Abr 3:21-25
From Feast upon the Word (http://feastupontheword.org). Copyright, Feast upon the Word.
The Pearl of Great Price > The Book of Abraham > Chapter 3
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Questions
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Lexical notes
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Exegesis
Verse 21
This verse read differently until the 1981 edition of the scriptures. Of the several manuscripts of the Book of Abraham (none of which were written in Joseph's hand), one has an alternate reading that was (in 1981) replaced with the more common reading. The text used to read "deliver" instead of "declare" in the first part of this verse: "I now, therefore, have come down unto thee to deliver unto thee the works which my hands have made...." While "declare" certainly seems to make more sense, if "deliver" is the correct reading, there may be an entirely different way of understanding this verse (and its implications for the whole of Abraham 3). (It might well be noted that "deliver" appears in verse 20. This may be a reason on the one hand to reject the alternate reading, and on the other hand to accept it. It may be that, on the one hand, some scribe copying accidently glanced at verse 20 rather than at verse 21 while copying, thus producing the alternate text. It may be that, on the other hand, the Lord used deliver in two very different senses to tie them together, and this may suggest a powerful literary tie in these two verses. If this were the case, the more common rendering might be explained as a later "cleaning up" that became quickly adopted by other scribes who worked on the Book of Abraham.)
If, then, "deliver" is the correct reading, Abraham's experience here might be similar to Enoch's experience as described in Moses 7, one in which he is exalted and receives the right to sit on the very throne of God.
Related links
Verse 23
- "[T]hou wast chosen before thou wast born...": Compare Gen 11:26 where Abraham was the tenth generation patriarch from Noah, the prior major patriarch mentioned in the old testament, just as Noah was the tenth generation patriarch from Adam (cf. Gen 5:29). This similarity suggests both Abraham and Noah were foreordained to become great patriarchs.
- For a poetic attempt to think the possibility of reading "deliver" in verse 21, see User: Joe Spencer/who is like God.
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