D&C 12:1-9
Doctrine & Covenants > Section 12
This page would ideally always be under construction. You are invited to contribute.
Contents
Historical setting
This heading should be brief and explain facts about the historical setting that will help a reader to understand the section. Click the link above and to the right to edit or add content to this heading. →
- Received: late May 1829 at Harmony, Pennsylvania
- Prior section in chronological order: D&C 11
- Next section in chronological order: D&C 14
Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery began translating the Book of Mormon at Harmony, Pennsylvania on April 7, 1829. The Aaronic Priesthood was restored by John the Baptist about six weeks later on May 15 as Joseph and Oliver continued translating at Harmony. Two weeks later, about the first of June, Joseph and Oliver left Harmony to escape rising persecution and moved to the Whitmer home at Fayette, New York, where they finished translating about the end of June, three months after they began.
Several significant church history events occurred in late May during Joseph and Oliver's last two weeks at Harmony. Incomplete records make it uncertain when many events occurred, but the following events may have occurred in about the following order. While there is room for reasonable disagreement regarding the "perhaps" items on this list, the list as a whole paints a picture of the general circumstances surrounding the receipt of D&C 11 and D&C 12.
- • May 15, restoration of the Aaronic Priesthood by John the Baptist as recounted in D&C 13, translation perhaps at 3 Ne 11
- • perhaps receipt of D&C 10:38-70 instructing Joseph to translate the small plates of Nephi in place of the lost 116 page manuscript
- • perhaps restoration of the Melchizedek Priesthood by Peter, James and John during a trip between Harmony and Colesville
- • May 25, baptism of Samuel Smith at Harmony
- • Hyrum Smith visits Harmony from Palmyra, receipt of D&C 11
- • Joseph Knight Sr. visits Harmony from Colesville, perhaps bringing provisions, receipt of D&C 12
- • first of June, David Whitmer arrives at Harmony to carry Joseph and Oliver in his wagon to Fayette
For a brief overview of D&C 12 in historical relation to the rest of the Doctrine & Covenants, see D&C: Historical Overview. For lengthier discussions of the historical setting, see Historical Context of the Doctrine & Covenants, chapter 3 or Church History in the Fulness of Times, chapter 5.
Summary
This heading should be brief and may include an outline of the section. Click the link above and to the right to edit or add content to this heading. →
D&C 12 was given to Joseph Knight Sr. but is addressed to "all those who have desires to bring forth and to establish this work." (D&C 12:7).
Discussion
This heading is for more detailed discussions of all or part of a passage. Discussion may include the meaning of a particular word, how a doctrinal point is developed throughout the passage, insights to be developed in the future, and other items. Contributions may range from polished paragraphs down to a single bullet point. The focus, however, should always be on understanding the scriptural text consistent with LDS doctrine. Click the link above and to the right to edit or add content to this heading. →
Points to ponder
This heading is for prompts that suggest ways in which all or part of this passage can influence a person's life. Click the link above and to the right to edit or add content to this heading. →
I have a question
This heading is for unanswered questions and is an important part of the continual effort to improve this wiki. Please do not be shy, as even a basic or "stupid" question can identify things that need to be improved on this page. Click the link above and to the right to edit or add content to this heading. →
Relation to other scriptures
This heading is for notes about the relationship of this section to other sections and passages. Click the link above and to the right to edit or add content to this heading. →
Related sections and chapters
Parallel passages
Text transmission and circulation
This heading is for notes about the history of the section and when it became widely known to the general church membership. Click the link above and to the right to edit or add content to this heading.
- The oldest surviving copy of D&C 12 is ______.
- D&C 12 was first published in the 1833 Book of Commandments, the earliest edition of what we now call the Doctrine & Covenants.
- The text of D&C 12 in significant editions of the Doctrine & Covenants can be found at:
Resources
This heading is for listing links and print resources, including those cited in the notes. A short comment about the particular strengths of a resource can be helpful. Click the link above and to the right to edit or add content to this heading. →
Notes
Footnotes are not required but are encouraged for factual assertions that average readers cannot easily evaluate for themselves, such as the date of King Solomon’s death or the nuanced definition of a Greek word. In contrast, insights rarely benefit from footnoting, and the focus of this page should always remain on the scriptures themselves rather than what someone has said about them. Links are actively encouraged on all sections of this page, and links to authoritative sources are preferable to footnotes.
