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Potential Mistranslations in the Book of Moses
Book of Moses | Potential Mistranslations
Potential Mistranslations in the Book of Moses
Summary: Professor Kent Jackson, a retired professor of ancient scripture, published an academic article on February 27, 2026 that argued that the use of "mark" in Genesis 4:15 is erroneous.[1] Instead, the underlying Hebrew term should be translated as "sign," such that the passage reads, "And the Lord said unto him, Therefore whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold. And the Lord set a sign upon Cain, lest any finding him should kill him" (emphasis added). Professor Jackson had recently completed a new translation of the book of Genesis in 2025, entitled Genesis: A New English Translation which he published with BYU's Religious Studies Center. Thus, Jackson's opinion on this matter is well-studied and considered. A majority of translations retained "mark" in their renderings of Genesis 4:15.
The problem with Jackson's conclusion is that the corresponding passage in Joseph Smith's revision of Genesis retains "mark." Thus, the passage reads, "And I the Lord said unto him: Whosoever slayeth thee, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold. And I the Lord set a mark upon Cain, lest any finding him should kill him" (Moses 5:40).
Notes
- ↑ Kent P. Jackson, "The Lord Gave Cain a Sign," Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship 68 (2026): 119–32.