Old Testament Revision 2
Old Testament Revision 2
Source Note
Source Note
Old Testament Revision 2, ca. 8 Mar. 1831–5 Apr. 1831 and late July 1832–July 1833; handwriting of , , and ; 119 pages; CHL.
The Bible revision manuscripts remained in JS’s possession throughout his life—except during a brief period in 1838 and another in 1839. Upon the death of JS, the manuscript was in possession of his wife for over twenty years, until 1867 when she gave it to her son so that the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (RLDS church) could publish it. It was in the possession of the RLDS church (now Community of Christ) until 2024, when The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints acquired it. The manuscript is now held at the Church History Library in Salt Lake City.
Note: The transcript of Old Testament Revision 2 presented here is used with generous permission of the Brigham Young University Religious Studies Center. It was published earlier, with some differences in style, in Scott H. Faulring, Kent P. Jackson, and Robert J. Matthews, eds., Joseph Smith's New Translation of the Bible: Original Manuscripts (Provo, UT: Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University, 2004), 583–851.
Footnotes
Call, “Copied from the Journal of Anson Call”; Cooper, “Spiritual Reminiscences, No. 2,” Autumn Leaves (January 1891): 9, 18.
Call, Anson. “Copied from the Journal of Anson Call,” 1879. CHL. MS 4783.
Cooper, F. M. “Spiritual Reminiscences.—No. 2,” Autumn Leaves 4, no. 1 (Jan. 1891): 17–20.
Emma Smith Bidamon, Nauvoo, IL, to Joseph Smith III, Plano, IL, 10 Feb. 1867, CCLA.
Bidamon, Emma Smith. Materials, 1842–1871. CCLA.
The Holy Scriptures: Translated and Corrected by the Spirit of Revelation ([Plano, IL]: [Reorganized] Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, 1867).
Historical Introduction
Historical Introduction
In June 1830, JS and began recording a revelation related to Moses and other prominent Old Testament figures. (See Visions of Moses, June 1830 [Moses 1].) Over the next three years, this work expanded into what is now designated the Book of Moses and a complete revelatory re-reading of the Bible, an endeavor that came to be known as JS’s “New Translation,” or Bible revision. Initially, JS and his scribes, including Cowdery, , , and , created a sixty-one-page manuscript containing a narrative account of the visions of Moses and a revised version of the Old Testament book of Genesis, from the beginning to chapter 24, verse 41. This manuscript is currently designated Old Testament Revision 1.
JS set aside work on the new translation of the Old Testament when instructed in a March 1831 revelation to instead begin work on New Testament texts. (Revelation, ca. 7 Mar. 1831 [D&C 45:60–61].) Shortly thereafter, was directed by revelation to “write & keep a regulal [regular] history & assist my servant Joseph in Transcribing all things which shall be given him.” (Revelation, ca. 8 Mar. 1831–B [D&C 47:1].) Among other undertakings, he proceeded to create a duplicate copy of the existing sixty-one-page Old Testament manuscript. This second manuscript, featured here, is now designated Old Testament Revision 2. At the same time, JS commenced work on the New Testament and continued until July 1832 (Letter to William W. Phelps, 31 July 1832), resulting in two manuscripts, currently designated as New Testament Revision 1 and New Testament Revision 2.
After the completion of his new translation of the New Testament in late July 1832, JS resumed his revision of the Old Testament, now assisted by as scribe. When this work resumed, it was ’s copy, Old Testament Revision 2, that became the working manuscript for the rest of the Old Testament. A year later, Frederick G. Williams noted the completion of work on the text, writing at the end of Malachi, “Finished on the 2d of July 1833.”
Old Testament Revision 2 contains 119 pages. The first fifty-nine pages contain ’s copy of Old Testament Revision 1. At first, JS continued his earlier practice of having entire verses written out in the manuscript to record a change. After several pages, however, he switched to a procedure that he had adopted during his translation work on the New Testament. Rather than record an entire verse, JS marked his copy of the Bible as he read in it, indicating where a change should be made. In the manuscript, wrote the scripture reference and the specifics of the revisions, thus saving time and space. In effect, the notations made in JS’s Bible, coupled with his scribes’ inscriptions in Old Testament Revision 2, now constituted the revision project.
In total, JS made changes to about 1,300 Old Testament verses (Faulring et al., Joseph Smith’s New Translation of the Bible, 5). The introduction to Old Testament Revision 1 on the Joseph Smith Papers website notes some of the significant passages in the Book of Moses and JS’s revision of Genesis chapters 1–24. Some of the more prominent revisions, clarifications, and corrections JS incorporated into Old Testament Revision 2 included important material related to Joseph of Egypt added to the latter chapters in Genesis; a clarification in Exodus regarding the hardening of Pharaoh’s heart; and additions to Isaiah 29 foretelling the coming forth of the Book of Mormon (Faulring et al., Joseph Smith’s New Translation of the Bible, 589).
Note: The transcript of Old Testament Revision 2 presented here is used with generous permission of the Brigham Young University Religious Studies Center. It was published earlier, with some differences in style, in Scott H. Faulring, Kent P. Jackson, and Robert J. Matthews, eds., Joseph Smith's New Translation of the Bible: Original Manuscripts (Provo, UT: Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University, 2004), 583–851.
Did labour with him. </> & he <Adam> knew her <his wife,> & she bear unto him <2/> Sons & daughters, & they began to multiply, & to replenish the Earth, the earth & from that time forth, the the sons & daughters of Adam, began to divide two & two in the land, & to till the land, & to tend flocks, & they also begat sons & daughters. </> <3/> & Adam called upon the name of the lord, & Eve also, his wife; & they heard the voice of the lord from the way towards the garden of Eden, speaking unto them, & they saw him not; for they were shut out from his presence; & he gave unto him commandment, that they should worship the Lord their God; & should offer the firstlings of their flocks for an offering unto the Lord. </> & Adam was obedient unto the commandments <4/> of the Lord. & after many days, an Angel of the Lord appeared unto Adam, saying why dost thou offer Sacrifices unto the Lord? & Adam said unto the him, I know not, save the Lord commanded me. & then the Angel Sp[o]ke, saying, this thing is a similitude of the Sacrifice of the only begotten of the Father, which is full of grace & truth, Wherefore, thou shalt do all that thou doest, in the name of the Son. </> & thou shalt repent, & call upon God, in the name of the Son, forever<5/>more. </> And in that day, the Holy Ghost fell upon Adam, which <5/> beareth record of the Father & the Son Saying I am Jesus Christ <the only begotten of the father> from the begining hence forth & forever; that as thou hast fallen, thou mayest be redeemed, & all mankind, even as many as will. </> & in that day, Adam blessed God & was filled <6/> <with the Holy Ghost> & began to prophecy concerning all the families of the Earth saying Blessed be the name of God, for <because of> my transgression for <mine eyes are opened> <&> in this life, I shall have Joy, & again, in the flesh, I shall see God. & eve, his wife heard all these things, & was Glad, saying were it not for our transgression we should never had seed, & should never had seed known good & evil & the Joy of our redemption & the eternal life which God giveth unto all the obedient. </>
<5 Chap>
<1> And Adam & Eve blessed the name of God; & they made all things known unto their sons & their daughters. & satan came also among them saying I am also a Son of God; & he commanded them, saying, believe it not, & they believed it not; & loved Satan more then God. & men began from that time forth, to be carnal, sensual & devlish. </> & the Lord God, called [p. 10]
Source Note
Source Note
Document Transcript
Document Information
Document Information
Footnotes
Footnotes
TEXT: Line numbers written down left margin in graphite: 16, 22, 27, 28, 30, 31, 36, 38.
TEXT: Insertion in graphite.
TEXT: “1” enclosed in a box.
TEXT: Strikethrough possibly an unintentional inkblot.
TEXT: Strikethrough possibly an unintentional inkblot.
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