The Nephites were a "church of anticipation," looking forward to the coming of the Messiah. As such, they could be expected to share a common scriptural language with Old World churches of anticipation, such as the sectaries of Qumran, of whom John the Baptist may be the most famous member. In the Book of Mormon, few chapters exemplify this so profoundly as Alma 5.
The English word "regulation" appears nowhere in the Bible. It derives from Latin roots meaning to make straight. It does, however, appear four times in the Book of Mormon, including Alma 6. Three of those appearances are specifically in reference to Alma the Elder, his son Alma the Younger and Helaman, son of the latter. Specifically, it is in the context of "regulating" the Nephite church.
So here we have father, son and grandson each tasked with regulating, making straight, the church of anticipation preparatory to the coming of Christ. Who else spoke of "making straight?" John the Baptist, of course, quoting Isaiah.
It is anticipatory language, somewhat hidden by the English translation and a nice test of authenticity.
Showing posts with label Book of Mormon. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Book of Mormon. Show all posts
Tuesday, July 23, 2013
Saturday, June 9, 2012
The celestial yeshiva
"Behold, my brethren, do ye suppose that such an one [a wicked soul] can have a place to sit down in the kingdom of God, with Abraham, with Isaac and with Jacob, and also all the holy prophets whose garments are cleansed and are spotless, pure and white?" Alma 5:24.
There is often so much more to scripture than the casual reader ever catches. The late LDS scholar Hugh Nibley cited this verse in Approaching Zion, p. 585, noting that "sitting down" is literally the meaning in English of the famous Hebrew yeshiva. A gathering together of holy men to contemplate and discuss the sacred word.
What Alma speaks of in this passage might be termed the celestial yeshiva. I wonder if, trained up at the feet of his father Alma the Elder, with stories of the latter's early life in the court of the loathsome King Noah, he thought as he wrote these words of Noah's counterfeit yeshiva. The priests of Noah "spent the greater part of their days studying and teaching iniquity" but convinced themselves somehow that they were great scholars of the Mosaic law. Even dared to think of themselves as fulfillment of the Isaiahic prophecy, "How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that publisheth peace."
There is often so much more to scripture than the casual reader ever catches. The late LDS scholar Hugh Nibley cited this verse in Approaching Zion, p. 585, noting that "sitting down" is literally the meaning in English of the famous Hebrew yeshiva. A gathering together of holy men to contemplate and discuss the sacred word.
What Alma speaks of in this passage might be termed the celestial yeshiva. I wonder if, trained up at the feet of his father Alma the Elder, with stories of the latter's early life in the court of the loathsome King Noah, he thought as he wrote these words of Noah's counterfeit yeshiva. The priests of Noah "spent the greater part of their days studying and teaching iniquity" but convinced themselves somehow that they were great scholars of the Mosaic law. Even dared to think of themselves as fulfillment of the Isaiahic prophecy, "How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that publisheth peace."
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Exploring Book of Mormon names
In the second chapter of the Book of Alma, within the Book of Mormon, seditionists wage war atop the hill Amnihu, east of the river Sidon, near the capital city of the Nephites.
The Biblical King David had a son, Amnon, which according to Strong's Concordance can be transliterated Aminon, but I think the etymology of this place derives from another Biblical word ... Near Damascus in the Holy Land is the hill Amanah, which is Hebrew for "faithful."
Yet another amazing cooincidence for the imaginative Joseph Smith, or a neat little mark of authenticity? You decide.
What of the river Sidon? Why would Nephites, expatriate Hebrews, name their principal New World river for that Phoenician -- foreign -- city?
Perhaps they did for the same reasons the United States has a Paris, Moscow, Memphis, Philadephia, New London, etc.
Or perhaps it is because Sidon is Hebrew for "fishery." Which could be expected to be a major business upon a major river. Old World Sidon may not have come to their minds at all.
Typically, the New Testament has Sidon while the Old has Zidon -- both of course translating the same word which in Hebrew begins with the letter "tsadee," pronounced "ts," which is neither an s or a z but a little of both. Hence the difficulty. We see this with other words such as Melchizedek (OT) and Melchisedec (NT).
But Sidon appearing in the Book of Mormon is hardly an anachronism. If you are still not convinced, Genesis 10:15 should put your mind at ease.
The Biblical King David had a son, Amnon, which according to Strong's Concordance can be transliterated Aminon, but I think the etymology of this place derives from another Biblical word ... Near Damascus in the Holy Land is the hill Amanah, which is Hebrew for "faithful."
Yet another amazing cooincidence for the imaginative Joseph Smith, or a neat little mark of authenticity? You decide.
What of the river Sidon? Why would Nephites, expatriate Hebrews, name their principal New World river for that Phoenician -- foreign -- city?
Perhaps they did for the same reasons the United States has a Paris, Moscow, Memphis, Philadephia, New London, etc.
Or perhaps it is because Sidon is Hebrew for "fishery." Which could be expected to be a major business upon a major river. Old World Sidon may not have come to their minds at all.
Typically, the New Testament has Sidon while the Old has Zidon -- both of course translating the same word which in Hebrew begins with the letter "tsadee," pronounced "ts," which is neither an s or a z but a little of both. Hence the difficulty. We see this with other words such as Melchizedek (OT) and Melchisedec (NT).
But Sidon appearing in the Book of Mormon is hardly an anachronism. If you are still not convinced, Genesis 10:15 should put your mind at ease.
Monday, April 19, 2010
Lehi's Dream and Psalmic connections?
"Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed thereto according to thy word." -- Psalms 119:9.
That is the King James Version. But reading the Jewish Publication Society translation of this passage of the Tanakh opens up a rich field of contemplation for me.
"With what shall a young man keep his way pure? By holding to thy word."
Holding to the word (bmr in Hebrew) immediately brought to mind the vision of Lehi in 1 Nephi 8, in the Book of Mormon. Then the similarities seemed to leap out at me. I hardly think I can be accused of paralellomania but judge for yourself:
The writer of the psalm has sought the Lord with his whole heart and pleads "O let me not wander from thy commandments." He prays that his eyes may be opened, as one might when wandering in a mist of darkness. He is a stranger in the earth, just as the visionary was in a broad field as it were a world.
He says the Lord has rebuked the proud who are cursed, which do err from the commandments, who held him in reproach and contempt as one who kept the commandments ... even princes sat and spoke against him.
The way of God's testimonies brought him joy.
I really believe Lehi, as a pious Jew, could have had this psalm in mind the night he beheld his great vision -- especially if his mind was harrowed up with concerns for his sons, his young men, as he specifically stated that it was.
That is the King James Version. But reading the Jewish Publication Society translation of this passage of the Tanakh opens up a rich field of contemplation for me.
"With what shall a young man keep his way pure? By holding to thy word."
Holding to the word (bmr in Hebrew) immediately brought to mind the vision of Lehi in 1 Nephi 8, in the Book of Mormon. Then the similarities seemed to leap out at me. I hardly think I can be accused of paralellomania but judge for yourself:
The writer of the psalm has sought the Lord with his whole heart and pleads "O let me not wander from thy commandments." He prays that his eyes may be opened, as one might when wandering in a mist of darkness. He is a stranger in the earth, just as the visionary was in a broad field as it were a world.
He says the Lord has rebuked the proud who are cursed, which do err from the commandments, who held him in reproach and contempt as one who kept the commandments ... even princes sat and spoke against him.
The way of God's testimonies brought him joy.
I really believe Lehi, as a pious Jew, could have had this psalm in mind the night he beheld his great vision -- especially if his mind was harrowed up with concerns for his sons, his young men, as he specifically stated that it was.
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Apiculture in Ancient America
On a certain internet forum, some 13 pages of discussion revolve around whether the Book of Mormon account of honeybees in the Jaredite settlements of the New World proves said Book of Mormon to be false.
13 pages!
Once, I took a very long journey, from Washington State to Utah to Texas to Germany to Hungary. The trip was by air, with a soujourn in Utah for some training. It should be obvious to anyone that by the time I finally reached Hungary, the contents of my suitcases had changed slightly.
Had I scribbled down an inventory of my original baggage, would some hypothetical person at the other end of the flight have been able to disprove not only my journey but my very existence, by the changes in my stuff?
Notice, the Book of Mormon says the Jaredites started their journey in the Old World with honeybees. Who knows for how long they traveled before they finally made their trans-oceanic crossing? Who knows what they kept with them and what they jettisoned along the way? The Book of Mormon makes NO mention of honeybees once the Jaredites finally reached America.
Could it be possible that they didn't bring the bees with them in their boats? Can critics squeeze that possibility into their cranial spaces? Or do they simply derive endless joy from kicking a straw-man?
13 pages!
Once, I took a very long journey, from Washington State to Utah to Texas to Germany to Hungary. The trip was by air, with a soujourn in Utah for some training. It should be obvious to anyone that by the time I finally reached Hungary, the contents of my suitcases had changed slightly.
Had I scribbled down an inventory of my original baggage, would some hypothetical person at the other end of the flight have been able to disprove not only my journey but my very existence, by the changes in my stuff?
Notice, the Book of Mormon says the Jaredites started their journey in the Old World with honeybees. Who knows for how long they traveled before they finally made their trans-oceanic crossing? Who knows what they kept with them and what they jettisoned along the way? The Book of Mormon makes NO mention of honeybees once the Jaredites finally reached America.
Could it be possible that they didn't bring the bees with them in their boats? Can critics squeeze that possibility into their cranial spaces? Or do they simply derive endless joy from kicking a straw-man?
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Strabo and the Jaredites
Strabo's third volume of "Geographica" (written during the time of Tiberius Caesar, 1st Century A.D.,) discusses the people and places of Iberia, today's Spain and Portugal. I have found many details to be of interest.
Quite striking is the mention of a city of Moron. Of course the word in English is quite unflattering, but certainly a transliteration from some other language wouldn't have the same meaning. Moron also turns up as the name of an ancient New World Jaredite city in the Book of Mormon, surely the subject of derision from people unable to comprehend the above principle.
So perhaps Joseph Smith copied "Moron" from a map of Spain, right? Not likely, since that ancient name has long since given way to Al-Merim.
If the Iberian "Moron" is of Punic origin, it fits nicely into the possible Semitic connections of the Jaredites. But suppose it is purely Celtic? Not a problem either, since the Jaredites may actually be of a different ethnic stock than the children of Shem -- and they are certainly not Hebrews like the Lehites. Celts and Jaredites may be of closely related ancestry. Strabo himself notes that the Iberian Celts "share traits with the Thracian and Scythian tribes," who ranged across Europe and into Eurasia, the latter being where LDS scholar Hugh Nibley placed the Jaredite wanderings.
Those Iberian Celts also had a "sort of women-rule," says Strabo (3:14:18), a concept that Nibley also finds among the Jaredites.
Quite striking is the mention of a city of Moron. Of course the word in English is quite unflattering, but certainly a transliteration from some other language wouldn't have the same meaning. Moron also turns up as the name of an ancient New World Jaredite city in the Book of Mormon, surely the subject of derision from people unable to comprehend the above principle.
So perhaps Joseph Smith copied "Moron" from a map of Spain, right? Not likely, since that ancient name has long since given way to Al-Merim.
If the Iberian "Moron" is of Punic origin, it fits nicely into the possible Semitic connections of the Jaredites. But suppose it is purely Celtic? Not a problem either, since the Jaredites may actually be of a different ethnic stock than the children of Shem -- and they are certainly not Hebrews like the Lehites. Celts and Jaredites may be of closely related ancestry. Strabo himself notes that the Iberian Celts "share traits with the Thracian and Scythian tribes," who ranged across Europe and into Eurasia, the latter being where LDS scholar Hugh Nibley placed the Jaredite wanderings.
Those Iberian Celts also had a "sort of women-rule," says Strabo (3:14:18), a concept that Nibley also finds among the Jaredites.
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
The dastardly demagogue
The Book of Mormon uses a rare word, scriptorally speaking, to describe the villain Amlici. He is a "cunning" man.
All instances of that word in the KJV Old Testament go back to its older, non-perjurative sense, as in skillful. Only in the New Testament, and only once, do we find it denoting a bad person. That is, Ephesians 4:14, speaking of "cunning craftiness."
The Greek behind that phrase is "panourgia," which translates, fittingly enough, as specious or false wisdom. Indeed, the enemy of righteousness may appear to be a clever person, honey-tongued and quick-on-his-feet, but ultimately, he is a fool with a sad fate ahead of him.
I wonder if the Hebrews, without the long history of sophistry and rhetoric of their Hellenistic neighbors, truly had a societal concept, an archetype, of the "cunning man," the panourgia, the demagogue, among them.
The closest that the Old Testament seems to get is the tale of how Absalom organized rebellion against his father, David. His doomed uprising began with beguiling promises to the disaffected subjects of his father's kingdom. ((2 Sam. 15:4) But his grandstanding seems rather clumsy -- no Greek sophist would have been impressed.
If the "cunning man," the demagogue, is not to be found among the ancient Hebrews, from whence did the New World Hebrew expatriates, the Lehites, derive the concept? Is this an anachronism? Or is it in fact a subtle clue that the Lehites were not alone in their new home, that there were among them remnants of another people who did indeed understand the concept and used it against them?
All instances of that word in the KJV Old Testament go back to its older, non-perjurative sense, as in skillful. Only in the New Testament, and only once, do we find it denoting a bad person. That is, Ephesians 4:14, speaking of "cunning craftiness."
The Greek behind that phrase is "panourgia," which translates, fittingly enough, as specious or false wisdom. Indeed, the enemy of righteousness may appear to be a clever person, honey-tongued and quick-on-his-feet, but ultimately, he is a fool with a sad fate ahead of him.
I wonder if the Hebrews, without the long history of sophistry and rhetoric of their Hellenistic neighbors, truly had a societal concept, an archetype, of the "cunning man," the panourgia, the demagogue, among them.
The closest that the Old Testament seems to get is the tale of how Absalom organized rebellion against his father, David. His doomed uprising began with beguiling promises to the disaffected subjects of his father's kingdom. ((2 Sam. 15:4) But his grandstanding seems rather clumsy -- no Greek sophist would have been impressed.
If the "cunning man," the demagogue, is not to be found among the ancient Hebrews, from whence did the New World Hebrew expatriates, the Lehites, derive the concept? Is this an anachronism? Or is it in fact a subtle clue that the Lehites were not alone in their new home, that there were among them remnants of another people who did indeed understand the concept and used it against them?
Friday, February 5, 2010
New villain on the scene
I have just reached the second chapter of Alma in my study of the Book of Mormon and am curious about the villain we meet there, Amlici. As with many of those who sought to overturn the order of things in the Nephite world, Amlici himself is an enigma. Was he wholly a Nephite or of some other ethnic derivation with an axe to grind, perhaps considering himself an aggrieved minority in the Nephite culture, as might an Ainu in Japan or a Native American in the United States today? Consider his very name -- impossible to derive from the m-l-k root so familiar in the Book of Mormon, if the transliterated "c" is in truth to be pronounced as an "s."
If he was simply a power-hungry Nephite, or if this is a title put upon him by his Nephite enemies (there is a long history in Native American culture of doing so -- just ask an "Eskimo") then I may be very off base but his name might mean "Man of Aml," if "ic" is a garbled version of the Hebrew "aish" and the final "i" is a possessive marker.
If he was simply a power-hungry Nephite, or if this is a title put upon him by his Nephite enemies (there is a long history in Native American culture of doing so -- just ask an "Eskimo") then I may be very off base but his name might mean "Man of Aml," if "ic" is a garbled version of the Hebrew "aish" and the final "i" is a possessive marker.
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Book of Mormon, Part II
I am reminded of my youthful years when I was quite ignorant and very briefly questioned the truth of the Bible when I discovered the word "corn" within its pages. Any American schoolboy/girl knows that corn was an American crop, unknown to the Hebrews. Of course, corn is actually an old English word for any grain, not just maize. How foolish I was!
What of the Liahona-compass? God created a director-ball, the Book of Mormon says, and God had no need, any believer in Him must agree, to borrow the idea from ancient China. "Compass" is a good English translation-word that helps us understand the concept. But notice that no magnetism is ever mentioned, the device worked by faith, not science, and no Nephite copies of the thing were ever made. Why should they have been? How could they have been?
Shame on never-Mormons who knowingly perpetuate a lie in order to catch a man in what they suppose a lie, as God Himself warns them not to do! And double-shame on anyone who has known the light of the Gospel but throws it away over such trifles as barley, steel, whatever. How do you feel learning that massive, pre-Columbian iron slag heaps have now been found? Do you feel silly when you realize that your quotation of "an endless number of horses and chariots" from 2nd Nephi, rather than being an anachronism of the New World, is actually a direct quote from the Biblical book of Isaiah, and thus perfectly in place amongst a group of Hebrew emigrants, whether there were an endless number of horses upon the land or not?
There is an LDS chapel somewhere in your city -- you are welcome, or welcome back, next Sunday.
What of the Liahona-compass? God created a director-ball, the Book of Mormon says, and God had no need, any believer in Him must agree, to borrow the idea from ancient China. "Compass" is a good English translation-word that helps us understand the concept. But notice that no magnetism is ever mentioned, the device worked by faith, not science, and no Nephite copies of the thing were ever made. Why should they have been? How could they have been?
Shame on never-Mormons who knowingly perpetuate a lie in order to catch a man in what they suppose a lie, as God Himself warns them not to do! And double-shame on anyone who has known the light of the Gospel but throws it away over such trifles as barley, steel, whatever. How do you feel learning that massive, pre-Columbian iron slag heaps have now been found? Do you feel silly when you realize that your quotation of "an endless number of horses and chariots" from 2nd Nephi, rather than being an anachronism of the New World, is actually a direct quote from the Biblical book of Isaiah, and thus perfectly in place amongst a group of Hebrew emigrants, whether there were an endless number of horses upon the land or not?
There is an LDS chapel somewhere in your city -- you are welcome, or welcome back, next Sunday.
Sunday, January 3, 2010
Of the ites
As I was reading scripture today, I had a flash of insight:
There is no such thing as an Israelite. Nor an Ammonite, Canaanite or Geshurite.
At least, not linguistically.
--ite is an English suffix. Not Hebrew.
Odd that I had never realized that before.
The original Hebrew suffix would be in some cases "-i" or, as per the masculine plural ending in Biblical NW Hebrew, -ima.
So there were actually no Book of Mormon Nephites or Lamanites either. They would have called themselves Nephi-i and Laman-i, or Nephima and Lamanima. One LDS apologist has conjectured that the Pima tribe of Native Americans might derive their name from that background.
Little hard to get used to.
There is no such thing as an Israelite. Nor an Ammonite, Canaanite or Geshurite.
At least, not linguistically.
--ite is an English suffix. Not Hebrew.
Odd that I had never realized that before.
The original Hebrew suffix would be in some cases "-i" or, as per the masculine plural ending in Biblical NW Hebrew, -ima.
So there were actually no Book of Mormon Nephites or Lamanites either. They would have called themselves Nephi-i and Laman-i, or Nephima and Lamanima. One LDS apologist has conjectured that the Pima tribe of Native Americans might derive their name from that background.
Little hard to get used to.
Thursday, December 31, 2009
The Sin Lists
As I read slowly through the first chapter of the Book of Alma tonight, I realized that I have hit upon a specific scriptural phenonomen: the sin list.
It would be interesting to catalogue all of these lists from the Book of Mormon, as well as the Bible. To note in which elements they differ, in the order of presentation, etc.
For example, tonight I focused on "envyings and strife," which appears as a pair in each Book of Mormon list that I have studied so far. Strife is of course the natural fruit of envy. An astute Biblical scholar would remember that the writer of the Epistle of James in the Bible, also paired the two. (3:16). More shameless plagiarism by the pretended prophet Joseph Smith? Hardly. The Palmyra farmboy, I have long ago realized, would have to have memorized virtually the entire New Testament, if he were simply attempting to pad his Book of Mormon, so many quotes are similar.
Other explanations present themselves. As he translated, he translated the Hebrew original into the way of speaking English that was familiar to him in connection with sacred things -- the King James structure. And both he and the ancient writers derived their inspiration and their words from the same source, our Father in Heaven.
My grandfather is fond of calling God the greatest scientist in the universe. I like to think that He is also the greatest writer and poet.
It would be interesting to catalogue all of these lists from the Book of Mormon, as well as the Bible. To note in which elements they differ, in the order of presentation, etc.
For example, tonight I focused on "envyings and strife," which appears as a pair in each Book of Mormon list that I have studied so far. Strife is of course the natural fruit of envy. An astute Biblical scholar would remember that the writer of the Epistle of James in the Bible, also paired the two. (3:16). More shameless plagiarism by the pretended prophet Joseph Smith? Hardly. The Palmyra farmboy, I have long ago realized, would have to have memorized virtually the entire New Testament, if he were simply attempting to pad his Book of Mormon, so many quotes are similar.
Other explanations present themselves. As he translated, he translated the Hebrew original into the way of speaking English that was familiar to him in connection with sacred things -- the King James structure. And both he and the ancient writers derived their inspiration and their words from the same source, our Father in Heaven.
My grandfather is fond of calling God the greatest scientist in the universe. I like to think that He is also the greatest writer and poet.
Friday, August 21, 2009
Septuagint
I have been reading Eusebius' "History of the Church" and today came across his discussion of Justin Martyr and Trypho. Found it very interesting -- Justin accuses the Jewish religious leaders of "cutting out" passages from the scriptures that referred to the coming Messiah.
What passages? Apparently a few from Ezra and Jeremiah and also from the Psalms.
What is his evidence? That these passages still can be found in the Septuagint but not in the Hebrew (Masoretic) text.
I wonder, if these passages are still not included in the modern Christian Bibles, what that does for those who believe in Inerrancy?
I have been aware for awhile of the nature and history of the Septuagint. Now I realize that I need to include it in my own library, as a student of scripture.
The LDS-authored notes accompanying my copy of the KJV (p. 622) assert, after all, that "[Septuagint manuscripts] in some cases have no doubt preserved older and truer readings."
A point of interest: that men have cut out passages from the Bible is LDS doctrine. However, the Book of Mormon lays the blame, not upon the Jews, but upon the Gentiles.
"...The book that thou beholdest is a record of the Jews ... and when it proceeded forth from the mouth of a Jew it contained the fulness of the gospel of the Lord ... wherefore, these things go forth from the Jews in purity unto the Gentiles ... and after they go forth by the hand of the twelve apostles of the Lamb, from the Jews unto the Gentiles, thou seest the formation of the great and abominable church ... after the book hath gone forth through the hands of the great and abominable church, that there are many plain and precious things taken away from the book, which is the book of the Lamb of God." 1 Nephi 13: 23-28.
What passages? Apparently a few from Ezra and Jeremiah and also from the Psalms.
What is his evidence? That these passages still can be found in the Septuagint but not in the Hebrew (Masoretic) text.
I wonder, if these passages are still not included in the modern Christian Bibles, what that does for those who believe in Inerrancy?
I have been aware for awhile of the nature and history of the Septuagint. Now I realize that I need to include it in my own library, as a student of scripture.
The LDS-authored notes accompanying my copy of the KJV (p. 622) assert, after all, that "[Septuagint manuscripts] in some cases have no doubt preserved older and truer readings."
A point of interest: that men have cut out passages from the Bible is LDS doctrine. However, the Book of Mormon lays the blame, not upon the Jews, but upon the Gentiles.
"...The book that thou beholdest is a record of the Jews ... and when it proceeded forth from the mouth of a Jew it contained the fulness of the gospel of the Lord ... wherefore, these things go forth from the Jews in purity unto the Gentiles ... and after they go forth by the hand of the twelve apostles of the Lamb, from the Jews unto the Gentiles, thou seest the formation of the great and abominable church ... after the book hath gone forth through the hands of the great and abominable church, that there are many plain and precious things taken away from the book, which is the book of the Lamb of God." 1 Nephi 13: 23-28.
Monday, December 29, 2008
The Psalms and the Book of Mormon
I have been reading through the Psalms for some time now, and it is fascinating, and entirely reasonable, that a careful reading of them turns up many similarities to the early chapters of the Book of Mormon. They are of the same milieu, after all.
Last night, I noticed something in Psalms 118.
Some translations (including, very disappointingly, the Jewish Publication Society Tanakh [aka the Hebrew Bible]) obscure the idiom that the King James Version preserves.
Namely, the psalmist writes:
"I called on the Lord in distress: the Lord answered me and set me in a large place."
The original word is rechab, which translates as broad or large.
Out of the confines of difficulty, the Lord brings the penitent into the open spaces of freedom. One familiar with the desert thinks easily of its narrow and dangerous canyons, difficult in many cases to escape.
And the Book of Mormon prophet Lehi reports in his vision a strikingly similar scene (1 Nephi 8:8-9):
"And after I had traveled for the space of many hours in darkness, I began to pray unto the Lord that he would have mercy on me ... And it came to pass that after I had prayed unto the Lord, I beheld a large and spacious field ..."
Last night, I noticed something in Psalms 118.
Some translations (including, very disappointingly, the Jewish Publication Society Tanakh [aka the Hebrew Bible]) obscure the idiom that the King James Version preserves.
Namely, the psalmist writes:
"I called on the Lord in distress: the Lord answered me and set me in a large place."
The original word is rechab, which translates as broad or large.
Out of the confines of difficulty, the Lord brings the penitent into the open spaces of freedom. One familiar with the desert thinks easily of its narrow and dangerous canyons, difficult in many cases to escape.
And the Book of Mormon prophet Lehi reports in his vision a strikingly similar scene (1 Nephi 8:8-9):
"And after I had traveled for the space of many hours in darkness, I began to pray unto the Lord that he would have mercy on me ... And it came to pass that after I had prayed unto the Lord, I beheld a large and spacious field ..."
Sunday, November 30, 2008
The Book of Mormon as art
Mark Twain, perhaps disappointed that the Book of Mormon wasn't written for laughs, called it chloroform in print.
Brodie said it sprung from a boy's imagination, overflowing "like a spring freshet."
And yet, it continues to inspire the humble in heart, from the slums of London to the cantons of Switzerland, from the Hungarian Alfold to the heartland of America.
Now I read of Robert and Georgia Buchet, who have dedicated years of their lives and an amazing amount of labor to rendering one portion of the Book, The Allegory of the Olive Tree, Jacob 5, at a level that is nothing less than exquisite.
From BYU Today:
All of the paper is handmade, watermarked with an olive branch and bound in either olive wood or silk and leather. The Bucherts made 50 copies, taking years to delicately hand paint each image. The paints are made from precious stones. Each letter of type was handset and the first letter on the first page is gilded with 24-karat gold.
Their work won the 2008 J. Carl Hertzog Book Design Award.
Brodie said it sprung from a boy's imagination, overflowing "like a spring freshet."
And yet, it continues to inspire the humble in heart, from the slums of London to the cantons of Switzerland, from the Hungarian Alfold to the heartland of America.
Now I read of Robert and Georgia Buchet, who have dedicated years of their lives and an amazing amount of labor to rendering one portion of the Book, The Allegory of the Olive Tree, Jacob 5, at a level that is nothing less than exquisite.
From BYU Today:
All of the paper is handmade, watermarked with an olive branch and bound in either olive wood or silk and leather. The Bucherts made 50 copies, taking years to delicately hand paint each image. The paints are made from precious stones. Each letter of type was handset and the first letter on the first page is gilded with 24-karat gold.
Their work won the 2008 J. Carl Hertzog Book Design Award.
Sunday, January 6, 2008
Book of Mormon names
I'm kind of jumping ahead of my schedule here, but someone -- I wish I could remember on what website -- recently poked fun at the name of one of the early characters in the Book of Mormon, Sam, the brother of Nephi.
"That's a Yankee name, not a Hebrew one," she wrote.
Well, tell the current leader of North Korea or many other Koreans that Kim is an American girl's name and see what they have to say about that.
Sam, according to the late apologist Hugh Nibley, who spoke Arabic, Egyptian and Hebrew, is a perfectly good Egyptian name, the normal Arabic form of Shem and possibly even a Hebrew dialectic version of that same name.
"That's a Yankee name, not a Hebrew one," she wrote.
Well, tell the current leader of North Korea or many other Koreans that Kim is an American girl's name and see what they have to say about that.
Sam, according to the late apologist Hugh Nibley, who spoke Arabic, Egyptian and Hebrew, is a perfectly good Egyptian name, the normal Arabic form of Shem and possibly even a Hebrew dialectic version of that same name.
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