The Translation of the Book of Abraham

Parent page: Book of Abraham

How did Joseph Smith translate the Book of Abraham?

Kerry Muhlestein,

So the question is how does he translate the Book of Abraham? Is it one of these methods, is it a combination of all of them or is it something completely different? In the end, we don’t know. We know that he receives the papyri and that he starts translating. He certainly at times refers to the papyri, which suggests one of two things, one, that at least some of the text is on the papyri in a different language, presumably Egyptian, that some of the text, at least some of it is on there and that he is translating from that papyrus to another. It’s also quite possible that the papyri serves as a catalyst just like the English text of the Joseph Smith Translation serves, that as he looks at the papyri, revelation just starts to come to him for what we need as the Book of Abraham.^[1]

The Joseph Smith Papers: Joseph translated the Book of Abraham by revelation through the Urim and Thummim

"Introduction to Book of Abraham Manuscripts," The Joseph Smith Papers, The Church Historian's Press:

Little is known concerning the process JS employed in bringing forth the Book of Abraham, and only a few ambiguous observations are available. For instance, John Whitmer, an early church historian, recorded in July 1835 that JS “by the revelation of Jesus Christ could translate these records, which gavee an account of our forefathers, even Abraham.” (Whitmer, History, 76) In a critical account published in the Painesville Republican in 1838, JS’s former scribe Warren Parrish noted that he had “set by his [JS’s] side and penned down the translation of the Egyptian hieroglyphicks as he claimed to receive it by direct inspiration of Heaven.” (Letter to the Editor dated 5 February 1838, Painesville Republican, 15 February 1838, Vol. II, No. 14–15) In February 1842, as he was “assisting in setting the tipe for printing the first peace of the book of abraham” to be presented to the world, Wilford Woodruff spoke of the power of Joseph the Seer “to reveal the mysteries of the kingdom of God; to translate through the Urim & Thummim Ancient records & Hyeroglyphics as old as Abraham or Adam.” (Woodruff, Journal, 19 February 1842)^[2]

Parrish (1838): "I have set by his side and penned down the translation of the Egyptian Heiroglyphicks as he claimed to receive it by direct inspiration of Heaven"

Warren Parrish:

I have set by his side and penned down the translation of the Egyptian Heiroglyphicks as he claimed to receive it by direct inspiration of Heaven.^[3]

John Whitmer: "Joseph the Seer saw these Record[s] and by the revelation of Jesus Christ could translate these records"

John Whitmer:

About the first of July 1835 there came a man having four Egyptian Mummies exhibiting them for curiosities, which was a wonder indeed! having also some r[e]cords connected with them which were found deposited with the Mummies, but there being no one skilled in the Egyptian language therefore could not translate the record, after this [e]xhibition Joseph the Seer saw these Record[s] and by the revelation of Jesus Christ could translate these records, which gavee an account of our forefathers, even Abraham Much of which was written by Joseph of Egypt who was sold by his brethren. Which when all translated will be a pleasing history and of great value to the saints.^[4]

Woodruff (1842): "The Lord is Blessing Joseph with Power to reveal the mysteries of the kingdom of God; to translate through the urim & Thummim Ancient records & Hyeroglyphics as old as Abraham or Adam"

Wilford Woodruff:

Truly the Lord has raised up Joseph the Seer of the seed of Abraham out of the loins of ancient Joseph, & is now clothing him with mighty power & wisdom & knowledge....The Lord is Blessing Joseph with Power to reveal the mysteries of the kingdom of God; to translate through the urim & Thummim Ancient records & Hyeroglyphics as old as Abraham or Adam.^[5]

Henry Eyring: "If the only function of the scrolls was to awaken the Prophet to the idea of receiving such inspiration, they would have fulfilled their purpose"

Henry Eyring (Scientist, and father of Henry B. Eyring):

An example of what I am talking about is the recent discovery of the papyrus scrolls from which Joseph Smith was presumed to have translated the book of Abraham in the Pearl of Great Price. Modern scholars, looking at the scrolls, found nothing they considered to be similar to that book. I remarked at the time that such a finding didn't bother me in the least. God doesn't need a crib sheet in the form of a papyrus scroll to reveal Abraham's thoughts and words to Joseph Smith, with any degree of precision He considers necessary for His purposes. If the only function of the scrolls was to awaken the Prophet to the idea of receiving such inspiration, they would have fulfilled their purpose. ^[6]

Notes

1. ↑ Kerry Muhlestein, "The Book of Abraham and Unnoticed Assumptions," Proceedings of the 2014 FairMormon Conference (7 August 2014).
2. ↑ "Introduction to Book of Abraham Manuscripts," The Joseph Smith Papers, The Church Historian's Press
3. ↑ Letter to the Editor dated 5 February 1838, Painesville Republican, 15 February 1838, Vol. II, No. 14–15
4. ↑ "John Whitmer, History, 1831–circa 1847," The Joseph Smith Papers
5. ↑ Wilford Woodruff, Journal, 19 February 1842
6. ↑ Henry Eyring, Reflections of a Scientist, p. 46.