Editing Book of Abraham (section)

===Book of Abraham text===
{{Wikisource}}
[[File:Molnár Ábrahám kiköltözése 1850.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.1|Part of the text describes Abraham's journey from [[Ur Kaśdim|Ur]] to [[Canaan]] and [[Egypt]].]]

The Book of Abraham's narrative tells of Abraham's life, travels to Canaan and Egypt, and a vision he received concerning the universe, a [[Pre-existence#Mormonism|pre-mortal existence]], and the creation of the world.<ref name="abrahamsummary">{{cite web|title=The Book of Abraham|url=https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/pgp/abr/1|publisher=churchofjesuschrist.org|access-date=August 3, 2016}}</ref>

The book has five chapters:

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Chapter !! Description
|-
| style="text-align: center;"|{{lds||Abraham|1}}|| Recounts how Abraham's father [[Terah]] and his forefathers had turned to "the god of Elkenah, and the god of Libnah, and the god of Mahmackrah, and the god of Korash, and the god of Pharaoh, king of Egypt".<ref>[[s:Pearl of Great Price/Abraham#1:6|Abraham 1:6]]</ref><ref>{{Harvnb|Chase|2014|p=165}}.</ref> [[Chaldea]]n priests then sacrifice three virgins to pagan gods of stone and wood, and one priest attempts to sacrifice Abraham himself before an angel comes to his rescue.<ref name=ritner2658>{{Harvnb|Ritner|2013|pp=26, 58}}.</ref><ref>{{Harvnb|Chase|2014|pp=166–168}}.</ref> The text then examines the origins of Egypt and its government.<ref name="abrahamsummary"/><ref>{{Harvnb|Chase|2014|p=169}}.</ref>
|-
| style="text-align: center;"|{{lds||Abraham|2}} || Includes information about God's covenant with Abraham and how it would be fulfilled; in this chapter, Abraham travels from Ur to Canaan, and then to Egypt.<ref name="abrahamsummary"/><ref>{{Harvnb|Chase|2014|pp=173–180}}</ref>
|-
| style="text-align: center;"|{{lds||Abraham|3}} || Abraham learns about an Egyptian understanding of celestial objects via the [[Urim and Thummim (Latter Day Saints)|Urim and Thummim]].<ref name="abrahamsummary"/><ref name="chase204">{{Harvnb|Chase|2014|p=204}}.</ref> It is in this chapter that Abraham also learns about the "eternal nature of spirits{{nbsp}}[...] pre-earth life, [[foreordination]], the Creation, the choosing of a [[Jesus in Christianity|Redeemer]], and the second estate of man."<ref name="abrahamsummary"/>
|-
| style="text-align: center;"|{{lds||Abraham|4}} || Along with chapter 5, contains expansions and modifications of the creation narrative in Genesis.<ref name=ritner40>{{Harvnb|Ritner|2013|p=40}}.</ref>  The [[God in Mormonism#Plurality of gods|gods]] (there are over 48 references to the plurality of the gods in chapters 4 and 5)<ref name=ritner42>{{Harvnb|Ritner|2013|p=42}}</ref> plan the creation of the earth and life on the earth.
|-
| style="text-align: center;"|{{lds||Abraham|5}} || The gods complete creation, and Adam names all living creatures.<ref name="abrahamsummary"/>
|}

Nearly half of the Book of Abraham shows a dependence on the [[King James Version]] of the [[Book of Genesis]].<ref name=ritner52>{{Harvnb|Ritner|2013|p=52}}.</ref> According to [[H. Michael Marquardt]], "It seems clear that Smith had the Bible open to Genesis as he dictated this section [i.e., Chapter{{nbsp}}2] of the 'Book of Abraham.{{'"}}<ref name=ritner36>{{Harvnb|Ritner|2013|p=36}}.</ref> Smith explained the similarities by reasoning that when Moses penned Genesis, he used the Book of Abraham as a guide, abridging and condensing where he saw fit. As such, since Moses was recalling Abraham's lifetime, his version was in the [[Narration|third person]], whereas the Book of Abraham, being written by its eponymous author, was composed in the [[First-person narrative|first person]].<ref name=ritner36/><ref>{{Harvnb|Larson|1992|pp=17–18}}.</ref>

The Book of Abraham was incomplete when Joseph Smith died in 1844.<ref>John Taylor, the editor of the Times and Seasons, wrote in 1843, "We would further state that we had the promise of Br. Joseph, to furnish us with further extracts from the Book of Abraham". February 1843 edition of the Times and Seasons. see http://thebookofabraham.blogspot.com/2011/07/times-and-seasons-jt-1843.html</ref> It is unknown how long the text would be, but Oliver Cowdery gave an indication in 1835 that it could be quite large:

{{blockquote|When the translation of these valuable documents will be completed, I am unable to say; neither can I gave you a probable idea how large volumes they will make; but judging from their size, and the comprehensiveness of the language, one might reasonably expect to see sufficient to develop much on the mighty of the ancient men of God.<ref>Oliver Cowdery, Kirtland, OH, to William Frye, Lebanon, IL, 22 Dec. 1835 http://thebookofabraham.blogspot.com/2011/01/messenger-and-advocate-december-1835.html</ref>}}

A visitor to Kirtland saw the mummies, and noted, "They say that the mummies were Epyptian, but the records are those of Abraham and Joseph...and a larger volume than the Bible will be required to contain them."<ref>William S. West, ''A Few Interesting Fads, Respecting the Rise, Progress and Pretensions of the Mormons'' (Warren, Ohio, 1837), 5.</ref>