, supported by pillars.57 The raqîa’ in turn was closely associated with the celestial ocean, which it supported.58 In the lower half of Facsimile 1, we have the raqîa’ (1) connected with the waters, as with the celestial ocean, (2) appearing to be supported by pillars, and (3) being solid and therefore capable of serving itself as a support, in this case for the lion couch. The bottom half of Facsimile 1 would have looked to J-red very much like a microcosm of the universe (in much the same way that the divine throne chariot of Ezekiel 1—2, which associates the four four-faced fiery living creatures with the raqîa’ above their heads on which God sits enthroned, is a microcosm of the universe). The Egyptian artist’s perspective is not necessarily a limitation on J-red. The stacking effect of waters apparently both being supported and acting as a support would have suggested to J-red the Hebrew conception of the raqîa’.

Firmament over our heads (Figure 12)

The Hebrew term "Raukeeyang" is a transliteration of the word "raqîa’". In Figure 12, Joseph Smith describes "Raukeeyang" as the firmament over our heads and a crocodile swims through it. This makes sense in light of modern scholarship that identifies Egyptian's conception of heaven as a "Heavenly Ocean". LDS Scholars have cited Non-LDS egyptologist Erik Hornung whose work supports this.

Facsimile 1 Restoration

A number of points need to be made about the Restoration of Facsimile 1 to emphasize other evidences.

Substitution of head of Anubis for head of a Priest

Priests that were performing sacrifices could either remain without the head of Anubis or with it. It would not matter to the overall message of the scene portrayed. References for further study will be posted soon.

Placement of a knife being held in the priest's hand

One early Latter-day Saint who saw the papyri in 1841 described them as containing the scene of an altar with "'a man bound and laid thereon, and a Priest with a knife in his hand, standing at the foot, with a dove over the person bound on the Altar with several Idol gods standing around it.'" Similarly, Reverend Henry Caswall, who visited Nauvoo in April 1842, had a chance to see some of the Egyptian papyri. Caswall, who was hostile to the Saints, described Facsimile 1 as having a "'man standing by him with a drawn knife.'" See here for more information. The best explanation of the figure depicted as the priest sacrificing Abraham is that he is in the martial position, attempting to combat with the figure on the couch.

Placement of hand instead of the wing of a bird

The placement of a hand at this portion of the lacuna is significant since it emphasizes the fact that the figure lying on the couch is alive. The best evidence suggests that this figure was indeed a hand. See here for more information

Facsimle 2

Kolob (Fig 1)

The star named Kolob, and it’s called a star, I know that there are some websites that say the Mormons are crazy they think God lives on a planet called Kolob. The passage never says it’s a planet and never says God lives there either; it says it’s closest to where he lives. Anyway the star named Kolob is so-called “because it is near unto me” (Abr. 3:3) or near “the residence” (Fac. 2, Fig. 1) or “throne of God” (Abr. 3:9). Facsimile 2, Fig. 1 describes it as “nearest to the celestial.” This explanation is attractive because it creates a wordplay in the Book of Abraham; a feature known from the underlying Hebrew of both the Old Testament and the Book of Mormon. The wordplay being between “near” and “Kolob” because in fact the word for Kolob can mean near; there are several possibilities to explain and I’m going to talk about those now.

Janne Sjodahl was the first to compare the name with the Arabic qalb “core, marrow, heart, intelligence”, however because ‘l’ and ‘r’ often interchange in Semitic languages, one should also note Arabic QRB “proximity, near, midst” which is cognate to Hebrew qārōb “near” or “close.” Robert F. Smith prefers the latter and notes that it appears in the sense of “near one” as a title of God in Psalm 119:151 where it parallels the word qedem which means the “primeval one” or the “ancient one” (that’s in verse 152). Smith notes that the cognate Ugaritic qurb often refers to the dwelling place of El, the chief God, in the Canaanite pantheon in the expression “midst of the source of the two deeps” where the word rendered “midst” is in fact this same word qurb meaning “near”. Another possible Hebrew etymology is the Hebrew KLB “dog” originally pronounced kalb just as it is in Arabic. This is used to denote the star Regulus in Arabic while the Syriac, which is also kalb denotes the star Sirius, the brightest star in the heavens. There’s a wonderful article that Dan Peterson, and John Gee, and Matt Roper (I think), were the three who (if I left something off that you can fill it in later) but they wrote a really nice article on Kolob and its place in the sky and what it meant for Abraham.4 In Arabic, this term KLB “dog” also denotes the constellation of Canis Major which is Latin meaning “Great Dog”, we call it the Big Dipper but that’s not what is was called anciently, as the brightest star in the constellation of the Big Dipper, Sirius is called Alpha Canis Majoris which is “number one big dog” or top dog I guess. Another name for the star is Canicula, a Latin word for ‘Little Dog’. Akkadian sources call Sirius (inaudible) the “dog of the sun”. In ancient Egypt the Nile began to rise at the helical rising of Sirius, that is when it came up just before the sun and bringing the annual torrent of Nile water laden with rich volcanic soil from the south and depositing it on the cultivated land. I should mention by the way you notice how the one has a ‘q’ the other has a ‘k’? That’s very important, at least in Arabic, it’s not as important in Hebrew but I always try to get my Hebrew students to pronounce the two differently. In Israel they pronounce the two ‘k’ just that- it’s just like a regular ‘k’ in English. But in ancient times they were pronounced quite differently. One is pronounced way in the back of the throat, the other is pronounced farther up and in Arabic they make a big distinction and my reasoning with my students was, if you don’t make the distinction and you speak in Arabic and you want to tell a girl, “I love you with all of my heart” which is the word that’s coming up next, you don’t want to end up saying “I love you with all of my dog.” (Laughter) I think that struck a note with most of them.

So, this is the other one I want to have QLB which is “heart” in Arabic. There are some Egyptian equivalents to that, I didn’t put them up here. There’s a couple of cognates that are related directly to that. In the Sumerian text known as the Descent of Inanna, one of the more ancient texts from the Middle East, the goddess Inana goes down into the Underworld to free her husband Dumuzi who is the god who brings rain during the season of rain, and on the way back to heaven she stops at a place called Kulab which is designated as a tree of some sort. We don’t know why this happens there but there Dumuzi gets to sit on his throne and puts on his royal apparel which he has not been wearing while he’s been in prison.

Kokaubeam (Fig 5)

Abraham 3:13 defines Kokob as “star” and Kokaubeam as “stars, or all the great lights, which were in the firmament of heaven.” When first published in the Times & Seasons, the passage read “Kolob” in error. They’d written Kolob so many times that the typesetter thought that’s what belonged here. The manuscripts however have Kokob corresponding to the Hebrew word that we have written here kōkāb and denotes in the one singular and the other in the plural. The plural is also found two other times in the Book of Abraham and it’s called in Facsimile 2, Fig. 5 and also Abraham 3:16 it lists Kokaubeam or kōkābīm in Hebrew. The correct pronunciation (inaudible) means “the” so it’s “the stars.” Lundquist noted that one of the deities in Deimel’s list was dKakob meaning “star”. Similar, Kakkab is the name of one of the god’s mentioned in the Ebla records discovered in northwestern Syria.

Earth in its four quarters (Fig 6)

Joseph correctly identified the four canopic jars in figure 6 as the earth in its four quarters. Non-LDS Egyptologist E.A. Wallis Budge has translated it in the same way. LDS Scholars have cited Maarten Raven, a non-LDS Egyptologist whose work supports this.

Facsimile 3

Abraham sitting upon Pharoah's throne (Fig 1)

See above for ancient traditions discussing this aspect of Abraham. Also, see above under Facsimile 1 for evidences of Semitic adaptation of Osiris to be Abraham.

With a crown upon his head, representing the Priesthood (Fig 1)

See above for ancient traditions discussing Abraham holding the priesthood.

Signifies Abraham in Egypt as given also in Figure 10 of Facsimile No. 1 (Figure 3)

The lotus flower frequently symbolized foreigners in Egypt. More references for study will be posted under both Fac 1 and Fac 3.

Abraham reasoning upon the principles of Astronomy, in the king's court (Bottom of explanations)

See above for ancient traditions discussing this. Important to remember is not only his knowledge of astronomy but his passing of the astronomy to the Egyptians and the type of astronomy being taught, tiered firmaments with earth at the center of the universe.

Shulem, one of the king's principal waiters (Fig 5)

Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship, "Shulem, One of the King’s Principal Waiters"

John Gee,  Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship, (2016)

Shulem is mentioned once in the Book of Abraham. All we are told about him is his name and title. Using onomastics, the study of names, and the study of titles, we can find out more about Shulem than would at first appear. The form of Shulem’s name is attested only at two times: the time period of Abraham and the time period of the Joseph Smith papyri. (Shulem thus constitutes a Book of Abraham bullseye.) If Joseph Smith had gotten the name from his environment, the name would have been Shillem.

Click here to view the complete article

Astronomy of the Book of Abraham

The astronomy in the Book of Abraham is characteristic of the astronomy as would have been understood by Abraham himself.

Astronomy, Papyrus, and Covenant:

One of the major features of the Book of Abraham is its treatment of ancient astronomy, an aspect of Abraham’s teachings not recounted in the biblical narrative but one that does appear in noncanonical traditions about the Patriarch. William J. Hamblin, associate professor of history, and Daniel C. Peterson, professor of Islamic studies and Arabic, both at BYU, along with Gee, situate the astronomical accounts in the Book of Abraham among ancient geocentric astronomies, while Rhodes and J. Ward Moody, professor of physics and astronomy at BYU, use conceptions from contemporary physics to elucidate the same subject. E. Douglas Clark, an attorney and the international policy director of United Families International, examines the metaphor of stars and cedars in various ancient accounts about Abraham. Jared W. Ludlow, associate professor of history and religion at BYU—Hawaii, discusses Abraham’s reputation as an astronomer as found in a variety of ancient sources. Finally, Draper analyzes the role of the Book of Abraham in Latter-day Saint discussions about whether various scriptural creation accounts are allegorical.

Onomasticon and other Textual Evidences

The Book of Abraham Onomasticon has a number of authentic Egyptian names. John Tvedtnes outlined many in a 2005 presentation at the FairMormon conference. Some, like the name Egyptus, have authentic traditions to accompany them.

By the hand of Abraham (Book of Abraham heading)

John Gee and Hugh Nibley have documented how many ancient authors considered their texts to be divinely written and that a number of cases state that the document was written "In the hand" of a religious figure in question

Kalsiduniash (KEP)

The Kirtland Egyptian Papers include this name that is authentic

Here’s one I kind of like- Kalsiduniash. The name Kalsiduniash is spelled in various ways in the Kirtland Egyptian Papers. In one it appears as chalsidon hish(sp?) and is identified as the land of the Chaldeans. This meaning is also given in another of the text where it is spelled as Za Ki-oan hiash, and also chalsidon hiash(sp?). It appears in other spelling forms as well in those documents.

The ending ‘iash’ is interesting to me. It is known from the name of the Cassite (inaudible) and the names of the Cassite kings of Babylon (inaudible). The Cassites controlled Mesopotamia during the 17th century B.C. This of course postdates the time of Abraham—he was 20th century B.C.—but it’s hard to ignore the fact that the Cassites called Mesopotamia Kar-Duniash which closely resembles the name found in the Kirtland Egyptian Papers with the interchange of the ‘l’ and the ‘r’ again which are common between Semitic languages and those in the broader language family which includes Egyptian called Afro-asiatic.

A Falasha text called Teezaza Sanbat (Commandment of the Sabbath), Falasha by the way, those are the Black Jews of Ethiopia, in describing Nimrod’s attempt to kill Abraham because he would not worship the idols noted regarding the furnace into which he was tossed, ‘From that day until today it is called (inaudible)’ (which sounds very much like these two- not identical but it’s similar. The name is evidently to be tied to the Akkadian term (inaudible), a people identified with the biblical Chaldeans, or Kasidim in Hebrew, in whose land Abraham lived at the time he was brought for sacrifice. According to the conflict of Adam and Eve, and early Christian texts, among the magi who came to visit the newborn Jesus, one account names Karsundas, king of the East. I have his name at the bottom of the list but look how closely it corresponds to the others. There’s something below the surface here and I’m not quite sure what it is but we’ll continue to work on it.

Abraham and the Temple Endowment

Hugh Nibley likened the temple endowment to the version of the Book of Breathings Made by Isis contained in the Joseph Smith papyri. The document is organized as follows:

• The purpose of the document is given.
• The individual is pronounced clean and enters the hall of justice
• The individual enters the underworld with the setting sun and is divinized
• The individual is resurrected and given personal permission to live among the gods.
• The individual is assured of a fully functioning body and proceeds on the way of God.
• The individual is given a name and allowed to partake of the offerings.
• The gods escort the individual to various sacred places.
• Various gods protect the individual from sickness
• The individual is allowed to fellowship with the Gods
• The individual is inducted into a chapel in the temple to celebrate a festival.
• The individual will live by the fellowship permit he has received, and his enemies will no longer exist.
• The gods tell the individual that because he is among the followers of god, his soul will live forever
• The gods command that all doors be open to the individual
• An offering formula is recited
• Different gods are addressed, and the individual states that he is free from various sins. "He gave bread to te hungry, water to the thirsty, and clothing to the naked.
• The individual is commanded to enter the next life with all the privileges of the gods.
• Instructions for the deposition of the document are given

Notes