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Abraham

What Is the Meaning of the Samuel’s Reply: “Here Am I”? (Gospel Doctrine Lesson 21A)

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Eli and Samuel

An Old Testament KnoWhy relating to the reading assignment for Gospel Doctrine Lesson 21: “God Will Honor Those Who Honor Him” (1 Samuel 2-3; 8) (JBOTL21A)

Question: Within the short space of one chapter, the boy prophet Samuel speaks the phrase “Here am I” five times. Is there something more than meets the eye in his repeated reply?

Summary: Yes, when spoken in a spirit of meekness in response to a call from the Lord, it is not a simple assertion of availability but rather of humility and moral readiness. In this article, we will review a few instances of the phrase “Here am I” in scripture. With the these examples in mind, we will examine the story of Samuel’s call verse-by-verse — and its implications for our own responses to God’s invitations to serve. Modern photographs and descriptions of the ancient site of Shiloh, where the building housing the Tabernacle once stood, are included at the end of the article.

The full article may be found at the Interpreter Foundation website: KnoWhy OTL21A — What Is the Meaning of the Samuel’s Reply: “Here Am I”?

Must Every Disciple Make an Abrahamic Sacrifice?(Old Testament Gospel Doctrine Lesson 9A)

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Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn (1606-1669): The Sacrifice of Isaac

An Old Testament KnoWhy for Gospel Doctrine Lesson 9: “God Will Provide Himself a Lamb” (Abraham 1; Genesis 15-17; 21-22) (JBOTL09A)

Question: In his willingness to offer up Isaac in sacrifice, Abraham made an unthinkable choice — a choice that opposed reason, went contrary to the commandments, seemed to nullify God’s prior promises, and must have made his whole soul recoil in moral repugnance. Does the Lord require every disciple to make a similar choice?

Summary: It is one thing to choose the right when the right seems reasonable and blessings for obedience seem obvious. It is another thing to bow in humble submission when “the thought makes reason stare” and the rewards of faith are not forthcoming. This article will show how Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, and Hagar each experienced such tests, as have many in modern times. The relevance of these tests to temple covenants and blessings is made apparent, as is the need for the rescuing power of the Atonement. Will something of a similar nature be required sooner or later of every disciple? Elder Neal A. Maxwell taught: “If we are serious about our discipleship, Jesus will eventually request each of us to do those very things which are the most difficult for us to do.” Thus, “sometimes the best people have the worst experiences because they are the most ready to learn.”

The full article may be found at the Interpreter Foundation website: KnoWhy OTL09A — Must Every Disciple Make an Abrahamic Sacrifice?

An excellent 13-minute film portraying Genesis 22 entitled “Akedah (The Binding)” can be found in the LDS Media Library: https://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2011-03-027-akedah-the-binding?lang=eng

Abraham’s Hebron: Then and Now, Part 5: Mamre (Old Testament Gospel Doctrine Lesson 8E)

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Meisterman’s 1906 map of the holy places of Hebron

An Old Testament KnoWhy for Gospel Doctrine Lesson 8: Living Righteously in a Wicked World (Genesis 13–14; 18–19) (JBOTL08E)

The purpose of this five-part series of videos is to provide a brief introduction to some of the places linked in tradition to the lives of the family of Abraham and Sarah. Many, though not all, of the sites we will visit are in or near the city of Hebron. Hebron and surrounding areas served as somewhat of a hub for Abraham in his many journeys.

Although archaeology cannot directly substantiate the scriptural stories of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, it can tell us something about the geography, settlements, and daily life of their contemporaries. Learning more about these places helps us get a more realistic sense of the setting in which the patriarchs lived. It is hoped that this series of presentations will increase exposure to these lesser-known sites, so rich in biblical history and tradition.

In this last of five video presentations, we will visit traditional sites associated with Mamre, the home of Abraham and Sarah after they separated from Lot. Mamre became the site of some of Abram’s most sacred experiences. After his return to Mamre from the rescue of Lot we read in Genesis 14 that he welcomed Melchizedek, “king of Salem” and “the priest of the most high God” (Genesis 14:18). Abraham sat in the door of his tent near the oak of Mamre when he received the visit of the three messengers who announced that he would have a son, Isaac, through Sarah.

As a first stop, we visit the St. George Church in Madaba, Jordan, where a floor mosaic of more than two million tiny pieces lays out the geography, buildings, and religious sites of ancient Palestine in the last half of the sixth century. The map of Hebron and Mamre provides useful clues to researchers about details of the ancient sites as well as to their location today.

Pinpointing the most likely sites for ancient Mamre is an almost impossible task. Five candidates have been identified, of which we will visit two of the most famous: the Oak of Sibta and Ramet al-Khalil/Elonei Mamre.

Though almost certainly not the tree of Abraham, the oak of Sibta has been venerated since the beginning of the Middle Ages. Its age has been variously estimated from 1000 to 5000 years old. The girth of its trunk is about ten meters. In former times, it grew undisturbed in the middle of a field surrounded by a small rock wall. Now it has declined in fulfillment of a tradition that it must die before the coming of the Antichrist. Anwar Zablah, the caretaker of the tree, has lived at the site of the Russian Orthodox monastery of the Holy Trinity for sixty years.

Two thousand years ago, at the same time he was building the Jerusalem Temple and the Tomb of the Patriarchs, Herod the Great erected a similar third monument at Ramet al-Khalil/Elonei Mamre, a traditional site of Abraham’s oak and well. Archaeologists have since discovered the remains of a church built by Constantine in 330 AD, constructed when he became disturbed by the pagan practices there.

 

The video may be found on the Interpreter Foundation website: KnoWhy OTL08E — Abraham’s Hebron: Then and Now, Part 5: Mamre

It can also be found on the FairMormon YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MNvHd5MzIoc

Abraham’s Hebron: Then and Now, Part 4: Ancient Hebron (Old Testament Gospel Doctrine Lesson 8D)

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Jeffrey M. Bradshaw: Woman at the Tomb of Jesse and Ruth at Tel Hebron

An Old Testament KnoWhy for Gospel Doctrine Lesson 8: Living Righteously in a Wicked World (Genesis 13–14; 18–19) (JBOTL08D)

The purpose of this five-part series of videos is to provide a brief introduction to some of the places linked in tradition to the lives of the family of Abraham and Sarah. Many, though not all, of the sites we will visit are in or near the city of Hebron. Hebron and surrounding areas served as somewhat of a hub for Abraham in his many journeys.

Although archaeology cannot directly substantiate the scriptural stories of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, it can tell us something about the geography, settlements, and daily life of their contemporaries. Learning more about these places helps us get a more realistic sense of the setting in which the patriarchs lived. It is hoped that this series of presentations will increase exposure to these lesser-known sites, so rich in biblical history and tradition.

In this fourth presentation, we will visit archeological sites associated with the ancient city of Hebron. Hebron is referenced 68 times in the Old Testament. The first reference is in Genesis 13:18 when, after Abram separated from Lot and God promised to give him the land of Canaan, he “removed his tent, and came and dwelt in the plain of Mamre, which is in Hebron, and built there an altar unto the Lord.” Hebron was already a flourishing Canaanite city by that time. Though Abram’s presence would have naturally left little trace, biblical scholars still hope to find traces of King David’s reign of seven years in Hebron that occurred several hundred years later (2 Samuel 2:1-3). David’s son Absalom declared himself king in Hebron when he revolted against his father (2 Samuel 15:7-10). Because of its strategic position historically and geographically, t became the second most important Judean city after Jerusalem.

The population of Hebron is about 200,000 Palestinians and an estimated 600-800 Jews. We will begin by describing the current state of affairs in the partitioning of Hebron between Palestinian and Jewish residents. Certain of these areas continue to experience serious dispute.

Within the new Jewish neighborhood of Admot Yishai (Lands of Jesse) is an area of Tel Hebron thought to contain the entry to the north gate of ancient Canaanite Hebron, pre-dating the time of Abraham. This gate, or another on the south side, may have been the site where Abraham bough the cave of Machpelah to bury for family, the transaction having been witnessed by “all who entered the gate” (Genesis 23:10). A “four-room” house, of a kind typical to Israelite occupation, dates back 2700 years to the time of King Hezekiah. A layer of ash provides evidence that the house was destroyed in the Assyrian conquest of 701 BC.

Our second stop on Tel Hebron will be at the traditional site of the tombs of Jesse, the father of David, and Ruth, his faithful progenitor. On Shavuot, Jews ascend to this place to recite her story from the Bible.

On the south side of Tel Hebron are the “cyclopean walls.” The walls received the name “cyclopean” or giant not only because of the large size of some of the stones but also because the sons of Anak, some of the ancient inhabitants of the city, were reputed by the Bible to be giants.

Our last stop is a perennial spring on the lower eastern slope of Tel Hebron. It is called ’Ain Jadida (New Spring) in Arabic and Ein Avraham (Abraham’s Spring) in Hebrew. The spring seems to have been a water source for the ancient city. The water is about 12 feet deep. On hot, summer days its clear, cold waters are a playground for children. In the spring, adults from the Jewish community sometimes use the site as a “mikvah,” a purifying ritual bath.

 

The video may be found on the Interpreter Foundation website: KnoWhy OTL08D — Abraham’s Hebron: Then and Now, Part 4: Ancient Hebron

It can also be found on the FairMormon YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E-8oARSCdhs

Abraham’s Hebron: Then and Now, Part 3: Jacob’s Well and the Tombs of Joseph and Rachel (Old Testament Gospel Doctrine Lesson 8C)

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Sign at Entrance to Saint Photini’s Greek Orthodox Church and Jacob’s Well Convent, Nablus, Israel

An Old Testament KnoWhy for Gospel Doctrine Lesson 8: Living Righteously in a Wicked World (Genesis 13–14; 18–19) (JBOTL08C)

The purpose of this five-part series of videos is to provide a brief introduction to some of the places linked in tradition to the lives of the family of Abraham and Sarah. Many, though not all, of the sites we will visit are in or near the city of Hebron. Hebron and surrounding areas served as somewhat of a hub for Abraham in his many journeys.

Although archaeology cannot directly substantiate the scriptural stories of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, it can tell us something about the geography, settlements, and daily life of their contemporaries. Learning more about these places helps us get a more realistic sense of the setting in which the patriarchs lived. It is hoped that this series of presentations will increase exposure to these lesser-known sites, so rich in biblical history and tradition.

This third presentation will first take us northward in the West Bank for a visit to the traditional sites of Jacob’s Well and the Tomb of Joseph, then southward again to Rachel’s Tomb.

Although, Jacob’s Well is not mentioned explicitly in the Old Testament, it is not unreasonable to suppose that there was a good water source in “the parcel of a field” that Jacob purchased (Genesis 33:18-20). In John 4:5-42, Jesus used the backdrop of Jacob’s Well to teach a Samaritan woman about how the water He could giver her might become “of well of water springing up into everlasting life.” The beautiful Orthodox Church in Nablus that now stands over the crypt where the well still functions is a rich repository of faith and symbolism.

A short distance further up the road is the traditional site of the Tomb of Joseph. According to the Bible, Joseph gave specific instructions that his bones were not to be interred in Egypt but rather in Israel (Genesis 50:24-26). Accordingly, we are told that Joseph’s bones were removed from Egypt during the Exodus (Exodus 13:19) and buried in the tract of land that Jacob had bought in Shechem (Joshua 24:32). Though the physical site is much less well-attested than, for example, Jacob’s Well or the Tomb of the Patriarchs, it is a symbol of great spiritual significance to people of different faiths.

On the road that joins Bethlehem and Jerusalem, is Rachel’s Tomb. Chapter 35 of Genesis records that after Rachel “travailed, and … had hard labour,” she died in childbirth, calling her son “Ben-oni [son of my sorrow]: but his father called him Benjamin [son at the right hand].” She was buried on the road from Bethlehem to Jerusalem. Once an isolated and peaceful setting, the tomb is now surrounded by a concrete wall and watchtowers. Within this fortress-tomb, devout Jews gather in a small chapel for study and worship.

 

The video may be found at the Interpreter Foundation website: KnoWhy OTL08C — Abraham’s Hebron: Then and Now, Part 3: Jacob’s Well and the Tombs of Joseph and Rachel

Abraham’s Hebron: Then and Now, Part 2: The Tomb of the Patriarchs (Old Testament Gospel Doctrine Lesson 8B)

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Jeffrey M. Bradshaw: Market Scene in Hebron

An Old Testament KnoWhy for Gospel Doctrine Lesson 8: Living Righteously in a Wicked World (Genesis 13–14; 18–19) (JBOTL08B)

The purpose of this five-part series of videos is to provide a brief introduction to some of the places linked in tradition to the lives of the family of Abraham and Sarah. Many, though not all, of the sites we will visit are in or near the city of Hebron. Hebron and surrounding areas served as somewhat of a hub for Abraham in his many journeys.

Although archaeology cannot directly substantiate the scriptural stories of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, it can tell us something about the geography, settlements, and daily life of their contemporaries. Learning more about these places helps us get a more realistic sense of the setting in which the patriarchs lived. It is hoped that this series of presentations will increase exposure to these lesser-known sites, so rich in biblical history.

This second presentation will take us to the most well-known site connected with Abraham, the Tomb of the Patriarchs located in modern Hebron. In the Bible, this site is connected with the place names of Machpelah and Kiryat Arba. Here Abraham purchased a cave for the burial of Sarah from local residents.

The cave of Machpelah has been a site of pilgrimage for thousands of years. Machpelah has been under the control of Jews, Christians and Muslims at various times in its history. It was enclosed two thousand years ago within a roofless structure whose imposing walls were built by Herod the Great. It was later the site of Byzantine and Crusader Christian churches. In 1267, minaret towers were added by Muslim rulers and the structure was transformed into a large mosque, al-Haram al-Khalil, the al-Khalil referring to Abraham as “the friend,” meaning the friend of God. Jews call it Me’arat HaMachpelah.

The most important features of the structure are its six cenotaphs, monuments to Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebekah, and Jacob and Leah. The bodies themselves are thought to be buried in the cave beneath the building. Currently sealed off to access, this cave previously has been eamined by ancient and modern explorers, and interesting artifacts have been found.

The video may be found at the Interpreter Foundation website: KnoWhy OTL08B — Abraham’s Hebron: Then and Now, Part 2: The Tomb of the Patriarchs

This video can also be seen on the FairMormon YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9DW8khMf78E).

Abraham’s Hebron: Then and Now, Part 1: Introduction (Old Testament Gospel Doctrine Lesson 8A)

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Jeffrey M. Bradshaw: Four-Horned Altar at Beersheba, 2014

An Old Testament KnoWhy for Gospel Doctrine Lesson 8: Living Righteously in a Wicked World (Genesis 13–14; 18–19) (JBOTL08A)

The purpose of this five-part series of videos is to provide a brief introduction to some of the places linked in tradition to the lives of the family of Abraham and Sarah. Many, though not all, of the sites we will visit are in or near the city of Hebron. Hebron and surrounding areas served as somewhat of a hub for Abraham in his many journeys.

Although archaeology cannot directly substantiate the scriptural stories of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, it can tell us something about the geography, settlements, and daily life of their contemporaries. Learning more about these places helps us get a more realistic sense of the setting in which the patriarchs lived.

Because the area surrounding Hebron is located in a part of the Palestinian-controlled West Bank that often has been the scene of violent dispute, it is not visited by tourists as frequently as some other places in Israel. Other sites such as Rachel’s tomb (near Bethlehem), as well as Jacob’s well and Joseph’s tomb further north are also in areas of the West Bank to which travel is sometimes complicated. It is hoped that this series of presentations will increase exposure to these lesser-known sites, so rich in biblical history.

Following this introduction, a second presentation will take us to the most well-known site connected with Abraham, the Tomb of the Patriarchs located in modern Hebron. In the Bible, this site is connected with the place names of Machpelah and Kiryat Arba. Here Abraham purchased a cave for the burial of Sarah from local residents. In the third presentation we will visit other areas in the West Bank: the traditional sites of Jacob’s well and Joseph’s tomb to the north, and the tomb of Rachel near Bethlehem. In the fourth presentation, we will return to Hebron to see excavations of ancient Hebron at Tel Rumeida, also known as Tel Hebron. Tradition associates this area not only with Abraham but also with David, Ruth, and Jesse. Finally, the fifth presentation will bring us to two sites associated with the tree on the plains of Mamre where Abraham welcomed heavenly visitors who promised him a child through Sarah and announced the impending destruction of Sodom.

The video may be found at the Interpreter Foundation website: KnoWhy OTL08A — Abraham’s Hebron: Then and Now, Part 1: Introduction

This video can also be seen on the FairMormon YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dL7BipxVcbA).

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If “All Are Alike Unto God,” Why Were Special Promises Reserved for Abraham’s Seed? (Gospel Doctrine Old Testament Lesson 7A)

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Howard Lyon: I Am a Child of God. Children from many cultures “stand with Christ, bearing witness with him that they are children of God. [The children] look directly at the viewer confident in the joy they feel in the presence of their Savior.”
An Old Testament KnoWhy for Gospel Doctrine Lesson 7: The Abrahamic Covenant (Abraham 1:1-4; 2:1–11; Genesis 12:1-8; 17:1-9) (JBOTL07A).

Question: The Book of Mormon teaches that “all are alike unto God.” Yet “Abraham received promises concerning his seed” that continue to this day. How do we reconcile the idea of the “chosenness” of the family of Abraham with the idea that “God is no respecter of persons”?

Summary: There is no conflict between the “chosenness” of Abraham’s family and the universality of the Father’s love. Every one who receives the Gospel becomes Abraham’s seed and will bless him as their father. In the beginning, God organized the human family according to a divine plan and timetable. “All … alike” would have the opportunity to “come unto him and partake of his goodness,” but to achieve that end God invited each willing soul to participate with Him in the effort. We made premortal covenants that put us in a partnership with our Heavenly Father. Individuals were to play their unique parts faithfully at the appointed time. Jesus Christ was chosen to become our Savior. Abraham and others — both men and women — also received specific assignments. Abraham’s seed was given the responsibility to bear a “ministry and Priesthood unto all nations.” Through the ministry and Priesthood of Abraham’s seed, “all mankind may be saved,” “through the Atonement of Christ” and “by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel.” The disorganization and confusion of the human family will come to an end; “it must be joined together, so that there [will] be a perfect chain from Father Adam to his latest posterity.”

The full article may be found at the Interpreter Foundation website: KnoWhy OTL07A — If “All Are Alike Unto God,” Why Were Special Promises Reserved for Abraham’s Seed?

For a video supplement to this lesson explaining, among other interesting topics, why virtually everyone in our day is a descendant of Abraham, see the presentation by Ugo A. Perego “All Abraham’s Children: A Genetic Perspective,” given at the 2016 Science & Mormonism Symposium: Body, Brain, Mind & Spirit, which took place on 12 March 2016 in Orem, Utah. (http://interpreterfoundation.org/ugo-a-perego-all-abrahams-children-a-genetic-perspective-2/).

Faith and Reason 66: More Book of Abraham Evidences

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Podcast: Download (17.7MB)

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From the book: Of Faith and Reason: 80 Evidences Supporting the Prophet Joseph Smith

By Michael R. Ash

Non-LDS Near Eastern scholar David Noel Freedman said that he had never encountered an Abraham account where the patriarch himself was threatened with sacrifice until he saw the claim in the Book of Abraham. Upon further reflection he acknowledged that a similar tradition existed in an ancient Abrahamic document, but an English translation was not available until the 1890’s.  What are the chances that Joseph Smith could have gotten so many things right by mere guesswork?

Michael R. Ash is the author of: Of Faith and Reason: 80 Evidences Supporting The Prophet Joseph Smith. He is the owner and operator of MormonFortress.com and is on the management team for FairMormon. He has been published in Sunstone, Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought, the Maxwell Institute’s FARMS Review, and is the author of Shaken Faith Syndrome: Strengthening One’s Testimony in the Face of Criticism and Doubt. He and his wife live in Ogden, Utah, and have three daughters.

Julianne Dehlin Hatton has worked as a News Director at an NPR affiliate, Television Host, News Anchor, and Airborne Traffic Reporter. She graduated with an MSSc from the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University in 2008. Julianne and her husband Thomas are the parents of four children.

Music for Faith and Reason is provided by Arthur Hatton.

“By His Own Hand, Upon Papyrus”: Another Look

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Copy_of_Il_Guernico_hagar_ismael
Detail from “Abraham Casting Out Hagar and Ishmael” (1657) by Giovanni Francesco Barbieri.

 When the Book of Abraham was first published in March 1842, the title of the work, as it appeared in the Times and Seasons, read thusly: “A TRANSLATION Of some ancient Records that have fallen into our hands, from the Catecombs of Egypt, purporting to be the writings of Abraham, while he was in Egypt, called the BOOK OF ABRAHAM, written by his own hand, upon papyrus.”[1] A look at the manuscripts of the Book of Abraham shows that this explanatory “title,” as it were, for the Book of Abraham dates to the earliest stages of the book’s production. Our earliest (surviving) manuscript for the Book of Abraham, which Brian Hauglid designates Ab1, and which the scholars at the Joseph Smith Papers Project date to “Summer–Fall 1835,” reads: “Translation of the Book of Abraham written by his own hand upon papyrus and found in the CataCombs of Egypt.”[2] [Read more…] about “By His Own Hand, Upon Papyrus”: Another Look