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The Book of Abraham and Joseph Smith's Hebrew Classes with Joshua Seixas
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The Book of Abraham and Joseph Smith's Hebrew Classes with Joshua Seixas
Summary: Several transliterations of Hebrew words in the Book of Abraham stem from Joseph Smith's classes with Rabbi Joshua Seixas. Critics allege that this constitutes plagiarism on the part of Joseph Smith.
The following chart demonstrates similarities to Joshua Seixas' Manual Hebrew Grammar (1834):[1]
| Book of Abraham Transliteration | Manual Hebrew Grammar (1834) Transliteration | Society of Biblical Literature Transliteration | Hebrew |
|---|---|---|---|
| Raukeeyang (Facsimile 1, Fig. 12; Fac. 2, Fig. 4) | raukeeyagn | rāqîʿa | רָקִיעַ |
| Shaumau (Fac. 1, Fig. 12) | *shaumau | *ŝāmāh | שָׁמָה* |
| Shaumahyeem (Fac. 1, Fig. 12) | shaumayeem | ŝāmayîm | שָׁמַיִם |
| Kokob (Abraham 3:13) | kokaub | Kôkāb | כּוֹכָב |
| Kokaubeam (Abraham 3:13, 16) | kokaubeem | kôkābîm | כּוֹכָבִים |
| Hah-ko-kau-beam (Fac. 2, Fig. 5) | hakokaubeem | ha-kôkābîm | הַכּוֹכָבִים |
| Gnolaum (Abraham 3:18) | gnolaum | ʿôlām | עוֹלָם |
Notes
- ↑ Taken from Stephen O. Smoot, "Joseph Smith Jr. as a Translator: The Book of Abraham as Case Study," Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship 64 (2025): 357.