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Old Testament
Bibliography by Author

This Old Testament Bibliography is based on two previous publications, with the permission and help of their primary author, David Seely:

See the icons used for the links to the available media types for an article

Citations with multiple authors are listed multiple times, once under each author’s name

A

Abegg, Martin, Peter Flint, and Eugene Ulrich, eds. The Dead Sea Scrolls Bible. New York City, NY: Harper, 1999.
Adams, L. LaMar, and Alvin C. Rencher. “A Computer Analysis of the Isaiah Authorship Problem.” Brigham Young University Studies 15, no. 1 (1974): 95-102.

No abstract available.

Keywords: Authorship; Deutero-Isaiah; Isaiah (Book)
Adams, L. LaMar. “Isaiah: Disciple and Witness of Christ.” In A Witness of Jesus Christ: The 18th Annual Sidney B. Sperry Symposium, ed. Richard D. Draper, 1–17. Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1990.
Adams, L. LaMar. “Jesus’ Commandment to Search the Words of Isaiah.” In The Old Testament and the Latter-day Saints: The 14th Annual Sidney B. Sperry Symposium, 177–92. [Salt Lake City]: Randall Book, 1987.
Adams, L. LaMar. “Job: The Man and His Message.” Ensign 12 (Mar. 1982): 72–74.
Adams, L. LaMar. “Job: The Man and His Message.” Ensign, March 1982.
Adams, L. LaMar. The Living Message of Isaiah. Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1981.
Adams, L. LaMar. “Many non-LDS scholars claim that the second half of the book of Isaiah was written after the time Lehi left Jerusalem, Yet the Book of Mormon contains material from both halves. How do we explain this?” Ensign, October 1984, 29.
Adams, L. LaMar. “A Scientific Analysis of Isaiah Authorship.” In Isaiah and the Prophets: Inspired Voices from the Old Testament, ed. Monte S. Nyman, 151–64. Provo: Religious Studies Center, BYU, 1984.

Most scholars who reject the one-man authorship of Isaiah do so because they reject prophecy

Adams, L. LaMar. “Seth.” In Encyclopedia of Mormonism, ed. Daniel H. Ludlow, 3:1299. New York: Macmillan, 1992.
Keywords: Seth
Adams, L. LaMar. “A Statistical Analysis of the Book of Isaiah in Relation to the Isaiah Problem.” Ph.D. diss., BYU, 1972.
Adams, Vivian M. “Our Glorious Mother Eve.” In The Man Adam, ed. Joseph Fielding McConkie and Robert L. Millet, 87–111. Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1990.
Adams, William James, Jr. “Jeremiah, Prophecies of.” In Encyclopedia of Mormonism, ed. Daniel H. Ludlow, 2:721. New York: Macmillan, 1992.
Keywords: Jeremiah (Prophet), Prophecy
Adams, William James, Jr. “Nephi’s Written Language and the Standard Biblical Hebrew of 600 B.C.” In Glimpses of Lehi€™s Jerusalem, eds. John W. Welch, David Rolph Seely, and Jo Ann H. Seely, 245—58. Provo, Utah: Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies, 2004.
Alder, Lydia D. “‘Thou Shalt Have No Other Gods before Me’” Improvement Era 3, no. 12, October 1900, 919–26.
Alford, Kenneth L. “‘I Will Send You Elijah the Prophet’” In You Shall Have My Word, eds. Scott C. Esplin, Richard O. Cowan, and Rachel Cope. Provo, UT: Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University, 2012.
Alford, Kenneth L., and D. Bryce Baker. “Parallels between Psalms 25–31 and the Psalm of Nephi.” In Ascending the Mountain of the Lord: Temple, Praise, and Worship in the Old Testament (2013 Sperry Symposium), eds. David Rolph Seely, Jeffrey R. Chadwick, and Matthew J. Grey, 1–11. Provo, UT: Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University, 2013.
Allen, James B. “Prologue: The Spirit of Elijah.” BYU Studies 34, no. 2 (1995): 11.
Pinegar, Ed J., and Richard J. Allen. Choose Ye This Day: Daily Inspiration from the Old Testament. American Fork, Utah: Covenant Communications, 2005.
Pinegar, Ed J., and Richard J. Allen. Latter-day Commentary on the Old Testament. American Fork, Utah: Covenant Communications, 2001.
Pinegar, Ed J., and Richard J. Allen. Teachings and Commentaries on the Old Testament. American Fork, Utah: Covenant Communications, 2005.
Allis-Pike, Jane. “Words from the Wise: Alma 36-39 through the Lens of Proverbs 1-9.” In Give Ear to My Words, eds. Kerry Hull, Nicholas J. Frederick, and Hank R. Smith. Provo, UT: Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University, 2019.
Allred, Garth L. “The Therapy of Faith.” In A Symposium on the Old Testament, 1–4. Salt Lake City: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1983.

How faith gives strength to avoid the natural fight or flight syndrome

Allred, Philip A. “Moses’ Charge to Remember.” In Covenants, Prophecies and Hymns of the Old Testament: 30th Annual Sidney B. Sperry Symposium, Stephan Taeger, ed., 55—73. Proceedings of The 30th Annual Sidney B. Sperry Symposium. Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2001.
Amistad, Modesto M., Jr. “Wanted: Modern Nehemiahs.” Ensign, December 2002.
Andersen, Todd G. Genesis Made Whole: One Complete Story of the Patriarchs. Provo, Utah: Best Books Publishing, 1989.
Anderson, Carli. “Enthroning the Daughter of Zion: The Coronation Motif of Isaiah 60-62.” Paper presented at the 2014 Temple on Mount Zion Conference. October 25, 2014.
Anderson, Gary A. The Genesis of Perfection: Adam and Eve in Jewish and Christian Imagination. Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2001.
Anderson, James H. God’s Covenant Race from Patriarchal Times to the Present. Salt Lake City: Deseret News Press, 1944.
Anderson, James H. “Notable Mothers of the Bible: Hebrew, Sarah; ‘Princess’—Mother of the Covenant Race.” Young Woman’s Journal 40 (Oct. 1929): 715–21.
Anderson, James H. The Present Time and Prophecy. Salt Lake City: Deseret News Press, 1933.
Anderson, James H. “Prophets and Prophecies: Abraham.” Young Woman’s Journal 29 (Sept. 1918): 524–26.
Anderson, James H. “Prophets and Prophecies: Daniel.” Young Woman’s Journal. 30 (Jan. 1919): 50–54.
Anderson, James H. “Prophets and Prophecies: Elijah.” Young Woman’s Journal. 29 (Oct. 1918): 578–81.
Anderson, James H. “Prophets and Prophecies: Ezekiel.” Young Woman’s Journal. 29 (Dec. 1918): 702–5.
Anderson, James H. “Prophets and Prophecies: Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph.” Young Woman’s Journal. 29 (Sept. 1918): 527–28.
Anderson, James H. “Prophets and Prophecies: Jeremiah.” Young Woman’s Journal. 29 (Dec. 1918): 700–702.
Anderson, James H. “Prophets and Prophecies: Moses.” Young Woman’s Journal. 29 (Oct. 1918): 577–78.
Anderson, James H. “Prophets and Prophecies: The Twelve Minor Prophets.” Young Woman’s Journal. 30 (Jan. 1919): 54–57.
Anderson, James H. Ten Women of the Olden Days Who Have Influenced History to the End of Time. Salt Lake City: n.p., 1929.

Includes Eve, Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel, Asenath, and Jezebel

Anderson, Richard Lloyd. “The Dead Sea Scrolls, 1947–1969.” Brigham Young University Studies 10, no. 1 (1969): 120.
Anderson, Richard Lloyd. “What Old Testament books are most quoted by the Savior?” Ensign, October 1973, 28.

Jesus showed impressive ability both to use the Old Testament and to depart from it, as he did in the Sermon on the Mount. Even speaking “as one having authority, and not as the scribes” (Matt. 7:29), he insisted that he had not come “to destroy the law, or the prophets” (Matt. 5:17).

Anderson, Sharon Price. “To Ephraim and Manasseh.” Ensign, February 2004, 15.
Anderson, Ted S. “The Mountain of the Lord’s House: Searching a Major Theme of Isaiah.” In A Symposium on the Old Testament, 5–7. Salt Lake City: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1983.
Anderson, Travis T. “Naaman, Baptism, and Cleansing.” Ensign, January 1994, 28–30.
Andreason, Bruce L. “The Mantle of Elijah.” Ensign, August 2002, 24–26.
Arp, Nathan J. “Joseph Knew First: Moses, the Egyptian Son.” Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship 32 (2019): 187-198.

Abstract: After about 1500 years of slumber, ancient Egyptian was brought back to life in the early 19th century, when scholars deciphered hieroglyphs. This revolutionary success opened the door to a reevaluation of history from the viewpoint of ancient Egypt. In the wake of this new knowledge, the first scholar posited the idea in 1849 that the name of Moses stemmed from the Egyptian word for child. Subsequently, this idea was refined, and currently the majority of scholars believe Moses’s name comes from the Egyptian verb “to beget,” which is also the root for the Egyptian word for child, or in the case of a male child, a “son.” Before this discovery and certainly before a scholarly consensus formed on the Egyptian etymology of the name of Moses, Joseph Smith restored a prophecy from the patriarch Joseph that played upon the name of Moses and its yet to be discovered Egyptian meaning of “son.” This article explores the implications of this overt Egyptian pun and its role as a key thematic element in the restored narratives in the Book of Moses.

Asay, Carlos E. “How to Help Fulfill Daniel’s Prophecy.” Ensign, October 1977.
Asay, Carlos E. “Rooted and Built Up in Christ.” In The Old Testament and the Latter-day Saints: The 14th Annual Sidney B. Sperry Symposium, 1–16. [Salt Lake City]: Randall Book, 1987.

Strengthening testimonies of Christ by using Old Testament passages

Athay, R. Grant. “Worlds without Number: The Astronomy of Enoch, Abraham, and Moses.” BYU Studies Quarterly 8, no. 3 (1968): 255-69.

“Now for this cause I know that man is nothing, which thing I never had supposed.” So lamented Moses in utter humility after seeing in vision the complexities of the planet Earth and her countless inhabitants. Shortly thereafter Moses was to see once again the earth and her. Imagine, however, his profound astonishment when, in answer to his plea for an explanation, the Lord revealed himself to Moses and told him of even more wondrous creations. “And worlds without number have I created. . . . For behold, there are many worlds that have passed away by the word of my power.” Other heavens and earths had already expired. New heavens, star systems with inhabitable planets, would be born in the distant future. Moses would surely have felt even more insignificant had not the Lord reassured him with his presence and the counsel that “all things are numbered unto me.”

Keywords: Abraham (Prophet); Astronomy; Enoch (Prophet); Moses (Prophet)
Austin, Michael. “Meditations on the Book of Esther.” Sunstone 118, April 2001, 73–75.
Austin, Richard Cartwright. “Biblical Roots for Environmental Ethics.” Sunstone 15 (Apr. 1991): 35–40.

B

Bailey, Arthur A. “What Modern Revelation Teaches about Adam.” Ensign, January 1998, 20–27.
Bair, Ted M. “Genesis: Science and Religion.” In A Symposium on the Old Testament, 8–11. Salt Lake City: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1983.
Baird, Douglas F. “Enoch, the Covenant, the Sign, and Zion Today.” In A Symposium on the Old Testament, 12–15. Salt Lake City: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1983.
Alford, Kenneth L., and D. Bryce Baker. “Parallels between Psalms 25–31 and the Psalm of Nephi.” In Ascending the Mountain of the Lord: Temple, Praise, and Worship in the Old Testament (2013 Sperry Symposium), eds. David Rolph Seely, Jeffrey R. Chadwick, and Matthew J. Grey, 1–11. Provo, UT: Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University, 2013.
Ball, Terry B., and Wilford M. Hess. “Agriculture in Lehi’s World: Some Textual, Historical, Archaeological, and Botanical Insights.” In Glimpses of Lehi€™s Jerusalem, eds. John W. Welch, David Rolph Seely, and Jo Ann H. Seely, 149—92. Provo, Utah: Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies, 2004.
Ball, Terry B. “The Earth Will Appear as the Garden of Eden.” BYU Studies Quarterly 58, no. 4 (2019): 173.
Ball, Terry B. “Isaiah and the Gentiles.” In Covenants, Prophecies and Hymns of the Old Testament: 30th Annual Sidney B. Sperry Symposium, Stephan Taeger, ed., 180–94. Proceedings of The 30th Annual Sidney B. Sperry Symposium. Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2001.
Ball, Terry B. “Isaiah and the Great Arraignment.” In Voices of Old Testament Prophets: The 26th Annual Sidney B. Sperry Symposium. Salt Lake City, Deseret Book, 1997: 46–60.

Isaiah’s indictment of Israel

Ball, Terry B. “Isaiah and the Great Arraignment.” In Voices of Old Testament Prophets: The 26th Annual Sidney B. Sperry Symposium, eds. Wright, Dennis A., Craig James Ostler, Dana M. Pike, Dee R. Darling, and Patty Smith, 46–60. Provo, UT: Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University, 1997.
Ball, Terry B. “Isaiah and the Great Arraignment.” In Sperry Symposium Classics: The Old Testament, ed. Paul Y. Hoskisson, 196-208. Provo, UT: Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University, 2005, 196-208.
Ball, Terry B. “Isaiah and the Latter-day Temple.” In An Eye of Faith: Essays in Honor of Richard O. Cowan, ed. Kenneth L. Alford and Richard E. Bennett, 31–45. Provo, UT: Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University, 2015.
Ball, Terry B. “Isaiah and the Messiah.” In Approaching Holiness, eds. Krystal V. L. Pierce and David Rolph Seely. Provo, UT: Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University, 2021.
Ball, Terry B. “Isaiah and the Restoration of Israel.” In A Witness for the Restoration, eds. Kent P. Jackson and Andrew C. Skinner. Provo, UT: Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University, 2007.
Ball, Terry B., and Spencer S. Snyder. “Isaiah in the Doctrine and Covenants.” In You Shall Have My Word, eds. Scott C. Esplin, Richard O. Cowan, and Rachel Cope. Provo, UT: Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University, 2012.
Ball, Terry B. “Isaiah’s Imagery of Plants and Planting.” In Thy People Shall Be My People and Thy God My God: The 22nd Annual Sidney B. Sperry Symposium, ed. Paul Y. Hoskisson. Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1994: 17–34.

Plant imagery used to teach man’s relationship to God, the need to repent, and Israel’s future in God’s plan

Ball, Terry B. “Isaiah’s Imagery of Plants and Planting.” In Thy People Shall Be My People and Thy God My God: The 22nd Annual Sidney B. Sperry Symposium on the Old Testament, ed. Paul Y. Hoskisson 17–34. Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1994.

Plant imagery used to teach man’s relationship to God, the need to repent, and Israel’s future in God’s plan

Ball, Terry B. “Isaiah’s ‘Other’ Servant Songs.” In The Gospel of Jesus Christ in the Old Testament, eds. D. Kelly Ogden, Jared W. Ludlow, and Kerry Muhlestein. Provo, UT: Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University, 2009.
Ball, Terry B. “Old Testament Prophets in the Book of Mormon (Lehi, Zenock, Neum, Zenos, Ezias).” In 1 Kings to Malachi, Studies in Scripture, vol. 4, ed. Kent P. Jackson, 165–77. Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1993.
Ball, Terry B. “What Is in a Name? Lessons from the Names of Old Testament Prophets.” Religious Educator Vol. 15 no. 2 (2014).
Ballantyne, Verdon W., and Larry C. Porter. “Aaronic Priesthood.” In Encyclopedia of Mormonism, ed. Daniel H. Ludlow, 1:1-4. New York: Macmillan, 1992.
Keywords: Aaronic Priesthood; John the Baptist; Levi (Tribe); Ministering of Angels
Ballantyne, Verdon W. “Levitical Priesthood.” In Encyclopedia of Mormonism, ed. Daniel H. Ludlow, 2:828. New York: Macmillan, 1992.
Keywords: Aaronic Priesthood; Levi (Tribe); Levitical Priesthood
Ballard, M. Russell. “The Law of Sacrifice.” Ensign, October 1998, 6–13.
Bandstra, Barry L. Genesis 1–11: A Handbook on the Hebrew Text. Baylor Handbook on the Hebrew Bible, ed. W. Dennis Tucker, Jr. Waco, TX: Baylor University Press, 2008.
Barker, Margaret. “What Did King Josiah Reform?” In Glimpses of Lehi€™s Jerusalem, eds. John W. Welch, David Rolph Seely, and Jo Ann H. Seely, 523—42. Provo, Utah: Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies, 2004.
Barlow, Norman J. “David, King.” In Encyclopedia of Mormonism, ed. Daniel H. Ludlow, 1:359. New York: Macmillan, 1992.
Keywords: King David
Barlow, Norman J. “Mormon Contributions to Old Testament.” Sunstone 6 (Mar.–Apr. 1981): 5–7.

Letter to the editor that criticizes Melodie Moench Charles’s article “The Mormon Christianizing of the Old Testament, which appeared in Sunstone.

Barlow, Philip L. Mormons and the Bible: The Place of the Latter-day Saints in American Religion. Religion in America Series, ed. Harry S. Stout. New York: Oxford University Press, 1991.
Barlow, Philip L. “Why the King James Version? From the Common to the Official Bible of Mormonism.” Dialogue 22, no. 2 (1989): 19–42.
Barnes, C. Douglas. “A Brief History of the Practice of Baptism.” Improvement Era 38, no. 10, October 1935, 595–97.
Barney, Kevin L. “Divine Discourse Directed at a Prophet’s Posterity in the Plural: Further Light on Enallage.” Journal of Book of Mormon Studies 6 no. 2 (1997).

A follow-up on a previous article on enallage provides further strength for a pattern of a speech to a prophet in which later verses seem to be addressed to both the prophet and his posterity by use of the plural ye.

Keywords: Language - Hebrew
Barney, Kevin L. “Examining Six Key Concepts in Joseph Smith’s Understanding of Genesis 1:1.” BYU Studies Quarterly 39, no. 3 (2000): 107-124.

Joseph Smith spent Sunday afternoon, April 7, 1844, in a grove behind the Nauvoo Temple. There he gave a funeral sermon, which lasted for over two hours, dedicated to a loyal friend named King Follett, who had been crushed by a bucket of rocks while repairing a well.1 Known today as the King Follett Discourse and widely believed to be the Prophet’s greatest sermon,2 this address was Joseph’s most cogent and forceful presentation of his Nauvoo doctrine on the nature of God, including the ideas of a plurality of Gods and the potential of man to become as God.3 Several times in the first part of the discourse, Joseph expressed his intention to “go back to the beginning” in searching out the nature of God, and a little before midway through the sermon, he undertook a commentary on the first few words of the Hebrew Bible in support of the speech’s doctrinal positions.

Keywords: Joseph; Jr.; King Follett Discourse; Language - Hebrew; Smith
Barney, Kevin L. “Isaiah Interwoven.” The FARMS Review 15, no. 1 (2003): 353-402.

Review of Donald W. Parry. Harmonizing Isaiah: Combining Ancient Sources.

Keywords: Isaiah (Book); Isaiah (Prophet)
Barney, Kevin L. “The Joseph Smith Translation and Ancient Texts of the Bible.” Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought 19, no. 3 (Fall 1986): 85-102.
Barney, Kevin L. “Joseph Smith’s Emendation of Hebrew Genesis 1:1.” Dialogue 30:4 (1997): 103–35.
Barney, Kevin L. “Reflections on the Documentary Hypothesis.” Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought 33, no. 1, Spring 2000, 57–99.
Barney, Kevin L. Review of David Bokovoy Authoring the Old Testament. By Common Consent, February 23, 2014.
Barney, Kevin L. “Understanding Old Testament Poetry.” Ensign 20 (June 1990): 50–54.
Barney, Kevin L. “Understanding Old Testament Poetry.” Ensign, June 1990, 50–54.
Barron, Howard H. Judah, Past and Future: L.D.S. Teachings concerning God’s Covenant People. Bountiful, Utah: Horizon Publishers, 1979.
Barthel, Mildred V. “‘Thou Shalt Not Kill’” Ensign, July 1978.
Bartholomew, Calvin H. “A Comparison of the Authorized Version and the Inspired Revision of Genesis.” Master’s thesis, BYU, 1949.
Bartholomew, Ronald Errol. “‘Follow the Prophet’: Eight Principles from 1 and 2 Kings.” Religious Educator Vol. 9 no. 1 (2008).
Bassett, Arthur R. “Joseph, Model of Excellence.” Ensign, September. 1980, 9–13.
Bassett, Arthur R. “The King Called David.” Ensign, October 1973, 63–69.
Bassett, Arthur R. “‘Thou Shalt Not Kill’” Ensign, August 1994, 26–30.
Bassett, K. Douglas. Commentaries on Isaiah in the Book of Mormon. American Fork, Utah: Covenant Communications, 2003.
Bassett, W. Mark, and Arthur R. Watkins. “Joseph, Model of Excellence.” Ensign 10 (Sept. 1980): 9–13.
Bassett, W. Mark, and Arthur R. Watkins. “The King Called David.” Ensign 3 (Oct. 1973): 63–69.
Bawden, Michael W. “Jewish Festivals, Feasts, and Holy Days: Scriptural Origins and Observances.” In A Symposium on the Old Testament, 16–19. Salt Lake City: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1983.
Bell, Albert W. The Mighty Drama of Israel and the Jew. Salt Lake City: Stevens and Wallis, 1950.
Belnap, Daniel L. “A Comparison of the Communal Lament Psalms and the Treaty-Covenant Formula.” Studies in the Bible and Antiquity 1 no. 1 (2009).

Within the corpus of psalms in the Hebrew Bible is a group known as the communal laments. Characterized by their use of the first person common plural pronoun, some type of calamity experienced by the community, and a petition to God, these psalms incorporate similar imagery, terminology, and structure. This study explores these psalms and suggests that they relate closely to the Hittite treaty-covenant formula found elsewhere in the Hebrew Bible, yet differ in that they reflect an ongoing covenantal relationship rather than the establishment of such. Thus, these psalms enphasize Israel’s expectation that God, as the senior covenantal party, will fulfill his covenantal obligations if Israel remained worthy. These psalms, therefore, are representative of the unique relationship that Israel had with her God, a relationship reflected in Latter-day Saint theology as well.

Belnap, Daniel L., and Aaron P. Schade, eds. From Creation to Sinai: The Old Testament through the Lens of the Restoration. Provo, UT: Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University, 2021.

For some, the Old Testament is a difficult volume to read, much less understand. The language, symbolism, and history depicted within it can be challenging and at times frustrating. Modern biblical research and the methodologies used in that research have opened up this book of scripture to greater understanding. So too have the restoration of the priesthood and continuing revelation, which have revealed that the Old Testament patriarchs are not simply literary examples of righteous behavior in the past but living beings who have engaged with the Saints in this dispensation. This volume incorporates both academic insights and restoration revelation, thus demonstrating the way in which both can be used to gain greater insight into these pivotal narratives. ISBN 978-1-9503-0419-6

Belnap, Daniel L. “In the Beginning: Genesis 1–3 and Its Significance to the Latter-day Saints.” In From Creation to Sinai, eds. Daniel L. Belnap and Aaron P. Schade. Provo, UT: Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University, 2021.
Schade, Aaron P., and Daniel L. Belnap. “Introduction.” In From Creation to Sinai, eds. Daniel L. Belnap and Aaron P. Schade. Provo, UT: Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University, 2021.
Skinner, Andrew C., and Daniel L. Belnap. “The Promise and the Provocation: The Sinai Narrative.” In From Creation to Sinai, eds. Daniel L. Belnap and Aaron P. Schade. Provo, UT: Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University, 2021.
Benedict, Timothy D. “Ephraim: A Prophetic Destiny.” In A Symposium on the Old Testament, 20–21. Salt Lake City: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1983.
Bennett, Richard E. “The Rising of the Holy Bible to the Restoration.” In Prelude to the Restoration, eds. Steven C. Harper, Andrew H. Hedges, Patty Smith, Thomas R. Valletta, and Fred E. Woods, 40-58. Provo, UT: Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University, 2004.
Bennion, Francine R. “Ruth.” In Encyclopedia of Mormonism, ed. Daniel H. Ludlow, 3:1239. New York: Macmillan, 1992.
Keywords: Ruth (Old Testament)
Bennion, Lowell L. “The Hebrew Prophets.” Sunstone 5 (July–Aug. 1980): 41–42.

Amos, Moses, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Elijah

Bennion, Lowell L. “The Mormon Christianizing of the Old Testament: A Response.” Sunstone 5 (Nov.–Dec. 1980): 40.

Bennion’s response to Melodie Moench Charles’s “The Mormon Christianizing of the Old Testament, which appeared in Sunstone.

Bennion, Lowell L. Understanding the Scriptures. Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1981.

Selections from this book can be found in Sunstone 6 (May–June 1981): 56–58

Bennion, Owen Cannon. “To Offer an Acceptable Sacrifice to the Lord.” Improvement Era 73, no. 9, September 1970, 64–67.

poem

Bennion, Steven D. “Abel.” In Encyclopedia of Mormonism, ed. Daniel H. Ludlow, 1:5. New York: Macmillan, 1992.
Keywords: Abel (Son of Adam)
Benson, Ezra Taft. “Keeping the Sabbath Day Holy.” Ensign, May 1971, 4–7.
Benson, Ezra Taft. “A Message to Judah from Joseph.” Ensign, December 1976, 67–72.
Benson, RoseAnn, and Shon D. Hopkin. “Finding Doctrine and Meaning in Book of Mormon Isaiah.” Religious Educator Vol. 15 no. 1 (2014).
Benson, RoseAnn. “Lot: Likened to Noah.” In From Creation to Sinai, eds. Daniel L. Belnap and Aaron P. Schade. Provo, UT: Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University, 2021.
Benson, RoseAnn. “The Title of Liberty and Ancient Prophecy.” Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship 23 (2017): 299-307.

Abstract: Captain Moroni cites a prophecy regarding Joseph of Egypt and his posterity that is not recorded in the Bible. He accompanies the prophecy with a symbolic action to motivate his warriors to covenant to be faithful to their prophet Helaman and to keep the commandments lest God would not preserve them as he had Joseph.

Bergsma, John Sietze, and Scott Walker Hahn. “Noah’s Nakedness and the Curse on Canaan (Genesis 9:20-27).” Journal of Biblical Literature 124, no. 1 (Spring 2005): 25-40.
Berkey, Kimberly M. “‘Thou Shalt Be Silent’: Literary Allusions to Isaiah 6:1-8 in Luke 1:5-25.” Studies in the Bible and Antiquity 5 no. 1 (2013).

Luke 1:5-25 shares several themes and type-scenes in common with other biblical narratives, and yet one major allusion has often been overlooked: its connection with Isaiah 6:1-8. Like the first chapter of Luke, Isaiah 6 is also a prophetic call narrative that takes place in the temple, involves and angelic encounter, and explores the themes of silence and language. Despite the centrality of the temple in Israelite theology, temple epiphanies are surprisingly uncommon in the Hebrew Bible. Furthermore, in no other biblical texts does the recipient of the vision encounter an angel specifically at the temple’s altar. Where Zechariah is struck dumb, Isaiah also finds himself unable to speak and must have his language cleansed prior to his prophetic task. Because these are the only two texts in the Bible that share these convergences, it is clear that Luke intentionally alluded to Isaiah 6:1-8 in crafting the opening of his narrative. This allusion helps inform his audience about Jewish theology, sets John the Baptist apart as a prophetic figure, and introduces Luke’s later use of Isaiah 6:9-10 in Luke-Acts.

Berrett, LaMar C. “Adam-Ondi-Ahman.” In Encyclopedia of Mormonism, ed. Daniel H. Ludlow, 1:19. New York: Macmillan, 1992.
Keywords: Adam-ondi-Ahman
Berrett, LaMar C. Discovering the World of the Bible. Provo, Utah: Young House, 1973. Revised with D. Kelly Ogden, Provo, Utah: Grandin Book, 1996.
Berrett, LaMar C. “How did the Israelites sustain themselves for 40 years?” Ensign, October 1973, 58.
Bird, Randall C. “Moses and the Passover.” Ensign, February 2002, 31–33.
Bishop, Gary L. “The Tradition of Isaiah in the Book of Mormon.” Master’s thesis, BYU, 1974.
Madsen, Ann N., and Susan Easton Black. “Joseph and Joseph: ‘He Shall Be Like unto Me’ (2 Nephi 3:15).” In The Old Testament and the Latter-day Saints: The 14th Annual Sidney B. Sperry Symposium, 125–40. [Salt Lake City]: Randall Book, 1987.
Blodgett, Terry M. “Tracing the Dispersion.” Ensign, February 1994, 64–70.

Linguistic studies used to trace the scattering of Israel

Boehm, Bruce J. “Wanderers in the Promised Land: A Study of the Exodus Motif in the Book of Mormon and Holy Bible.” Journal of Book of Mormon Studies 3 no. 1 (1994).

Lehi’s exodus to the promised land is only the first of a series of exoduses occurring throughout the Book of Mormon. Indeed, Lehi’s exodus becomes mere precedent for later flights into the wilderness by Nephi, Mosiah, Alma1, Limhi, and the Anti-Nephi-Lehies. For the Nephites, continuing exodus is not merely historical fact. Understanding the biblical exodus as a type and shadow, the Nephites come to see their wandering as a metaphor of their spiritual condition. Thus, even centuries after Lehi’s arrival in the promised land, Nephite prophets recognize their status as “wanderers in a strange land” (Alma 13:23). As did Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the Nephites also looked beyond their temporal land of promise “for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God” (Hebrews 11:10).

Boehm, Bruce J. “Wanderers in the Promised Land: A Study of the Exodus Motif in the Book of Mormon and Holy Bible.” Journal of Book of Mormon Studies 3, no. 1 (1994): 187–203.
Bokovoy, David E. Authoring the Old Testament: Genesis-Deuteronomy. Contemporary Studies in Scripture. Salt Lake City, UT: Greg Kofford Books, 2014.
Bokovoy, David E. “The Calling of Isaiah.” In Covenants, Prophecies and Hymns of the Old Testament: 30th Annual Sidney B. Sperry Symposium, Stephan Taeger, ed., 128—39. Proceedings of The 30th Annual Sidney B. Sperry Symposium. Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2001.
Bokovoy, David E. “From Distance to Proximity: A Poetic Function of Enallage in the Hebrew Bible and the Book of Mormon.” Journal of Book of Mormon Studies 9, no. 1 (2000): 60-63, 79-80.

This essay analyzes examples of poetry in the Hebrew Bible and the Book of Mormon that do not conform to the standards to which prose is typically confined. Each of these poems contains a syntactic device that scholars have come to identify by the term enallage (Greek for “interchange”). Rather than being a case of textual corruption or blatant error, the grammatical variance attested in these passages provides a poetic articulation of a progression from distance to proximity.

Keywords: Enallage; Grammar; Language; Language - Hebrew; Poetic; Poetry; Structure
Bokovoy, David E. “From the Hand of Jacob: A Ritual Analysis of Genesis 27.” Studies in the Bible and Antiquity 1 no. 1 (2009).

Genesis 27 is a story that depicts a series of ancient ritual performances. The narrative recounts the time when Jacob, the son of Isaac, received his father’s blessing by means of an act of deception. As an account that contains explicit examples of performances designed to set the activities apart from other less sacred occurrences, the blessing story in Genesis 27 contains features of what scholars refer to as \"ritualization\" in narrative. Ritualization can be defined as actions designed to distinguish and privilege what is being done in comparison to other, usually more commonplace, activities. Ritualization can assist those of a lesser status in accomplishing their objectives that stand in opposition to the desires of the powerful. When read as ritualization in narrative, Genesis 27 can be interpreted as an account that portrays the use of ancient temple and sacrificial imagery in order to secure a sacred blessing.

Bokovoy, David E. “On Christ and Covenants: An LDS Reading of Isaiah’s Prophetic Call.” Studies in the Bible and Antiquity 3 no. 1 (2011).

This article illustrates that for Latter-day Saints, the Book of Mormon can function as an interpretive guide to Isaiah’s writings. The analysis explores some ways in which the Book of Mormon can aid in identifying textual meaning in the story of Isaiah’s prophetic commission, especially on the topic of Christ and covenants. Lehi’s call narrative in the Book of Mormon shares much in common with Isaiah 6. Based on analogy with Lehi’s comparable dream, LDS readers can connect the seraph that interacts personally with Isaiah to Jesus Christ—that is, the Being with great luster who descends out of heaven to meet with the Book of Mormon prophet.

Bokovoy, David E., and John A. Tvedtnes. Testaments: Links between the Book of Mormon and the Hebrew Bible. Tooele, Utah: Heritage, 2003.

**Only a selection of these chapters are available for online reading. An introduction to several key literary, cultural, linguistic, and religious connections between the Book of Mormon and the Old Testament. Since 1830, millions of people have read the Book of Mormon and studied its claims for ties with the ancient world. The Book of Mormon begins with references to Jerusalem and the Hebrew Bible. Readers often wonder to what extent the Book of Mormon reflects the literary, cultural, and religious world of ancient Israel. In the book Testaments, these and other issues are carefully addressed in a reader-friendly style. The authors, David E. Bokovoy and John A. Tvedtnes illustrate that the Book of Mormon shares much in common with the Old Testament. These exciting links provide clear evidence that the Book of Mormon and the Hebrew Bible serve as related testaments of the Savior Jesus Christ and his restored gospel.

Keywords: Altar; Bible; Clothing; Colophon; Covenant; Death; Dream; Enallage; Hell; Isaiah; Jesus Christ; Joseph (of Egypt); King Benjamin; Language; Language - Hebrew; Prayer; Prophet; Repentance; Savior; Superscript; Symbolism; Vision; Wilderness; Wisdom
Bokovoy, David E. “‘Thou Knowest That I Believe’: Invoking The Spirit of the Lord as Council Witness in 1 Nephi 11.” Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship 1 (2012): 1-23.

Abstract: The Book of Mormon features an esoteric exchange between the prophet Nephi and the Spirit of the Lord on an exceedingly high mountain. The following essay explores some of the ways in which an Israelite familiar with ancient religious experiences and scribal techniques might have interpreted this event. The analysis shows that Nephi’s conversation, as well as other similar accounts in the Book of Mormon, echoes an ancient temple motif. As part of this paradigm, the essay explores the manner in which the text depicts the Spirit of the Lord in a role associated with members of the divine council in both biblical and general Near Eastern conceptions. .

Brown, S. Kent, Douglas A. Stewart, David L. Bollinger, and Terry L. Niederhauser. “Israel.” In Encyclopedia of Mormonism, ed. Daniel H. Ludlow, 2:705. New York: Macmillan, 1992.
Keywords: Covenant, Gathering of Israel, Israel, Lost Ten Tribes, Scattering of Israel
Book of Mormon Central, Jeffrey M. Bradshaw, and Matthew L. Bowen. “Essay #18: The Teachings of Enoch — ‘Out of the Waters of Judah’ (1 Nephi 20:1; JST Genesis 17:3–7).” In Pearl of Great Price Central; The Interpreter Foundation. August 29, 2020.
Book of Mormon Central, Jeffrey M. Bradshaw, David J. Larsen, and Stephen T. Whitlock. “Essay #33: Moses 1 in Its Ancient Context: Moses 1 as a ‘Missing’ Prologue to Genesis (Moses 1).” In Pearl of Great Price Central; The Interpreter Foundation. December 12, 2020.
Book of Mormon Central, and Jeffrey M. Bradshaw. “Essay #76: Noah (Moses 8): Was Noah’s Ark Designed as a Floating Temple? (Moses 8:22–30; Genesis 6:5–22; chapters 7–8).” In Pearl of Great Price Central; The Interpreter Foundation. October 09, 2021.
Book of Mormon Central, and Jeffrey M. Bradshaw. “Essay #77: Noah (Moses 8): Was Noah Drunk or in a Vision? (Genesis 9).” In Pearl of Great Price Central; The Interpreter Foundation. October 16, 2021.
Book of Mormon Central. “Can Chiasmus Survive Translation?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #343. July 24, 2017.
Keywords: Chiasmus; Translation; Parallelism; Hebrew; Bible; Old Testament; New Testament; Ancient Greek; Evidence
Book of Mormon Central. “Can Textual Studies Help Readers Understand the Isaiah Chapters in 2 Nephi?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #39. February 23, 2016.
Keywords: Textual Criticism; Critical Text; Isaiah; Joseph Smith; Joseph Smith Translation; Nephi; Textual Variants; Church History; Book of Mormon Translation; Restoration
Book of Mormon Central. “Did a ‘Magic World View’ Influence the Coming Forth of the Book of Mormon?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #538. October 31, 2019.
Keywords: Folk Magic; Seer Stone; Money Digging; Treasure Seeking; Book of Mormon Translation; Joseph Smith; Church History; Ancient Israelite Religion; High Priest; Urim and Thummim; Mesoamerica; Divination
Book of Mormon Central. “Did Abinadi Prophesy During Pentecost?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #90. May 2, 2016.
Keywords: Abinadi; King Noah; Mosiah; Legal; Law of Moses; Pentecost; Ancient Israelite Religion; Shavuot; Ancient Judaism; Psalms
Book of Mormon Central. “Did Interactions with ‘Others" Influence Nephi’s Selection of Isaiah?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #45. March 2, 2016.
Keywords: Nephi; Isaiah; New World; Gentiles; Promised Land
Book of Mormon Central. “Did Lehi Quote Shakespeare?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #26. February 4, 2016.
Keywords: Shakespeare; Lehi; Afterlife; Underworld; Ancient Near East; Nephi; Death; Hell; Ancient Israelite Religion; Bible; Old Testament; Evidence
Book of Mormon Central. “Did Pre-Christian Prophets Know About Christ?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #12. January 15, 2016.
Keywords: Heavenly Father; Jesus Christ; God; Yahweh; El; Ancient Israelite Religion; Ancient Canaanite Religion; Ancient Near East; New Testament; Old Testament; Bible; Ancient Judaism; Hebrew; Names; Book of Mormon Names; Etymology; Archaeology; Ancient Israel; Divine Council; Evidence
Book of Mormon Central. “Did Prophets Such as Ezekiel Know the Writings of Zenos?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #440. June 12, 2018.
Keywords: Bible; Old Testament; Ezekiel; Intertextuality; Allegory of the Olive Tree; Jacob
Book of Mormon Central. “Does Psalm 22 Really Say ‘They Pierced My Hands and My Feet’?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #641. August 9, 2022.
Keywords: Bible; Old Testament; Jesus Christ; Atonement; Crucifixion; Psalms; Dead Sea Scrolls; Septuagint; Masoretic Text; Critical Text; Hebrew
Bradshaw, Jeffrey M., Book of Mormon Central, and Stephen T. Whitlock. “Essay #77: Noah (Moses 8): Was Noah Drunk or in a Vision? (Genesis 9).” The Interpreter Foundation website. October 16, 2021.
Book of Mormon Central. “Has An Artifact That Relates to the Book of Mormon Been Found?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #103. May 19, 2016.
Keywords: Archaeology; Mulek; Mosiah; Zedekiah; Jeremiah; Bible; Old Testament; Zarahemla; Mulekites; Babylon; Hebrew; Etymology; Evidence
Book of Mormon Central. “Has the Prophecy of the Lord’s House Established in the Mountains been Fulfilled?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #41. February 25, 2016.
Keywords: Nephi; Isaiah; Mountain; Temples; Sacred Space; Heavenly Ascent; Holy Ascent; Prophecy; Salt Lake Temple; Jerusalem; Zion; Restoration
Book of Mormon Central. “How a Tangent About Foreordination Helps Explain Repentance.” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #398. January 11, 2018.
Keywords: Alma the Younger; Ammonihah; Repentance; Premortal Life; Priesthood; Premortality; Plan of Salvation; Foreordained
Book of Mormon Central. “How Abraham’s Sacrifice of Isaac Illuminates the Atonement.” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #412. March 1, 2018.
Keywords: Jacob; Law of Moses; Bible; Old Testament; Genesis; Abraham; Isaac; Ishmael; Sarah; Hagar; Mary; Jesus Christ; Crucifixion; Atonement
Book of Mormon Central. “How Are Acts of Service Related to Wisdom?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #308. May 3, 2017.
Keywords: Service; King Benjamin; Wisdom; Bible; Old Testament; Proverbs; Wisdom Literature; Hebrew; Poetry; Parallelism; Gradation; Atonement; Humility; Divine Kingship
Book of Mormon Central. “How Are Samuel the Lamanite and the Biblical Prophet Samuel Similar?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #576. September 1, 2020.
Keywords: Samuel the Lamanite; Samuel; 1 Samuel; Bible; Old Testament; Agag; Hebrew; Onomastics; Names; Word Play; Pun; Messiah; Anointing; Gestures
Book of Mormon Central. “How Are the Words of the Book of Mormon Like ‘One That Hath a Familiar Spirit’?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #491. December 6, 2018.
Keywords: Familiar Spirit; Isaiah; Nephi; Likening; Angel Moroni; Old Testament
Book of Mormon Central. “How Can One ‘Feast upon the Words of Christ’?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #306. April 28, 2017.
Keywords: Nephi; Tree of Life; Lehi; Ezekiel; Bible; Old Testament; Bread of Life; Manna; Temple Shewbread; Temples; Ancient Israel; Sacrament; Sabbath; Scriptures
Book of Mormon Central. “How Can People Today Avoid Being Destroyed Like the Nephites Were?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #327. June 16, 2017.
Keywords: Church History; Joseph Smith; Hiram Page; Revelation; Prophets; Nephites; Final Nephite Battle; Samuel the Lamanite; Destruction; Prophecy; Obedience
Book of Mormon Central. “How Can the Book of Job Teach Us about the Temple?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #640. August 2, 2022.
Keywords: Job; Old Testament; Bible; Trials; Temples; Endowment; Creation; Fall; Atonement; Theophany; Veil; Adversity
Book of Mormon Central. “How Can the Old Testament Covenants Help Us Understand the Book of Mormon?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #363. September 12, 2017.
Keywords: Bible; Old Testament; Sinai; Moses; Exodus; David; Jerusalem; Zion; Lehi; Divine Warrior; Nephites; Nephi
Book of Mormon Central. “How Can We Receive the Blessings of the Abrahamic Covenant?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #408. February 15, 2018.
Keywords: Old Testament; Bible; Abraham; Abrahamic Covenant
Book of Mormon Central. “How Could Lehi Offer Sacrifices Outside of Jerusalem?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #9. January 12, 2016.
Keywords: Sacrifice; Temples; Law of Moses; Law; Legal; Altar; Bible; Old Testament; Dead Sea Scrolls; Jerusalem; Lehi; Nephi; Ancient Israel; Ancient Judaism; Ancient Near East; Arabia; Lehi’s Journey to the Promised Land
Book of Mormon Central. “How Could Nephi Have Known about Jeremiah’s Imprisonment?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #463. August 30, 2018.
Keywords: Jeremiah; Nephi; Lehi; Zedekiah; Jerusalem; Book of Mormon Central
Book of Mormon Central. “How Could So Many People Have Died at the Battle of Cumorah?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #231. November 15, 2016.
Keywords: Nephites; Lamanites; Hill Cumorah; Cumorah; Warfare; Military; Final Nephite Battle; Mormon; Moroni; Death; Ancient History; Bible; Old Testament; Exodus; Ancient Israel; Military History; Population; Mesoamerica; Aztec; Quiche; Women; Children; Book of Mormon Translation; Historicity; Love of God; Evidence
Book of Mormon Central. “How Did Biblical and Ancient Near Eastern Authors Use Chiasmus?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #340. July 16, 2017.
Keywords: Chiasmus; Bible; Old Testament; New Testament; Mark; Genesis; Ancient Near East; Gilgamesh; Ancient Greek; Hebrew; Poetry; Evidence
Book of Mormon Central. “How Did Enos Liken the Scriptures to His Own Life?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #265. January 23, 2017.
Keywords: Likening; Scriptures; Enos; Bible; Old Testament; Jacob; Esau; Bethel; Covenants; Prayer; God; Word Play; Hebrew; Evidence
Book of Mormon Central. “How Did God Call His Prophets in Ancient Times?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #17. January 22, 2016.
Keywords: Prophets; Prophecy; Calling; Divine Council; Heavenly Ascent; Holy Ascent; Heaven; Throne Theophany; Bible; Old Testament; Isaiah; Ezekiel; Jeremiah; Samuel; Amos; Habakkuk; King Benjamin; Brother of Jared; Evidence
Book of Mormon Central. “How Did Isaiah Prophesy of the Savior?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #647. September 20, 2022.
Keywords: Bible; Old Testament; Isaiah; Jesus Christ; Messiah; Prophecy
Book of Mormon Central. “How Did King Benjamin Teach His People to Trust God More?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #314. May 17, 2017.
Keywords: King Benjamin; King Benjamin’s Speech; God; Faith; Old Testament; Bible; Psalms
Book of Mormon Central. “How Did King Benjamin’s Speech Lead to Nephite Democracy?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #301. April 17, 2017.
Keywords: Mosiah; Democracy; Reign of the Judges; Monarchy; Government; Nephite Government; Covenants; King Benjamin; New Name; Bible; Old Testament; Psalms
Book of Mormon Central. “How Did Mormon React to Seeing His People Slain?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #232. November 16, 2016.
Keywords: Mormon; Moroni; Final Nephite Battle; Lament; Bible; Old Testament; Lamentations; New Testament; Matthew; Luke; Jesus Christ; Ancient Near East; Hebrew; Poetry; Final Judgment; Jerusalem; Destruction; Death; Warfare; Military
Book of Mormon Central. “How Did Nephi Read Isaiah as a Witness of Christ’s Coming?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #40. February 24, 2016.
Keywords: Nephite Prophetic View; Jesus Christ; Isaiah; Nephi; Prophecy; Christianity; Law of Witnesses; Law; Legal; Testimony
Book of Mormon Central. “How Did Nephi Use the Power to Seal on Earth and in Heaven?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #182. September 7, 2016.
Keywords: Helaman; Nephi; Sealing Power; Famine; Drought; Miracles; Bible; Old Testament; Elijah; War; Heaven; Priesthood; King Benjamin
Book of Mormon Central. “How Did Seeking a King Get in the Way of Sustaining a Prophet?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #153. July 28, 2016.
Keywords: Alma; War Chapters; Helaman; Missionary Work; Amalickiah; Dissension; Mesoamerica; Maya; Cosmology; Kingship; Kingmen
Book of Mormon Central. “How Do Commandments Bring Us Peace and Happiness?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #347. August 2, 2017.
Keywords: Commandments; Ten Commandments; Law of Moses; Nephites; Bible; Old Testament; Happiness
Book of Mormon Central. “How Do the Bible and Book of Mormon Help Us Understand the Sealing Power?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #348. August 4, 2017.
Keywords: Church History; Sealing Power; Elijah; Bible; Old Testament; New Testament; Revelation; Jesus Christ; Joseph Smith
Book of Mormon Central. “How Do the Blessings in the Scriptures Apply to us Today?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #373. October 17, 2017.
Keywords: Covenants; Bible; Old Testament; Deuteronomy; Leviticus; Ancient Israel; Nephites; Blessings; Prosperity
Book of Mormon Central. “How Do the Book of Moses and Book of Mormon Help Us Understand the Endowment?” Book of Mormon Central, KnoWhy #396, January 4, 2018.
Keywords: Bible; Old Testament; Temples; Heavenly Ascent; Endowment; Moses; Nephi; Pearl of Great Price; Book of Moses
Book of Mormon Central. “How Do the Covenants in the Scriptures Apply to Me Today?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #369. October 3, 2017.
Keywords: Zeniff; Covenants; Bible; Old Testament; Zarahemla; Land of Nephi; Mosiah; Lamanites; Famine; Law of Moses; Limhi
Book of Mormon Central. “How Do the Psalms Quoted in the Book of Mormon Teach about the Temple?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #437. May 29, 2018.
Keywords: Bible; Old Testament; Psalms; Temples
Book of Mormon Central. “How Does Nephi Help Us Understand Isaiah?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #47. March 4, 2016.
Keywords: Nephi; Isaiah; Bible; Old Testament; keys
Book of Mormon Central. “How Does Nephi Use Isaiah to Teach Us to Avoid Pride?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #48. March 7, 2016.
Keywords: Nephi; Isaiah; Bible; Old Testament; Lehi; Laman; Lemuel; Pride; Family
Book of Mormon Central. “How Does Prophecy Shape the Book of Mormon’s Content and Structure?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #498. January 15, 2019.
Keywords: Prophecy; Prophets; Nephi; Mormon; Abinadi; Samuel the Lamanite; Remember; Second Coming; Evidence
Book of Mormon Central. “How Does The Book of Mormon Use a Hebrew Pun on King Noa’s Name?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #406. February 8, 2018.
Keywords: Abinadi; King Noah; Hebrew; Word Play; Etymology; Noah’s Ark; Bible; Old Testament; Genesis; Evidence
Book of Mormon Central. “How Does the Book of Mormon Use an Ancient Storytelling Technique?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #414. March 8, 2018.
Keywords: Bible; Old Testament; Genesis; Isaac; Rebekah; Ammon; Missionary Work; Marriage; Evidence
Book of Mormon Central. “How Does the Devil Lead Us Astray?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #55. March 16, 2016.
Keywords: Isaiah; Nephi; Devil; Satan; Adversary; Opposition
Book of Mormon Central. “How Does the Joseph Smith Translation Teach Us about Melchizedek?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #643. August 23, 2022.
Keywords: Joseph Smith; Joseph Smith Translation; Bible; Old Testament; Melchizedek; Genesis; Priesthood; Priest
Book of Mormon Central. “How Does the Lord Make our Burdens Light?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #102. May 18, 2016.
Keywords: King Noah; Waters of Mormon; Alma; Amulon; Slavery; Baptism; Prayer; Burdens; Bible; Old Testament; Exodus; Refugees
Book of Mormon Central. “How is the Phrase ‘Make a Record" an Evidence for the Book of Mormon?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #444. June 26, 2018.
Keywords: Gold Plates; Bible; Old Testament; Ancient Near East; Literature; Evidence
Book of Mormon Central. “How is the Use of Deuteronomy in the Book of Mormon Evidence for its Authenticity?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #428. April 27, 2018.
Keywords: Old Testament; Bible; Deuteronomy; Law of Moses; King Josiah; Evidence
Book of Mormon Central. “How Lehi Likened the Scriptures to Himself.” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #418. March 22, 2018.
Keywords: Joseph Smith; Joseph of Egypt; Lehi; Nephi; Likening
Book of Mormon Central. “How Many Others Traveled with Lehi to the Promised Land?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #465. September 6, 2018.
Keywords: Lehi; Nephi; Lehi’s Journey to the Promised Land; New World; Nahom; Bountiful; Solomon’s Temple
Book of Mormon Central. “How Might Isaiah 48-49 be ‘Likened" to Lehi’s Family?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #23. February 1, 2016.
Keywords: Isaiah; Nephi; Lehi; Family; Likening; Bible; Old Testament
Book of Mormon Central. “How the Book of Mormon and the Old Testament Help Us Understand What it Means to be Redeemed.” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #436. May 24, 2018.
Keywords: Bible; Old Testament; Ruth; Redeemer
Book of Mormon Central. “How the Law of Moses Teaches about the Atonement.” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #424. April 12, 2018.
Keywords: Ancient Israel; Law of Moses; Legal; Jesus Christ; Atonement; Nephites
Book of Mormon Central. “How Was a Void in Leadership Dangerous for the Nephites?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #172. August 24, 2016.
Keywords: Mormon; Reign of the Judges; Helaman; Alma; Pahoran; Nephites; Lamanites; Chief Judge; Paanchi; Pacumeni; Mosiah; Nephite Judges; Kishkumen; Gadianton; Gadianton Robbers; Assassination; Politics; Secret Combinations; Jesus Christ
Book of Mormon Central. “How Was Nephi Similar to Joseph of Egypt?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #416. March 15, 2018.
Keywords: Nephi; Joseph of Egypt; Laman; Bible; Old Testament; Genesis
Book of Mormon Central. “How was There a Night Without Darkness?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #188. September 15, 2016.
Keywords: Samuel the Lamanite; Zarahemla; Birth of Christ; Darkness; Light; Astronomy; Day; Night; Russia; Miracles; Jesus Christ; Mesoamerica; Aztec; Supernova; Christmas; Evidence
Book of Mormon Central. “How Were Jonah and the Brother of Jared Able to Find Comfort?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #526. July 26, 2019.
Keywords: Jonah; Brother of Jared; Jaredites; Old Testament; Bible
Book of Mormon Central. “How Were Judges Elected in the Book of Mormon?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #107. May 25, 2016.
Keywords: Mosiah; Alma; Reign of the Judges; Legal; Chief Judge; King; Mesoamerica; Government; Politics
Book of Mormon Central. “How Were the Amlicites and Amalekites Related?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #109. May 27, 2016.
Keywords: Amlici; Reign of the Judges; Amlicites; Amalekites; Textual Variants; Critical Text; Textual Criticism
Book of Mormon Central. “Is Anything Known of the Prophet Zenos Outside of the Book of Mormon?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #67. March 31, 2016.
Keywords: Jacob; Zenos; Allegory of the Olive Tree; Pseudo Philo; Prophets; Bible; Old Testament; Apocrypha; Evidence
Book of Mormon Central. “Is It Possible That a Single Author Wrote the Book of Mormon?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #399. January 16, 2018.
Keywords: Stylometry; Word Print Studies; Book of Mormon Authorship; Joseph Smith; Church History; Sidney Rigdon; Solomon Spalding; Oliver Cowdery; Parley P. Pratt; W. W. Phelps; Evidence
Book of Mormon Central. “Is the Book of Mormon Like Any Other Nineteenth Century Book?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #502. February 16, 2019.
Keywords: Joseph Smith; Book of Mormon Translation; Oliver Cowdery; View of the Hebrews; Solomon Spaulding; Ethan Smith; Late War; Plagiarism; Evidence
Book of Mormon Central. “Is ‘Nephi’s Psalm’ Really a Psalm?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #30. February 10, 2016.
Keywords: Nephi’s Psalm; Psalms; Bible; Nephi; Death; Jesus Christ; Repentance; Atonement; Afterlife; Ancient Israelite Religion; Ancient Judaism; Evidence
Book of Mormon Central. “Should 2 Nephi 1:1 - 4:12 Be Called the ‘Testament of Lehi"?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #29. February 9, 2016.
Keywords: Testament of Lehi; Jacob; Genesis; Pseudepigrapha; Nephi; Lehi; Patriarch; Ancient Judaism; Family
Book of Mormon Central. “Was Nephi’s Slaying of Laban Legal?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #256. January 2, 2017.
Keywords: Legal; Law; Ancient Law; Law of Moses; Nephi; Laban; Lehi; Jerusalem; Murder; Death; Drunkeness; Ancient Near East; Bible; Old Testament; Numbers; Judges; Ancient Israel
Book of Mormon Central. “Was the Requirement of a ‘Broken Heart" Known Before the Time of Christ?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #27. February 5, 2016.
Keywords: Broken Heart; Contrite Spirit; Sacrifice; Law of Moses; Psalms; Lehi; Bible; Nephi; Old Testament; Ancient Israelite Religion; Ancient Judaism; Jesus Christ
Book of Mormon Central. “Were Joseph Smith’s Translation Instruments Like the Israelite Urim and Thummim?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #417. March 20, 2018.
Keywords: Joseph Smith; Church History; Urim and Thummim; Ancient Israel; High Priest; Seer Stone; Book of Mormon Translation
Book of Mormon Central. “Were Nephite Prophets Familiar with the Passover Tradition?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #420. March 29, 2018.
Keywords: Easter; Passover; Old Testament
Book of Mormon Central. “Were There ‘Fiery Flying Serpents’ along Lehi’s Trail?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #646. September 13, 2022.
Keywords: Book of Mormon; Nephi; Journey to the Promised Land; Serpents; Seraphim; Bountiful; Arabia; Lehi; Fiery Flying Serpents; Negev; Assyria; Brazen Serpent; Moses; Numbers
Book of Mormon Central. “What are the Origins of Lehi’s Understanding of the Fall?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #28. February 8, 2016.
Keywords: Fall; Lehi; Atonement; Plan of Salvation; Nephi; Bible; Old Testament; Apocrypha; Pseudepigrapha; Ancient Near East; Ancient Israelite Religion; Afterlife; Ancient Judaism
Book of Mormon Central. “What are the Origins of Lehi’s Understanding of the Fall?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #28. February 5, 2016.
Keywords: Fall; Lehi; Atonement; Plan of Salvation; Nephi; Bible; Old Testament; Apocrypha; Pseudepigrapha; Ancient Near East; Ancient Israelite Religion; Afterlife; Ancient Judaism
Book of Mormon Central. “What are the Roots of Zenos’s Allegory in the Ancient World?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #70. April 4, 2016.
Keywords: Allegory of the Olive Tree; Zenos; Jacob; Ancient Near East; Paul; Bible; Old Testament; New Testament; Ancient Israel
Book of Mormon Central. “What are the ‘Fiery Darts of the Adversary’ Spoken of by Nephi?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #18. January 25, 2016.
Keywords: Fiery Darts; Adversary; Satan; Psalms; Assyria; Lachish; Ancient Warfare; Ancient Near East; Bible; Old Testament; Archaeology; Ancient Israel; Evidence
Book of Mormon Central. “What Can Stylometry Tell Us about Book of Mormon Authorship?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #389. December 12, 2017.
Keywords: Stylometry; Book of Mormon Authorship; Joseph Smith; Oliver Cowdery; Solomon Spalding; Word Print Studies; Evidence
Book of Mormon Central. “What Can We Learn from 10 of the Best Chiasms in the Book of Mormon? Part 1.” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #349. August 7, 2017.
Keywords: Chiasmus; Hebrew; Poetry; Atonement; Bible; Old Testament
Book of Mormon Central. “What Caused the Darkness and Destruction in the 34th Year?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #197. September 28, 2016.
Keywords: Nephi; Lehi; Death of Christ; Destruction; Earthquake; Darkness; Lightning; Thunder; Zenos; Samuel the Lamanite; Mormon; Prophecy; Volcano; Geology; Geography; Mesoamerica; Jesus Christ; Evidence
Book of Mormon Central. “What Did Alma Reveal about the Savior’s Mission?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #323. June 7, 2017.
Keywords: Alma; Gideon; Chiasmus; Atonement; Hebrew; Bible; Old Testament; Isaiah; Jesus Christ
Book of Mormon Central. “What Did it Mean to be ‘King Over All the Land’?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #128. June 23, 2016.
Keywords: Zeniff; Mosiah; Sons of Mosiah; Mesoamerica; Ancient Near East; Kingship; Monarchy; Ancient Israel; Lamoni; Alma; Lamanites; Evidence
Book of Mormon Central. “What Did the Early Saints Learn about the Second Coming from the Book of Mormon?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #318. May 26, 2017.
Keywords: Second Coming; Church History; Joseph Smith; Bible; Old Testament; Isaiah; Prophecy; Restoration; Missionary Work; Tribes of Israel; House of Israel; Jerusalem; New Jerusalem; Secret Combinations
Book of Mormon Central. “What Do Nephi and Isaiah Say about the End Times?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #46. March 3, 2016.
Keywords: Nephi; Isaiah; End Times; Nephite Prophetic View; General Conference; General Authority; Afterlife; Final Judgment; Judgment of God; Last Dispensation; Restoration
Book of Mormon Central. “What Do We Know About the ‘Anthon Transcript’?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #515. May 9, 2019.
Keywords: Egyptian; Caractors Document; Anthon Transcript; Charles Anthon; Martin Harris; Samuel Mitchell; Book of Mormon Translation; Joseph Smith; Church History
Book of Mormon Central. “What Does an Ancient Book About Enoch Have to Do With Lehi’s Dream?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #404. February 1, 2018.
Keywords: Tree of Life; Enoch; Book of Moses; Book of Enoch; Mist of Darkness; Hell; Evidence
Book of Mormon Central. “What Does It Mean to ‘Apply Your Heart to Understanding’?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #644. August 30, 2022.
Keywords: Old Testament; Bible; Proverbs; Book of Mormon; Mosiah; Abinadi; Wisdom; Sophia; Heart; Understanding; Knowledge; Mind; Law
Book of Mormon Central. “What Does It Really Mean to Be a Good Person?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #499. January 24, 2019.
Keywords: Bible; Old Testament; New Testament; God; Jesus Christ; Heavenly Father
Book of Mormon Central. “What Does it Really Mean to be Blessed For Keeping the Commandments?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #367. September 26, 2017.
Keywords: Commandments; King Benjamin; Mosiah; Happiness; Joy; Blessings; Trials; Adversity; Bible; Old Testament; Proverbs; Hebrew
Book of Mormon Central. “What Does the Book of Mormon Say About Polygamy?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #64. March 28, 2016.
Keywords: Polygamy; Jacob; Abraham; King David; Solomon; Mesoamerica; Women; Marriage; Chastity; Law; Legal
Book of Mormon Central. “What Does the Book of Mormon Teach about Families?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #382. November 16, 2017.
Keywords: Family; Bible; Old Testament; Exodus; Israelites; Tribes of Israel; Moses; Nephites; Mulekites
Book of Mormon Central. “What Does the Book of Mormon Teach about Prophets?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #284. March 8, 2017.
Keywords: Prophets; Prophecy; Samuel the Lamanite; Nephi; Alma the Younger; Bible; Old Testament; Miriam; Deborah; Huldah; Ancient Near East; Jesus Christ
Book of Mormon Central. “What Does the Book of Mormon Teach about the Temple?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #309. May 5, 2017.
Keywords: Church History; Temples; Nephites; Ancient Israel; Solomon’s Temple; Christ in America; Jacob; King Benjamin; Alma; Revelation; Ordinances
Book of Mormon Central. “What is it to Speak with the Tongue of Angels?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #60. March 23, 2016.
Keywords: Nephi; Heavenly Ascent; Jesus Christ; Divine Council; Ancient Near East; Ancient Israelite Religion; Angels; Endowment; Temples; Lehi; Isaiah; Theophany; Holy Ghost
Book of Mormon Central. “What is the Day of the Gentiles?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #44. March 1, 2016.
Keywords: Gentiles; Isaiah; Nephi; Jews; Nephite Prophetic View; Early Christian Church; Christianity; Promised Land; Restoration
Book of Mormon Central. “What is the Nature and Use of Chariots in the Book of Mormon?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #126. June 21, 2016.
Keywords: Chariots; Ancient Near East; Mesoamerica; Ammon; King Lamoni; Warfare; Bible; Old Testament; Hebrew; Maya; Wheels; Evidence
Book of Mormon Central. “What is the Purpose of Democracy in the Book of Mormon?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #380. November 9, 2017.
Keywords: Democracy; Reign of the Judges; King Benjamin; King Mosiah; King Noah
Book of Mormon Central. “What is the Significance of the Great and Spacious Building?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #546. January 17, 2020.
Keywords: Great and Spacious Building; Tree of Life; Lehi; Lehi’s Dream; Jeremiah; Bible; Old Testament; Pride
Book of Mormon Central. “What Kind of Earthquake Caused the Prison Walls to Fall?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #121. June 14, 2016.
Keywords: Alma; Amulek; Ammonihah; Prison; Earthquake; Mesoamerica; Geology; Miracles; Moses; Exodus
Book of Mormon Central. “What Parts of the Old Testament Were on the Plates of Brass?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #410. February 22, 2018.
Keywords: Melchizedek; Pentateuch; Books of Moses; Plates of Brass; Bible; Old Testament; Moses; Alma
Book of Mormon Central. “What the Exodus Teaches Us about the Atonement.” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #419. March 27, 2018.
Keywords: Bible; Old Testament; Alma; Exodus; Moses
Book of Mormon Central. “What Vision Guides Nephi’s Choice of Isaiah Chapters?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #38. February 22, 2016.
Keywords: Nephi; Isaiah; Bible; Old Testament; Nephite Prophetic View; Jews; Gentiles; Jesus Christ; Prophecy
Book of Mormon Central. “Where did the Brother of Jared Get the Idea of Shining Stones?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #240. November 28, 2016.
Keywords: Ether; Brother of Jared; Shining Stones; Tzohar; Ancient Judaism; Ancient Near East; Noah’s Ark; Bible; Old Testament; Genesis; Tower of Babel; Urim and Thummim; Talmud; Midrash; Liahona; Faith; Jesus Christ; Light of the World
Book of Mormon Central. “Where Does the Name Nauvoo Come From?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #342. July 21, 2017.
Keywords: Church History; Nauvoo; Joseph Smith; Hebrew; Bible; Old Testament; Isaiah; Abinadi; Zion; Jesus Christ
Book of Mormon Central. “Who Are the Witnesses of Christ in 2 Nephi?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #37. February 19, 2016.
Keywords: Witness; Nephi; Isaiah; Jesus Christ; Jacob; Law of Witnesses; Law; Legal; Testimony; Three Witnesses; Jeffrey R. Holland; Christianity
Book of Mormon Central. “Who Are the ‘Few" Who Were Permitted to See the Plates?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #54. March 15, 2016.
Keywords: Nephi; Gold Plates; Joseph Smith; Witnesses; Law of Witnesses; Law; Legal; Three Witnesses; Eight Witnesses; Martin Harris; Oliver Cowdery; David Whitmer; Jacob Whitmer; John Whitmer; Peter Whitmer; Christian Whitmer; Samuel H. Smith; Joseph Smith Sr; Hyrum Smith; Evidence
Book of Mormon Central. “Who is the Servant of Isaiah 49/1 Nephi 21?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #24. February 2, 2016.
Keywords: Isaiah; Nephi; Joseph Smith; Jesus Christ; Servant; Ancient Israel; Prophecy; Bible; Old Testament
Book of Mormon Central. “Who is the Servant Spoken of by Christ?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #215. October 24, 2016.
Keywords: Christ in America; Jesus Christ; Servant; Bible; Old Testament; Isaiah; Moses; Tree of Life; Witnesses; Witness; Restoration; Joseph Smith
Book of Mormon Central. “Who Were the ‘Many Prophets’ in Jerusalem During Lehi’s Time?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #441. June 14, 2018.
Keywords: Bible; Old Testament; Prophets; Lehi; Jeremiah; Jerusalem; Ancient Israel; Zedekiah
Book of Mormon Central. “Whom Did Nephi Quote in 1 Nephi 22?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #25. February 3, 2016.
Keywords: Isaiah; Nephi; Zenos; Intertextuality; Bible; Old Testament
Book of Mormon Central. “Whose ‘Word’ Was Fulfilled by Christ’s Suffering ‘Pains and Sicknesses’?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #564. June 2, 2020.
Keywords: Isaiah; Bible; Old Testament; Suffering Servant; Servant Songs; Jesus Christ; Atonement; Alma the Younger
Book of Mormon Central. “Why and How Did Alma Explain the Meaning of the Word ‘Restoration"?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #149. July 22, 2016.
Keywords: Corianton; Alma; Resurrection; Restoration; Nehor; Ancient Law; Law of Moses; Justice; Final Judgment; Bible; Old Testament; Exodus; Ancient Near East; Chiasmus; Parallelism; Poetry; Hebrew
Book of Mormon Central. “Why Are Certain Biblical Psalms Used by Book of Mormon Authors?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #439. June 7, 2018.
Keywords: Bible; Old Testament; Psalms
Book of Mormon Central. “Why Are Children So Prominent in 3 Nephi?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #220. October 31, 2016.
Keywords: Christ in America; Jesus Christ; Children; Plan of Salvation; Isaiah; Malachi; Ancient Near East; King Benjamin; King Benjamin’s Speech; Miracles; Death; Sickness; Afflictions; Deaf; Humility; Patience; Angels; Parents; Family; Ordinances; Sealing Power; Zion; Heavenly Father
Book of Mormon Central. “Why Are Lehi’s Visions Like Those of Other Prophets in His Day?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #469. September 20, 2018.
Keywords: Lehi; Visions; Prophets; Ezekiel
Book of Mormon Central. “Why Are Ordinances So Important?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #296. April 5, 2017.
Keywords: Ordinances; Ancient Israel; Hebrew; Law; Legal; Law of Moses; Bible; Old Testament; King David; Solomon
Book of Mormon Central. “Why Are So Few Women Mentioned in the Book of Mormon?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #391. December 19, 2017.
Keywords: Women; Literacy; Bible; Old Testament; Gender; Ancient Near East; Ancient America
Book of Mormon Central. “Why Can Wickedness Never Bring Happiness?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #329. June 21, 2017.
Keywords: Alma; Corianton; Missionary Work; Sexual Transgression; Sin; Joy; Happiness; Chiasmus; Hebrew; Bible; Old Testament; Cain and Abel; Commandments; Obedience; Atonement
Book of Mormon Central. “Why Could Seantum be Convicted Without Any Witnesses?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #180. September 5, 2016.
Keywords: Legal; Helaman; Nephi; Chief Judge; Seezoram; Seantum; Reign of the Judges; Murder; Death; Blood; Law of Moses; Witnesses; Law of Witnesses; Bible; Old Testament; Deuteronomy; Ancient Israel; Joshua; Obedience; Ancient Law; Mormon; Gadianton Robbers
Book of Mormon Central. “Why Did Abinadi Stretch Forth His Hand as He Prophesied?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #94. May 6, 2016.
Keywords: Abinadi; King Noah; Hands; Gestures; Ancient Near East; Moses; Bible; Old Testament
Book of Mormon Central. “Why Did Abinadi Talk About the Suffering Messiah?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #91. May 3, 2016.
Keywords: Abinadi; King Noah; Mosiah; Isaiah; Jesus Christ; Atonement; Bible; Old Testament
Book of Mormon Central. “Why Did Abinadi Use a Disguise?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #310. May 8, 2017.
Keywords: Abinadi; King Noah; Disguise; Bible; Old Testament; Moses; Saul
Book of Mormon Central. “Why Did Abinadi Warn the People of an East Wind?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #560. May 5, 2020.
Keywords: East Wind; Mesoamerica; Abinadi; King Noah; Bible; Old Testament; Exodus; Moses; Plagues; Evidence
Book of Mormon Central. “Why Did Abraham and Sarah Receive New Names and Tokens?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #630. February 22, 2022.
Keywords: New Names; Abrahamic Covenant; Covenants; Names; Abraham; Sarah; Abram; Sarai; Tokens; Circumcision
Book of Mormon Central. “Why Did Alma Add ‘Chains of Hell’ to Abinadi’s Phrase ‘Bands of Death’?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #111. May 31, 2016.
Keywords: Abinadi; Alma; Bands of Death; Death; Bible; Psalms; Old Testament; Hebrew; Chains of Hell; Hell
Book of Mormon Central. “Why Did Alma Ask Church Members Fifty Probing Questions?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #112. June 1, 2016.
Keywords: Alma; Covenants; Psalms; Bible; Old Testament; Temples; Zarahemla; Ancient Israel; Ancient Israelite Religion; King Benjamin
Book of Mormon Central. “Why Did Alma Bless and Thank God After Eating?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #115. June 6, 2016.
Keywords: Alma; Amulek; Ammonihah; Angels; Eating; Prayer; Ancient Judaism; Ancient Israel; Mishnah; Dead Sea Scrolls; Bible; Old Testament; Moses
Book of Mormon Central. “Why Did Alma Use Creation Imagery in His Sermon on Faith?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #140. July 11, 2016.
Keywords: Alma; Zoramites; Antionum; Faith; Zenos; Isaiah; Light; Creation; Hebrew; Tree of Life; Fall; Atonement; Resurrection; Adam; Eve; Lamoni; Nephites
Book of Mormon Central. “Why Did Ammon Borrow So Much from Tradition in Alma 26?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #133. June 30, 2016.
Keywords: Ammon; Intertextuality; Bible; Old Testament; Psalms; Jacob; King Benjamin; Alma; Joel; Allegory of the Olive Tree; Zenos; King Lamoni; Literacy
Book of Mormon Central. “Why Did Ancient Israelites Lift Their Hands in Praise?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #638. July 19, 2022.
Keywords: Temples; Old Testament; Bible; Uplifted Hands; Gestures; Sacred Gestures; Solomon’s Temple; Zerubbabel; Nehemiah; Ezra; Prayer
Book of Mormon Central. “Why Did Ancient Prophets Follow Literary Patterns?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #636. July 5, 2022.
Keywords: Book of Mormon; Alma the Younger; Prophets; Type Scene; Prophetic Call; Prophetic Commission; Recommission; Ammonihah; Elijah
Book of Mormon Central. “Why Did Book of Mormon Prophets Quote Long Passages of Scripture?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #473. October 4, 2018.
Keywords: Speeches; Old Testament; Literacy
Book of Mormon Central. “Why Did Book of Mormon Prophets Speak of Future Events as if They Had Already Happened?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #95. May 9, 2016.
Keywords: Mosiah; King Noah; Abinadi; Isaiah; Bible; Old Testament; Literary Device; Ancient Near East
Book of Mormon Central. “Why Did Fasting and Prayer Accompany Nephite Mourning?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #135. July 3, 2016.
Keywords: Zarahemla; Lamanites; Nephites; Anti-Nephi-Lehies; Jershon; Warfare; Sorrow; Mourning; Fasting; Prayer; Ancient Israel; Bible; Old Testament; Esther; Psalms; Exodus; Parallelism
Book of Mormon Central. “Why Did Helaman Compare Christ to a Rock?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #176. August 30, 2016.
Keywords: Helaman; Nephi; Lehi; Jesus Christ; Rock; Redeemer; Son of God; Old Testament; Bible; Psalms; Isaiah; Deuteronomy; Satan; Arrows; Weapons; Whirlwinds; Ancient Near East; Assyria; Moses; Refuge; Storm; Hail
Book of Mormon Central. “Why Did Helaman Want His Sons to Remember to Build upon the Rock?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #332. June 28, 2017.
Keywords: Helaman; Nephi; Lehi; Jesus Christ; Rock; Bible; Old Testament; Psalms; Deuteronomy; Isaiah
Book of Mormon Central. “Why Did Isaiah Refer to the Heavenly Hosts as ‘Seraphim’?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #645. September 6, 2022.
Keywords: Bible; Old Testament; Isaiah; Seraph; Seraphim; Angels; Prophetic Call; Serpents
Book of Mormon Central. “Why Did Jacob Include the Case of Sherem?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #554. March 17, 2020.
Keywords: Sherem; Jacob; Law of Moses; Law; Legal; Bible; Old Testament; Deuteronomy; Jeremiah
Book of Mormon Central. “Why Did Jesus Allude to the Priestly Blessing in Numbers 6?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #212. October 19, 2016.
Keywords: Christ in America; Jesus Christ; Prayer; High Priest; Temples; Priestly Blessing; Moses; Aaron; Priest; Priesthood; House of Israel; Ancient Israel; Bible; Numbers; Archaeology; Jerusalem; Smile; Shine; Glory; Face; Countenance; Hebrew; Exodus; Covenants
Book of Mormon Central. “Why Did Jesus Give the Nephites Malachi’s Prophecies?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #218. October 27, 2016.
Keywords: Christ in America; Jesus Christ; Malachi; Bible; Old Testament; Nephites; Scriptures; Second Coming; Prophets; Prophecy
Book of Mormon Central. “Why Did Jesus Mix Together Micah and Isaiah?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #214. October 21, 2016.
Keywords: Christ in America; Jesus Christ; Bible; Old Testament; Micah; Isaiah; Covenants; Heavenly Father; God; House of Israel; Gentiles; Abraham; Jacob; Prophets; Temples; Hebrew; Poetry; Chiasmus; Mesoamerica; Ancient Near East
Book of Mormon Central. “Why Did Jesus Quote All of Isaiah 54?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #216. October 25, 2016.
Keywords: Christ in America; Jesus Christ; Covenants; Bible; Old Testament; Isaiah; Ancient Near East; Blessings; Likening; Women; House of Israel; Ancient Israel; Gentiles; Nephites; Love; Kindness; Scriptures
Book of Mormon Central. “Why Did Jesus Quote the Words of Malachi 3-4 in 3 Nephi 24-25?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #370. October 5, 2017.
Keywords: Christ in America; Bible; Old Testament; Malachi; Genealogy; Family History; Church History; Joseph Smith; Moroni; Elijah; Priesthood; Sealing Power; Covenants; Ordinances; Temples
Book of Mormon Central. “Why Did Jesus Say that Some Well-Intentioned People Will Be Told to Depart?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #205. October 10, 2016.
Keywords: Jesus Christ; Christ in America; Sermon at the Temple; Bountiful; Nephites; Heavenly Father; New Testament; John; Old Testament; Psalms; Matthew; Hosea; Hebrew; Amos; Covenants; Knowing; House of Israel; Temples; Sermon on the Mount
Book of Mormon Central. “Why Did Jesus Say That There Were ‘Other Sheep’ Who Would Hear His Voice?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #207. October 12, 2016.
Keywords: Jesus Christ; Christ in America; Bible; New Testament; John; Sheep; Ministry; Gathering; Gathering of Israel; Ancient Israel; Scattering of Israel; Birth of Christ; Jerusalem; Galilee; Tribes of Israel; House of Israel; Assyria; Old Testament; Isaiah
Book of Mormon Central. “Why Did Jesus Tell All People to Sacrifice a Broken Heart and a Contrite Spirit?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #198. September 29, 2016.
Keywords: Jesus Christ; Destruction; Death of Christ; Sacrifice; Animal Sacrifice; Broken Heart; Contrite Spirit; New Testament; Bible; Nephites; Lamanites; Nephi; Lehi; Old Testament; Psalms; Atonement; Law of Moses; Commandments
Book of Mormon Central. “Why Did Joseph Smith Produce a New Translation of the Bible?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #628. January 18, 2022.
Keywords: Joseph Smith; Joseph Smith Translation; Church History; King James Version; Bible; Old Testament
Book of Mormon Central. “Why Did King Benjamin Say That His People Would be Sons and Daughters at God’s Right Hand?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #307. May 1, 2017.
Keywords: Mosiah; King Benjamin; Hebrew; Children; Bible; Old Testament; Psalms; Etymology
Book of Mormon Central. “Why Did King Benjamin Use Poetic Parallels So Extensively?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #83. April 21, 2016.
Keywords: Mosiah; King Benjamin; Parallelism; Hebrew; Old Testament; Literary Device; Chiasmus; Evidence
Book of Mormon Central. “Why Did Lehi and Jeremiah Find Themselves in a Dark and Dreary Wilderness?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #544. January 3, 2020.
Keywords: Tree of Life; Jeremiah; Nephi; Lehi; Dark and Dreary Waste
Book of Mormon Central. “Why Did Lehi Divide His People into Seven Tribes?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #319. May 29, 2017.
Keywords: Lehi; Nephi; Jacob; Joseph; Laman; Lemuel; Zoram; Ishmael; Nephites; Lamanites; Lemuelites; Jacobites; Ishmaelites; Josephites; Zoramites; House of Israel; Tribes of Israel; Testament of Lehi; Bible; Old Testament
Book of Mormon Central. “Why Did Lehi Quote from a Psalm of Repentance In His Dream?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #325. June 12, 2017.
Keywords: Lehi’s Dream; Tree of Life; Lehi; Bible; Old Testament; Psalms; Intertextuality; Repentance; Atonement; Joy; Fruit; Ancient Israel; Ancient Israelite Religion; Love of God
Book of Mormon Central. “Why Did Lehi Teach About the ‘Two Ways’?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #287. March 15, 2017.
Keywords: Lehi; Nephi; Jacob; Testament of Lehi; Two Ways; Agency; Jesus Christ; Devil; Church of the Lamb; Church of the Devil; Bible; Old Testament; Deuteronomy; Moses; Tree of Life; Satan; Adversary; Fall; Atonement
Book of Mormon Central. “Why Did Lehi Teach that the Fall was Necessary?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #269. February 1, 2017.
Keywords: Lehi; Nephi; Creation; Fall; Atonement; Adam; Eve; Temples; Ancient Israel; Ancient Near East; Genesis; Hebrew; Death; Tribes of Israel; Jesus Christ; Children; Family; Parallelism; Joy; Happiness
Book of Mormon Central. “Why Did Lehi ‘Suppose" the Existence of Satan?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #43. February 29, 2016.
Keywords: Satan; Ancient Israelite Religion; Ancient Judaism; Lehi; Nephi; Ancient Near East; Lucifer; Devil; Hebrew; Etymology; Names; Book of Mormon Names; Adversary; Hell; Opposition
Book of Mormon Central. “Why Did Martin Harris Consult with Scholars like Charles Anthon?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #514. May 7, 2019.
Keywords: Charles Anthon; Anthon Transcript; Martin Harris; Luther Bradish; Samuel Mitchell; Joseph Smith; Book of Mormon Translation; Gold Plates
Book of Mormon Central. “Why Did Mormon End Third Nephi with Such Serious Woes?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #224. November 4, 2016.
Keywords: Jesus Christ; Christ in America; Woes; Simile Curse; Curse; Satan; Prophets; Ancient Near East; Bible; Old Testament; Oracle; New Testament; Pharisees; Matthew; Mormon; House of Israel; Covenants; Gentiles; Repentance
Book of Mormon Central. “Why Did Mormon Say the Children of Men are Less than the Dust of the Earth?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #183. September 8, 2016.
Keywords: Mormon; Earth; Sun; Astronomy; Cosmology; Bible; Old Testament; Ancient Near East; Mesoamerica; Heliocentrism; Geocentrism
Book of Mormon Central. “Why Did Moroni Conclude His Father’s Record with 22 Commands?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #234. November 18, 2016.
Keywords: Mormon; Moroni; Hebrew; Poetry; Acrostic Poem; Alphabet; Bible; Old Testament; Lamentations; Psalms; Egyptian; Covenants
Book of Mormon Central. “Why Did Moroni Quote Isaiah 11 to Joseph Smith?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #50. March 9, 2016.
Keywords: Ensign; Nephi; Joseph Smith; Isaiah; Restoration; Last Dispensation; Prophecy
Book of Mormon Central. “Why Did Moroni Quote Malachi about Elijah’s Coming?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #591. January 19, 2021.
Keywords: Moroni; Malachi; Angel Moroni; Joseph Smith; Church History; Kirtland Temple; Sealing; Elijah; Bible; Old Testament
Book of Mormon Central. “Why Did Moroni Quote the Patriarch Jacob about a Piece of Joseph’s Coat?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #154. July 29, 2016.
Keywords: Nephites; War Chapters; Amalickiah; Moroni; Captain Moroni; Warfare; Title of Liberty; Joseph; Genesis; Garment; Joseph Smith; Bible; Old Testament; Ancient Israel; Mesoamerica; War Banners; Tribes of Israel
Book of Mormon Central. “Why Did Moroni Refer to Vessel Impurity in Condemning the Central Government?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #169. August 19, 2016.
Keywords: Pahoran; Moroni; Captain Moroni; Alma; Bible; Old Testament; Leviticus; Law of Moses; Ritual Purity; Ancient Judaism; Purity; Cleanliness; New Testament; Jesus Christ; Matthew; Mark; Psalms; Temples
Book of Mormon Central. “Why Did Moroni Speak of Pulling Down Pride?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #430. May 3, 2018.
Keywords: Pride; Ancient Near East; Bible; Old Testament; Mesoamerica; Stelae; Military
Book of Mormon Central. “Why Did Moroni Use Temple Imagery While Telling the Brother of Jared Story?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #237. November 23, 2016.
Keywords: Ether; Jared; Brother of Jared; Temples; Moroni; Prophets; Ancient Israel; High Priest; Mountain; Fall; Garden of Eden; Finger of God; Hand of God; Moses; Bible; Old Testament; Exodus; Psalms; Leviticus; Daniel; Numbers; Isaiah; Proskynesis; Worship; Body of God; Veil; Creation; Jesus Christ; Jehovah; Urim and Thummim; Shining Stones; Endowment
Book of Mormon Central. “Why Did Nehor Suffer an ‘Ignominious’ Death?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #108. May 26, 2016.
Keywords: Reign of the Judges; Nehor; Nephite Government; Church Organization; Chief Judge; Alma; Mesoamerica; Priestcraft; Death; Law of Moses; Legal; Law; Ancient Israelite Religion
Book of Mormon Central. “Why Did Nephi Clarify That the Messiah Was the Savior of the World?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #448. July 10, 2018.
Keywords: Jesus Christ; Ancient Israel; Messiah; Savior; Hebrew; Greek; Bible; Old Testament
Book of Mormon Central. “Why Did Nephi Connect Isaiah’s Prophecies with Joseph Who Was Sold into Egypt?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #375. October 24, 2017.
Keywords: Lehi; Joseph of Egypt; Bible; Old Testament; Genesis; Nephi; Isaiah; Word Play; Hebrew; Mormon; Prophecy; Joseph Smith
Book of Mormon Central. “Why Did Nephi Rely on Earlier Testimonies of Christ?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #179. September 2, 2016.
Keywords: Zarahemla; Nephi; Jesus Christ; Law of Moses; Helaman; Moses; Brazen Serpent; Old Testament; Bible; Psalms; Genesis; Isaiah; Zenos; Zenock; Ezias; Jeremiah; Mulek; Lehi; Deuteronomy
Book of Mormon Central. “Why Did Nephi Say an Angel Had Revealed the Name Jesus Christ?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #304. April 24, 2017.
Keywords: Nephi; Isaiah; Jesus Christ; Critical Text; Textual Criticism; Names of Christ; Book of Mormon Translation; Original Manuscript
Book of Mormon Central. “Why Did Nephi Say Serpents Could Fly?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #316. May 22, 2017.
Keywords: Bible; Old Testament; Numbers; Deuteronomy; Moses; Ancient Israel; Brazen Serpent; Serpents; Egypt; Evidence
Book of Mormon Central. “Why Did Nephi Say That All Are Alike Unto God?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #278. February 22, 2017.
Keywords: Nephi; Jews; Gentiles; Racism; Ancient Near East; Syria; Old Testament; Bible; Elisha; Naaman; Ancient Israel; Temples; Ten Commandments; Love of God
Book of Mormon Central. “Why Did Nephi Say That People Had to Learn Things Line Upon Line?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #292. March 27, 2017.
Keywords: Nephi; Lehi; Devil; Satan; Line Upon Line; Knowledge; Bible; Old Testament; Isaiah; Hebrew
Book of Mormon Central. “Why Did Nephi Use Chiasmus to Testify of Christ?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #271. February 6, 2017.
Keywords: Chiasmus; Hebrew; Poetry; Bible; Old Testament; Nephi; Jesus Christ; Jacob; Isaiah
Book of Mormon Central. “Why Did Nephi Want to Know the Mysteries of God?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #442. June 19, 2018.
Keywords: Mysteries; Divine Council; Nephi; Lehi; Theophany; Visions; God; Jesus Christ; Bible; Old Testament
Book of Mormon Central. “Why Did Nephi Work So Hard to Preserve the Wisdom He Had Received?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #262. January 16, 2017.
Keywords: Nephi; Plates of Nephi; Wisdom; Hebrew; Ancient Judaism; Egyptian; Ancient Near East; Wisdom Literature; Bible; Old Testament; Proverbs; Laban; Tree of Life; Knowledge; Scriptures
Book of Mormon Central. “Why Did Nephi Write His Small Plates?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #11. January 14, 2016.
Keywords: Small Plates; Politics; Kingship; Gold Plates; Plates of Nephi
Book of Mormon Central. “Why Did Samuel Make Such Chronologically Precise Prophecies?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #184. September 9, 2016.
Keywords: Nephites; Zarahemla; Samuel the Lamanite; Christmas; Lamanites; Prophecy; Jesus Christ; Birth of Christ; Death of Christ; Mesoamerica; Calendar; Baktum; Hotun; Katun; Evidence
Book of Mormon Central. “Why did Samuel Rely So Heavily on the Words of Past Prophets?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #185. September 12, 2016.
Keywords: Prophecy; Samuel the Lamanite; Nephites; Jesus Christ; Birth of Christ; Helaman; King Benjamin; Hebrew; Poetry; Zenos; Names of Christ; Lamanites; Zarahemla; Bible; Old Testament; Christmas
Book of Mormon Central. “Why Did Samuel Say the Lord ‘Hated’ the Lamanites?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #186. September 13, 2016.
Keywords: Samuel the Lamanite; Helaman; Love; Hate; Covenants; Bible; Solomon; David; Ancient Near East; Jesus Christ
Book of Mormon Central. “Why Did Samuel Say the Wealth of Some Nephites Would Become ‘Slippery’?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #539. November 7, 2019.
Keywords: Samuel the Lamanite; Treasures; Bible; Old Testament; Book of Enoch; 1 Enoch; Enoch; Treasure Seeking; Church History; Magic; Folk Magic
Book of Mormon Central. “Why Did Some in Lehi’s Time Believe that Jerusalem Could Not Be Destroyed?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #451. July 19, 2018.
Keywords: Bible; Old Testament; Hezekiah; Assyria; Jerusalem
Book of Mormon Central. “Why Did the Angel Speak to Alma With a Voice of Thunder?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #105. May 23, 2016.
Keywords: Alma1; Mosiah2; Angels; Ancient Near East; God; Ancient Israelite Religion; Bible; Old Testament; Jehovah; Yahweh; Psalms; Mesoamerica; Jesus Christ; Thunder; Lightning
Book of Mormon Central. “Why Did the Lord Allow Jerusalem to Be Destroyed?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #637. July 12, 2022.
Keywords: Jerusalem; Destruction; Old Testament; Bible; 1 Kings; 2 Kings; Lehi; Nephi; Book of Mormon; Ezekiel; Jeremiah
Book of Mormon Central. “Why Did the Nephites Preserve Some Items as ‘National Treasures’?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #557. April 14, 2020.
Keywords: Nephite Regalia; Liahona; Sword of Laban; Gold Plates; Kingship; Coronation; King Benjamin; Mosiah; Joseph Smith; Church History; High Priest
Book of Mormon Central. “Why Did the People Fall Down at the Feet of Jesus?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #202. October 5, 2016.
Keywords: Jesus Christ; Christ in America; Nephites; Bountiful; Worship; Prostration; Proskynesis; Ancient Near East; Egypt; Ancient Israel; Bible; Old Testament; Genesis; Joseph; New Testament; King Benjamin; Tree of Life; Kissing; Feet; Sermon at the Temple
Book of Mormon Central. “Why Did the People of Sidom Go to the Altar for Deliverance?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #122. June 15, 2016.
Keywords: Alma; Amulek; Ammonihah; Sidon; Zarahemla; Satan; Death; Legal; Altar; Deliverance; Sacrifice; Bible; Old Testament; Exodus; Lehi; Nephi
Book of Mormon Central. “Why Did the Stripling Warriors Perform Their Duties ‘With Exactness’?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #165. August 15, 2016.
Keywords: War Chapters; Warfare; Nephites; Lamanites; Military; Stripling Warriors; People of Ammon; Helaman; Ammoron; Ancient Near East; Ancient Israel; Canaanite; Moses; Bible; Old Testament; Joshua
Book of Mormon Central. “Why Did Zenos Quote from Psalm 46 in His Prophecy of Christ’s Death?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #313. May 15, 2017.
Keywords: Nephi; Bible; Old Testament; Psalms; End Times; Second Coming
Book of Mormon Central. “Why Do Biblical Psalms of Lament Show Up in the Book of Mormon?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #438. May 31, 2018.
Keywords: Bible; Old Testament; Psalms; Intertextuality
Book of Mormon Central. “Why Do Early Nephite Prophets Speak about the Scattering of the Jews?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #42. February 26, 2016.
Keywords: Nephi; Isaiah; Jews; Ancient Judaism; House of Israel; Nephite Prophetic View; Prophecy; Scattering of Israel; Gathering of Israel
Book of Mormon Central. “Why Do the Prophets Speak of Multiple Jerusalems?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #247. December 7, 2016.
Keywords: Jerusalem; New Jerusalem; Prophecy; Enoch; Ether; Jaredites; Moroni; Promised Land; Ancient Israel; Jesus Christ; Covenants; John; Bible; New Testament; Revelation; Zion; Hebrews; Abraham; Melchizedek; Old Testament; Genesis; Pseudepigrapha; Temples; Dead Sea Scrolls; Ezekiel; God; Elohim; Heavenly Father; Heaven
Book of Mormon Central. “Why Do the Scriptures Compare Hell to an Unquenchable Fire?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #81. April 19, 2016.
Keywords: Hell; Psalms; Bible; Old Testament; King Benjamin; Mosiah; Ancient Near East
Book of Mormon Central. “Why Do We Have Three Different Accounts of the Creation?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #400. January 18, 2018.
Keywords: Creation; Old Testament; Bible; Moses; Abraham; Adam; Eve; Lehi; Nephi; Job; Ezekiel; Ancient Near East; Chaos Monster; Jesus Christ; Atonement
Book of Mormon Central. “Why Do We Need Prophets?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #364. September 14, 2017.
Keywords: Prophets; Seer; Lehi; Alma; Nephi; Jesus Christ; Gospel; Godhead; Testimony; Mesoamerica; Moses; Bible; Old Testament
Book of Mormon Central. “Why Does Abinadi Use the Phrase ‘the Bands of Death"?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #93. May 5, 2016.
Keywords: Mosiah; Abinadi; King Noah; Bible; Old Testament; Psalms; Death; Jesus Christ; Messiah; Resurrection
Book of Mormon Central. “Why Does Alma Mention Three Kinds of Paths in One Verse?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #114. June 3, 2016.
Keywords: Alma; Nephite Church; Zarahemla; Strait and Narrow; Temples; Tree of Life; John the Baptist; Shepherd; Bible; Old Testament; Psalms; Isaiah
Book of Mormon Central. “Why Does Alma Mention ‘the Plan’ Ten Times in His Words to Corianton?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #150. July 25, 2016.
Keywords: Alma; Corianton; Plan of Salvation; Plan of Redemption; Numerology; Ancient Near East; Bible; Old Testament; Ten
Book of Mormon Central. “Why Does Isaiah Prophesy of the Daughter of Zion?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #550. February 18, 2020.
Keywords: Isaiah; Nephi; Women; Ancient Near East; Ishtar; Goddess; Endowment; Temples; Clothing; Glory; Enthronement; Destruction; Nephite Prophetic View
Book of Mormon Central. “Why Does Jacob Describe God as a Divine Warrior?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #277. February 20, 2017.
Keywords: Jacob; Divine Warrior; Jehovah; Jesus Christ; Chaos Monster; Creation; Bible; Old Testament; Exodus; Ancient Near East; Covenants; Evidence
Book of Mormon Central. “Why Does Jesus Say that ‘Ye Must Watch and Pray Always’?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #344. July 26, 2017.
Keywords: Christ in America; Prayer; Nephites; Second Coming; Hebrew; Remember; Bible; Old Testament; New Testament; Watch
Book of Mormon Central. “Why Does King Benjamin Emphasize the Blood of Christ?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #82. April 20, 2016.
Keywords: King Benjamin; Mosiah; Blood; Mesoamerica; Jesus Christ; Atonement; Kingship; Sacrament
Book of Mormon Central. “Why Does Mormon State that ‘Angels Did Appear unto Wise Men’?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #187. September 14, 2016.
Keywords: Helaman; Mormon; Angels; Alma; Wise Men; Birth of Christ; Lehi; Death of Christ; Jesus Christ; Christmas; King Benjamin; Amlicites; Samuel the Lamanite; Prophecy; Second Coming
Book of Mormon Central. “Why Does Nephi Quote a Temple Psalm While Commenting on Isaiah?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #51. March 10, 2016.
Keywords: Psalms; Ancient Israelite Religion; Ancient Judaism; Temples; Intertextuality; Heavenly Ascent; Holy Ascent; Jesus Christ; Messiah; Worthiness; Sacred Space; Law of Moses; Legal; Mountain; Priest; Sacrifice
Book of Mormon Central. “Why Does Nephi Use Isaiah 29 as Part of His Own Prophecy?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #52. March 11, 2016.
Keywords: Nephi; Isaiah; Charles Anthon; Martin Harris; Joseph Smith; Jerusalem; Restoration; Christianity; Prophecy
Book of Mormon Central. “Why Does the Book of Mormon Warn that a Lake of Fire and Brimstone Awaits Sinners in the Afterlife?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #446. July 3, 2018.
Keywords: Egyptian; Ancient Egypt; Book of the Dead; Lake of Fire; Fire; Afterlife; Eternal Life; Spiritual Death; Evidence
Book of Mormon Central. “Why Does the Book of Mosiah Refer to the Exodus Narrative?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #516. May 16, 2019.
Keywords: Abinadi; Moses; Alma; Joshua; Exodus; Old Testament; Bible; Typology
Book of Mormon Central. “Why Does the Book of Mosiah Talk So Much About Priesthood Authority?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #101. May 17, 2016.
Keywords: Mosiah; Nephi; Lehi; Levites; Ancient Near East; Ancient Israelite Religion; Temples; Priest; Priesthood; Melchizedek
Book of Mormon Central. “Why Does the Psalmist Speak about Grasping God’s Hand?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #642. August 16, 2022.
Keywords: Old Testament; Bible; Psalms; Handclasps; Temples; Hands; Hand of God
Book of Mormon Central. “Why Don’t We Know the Names of the Angels in the Book of Mormon?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #426. April 19, 2018.
Keywords: Old Testament; Bible; Angels; Balaam; Balak; Alma the Younger
Book of Mormon Central. “Why Has 3 Nephi Been Called ‘the Focal Point, the Supreme Moment’ in the Book of Mormon?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #201. October 4, 2016.
Keywords: Jesus Christ; Christ in America; Bible; Old Testament; Isaiah; Prophecy; Death of Christ; Crucifixion; Destruction; Repentance; Love of God
Book of Mormon Central. “Why is Joy Associated with Temple Work in the Scriptures?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #372. October 12, 2017.
Keywords: Bible; Old Testament; Psalms; Joy; Temples; King David; Christ in America; Ancient Israel
Book of Mormon Central. “Why Is Lehi Depicted as Similar to Moses?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #268. January 30, 2017.
Keywords: Lehi; Nephi; Moses; Bible; Old Testament; Exodus; Deuteronomy; Prophets; Jerusalem
Book of Mormon Central. “Why is the Lord’s Hand ‘Stretched Out Still"?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #49. March 8, 2016.
Keywords: Nephi; Isaiah; Hand of God; Ancient Near East; Ancient Judaism; Ancient Israelite Religion; God; Heavenly Father; Yahweh; Jesus Christ
Book of Mormon Central. “Why Is the Story of Noah and the Ark So Repetitive?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #629. February 1, 2022.
Keywords: Old Testament; Genesis; Noah; Chiasmus; chiasm; Hebrew; Poetry; Parallelism
Book of Mormon Central. “Why Is the Theme of Kingship So Prominent in King Benjamin’s Speech?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #79. April 15, 2016.
Keywords: Mosiah; King Benjamin; Plan of Salvation; Atonement; Covenants; Ancient Israel; Coronation; Kingship
Book of Mormon Central. “Why Is There a Need for the Testimony of Two Nations?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #56. March 17, 2016.
Keywords: Nephi; Ezekiel; Stick of Judah; Stick of Joseph; House of Israel; Gathering of Israel; Scattering of Israel; Restoration; Law of Witnesses; Law; Legal; Bible; Old Testament
Book of Mormon Central. “Why Must There be an Infinite and Eternal Sacrifice?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #142. July 13, 2016.
Keywords: Zoramites; Atonement; Amulek; Alma; Sacrifice; Mesopotamia; Ancient Near East; Ancient Law; Ancient Israel; Bible; Old Testament; Mesoamerica; Bloodletting; Animal Sacrifice; Law of Moses; Jesus Christ
Book of Mormon Central. “Why New Testament Words and Phrases Are in the Book of Mormon Part 5: How Often Were Scriptures on the Plates of Brass the Common Source?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #533. September 26, 2019.
Keywords: New Testament; Intertextuality; New Testament Intertextuality; Plates of Brass; Old Testament
Book of Mormon Central. “Why New Testament Words and Phrases Are in the Book of Mormon Part 6: Why Do Similar Clusters of Old Testament Texts Appear in Both?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #535. October 10, 2019.
Keywords: New Testament Intertextuality; New Testament; Intertextuality; Dead Sea Scrolls; Old Testament; Bible
Book of Mormon Central. “Why Study Ancient Apocryphal Literature?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #613. August 10, 2021.
Keywords: Apocrypha; Pseudepigrapha; Bible; Church History; Joseph Smith; Doctrine and Covenants
Book of Mormon Central. “Why the Book of Mormon’s Depiction of a Loving God Fits with the Old Testament.” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #422. April 5, 2018.
Keywords: Bible; Old Testament; Love
Book of Mormon Central. “Why Was Chiasmus Used in Nephite Record Keeping?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #177. August 31, 2016.
Keywords: Mormon; Abridgment; Redaction; Large Plates; Historical Annals; Chiasmus; Zedekiah; Jesus Christ; Jehovah; Yahweh; Reign of the Judges; Helaman; Land of Nephi; Zarahemla; Hebrew; Poetry; Authenticity
Book of Mormon Central. “Why was Helaman’s Servant Justified in Killing Kishkumen?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #173. August 25, 2016.
Keywords: Pahoran; Pacumeni; Helaman; Gadianton; Kishkumen; Reign of the Judges; Chief Judge; Mormon; Teancum; Amalickiah; Death; Assassination; Nephi; Laban; Legal
Book of Mormon Central. “Why Was It Significant that Nephi Was Made ‘a Ruler and a Teacher’ Over His Brethren?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #462. August 28, 2018.
Keywords: Old Testament; Jacob; Esau; Joseph of Egypt; Solomon; Nephi; Laman; Lemuel; Birthright
Book of Mormon Central. “Why Was Singing Hymns a Part of Nephite Worship Services?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #251. December 13, 2016.
Keywords: Moroni; Church Organization; Music; Singing; Hymns; Bible; Old Testament; Psalms; Temples; Ancient Israel; Ancient Judaism; Priest; Dead Sea Scrolls; New Testament; Jesus Christ; Last Supper; Early Christian Church; Nephi; Lehi; Alma; Zarahemla; King Benjamin; Angels; Heaven; Heavenly Ascent; Feast of Tabernacles
Book of Mormon Central. “Why Was the City of Ammonihah Destroyed and Left Desolate?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #123. June 16, 2016.
Keywords: Ammonihah; Law; Legal; Ancient Israel; Bible; Old Testament; Deuteronomy; Destruction; Zarahemla; Death; Alma; Amulek; Missionary Work; Law of Moses
Book of Mormon Central. “Why Was the Sword of Laban So Important to Nephite Leaders?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #411. February 27, 2018.
Keywords: Sword of Laban; Laban; David and Goliath; David; Goliath; Bible; Old Testament
Book of Mormon Central. “Why We Still Have to Cling to the Iron Rod Even Though the Path is Strait.” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #402. January 25, 2018.
Keywords: Tree of Life; Lehi; Iron Rod; Bible; Old Testament; Genesis; Garden of Eden; The Fall; Adam; Eve
Book of Mormon Central. “Why Were Man and Woman Created in the Image of God?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #627. January 11, 2022.
Keywords: Adam and Eve; Adam; Eve; Man; Women; God; Face; Creation
Book of Mormon Central. “Why Were Particular Plagues Sent against Egypt?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #631. March 31, 2022.
Keywords: Bible; Old Testament; Exodus; Moses; Plagues; Pharaoh; Aaron
Book of Mormon Central. “Why were the People of Ammon Exempted from Military Duty?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #274. February 13, 2017.
Keywords: Death; Murder; Warfare; Military; Anti-Nephi-Lehies; Ammon; People of Ammon; Covenants; Nephites; Jershon; Law of Moses; Bible; Old Testament; Ancient Law; Legal; Law; Ancient Judaism; Helaman; Stripling Warriors
Book of Mormon Central. “Why Were the Three Witnesses Shown the Liahona?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #405. February 6, 2018.
Keywords: Liahona; Ark of the Covenant; Ancient Israel; Solomon’s Temple; Nephite Temple; Three Witnesses; Joseph Smith; Church History; Bible; Old Testament; Exodus
Book of Mormon Central. “Why Were Women Important in Ancient Israel?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #639. July 26, 2022.
Keywords: Women; Israel; Bible; Old Testament; Ruth; Esther; Priesthood; Motherhood; Law; Legal
Book of Mormon Central. “Why Will God Turn the Hearts of the Fathers to the Children?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #219. October 28, 2016.
Keywords: Jesus Christ; Christ in America; Bible; Old Testament; Malachi; Elijah; Genealogy; Family History; Hebrew; Family; Children; Parents; Ancestors; Joseph Smith; Moroni; Temples; Kirtland Temple
Book of Mormon Central. “Why Would a Book Be Sealed?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #53. March 14, 2016.
Keywords: Nephi; Isaiah; Sealed; Ancient Near East; Legal; Law; Ancient Law; Ancient Documents; Gold Plates; Gold
Book of Mormon Central. “Why Would Jesus Call Isaiah’s Words Great?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #217. October 26, 2016.
Keywords: Isaiah; Christ in America; Jesus Christ; Scriptures; Bible; Old Testament; Prophecy; Prophets; Hebrew; Great; Nephi; Abinadi; Yahweh; Nephites; Joseph Smith; Deuteronomy; Psalms
Book of Mormon Central. “Why Would Noah’s Priests Quiz Abinadi on Isaiah?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #89. April 29, 2016.
Keywords: Abinadi; Mosiah; King Noah; Zeniff; Isaiah; Legal; Law of Moses; Law
Book of Mormon Central. “Why Would Pahoran Not Allow the Law to Be Amended?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #159. August 5, 2016.
Keywords: Pahoran; Chief Judge; War Chapters; Warfare; Government; Kingship; Nephite Judges; Ten Commandments; Moses; Bible; Old Testament; Exodus; Ancient Law; Law of Moses; Covenants; Title of Liberty; Moroni; Captain Moroni; Liberty; Religious Freedom; Legal
Book of Mormon Central. “Why Would Zerahemnah Not Swear an Oath to Moroni?” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #152. July 27, 2016.
Keywords: Alma; War Chapters; Warfare; Nephites; Lamanites; Moroni; Zerahemnah; Weapons; Ancient Near East; Covenants; Oaths; Scalp; Bible; Old Testament
Book of Mormon Central. “Why You Should Care About the Nephite Weights and Measures System.” The Book of Mormon Central website. KnoWhy #322. June 5, 2017.
Keywords: King Mosiah; Weights; Measures; Nephites; Money; Monetary System; Ancient Near East; Mesopotamia; Silver; Gold; Barley; Economy; Politics; Reign of the Judges; Prosperity; Evidence
McKinlay, Daniel B., Hugh W. Nibley, and Steven W. Booras. “The Dead Sea Scrolls: Select Publications by Latter-day Saint Scholars.” Studies in the Bible and Antiquity 2 no. 1 (2010).

Select bibliography of LDS research on the Dead Sea Scrolls.

Bowen, Matthew L. “‘And the Meek Also Shall Increase’: The Verb yāsap in Isaiah 29 and Nephi’s Prophetic Allusions to the Name Joseph in 2 Nephi 25–30.” Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship 30 (2018): 5-42.

Abstract: Beyond his autobiographic use of Joseph’s name and biography, Nephi also considered the name Joseph to have long-term prophetic value. As a Semitic/Hebrew name, Joseph derives from the verb yāsap (to “add,” “increase,” “proceed to do something,” “do something again,” and to “do something more”), thus meaning “may he [God] add,” “may he increase,” or “may he do more/again.” Several of the prophecies of Isaiah, in which Nephi’s soul delighted and for which he offers extensive interpretation, prominently employ forms of yāsap in describing iterative and restorative divine action (e.g., Isaiah 11:11; 26:15; 29:14; cf. 52:1). The prophecy of the coming forth of the sealed book in Isaiah 29 employs the latter verb three times (Isaiah 29:1, 14, and 19). Nephi’s extensive midrash of Isaiah 29 in 2 Nephi 25–30 (especially 2 Nephi 27) interpretively expands Isaiah’s use of the yāsap idiom(s). Time and again, Nephi returns to the language of Isaiah 29:14 (“I will proceed [yôsīp] to do a marvelous work”), along with a similar yāsap-idiom from Isaiah 11:11 (“the Lord shall set his hand again [yôsîp] … to recover the remnant of his people”) to foretell the Latter-day forthcoming of the sealed book to fulfill the Lord’s ancient promises to the patriarch. Given Nephi’s earlier preservation of Joseph’s prophecies regarding a future seer named “Joseph,” we can reasonably see Nephi’s emphasis on iterative divine action in his appropriation of the Isaianic use of yāsap as a direct and thematic allusion to this latter-day “Joseph” and his role in bringing forth additional scripture. This additional scripture would enable the meek to “increase,” just as Isaiah and Nephi had prophesied. “May [God] Add”/“May He Increase”.

Bowen, Matthew L. “‘And There Wrestled a Man with Him’ (Genesis 32:24): Enos’s Adaptations of the Onomastic Wordplay of Genesis.” Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship 10 (2014): 151-160.

Abstract: In this brief note, I will suggest several instances in which the Book of Mormon prophet Enos utilizes wordplay on his own name, the name of his father “Jacob,” the place name “Peniel,” and Jacob’s new name “Israel” in order to connect his experiences to those of his ancestor Jacob in Genesis 32-33, thus infusing them with greater meaning. Familiarity with Jacob and Esau’s conciliatory “embrace” in Genesis 33 is essential to understanding how Enos views the atonement of Christ and the ultimate realization of its blessings in his life.

Bowen, Matthew L. “‘And They Shall Be Had Again’: Onomastic Allusions to Joseph in Moses 1:41 in View of the So-called Canon Formula.” Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship 32 (2019): 297-304.

Abstract: Moses 1:41 echoes or plays on the etymological meaning of the name Joseph — “may he [Yahweh] add,” as the Lord foretells to Moses the raising up of a future figure through whom the Lord’s words, after having been “taken” (away) from the book that Moses would write, “shall be had again among the children of men.” Moses 1:41 anticipates and employs language reminiscent of the so-called biblical canon formulas, possible additions to biblical texts meant to ensure the texts’ stability by warning against “adding” or “diminishing” (i.e., “taking away”) from them (e.g., Deuteronomy 4:2; 5:22 [MT 5:18]; 12:32 [MT 13:1]; cf. Revelation 22:18– 19). This article presupposes that the vision of Moses presents restored text that was at some point recorded in Hebrew.

Book of Mormon Central, Jeffrey M. Bradshaw, and Matthew L. Bowen. “Essay #18: The Teachings of Enoch — ‘Out of the Waters of Judah’ (1 Nephi 20:1; JST Genesis 17:3–7).” In Pearl of Great Price Central; The Interpreter Foundation. August 29, 2020.
Bowen, Matthew L. “Father Is a Man: The Remarkable Mention of the Name Abish in Alma 19:16 and Its Narrative Context.” Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship 14 (2015): 77-93.

Abstract: The mention of “Abish” and a “remarkable vision of her father” (Alma 19:16) is itself remarkable, since women and servants are rarely named in the Book of Mormon text. As a Hebrew/Lehite name, “Abish” suggests the meaning “Father is a man,” the midrashic components ʾab- (“father”) and ʾîš (“man”) being phonologically evident. Thus, the immediate juxtaposition of the name “Abish” with the terms “her father” and “women” raises the possibility of wordplay on her name in the underlying text. Since ʾab-names were frequently theophoric — i.e., they had reference to a divine Father (or could be so understood) — the mention of “Abish” (“Father is a man”) takes on additional theological significance in the context of Lamoni’s vision of the Redeemer being “born of a woman and … redeem[ing] all mankind” (Alma 19:13). The wordplay on “Abish” thus contributes thematically to the narrative’s presentation of Ammon’s typological ministrations among the Lamanites as a “man” endowed with great power, which helped the Lamanites understand the concept of “the Great Spirit” (Yahweh) becoming “man.” Moreover, this wordplay accords with the consistent Book of Mormon doctrine that the “very Eternal Father” would (and did) condescend to become “man” and Suffering Servant.

Bowen, Matthew L. “Getting Cain and Gain.” Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship 15 (2015): 115-141.

Abstract: The biblical etiology (story of origin) for the name “Cain” associates his name with the Hebrew verb qny/qnh, “to get,” “gain,” “acquire,” “create,” or “procreate” in a positive sense. A fuller form of this etiology, known to us indirectly through the Book of Mormon text and directly through the restored text of the Joseph Smith Translation, creates additional wordplay on “Cain” that associates his name with murder to “get gain.” This fuller narrative is thus also an etiology for organized evil—secret combinations “built up to get power and gain” (Ether 8:22–23; 11:15). The original etiology exerted a tremendous influence on Book of Mormon writers (e.g., Nephi, Jacob, Alma, Mormon, and Moroni) who frequently used allusions to this narrative and sometimes replicated the wordplay on “Cain” and “getting gain.” The fuller narrative seems to have exerted its greatest influence on Mormon and Moroni, who witnessed the destruction of their nation firsthand — destruction catalyzed by Cainitic secret combinations. Moroni, in particular, invokes the Cain etiology in describing the destruction of the Jaredites by secret combinations. The destruction of two nations by Cainitic secret combinations stand as two witnesses and a warning to latter-day Gentiles (and Israel) against building up these societies and allowing them to flourish.

Bowen, Matthew L. “‘I Kneeled Down Before My Maker’: Allusions to Esau in the Book of Enos.” Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship 27 (2017): 29-56.

Abstract: The Book of Enos constitutes a brief literary masterpiece. A close reading of Enos’s autobiography reveals textual dependency not only on 1 Nephi 1:1-2 and Genesis 32–33, but also on earlier parts of the Jacob Esau cycle in Genesis 25, 27. Enos’s autobiographical allusions to hunting and hungering serve as narrative inversions of Esau’s biography. The narrative of Genesis 27 exploits the name “Esau” in terms of the Hebrew verb ʿśh/ʿśy (“make,” “do”). Enos (“man”) himself incorporates paronomastic allusions to the name “Esau” in terms of ʿśh/ʿśy in surprising and subtle ways in order to illustrate his own transformation through the Atonement of Jesus Christ. These wordplays reflect the convergence (in the Genesis narratives) of the figure of Esau before whom Jacob bows and whom he embraces in reconciliation with the figure of the divine “man” with whom Jacob wrestles. Finally, Enos anticipates his own resurrection, divine transformation, and final at-one-ment with the Lord in terms of a clothing metaphor reminiscent of Jacob’s “putting on” Esau’s identity in Genesis 27.

Bowen, Matthew L. “‘I Will Give Judgment unto Him in Writing’: The Three Law Codes of the Pentateuch.” In From Creation to Sinai, eds. Daniel L. Belnap and Aaron P. Schade. Provo, UT: Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University, 2021.
Bowen, Matthew L. “‘If Ye Will Hearken’: Lehi’s Rhetorical Wordplay on Ishmael in 2 Nephi 1:28–29 and Its Implications.” Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship 25 (2017): 157-189.

Abstract: Nephi’s preservation of the conditional “first blessing” that Lehi bestowed upon his elder sons (Laman, Lemuel, and Sam) and the sons of Ishmael, contains a dramatic wordplay on the name Ishmael in 2 Nephi 1:28–29. The name Ishmael — “May El hear [him],” “May El hearken,” or “El Has Hearkened” — derives from the Semitic (and later Hebrew) verb šāmaʿ (to “hear,” “hearken,” or “obey”). Lehi’s rhetorical wordplay juxtaposes the name Ishmael with a clustering of the verbs “obey” and “hearken,” both usually represented in Hebrew by the verb šāmaʿ. Lehi’s blessing is predicated on his sons’ and the sons of Ishmael’s “hearkening” to Nephi (“if ye will hearken”). Conversely, failure to “hearken” (“but if ye will not hearken”) would precipitate withdrawal of the “first blessing.” Accordingly, when Nephi was forced to flee from Laman, Lemuel, and the sons of Ishmael, Lehi’s “first blessing” was activated for Nephi and all those who “hearkened” to his spiritual leadership, including members of Ishmael’s family (2 Nephi 5:6), while it was withdrawn from Laman, Lemuel, the sons of Ishmael, and those who sympathized with them, “inasmuch as they [would] not hearken” unto Nephi (2 Nephi 5:20). Centuries later, when Ammon and his brothers convert many Lamanites to the truth, Mormon revisits Lehi’s conditional blessing and the issue of “hearkening” in terms of Ishmael and the receptivity of the Ishmaelites. Many Ishmaelite-Lamanites “hear” or “hearken” to Ammon et al., activating Lehi’s “first blessing,” while many others — including the ex-Nephite Amalekites/Amlicites — do not, thus activating (or reactivating) Lehi’s curse.

Bowen, Matthew L. “‘In the Mount of the Lord It Shall Be Seen’ and ‘Provided’: Theophany and Sacrifice as the Etiological Foundation of the Temple in Israelite and Latter-day Saint Tradition.” Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship 5 (2013): 201-223.

Abstract: For ancient Israelites, the temple was a place where sacrifice and theophany (i.e., seeing God or other heavenly beings) converged. The account of Abraham’s “arrested” sacrifice of Isaac (Genesis 22) and the account of the arrested slaughter of Jerusalem following David’s unauthorized census of Israel (2 Samuel 24; 1 Chronicles 21) served as etiological narratives—explanations of “cause” or “origin”—for the location of the Jerusalem temple and its sacrifices. Wordplay on the verb rāʾâ (to “see”) in these narratives creates an etiological link between the place-names “Jehovah-jireh,” “Moriah” and the threshing floor of Araunah/Ornan, pointing to the future location of the Jerusalem temple as the place of theophany and sacrifice par excellence. Isaac’s arrested sacrifice and the vicarious animal sacrifices of the temple anticipated Jesus’s later “un-arrested” sacrifice since, as Jesus himself stated, “Abraham rejoiced to see my day” (John 8:56). Sacrifice itself was a kind of theophany in which one’s own redemption could be “seen” and the scriptures of the Restoration confirm that Abraham and many others, even “a great many thousand years before” the coming of Christ, “saw” Jesus’s sacrifice and “rejoiced.” Additionally, theophany and sacrifice converge in the canonized revelations regarding the building of the latter-day temple. These temple revelations begin with a promise of theophany, and mandate sacrifice from the Latter-day Saints. In essence, the temple itself was, and is, Christ’s atonement having its intended effect on humanity. .

Bowen, Matthew L. “Jacob’s Protector.” Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship 27 (2017): 229-256.

Abstract: The name Jacob (yaʿăqōb) means “may he [i.e., God] protect,” or “he has protected.” As a hypocoristic masculine volitive verbal form,

it is a kind of blessing upon, or prayer on behalf of the one so named that he will receive divine protection and safety (cf. Deuteronomy 33:28). Textual evidence from Nephi’s writings suggests that his brother Jacob’s protection was a primary concern of their parents, Lehi and Sariah. Lehi saw Nephi as the specific means of divine protection for Jacob, his “first born in the wilderness.” Moreover, the term “protector” is used twice in LDS scripture, in both instances by Jacob himself (2 Nephi 6:2; Jacob 1:10), this in reference to Nephi, who became the “great protector” of the Nephites in general and Jacob in particular. All of the foregoing is to be understood against the backdrop of the patriarch Jacob’s biography. Lehi, Nephi, Jacob, and Enos all expressed their redemption in terms reminiscent of their ancestor Jacob’s being “redeemed … from all evil,” a process which included Jacob “wrestling” a divine “man” and preparing him to be reconciled to his estranged brother by an atoning “embrace.” Mormon employed the biblical literary etymology of the name Jacob, in the terms “supplant,” “usurp,” or “rob” as a basis for Lamanite accusations that Nephites had usurped them or “robbed” them of their birthright. Mormon, aware of the high irony, shows that the Gadianton [Gaddianton] robbers take up the same polemic. The faithful Lehites, many of whom were descendants of two Jacobs, prayed “May the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, protect this people in righteousness, so long as they shall call on the name of their God for protection” (3 Nephi 4:30). By and large, they enjoyed the God of Jacob’s protection until they ceased to call upon their true protector for it.

Bowen, Matthew L. “‘The Lord God Will Proceed’: Nephi’s Wordplay in 1 Nephi 22:8–12 and the Abrahamic Covenant.” Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship 50 (2022): 51-70.

Abstract: Nephi quotes or alludes to four distinct Old Testament passages — Genesis 22:18; Isaiah 29:14; Isaiah 49:22–23; and Isaiah 52:10 — twice each in 1 Nephi 22:6, 8–12. These four texts form the basis of his description of how the Lord would bring to pass the complete fulfillment of the promises in the Abrahamic covenant for the salvation of the human family. These texts’ shared use of the Hebrew word gôyim (“nations” [> kindreds], “Gentiles”) provides the lexical basis for Nephi’s quotation and interpretation of these texts in light of each other. Nephi uses these texts to prophesy that the Lord would act in the latter-days for the salvation of the human family. However, Nephi uses Isaiah 29:14 with its key-word yôsīp (yôsip) to assert that iterative divine action to fulfill the Abrahamic covenant — taking the form of “a marvelous work and a wonder” — would be accomplished through a “Joseph.” Onomastic wordplay involving the names Abram⁄Abraham and Joseph constitute key elements in 1 Nephi 22:8–12.

Keywords: Abrahamic covenant; Book of Mormon; Nephi; onomastic wordplay
Bowen, Matthew L. “‘The Messenger of Salvation’: The Messenger-Message Christology of D&C 93:8 and Its Implications for Latter-day Saint Missionary Work and Temple Worship.” Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship 51 (2022): 1-28.

Abstract: Several of the Prophet Joseph Smith’s earliest revelations, beginning with Moroni’s appearance in 1823, quote the prophecy of Malachi 3:1 with the Lord “suddenly com[ing] to his temple” as “messenger of the covenant.” Malachi 3:1 and its quoted iterations in 3 Nephi 24:1; Doctrine and Covenants 36:8; 42:36; 133:2 not only impressed upon Joseph and early Church members the urgency of building a temple to which the Lord could come, but also presented him as the messenger of the Father’s restored covenant. Malachi’s prophecy concords with the restored portion of the “fulness of the record of John” and its “messenger” Christology in D&C 93:8 in which Jesus Christ is both “the messenger of salvation” (the “Word”) and the Message (also “the Word”). The ontological kinship of God the Father with Jesus, angels (literally messengers), and humankind in Joseph’s early revelations lays the groundwork for the doctrine of humankind’s coeternality with God (D&C 93:29), and the notion that through “worship” one can “come unto the Father in [Jesus’s] name, and in due time receive of his fulness” (D&C 93:19; cf. D&C 88:29). D&C 88 specifies missionary work and ritual washing of the feet as a means of becoming, through the atonement of Jesus Christ, “clean from the blood of this generation” (D&C 88:75, 85, 138). Such ritual washings continued as a part of the endowment that was revealed to Joseph Smith during the Nauvoo period. Missionary work itself constitutes a form of worship, and temple worship today continues to revolve around missionary work for the living (the endowment) and for the dead (ordinances). The endowment, like the visions in which prophets were given special missionary commissions, [Page 2]situates us ritually in the divine council, teaches us about the great Messenger of salvation, and empowers us to participate in his great mission of saving souls.

Keywords: Church history; Malachi 3:1; messenger of the covenant; temples
Bowen, Matthew L. “Messengers of the Covenant: Mormon’s Doctrinal Use of Malachi 3:1 in Moroni 7:29–32.” Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship 31 (2019): 111-138.

Abstract: Although not evident at first glance, shared terminology and phraseology in Malachi 3:1 (3 Nephi 24:1) and Moroni 7:29–32 suggest textual dependency of the latter on the former. Jesus’s dictation of Malachi 3–4 to the Lamanites and Nephites at the temple in Bountiful, as recorded and preserved on the plates of Nephi, helped provide Mormon a partial scriptural and doctrinal basis for his teachings on the ministering of angels, angels/messengers of the covenant, the “work” of “the covenants of the Father,” and “prepar[ing] the way” in his sermon as preserved in Moroni 7. This article explores the implications of Mormon’s use of Malachi 3:1. It further explores the meaning of the name Malachi (“[Yahweh is] my messenger,” “my angel”) in its ancient Israelite scriptural context and the temple context within which Jesus uses it in 3 Nephi 24:1.

Bowen, Matthew L. “‘The Messiah Will Set Himself Again’: Jacob’s Use of Isaiah 11:11 in 2 Nephi 6:14 and Jacob 6:2.” Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship 44 (2021): 287-306.

Abstract: In sermons and writings, Jacob twice quotes the prophecy of Isaiah 11:11 (“the Lord [ʾădōnāy] shall set his hand again [yôsîp] the second time to gather the remnant of his people”). In 2 Nephi 6:14 and Jacob 6:2, Jacob uses Isaiah 11:11 as a lens through which he interprets much lengthier prophetic texts that detail the restoration, redemption, and gathering of Israel: namely, Isaiah 49:22–52:2 and Zenos’s Allegory of the Olive Trees (Jacob 5). In using Isaiah 11:11 in 2 Nephi 6:14, Jacob, consistent with the teaching of his father Lehi (2 Nephi 2:6), identifies ʾădōnāy (“the Lord”) in Isaiah 11:11 as “the Messiah” and the one who will “set himself again the second time to recover” his people (both Israel and the righteous Gentiles who “believe in him”) and “manifest himself unto them in great glory.” This recovery and restoration will be so thoroughgoing as to include the resurrection of the dead (see 2 Nephi 9:1–2, 12–13). In Jacob 6:2, Jacob equates the image of the Lord “set[ting] his hand again [yôsîp] the second time to recover his people” (Isaiah 11:11) to the Lord of the vineyard’s “labor[ing] in” and “nourish[ing] again” the vineyard to “bring forth again” (cf. Hebrew yôsîp) the natural fruit (Jacob 5:29–33, 51–77) into the vineyard. All of this suggests that Jacob saw Isaiah 49:22–52:2 and Zenos’s allegory (Jacob 5) as telling essentially the same story. For Jacob, the prophetic declaration of Isaiah 11:11 concisely summed up this story, describing divine initiative and iterative action to “recover” or gather Israel in terms of the verb yôsîp. Jacob, foresaw this the divine action as being accomplished through the “servant” and “servants” in Isaiah 49–52, “servants” analogous to those described by Zenos in his allegory. For Jacob, the idiomatic use of yôsîp in Isaiah 11:11 as he quotes it in 2 Nephi 6:14 and Jacob 6:2 and as repeated throughout Zenos’s allegory (Jacob 5) reinforces the patriarch Joseph’s statement preserved in 2 Nephi 3 that this figure would be a “Joseph” (yôsēp).

Bowen, Matthew L. “Putting Down the Priests: A Note on Royal Evaluations, (wĕ)hišbît, and Priestly Purges in 2 Kings 23:5 and Mosiah 11:5.” Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship 51 (2022): 105-114.

Abstract: The historian who wrote 2 Kings 23:5 and Mormon, who wrote Mosiah 11:5, used identical expressions to describe King Josiah’s and King Noah’s purges of the priests previously ordained and installed by their fathers. These purges came to define their respective kingships. The biblical writer used this language to positively evaluate Josiah’s kingship (“And he put down [w<ĕhišbît] the idolatrous priests whom the kings of Judah had ordained”), whereas Mormon levies a negative evaluation against Noah (“For he put down [cf. Hebrew (wĕ)hišbît] all the priests that had been consecrated by his father”). Mormon employs additional “Deuteronomistic” language in evaluating Mosiah, Noah, and other dynastic Book of Mormon leaders, suggesting that the evident contrast between King Noah and King Josiah is deliberately made.

Keywords: Book of Mormon; idolatry; Josiah; King Noah; priests
Bowen, Matthew L. “‘See That Ye Are Not Lifted Up’: The Name Zoram and Its Paronomastic Pejoration.” Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship 19 (2016): 109-143.

Abstract: The most likely etymology for the name Zoram is a third person singular perfect qal or pôʿal form of the Semitic/Hebrew verb *zrm, with the meaning, “He [God] has [is] poured forth in floods.” However, the name could also have been heard and interpreted as a theophoric –rām name, of which there are many in the biblical Hebrew onomasticon (Ram, Abram, Abiram, Joram/Jehoram, Malchiram, etc., cf. Hiram [Hyrum]/Huram). So analyzed, Zoram would connote something like “the one who is high,” “the one who is exalted” or even “the person of the Exalted One [or high place].” This has important implications for the pejoration of the name Zoram and its gentilic derivative Zoramites in Alma’s and Mormon’s account of the Zoramite apostasy and the attempts made to rectify it in Alma 31–35 (cf. Alma 38–39). The Rameumptom is also described as a high “stand” or “a place for standing, high above the head” (Heb. rām; Alma 31:13) — not unlike the “great and spacious building” (which “stood as it were in the air, high above the earth”; see 1 Nephi 8:26) — which suggests a double wordplay on the name “Zoram” in terms of rām and Rameumptom in Alma 31. Moreover, Alma plays on the idea of Zoramites as those being “high” or “lifted up” when counseling his son Shiblon to avoid being like the Zoramites and replicating the mistakes of his brother Corianton (Alma 38:3-5, 11-14). Mormon, perhaps influenced by the Zoramite apostasy and the magnitude of its effects, may have incorporated further pejorative wordplay on the Zoram-derived names Cezoram and Seezoram in order to emphasize that the Nephites had become lifted up in pride like the Zoramites during the judgeships of those judges. The Zoramites and their apostasy represent a type of Latter-day Gentile pride and apostasy, which Nephi, Mormon, and Moroni took great pains to warn against.

“For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted” (Luke 14:11).

Bowen, Matthew L. “‘Their Anger Did Increase Against Me’: Nephi’s Autobiographical Permutation of a Biblical Wordplay on the Name Joseph.” Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship 23 (2017): 115-136.

Abstract: Nephi’s record on the small plates includes seven distinct scenes in which Nephi depicts the anger of his brethren against him. Each of these scenes includes language that recalls Genesis 37:5‒10, 20, the biblical scene in which Joseph’s brothers “hate him yet the more [wayyôsipû ʿôd] for his dreams and for his words” because they fear that he intends to “reign” and to “have dominion” or rule over them (Genesis 37:8). Later, they plot to kill him (Genesis 37:20). Two of these “anger” scenes culminate in Nephi’s brothers’ bowing down before him in the same way that Joseph’s brothers bowed down in obeisance before him. Nephi permutes the expression wayyôsipû ʿôd in terms of his brothers’ “continuing” and “increasing” anger, which eventually ripens into a hatred that permanently divides the family. Nephi uses language that represents other yāsap/yôsîp + verbal-complement constructions in these “anger” scenes, usage that recalls the name Joseph in such a way as to link Nephi with his ancestor. The most surprising iteration of Nephi’s permuted “Joseph” wordplay occurs in his own psalm (2 Nephi 4:16‒35).

Bowen, Matthew L. “‘They Shall No More Be Confounded’: Moroni’s Wordplay on Joseph in Ether 13:1-13 and Moroni 10:31.” Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship 30 (2018): 91-104.

Abstract: In two related prophecies, Moroni employs an apparent wordplay on the name Joseph in terms of the Hebrew idiom (lōʾ) yôsîp … ʿôd (+ verbal component), as preserved in the phrases “they shall no more be confounded” (Ether 13:8) and “that thou mayest no more be confounded” (Moroni 10:31). That phraseology enjoyed a long currency within Nephite prophecy (e.g., 1 Nephi 14:2, 15:20), ultimately having its source in Isaiah’s prophecies regarding Jerusalem/Zion (see, for example, Isaiah 51:22; 52:1– 2; 54:2–4). Ether and Moroni’s prophecy in Ether 13 that the Old Jerusalem and the New Jerusalem would “no more be confounded” further affirms the gathering of Israel in general and the gathering of the seed of Joseph in particular.

Bowen, Matthew L. “‘This Son Shall Comfort Us’: An Onomastic Tale of Two Noahs.” Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship 23 (2017): 263-298.

Abstract: From an etiological perspective, the Hebrew Bible connects the name Noah with two distinct but somewhat homonymous verbal roots: nwḥ (“rest”) and nḥm (“comfort,” “regret” [sometimes “repent”]). Significantly, the Enoch and Noah material in the revealed text of the Joseph Smith Translation of Genesis (especially Moses 7–8) also connects the name Noah in a positive sense to the earth’s “rest” and the Lord’s covenant with Enoch after the latter “refuse[d] to be comforted” regarding the imminent destruction of humanity in the flood. The Book of Mormon, on the other hand, connects the name Noah pejoratively to Hebrew nwḥ (“rest”) and nḥm (“comfort” and “repentance” [regret]) in a negative evaluation of King Noah, the son of Zeniff. King Noah causes his people to “labor exceedingly to support iniquity” (Mosiah 11:6), gives “rest” to his wicked and corrupt priests (Mosiah 11:11), and anesthetizes his people in their sins with his winemaking. Noah and his people’s refusal to “repent” and their martyring of Abinadi result in their coming into hard bondage to the Lamanites. Mormon’s text further demonstrates how the Lord eventually “comforts” Noah’s former subjects after their “sore repentance” and “sincere repentance” from their iniquity and abominations, providing them a typological deliverance that points forward to the atonement of Jesus Christ.

“Sing, O heavens; and be joyful, O earth; and break forth into singing, O mountains: for the Lord hath comforted his people, and will have mercy upon his afflicted.” (Isaiah 49:13).

Bowen, Matthew L., and Loren Blake Spendlove. “‘Thou Art the Fruit of My Loins’: The Interrelated Symbolism and Meanings of the Names Joseph and Ephraim in Ancient Scripture,.” Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship 28 (2018): 273-298.

Abstract: To the ancient Israelite ear, the name Ephraim sounded like or connoted “doubly fruitful.” Joseph explains the naming of his son Ephraim in terms of the Lord’s having “caused [him] to be fruitful” (Genesis 41:52). The “fruitfulness” motif in the Joseph narrative cycle (Genesis 37–50) constitutes the culmination of a larger, overarching theme that begins in the creation narrative and is reiterated in the patriarchal narratives. “Fruitfulness,” especially as expressed in the collocation “fruit of [one’s] loins” dominates in the fuller version of Genesis 48 and 50 contained in the Joseph Smith Translation, a version of which Lehi and his successors had upon the brass plates. “Fruit” and “fruitfulness” as a play on the name Ephraim further serve to extend the symbolism and meaning of the name Joseph (“may he [God] add,” “may he increase”) and the etiological meanings given to his name in Genesis 30:23–24). The importance of the interrelated symbolism and meanings of the names Joseph and Ephraim for Book of Mormon writers, who themselves sought the blessings of divine fruitfulness (e.g., Lehi, Nephi, and Jacob), is evident in their use of the fuller version of the Joseph cycle (e.g., in Lehi’s parenesis to his son Joseph in 2 Nephi 3). It is further evident in their use of the prophecies of Isaiah and Zenos’s allegory of the olive tree, both of which utilize (divine) “fruitfulness” imagery in describing the apostasy and restoration of Israel (including the Northern Kingdom or “Ephraim”).

Bowen, Matthew L. “‘Unto the Taking Away of Their Stumbling Blocks’: The Taking Away and Keeping Back of Plain and Precious Things and Their Restoration in 1 Nephi 13–15.” Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship 53 (2023): Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship 53 (2022): 145-170.

Abstract: In the latter part (1 Nephi 13–14) of his vision of the tree of life (1 Nephi 11–14), Nephi is shown the unauthorized human diminution of scripture and the gospel by the Gentile “great and abominable church” — that plain and precious things/words, teachings, and covenants were “taken away” or otherwise “kept back” from the texts that became the Bible and how people lived out its teachings. He also saw how the Lord would act to restore those lost words, teachings, and covenants among the Gentiles “unto the taking away of their stumbling blocks” (1 Nephi 14:1). The iterative language of 1 Nephi 13 describing the “taking away” and “keeping back” of scripture bears a strong resemblance to the prohibitions of the Deuteronomic canon-formula texts (Deuteronomy 4:2; 12:31 [MT 13:1]). It also echoes the etiological meanings attached to the name Joseph in Genesis 30:23–24 in terms of “taking away” and “adding.” Nephi’s prophecies of scripture and gospel restoration on account of which “[the Gentiles] shall be no more [cf. Hebrew lōʾ yôsîpû … ʿôd] brought down into captivity, and the house of Israel shall no more [wĕlōʾ yôsîpû … ʿôd] be confounded” (1 Nephi 14:2) and “after that they were restored, they should no more be confounded [(wĕ)lōʾ yôsîpû … ʿôd], neither should they be scattered again [wĕlōʾ yôsîpû … ʿôd]” (1 Nephi 15:20) depend on the language of Isaiah. Like other Isaiah-based prophecies of Nephi (e.g., 2 Nephi 25:17, 21; 29:1–2), they echo the name of the prophet through whom lost scripture and gospel covenants would be restored — i.e., through a “Joseph.”

Keywords: apostasy; Book of Mormon; Canon; covenants; Joseph; keeping back; restoration; taking away; wordplay
Bowen, Matthew L. “‘Upon the Wings of His Spirit’: A Note on Hebrew rûaḥ and 2 Nephi 4:25.” Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship 58 (2023): Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship 58 (2023): 19-32.

Abstract: Nephi, in composing his psalm (2 Nephi 4:15–35), incorporates a poetic idiom from Psalm 18:10 (2 Samuel 22:11) and Psalm 104:3 to describe his participation in a form of divine travel. This experience constituted a part of the vision in which he saw “the things which [his] father saw” in the latter’s dream of the tree of life (see 1 Nephi 11:1–3; 14:29–30). Nephi’s use of this idiom becomes readily apparent when the range of meaning for the Hebrew word rûaḥ is considered. Nephi’s experience helps our understanding of other scriptural scenes where similar divine travel is described.

Keywords: Book of Mormon; Nephi; polysemy; Spirit; wind
Bowen, Matthew L. “‘We Are a Remnant of the Seed of Joseph’: Moroni’s Interpretive Use of Joseph’s Coat and the Martial nēs-Imagery of Isaiah 11:11–12.” Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship 41 (2020): 169-192.

Abstract: Genesis 30:23–24 offers a double etiology for Joseph in terms of “taking away”/“gathering” (ʾāsap) and “adding” (yāsap). In addition to its later narratological use of the foregoing, the Joseph cycle (Genesis 37–50) evidences a third dimension of onomastic wordplay involving Joseph’s kĕtōnet passîm, an uncertain phrase traditionally translated “coat of many colours” (from LXX), but perhaps better translated, “coat of manifold pieces.” Moroni1, quoting from a longer version of the Joseph story from the brass plates, refers to “Joseph, whose coat was rent by his brethren into many pieces” (Alma 46:23). As a military and spiritual leader, Moroni1 twice uses Joseph’s torn coat and the remnant doctrine from Jacob’s prophecy regarding Joseph’s coat as a model for his covenant use of his own coat to “gather” (cf. ʾāsap) and rally faithful Nephites as “a remnant of the seed of Joseph” (Alma 46:12–28, 31; 62:4–6). In putting that coat on a “pole” or “standard” (Hebrew nēs — i.e., “ensign”) to “gather” a “remnant of the seed of Joseph” appears to make use of the Isaianic nēs-imagery of Isaiah 11:11–12 (and elsewhere), where the Joseph-connected verbs yāsap and ʾāsap serve as key terms. Moroni’s written-upon “standard” or “ensign” for “gathering” the “remnant of the seed of Joseph” constituted an important prophetic antetype for how Mormon and his son, Moroni2, perceived the function of their written record in the latter-days (see, e.g., 3 Nephi 5:23–26; Ether 13:1–13).

Bowen, Matthew L. “‘We Might Have Enjoyed Our Possessions and the Land of Our Inheritance’: Hebrew yrš and 1 Nephi 17:21.” Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship 50 (2022): 123-144.

Abstract: The verbal expression “we might have enjoyed,” as used in a complaint that Nephi attributes to his brothers, “we might have enjoyed our possessions and the land of our inheritance” (1 Nephi 17:21), reflects a use of the Hebrew verb yrš in its progressive aspect, “to enjoy possession of.” This meaning is evident in several passages in the Hebrew Bible, and perhaps most visibly in the KJV translation of Numbers 36:8 (“And every daughter, that possesseth [Hebrew yōrešet] an inheritance [naḥălâ] in any tribe of the children of Israel, shall be wife unto one of the family of the tribe of her father, that the children of Israel may enjoy [yîršû] every man the inheritance [naḥălat] of his fathers”) and Joshua 1:15 (“then ye shall return unto the land of your possession [lĕʾereṣ yĕruššatkem or, unto the land of your inheritance], and enjoy it [wîrištem ʾôtāh].” Examining Laman and Lemuel’s complaint in a legal context helps us better appreciate “land[s] of … inheritance” as not just describing a family estate, but as also expressing a seminal Abrahamic Covenant concept in numerous Book of Mormon passages, including the covenant implications of the resettlement of the converted Lamanites and reconverted Zoramites as refugees in “the land of Jershon” (“place of inheritance”).

Keywords: Abrahamic covenant; inherit; lands of inheritance; possess
Boyce, Duane. “Text as Afterthought: Jana Riess’s Treatment of the Jacob-Sherem Episode.” Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship 33 (2019): 123-140.

Review of Jana Riess, “‘There Came a Man’: Sherem, Scapegoating, and the Inversion of Prophetic Tradition,” in Christ and Antichrist: Reading Jacob 7, eds. Adam S. Miller and Joseph M. Spencer (Provo, Utah: Neal A. Maxwell Institute, 2017), 17 pages (chapter), 174 pages (book).

Abstract: The Neal A. Maxwell Institute recently published a book on the encounter between Jacob and Sherem in Jacob 7. Jana Riess’s contribution to this volume demonstrates the kind of question-asking and hypothesis formation that might occur on a quick first pass through the text, but it does not demonstrate what obviously must come next, the testing of those hypotheses against the text. Her article appears to treat the text as a mere afterthought. The result is a sizeable collection of errors in thinking about Jacob and Sherem.

Boyce, Duane. “Why Abraham Was Not Wrong to Lie.” Brigham Young University Studies Quarterly 61, no. 3 (2022): 4.
Bradford, Miles Gerald. Ancient Scrolls from the Dead Sea: Photographs and Commentary on a Unique Collection of Scrolls. Provo, UT: Neal A. Maxwell Institute, 1997.

By Miles Gerald Bradford, Published on 01/01/97

Bradford, Stella Paul. “Music of the Bible.” Young Woman’s Journal 33 (July 1922): 376–78.
Bradshaw, Jeffrey M., and David J. Larsen. “L’Apocalypse d’Abraham: Témoin Ancien du Livre de Moïse (The Apocalypse of Abraham : Ancient Witness of the Book of Moses).” Invited lecture at the FAIR France Conference, Strasbourg, France. March 29, 2009.
Bradshaw, Jeffrey M. “The Apocalypse of Abraham: An Ancient Witness for the Book of Moses.” Paper presented at the 2010 FairMormon Conference Conference. August, 2010.
Bradshaw, Jeffrey M. “The Ark and the Tent: Temple Symbolism in the Story of Noah.” Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship 44 (2021): 93-136.

Abstract: Jeffrey M. Bradshaw compares Moses’ tabernacle and Noah’s ark, and then identifies the story of Noah as a temple related drama, drawing of temple mysticism and symbols. After examining structural similarities between ark and tabernacle and bringing into the discussion further information about the Mesopotamian flood story, he shows how Noah’s ark is a beginning of a new creation, pointing out the central point of Day One in the Noah story. When Noah leaves the ark, they find themselves in a garden, not unlike the Garden of Eden in the way the Bible speaks about it. A covenant is established in signs and tokens. Noah is the new Adam. This is then followed by a fall/Judgement scene story, even though it is Ham who is judged, not Noah. In accordance with mostly non-Mormon sources quoted, Bradshaw points out how Noah was not in “his” tent, but in the tent of the Shekhina, the presence of God, how being drunk was seen by the ancients as a synonym to “being caught up in a vision of God,” and how his “nakedness” was rather referring to garments God had made for Adam and Eve.

[Editor’s Note: Part of our book chapter reprint series, this article is reprinted here as a service to the LDS community. Original pagination and page numbers have necessarily changed, otherwise the reprint has the same content as the original.

See Jeffrey M. Bradshaw, “The Ark and the Tent: Temple Symbolism in the Story of Noah,” in Temple Insights: Proceedings of the Interpreter Matthew B. Brown Memorial Conference, “The Temple on Mount Zion,” 22 September 2012, ed. William J. Hamblin and David Rolph Seely (Orem, UT: The Interpreter Foundation; Salt Lake City: Eborn Books, 2014), 25–66. Further information at https://interpreterfoundation.org/books/temple-insights/.].

Book of Mormon Central, Jeffrey M. Bradshaw, and Matthew L. Bowen. “Essay #18: The Teachings of Enoch — ‘Out of the Waters of Judah’ (1 Nephi 20:1; JST Genesis 17:3–7).” In Pearl of Great Price Central; The Interpreter Foundation. August 29, 2020.
Book of Mormon Central, Jeffrey M. Bradshaw, David J. Larsen, and Stephen T. Whitlock. “Essay #33: Moses 1 in Its Ancient Context: Moses 1 as a ‘Missing’ Prologue to Genesis (Moses 1).” In Pearl of Great Price Central; The Interpreter Foundation. December 12, 2020.
Book of Mormon Central, and Jeffrey M. Bradshaw. “Essay #76: Noah (Moses 8): Was Noah’s Ark Designed as a Floating Temple? (Moses 8:22–30; Genesis 6:5–22; chapters 7–8).” In Pearl of Great Price Central; The Interpreter Foundation. October 09, 2021.
Book of Mormon Central, and Jeffrey M. Bradshaw. “Essay #77: Noah (Moses 8): Was Noah Drunk or in a Vision? (Genesis 9).” In Pearl of Great Price Central; The Interpreter Foundation. October 16, 2021.
Bradshaw, Jeffrey M. “Did Moses Write the Book of Genesis? — Old Testament KnoWhy JBOTL03B.” In The Interpreter Foundation. January 11, 2018.
Bradshaw, Jeffrey M., and David J. Larsen. “Die Apokalypse Abrahams: Ein antiker Zeuge für das Buch Mose (The Apocalypse of Abraham : Ancient Witness of the Book of Moses).” Invited lecture at the FAIR Germany Conference, Frankfurt, Germany. 28 March 2009.
Bradshaw, Jeffrey M., Book of Mormon Central, and Stephen T. Whitlock. “Essay #77: Noah (Moses 8): Was Noah Drunk or in a Vision? (Genesis 9).” The Interpreter Foundation website. October 16, 2021.
Bradshaw, Jeffrey M. “The Ezekiel Mural at Dura Europos and the Mysteries of Aaron, Moses, and Melchizedek.” The Interpreter Foundation website. September 18, 2019.
Bradshaw, Jeffrey M. “Jeffrey M. Bradshaw — A Tower Of Literary Beauty: Wordplay and Chiasmus in the Story of Babel.” The Interpreter Foundation website. February 5, 2018.
Bradshaw, Jeffrey M. “KnoWhy OTL01A — Why Did Moses Seem to Repeat the Same Experience Twice in His Vision?” The Interpreter Foundation website. January 6, 2018.
Bradshaw, Jeffrey M. “KnoWhy OTL02A — What Was the Nature of Satan’s Premortal Proposal?” The Interpreter Foundation website. January 6, 2018.
Bradshaw, Jeffrey M. “KnoWhy OTL03A — What Can the Architecture of Israelite Temples Teach Us About Creation and the Garden of Eden?” Interpreter Foundation blog. January 8, 2018.
Bradshaw, Jeffrey M. “KnoWhy OTL03B — Did Moses Write the Book of Genesis?” The Interpreter Foundation website. January 11, 2018.
Bradshaw, Jeffrey M. “KnoWhy OTL04A — Did Satan Actually Deceive Eve?” The Interpreter Foundation website. January 15, 2018.
Bradshaw, Jeffrey M. “KnoWhy OTL04B — Was Adam Meant to ‘Rule Over’ or ‘Rule With’ Eve?” The Interpreter Foundation website. January 18, 2018.
Bradshaw, Jeffrey M. “KnoWhy OTL05A — Why Was Joseph Smith Initially Prohibited from Publishing His Bible Translation?” The Interpreter Foundation website. January 22, 2018.
Bradshaw, Jeffrey M. “KnoWhy OTL05B — How Does Moses 5-8 Illustrate the Consequences of Keeping and Breaking Temple Covenants One By One?” The Interpreter Foundation website. January 25, 2018.
Bradshaw, Jeffrey M. “KnoWhy OTL05C — Could Joseph Smith Have Drawn On Ancient Manuscripts When He Translated the Story of Enoch?” The Interpreter Foundation website. January 26, 2018.
Bradshaw, Jeffrey M. “KnoWhy OTL05D — What Did Hugh Nibley Have to Say About the LDS Enoch and the Aramaic Book of the Giants?” The Interpreter Foundation website. April 9, 2018.
Bradshaw, Jeffrey M.