Joseph Smith's Explanations of Facsimile 2 of the Book of Abraham

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Joseph Smith's Explanations of Facsimile 2 of the Book of Abraham

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Facsimile 1	Joseph Smith's Explanation	Modern Egyptologists' Explanation	Commentary
Fig. 1	Kolob, signifying the first creation, nearest to the celestial, or the residence of God. 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.	In the center field, a seated figure of Re-Atum (originally with four ram heads and complex crown and scepters) is worshipped by two apes crowned with lunar disks ... Smith simply copied the heads and shoulders (with jackal extensions) of the double headed god in the upper register ... The equation of a day to a cubit is specious, and the Egyptian terms for earth do not include ... Jah-oh-eh";[101] "The word Jah-oh-eh has nothing Egyptian in it; it resembles the Hebrew word יהוה [i.e. the Tetragrammaton] badly transcribed.	Kolob, signifying the first creation. The word Kolob likely stems from the Semitic root QLB which basically means "heart, center, middle." Perhaps this is a very appropriate name for Kolob, since it is the star "nearest to the celestial, or the residence of God." Atum-Re, the god portrayed in this figure, is known as one of the primordial gods in Egyptian religion. He is associated primarily with creation. He is said in various sources to be the origin of all things that came after him. Kolob's and Atum-Re's association with primordiality is striking. First in government. The ancients conceived of planets and other astronomical bodies "governing" or "ruling" others. In Genesis, for example, the sun is said to "rule the day" and the stars and moon are said to "rule the night" (Genesis 1:16–18). One day to a cubit Latter-day Saint Egyptologists Stephen O. Smoot, John Gee, John Thompson, and Kerry Muhlestein, building on the work of Latter-day Saint scientist Hollis R. Johnson, have proposed an interpretation of this phrase that is thoroughly grounded in antiquity. The ancients measured the angles of different astronomical bodies relative to each other to measure time. In this case, Kolob is being measured from the perspective of God in cubits. One "day" in celestial time is equal to one cubit. this earth, which is called by the Egyptians Jah-oh-eh. No comment at this time.
Fig. 2	Stands next to Kolob, 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 revealed from God to Abraham, as he offered sacrifice upon an altar, which he had built unto the Lord.	A two-headed deity strides with the standard of the god Wepwawet ... The god wears a crown of double-plumes and sun-disk over horizontal horns, and jackal heads protrude from both of his shoulders. [The images] to the right of this figure [and] the altar of Facsimile 2 [are] a fabrication by Smith. ... Smith's interpretation of the deity as being 'called by the Egyptians Oliblish' is nonsense
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.	The sun god Ra, with a hawk's head, seated in his boat. In the field the two symbolical figuring, according to M. de Rougé, the fixed points of an astronomical period.
Fig. 4	Answers to the Hebrew word Raukeeyang, 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, which is equal with Kolob in its revolution and in its measuring of time.	A standard image of the mummiform god Sokar in his barque";[104] "The Hebrew word רָקִיעַ, [i.e. raqiya, the firmament], besides being badly described, has no relation whatever to this figure
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 from the revolutions of Kolob.	Hathor [the] heavenly cow strides in the center, followed by a goddess whose head is a disk with the Wedjat-Eye and who extends a water lily.
Fig. 6	Represents this earth in its four quarters.	Before the Hathor cow stand the mummiform sons of Horus [i.e. Amset, Hapi, Tioumautew, and Kebhsoniw] and a trigram for the sun god in his three manifestations
Fig. 7	Represents God sitting upon his throne, revealing through the heavens the grand Key-words of the Priesthood; as, also, the sign of the Holy Ghost unto Abraham, in the form of a dove.	Behind (and facing away from) Hathor and the goddess appears the enthroned and ithyphallic Min-Amon, in half human and half bird form, raising his arm with a flabellum. The ithyphallic serpent deity Nehebkau stands before Min-Amon, offering the Wedjat-Eye.
Figs. 8, 9, 10, 11	Contains writings that cannot be revealed unto the world; but is to be had in the Holy Temple of God. | Ought not to be revealed at the present time | Also. | Also. If the world can find out these numbers, so let it be. Amen.	Text reading: "O noble god from the beginning of time, great god, lord of heaven, earth, underworld, waters [and mountains], cause the ba-spirit of the Osiris Sheshonq to live."
Fig. 12	Will be given in the own due time of the Lord.	Upside down Hieratic text reading: "near" and "wrap"
Fig. 13	Will be given in the own due time of the Lord.	Upside down Hieratic text reading: "which made by"
Fig. 14	Will be given in the own due time of the Lord.	Upside down Hieratic text reading: "breathings"
Fig. 15	Will be given in the own due time of the Lord.	Upside down Hieratic text reading: "this book";[108] hieroglyphic text reading, "his words"
Figs. 16 and 17	Will be given in the own due time of the Lord.	Text reading: "May this tomb never be desecrated, and may this soul and its lord never be desecrated in the hereafter."
Fig. 18	Will be given in the own due time of the Lord.	Text reading: "I am the punisher in the Mansion of the Benben in Heliopolis, greatly exalted, greatly [effective], the copulating bull who has no equal, this great god in the Mansion of the Benben in Heliopolis, ... Come to the Osiris Shesonq, the justified son of ... He is that great god in the House of the Noble."
Figs. 19, 20, and 21	Will be given in the own due time of the Lord.	Text reading: "You shall be as that god, the Busirian."
Figs. 22 and 23	The stars named "Kli-flos-is-es" and "Hah-Ko-Kau-Beam," receiving light from the revolutions of Kolob.	Two apes with a horned moon-disks on their heads, in an attitude of adoration.
Conclusion	The above translation is given as far as we have any right to give at the present time.	It is evident to me that several of the figures to be found in these various MSS. have been intentionally altered.

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