![]() ![]() The Lord did not require Joseph Smith to have knowledge of Egyptian. He readily acknowledged that he was one of the “weak things of the world,” called to speak words sent “from heaven.” 1 Speaking of the translation of the Book of Mormon, the Lord said, “You cannot write that which is sacred save it be given you from me.” 2 The same principle can be applied to the book of Abraham. Joseph Smith claimed no expertise in any language. The word translation typically assumes an expert knowledge of multiple languages. We do know some things about the translation process. The relationship between those fragments and the text we have today is largely a matter of conjecture. Only small fragments of the long papyrus scrolls once in Joseph Smith’s possession exist today. Many people saw the papyri, but no eyewitness account of the translation survives, making it impossible to reconstruct the process. The book originated with Egyptian papyri that Joseph Smith translated beginning in 1835. The book of Abraham was first published in 1842 and was canonized as part of the Pearl of Great Price in 1880. The book of Abraham largely follows the biblical narrative but adds important information regarding Abraham’s life and teachings. This book, a record of the biblical prophet and patriarch Abraham, recounts how Abraham sought the blessings of the priesthood, rejected the idolatry of his father, covenanted with Jehovah, married Sarai, moved to Canaan and Egypt, and received knowledge about the Creation. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints embraces the book of Abraham as scripture. ![]()
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