Evidences for the Book of Abraham's Authenticity - Revision history

SpencerMarsh at 16:51, 12 March 2026

2026-03-12T16:51:21Z

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	<small>[[Book of Abraham]] > <span style="color:#7BB375">Evidence of Authenticity</span></small>		<small>[[Book of Abraham]] \| <span style="color:#7BB375">Evidence of Authenticity</span></small>
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SpencerMarsh at 16:51, 12 March 2026

2026-03-12T16:51:13Z

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	<small>[[Book of Abraham]] > <span style="color:#7BB375">~~Evidences for the Book~~ of ~~Abraham's~~ Authenticity</span></small>		<small>[[Book of Abraham]] > <span style="color:#7BB375">Evidence of Authenticity</span></small>
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SpencerMarsh at 16:11, 18 February 2026

2026-02-18T16:11:28Z

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SpencerMarsh at 07:12, 8 January 2026

2026-01-08T07:12:44Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 07:12, 8 January 2026
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	\| content = Another lion couch scene has been discovered which actually includes Abraham's name. The wording under the figure states "Abraham epi" ("Abraham upon" in the Greek) and then it becomes unintelligible. Abraham's name is encircled. Though there is some valid doubt to be raised, one can make a compelling argument that the encircling of Abraham's name is the identification of Abraham as the one lying on the lion couch.<ref>John Gee, "[https://scripturecentral.org/archive/periodicals/journal-article/abracadabra-isaac-and-jacob Abracadabra, Isaac, and Jacob]," ''Review of Books on the Book of Mormon'' 7, no. 1 (1995): 19–84.</ref>		\| content = Another lion couch scene has been discovered which actually includes Abraham's name. The wording under the figure states "Abraham epi" ("Abraham upon" in the Greek) and then it becomes unintelligible. Abraham's name is encircled. Though there is some valid doubt to be raised, one can make a compelling argument that the encircling of Abraham's name is the identification of Abraham as the one lying on the lion couch.<ref>John Gee, "[https://scripturecentral.org/archive/periodicals/journal-article/abracadabra-isaac-and-jacob Abracadabra, Isaac, and Jacob]," ''Review of Books on the Book of Mormon'' 7, no. 1 (1995): 19–84.</ref>

	[[~~File~~:Abraham.lion.couch.jpg\|thumb\|500px\|center\|Photo appearing in John Gee, "[https://www.lds.org/ensign/1992/07/research-and-perspectives-abraham-in-ancient-egyptian-texts Research and Perspectives: Abraham in Ancient Egyptian Texts]," ''Ensign'' 22, no. 7 (July 1992): 60. Caption: "A lion couch scene appears in Leiden Papyrus I 384 (PGM xii). The outline marks Abraham’s name, written in Greek. (Courtesy of Rijksmuseum van Oudheden.)" (click to enlarge)]]		[[Image:Abraham.lion.couch.jpg\|thumb\|500px\|center\|Photo appearing in John Gee, "[https://www.lds.org/ensign/1992/07/research-and-perspectives-abraham-in-ancient-egyptian-texts Research and Perspectives: Abraham in Ancient Egyptian Texts]," ''Ensign'' 22, no. 7 (July 1992): 60. Caption: "A lion couch scene appears in Leiden Papyrus I 384 (PGM xii). The outline marks Abraham’s name, written in Greek. (Courtesy of Rijksmuseum van Oudheden.)" (click to enlarge)]]
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	\| content = Smoot, Gee, Muhlestein, and Thompson explain that the Book of Abraham’s opening genealogy—where Egypt was first discovered by a woman who is the daughter of Ham and “Egyptes”—actually appears in the earliest 1835 manuscript with the names “Zeptah” (for Ham’s wife) and “Egyptes” (for their daughter), rather than the later published form Egyptus found in the 1842 edition of the Book of Abraham. They show that Zeptah is very similar to the known ancient Egyptian name Siptah (sꜣ Ptḥ), meaning “son of Ptah,” and that names with Ptah were attested in ancient Egyptian records from Abraham’s time, which suggests the Book of Abraham preserves a name that could reflect genuine Egyptian linguistic material rather than a random English invention. Because this points to Egyptian‑style names appearing in the earliest manuscript form before publication, the article can be used by Latter‑day Saints to argue that the Book of Abraham contains authentic ancient Egyptian details in its original form, supporting the view that the text reflects something rooted in the ancient world rather than purely 19th‑century composition.{{read more\|url=https://byustudies.byu.edu/article/zeptah-and-egyptes}}		\| content = Smoot, Gee, Muhlestein, and Thompson explain that the Book of Abraham’s opening genealogy—where Egypt was first discovered by a woman who is the daughter of Ham and “Egyptes”—actually appears in the earliest 1835 manuscript with the names “Zeptah” (for Ham’s wife) and “Egyptes” (for their daughter), rather than the later published form Egyptus found in the 1842 edition of the Book of Abraham. They show that Zeptah is very similar to the known ancient Egyptian name Siptah (sꜣ Ptḥ), meaning “son of Ptah,” and that names with Ptah were attested in ancient Egyptian records from Abraham’s time, which suggests the Book of Abraham preserves a name that could reflect genuine Egyptian linguistic material rather than a random English invention. Because this points to Egyptian‑style names appearing in the earliest manuscript form before publication, the article can be used by Latter‑day Saints to argue that the Book of Abraham contains authentic ancient Egyptian details in its original form, supporting the view that the text reflects something rooted in the ancient world rather than purely 19th‑century composition.{{read more\|url=https://byustudies.byu.edu/article/zeptah-and-egyptes}}
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SpencerMarsh at 07:03, 8 January 2026

2026-01-08T07:03:41Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 07:03, 8 January 2026
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	\| content = Smoot, Gee, Muhlestein, and Thompson explain that the creation account in the Book of Abraham (chapters 4–5) is similar not just to the Bible’s story in Genesis but also to ancient creation myths from Egypt and Mesopotamia, where people described creation as organizing chaos rather than creation out of nothing, and often listed events in a similar order, like separating heaven from earth and forming humans and animals. For example, the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coffin_Texts Coffin Texts] and some Mesopotamian myths begin with a dark, watery chaos and then talk about how the sky and earth were formed—parallels that are close enough that ancient Egyptians could recognize common ideas when hearing Abraham’s teachings. These similarities help place the Book of Abraham’s creation story in a real ancient Near Eastern context rather than making it seem completely foreign to the ancient world. For Latter-day Saints, this can be used to show that the way creation is described in the Book of Abraham fits with how people in Abraham’s time and region thought about beginnings, and that these shared ideas make the text more understandable as part of ancient creation traditions.{{read more\|url=https://byustudies.byu.edu/article/ancient-near-eastern-creation-myths}}		\| content = Smoot, Gee, Muhlestein, and Thompson explain that the creation account in the Book of Abraham (chapters 4–5) is similar not just to the Bible’s story in Genesis but also to ancient creation myths from Egypt and Mesopotamia, where people described creation as organizing chaos rather than creation out of nothing, and often listed events in a similar order, like separating heaven from earth and forming humans and animals. For example, the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coffin_Texts Coffin Texts] and some Mesopotamian myths begin with a dark, watery chaos and then talk about how the sky and earth were formed—parallels that are close enough that ancient Egyptians could recognize common ideas when hearing Abraham’s teachings. These similarities help place the Book of Abraham’s creation story in a real ancient Near Eastern context rather than making it seem completely foreign to the ancient world. For Latter-day Saints, this can be used to show that the way creation is described in the Book of Abraham fits with how people in Abraham’s time and region thought about beginnings, and that these shared ideas make the text more understandable as part of ancient creation traditions.{{read more\|url=https://byustudies.byu.edu/article/ancient-near-eastern-creation-myths}}
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			\| title = ===Another Lion Couch Scene that Mentions Abraham===
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			\| content = Another lion couch scene has been discovered which actually includes Abraham's name. The wording under the figure states "Abraham epi" ("Abraham upon" in the Greek) and then it becomes unintelligible. Abraham's name is encircled. Though there is some valid doubt to be raised, one can make a compelling argument that the encircling of Abraham's name is the identification of Abraham as the one lying on the lion couch.<ref>John Gee, "[https://scripturecentral.org/archive/periodicals/journal-article/abracadabra-isaac-and-jacob Abracadabra, Isaac, and Jacob]," ''Review of Books on the Book of Mormon'' 7, no. 1 (1995): 19–84.</ref>

			[[File:Abraham.lion.couch.jpg\|thumb\|500px\|center\|Photo appearing in John Gee, "[https://www.lds.org/ensign/1992/07/research-and-perspectives-abraham-in-ancient-egyptian-texts Research and Perspectives: Abraham in Ancient Egyptian Texts]," ''Ensign'' 22, no. 7 (July 1992): 60. Caption: "A lion couch scene appears in Leiden Papyrus I 384 (PGM xii). The outline marks Abraham’s name, written in Greek. (Courtesy of Rijksmuseum van Oudheden.)" (click to enlarge)]]
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SpencerMarsh at 06:10, 27 December 2025

2025-12-27T06:10:30Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 06:10, 27 December 2025
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	<small>[[~~Book of Abraham Sandbox\|~~Book of Abraham]] > <span style="color:#99B36C">Evidences for the Book of Abraham's Authenticity</span></small>		<small>[[Book of Abraham]] > <span style="color:#99B36C">Evidences for the Book of Abraham's Authenticity</span></small>
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SpencerMarsh at 06:02, 26 December 2025

2025-12-26T06:02:06Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 06:02, 26 December 2025
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	\| title = ===Abraham's Astronomy===		\| title = ===Abraham's Astronomy===
	\| state = closed		\| state = closed
	\| content =Latter-day Saint Egyptologists Stephen O. Smoot, John Gee, Kerry Muhlestein, and John S. Thompson explain that Chapter 3 of the Book of Abraham and Facsimile 2 include an ancient view of the stars and planets, which they call Abrahamic astronomy, and that different scholars have offered several ways to understand this section. One strong idea they describe is that the astronomy in the Book of Abraham fits an ancient geocentric view of the universe, meaning people long ago thought the sky and heavenly bodies revolved around the earth—similar to how ancient Egyptians pictured the heavens. They show that this ancient model helps make sense of the text and teaches gospel ideas in ways Abraham’s people could understand, even though it doesn’t match modern science. For Latter-day Saints, this article can be used to show that the Book of Abraham’s astronomy makes sense in the context of ancient Near Eastern thinking and isn’t just a modern invention, helping readers appreciate the text as something that could reflect an authentic ancient worldview rather than ~~only~~ a modern ~~description~~.{{read more\|url=https://byustudies.byu.edu/article/abrahamic-astronomy}}		\| content =Latter-day Saint Egyptologists Stephen O. Smoot, John Gee, Kerry Muhlestein, and John S. Thompson explain that Chapter 3 of the Book of Abraham and Facsimile 2 include an ancient view of the stars and planets, which they call Abrahamic astronomy, and that different scholars have offered several ways to understand this section. One strong idea they describe is that the astronomy in the Book of Abraham fits an ancient geocentric view of the universe, meaning people long ago thought the sky and heavenly bodies revolved around the earth—similar to how ancient Egyptians pictured the heavens. They show that this ancient model helps make sense of the text and teaches gospel ideas in ways Abraham’s people could understand, even though it doesn’t match modern science. For Latter-day Saints, this article can be used to show that the Book of Abraham’s astronomy makes sense in the context of ancient Near Eastern thinking and isn’t just a modern invention, helping readers appreciate the text as something that could reflect an authentic ancient worldview rather than a modern one.{{read more\|url=https://byustudies.byu.edu/article/abrahamic-astronomy}}
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	\| title = ===Abraham's Converts in Haran===		\| title = ===Abraham's Converts in Haran===
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	\| content =Smoot, Gee, Muhlestein, and Thompson explain that when Abraham and his family left Haran in the Book of Abraham, the text says they took with them “the souls that we had won in Haran” (Abraham 2:15), which means they brought people they had helped join God’s covenant, not just servants or property. They compare this to the similar passage in Genesis 12:5 and show that ancient Jewish interpreters also read it as people Abraham converted rather than as slaves, so the Book of Abraham’s wording makes sense in that ancient context. The article presents Abraham as a missionary who taught and gathered people to follow God before he journeyed to Canaan. For Latter-day Saints, this article can be used to support the idea that the Book of Abraham’s account fits with ancient understandings of conversion and shows Abraham’s faith-filled efforts to share God’s message, which helps readers see the Book of Abraham as grounded in real ancient themes rather than ~~only~~ modern ~~language~~.{{read more\|url=https://byustudies.byu.edu/article/abrahams-converts-in-haran}}		\| content =Smoot, Gee, Muhlestein, and Thompson explain that when Abraham and his family left Haran in the Book of Abraham, the text says they took with them “the souls that we had won in Haran” (Abraham 2:15), which means they brought people they had helped join God’s covenant, not just servants or property. They compare this to the similar passage in Genesis 12:5 and show that ancient Jewish interpreters also read it as people Abraham converted rather than as slaves, so the Book of Abraham’s wording makes sense in that ancient context. The article presents Abraham as a missionary who taught and gathered people to follow God before he journeyed to Canaan. For Latter-day Saints, this article can be used to support the idea that the Book of Abraham’s account fits with ancient understandings of conversion and shows Abraham’s faith-filled efforts to share God’s message, which helps readers see the Book of Abraham as grounded in real ancient themes rather than modern ones.{{read more\|url=https://byustudies.byu.edu/article/abrahams-converts-in-haran}}
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	\| title = ===Abrahamic Legends and Lore===		\| title = ===Abrahamic Legends and Lore===
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	\| content =Smoot, Gee, Muhlestein, and Thompson explain that many Jewish, Christian, and Islamic stories about Abraham—called extrabiblical traditions—contain details similar to the Book of Abraham, such as Abraham facing idolatry, living through a famine in the Chaldean lands, nearly being sacrificed, receiving visions of God and the stars, and engaging in astronomy with the Egyptians, which suggests these themes were part of ancient storytelling about Abraham, not just modern ideas. These legends come from sources most people in Joseph Smith’s time probably didn’t have access to and often differ in important ways, but when read alongside the Book of Abraham they show that many of its unique elements fit well with ancient traditions about Abraham rather than only nineteenth‑century ~~writing styles~~. For Latter‑day Saints, this article can be used to show that the Book of Abraham shares core ideas with long‑standing ancient Abraham stories, helping readers see the book as part of a wider ancient tradition instead of something entirely new or invented.{{read more\|url=https://byustudies.byu.edu/article/abrahamic-legends-and-lore}}		\| content =Smoot, Gee, Muhlestein, and Thompson explain that many Jewish, Christian, and Islamic stories about Abraham—called extrabiblical traditions—contain details similar to the Book of Abraham, such as Abraham facing idolatry, living through a famine in the Chaldean lands, nearly being sacrificed, receiving visions of God and the stars, and engaging in astronomy with the Egyptians, which suggests these themes were part of ancient storytelling about Abraham, not just modern ideas. These legends come from sources most people in Joseph Smith’s time probably didn’t have access to and often differ in important ways, but when read alongside the Book of Abraham they show that many of its unique elements fit well with ancient traditions about Abraham rather than only nineteenth‑century ideas about him. For Latter‑day Saints, this article can be used to show that the Book of Abraham shares core ideas with long‑standing ancient Abraham stories, helping readers see the book as part of a wider ancient tradition instead of something entirely new or invented.{{read more\|url=https://byustudies.byu.edu/article/abrahamic-legends-and-lore}}
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	\| title = ===Ancient Near Eastern Creation Myths===		\| title = ===Ancient Near Eastern Creation Myths===
	\| state = closed		\| state = closed
	\| content = Smoot, Gee, Muhlestein, and Thompson explain that the creation account in the Book of Abraham (chapters 4–5) is similar not just to the Bible’s story in Genesis but also to ancient creation myths from Egypt and Mesopotamia, where people described creation as organizing chaos rather than creation out of nothing, and often listed events in a similar order, like separating heaven from earth and forming humans and animals. For example, ~~an Egyptian text called~~ the Coffin Texts and some Mesopotamian myths begin with a dark, watery chaos and then talk about how the sky and earth were formed—parallels that are close enough that ancient Egyptians could recognize common ideas when hearing Abraham’s teachings. These similarities help place the Book of Abraham’s creation story in a real ancient Near Eastern context rather than making it seem completely foreign to the ancient world. For Latter-day Saints, this ~~article~~ can be used to show that the way creation is described in the Book of Abraham fits with how people in Abraham’s time and region thought about beginnings, and that these shared ideas make the text more understandable as part of ancient creation traditions.{{read more\|url=https://byustudies.byu.edu/article/ancient-near-eastern-creation-myths}}		\| content = Smoot, Gee, Muhlestein, and Thompson explain that the creation account in the Book of Abraham (chapters 4–5) is similar not just to the Bible’s story in Genesis but also to ancient creation myths from Egypt and Mesopotamia, where people described creation as organizing chaos rather than creation out of nothing, and often listed events in a similar order, like separating heaven from earth and forming humans and animals. For example, the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coffin_Texts Coffin Texts] and some Mesopotamian myths begin with a dark, watery chaos and then talk about how the sky and earth were formed—parallels that are close enough that ancient Egyptians could recognize common ideas when hearing Abraham’s teachings. These similarities help place the Book of Abraham’s creation story in a real ancient Near Eastern context rather than making it seem completely foreign to the ancient world. For Latter-day Saints, this can be used to show that the way creation is described in the Book of Abraham fits with how people in Abraham’s time and region thought about beginnings, and that these shared ideas make the text more understandable as part of ancient creation traditions.{{read more\|url=https://byustudies.byu.edu/article/ancient-near-eastern-creation-myths}}
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	\| title = ===Jews in Ancient Egypt===		\| title = ===Jews in Ancient Egypt===
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	\| content = Smoot, Gee, Muhlestein, and Thompson explain that Jewish people lived in Egypt for many centuries before and after the time when the Joseph Smith papyri were written, especially during the Greco‑Roman period (about 300 BC to AD 30), with large Jewish communities in cities like Alexandria, Thebes, and Oxyrhynchus, and that these communities not only brought Jewish religious texts into Egypt but also wrote new Jewish works and interacted with Egyptian culture and religion. They show that Jews lived in Egypt from at least the time of the Babylonian exile and continued to grow in number, often maintaining their identity while also exchanging ideas with Egyptians, including religious ideas, languages, and customs.⁴⁾ This helps explain how a copy of Abraham’s writings might have ended up in Egypt centuries after his lifetime—for example, an Egyptian priest could have acquired or copied it in a multicultural city where Jews and Egyptians shared texts and beliefs. For Latter‑day Saints, the article can be used to provide a plausible historical background for how the Book of Abraham could have been transmitted into Egypt and preserved on papyri, showing that ancient Egypt was home to Jewish communities that participated in literary and religious exchange rather than being isolated from Israelite religion.{{read more\|url=https://byustudies.byu.edu/article/jews-in-ancient-egypt}}		\| content = Smoot, Gee, Muhlestein, and Thompson explain that Jewish people lived in Egypt for many centuries before and after the time when the Joseph Smith papyri were written, especially during the Greco‑Roman period (about 300 BC to AD 30), with large Jewish communities in cities like Alexandria, Thebes, and Oxyrhynchus, and that these communities not only brought Jewish religious texts into Egypt but also wrote new Jewish works and interacted with Egyptian culture and religion. They show that Jews lived in Egypt from at least the time of the Babylonian exile and continued to grow in number, often maintaining their identity while also exchanging ideas with Egyptians, including religious ideas, languages, and customs. This helps explain how a copy of Abraham’s writings might have ended up in Egypt centuries after his lifetime—for example, an Egyptian priest could have acquired or copied it in a multicultural city where Jews and Egyptians shared texts and beliefs. For Latter‑day Saints, the article can be used to provide a plausible historical background for how the Book of Abraham could have been transmitted into Egypt and preserved on papyri, showing that ancient Egypt was home to Jewish communities that participated in literary and religious exchange rather than being isolated from Israelite religion.{{read more\|url=https://byustudies.byu.edu/article/jews-in-ancient-egypt}}
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	\| title = ===The Son of Man===		\| title = ===The Son of Man===
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	\| content = Smoot, Gee, Muhlestein, and Thompson explain that in the premortal council scene in Abraham 3:25–27, the Book of Abraham describes God asking which premortal spirit should be sent as the redeemer, and the one who answers first is called “one … like unto the Son of Man,” a title later associated with Jesus Christ in scripture, even though he is not explicitly named in this passage. They show that the phrase “Son of Man” has ancient roots in Jewish and apocalyptic literature (such as Daniel and later Jewish works) where it refers to a divine or exalted figure given authority and rule, and that this usage reflects ancient ways of thinking about divine messengers and heavenly figures rather than being a modern invention. For Latter‑day Saints, this article can be used to support the idea that the Book of Abraham’s language about premortal figures and divine roles aligns with ancient religious concepts about the Son of Man and Christ’s role, which helps argue that the book’s wording and themes reflect genuine ancient theological ideas rather than only 19th‑century ~~expressions~~.{{read more\|url=https://byustudies.byu.edu/article/the-son-of-man}}		\| content = Smoot, Gee, Muhlestein, and Thompson explain that in the premortal council scene in Abraham 3:25–27, the Book of Abraham describes God asking which premortal spirit should be sent as the redeemer, and the one who answers first is called “one … like unto the Son of Man,” a title later associated with Jesus Christ in scripture, even though he is not explicitly named in this passage. They show that the phrase “Son of Man” has ancient roots in Jewish and apocalyptic literature (such as Daniel and later Jewish works) where it refers to a divine or exalted figure given authority and rule, and that this usage reflects ancient ways of thinking about divine messengers and heavenly figures rather than being a modern invention. For Latter‑day Saints, this article can be used to support the idea that the Book of Abraham’s language about premortal figures and divine roles aligns with ancient religious concepts about the Son of Man and Christ’s role, which helps argue that the book’s wording and themes reflect genuine ancient theological ideas rather than only 19th‑century ideas.{{read more\|url=https://byustudies.byu.edu/article/the-son-of-man}}
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SpencerMarsh at 05:51, 26 December 2025

2025-12-26T05:51:57Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 05:51, 26 December 2025
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	\| title = ===Abraham the Seer===		\| title = ===Abraham the Seer===
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	\| content =Smoot, Gee, Muhlestein, and Thompson explain that the Book of Abraham repeatedly shows Abraham as a “seer”—someone who receives visions or sees divine things, often with the help of special instruments like the Urim and Thummim mentioned in Abraham 3:1, and that words like see and show appear again and again in the story to emphasize this idea. They argue that the way the book talks about Abraham seeing heavenly things is both one of its main themes and something readers might otherwise miss, because the text uses both clear and subtle language to paint Abraham as someone who interacts with the divine through visionary experience. For Latter-day Saints, this article can be used to help readers understand the Book of Abraham by showing that its style and focus on Abraham as a visionary figure make sense within ancient religious ideas about how prophets saw God’s will, reinforcing that the book presents Abraham in a way that fits ancient seer traditions rather than just being a modern story.{{read more\|url=https://byustudies.byu.edu/article/abraham-the-seer}}		\| content =Smoot, Gee, Muhlestein, and Thompson explain that the Book of Abraham repeatedly shows Abraham as a “seer”—someone who receives visions or sees divine things, often with the help of special instruments like the Urim and Thummim mentioned in Abraham 3:1, and that words like ''see'' and ''show'' appear again and again in the story to emphasize this idea. They argue that the way the book talks about Abraham seeing heavenly things is both one of its main themes and something readers might otherwise miss, because the text uses both clear and subtle language to paint Abraham as someone who interacts with the divine through visionary experience. For Latter-day Saints, this article can be used to help readers understand the Book of Abraham by showing that its style and focus on Abraham as a visionary figure make sense within ancient religious ideas about how prophets saw God’s will, reinforcing that the book presents Abraham in a way that fits ancient seer traditions rather than just being a modern story.{{read more\|url=https://byustudies.byu.edu/article/abraham-the-seer}}
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SpencerMarsh at 05:49, 26 December 2025

2025-12-26T05:49:36Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 05:49, 26 December 2025
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	\| title = ===Abraham's Astronomy===		\| title = ===Abraham's Astronomy===
	\| state = closed		\| state = closed
	\| content =Latter-day Saint Egyptologists Smoot, Gee, Muhlestein, and Thompson explain that Chapter 3 of the Book of Abraham and Facsimile 2 include an ancient view of the stars and planets, which they call Abrahamic astronomy, and that different scholars have offered several ways to understand this section. One strong idea they describe is that the astronomy in the Book of Abraham fits an ancient geocentric view of the universe, meaning people long ago thought the sky and heavenly bodies revolved around the earth—similar to how ancient Egyptians pictured the heavens. They show that this ancient model helps make sense of the text and teaches gospel ideas in ways Abraham’s people could understand, even though it doesn’t match modern science. For Latter-day Saints, this article can be used to show that the Book of Abraham’s astronomy makes sense in the context of ancient Near Eastern thinking and isn’t just a modern invention, helping readers appreciate the text as something that could reflect an authentic ancient worldview rather than only a modern description.{{read more\|url=https://byustudies.byu.edu/article/abrahamic-astronomy}}		\| content =Latter-day Saint Egyptologists Stephen O. Smoot, John Gee, Kerry Muhlestein, and John S. Thompson explain that Chapter 3 of the Book of Abraham and Facsimile 2 include an ancient view of the stars and planets, which they call Abrahamic astronomy, and that different scholars have offered several ways to understand this section. One strong idea they describe is that the astronomy in the Book of Abraham fits an ancient geocentric view of the universe, meaning people long ago thought the sky and heavenly bodies revolved around the earth—similar to how ancient Egyptians pictured the heavens. They show that this ancient model helps make sense of the text and teaches gospel ideas in ways Abraham’s people could understand, even though it doesn’t match modern science. For Latter-day Saints, this article can be used to show that the Book of Abraham’s astronomy makes sense in the context of ancient Near Eastern thinking and isn’t just a modern invention, helping readers appreciate the text as something that could reflect an authentic ancient worldview rather than only a modern description.{{read more\|url=https://byustudies.byu.edu/article/abrahamic-astronomy}}
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SpencerMarsh at 07:18, 22 December 2025

2025-12-22T07:18:53Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 07:18, 22 December 2025
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	<small>[[~~Main Page~~\|~~Home]] > [[~~Book of Abraham ~~Sandbox~~]] > <span style="color:#99B36C">Evidences for the Book of Abraham's Authenticity</span></small>		<small>[[Book of Abraham Sandbox\|Book of Abraham]] > <span style="color:#99B36C">Evidences for the Book of Abraham's Authenticity</span></small>
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