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Difference between revisions of "Climate in the Book of Mormon"
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In 1 Nephi 11:8, Nephi says Lehi describes the Tree of Life by saying "the whiteness thereof did exceed the whiteness of the driven snow." | In 1 Nephi 11:8, Nephi says Lehi describes the Tree of Life by saying "the whiteness thereof did exceed the whiteness of the driven snow." | ||
Since Nephi and Lehi were desert folk from Jerusalem, and then likely lived in tropical Central America, why would they have used "snow" as a description? | Since Nephi and Lehi were desert folk from Jerusalem, and then likely lived in tropical Central America, why would they have used "snow" as a description? | ||
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Contrary to popular belief, snow is not unheard of in Israel and Jerusalem. | Contrary to popular belief, snow is not unheard of in Israel and Jerusalem. | ||
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* Ted Dee Stoddard, "[http://www.bmaf.org/node/220 'The Whiteness of the Driven Snow': An Evaluation of the Word 'Snow' in the Book of Mormon]." | * Ted Dee Stoddard, "[http://www.bmaf.org/node/220 'The Whiteness of the Driven Snow': An Evaluation of the Word 'Snow' in the Book of Mormon]." | ||
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{{Book of Mormon anachronisms}} | {{Book of Mormon anachronisms}} | ||
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* Pictures of Jerusalem with snow [http://www.jr.co.il/pictures/israel/jerusalem/jer049.htm Link 1], [http://www.geocities.com/jelbaum/JlmSnow.html Link 2] | * Pictures of Jerusalem with snow [http://www.jr.co.il/pictures/israel/jerusalem/jer049.htm Link 1], [http://www.geocities.com/jelbaum/JlmSnow.html Link 2] | ||
* Western Wall with snow [http://www.jr.co.il/pictures/israel/jerusalem/jer0629.htm AP], [http://www.jr.co.il/pictures/israel/jerusalem/jer0630.htm AP 2], [http://www.jr.co.il/pictures/israel/jerusalem/jer0631.htm Lis], [http://www.jr.co.il/pictures/israel/jerusalem/jer0628.htm Reuters 1],[http://www.jr.co.il/pictures/israel/jerusalem/jer0632.htm Reuters 2] | * Western Wall with snow [http://www.jr.co.il/pictures/israel/jerusalem/jer0629.htm AP], [http://www.jr.co.il/pictures/israel/jerusalem/jer0630.htm AP 2], [http://www.jr.co.il/pictures/israel/jerusalem/jer0631.htm Lis], [http://www.jr.co.il/pictures/israel/jerusalem/jer0628.htm Reuters 1],[http://www.jr.co.il/pictures/israel/jerusalem/jer0632.htm Reuters 2] | ||
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[[fr:Book of Mormon/Anachronisms/Snow]] | [[fr:Book of Mormon/Anachronisms/Snow]] | ||
Revision as of 00:30, 4 May 2010
This page is based on an answer to a question submitted to the FAIR web site, or a frequently asked question.
==Contents
Questions
== In 1 Nephi 11:8, Nephi says Lehi describes the Tree of Life by saying "the whiteness thereof did exceed the whiteness of the driven snow."
Since Nephi and Lehi were desert folk from Jerusalem, and then likely lived in tropical Central America, why would they have used "snow" as a description?
Answer
Contrary to popular belief, snow is not unheard of in Israel and Jerusalem.
Dome of the Rock with snowfall.off-site
It is perhaps significant that only Old World inhabitants (Lehi and Nephi) use "snow" as a description in the Book of Mormon; perhaps other writers were not familiar enough with it for it to be an effective metaphor for them or their audiences.
It should be noted too that many Old Testament scriptures which pre-date the Lehi colony's departure also use the term "snow," (the Hebrew word shegel appears 20 times in our Old Testament). This means it is not surprising that Lehi and Nephi (who knew Israelite scripture well) would use the term. (See: Exodus 4:6, Numbers 12:10, 2 Samuel 23:20, 2 Kings 5:27, 1 Chronicles 11:22, Job 6:16, Job 9:30, Job 24:19, Job 37;6, Job 38:22, Psalms 51:7, Psalms 68:14, Psalms 147:16, Psalms 148:8, Proverbs 25:13, Proverbs 26:1, Proverbs 31:21, Isaiah 1:18, Isaiah 55:10, Jeremiah 18:14. (Note: this should not be interpreted to mean that all of these scriptural texts were available in the brass plates, but they demonstrate that the use of 'snow' as a description of 'white' was not unknown in Israel.)
For further information, see:
- Ted Dee Stoddard, "'The Whiteness of the Driven Snow': An Evaluation of the Word 'Snow' in the Book of Mormon."