Abr. 1

THE BOOK OF ABRAHAM

TRANSLATED FROM THE PAPYRUS, BY JOSEPH SMITH

CHAPTER 1

Abraham seeks the blessings of the patriarchal order—He is persecuted by false priests in Chaldea—Jehovah saves him—Origins and government of Egypt reviewed.

Abraham is looking back as he tells his story. Abrams birth was the 10th generation from Noah(2166 BC). Nimrod is the one who built the tower of Babel after the flood Gen 10:8-10. So we have Abram living during this period, and we need to remember what else happened during this period - The Jaradites left. Abram most likely knew the Brother of Jarad. The story was written after a great deal of time had passed between him being sacrificed on the altar, and him getting the records of Adam and Enoch, and then the time he needed to study those records to come to the understanding that he needed more than just knowledge.

At the time Abraham was born, according to the traditions contained in the Midrash, Abraham’s father Terah was employed by the King of Babylon (Nimrod - Hebrew:to rebel, a deciever. There had arisen a pretender who audaciously claimed the patriarchal authority of Zion to rule over the human race and all living things: the proud and powerful King Nimrod. (Nibley; Teachings of the Pearl of Great Price Lecture 23:10) He is mentioned in both the Bible and the Book of Mormon as a mighty hunter (because he had the garments that were used by Adam/Noah to speak to the animals, that Noah used to call the animal to the ark). Nimrod is the son of Cush, who was the son of Ham. His mother was Egyptus, and he also had a sister named Egyptus. They would have been descendants of Cain(Canaanite blood line through Egyptus). Nimrods aunt is the one who, as the Book of Abraham relates, founded the first dynasty of Egypt with her son as the first Pharaoh; see Abr. 1:20-27 and King Nimrod would have been her nephew, and was the first King). Noah had 3 sons Shem; Ham and Japheth; from Ham came Cush, Mizraim, Phut, Canaan and Egyptus. From Egyptus came Pharaoh(claiming his lineage through his materarical line) and from Egyptus's brother Cush came Nimrod(Gen 10:8). According to Jewish sources, King Nimrod's claim of divine authority to rule the world was based on the patriarchal garment he had in his possession, the garment handed down from Adam through Noah (and then stolen from him).

One night after a party at Terah’s house, the King walked out into the night and saw a large star swallow other stars. He then had his wise men search their records to determine what that meant. They came back and told the King that a child was to be born whose right it was to reign. Nimrod then decreed that all male babies two years and younger were to be killed. This same type of thing also happened at the time of Christ, with Herod having all male babies killed who were two years and younger. These stories are dealing with Priesthood authority and the one whose right it is to reign as Prophet, Priest, and King. In Abraham’s case, all of the women who were about to give birth were locked away. If the women delivered a female child, they were given gifts and sent home. But if a male child was born, they took her “gift” and sent her home. Abraham’s mother, as the story goes, begins throwing up every morning, manifesting morning sickness. Terah asks if she is heavy with child and she says, “No!” He then places his hand on her stomach, and as he does so, the baby withdraws itself up into her rib cage where it cannot be felt by Terah. She wore muu muus all the time anyway. When it came time for her to deliver, she went into the desert to live in a cave, where she delivered Abraham. Abram was then sent away to live with his ancestors, Noah and Shem, where he was converted to the Gospel, thus shedding light on his statement that he must find “a new place of residence.” It is believed that Abraham lived with Noah and Shem for most of the first 50 years of his life. After he was converted to the Gospel, he came back to try to convert his family. He then had his fray with Nimrod(So if this is true then Abram was a grown man at the time he was put on the altar to be sacrificed), which is depicted in Facsimile #1. We find these stories in Lewis Ginsberg’s Legends of the Jews; there is also An Apocalypse of Abraham and a Testament of Abraham. The Book of Abraham and the Joseph Smith Papyri have become troubling because a modern translation of the papyri seems to be different than what we have in the Book of Abraham. What needs to be kept in mind is that the Church does not have everything Joseph Smith had. The eleven fragments found in 1967 and now possessed by the Church represent (barely) one-tenth of what Joseph obtained in Kirtland. The church does not have it all, and we should not expect those fragments to contain what Joseph came to understand. As students of the Book of Abraham, we also need to realize that the Book of Abraham did not come forth from a translation as much as it did from revelation. Joseph Smith got it the same way Moses received the Book of Genesis. When Moses came out of Egypt he did not possess any records that he could copy in order to provide the “Book of Genesis.” Moses received his information by revelation. Yet the Genesis text is a translation from ancient records, even if Moses did not himself possess them. Moses provided his record the same way Joseph Smith did — by revelation. Joseph did not possess the knowledge to do a word-by-word translation from languages that to that time had not even been cracked. The papyri that came into Joseph’s possession provided the catalyst for Joseph to go to the Lord and inquire about those great prophets who were in Egypt. We know that Abraham, Joseph (the son of Jacob), and Moses were all in Egypt.

Joseph Smith also translated the Book of Joseph, along with the Book of Abraham. The papyri obtained from Michael Chandler in Kirtland were the catalysts that led to the translations of the Book of Abraham and the Book of Joseph. Only two-thirds of the Book of Abraham was published. Joseph had not prepared the last section of Abraham nor the Book of Joseph for publication before his death. The Book of Abraham is connected to the ordinances of the Temple that we participate in. Abraham tells us how to become one with God by way of the ordinances and knowledge that lead us into that relationship. Chapter One sets the stage by telling us why Abraham is making this record. Abraham 1:2 explains that the rights of the fathers are about Priesthood. He sought for the rights of the fathers and the ability to administer the same. Abraham received the records of the fathers concerning the creation and the planets and the stars – the patriarchal fathers and priesthood leaders knew and sought for these same things.

We only have two-thirds of the Book of Abraham. Joseph translated both the Book of Abraham and the Book of Joseph. He prepared the Book of Abraham to be published in installments in the Times and Seasons. He was working on the last third, preparing it to be published when he was martyred.

We don't have the last third of Abraham's record, but we know what's in it. Verse 28 Abraham tells us that he is going to start from the creation and then move forward. Chapter 3 is about the Pre-earth Council, Chapter 4 introduces the spiritual creation, and Chapter 5 covers the creation, but we don't have the remaining part that takes us up to the time of Abraham. Facsimile #3 is not talked about in the text like Fac # 1 and Fac # 2. The explanations and the references that surround Fac # 3 are missing and would have been in the third installment.

[ Interesting to note that Abraham's vocabulary is much his own as he uses 26 proper nouns that are unique to scripture as well as the following words not used anywhere else in scripture: chronology, delineate, denominated, devoutly, follower, governing, hieroglyphics, imitate, governing, intelligences, intelligent, materials, nearest, rightful, signifies, thank-offering, unloosed. One of the texts that came into Joseph Smith’s ownership was a copy of a text known today as the Book of Breathings (what the ancient Egyptians called the šˁyt n snsn; translated variously as “Document of Breathing” or “Letter of Fellowship” ). The purpose of this text, which the Egyptians believed had been written by the goddess Isis (and so was called, in full, “The Document of Breathing Made By Isis for Her Brother Osiris”; šˁyt n snsn ỉr·n Ἰst n sn·s Wsir), “was to provide the deceased with the essential information needed to be resurrected from the dead and attain eternal life with the gods in the hereafter.” {Michael D. Rhodes, The Hor Book of Breathings: A Translation and Commentary (Provo, UT: Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies, 2002), 14.} Another papyrus scroll that came into Joseph Smith’s possession was a text owned anciently by a woman named Tshemmin (tȝ-šrỉt-[nt]-Min) or Semminis (her Greek name). “Semminis’s scroll contained a Book of the Dead. This copy of the Book of the Dead dated to probably sometime during the third to second century BC. {Rhodes, Books of the Dead Belonging to Tshemmin and Neferirnub, 7} The Book of the Dead had a connection to the ancient Egyptian temple which may have significant implications for the Book of Abraham and for the Latter-day Saint temple endowment ceremony. {See Hugh W. Nibley, The Message of the Joseph Smith Papyri: An Egyptian Endowment, 2nd ed. (Salt Lake City and Provo, UT: Deseret Book and FARMS, 2005); Stephen O. Smoot and Quinten Barney, “The Book of the Dead as a Temple Text and the Implications for the Book of Abraham,” in The Temple: Ancient and Restored, ed. Stephen D. Ricks and Donald W. Parry, Temple on Mount Zion Series 3 (Orem, UT: Interpreter Foundation and Salt Lake City: Eborn Books, 2016), 183–209.} Like with the book of Mormon Joseph Smith’s mechanism for translating from one language (Egyptian) to another (English), was more closely synonymous with revelation. For example the translation (revealation) of John’s record was received, like the Book of Mormon, through seeric instruments (the Urim and Thummim). It is important to remember that during this process Joseph Smith “did not have physical possession of the papyrus he was translating.” {Gee, An Introduction to the Book of Abraham, 21; cf. MacKay et al., The Joseph Smith Papers, Documents, Volume 1, 48n129.} ] 1 IN the land of the Chaldeans , [ The Chaldeans were people who lived in southern Babylonia which would be the southern part of Iraq today. sometimes the term “Chaldeans” is used to refer to Babylonians in general, but normally it refers to a specific semi-nomadic tribe that lived in the southern part of Babylon. The land of the Chaldeans was the southern portion of Babylon or Mesopotamia. It was generally thought to be an area about 400 miles long and 100 miles wide alongside of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. Ur today would be Iraq, and the town would be the modern town of Mugheir which is about 150 mile inland and about 875 miles from Egypt. See Gen 11:31. However the great Ur of the south was not Ur of the Chaldees until long after Abraham's day, making it an a thing belonging or appropriate to a period other than that in which it existed. So where was Abraham's Ur? According to Genesis, when the aged Abraham sends his servant back to his "country and kindred" to find a wife for Isaac, it is to the city of Nahor, in northern Mesopotamia. It was this region, insisted the assiduous biblical scholar Nachmanides in the thirteenth century, that was always the habitat of Abraham's ancestors, and where he himself was born. A similar conclusion is reached by the modern eminent biblical scholar Claus Westermann, who insists that "upper Mesopotamia in the region of Haran was the place of origin of the patriarchs. There is no trace of any connection with Ur in the south; there is only the name." (Westermann, Genesis 12-36,139). ] at the residence of my fathers , [ In Ur (Abr 2:1) One possibility is (modern day Tell al-Muqayyar), Abraham's "home town," is located in southern Iraq, 200-220 miles southeast of Baghdad(this is very close to the ancient city where the Tower of Babel was built), halfway to the Persian Gulf). The ruins of Ur were discovered and first excavated in 1854-55 by British consul J.E. Taylor. In Abraham's day, Ur was the wealthiest city in Mesopotamia, with a complex system of government and a well-developed system of commerce; trade routes joined Ur with other great towns to the north and the south. Writing was in common use (e.g., issuing of receipts, and making contracts). Schools trained people for religious, commercial, and governmental work. The curriculum included mathematics, language, geography, botany, and drawing. The city had streets, a drain system, two-story houses, a great temple tower (called a ziggurat), and various other evidences of a highly developed civilization. Another possibility is modern day Sanliuria which is where I am leaning as of today. Which is farther north. I base this on where he seems to travel in his journey's, but I am still learning. Either way we know the general area. ] I, Abraham , [ So we know who is doing the writing, it is Abraham himself, and he will go on to use the phrase I abraham 12 more times in the book of Abraham. According to Jewish tradition, Abraham was born under the name Abram(whose very name can mean "the father is high" or "the father lifts himself on high") in the city of Ur in Babylonia in the year 1948 from Creation (circa 1800 BCE). He was the son of Terach, an idol merchant, but from his early childhood, he questioned the faith of his father and sought the truth. He came to believe that the entire universe was the work of a single Creator, and he began to teach this belief to others. source: Judaism 101. ] saw that it was needful [ For one reason they tried to sacrifice him on the alter, so do ya think he needs to find a new place. How old was he at the time? (14?) So the need comes from the fact that this young Abraham is seeking for the priesthood - the blessings of the fathers. Which we will see shortly. So no wonder Nimrod and Pharaoh in Egypt wanted him dead, as they are feigning the priesthood, which would be in direct contrast to the powere that they were attempting to wield. Abraham wanted a real relationship with God and man. Neither Pharaoh nor Nimrod could officially administer the rites to the Priesthood because of their lineage, so they took those ordinances that they knew were good and right and they turned them into public ceremonies for their own coronation. Pharaoh and Nimrod, they could not hold the Priesthood because of their Grandmother Egyptus, a descendant of Cain. They took the ordinances of the Endowment and turned them into the rituals of Kingship and Coronation, “imitating” that “Order established in the days of the first Patriarchs.” ] for me to obtain another place of residence;[ The Lord doesn't tell Abraham where he is going until he gets to the land of Canaan. What is Abraham suggesting here? If he stays there too long the outcome does not look to be in his favor. Either they will kill him, or he might get beaten down to adopt their ways over time. Even the strongest can have a breaking point. How does this apply to us? sometime we need to get out os a bad situtation, we need to choose friends wisely. Orson F. Whitney gave important insight: "What was the purpose of Abraham's call? Why was he taken out of his own country and from his father's house and promised that he should become a great nation? It was because Mesopotamia was steeped in idolatry, and the time had arrived for the founding of a pure lineage through which the Lord Jesus Christ, the Savior, would come into the world. Abraham was required to separate himself from his idolatrous surroundings, that he might establish such a lineage. The strict laws given to Israel, Abraham's descendants, had as their object the preservation in purity of the lineage of our Lord" (Elder's Journal, 17 June 1924, as quoted in Mark E. Petersen, Abraham, Friend of God, 58. See also John Taylor, in JD, 24:125 and Joseph Fielding Smith, Doctrines of Salvation, 3:246, 249-50). So this is Abraham's realization. This isn't good enough. There's something more. And this is the sort of what leads people towards Lehi's Vision towards the tree. What leads people to get on the path. That there's more, there's something else. ]

2 And, finding [ How is he finding this out? He is reading and studying the Book of Adam, the Books of Enoch and who knows how much else he had. "The Lord my God preserved in mine own hands," while still in Ur, "the records of the fathers, even the patriarchs" (Abr. 1:31). Jubilees similarly tells of Abraham having the "books of his fathers" or "forefathers," including the words of Enoch and Noah. A Muslim source relates that when Abraham opened the chest of Adam, he found books written by Adam, Seth, and Enoch-men who our Book of Moses also mentions as record keepers (see 6:5-6; 6:46). So we learn that what he read in these records made a deep and indelible impression on him, one that changed the course of his life and the course of history as well. He is also a first hand witness to what the people are trying to do as found in Gen 11:4(make a name for themselves - to change who they worship and build a temple to themselves). ] there was greater happiness [ What is the happiness that the world enjoys? What does it mean the greater happiness? Knowledge that we are in full compliance with the "Plan of Happiness" which includes eternal marriage - live together forever with your family in the presence of God. Abraham is fully aware that there are those who walk the earth tha have this knowledge and he wants it for himself. ] and peace and rest for me , [ Peace that he has done all that he can to follow God in the most righteous way and rest for his soul that he has done so. How does one find true peace in this life? The knowledge that he had received those blessings, received the ordinances. What is the rest of which he speaks here? Alma 13:6-9; Alma 12:37; Alma 16:17; Moroni 7:3; Elder Bruce R. McConkie (1915–1985) taught: “The rest of the Lord, where mortals are concerned, is to gain a perfect knowledge of the divinity of the great latter-day work. [President Joseph F. Smith said,] ‘It means entering into the knowledge and love of God, having faith in his purpose and in his plan, to such an extent that we know we are right, and that we are not hunting for something else; we are not disturbed by every wind of doctrine, or by the cunning and craftiness of men who lie in wait to deceive.’ It is ‘rest from the religious turmoil of the world; from the cry that is going forth, here and there—lo, here is Christ; lo, there is Christ.’ … The rest of the Lord, in eternity, is to inherit eternal life, to gain the fulness of the Lord’s glory.” From this we understand that in this life “the rest of the Lord” comes as we increase our knowledge of, and faith in, the reality of Jesus Christ, even to the assurance that He lives and loves us. “The rest of the Lord” in eternity is entering into the presence of the Lord. ] I sought for the blessings of the fathers ,[ He sought for them through study and prayer at first. Who are the fathers he refers to here? They are the great patriarchs(Adam, Enoch, Noah). We do know that the Lord did come to Abraham and promised "this Gospel," "this ministry and Priesthood," and "thy Priesthood" (Abr. 2:6-11) suggesting that Abraham had received all of these blessings before he left Haran at age 62. So from 14 to 62 he had the Urim and Thummim that God had given him (Abr. 3:1), and the records of the fathers (Abr. 1:31) which he studied during that period. How did he even know that these existed? Did God tell him? First Abraham attributed his acquisition of the records to divine providence: "The Lord my God preserved in mine own hands," while still in Ur, "the records of the fathers, even the patriarchs" (Abr. 1:31). Second from Jubilees, we have a record of where Abraham spoke to his beloved Isaac as Abraham was dying and recounted "I have found it written in the books of my forefathers"(Jubilees 21:10). Jubilees similarly tells of Abraham having the "books of his fathers" or "forefathers," including the words of Enoch and Noah. A Muslim source relates that when Abraham opened the chest of Adam, he found books written by Adam, Seth, and Enoch-men who our Book of Moses also mentions as record keepers (Moses 6:5-6; 6:46). The point is that the patriarchal records that Abraham read first while in Haran had a profound effect on the life that Abraham would seek to lead. Abraham also learned that his future ministry required authority like that possessed by Enoch, whose firstborn son, Methuselah, "was not taken, that the covenants of the Lord might be fulfilled" (Moses 8:2). Abraham would have read in Enochs writings of Noah's ministry to the hardened generation of the Flood (Moses 8:18-25 provides us with the writings of Enoch that were found in the writings of Moses.) Also the book of Jasher suggests that he lived from age 10 for a while with his grandfather(maybe Shem(his 7th great grandfather) or Eber). There he could have seen first hand the endowment presented as a young boy(or at least knew of its existance). In ancient times the patriarch was the one who gave the blessings(the endowment) to his children. They did it during family home evening, so all of the children saw it, they knew what was happening. The rights of the fathers are these blessings. The endowment given by the righteous father to their children; Abraham is lacking a righteous father to give him the blessings. So Here he is telling us that he is seeking his endowment, that is what he wants, and so what he will ex-laine here is that endowment that he received. Whenever you see the following phrases in scripture: the “Blessings of the Fathers,” the “Rights of the Fathers,” or the “Covenants of the Fathers” – they all mean the same thing. It is what we call today an “endowment of power.” The ancients fathers sought for the reality of those blessings, not a representation of a future reality. The Brother of Jared was not looking for an ordinance, and neither was Abraham, read their story. They both were seeking for the reality that we are promised today, or powers that the ordinance represents. Today when we receive an ordinance it is the power to become such “to become such through your faithfulness”. In ancient times it was not so, it was the reality of that power given to them at the time that it was administered, now we are only anointed to become such. It was always described as a reality in the scriptures. Today the ordinances provide a hope of a future reality. See Alma 13:16. That endowment of power, or the Endowment, this then is a record of the Endowment that Abraham received. The blessings given to Adam, Seth, Enoch. They all had covenant relationships with God and he is seeking such. Those rites are connected to what we see in the three facsimiles and what they represent. Why did the Lord provide the records to Abraham and then allow Abraham the time to study them? If we look at Adam and Eve the story is very similar in that the Lord let them go 3 generations without the gospel after being lead out of the garden to see if they would be obedient. (Moses 5:6) The LAW of REVELATION states that Obedience precedes knowledge, and knowledge demands obedience in order to receive even further light and knowledge. What are the blessings of the fathers? The “blessings of the Fathers” means the fulfillment of that endowment given to the fathers. Abraham desired the same blessing. The ordinances which give the power of Godliness. (D&C 84:20). D&C 107:40, 53; The Holy Priesthood, and the right to administer in the ordinances thereof including the endowment which to them in that day held the power to live with God forever. It was an ordinance know through out the land that some held. It was so well known that the Egyptians tried to copy it. So Abraham went there to get the Priesthood and the Sealing Endowment, and the greater knowledge that it contained. "Marvin Jensen Layton south Stake Priesthood Ldrshp Training. The blessings of the Fathers, specifically the blessings which Adam gave to his children. Adam gathered Seth, Enos, Cainan, Mahalaleel, Jared, Enoch, and Methuselah, all who were were high priests, together and taught them, since they were high priests he taught them the ordinances of the temple, how they might have eternal life in the presence of God.

Perhaps the greatest assistance received by Joseph Smith in re-instituting the temple ordinances on the earth was the papyrus scrolls. containing the Book of Abraham. These scrolls may have contained, it addition to that portion recorded in the Pearl of Great Price, information on the endowments. Facsimile number 2 strongly indicates a direct connection. Figure seven states:

"Represents God sitting upon his throne, revealing through the heavens the grand key words of the Priesthood." The next figure is interpreted but Joseph Smith refused to reveal that interpretation, noting instead, "(it) contains writings that cannot be revealed unto the world: but is to be had in the Holy Temple of God." Obviously the Pearl of Great Price only contains part of the original translation: additional parts are found in the Temple. What was information on the endowment doing in the scrolls in the first place? To answer it should be remembered that this material was Abraham's in origin. The most important thing in his life was his initiation into the Priesthood and receiving a fullness of the endowment. This came as no accident. Here Abraham tells us, "I sought for the blessings of the fathers, and the right whereunto I should be ordained to administer the same." (P. of G. P. Abr. 1:2) This is an interesting point for it shows that even among the apostate idle worshippers (which Abraham's father was) there was knowledge about Priesthood, and Abraham deliberately set out to get it, following the prescribed requirements. This special knowledge had direct temple bearing, for Abraham states that through it one could become 'a father of many nations." Further he says, "I sought mine fathers concerning the seed..' (Abraham 1:3, 4) This all ties into the eternal marriage covenants, the crowning ordinance of the temple rite. Hugh Nibley's The Message of the Joseph Smith Papyri : An Egyptian Endowment. ] and the right [ So what is Abraham looking for? According to the Joseph Smith Translation of Genesis, he wants that same order of priesthood that gave men "power, by faith," to perform mighty miracles, and was described as the "the order of the covenant which God made with Enoch," for "men having this faith, coming up unto this order of God, were translated and taken up into heaven" (JST Gen. 14:27, 32). It was this order of priesthood that Abraham was seeking when he left Haran. He was seeking, in other words, to be translated to the city of Enoch. He wants the priesthood blessings that come with making and keeping covenants with God. Abraham sought for and obtained the same blessings given to Adam and Eve in the Garden. He obtained the right to administer the same to his posterity. He knew that the endowment existed, but he also knew that he could not get it from his father (his patriarchal line). So as the order of the priesthood was established anciently if you could not get it from your patriarch in this case it would imply that Abraham was an orphan. So As an orphan God took care of them under the order of the Melchezedik Priesthood. (D&C 84) At this point in time how well known was the knowledge of the priesthood? It was well know; and was tried to be replicated; but Abraham understands that he has to receive priesthood rights from someone who has them. The Egyptians feigned the priesthood since they did not have it see vs 27. ] whereunto I should be ordained to administer the same ;[ What does he want? He wants to be able to administer the endowment as well to his children. In other words he wants to return to the way that things were before his father left the reservation so to speak. He does not want to go on the rest of this journey alone - with him being the only one who has all of the blessings of the priesthood. No he wants to bring his whole family along, and anyone else who will come. He wants to bless the world. So what does Abraham tell us about how we obtain these rights priesthood powers? Through ordination. He wants the sealing power for himself as well as his family. So that the lives of his posterity could be blessed as well. He wants to bless others as well by administering the ordinances of the gospel. ] having been myself a follower of righteousness, [ Abraham explains how he obtained his endowment. These are his works. If we want the same blessings Abraham received, he explains how they can become our works too. After Adam was expelled from the Garden, he was commanded to offer sacrifices. “After many days” the angels visit Adam and ask if he knows why he is offering those sacrifices. He replies that he knows not, only that the Lord commanded him. The angel of the Lord says: Moses 5:7-8. This thing is a similitude of the sacrifice of the Only Begotten of the Father, which is full of grace and truth. Wherefore, thou shalt do all that thou doest in the name of the son, and thou shalt repent and call upon God in the name of the son forevermore. The lesson Adam learns is that obedience precedes knowledge, and then knowledge, once obtained, commands greater obedience in order to receive even greater light and knowledge, which then requires even greater obedience ... and so on, and so on. This is known as the law of revelation for receiving more light and truth. What is Abraham suggesting here? Abraham knows that just living righteously is not enough to receive all of the rights, powers and knowledge of God. In other words there is only so far that you can go by just being good. ] desiring also to be one who possessed great knowledge ,[ There is more and he knows that there is, so he seeks after it. What opportunities come to us when we have obtained greater knowledge? We live our lives differently; we see things different; we act differently we become different. ] and to be a greater follower of righteousness, [ He wants to take on the attributes and the qualities of God. He has been a righteous man but he wants more, he knows that righteousness is not enough, he needs greater knowledge in order to become like God. This idea is all around him in civilization, the Pharaohs have it even though it is feigned. But he knows that it does exist with those who have the greater priesthood. ] and to possess a greater knowledge , [ What is the greater knowledge that he was seeking? Many times we think that we have evolved in so many ways to be better than our forefathers. We think of them as living in a primitive society. We have cars, tractors, planes, cell phones, commerce - so many more things to make our life better. Well that may have been the case with some things, but it was not with gospel knowledge. Adam was there he lived it. Adam taught his children first hand, so we need to be careful that we think that we know so much. He wanted to know more about God and his characteristics, Remember Adam taught these things plainly to his children and so Abraham wanted to know what was taught by Adam, those things that were lost to his father. And where do we get the greater knowledge from God? Through the sealing ordinances of the Temple. He wanted the knowledge that his fore father's had about the temple. (see D&C 43:16-17; D&C 105:11-12; D&C 132:19). As a matter of fact he provides his explanation of what he was taught in the explanation of facsimile #2 (his illustration of what he was taught) - where he talks about the order in the heavens. Explanation is as follows: Fig. 1. Kolob, signifying the first creation, nearest to the celestial, or the residence of God. [ So we are taught that there is a place where God resides, and not only does he reside there but he is also locatable. ] First in government, the last pertaining to the measurement of time. The measurement according to celestial time, which celestial time signifies one day to a cubit. One day in Kolob is equal to a thousand years according to the measurement of this earth, which is called by the Egyptians Jah-oh-eh. Fig. 2. Stands next to Kolob, [ Next to the sphere on which God resides is a planet named "Kolob". Kolob holds the keys to the governing of time, as the place where God resides there is no time as all things are in the same to him past, present and future. ] called by the Egyptians Oliblish, which is the next grand governing creation near to the celestial or the place where God resides; holding the key of power also, pertaining to other planets; [ "as that upon which thou standest." (Abraham 3:3) ] as revealed from God to Abraham, as he offered sacrifice upon an altar, which he had built unto the Lord. Fig. 3. Is made to represent God, sitting upon his throne, clothed with power and authority; with a crown of eternal light upon his head; representing also the grand Key-words of the Holy Priesthood, as revealed to Adam in the Garden of Eden, as also to Seth, Noah, Melchizedek, Abraham, and all to whom the Priesthood was revealed. Fig. 4. Answers to the Hebrew word Raukeeyang, [ So Kolob answers to the Hebrew word Raukeeyang which also means one thousand. ] signifying expanse, or the firmament of the heavens; also a numerical figure, in Egyptian signifying one thousand; answering to the measuring of the time of Oliblish, [ So time is measured on Oliblish the same as it is on Kolob. That is 1,000 years on earth = 1 day in Kolob or Oliblish. But neither of these planets are where God is. ] which is equal with Kolob in its revolution and in its measuring of time. Fig. 5. Is called in Egyptian Enish-go-on-dosh; this is one of the governing planets also, and is said by the Egyptians to be the Sun, and to borrow its light from Kolob through the medium of Kae-e-vanrash, which is the grand Key, or, in other words, the governing power, which governs fifteen other fixed planets or stars, as also Floeese or the Moon, the Earth and the Sun in their annual revolutions. This planet receives its power through the medium of Kli-flos-is-es, or Hah-ko-kau-beam, the stars represented by numbers 22 and 23, receiving light Abraham, Facsimile No. 2 It is not meant to be a "translation" it is an explanation. ] and to be a father of many nations, a prince of peace, and desiring to receive instructions, [ What instructions? The mysteries of God, How to be able to live with God forever, in essence he wanted the Temple ordinances. ] and to keep the commandments of God ,[ What is another way of saying that? To understand the assignments that God would have me complete. ] I became a rightful heir , [ "I became" he received what he was looking for. Or I want to receive the inheritance of God, and I want to receive it from a authorized source, not from a false source that just claims to have it. Abraham is giving us the pattern on how to do the works of Abraham. He then rejoices that he obtained the desires of his heart. Abraham's character traits provide a pattern for us. His character is what separated him from others. He is showing us the way. We are also commanded to seek for further light and truth. And how did this take place? Through receiving the ordinances of the Temple and priesthood. ] a High Priest, [ He wants the Higher Priesthood. ] holding the right belonging to the fathers . [ Or "the right of the firstborn, or the first man, who is Adam" he who exercised "the first patriarchal reign," even as it would later be exercised by Noah (1:26) What is the right belonging to the Fathers he is speaking about here? Whenever you see the following phrases in scripture: the “Blessings of the Fathers,” the “Rights of the Fathers,” or the “Covenants of the Fathers” – they all mean the same thing. It is what we call an “endowment of power.” He sought for the reality of those blessings, not a representation of that reality. Joseph Smith "Adam received the priesthood in the creation, before the world was formed" Teachings 157; President Benson "The order of the priesthood spoken of in the scriptures is often referred to as the patriarchal order because it came from father to son" The order of descent from Adam - D &C 107:40-53 The title or office "high priest" has different Priesthood keys associated with it in different dispensations. Currently, we have "high priests" as offices in the Melchizedek Priesthood, but during the Mosaic dispensation there were "high priests" in the Aaronic Priesthood as well. Here we are informed that Abraham was a "high priest" under the Patriarchal Order of the Priesthood. All of these offices of “high priest” clearly are not the same thing and cannot hold the same keys. Rather, the title is dispensation specific and each one will have different Priesthood keys associated with it. Currently, the blessings and keys associated with the Patriarchal Priesthood can only be obtained within the Temple. At this point in history the keys we presently associate with the Patriarchal and Melchizedek orders were apparently united under the heading "Patriarchal Priesthood". Currently, we differentiate between the three different orders by having specific titles and associating specific keys and ordinances with them. In Abraham's time it appears to be unlikely these lines were clearly drawn as the Priesthood was officially the "Order after the son of God" (which was subsequently named the Melchizedek order so as to avoid profaning the name of God, cf. D&C 107:2-4) and appears to have had access to all keys. It is later with the Mosaic dispensation that Priesthood keys are handed out piecemeal. If Abraham is obtaining his Priesthood from Melchizedek (cf. D&C 84:14-15), and he is referring to it as the Patriarchal order, then the two titles are probably referring to the same thing. Only in a contemporary setting would the two titles be referring to two different sets of keys. ]

3 It [ The “It” that was conferred upon Abraham was “the blessings of the fathers.” The “It” was the endowment conferred upon the first fathers. He says the “right of the firstborn” was conferred upon him. So at this point Abraham's character traits consist of: he wanted to be one who possessed great knowledge, and to be a greater follower of righteousness, and to possess a greater knowledge, and to be a father of many nations, a prince of peace, and desiring. And so he wanted the authority to give these same blessings to his posterity. To receive instructions, and to keep the commandments of God, I became a rightful heir, a High Priest, holding the right belonging to the fathers. The book of Abraham is a historical record of how Abraham received his endowment. In scripture, the Abrahamic Covenant is all about receiving Priesthood, Posterity and Inheritance. Which is what exactly? This endowment of power. The office of High priest in the Melchizedek Priesthood as well as the Patriarchal Order of the Priesthood. He is telling us that it is not his covenant, but that it came from God and from the first fathers, even from Adam. Moses 2:28 is where Adam receives this pre-fall blessing, and in Moses 4 this blessing is realized in mortality. When we receive the Gospel, which sits between mortality and Exaltation, we then can participate in that endowment that restores those blessings in this life for our anticipated exaltation, based upon our faithfulness. According to the Jewish historian Josephus, Melchizedek was a Canaanite King over Salem, and the builder of the first temple centuries before solomon’s Temple. “But he who first built it [a temple] was a potent man among the Canaanites, and is on our tongue called [Melchizedek], the Righteous King, for such he really was; on which account he was [there] the first priest of God, and first built a temple [there], and called the city Jerusalem, which was formerly called Salem.” —Josephus. “The Wars of the Jews” “Book 6-Chapter 10, verse 1 (p588) ] was conferred upon me [ How did he get it? Through confirmation. From whom did he get it? D&C 84:14-16 Abraham received the priesthood from Melchizedek. Why not from his father? Because his father had turned away from righteousness verse 5 he could not confer the priesthood upon Abraham. The typical way would have been done in the home through the use of the Patriarchal priesthood, but his father was not worthy so he had to go to a high priest who was worthy - in this case Melchizedek. ] from the fathers; it [ The Priesthood of God. ] came down from the fathers , [ Who was the first to receive the priesthood on the earth? Adam , When did Adam receive the Priesthood? Received it during the creation. Teachings 157. Q: What are the creative powers that Adam is given when he is created? A: To be Fruitful—have Posterity; to subdue the earth—create an Inheritance; and to have dominion, thus being able to bless every living thing with Priesthood. This is suggesting that the confirmation was unbroken from father to each first born(or grand patriarch, birthright son who was not always the first one born). ] from the beginning of time, [ Since the very beginning. Adam was the first High Priest Moses 6:67 and of coarse God is as well in the premortal world. So it was then first born to first born from Adam all the way down to Abraham. This would again suggest that he received the priesthood from Shem here. Suggesting that Shem is Melchizedek since Abraham says that he received the priesthood from Melchizedek. ] yea, even from the beginning, or before the foundation of the earth, [ So what do we learn about the priesthood here? Through the power of the priesthood the earth was created and organized. See Alma 13:3. ] down to the present time, even the right of the firstborn, [ What is the right of the firstborn? Among the ancient Hebrews, the firstborn righteous son was the heir, the heir to the father’s household when his father died. By right of birth, he was given a double portion of his father’s household estate known as the birthright. He was given a double portion because he was expected to use his inheritance to take care of his now deceased father’s household, widowed mother, unmarried sisters, livestock, things like that. As part of his birthright, he was given authority to preside over or rule over his father’s house. He would become the minister unto the people and administer the Gospel. It was the lineage of the firstborn who became the ministers of the Gospel to mankind since the days of Adam. The “right of the firstborn” has to do with his desire to be able to administer the same to his posterity and others. He did not just want the ordinances of the firstborn, by which everyone can become a firstborn unto God; he wanted the right to administer the same (that endowment) to his posterity, which is the “right” of the firstborn that he received. That right requires keys. The right of the firstborn is more than the right of Adam (being the firstling of the flock, the “first man”) – it is the right of Christ, being the firstborn. There are firstborns and there are firstlings. The firstborn is the very first-born, and a firstling is the very firstborn of that season. Adam is a firstling and Christ is a firstborn. Adam's responsibilities were to provide the blessings of the Gospel to as many of his posterity that desired to receive them. This is why all of those Keys have to be returned to Adam at Adam-ondi- Ahman. This is what Abraham wanted – he wanted to be able to give those same blessings to mankind. He wanted the same right Adam held and the same Keys that Adam received. See Num. 3:12-13. ] or the first man, who is Adam, or first father, through the fathers unto me. [ Abraham wanted the right of the firstborn, which is the right to administer the ordinances of salvation and exaltation. This right is a privilege; it's a responsibility for service to mankind. Joseph Smith taught: “every man who has a calling to administer to the inhabitants of the world was ordained to that very purpose in the Grand Council of heaven before this world was. I suppose I was ordained to this very office in that Grand Council” (TPJS, p 365). He is saying that individuals are ordained to this position to have the right of the firstborn, or the right to administer. This is what Abraham is asking for. Abraham not only wanted the blessings of the fathers but also the right to administer the same. ]

4 I [ Who? Abraham. ] sought for mine appointment [ Or the designation by virtue of a vested power of a person to enjoy an estate. ] unto the Priesthood [ Why does he use the word appointment with the Lord? See vs 18 he is recapping his life here, his appointment with the Lord was made while he was on the altar being sacrificed. So he is looking for the fulfillment and the receipt of the promised blessings of the priesthood. Remember his father was not worthy to give hime those blessings - So he had to go elsewhere to get them. ] according to the appointment of God [ In that pre-earth council. ] unto the fathers [ The Priesthood is the right to administer the Gospel to the inhabitants of the earth, given to those in that Grand Council of heaven before the world was. ] concerning the seed. [ In other words he wanted the sealing ordinances of the Priesthood, and be able to pass that Priesthood with it blessings on to his posterity. It was not that he wanted more kids, but that he wants the right to administer the Gospel to his posterity (Abr 2:). Abraham loved God so much that he wanted a great posterity in order to serve God and to serve all mankind. The same appointment that was given to Adam - see Moses 6:1-7. In Abraham 2:8-10 we see what the Lord promised Abraham. Posterity, Priesthood and Inheritance the exact same things that were promised Adam. ]

5 My fathers ,[ Or my extended family. Difference between "my fathers" unrighteous; and "The fathers" righteous patriarchs of the past - Adam, Enoch, Noah. ] having turned from their righteousness , [ Implying that they were once righteous since they turned from it. They were now worshipping the 4 idol Gods mentioned in vs 6. The back story here: When Abraham was born, Nimrod, King of Babylon, knew from other prophecies that one would be born who truly had the right to reign. When Moses was born, Pharaoh instructed the midwives to kill all male babies born to the Israelites. Likewise, when Christ was born, Herod had all male children under two years old be put to death. Nimrod was doing the same thing for the same reason – attempting to eradicate the one who would grow up to possess the true authority to rule and reign. According to Jewish tradition, when Abraham was born he was spirited away to live with Noah and Shem for almost 50 years. (According to Biblical chronology, Noah and Shem were still alive.) After those 50 years, Abraham returned to his homeland and found his own father had begun worshipping the heathen gods of wood and stone. ] and from the holy commandments which the Lord their God had given unto them, unto the worshiping of the gods of the heathen , [ They had taken up the Canaanite and Egyptian customs. ] utterly refused to hearken to my voice ;[ Hebrew "Shema" is translated here as hearken which means to "listen" and "obey". Who is my voice? Abraham. Jewish tradition also states that Abram tried to convince his father, Terach, of the folly of idol worship. One day, when Abram was left alone to mind the store, he took a hammer and smashed all of the idols except the largest one. He placed the hammer in the hand of the largest idol. When his father returned and asked what happened, Abram said, "The idols got into a fight, and the big one smashed all the other ones." His father said, "Don't be ridiculous. These idols have no life or power. They can't do anything." Abram replied, "Then why do you worship them?" source: Judaism 101. ]

6 For their hearts [ To the Egyptians and during Abrahams time the heart was symbolic as the seat of thought. ] were set to do evil, and were wholly [ Completely committed. ] turned to the god of Elkenah , [ And "the priest of Elkenah," who also does double duty as "the priest of Pharaoh." see vs 7. The principal evils involved in the worship of this and the other "heathen" gods are idolatry and child sacrifice. What do we know from the text of Abraham concerning Elkenah? No deity of that name is mentioned in the KJV Bible, but in the last century archaeologists have unearthed evidence of his worship. Elkenah is very likely the shortened form of the name of the Canaanite god El koneh aratz, meaning “God who created the earth” (or “God, creator of earth”).(Kevin Barney, “On Elkenah as Canaanite El,” Journal of the Book of Mormon and Other Restoration Scripture 19, no. 1 (2010): 22–35.) 1)Although the name conceivably could refer to a person or place, it most likely refers to a god. 2) Elkenah represents the chief god in the cult of the fathers against which Abraham argued. 3) Child sacrifice was offered to this god, which was evil in the sight of the Lord. Apart from idolatrous representation, this seems to have been the principal fault of this deity from Abraham's perspective. 4) A priest of this god attempted to sacrifice Abraham in Ur of the Chaldees. 5) The priest of Elkenah was also the priest of Pharaoh. 6) Elkenah was represented on Facsimile 1 by the falcon-headed canopic jar of Qebehsenuf, one of the sons of Horus. 7) The Lord broke the bands that bound Abraham, broke down the altar of Elkenah, destroyed the gods, and killed the priest of Elkenah. 8) Following the death of the priest of Elkenah, there was a famine in the land that necessitated Abraham's removal to the land of Canaan. The intended sacrifice of Abraham was not only the height of paradox but was, and remains to this day, absolutely unique in all of history: the true patriarchal heir to the authority of Zion was about to be slaughtered as a ritual substitute for his rival who falsely claimed that very authority. Zion's evil counterfeit in all its pomp and ceremony was about to execute the one righteous man whom God had sent to bless the world and reestablish on earth the true Zion. No deity of that name is mentioned in the King James Bible,(The name Elkanah appears in the KJV Bible as a masculine personal name for humans. It is, for example, the name of the prophet Samuel’s father (1 Sam. 1:1, 4, 8, 19, 21, 23). A form of the name appears in the Hebrew Bible as a divine epithet (for example, Gen. 14:19, 22), but in the KJV it is translated (“God, possessor of heaven and earth”) as opposed to transliterated as a proper name/epithet (ʾēl ʿelyôn qōnēh šāmayîm wā-ʾāreṣ). The personal name Elkanah in the Bible is derived from this divine name/epithet. Compare N. Avigad, “Excavations in the Jewish Quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem, 1971 (Third Preliminary Report),” Israel Exploration Journal 22, no. 4 (1972): 195–96.) but in the last century archaeologists have unearthed evidence of his worship. Elkenah is very likely the shortened form of the name of the Canaanite god ʾel-qoneh-ha-ʾareṣ, meaning “God who created the earth” (or “God, creator of the earth”).(W. Röllig, “El-Creator-Of-The-Earth,” in Dictionary of Deities and Demons in the Bible, ed. Karel van der Toorn, Bob Becking, and Pieter W. van der Horst (Leiden, Neth.: Brill, 1999), 280–81; Kevin Barney, “On Elkenah as Canaanite El,” Journal of the Book of Mormon and Other Restoration Scripture 19, no. 1 (2010): 22–35.) Among the ancient Hittites living in Asia Minor he was known as Elkunirsha.(Douglas R. Frayne and Johanna H. Stuckey, A Handbook of Gods and Goddesses of the Ancient Near East (University Park, Pa.: Pennsylvania State University Press, Eisenbrauns, 2021), 86; Ben H. L. van Gessel, Onomasticon of the Hittite Pantheon (Leiden, Neth.: E. J. Brill, 1998), 1:63; Mark S. Smith, God in Translation: Deities in Cross-Cultural Discourse in the Biblical World (Grand Rapids, Mich.: William B. Eerdmans Publishing, 2010), 82–83; Maciej Popko, Religions of Asia Minor (Warsaw: Academic Publications Dialog, 1995), 128; and N. Wyatt, “Asherah,” in der Toorn, Becking, and van der Horst, Dictionary of Deities and Demons in the Bible, 101.) Originally a Canaanite deity, his worship spread to the Hittite capital of Hattusha in northern Turkey, to Karatepe near the border of modern Turkey and Syria, to Palmyra in inland Syria, to Jerusalem, and to Leptis Magna in Libya. All told, Elkunirsha was worshipped for more than 1,500 years—from the time of Abraham to the time of Christ.(Patrick D. Miller Jr. “El, the Creator of Earth,” Bulletin of the American Schools of Oriental Research 239 (1980): 43–46; F. O. Hvidberg-Hansen, “Uni-Ashtarte and Tanit-Iuno Caelestis: Two Phonecian Goddesses of Fertility Reconsidered from Recent Archaeological Discoveries,” in Archaeology and Fertility Cult in the Ancient Mediterranean: First International Conference on Archaeology of the Ancient Mediterranean. University of Malta, 2–5 September 1985, ed. Anthony Bonanno (Amsterdam: B. R. Grüner Publishing, 1985), 170–71.) We know something about Elkunirsha (Elkenah) from a Canaanite myth that was preserved by the Hittites.(“Although the particular events of this tale are not known from the mythological tablets recovered at Ugarit, the story certainly belongs to the corpus of northern Syrian myths which they represent.” Gary Beckman, “Elkunriša and Ašertu (1.55),” in The Context of Scripture, Volume 1: Canonical Compositions from the Biblical World, ed. William W. Hallo (Leiden, Neth.: Brill, 2003), 149; compare Heinrich Otten, “Ein kanaanäischer Mythus aus Boğazköy,” Mitteilungen des Instituts für Orientforschung 1 (1953): 125–50.) Unfortunately, the clay tablets containing this myth are broken, so we do not have all the story. One scholar summarized the story as follows: “Ašertu, the wife of Elkunirša, attempts to seduce Ba’al [the storm god]. The Storm-god reveals everything to her husband and insults her on his inspiration. Thirsting for revenge, Ašertu regains the favor of her husband who then lets her do whatever she likes with Ba’al. The goddess Anat now comes on the scene. Having overheard the conversation between Elkunirša and Ašertu, she warns Ba’al.”(Popko, Religions of Asia Minor, 128. See also Beckman, “Elkunriša and Ašertu (1.55),” 149.) Then the text unfortunately breaks off. What the evidence appears to indicate, however, is that, along with the other deities in the text,(ohn Gee, “Four Idolatrous Gods in the Book of Abraham,” Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship 38 (2020): 133–52. This is especially remarkable considering that contemporaries of Joseph Smith criticized the names of the idolatrous gods given in Abraham 1 and Facsimile 1 as being “fanciful.” “Mormonism; or, New Mohammedanism in England and America,” Dublin University Magazine 21, no. 123 (March 1843): 297.) the god Elkenah mentioned in the Book of Abraham has very likely been identified in the ancient world.] and the god of Libnah, and the god of Mahmackrah, and the god of Korash, and the god of Pharaoh, [ The Egyptian deity sobek. This god was worshipped even before Abraham’s day and was commonly depicted as either a crocodile-headed man or a full crocodile wearing a crown. Anciently “he was regarded as a powerful deity with several important associations,” among them “procreative and vegetative fertility” and, importantly for the Book of Abraham, “the Egyptian king . . . as a symbol of pharaonic potency and might.” From evidence unknown in Joseph Smith’s day,11 we can say the following about “the god of Pharaoh” in the Book of Abraham and Facsimile 1. First, the god in question is most likely the crocodile deity sobek. Second, among other things, sobek was closely associated with the Pharaoh of Egypt. (See further Elizabeth Laney, “sobek and the Double Crown,” The Ancient World: A Scholarly Journal for the Study of Antiquity 24 (2003): 155–168, esp. 158; Maryan Ragheb, “The Rise of sobek in the Middle Kingdom,” American Research Center in Egypt: “[I]t was Amenemhat III who brought the role of ‘sobek of Shedet-Horus residing in Shedet’ to the highest significance. sobek-Horus of Shedet became associated with epithets like ‘Lord of the wrrt (White) Crown,’ ‘he who resides in the great palace’ and ‘lord of the great palace.’ All of these epithets were related to the king rather than associated with any god. Even the name of Horus in this merged form was enclosed in a serekh like a king’s name. The king has always been identified as Horus on earth. With the new divine form of sobek-Horus, the king as Horus merged with sobek and incorporated himself as one with the god sobek. sobek’s association with divine kingship is illustrated in the Amenemhat III’s ‘Baptism of the Pharaoh’ scene at his Madinet Madi Temple in Fayum. This scene, the earliest of its kind, depicts sobek and Anubis anointing Amenemhat III with ankh signs of life. The anointment marks the king’s initiation into eternal kingship and was usually related to the state god’s divine procreation of the king.”) Third, sobek was especially venerated by king Amenemhet III, a pharaoh contemporary to Abraham. Fourth, and finally, specimens of sobek iconography have been recovered from the likely region of Abraham’s homeland during the right period for Abraham’s lifetime (the Middle Bronze Age). All of this “provides concrete archaeological evidence that . . . the [B]ook of Abraham accurately describes an aspect of the ancient world about which Joseph Smith could have known little or nothing.” (John Gee, “The Crocodile God of Pharaoh in Mesopotamia,” Insights, October 1996, 2.). ] , king of Egypt; [ Kingship is a form of government. This kind of government did not exist before this point. So we need to ask where then did the notion of kingship come from? We are told here that the are patterned as they were "seeking to establish it after the order established by the fathers" vs 25 Or how God rules in the heavens. The ancient Egyptian and Canaanite texts all support this idea and They’re telling us that earthly kingship is a reflection of heavenly kingship. They’re trying to mirror or replicate the heavens. In ancient Canaan, the Semitic word, "Malku", was the word the Canaanites used to designate one as a king. What were the things that the Egyptians wanted most? First, how to stop dying. The Egyptians were really bothered by the fact that people kept dying no matter how much they wanted or how hard they tried to slay alive. The Egyptians were intensely interested in how to gain immortality. The second problem was closely related to it,and that was: once you are dead, what are you going to do? Sitting around on clouds strumming harps did not appeal to them. They felt the only way to be was as God--grand, powerful, majestic. So they set out to find out how to do it. Their ancient legends told of men who had been able to hold in abeyance the forces of physical death, gain control over the earth, and build a city In which the gods came down and dwelt. This, of course, was a historical corruption of the achievements of Enoch and the people of Zion.One of the major reasons the Egyptians failed was because they would recognize no God but their own and no priesthood but their own--and they had neither, so they kept falling. ]

7 Therefore [ Or because they had set their hearts to do evil; this was done by design - see verse 6. ] they turned their hearts to the sacrifice of the heathen [ Abraham discovered his own family and the subjects of Pharaoh were offering human sacrifices to those various gods. They even tried to offer his life up unto those same gods. Egypt at that time had control of all of the lands in Palestine, Ur, and Chaldea. The world around Abraham was rotten. Children were being killed (post-term abortions), and the worship of false and heathen gods was going on all over the place. Abraham was the lone voice “crying in the wilderness.” No one cared and no one listened. What is the significance of turning away their hearts? It means that they moved away from what they did have; they left that which was righteous for that which was heathen or unrighteous. So they did have the truth but turned away from it. What was to gain by turning away from righteousness, away from the truths, away from the Priesthood? We will see later that not all could hold the Priesthood, so they tried to copy or duplicate as they could. They called upon the God's of the underworld to deliver them, and so from there they gained access to power - while not the power of God; but power to do many things. This did not require them to be obedient to the laws of God either. When you look at whom they were sacrificing you can see that there was an opportunity to abuse the power to select those who would be placed upon the altar. Those that opposed them. ] in offering up their children unto these dumb idols ,[ What do you think he means when he refers to them as dumb idols? literally; God talks to man but these are literally deaf and dumb without the capacity to speak or communicate. ] and hearkened [ Hebrew "Shema" is translated here as hearkened which means "listened to" and "obeyed". ] not unto my voice, but endeavored to take away my life by the hand of the priest of Elkenah . [ Why Abraham? Because he was speaking out against them. see verse 5 'They utterly refused to hearken to my voice" So under the guise of religious worship they devised a plan to have Abraham sacrificed at the hands of the priest of the Pharaoh. Abraham discovered his own family and the subjects of Pharaoh were offering human sacrifices to those various gods. They even tried to offer his life up unto those same gods. When Abraham was born, Nimrod, King of Babylon, knew from other prophecies that one would be born who truly had the right to reign. Egypt at that time had control of all of the lands in Palestine, Ur, and Chaldea. The world around Abraham was rotten. Children were being killed (post-term abortions), and the worship of false and heathen gods was going on all over the place. Abraham was the lone voice “crying in the wilderness.” No one cared and no one listened. What do we know about the ancient god Elkenah? No deity of that name is mentioned in the KJV Bible, but in the last century archaeologists have unearthed evidence of his worship. Elkenah is very likely the shortened form of the name of the Canaanite god El koneh aratz, meaning “God who created the earth” (or “God, creator of earth”). (W. Röllig, “El-Creator-Of-The-Earth,” in Dictionary of Deities and Demons in the Bible, ed. Karel van der Toorn (Leiden: Brill, 1999), 280–281; Kevin Barney, “On Elkenah as Canaanite El,” Journal of the Book of Mormon and Other Restoration Scripture 19, no. 1 (2010): 22–35.) Among the ancient Hittites living in Asia Minor he was known as Elkunirsha (Elkenah). {Ben H. L. Gessel, Onomasticon of the Hittite Pantheon (Leiden: E. J. Brill, 1998), 1:63; Mark S. Smith, God in Translation: Deities in Cross-Cultural Discourse in the Biblical World (Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2008), 82–83; Maciej Popko, Religions of Asia Minor (Warsaw: Academic Publications Dialog, 1995), 128; N. Wyatt, “Asherah,” in Dictionary of Deities and Demons in the Bible, 101.} ] The priest of Elkenah was also the priest of Pharaoh.

8 Now,at this time it was the custom of the priest of Pharaoh , [ The common practice at the time. The priest of the Pharaoh was the one chosen by the King or the Pharaoh to look after the God's who were believed to inhabit the temples that were built. There were a few priests selected at a time and served in a rotation so to speak - they served for a few months had a few months off then were back again at their job. ] the king of Egypt, to offer up upon the altar which was built in the land of Chaldea , [ Abrahams home town. ] for the offering unto these strange gods, men, women, and children . [ What is the convenience in who is to be offered? Looks like no one was exempt from the sacrificial offerring. ]

9 And it came to pass that the priest made an offering unto the god of Pharaoh ,[ Only the priest was allowed to enter the sacred area of the temple and approach the statue representing the god or goddess. The people could pray at the gate or in the court to the Pharaoh who acted as a go-between the people and the gods. Bearing of Offerings The priests role was to care for the needs of the god/goddess. They have no role to oversee or care for the people of Egypt. They did not try to educate the people on the religion or look after their morals. ] and also unto the god of Shagreel, [ Abu Ghurab is an archeological site where a sun temple, built by the people of ancient Egypt, was found. It was excavated by Egyptologists between 1898 and 1901 by Ludwig Borchardt on behalf of the Berlin Museum and located near the city of Memphis. It was built to honor the sun god, Ra. (Shag-re-el means the ‘god of the sun.’). ] even after the manner of the Egyptians. [ This suggests that Abraham’s kinsmen had adopted elements of Egyptian practice and incorporated these elements into their local (Chaldean) practice. ] Now the god of Shagreel was the sun.

10 Even the thank-offering of a child [ This is what they called one type of offerring but in the next verse he gives us a little more detail as to what they were really doing. ] did the priest of Pharaoh offer upon the altar which stood by the hill called Potiphar’s Hill, [ The Main temple was built on a natural hill that had been enhanced. Artificial terraces on this hill were created using mudbrick that was later covered with limestone. The temple was then built on top of these terraces. Which were known as the ‘hill of the sun’, The temple is rectangular. The entrance is on the east side. Inside the temple is a large, open courtyard. At the western end of the courtyard are the ruins of a large stone obelisk, symbolizing the resting place of the sun god, Ra. An altar has been located in the center of the courtyard, near the eastern side near the obelisk. It was constructed from five large blocks of alabaster, which are arranged to form a symbol that can be translated, “May Ra be satisfied.” But what is the significance of this cult site in the Book of Abraham featuring a hill? “In the ancient civilizations from Egypt to India and beyond, the mountain can be a center of fertility, the primeval hillock of creation, the meeting place of the gods, the dwelling place of the high god, the meeting place of heaven and earth, the monument effectively upholding the order of creation, the place where god meets man, a place of theophany.”(Richard J. Clifford, The Cosmic Mountain in Canaan and the Old Testament (Cambridge, Mass: Harvard University Press, 1972), 5.) he concept of “a mound of earth that emerged as the first dry land when the primeval waters receded” was foundational to the Egyptian view of the cosmos, being “one of the earliest known Egyptian images of the creation.” So central was this idea in Egyptian religious imagination that “many Egyptian temples had a mound of earth in their sanctuary, which not only commemorated this primeval hill but which also was viewed as the primeval mound.”( James P. Allen, Middle Egyptian: An Introduction to the Language and Culture of Hieroglyphs, 3rd ed. (Cambridge, U.K.: Cambridge University Press, 2012), 160–61, emphasis in original; compare Genesis in Egypt: The Philosophy of Ancient Egyptian Creation Accounts (New Haven, Conn.: Yale University Press, 1988), throughout, but especially 10, 25, 32, 46, 50–51, 53, 58, 60, 63; compare John M. Lundquist, “The Common Temple Ideology of the Ancient Near East,” in The Temple in Antiquity: Ancient Records and Modern Perspectives, ed. Truman G. Madsen (Provo, Utah: Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University, 1984), 59–66.) The placement of an altar next to a hill, as depicted in Abraham 1:10, thus fits nicely the pattern of ancient ritual complexes. The altar at Abu Ghurab seems to be exactly as Abraham describes here, as the plain of Olishem means the Plain of the Sun. “Po-ti-pha-ra” means: “That which Ra gives”. Potiphar has long been recognized as deriving from the Egyptian pꜣ-dỉ-pꜣ-Rꜥ or pꜣ-dỉ-Prꜥ (“the one whom [the god] Re has given”).(See the discussions in James K. Hoffmeier, Israel in Egypt: The Evidence for the Authenticity of the Exodus Tradition (New York: Oxford University Press, 1996), 84–85; Kenneth A. Kitchen, “Genesis 12–50 in the Near Eastern World,” in He Swore an Oath: Biblical Themes from Genesis 12–50, ed. Richard S. Hess, Gordon J. Wenham, and Philip E. Satterthwaite, 2nd ed. (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Baker Book, 1994), 85–86; and Kenneth A. Kitchen, On the Reliability of the Old Testament (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Eerdmans, 2003), 346–47.) Although the name Potiphar itself is only currently attested after Abraham’s day, the grammatical formula used in the name (pꜣ-dỉ-[X]; “the one whom [such-and-such god] has given”) appears to be based on an earlier formula that is found plentifully in Egyptian names from Abraham’s day.8 The Re element in the name Potiphar links the name (and thereby the cult site in the Book of Abraham) with solar worship, inasmuch as Re was the chief solar deity of ancient Egypt.9 This explains why the idolatrous priest in the Book of Abraham is depicted in the text as making an offering to the god of Shagreel, which is identified as a sun deity in Abraham 1:9. ] at the head of the plain of Olishem.

11 Now, this priest had offered upon this altar three virgins at one time, who were the daughters of Onitah, [ These daughters descended from the first Pharaoh who was a righteous man who established his kingdom and judged his people wisely all his days (Abr 1:26). These daughters of Onitah were still trying to remain true and faithful to the teachings of that first Pharaoh. ] one of the royal descent directly from the loins of Ham. These virgins were offered up because of their virtue; they would not bow down to worship gods of wood or of stone , [ So the real reason they are picked comes out. It is because they are trying to be righteous they are opposing the worship of the idols. This example also provides us with a little detail to the fact that Abraham was not alone there were others in this depraved society that were trying to do and be good. These young virgins set an example for Abraham that he too did not have to bow down as other had, Abraham followed their example. ] therefore they were killed upon this altar, and it was done after the manner of the Egyptians.

12 And it came to pass that the priests laid violence upon me , [ They grabbed him and overpowered him in order to place him on the altar. Facsimile #1 is not something to be read; instead it is a representation of what Abraham personally experienced. Abraham is explaining the political and religious climate at the time he was living: the government is sacrificing men, women, and children, or anyone who is preaching righteousness, or anyone who would not bow down to gods of wood and stone. ] that they might slay me also, as they did those virgins upon this altar ; [ Or for the same reason. So the contrast is made for us that it was because he would not bow down and worship the idols as well that they tried to do this. So as Abraham is laid on the altar he is thinking about the courage of the 3 young virgins of Onitah, they are his example for good. They were not saved but they did not lower their standard, so If I Abraham must die as well I too will not bow down. ] and that you may have a knowledge of this altar, [ Kind of like a teacher who says I will show you in more detail what this altar looked like. ] I will refer you to the representation at the commencement of this record . [ You can see the image that is drawn Facsimile No. 1. Note that he says Facsimile is a "representation" of what happened to me. Or from whence you can understand the story or message. ]

13 It [ This altar. ] was made after the form of a bedstead ,[ Like a bed. ] such as was had among the Chaldeans, and it stood before the gods of Elkenah, Libnah, Mahmackrah, Korash, and also a god like unto that of Pharaoh, king of Egypt.

14 That you may have an understanding of these gods, I have given you the fashion [ The drawing. ] of them in the figures [ Figures 5-9. ] at the beginning, which manner of figures is called by the Chaldeans Rahleenos, which signifies hieroglyphics.

15 And as they lifted up their hands upon me, that they might offer me up and take away my life, behold, I lifted up my voice unto the Lord my God , [ He continued to pray with his great faith. From an Egyptian grammar book, these symbols describe a man praying. Notice the figure in an up- right position with his hands outstretched and extended upward—this is the hieroglyphic for “prayer.” If the figure’s feet are together, the person is dead; if the feet are apart, the person is alive. Abraham is alive and is lifting up his voice unto God. The angel of the Lord’s presence is Horus—signified by the bird in the upper right of Fac. # 1. Abraham was to be the substitute sacrifice for Pharaoh, but the Egyptian Priest becomes the substitute sacrifice for Abraham. The angel of the Lord’s presence is represented by Horus. ] and the Lord hearkened and heard , [ The Lord answered his prayer in that he was not slain. Hebrew "Shema" is translated here as hearkened which means "listened to" and "obeyed". ] and he [ The angel. ] filled me with the vision of the Almighty , [ Abraham is shown the blessings that will be his - shows him what blessings are foreordained or appointed unto him, seen thru a vision, As part of that vision he see the Savior vs 16. See also Gen 22:14. ] and the angel of his presence stood by me, [ Enoch? The reference of "the angel of his presence" gives some clues. The Joseph Smith Translation of Genesis may suggests a connection with Enoch, whose priesthood, we are told, not only allowed mortals to be "translated and taken up into heaven" but also to "subdue principalities and powers" and to "break every band" (JST Gen. 14:31-32). So had Abraham's bands been broken as the principalities and powers about to destroy him were subdued by the divine power of God's mighty angel. "The angel of the presence" is mentioned in Exodus (23:20-21), and is identified as Enoch in Talmudic tradition (Babylonian Talmud ) and D&C 133:53-55, and as we shall see, in apocryphal Enoch sources. Suggesting that the angel of the presence who rescued Abraham from the altar could have been his forefather Enoch, about whom Abraham would later learn about as he read Enoch's record. In 3 Enoch the angel Metatron, or Enoch, "had seventy names, but the King called him Na'ar, the youth."( 3 Enoch 4:10 ) According to Joseph Smith, "this Enoch God reserved unto himself" to be "a ministering angel, to minister to those who would be heirs of salvation."(Scriptural Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith Pg 194) Enoch became the very angel of the presence or "the Prince of the Presence," or "the great prince of the throne of God," the prince on whom the Lord placed his name and who was appointed as the special "representative and vice-regent of the Holy One."(3 Enoch 12:1-5) ] and immediately unloosed my bands ; [ Can you imagine the look from the priests as Abraham was freed. That the angel was visible to the onlookers is attested in Jewish and Muslim traditions, which also tell of a great earthquake and of a cataclysmic fire that consumed many thousands of onlookers. See vs 29 for what happened next. ]

16 And his voice [ Some suggest that it was Jehovah himself however if we look at Abr. 2:13; 3:20 Abraham is specific in noting that it was "his angel that delivered him". So who then was this angel? ] was unto me: Abraham, Abraham, [ “Abraham”, at this point in time the man "Abraham" was in fact going by the name "Abram" as he did not officially adopt that name until some time later (cf. Gen. 17). In v. 1 Abraham refers to himself as "Abraham" and this is not problematic as, in all likelihood, it would have been penned well after the fact so at the time of writing he would have been going by that name. However, in this verse we have a direct quote from the Lord being presented as calling him "Abraham" and not "Abram". This may have been a gloss by either Abraham or Smith. But, it is more likely this is a foreshadowing of Abram's future mission. Compare this with the case of Jacob/Israel. Jacob is given the name "Israel" after his wrestle with God, but he doesn't officially adopt the name and abandon "Jacob" until well after that time. The name, foreshadowing God's intents with the man is given, but not presently adopted. Rather, it is alluded to and later applied when the recipient has proven themselves. ] behold,my name is Jehovah , [ The name for Christ as represented in the Old Testament. ] and I have heard thee, and have come down to deliver thee, and to take thee away from thy father’s house, and from all thy kinsfolk, into a strange land [ Israel (the Land) is described by God as a “strange land.” In the Jewish traditions of the Midrash and the Talmud, Abraham has ten trials, the first of which is Lech Leha, or “Get Up and Get Going!” This is what is going on...the Lord is having Abraham move to another place of residence that he has never been. So how will he know when he gets there? The Lord does not tell Abraham that he is to travel about 325 miles south and west and when he sees a big Oak tree in an oasis that “this is the place.” The idea was for him to get up and get moving! It would be nice if our patriarchal blessings specifically told us we would go to this school and major in that degree, and move to a specific place and marry a man or woman with a certain last name and then get a job in this certain city for the next few years and on and on...but this is not the way it happens! The principle involved: Abraham would not know he was in the right place until he had done the work to get there. The Lord did not tell Brigham Young how many miles he would need to travel or what that valley would look like. It was not until he got to a certain spot that he received the revelation, “This is the place.” ] which thou knowest not of;

17 And this [ Which is what? The removal of Abraham from Chaldea. God begins the covenant process with Abraham. When we want to be different, we have enough faith to make covenants. ] because they [ His father's household. ] have turned their hearts away from me, to worship the god of Elkenah, and the god of Libnah, and the god of Mahmackrah, and the god of Korash, and the god of Pharaoh, king of Egypt; therefore I have come down to visit [ Punish. ] them, and to destroy him [ The priest of the Pharaoh. ] who hath lifted up his hand against thee, [ Notice in verse 17 the hand of the Lord wields JUSTICE. and then in verse 18 the Lord uses his hand to show MERCY. The same hand in both verses. ] Abraham, my son, to take away thy life. [ The Lord explains to Abraham that He has come down to protect him from “him who hath lifted up his hand against thee.” The reason Abraham needs to “find another place of residence” is because they are trying to kill him. ]

18 Behold,I will lead thee by my hand , [ What does the Lord imply when he suggests that he will use his hand to lead Abraham? What things has the Lord done with his hands? Creation - shows detail. notice how the Lord chooses to work for and in behalf of Abraham - first he destroys the priests with his might hand then he lead Abraham by the hand. So it is with use he will deliver justice or mercy based on our behavior. The first covenant that the Lord makes to Abraham. ] and I will take thee, to put upon thee my name, even the Priesthood of thy father , [ Why does the Lord choose to bless Abraham so? Because the Lord needs Abraham; and in order for the Lords work to proceed forward he knows that Abraham needs the priesthood. There is nothing strange about that as it is the way that it always has been from Adam. The second covenant that he makes with Abraham. Abrahams' father was Terah; see Genesis 11:26 "And Terah lived seventy years, and begat Abram, Nahor, and Haran." In D&C 107: 40 we know that the priesthood was designed to be passed from fater to son. In this case Abrahams father was not righteous at the time he was of age at least - This is the reason why Abraham had gone to get his appointment from the Lord - the blessings were appointed to him - he had seen in a vision while on the altar being sacrificed (vs 15-16) what blessing would come to him. ] and my power shall be over thee .[ What is the Lord suggesting here? That he will protect Abraham, he will use Noah as a refernce in the next verse as if to say - just as he protected Noah. The Lord explains to Abraham that he will have Priesthood – the Lord's authority by taking upon him the Lord's name. The dispensation of Noah ends with the beginning of the dispensation of Abraham. Abraham realizes that he won't have to worry about other people trying to kill him because the Lord will protect him (“my power shall be over thee”). ]

19 As it [ What is the it referring to here? The power of God will be there to protect him; And how does the Lord propose to do that? Through the priesthood and the covenant making process so that the Lord could bless him. Why does the Lord need to use covenants to work in the lives of men? We have our agency; he cannot cross that sacred line, but when we make a covenant we are bond together with a promise. ] was with Noah [ These covenant relationships did not just start with Abraham. Here we are taught that God made covenants with Noah as well. The Lord protected Noah from the flood because they had a covenant relationship; Noah held the priesthood so that he could bless mankind and perform the Lords work. ] so shall it be with thee ; [ Abraham is being taught about the covenant relationship that the Lord had with Noah and how he Abraham would have one too. Noah would most likely still have been alive - hence Abraham might have actually known him. ] but through thy ministry my name shall be known in the earth forever , [ So why is the Lord choosing to bless Abraham and make special covenants with him? Again so that the Lords work can go forth. The message here is that the Lord needs us to perform his work. In order to get his work accomplished he knows that he will need to endow and empower man in order to offset the influence of Satan. The reason why the Lord is giving these covenant blessings to Abraham is because he has a work for Abraham to do - to bring the gospel to man. We have it all wrong when we ask why would the Lord ever bless one group of people over another, why can he do that and be a just God? But the real truth is that he does it because he needs a way to bless someone with the power to fulfill his divine work. ] for I am thy God.

20 Behold, Potiphar’s Hill was in the land of Ur, of Chaldea. [ Ur means ‘city’; thus, Ur of Chaldea means a city of Chaldea. In Hebrew the name for city is Ir. In Chaldean, Uggaritic, or Akkadian the name for city is Ur. ] And the Lord broke down the altar of Elkenah, and of the gods of the land, and utterly destroyed them, and smote the priest that he died; [ This was know by all to be a great miracle - how the Lord killed the priest. ] and there was great mourning in Chaldea,[ The “mourning in Chaldea” was not because the priest died; the mourning was because of the great earthquake that broke down the altar that Abraham was on. The priest became Abraham's substitute sacrifice. A great many people had assembled to witness this sacrifice. Many people died because of this great earthquake. Chadea was a great distance from Egypt 875 miles - So we do not have the full story here, as it must have had broad repercussions to cause great mourning clear to Egypt in the court of the Pharaoh. ] and also in the court of Pharaoh; which Pharaoh signifies king by royal blood .[ Pharaoh is a combination of two Egyptian words: Per Wer. Per is the word for “house” and Wer is the word for “great.” Pharaoh is the Greek translation of Per Wer, or “Great House.” Abraham is telling us that the ‘great house’ is the royal house...the “blue bloods.” Abraham and Joseph Smith were correct about the name / title of the word, Pharaoh. When the Book of Abraham was published, the Egyptian hieroglyphic symbols had not yet been deciphered—another lucky stab for Joseph Smith. Why would this little snippett be in there about royal blood? Do you suppose that it gives us a clue as to why there was so much morning in the court of the Pharaoh? The fact that the Pharoh knew that he was not of royal blood (or what is another way of saying that? That he did not have the Patriarchial Priesthood - which the destruction of the Pharoh's priest by God signified that to them once again. So after all the sacrifice and everything they had tried to do they were still left out of the power of the priesthood. Wow that is a royal slam to them. This clue helps us as watch how the scriptures flow now into a direct discussion about the priesthood and where the royal blood line is achieved. ]

21 Now this king of Egypt [(?I think that he is identifing "This King" as King Nimrod here as this is the King where he is living at the time, Nimrod is the king to which his father(Terah) is employeed by ) Or the Pharaoh vs 20 who is the son of Egyptus who is the daughter of Ham and Egyptus. The two cradles of civilization are each settled by the Grandsons of Ham – Egypt(with a Pharaoh) and Mesopotamia(with King Nimrod at the time). Each Cradle become the symbols of wickedness in scripture and each used the endowment and ordinances to feign what they did not have, but to declare they where of royal blood. In each of their settlements, had taken the rituals that would make a person a son of god (we would call them the “endowment”) and turned them into their own ceremonies for their own coronations, thus giving them personal authority to rule and reign over their peoples. ] was a descendant from the loins of Ham , [ One of the son's of Noah who was a righteous man, but married Egyptus; and Egyptus was a descendant of Cain. Noah had 3 sons Shem; Ham and Japheth; from Ham came Pharaoh and Nimrod. Nimrod is repeatedly referred to as a descendant of Canaan (whose sister, as the Book of Abraham relates, founded the first dynasty of Egypt with her son as the first Pharaoh. ] and was a partaker of the blood of the Canaanites by birth .[ Cain and his descendants also lost the ‘right to’ priesthood administration. Abraham explains in his book that this lineage of Cain came through the flood at the time of Noah, as the wife of Ham (Egyptus) was a descendent of Cain. Through Egyptus, the blood of Cain and the burden of priesthood restriction was preserved through the flood and remained after the time of Noah. Canaan was the fourth son of Ham, and Noah singled him out specifically for the curse. I don't see any other references in scripture to explain this, but I think it's reasonable to assume that Canaan had committed his own sins and may have been party to the act that Ham had committed against Noah. For Noah to single Canaan out as a direct consequence of Ham's actions suggests Canaan was involved in some way. Gen 9:25 Also; Ham's wife Egyptus was a descendant of Cain. Therefore the restriction pertaining to the priesthood was placed on the posterity of Ham and Egyptus. From these two descendants came forth all of the Egyptians. Pharaoh rules because of his mother. It’s a Matrilineal Patriarchy, which means his right to rule is determined by who his mother is, not who the father is. The right of priesthood is based on that same thing. That is how the descendants of Cain get through the flood. Ham marries a woman who is a descendant of Cain. This pattern also shows up when Rebecca exclaims, “What value will my life be if Jacob ends up marrying one of the daughters of Heth”? (Heth was also a descendant of Canaan and Cain, and thus was not able to hold the Priesthood. (See Gen 27:46 – Gen 28:1-3). ]

22 From this descent [ Ham marrying a descendant of Cain (Egyptus). ] sprang all the Egyptians, and thus the blood of the Canaanites was preserved in the land .[ Gen 10:6 Ham and Egyptus named their forth son Canaan - hence the Canaanites. There is nothing that proves that the descendants of Cain lived in the land of Canaan. However, the curses or rather burdens of Cain and the verses above imply that the posterity of Cain may have lived in Canaan. Remember that Abraham gives us insight about the curse; namely the loss of priesthood and its connection to the people and blood of those who lived in Canaan prior to the flood. At least one was righteous enough to believe and marry Ham, the son of Noah: This king of Egypt was a descendant from the loins of Ham, and was a partaker of the blood of the Canaanites by birth. From this descent sprang all the Egyptians, and thus the blood of the Canaanites was preserved in the land. Now, Pharaoh being of that lineage by which he could not have the right of Priesthood… (Abraham 1:21, 22, 27). ]

23 The land of Egypt being first discovered by a woman, who was the daughter of Ham, and the daughter of Egyptus ,[ Two of the names, however, are rendered differently in the 1835 Kirtland-era Book of Abraham manuscripts. The name of Ham’s wife in all three Kirtland-era manuscripts is either “Zep-tah” or “Zeptah.”(Robin Scott Jensen and Brian M. Hauglid, eds., The Joseph Smith Papers, Revelations and Translations, Volume 4: Book of Abraham and Related Manuscripts (Salt Lake City, UT: The Church Historian’s Press, 2018), 199, 211, 227.) Additionally, the name of Ham and Zeptah’s daughter is Egyptes in the Kirtland-era manuscripts, as opposed to Egyptus.(Jensen and Hauglid, The Joseph Smith Papers, Revelations and Translations, Volume 4, 199, 211, 227.) The name Zeptah stands out since it could very plausibly be a rendering of the Egyptian name Siptah (sꜣ ptḥ), meaning “son of [the god] Ptah.”(The god Ptah was “one of the oldest of Egypt’s gods,” with evidence for his worship as early as the Early Dynastic Period (circa 3,100–2,700 BC). Richard H. Wilkinson, The Complete Gods and Goddesses of Egypt (London: Thames and Hudson, 2003)) This name, as well as its feminine equivalent “daughter of [the god] Ptah” (sꜣt ptḥ), is attested during the likely time of Abraham (circa 2,000–1,800 BC).(Hermann Ranke, Die Ägyptischen Personennamen, 3 vols. (Glückstadt: J. J. Augustin Verlag, 1935), 1:282, 288.) Egyptus is the name of two women in the Book of Abraham in the Pearl of Great Price.[1] One is the wife of Ham, son of Noah, who bears his children. The other is their daughter, who discovers Egypt while "it was under water" (1:23). The younger Egyptus places her eldest son on the throne as Pharaoh, the first king of Egypt (1:25). Ham had a daughter named Egyptus, who was named after her mother Egyptus. Her first-born son was named Per-Wer, which is where we get the name Pharaoh. She placed he son Min(who is the first Pharaoh, that is why in the inscriptions that you often see the Pharaoh is nursing from the mother(the cow) because he gets his right to reign from his mother) on the throne of Egypt (verse 25). From a chronological point of view, Egypt was established prior to the time of the confusion of languages in Babylon after the Tower of Babel(means confusion). Thus, the Egyptian language is much closer to the Adamic language. ] which in the Chaldean signifies Egypt, which signifies that which is forbidden ; [ In the Hebrew, Egypt is called Mizraim. Incestuous relations. ]

24 When this woman discovered the land it was under water , [ Egypt was under water when discovered by the daughter of Ham (Her name was Mizraim which means Egypt). The flood of Noah had not receeded from that point yet? or was it a place in the delta were the spring waters were still high from the seasonal rains. A delta is usually very fertile land due to the silt washed in. ] who afterward settled her sons in it; and thus, from Ham, sprang that race which preserved the curse in the land . [ What is the curse in the land that we are talking about here? The curse that their crops would not yield as they once had Moses 5:36,37. Additionally in Moses 5:39 Cain lost his priesthood power, the power to sanctify himself, and that curse waas placed on his posterity as well as we see documented in the Doctrine and Covenants 121:19,21 that the loss of the priesthood of those who would kill the priesthood leaders are extended from generation to generation. As Abel's righteous posterity were foreordained to be the patriarchs throughout gospel history.(See D&C 121:21 for discussion on how this curse would play out through time.) ]

25 Now the first government of Egypt was established by Pharaoh, [ Per Wer. Pharaoh was the name of the first ruler of Egypt, who also had a cousin named King Nimrod(who as legend tells it got his authority from the sacred garment of Noah-Adam that he had in his possession ). In the Book of Mormon, the succeeding kings were called after Nephi. In Rome, the first ruler was called Caesar; anyone succeeding him was also call Caesar. In Germany the rulers were all called Kaiser; in Russia they were called Tsar. In other words, it became a very common practice and tradition to name all kings and rulers after the first king or ruler. ] the eldest son of Egyptus, the daughter of Ham ,[ This is were it all starts to fall apart for the Pharaoh and the priesthood. He is as stated the eldest son of Egyptus - WHO IS THE DAUGHTER OF HAM, Not the son of Ham. As a result the patriarchal Preisthood does not continue to the son of a daughter which would be matriarchal succession. The right to hold the Priesthood did not come through the lineage of the father, but rather it came through the lineage of the mother. Thus her descendants were not eligible to hold the priesthood. ] and it [ The government. Ham's wife was a descendant of Cain and her name was Egyptus. They named their daughter Egyptus also. It was this daughter who discovered Egypt after the flood waters receded. She then settled her sons in the land and put her eldest son, Per-Wer (which signifies King by Royal Blood, or Pharaoh) on the throne of the land she discovered. So the ancient endowment was a coronation ceremony. ] was after the manner [ Patterned after. ] of the government of Ham, which was patriarchal . [ Hence the order of government is a Matrilineal - Patriarchy. The Government was set up “after the manner” of the Patriarchal Order. • This was a system Pharaoh knew and was familiar with. • Pharaoh knew that the patriarchal form of government was inspired. • This system of Government was a Matrilineal – Patriarchy. It's the mother who legitimizes the right of her son to be king. During the coronation of the kings of Judah, the name of his mother is always mentioned (See 1 Kings 14:21; 15:2; 2 Kings 12:1; 14:2; 15:2; 18:2; 21:1; 22:1; 23:31, 36; 24:8). Isis always represents Hathor. She represents the mother who is supporting her son on the Throne. From the information Abraham is giving us, we see it is the mother who places her son on the throne to rule. It is the mother or his wife who legitimizes his authority to sit on the throne. It is the blood line of the matriarch who legitimizes the right to reign. In Egypt it is the matriarch who chooses those who will become the next rulers. The wife legitimizes the rule. Because of this, we see Pharaoh marrying the wives of his father, often his mother, and even his sisters. The authority to become Pharaoh comes because of who the mother is. In the New Testament we are given insight into this practice as it relates to Moses. In Hebrews 11:24 we see Moses refusing to become a son of Pharaoh's daughter, or refusing to become the leader of Egypt. The King, Pharaoh, was placed in power by his mother, and their government was patterned after the Patriarchal government of Ham. Passed from father to son. President Joseph Fielding Smith taught: "Egypt was not the only nation, in these early times, which attempted to imitate the patriarchal order of government. We have seen in Abraham's record that this was the order of government in the reign of Adam, and down to the time of Noah. Naturally that form of government would be perpetuated in large degree by all tribes, as they began to spread over the face of the earth. As men multiplied, they organized first in the family group, then into tribes and eventually into nations. The greater powers would naturally occupy the most favored spots. Stronger tribes would overcome the weaker and force them to join the national government, or else they would be subdued and treated as slaves, or placed under tribute. As the patriarchal order was handed down from father to son, so also would the political authority be perpetuated with the same claims to authority. We know that in ancient times in Egypt, Assyria, Chaldea, Babylon, Persia, and among all the petty nations of the Mesopotamia and Palestine, the monarch was succeeded by his posterity in hereditary right" (Progress of Man, 100-01). ]

26 Pharaoh, being a righteous man ,[ So the Pharaoh knew what was right, he had been taught what was right. However; righteousness is not enough here as lineage will play out as well. But we will suffice it to say that he was a good man, and he tried to do what was right. How did he know about endowments and the Patriarchal order? Well anciently they were performed in the family tent, so he would have seen them performed on brothers and sisters, and possibly cousins and such. ] established his kingdom and judged his people wisely and justly [ Or according to the laws of God as he knew them. The Patriarchal Religion of Egypt is founded in the concept of the redemption from evil and the Exaltation of the Pharaoh. These "Ordinances of Exaltation" (Which are the ordinances of the firstborn - like our temples today. If you are true and faithful you become a firstborn to God, which is how we become and heir and a joint-Heir with Christ the first born( See John 1 power to become the sons of God). ) are often manifest in the Egyptian Religion; carved into the walls and written on papyrus. ( Bruce H. Porter https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iQd90hFE-LI ). These ordinances where originally for all mankind, but the ancient Pharaohs made them only available to the Pharaoh. ] all his days, seeking earnestly to imitate [ First we have to note that the Pharaoh is a righteous man. and he sought “earnestly” to imitate the religion of the Patriarchs (which was based on the blessings of the endowment and the ordinances of exaltation). Ham his father was a righteous man who walked with God, who held the priesthood, so he had been taught well. But through the lineage of his mother Egyptus their children were not allow to hold the priesthood. However; because the Pharaoh was righteous he would want to have the priesthood blessings, so he sets up a church after the order of the one that he knows (he sets up the government and the church as a copy of what he knows and is right). So one of the things that they did was to take the endowment and turned it into a coronation ceremony. Getting and living as close to the patriarchal order of the priesthood that they could; while knowing that they did not have the authority. In essense immitating the ordaniances without the authority. ] that order established by the fathers [ Egypt was founded on the higher law. Their religion was then based on the order that was passed down from Adam. Why not. It was what they knew to be good and righteous, and if the Pharaoh is righteous he would of coarse base the religion on what he knew to be righteous. What does this also teach us here about the need for a prophet and continued revelation. He does this even though he knows he does not have priesthood authority, but he does know that it was based on the only true religion, one that was based on the ordinances of exaltation. Which order is what? The order of the priesthood and the organization of how the gospel was organized. Or the religious order. So we have the government set up on the patriarchal order, and the religious order is set up on the patriarchal religion (this was not the Mosiac law because it was set up before that. It is based on the endowment blessings and the ordinances of exaltation the doctrines of a higher order even thought they did not have the authority, but because he knew it was right). While the religions that came forth from ancient Israel after the children of Israel refused to take upon themselves the higher order, they were left to function and an Aaronic order. The temples in Israel were Aaronic temples governed by the President of the Aaronic priesthood - like a bishop. Why? Because they knew what the power of the priesthood could do for those who had it. So the imitated it or fained it as in verse 27. The Egyptians had there own version of the endowment where they tried to recreate the knowledge and ordinanced that had be passed down. They lacked the authority but that did not stop them from trying. The Egyptians had an Endowment ceremony that they used which was derived from the practices of Abraham - see notes at the end of this chapter. ] in the first generations, in the days of the first patriarchal reign, even in the reign of Adam, and also of Noah, his father , [ His great-grandfather. ] who blessed him with the blessings of the earth, and with the blessings of wisdom , [ The knowledge that is found in the temple. ] but cursed him as pertaining to the Priesthood . [ He was not allowed to confirm the priesthood on the son of Egyptus who was the Pharaoh. Because Ham married Egyptus who's lineage was of Cain. Why? What was wrong with his lineage? Additionally if we are talking patriarchal: He descended not from the patriarchal but from the matriarchal line(Shem was the patriarchal line). He was the son of Egyptus, the daughter of Ham. In the days of the patriarchal order, the priesthood was passed on only from father to first-born son. Even though he was trying to govern his people by a system patterned after the patriarch order of the priesthood, he had no right to that priesthood. However noble and respectable the line may be, a matriarchal line cannot claim patriarchal authority, even though all the parties concerned are sympathetic to the idea. In all of this there has been no mention of race. However we also fond the following: W. W. Phelps, a counselor in the presidency of the church, was the first in the church to teach that Ham's wife was black because she was under the curse of Cain. In 1835, he taught that Ham himself was cursed because he had married a black wife. Brigham Young also taught that Egyptus was under the curse of Cain and passed the curse through the flood. In April 1836, within months of translating the Book of Abraham verses,Joseph Smith himself taught in reference to Genesis 9:25–27, "it remains as a lasting monument of the decree of Jehovah, to the shame and confusion of all who have cried out against the South, in consequence of their holding the sons of Ham in servitude!".("Letter to Oliver Cowdery, circa 9 April 1836," p. 290, The Joseph Smith Papers, accessed December 24, 2020, https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/letter-to-oliver-cowdery-circa-9-april-1836/2) And after the flood we are told that the curse that had been pronounced upon Cain was continued through Ham's wife, as he had married a wife of that seed. And why did it pass through the flood? because it was necessary that the devil should have a representation upon the earth as well as God;... John Taylor, Journal of Discourses 22:304; Moses 7:8 ]

27 Now, Pharaoh being of that lineage [ What lineage is that? Two things: first he is the son of Ham and Egyptus, and Egyptus was a descendant of Cain and as such her posterity was forbidden to hold the priesthood, 2) Even if Ham had been able to pass the priesthood along to his descendants, the Pharaoh would not have been eligible because he claimed it through the wrong line, His lineage that he is claiming to get the priesthood through is matriarical and not patriarical which we have seen is how the Priesthood was passed down at the time of Abraham. He (the first Pharoh) was the son of Egyptus, who was the daughter of Ham. In the days of the patriarchal order, the priesthood was passed on only from father to first-born son so the Pharob was out of the loop so to speak. Also the lineage through Canaan the lineage of Ham is equated with Egypt in the Bible (Ps. 78:51; 105:23-27, 106:22); In addition, bibical references to the land of "Cush" are of interest Ancient Cush is known today as Ethiopia, a neighbor to Egypt. The Hebrew word "Cush" literally translates to the word "Black" in english. ] by which he could not have the right [ "A just or a legal claim to" his lineage precluded any just or legal claim to the Priesthood, simply because he was the The Pharoh. ] of Priesthood, notwithstanding the Pharaohs would fain [ Happy to or, content or willing to accept an alternative when the more desirable thing cannot be attained - the Pharaoh would then claim the priesthood, and the right to rule and reign on earth by their genealogy which came through from Noah through Ham. ] claim it [ This order. The Priesthood and the ordinances. ] from Noah, through Ham, [ When a Pharaoh was buried or shown he would hold a rolled papyrus in his hand as his genealogy, or what we call today, his “line of authority,” proving his right to reign as Pharaoh. The two cradles of civilization are Egypt and Mesopotamia. The two grandsons of Ham who could not hold the priesthood settled both of these regions. These regions became civilizations because both Pharaoh and Nimrod imitated the sacred ordinances of the true endowment, transforming them into public ceremonies for their own coronations, thus legitimizing their reigns as sons of God on earth. Because of this, Egypt and Babylon are depicted in scripture as the two symbols of spiritual wickedness. They usurped the priesthood and exercised unrighteous control, compulsion, and dominion over the souls of the children of men. ] therefore [ As a result of the Pharaohs claiming the rights of the priesthood from Noah. Terah; Abraham's father was led to believe them. As a result he did not claim or exercise his priesthood rights. ] my father [ Who was Terah Abr 2:1. ] was led away by their idolatry; [ Abraham is explaining that his father was led to believe things that were once considered sins, but were now called “civil rights.” Even though Nimrod was not a Pharaoh he still was practicing the rights of the priesthood as he was taught to do so by his mother Egyptus(the mother of Pharaoh and King Nimrod)(Abr 1:23-27) so what do we know? 1) The Paraoh was a righteous man 2) Was not permitted to have the priesthood because of his lineage 3) Knew of it's power 4) So he created his own priesthood so to speak - he tried in every way to take everything he knew of the priesthood and it's ordinances and duplicate them. How did Pharaoh and Nimrod even learn about the sacred ordinances of the priesthood if they were not permitted to hold the priesthood? During the Patriarchal Age there were no Temples. The sacred ordinances were passed down in family rituals and sacral meals! When a son in a family was ready and prepared, the family took the worthy son up onto a high mountain where an altar had been constructed. The family would surround the altar and observe the worthy son receive those ordinances from his father. ]

28 But I shall endeavor, hereafter, to delineate [ Set the record straight, to describe. ] the chronology running back from myself to the beginning of the creation , [ Abraham is reading from the books that he has of the patriarchal authority and how it was continued to be passed down in orderly succession from Noah to his son Shem, and so on all the way back to Adam. In that genealogy he discovered that he himself was in the chosen patriarchal line with the right to be ordained to the patriarchal priesthood. In his own words, he was "a rightful heir" holding "the right belonging to the fathers," even "the right of the firstborn, or the first man, who is Adam" (Abr. 1:2-3) We don't have the last third of Abraham's record, but we know what's in it. Here Abraham tells us that he is going to start from the creation and then move forward. We only have two-thirds of the Book of Abraham. Joseph translated both the Book of Abraham and the Book of Joseph. He prepared the Book of Abraham to be published in installments in the Times and Seasons. He was working on the last third, preparing it to be published when he was martyred. The Book of Abraham is connected to the ordinances of the Temple that we participate in. Abraham tells us how to become one with God by way of the ordinances and knowledge that lead us into that relationship. Chapter One sets the stage by telling us why Abraham is making this record. Chapter 3 is about the Pre-earth Council, Chapter 4 introduces the spiritual creation, and Chapter 5 covers the creation, but we don't have the remaining part that takes us up to the time of Abraham. Facsimile #3 is not talked about in the text like Fac # 1 and Fac # 2. The explanations and the references that surround Fac # 3 are missing and would have been in the third installment. What does having this chronolgy do for Abraham? For one you can see all of the people between you and Adam. Since the story begins with Adam he has proof for his self of both his lineage as well as the events that have happened. As keeper of the records he has their history; just as the plates of Laban had their history. There is power in history - the power to look back and review the positives and negatives associated with following or disobeying Gods commandments, seeing the power of God in the lives of people. ] for the records have come into my hands, which I hold unto this present time . [ We only have about 16 pages of records in the bible from the period of time since Adam and Eve until this point. So it is clear that Abraham has more information that that as he has records. So what do we know of the records dating back to Adam at this time? At this time Abraham has the scriptures and the records in his possession that enables him to state his genealogy. These records were probably the same as those which were begun by Adam and mentioned the book of Moses as "a book of remembrance" or "the book of the generations of Adam" (Moses 6:5; Moses 6:8; Genesis 5:1). In addition, we have three major prophets that each recorded and left a record of time they were in Egypt - They are Abraham; Joseph and Moses. ]

29 Now, after the priest of Elkenah [ The priest of the Pharaoh that had tried to sacrifice Abraham. ] was smitten that he died, [ The angel destroyed the priest of Elkenah - killed him on the spot for all to see. This would have been a very destructive message for the Pharaoh and his priests. Ancient tradition suggests that after the altar was destroyed and Abraham walked away that many onlookers followed him, including Nimrod's own officials and ministers, believed in God and bore witness to others of God's power and that Abraham was his servant. (Mimekor Yisrael, 1:45-46) 'Now we see that the God in whom thou trustest, is the only true God; teach our children the truth, that they may serve Him in righteousness." (Legends of the Patriarchs, 160) ] there came a fulfilment of those things which were said unto me concerning the land of Chaldea, that there should be a famine in the land . [ Why? Because of the idolatry of the people. vs 17 & Moses 5:36 Why does the Lord use famine? To get people to change their ways. His goal is to get us back to him, sometimes he has to make hard choices; he has to let us suffer to change. It is all out of love with the eternal goal in mind. ]

30 Accordingly a famine prevailed throughout all the land of Chaldea, [ Famine is generally the result of drought. In most of the area of the Fertile Crescent (Mesopotamia and Palestine), rainfall averages around 8 inches a year, which is just sufficient to maintain agriculture without irrigation (Knapp, A. Bernard, The History and Culture of Ancient Western Asia and Egypt [Belmont, California: Wadsworth Publishing, 1988], 20-21). In years when rainfall drops below this minimum amount, drought and famine occur. Terah, humbled by the famine does repent. However, when conditions improve, we will learn that he goes back to his old ways (see Abraham 2:5. ] and my father was sorely tormented because of the famine, and he repented of the evil [ Abrahams father repents, at least while thing are not going so well - see Abr 2:5 he returns to his old ways when things are going better. More on how the famine effected Abraham is found in Abr 2. ] which he had determined against me, to take away my life.

31 But the records of the fathers,[ What where the records of the Fathers? What Books would they be? The Book Of Adam, the words of Enoch and Noah. A Muslim source relates that when Abraham opened the chest of Adam, he found books written by Adam, Seth, and Enoch. All men to whom The Book of Moses mentions as record keepers (Moses 6:5-6; 6:46). Abraham gazed upon what Mesopotamian tradition called "the Tablets of Destiny, the Tablets of Wisdom, the Law of Earth and Heaven, the Tablets of the Gods, ... the Mystery of Heaven and Earth.... They contain supreme wisdom." (Ascension of the Apostle, 11) And they were written in a strange language long since extinct, the original "language of the creation." (Book of Jubilees, 73) So God provided a Urim and Thummim for him to read them. (Abr 3:1) The same pattern as we find with Joseph Smith (records that are not readable to man at the time and a means to translate them(Urim and Thummim)). Joseph Smith was tutored by the Angel Moroni, from the Book of Jubilees "the angel of the presence"(who I believe was Enoch) was the angel that tutored Abraham. What would Abraham have learned from these records? The principles taught from the beginning by the one who was there in the beginning (Adam, The Book of Adam); the principles would have been the gospel in its entirety - including the endowment. In addition it would have included the genelogy or as mentioned in verse 2 "the rights of the fathers". With this record he had confirmation that he had a right to the patriarchal priesthood. (Link this with verse 2.). In addition to the oral knowledge of God that was passed down from father to son, there were records kept—an actual book of history kept—from the time of Adam, containing the knowledge of God. This book was handed down for centuries to righteous men, who added their stories and genealogy to its wealth of knowledge. We know from the scriptures that the book was in the possession of both Enoch and Abraham: And then began these men to call upon the name of the Lord, and the Lord blessed them; And a book of remembrance was kept, in the which was recorded, in the language of Adam, for it was given unto as many as called upon God to write by the spirit of inspiration; And by them their children were taught to read and write, having a language which was pure and undefiled. (Moses 6:4-6) For a book of remembrance we have written among us, according to the pattern given by the finger of God; and it is given in our own language. And as Enoch spake forth the words of God, the people trembled, and could not stand in his presence. (Moses 6:46-47). In addition; he most likely would have had the Book Of Enoch. The Book of Enoch has the information that would help him to truely sanctify himself so that he could be taken up (translated as was the city of Enoch) whether this is an ordinance or not I am still trying to understand. But I am of the strong opinion from remarks by President Nelson that it is something that either takes place of that we will learn about in the temple. Do we have any external evidence that this record existed? Other sources suggest this same book was still in existence and used by solomon to gain his great wisdom and knowledge. If this is true, it is also possible that Moses used the Book of Adam as the source for his knowledge of the Creation, and used that information in his writing of the Torah (the first five books of the Bible)! When added to the fact that the knowledge of God, could be passed down by word of mouth from Adam (for example, the knowledge of God came to Abraham directly from Noah and his son Shem, who in time would be called Mechizedek, King of Salem), it is clear that the ancient people had both oral and written records of the creation and a full and complete knowledge of the existence of God and His laws. “Great wisdom was needed for building the ark, which was to have space for all beings on earth, even the spirits. Only the fishes did not have to be provided for. Noah acquired the necessary wisdom from the book given to Adam…in which all celestial and earthly knowledge is recorded. Other sources from early Christian work called the Book of the Bee further tells that Abraham also received a wooden staff originally owned by Adam, who had cut it from the tree of good and evil.(The Book Of The Bee 30 or 50 depending on version) The tradition that these earliest sacred records were kept in a chest raises the tantalizing possibility that what Abraham had may have had essentially an ark of the covenant or something like which would be built centuries later by Moses, for that later ark would likewise be a wooden chest housing the sacred records. And as the later ark would serve as God's throne in the portable tabernacle and finally in the temple, so the chest that Abraham had may have served the same function in the temples that tradition also credits Abraham with building. Where did Abraham get the records of his fathers from? “Noah took the book…before his death, he entrusted it to Shem, and he in turn to Abraham. From Abraham it descended through Jacob, Levi, Moses, and Joshua to solomon, who learnt all his wisdom from it, and his skill in the healing art, and also his mastery over the demons.” (Legends of the Jews 1:154-156) The greater, Melchizedek Priesthood was taken from Israel when they rebelled against God. They continued with the lesser, Aaronic Priesthood, until Jesus Christ. Gen 19 see also Moses 6:4-9. ] even the patriarchs,concerning the right of Priesthood, [ Or the Priesthood and the line of authority. So what do you think that Abraham learned from these records about the priesthood? Let's look at D&C 131:1-3. ] the Lord my God preserved in mine own hands ; [ Because Abraham has remained faithful while his father has not done so God made sure that the ancient holy records where placed in the hands of one whom would use them to further Gods work. ] therefore a knowledge of the beginning of the creation , [ This would have been recorded first hand by Adam (Moses 6:5). ] and also of the planets, and of the stars, [ 1 Enoch contains extensive astronomical material,(1 Enoch 72-82) 2 Enoch records that God told Enoch "all the things of heaven and earth..., the sun and the moon and the stars, their courses and their changes."(2 Enoch 23:1) And in 3 Enoch, Enoch explains "the Holy One ... has given to every single star a name," for "as it is written, 'He counts the number of the stars and gives each of them a name.'" (3 Enoch 46:2) The same thing that the Lord will tell Moses, as recorded in the Book of Moses, that "the heavens ... are many, and... cannot be numbered unto man; but they are numbered unto me, for they are mine." (Moses 1:37). Abraham would have also learned from the books of Enoch what God revealed to Enoch about the premortal existence, the rebellion and expulsion of Satan, and the creation. In 2 Enoch 29:4-5, God says: "But one from the order which one of the archangels deviated, together with the division that was under his authority. He thought up the impossible idea, that he might place his throne higher than the clouds which are above the earth, and that he might become equal to my power. And I hurled him from the height, together with his angels." (Charlesworth, Old Testament Pseudepigrapha, 1:148.) Abraham would have also read what we can read in the Book of Moses about God teaching Enoch that "thy brethren... are the workmanship of mine own hands, and I gave unto them their knowledge in the day I created them; and in the Garden of Eden, gave I unto man his agency" (7:32). Similarly, in 2 Enoch the Lord tells Enoch that "I created man ... and I gave him his free will; and I pointed out to him the two ways -light and darkness. And I said unto him, 'This is good for you, but that is bad'" Abraham also would have read about the fall of man, as we can read in Enoch's record in the Book of Moses (6:48- 49,53-56). Enoch's record records: Adam said to Seth, his son, "You have heard, my son, that God is going to come into the world after a long time, (he will be) conceived of a virgin and put on a body, be born like a human being, and grow up as a child. He will perform signs and wonders on the earth, will walk on the waves of the sea. He will rebuke the winds and they will be silenced. He will motion to the waves and they will stand still. He will open the eyes of the blind and cleanse the lepers. He will cause the deaf to hear, and the mute to speak. He will straighten the hunchbacked, strengthen the paralyzed, find the lost, drive out evil spirits, and cast out demons. "He spoke to me about this in Paradise when I picked some of the fruit in which death was hiding. 'Adam, Adam, do not fear. You wanted to be a god; I will make you a god, not right now, but after a space of many years. I am consigning you to death. ... But after a short time there will be mercy on you because you were created in my image, and I will not leave you to waste away in Sheol. For your sake I will be born of the Virgin Mary. For your sake I will taste death and enter the house of the dead. ... And after three days, while I am in the tomb, I will raise up the body I received from you. And I will make you a god just like you wanted. And I will receive favor from God, and I will restore to you and to your posterity that which is the justice of heaven." (Testament of Adam 3:1-4, in Charlesworth, Old Testament Pseudepigrapha, 1:994) Abraham would have read what we can read in restored scripture about how Adam, after being expelled from the garden, obeyed the Lord's commandments by "offering the firstlings of [his] flocks, for an offering unto the Lord" without understanding why. (Moses 5:6-8) And then he would have learned that his future ministry required the authority originally possessed by Enoch, who passed it in to his firstborn son, Methuselah, and who "was not taken, that the covenants of the Lord might be fulfilled" (Moses 8:2). ] as they were made known unto the fathers, have I kept even unto this day, and I shall endeavor to write some of these things [ Again we only get part of what there is. Someday we will get the rest. Remember that Adam was given to see and know whatsoever should befall his posterity unto the latest generation. (D&C 107:54-56,41). Abraham's writings are not mentioned in the Bible, but are referred to in numerous ancient sources, ( "The Compositions of Abraham," ) which indicate that these writings were handed down through the generations and highly prized. The Qur'an, mentions that the descendants of Ishmael had "the books ... of Abraham"(Qur'an 53:36-37, in A. Y. Ali, Qur'an, 1449) or "the scriptures of Abraham." (Qur'an 53:36-37, in M. M. Ali, Qur'an, 1005) More evidence of the extent and content of those records is found among Isaac's descendants. "There is a tradition," reports the Talmud, "that the [tractate on idolatry of our father Abraham contained four hundred chapters."(Abodah Zarah 14b, in Epstein, Babylonian Talmud) The Talmud further mentions a book of Jasher as being a book of Abraham, (Abodah Zarah 25a, in Epstein, Babylonian Talmud. Jasher is "the book of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob) and asserts that Abraham is the author of Psalm 89, or at least part of it.(Baba Bathra 15a, in Epstein, Babylonian Talmud) Jewish tradition further attributes the Sefer Yetzirah, a text on Creation, to Abraham,(See Kaplan, Sefer Yetzirah) and specifically tells that it was one of the books that Abraham's grandson Jacob possessed.(Schwartz, Tree of Souls, 363-364, citing Zohar Hadash, Yitro 37b) Among Alexandrian scholars in the thirdan authoritative author on the subject of astronomy, and scholars in the early centuries a.d. even claimed to quote from his astronomical writings.(James E. Bowley, "The Compositions of Abraham," in Reeves, Tracing the Threads, 228- 33) An early Christian sect had a book they called the Revelation of Abraham, and the Zoroastrians purportedly had books written by Abraham.(See Calmet, An Historical ... Dictionary, 1:25-26; and Haug, Essays on... the Parsis, 16) The Qumran community on the shores of the Dead Sea had what scholars now call the Genesis Apocryphon, most of which is an account of Abraham, and most of that written in first person.(1QapGen, in Martinez and Tigchelaar, Dead Sea Scrolls Study Edition, 1:28-49) The Apocalypse of Abraham is entirely written in first person, (Apocalypse of Abraham, in Charlesworth, Old Testament Pseudepigrapha, 1:681-711) as is the Book of Abraham. ] upon this record, for the benefit of my posterity that shall come after me .[ Who is he writing this for? His Posterity which is whom? We are. “... for as many as receive this Gospel shall be called after thy name, and shall be accounted thy seed, and shall rise up and bless thee, as their father;” (Abr 2:10) What does this suggest? This is the underlying reason why Abraham went to get the sealing powers of the priesthood for his posterity. During this period of time to our knowledge there were no temples on the earth. So the ordinances of the gospel, including the endowment were given in the home. Hence the patriarchal order. AN EGYPTIAN ENDOWMENT A Summary of Hugh Nibley's The Message of the Joseph Smith Papyri : An Egyptian Endowment by Dr. Kelly Ogden, Professor of the Jerusalem Center, Israel Digitized by Glen W. Chapman - Dec 1999

Perhaps the greatest assistance received by Joseph Smith in re-instituting the temple ordinances on the earth was the papyrus scrolls.containing the Book of Abraham. These scrolls may have contained, it addition to that portion recorded in the Pearl of Great Price, information on the endowments. Facsimile number 2 strongly indicates a direct connection. Figure seven states:"Represents God sitting upon his throne, revealing through the heavens the grand key words of the Priesthood." The next figure is interpreted but Joseph Smith refused to reveal that interpretation, noting instead, "(it) contains writings that cannot be revealed unto the world: but is to be had in the Holy Temple of God." Obviously the Pearl of Great Price only contains part of the original translation: additional parts are found in the Temple.But what was information on the endowment doing in the scrolls in the first place? To answer it should be remembered that this material was Abraham's in origin. The most important thing in his life was his initiation into the Priesthood and receiving a fullness of the endowment.This came as no accident. Abraham tells us, "I sought for the blessings of the fathers, and the right whereunto I should be ordained to administer the same." (P. of G. P. Abr. 1:2) This is an interesting point for it shows that even among the apostate idle worshippers (which Abraham's father was) there was knowledge about Priesthood, and Abraham deliberately set out to get it,following the prescribed requirements. This special knowledge had direct temple bearing, for Abraham states that through it one could become 'a father of many nations." Further he says, "I sought mine fathers concerning the seed..' (Abraham 1:3, 4) This all ties into the eternal marriage covenants, the crowning ordinance of the temple rite.The Egyptians were highly interested in Abraham and his record because Abraham had everything they wanted and could not get ---viz, the Priesthood. It is not surprising they would cherish any information they could get from or about Abraham, the Priesthood and endowment.The papyrus' important to the Egyptian priest (whose copy it was) can be seen from the fact that it was placed in his sarcophagus. Only the most important things to the individual were packed there. Since there is not a lot of room in there,he had to be very selective about what he chose to have the mortician pack. One can understand that the priest wanted to hang on to (even in death) the sacred truths he believed he had found. What can be said of this priest's intelligence can be said of the Egyptian Intelligence in general.The Egyptians were some of the most realistic and practical people that ever lived on the earth. If something worked, and worked well, they continued to use it for centuries. Their engineering ability was perfected very early in their culture and then used over and over with only slight modification or alteration. The best evidence of their practicality is their art forms which were made to last. Statues never have arms out-stretched: they are held rigidly to the side with the stone between the arm and the body left in place. This assured strength and permanancy. All relief work is cut deep to last. Of course, that is what they had in mind. It was supposed to endure for eons and it has.Being realists, the Egyptians recognized that mankind faces only two main problems.Once these two were solved, all other difficulties could be easily surmounted. What were these two problems? First, how to stop dying. The Egyptians were really bothered by the fact that people kept dying no matter how much they wanted or how hard they tried to slay alive. The Egyptians were intensely Interested in how to gain immortality.The second problem was closely related to it,and that was: once you are dead, what are you going to do? Sitting around on clouds strumming harps did not appeal to them. Nor did a continual repetition of the vicissitudes and sorrows of earth life hold any attraction. They felt the only way to be was as God--grand, powerful, majestic. So they set out to find out how to do it. Their ancient legends told of men who had been able to hold in abeyance the forces of physical death, gain control over the earth, and build a city In which the gods came down and dwelt. This, of course, was a historical corruption of the achievements of Enoch and the people of Zion.One of the major reasons the Egyptians failed was because they would recognize no God but their own and no priesthood but their own--and they had neither, so they kept falling. Their Pharoahs, who supposedly held the key of life, kept right on dying. Nevertheless, the Egyptians kept right on trying the old worn-out ways, believing if they used what they had, more would eventually be given.so Egyptian life revolved around the temple, forthere, it was believed. the secret to eternal life was held. Their concern for the after-life and ideas of eternal progression make their theology closer to Mormonism than any other ancient people except the Hebrews. But this is as it should be 1 considering that the very first Pharoah knew the truth and sought. "to imitate that order established by the fathers in the first generations (after Noah)." (Abraham 1:26) He could not hold the Priesthood, being Negro, but he and subsequent priests feigned claim to It through Ham and deliberately set up a copy as closely as they could to the Priesthood order of government and temple worship. The Egyptians realized the key to eternal life was In the temple. There it was that man could find god, be taught His ways, and learn the key-words which would break the bands of mortality and give eternal life. The Pharoah was supposed to know the divine incantation by which he and, after him, his people could overcome death and ascend to the gods.Unfortunately, the Pharoahs kept dying just like everyone else. The Egyptians, however, had no alternative plan except, of course, accepting the truth from the Hebrew prophets. But, then, who wants to do that. so, they kept shoving their Pharoahs through the temple hoping each time it would do some good.The priests were the guardians of the keywords and other formulas, as well as the ritual by which these were learned by the Pharoahs. The Pharoah could receive them only in the temple,and it was his job to learn them so well he could put the divine incantation together at the veil and say the words which would bring life to all Egypt.The following "Egyptian endowments" come from the Egyptian sacred writings known to us as the "Book of Breathings." Professor HughW. Nibley of Brigham Young University has studied this book and associated material In depth. He has concluded that, "If the Egyptian endowment was but an imitation, it was still a good one, and we maybe able to learn much from It. . . (Hugh Nibley, The Message of the Joseph Smith Papyri : An Egyptian Endowment(Deseret Book Co.,Salt Lake City, 1975, p. xiii.)) The material below is extracted and condensed from his work. For the covenience of the students who would like to pursue this information further, this writer has noted the page numbers in parentheses where the material is located in Dr. Nibley's work.The Egyptians understood the true purpose of temples. They were the University of God in which men could be schooled in eternal principles.Their early temples were the center of the study of the cosmos(the word cosmos, which in Greek actually means to order or arrange) and the relationship of mankind thereto. It was at the temple that the heavens were closest to the earth. The temple was an earthly sanctuary but carefully oriented to the celestial order, thereby becoming the connecting link between man and deity. The two stately pylons which stood at the front of each temple were so arranged that the sun would rise exactly between them at the equinoxes. By this means the rites of the temple were timed in perfect coordination with the motions of the cosmos and at a set moment each year the temple basked In the full splendor of the Sun's celestial glory.The purpose of the temple was to capture the Sun's light which the Egyptians believed was a source of knowledge and power. so their structures were designed as scale models of the universe and the pylons were made in such a way as to direct the light inward and downward into the depths of the building. Stone slabs were placed in such a way as to form narrow apertures through which the sunlight would pass along the walls of the otherwise dark interior, in brilliant contrast of light and darkness; illuminating marked off areas at set times, suggesting god's presence in a fallen world. (154) The Egyptians, being Sun worshippers, believed that the Sun's light was a source of knowledge and power which, once understood, the initiate could use to become deified. These universal principles by which godhood would be obtained were revealed through the temple ritual. (104, 153-54, 157) Therefore, the Egyptians felt that the temple held the keys by which they could learn the secrets of obtaining eternal life and permanently secure it for themselves. However, it was not on a merely individual basis. Their idea of progression after earth life included the family and so provision was made to have the initiate's family sealed to him in the next world. (15-16, 88, 142) In order to receive these blessings, the initiate had to obey certain laws such as renouncing all bad passions and desires, consecrating himself to the work and show willingness to sacrifice all things necessary. (124,214) In this way, his own desires and deeds would be increasingly identified with that of god and godhood. All movement in the temple is toward this goal. The closer one approaches deity by penetrating deeper and deeper into the temple 1 the higher the law he must be willing to live. Thus, there is a continual narrowing of the gap between his nature and that of god until in the holy of holies they actually merge.(92, 161) The one word which most nearly expressed what the temple was about was "sensen" (~~) i.e. breathing. But the Egyptian verb "to breathe" meant much more than merely taking a breath. It was indicative of the most intimate and close association between parties--e.g. to join the company of and become one with the gods, i.e. to fuse or have an indwelling relationship with them. (9, 92) Thus the temple was the house of power and life. Knowledge was the secret of controlling the power and gaining eternal life. (155) Before the initiate could enter the temple he had to go through a purification ritual In an annex outside of the temple. This ritual consisted of two parts. (98-99) First, the ceremonial cleansing from abominations so the initiate would not pollute the temple. (93) Further, the ceremony insured that each part of the body, by virtue of remaining 1) pure and 2) intact, would never again lose its proper function. (106) The areas washed and blessed were: the eyes to see,the ears to hear, the mouth to speak, the legs to walk , the mind to think and remember, and the groin to procreate. (111) The whole was symbolic of a rebirth and a partaking of godly power ora reuniting of the body with power forever. (67, 106)The second part of the ritual was the coronation by which one was anointed a priest and king. This was a very sacred part of the ceremony. (98-99) Again various parts of the body were particularly noted. Oil or ointment were placed on the head, cranium, eye brows, ears, lips, shoulders, arms, heart (breast), stomach, buttocks, thighs, legs, feet and toes, in that order. (112) Once this was complete the candidate received a white ceremonial garment, thus showing he was properly cleansed and empowered to be instructed in the mysteries of becoming a god. (93) Along with this he received a new name. This he had to remember in order to live hereafter. The name was guarded, for to possess knowledge of another's name was to have some power over him. This applied even to the gods, for to grasp the meaning of the name was to understand the nature of the being. (141) Once this was accomplished, the initiate entered into the temple proper. The ceremony was not static but progressed from room to room, the order being ever deeper penetration into the temple and its teachings. (115) The first area of the temple was the hall of the two Ma'ats. Ma'at was a female deity who symbolized every principle of social order and the entire concept of godhead. The presence of Ma'at is necessary at the moment one enters the temple to guarantee that one is a bona-fide candidate for eternal glory and is qualified to enter the holy place. For Ma'at's presence signifies all is correct and in order, the equivalent of a temple recommend. (116-17) The first part of the temple ritual took the form of a mystery play complete with stage, props and actors. In the hall of Geb and Shu the. creation of earth and man was enacted. (126)The characters involved in the creation were Thoth and Atum but these are working under the direction of a higher god to whom they must continually report their progress. (132) It is Atum(The name Atum is derived from the verb t-m, tem, meaning to finish or to complete, which scholars interpret as referring to Atum himself as the perfected one or the complete one, or as a reference to him as the finisher of the world.) who has the key role in the play. In the heavens he is known as the god Re, but when he descends to Earth his name is changed. Its meaning is:Creator, collective sum of all other beings, all embracing. More extended it means: sum, totality--the combining of all preexistent beings into one archetype who then represents all beings who come after. Scholars have noted his close identity with Adam. (133-34) The creator of the man Atum is Ptah but again he is only an agent working under the direction of an even greater god know as Amon.He is the supreme god, source of all power. He is also the hidden one, the one with whom the fallen world cannot associate. (134) Atum is created asleep, Ptah and Amon awaken him by giving him the breath of life. (148) He Is instructed then introduced to the lady whom he calls the mother of all. (151)The next stage of the ritual takes place in a beautiful garden. Here they pause and partake of refreshments. The garden is the home of the Ished tree. When they eat of its fruit their nature is changed. Things are not as they were before.(176) To further complicate things the female companion has altercations with a serpent. It represents corruption and destruction. For its deeds in trying to defeat the woman by preaching false doctrine, it Is deprived of its arms and legs symbolizing that it will never be able to rise infull power and might again and its vulnerable head is made easy prey for the foot of man. (179-80) All parties are then forced to take a long and dangerous journey. Fire and sword keep the serpent from the Garden but not the man. He must eventually overcome all things and return to that blissful state and when he does return there will be no serpent to ruin the tranquility. (181-98) As the party passes from room to room they symbolically undergo a change of nature.This is dramatized by changing the costume along the way. (165) As the initiate and his company begin the long and dangerous journey back to glory they don special clothing for protection for their eternal life is in danger. Knowledge is revealed to them along the way by divine beings sent from the gods. Atum becomes the guide and all must follow him. (190, 194)The purpose is to overcome the adversary which is done by escaping his power and by cleansing themselves of all legal and moral problems. (209-10)Transition from one stage to another is done by passing through narrow gates which represent rebirth. Also the progression was shown by mounting steps, thus symbolically going from a lower level of order to a higher. However, the initiate was not allowed to go through the gate unless certain formulas, creeds, and pass-words were known. (212) The initiate was able to escape the power of evil by using different names along the way which act as code word. (215-17) It Is during this stage of the endowment that a puzzling practice was engaged in. This was the ritual wounding or blows struck upon the body of the candidate. These served to remind him that he was in real danger of losing his life unless he was careful. However, so sacred was this that what goes along with it, and to promise that he would not do certain things. These were: not to be light-minded, speak evil, steal, be contentious, hard hearted, or impure, etc. (218-220)The climax of the ritual was the divine embrace when the initiate was clasped to the breast of Amon. This part of the ceremony was weighed with meaning and was the goal of all the consecration. (241) It represented the acceptance back of the candidate and through it there was an infusing of power by which he was joined to the sun-god Re and received everlasting dominion. (243-44) It was not a sign of affection but of communion between two beings.(243) It symbolized indissoluble togetherness,an enduring relationship between god and man and the actual binding of the two (244)The embrace also had the feature of being a recognition rite. The candidate was expected to give to the priest certain passwords in response to certain questions put to him. In part of the ritual a certain formula was exchanged which had to be repeated back exactly. This formula is not written out anywhere but it is shown by use of three symhoIs : Ankh, Was, and Djed .These however do give a clue to what it was all about. Ankh is the navel string and is associated with health and life. Was represents power, dominion, and lordship while Died is associated with the backbone and represents life, durability, stability and protection.This last ceremony took place at a veil. Not a small one but a large theatrical type. It symbolized the separation between time and eternity and was believed to open up on an uninterrupted passage devoid of all obstacles--eternal progression. (245) The veil had four elements associated with it which are also on the garments worn by the initiate and both followed the same pattern. (246-47)Once the candidate had received the embrace he could he united with the gods in their realm. So the veil was parted and he stepped through. The ceremony ended in a blaze of glory.for the candidate stepped out into a court onto which was reflected from a pyramid the full power of the sun thus symbolizing the joining of the candidate with Re. (147, 253)Perhaps one last point should here be noted for the consideration of the reader. No one actually went through the temple in the sense of going in one door and out another for all leave by the same door they entered. The ancients realized there was only one path but it lead in two directions--forward or backward. The temple stood on the path, gave knowledge, strength and power by which one could face the trials back in the real world and eventually gain exaltation.(258) ]