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Old Testament Revision 2

Source Note

Old Testament Revision 2, ca. 8 Mar. 1831–5 Apr. 1831 and late July 1832–July 1833; handwriting of
John Whitmer
27 Aug. 1802–11 July 1878. Farmer, stock raiser, newspaper editor. Born in Pennsylvania. Son of Peter Whitmer Sr. and Mary Musselman. Member of German Reformed Church, Fayette, Seneca Co., New York. Baptized by Oliver Cowdery, June 1829, most likely in Seneca...
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,
Frederick G. Williams
28 Oct. 1787–10 Oct. 1842. Ship’s pilot, teacher, physician, justice of the peace. Born at Suffield, Hartford Co., Connecticut. Son of William Wheeler Williams and Ruth Granger. Moved to Newburg, Cuyahoga Co., Ohio, 1799. Practiced Thomsonian botanical system...
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, and
Sidney Rigdon
19 Feb. 1793–14 July 1876. Tanner, farmer, minister. Born at St. Clair, Allegheny Co., Pennsylvania. Son of William Rigdon and Nancy Gallaher. Joined United Baptists, ca. 1818. Preached at Warren, Trumbull Co., Ohio, and vicinity, 1819–1821. Married Phebe...
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; 119 pages; CCLA.

The Bible revision manuscripts remained in JS’s possession throughout his life—except during a brief period in 1838 and another in 1839. Upon the death of JS, the manuscript was in possession of his wife
Emma
10 July 1804–30 Apr. 1879. Scribe, editor, boardinghouse operator, clothier. Born at Willingborough Township (later in Harmony), Susquehanna Co., Pennsylvania. Daughter of Isaac Hale and Elizabeth Lewis. Member of Methodist church at Harmony (later in Oakland...
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for over twenty years, until 1867 when she gave it to her son
Joseph Smith III
6 Nov. 1832–10 Dec. 1914. Clerk, hotelier, farmer, justice of the peace, editor, minister. Born at Kirtland, Geauga Co., Ohio. Son of JS and Emma Hale. Moved to Far West, Caldwell Co., Missouri, 1838; to Quincy, Adams Co., Illinois, 1839; and to Commerce ...
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in order for the RLDS Church to publish The Holy Scriptures.

Note: The transcript of Old Testament Revision 2 presented here is used with generous permission of the Brigham Young University Religious Studies Center. It was published earlier, with some differences in style, in Scott H. Faulring, Kent P. Jackson, and Robert J. Matthews, eds., Joseph Smith's New Translation of the Bible: Original Manuscripts (Provo, UT: Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University, 2004), 583–851.
Historical Introduction

In June 1830, JS and
Oliver Cowdery
3 Oct. 1806–3 Mar. 1850. Clerk, teacher, justice of the peace, lawyer, newspaper editor. Born at Wells, Rutland Co., Vermont. Son of William Cowdery and Rebecca Fuller. Raised Congregationalist. Moved to western New York and clerked at a store, ca. 1825–1828...
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began recording a revelation related to Moses and other prominent Old Testament figures. (See Visions of Moses, June 1830 [Moses 1].) Over the next three years, this work expanded into what is now designated the Book of Moses and a complete revelatory re-reading of the Bible, an endeavor that came to be known as JS’s “New Translation,” or Bible revision. Initially, JS and his scribes, including Cowdery,
John Whitmer
27 Aug. 1802–11 July 1878. Farmer, stock raiser, newspaper editor. Born in Pennsylvania. Son of Peter Whitmer Sr. and Mary Musselman. Member of German Reformed Church, Fayette, Seneca Co., New York. Baptized by Oliver Cowdery, June 1829, most likely in Seneca...
View Full Bio
,
Emma Smith
10 July 1804–30 Apr. 1879. Scribe, editor, boardinghouse operator, clothier. Born at Willingborough Township (later in Harmony), Susquehanna Co., Pennsylvania. Daughter of Isaac Hale and Elizabeth Lewis. Member of Methodist church at Harmony (later in Oakland...
View Full Bio
, and
Sidney Rigdon
19 Feb. 1793–14 July 1876. Tanner, farmer, minister. Born at St. Clair, Allegheny Co., Pennsylvania. Son of William Rigdon and Nancy Gallaher. Joined United Baptists, ca. 1818. Preached at Warren, Trumbull Co., Ohio, and vicinity, 1819–1821. Married Phebe...
View Full Bio
, created a sixty-one-page manuscript containing a narrative account of the visions of Moses and a revised version of the Old Testament book of Genesis, from the beginning to chapter 24, verse 41. This manuscript is currently designated Old Testament Revision 1.

JS set aside work on the new translation of the Old Testament when instructed in a March 1831 revelation to instead begin work on New Testament texts. (Revelation, ca. 7 Mar. 1831 [D&C 45:60–61].) Shortly thereafter,
John Whitmer
27 Aug. 1802–11 July 1878. Farmer, stock raiser, newspaper editor. Born in Pennsylvania. Son of Peter Whitmer Sr. and Mary Musselman. Member of German Reformed Church, Fayette, Seneca Co., New York. Baptized by Oliver Cowdery, June 1829, most likely in Seneca...
View Full Bio
was directed by revelation to “write & keep a regulal [regular] history & assist my servant Joseph in Transcribing all things which shall be given him.” (Revelation, ca. 8 Mar. 1831–B [D&C 47:1].) Among other undertakings, he proceeded to create a duplicate copy of the existing sixty-one-page Old Testament manuscript. This second manuscript, featured here, is now designated Old Testament Revision 2. At the same time, JS commenced work on the New Testament and continued until July 1832 (Letter to William W. Phelps, 31 July 1832), resulting in two manuscripts, currently designated as New Testament Revision 1 and New Testament Revision 2.

After the completion of his new translation of the New Testament in late July 1832, JS resumed his revision of the Old Testament, now assisted by
Frederick G. Williams
28 Oct. 1787–10 Oct. 1842. Ship’s pilot, teacher, physician, justice of the peace. Born at Suffield, Hartford Co., Connecticut. Son of William Wheeler Williams and Ruth Granger. Moved to Newburg, Cuyahoga Co., Ohio, 1799. Practiced Thomsonian botanical system...
View Full Bio
as scribe. When this work resumed, it was
John Whitmer
27 Aug. 1802–11 July 1878. Farmer, stock raiser, newspaper editor. Born in Pennsylvania. Son of Peter Whitmer Sr. and Mary Musselman. Member of German Reformed Church, Fayette, Seneca Co., New York. Baptized by Oliver Cowdery, June 1829, most likely in Seneca...
View Full Bio
’s copy, Old Testament Revision 2, that became the working manuscript for the rest of the Old Testament. A year later, Frederick G. Williams noted the completion of work on the text, writing at the end of Malachi, “Finished on the 2d of July 1833.”

Old Testament Revision 2 contains 119 pages. The first fifty-nine pages contain
Whitmer
27 Aug. 1802–11 July 1878. Farmer, stock raiser, newspaper editor. Born in Pennsylvania. Son of Peter Whitmer Sr. and Mary Musselman. Member of German Reformed Church, Fayette, Seneca Co., New York. Baptized by Oliver Cowdery, June 1829, most likely in Seneca...
View Full Bio
’s copy of Old Testament Revision 1. At first, JS continued his earlier practice of having entire verses written out in the manuscript to record a change. After several pages, however, he switched to a procedure that he had adopted during his translation work on the New Testament. Rather than record an entire verse, JS marked his copy of the Bible as he read in it, indicating where a change should be made. In the manuscript,
Williams
28 Oct. 1787–10 Oct. 1842. Ship’s pilot, teacher, physician, justice of the peace. Born at Suffield, Hartford Co., Connecticut. Son of William Wheeler Williams and Ruth Granger. Moved to Newburg, Cuyahoga Co., Ohio, 1799. Practiced Thomsonian botanical system...
View Full Bio
wrote the scripture reference and the specifics of the revisions, thus saving time and space. In effect, the notations made in JS’s Bible, coupled with his scribes’ inscriptions in Old Testament Revision 2, now constituted the revision project.

In total, JS made changes to about 1,300 Old Testament verses (Faulring et al., Joseph Smith’s New Translation of the Bible, 5). The introduction to Old Testament Revision 1 on the Joseph Smith Papers website notes some of the significant passages in the Book of Moses and JS’s revision of Genesis chapters 1–24. Some of the more prominent revisions, clarifications, and corrections JS incorporated into Old Testament Revision 2 included important material related to Joseph of Egypt added to the latter chapters in Genesis; a clarification in Exodus regarding the hardening of Pharaoh’s heart; and additions to Isaiah 29 foretelling the coming forth of the Book of Mormon (Faulring et al., Joseph Smith’s New Translation of the Bible, 589).

Note: The transcript of Old Testament Revision 2 presented here is used with generous permission of the Brigham Young University Religious Studies Center. It was published earlier, with some differences in style, in Scott H. Faulring, Kent P. Jackson, and Robert J. Matthews, eds., Joseph Smith's New Translation of the Bible: Original Manuscripts (Provo, UT: Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University, 2004), 583–851.

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Verse 12th. Behold, I have done according to thy word; lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart; so that there was none made King over Israel like unto thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee.

14th. And if thou wilt walk in my ways, to keep my stat— uts, & <my> commandments, then I will lengthen thy days, and thou shalt not walk in unrighteousness as did thy Father David

1 Kings, Chapter 11

"— XI Chapter——

<4,> Verse For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, his wives turned away his heart after other Gods; and his heart was not perfect with the Lord his God, and it became as the heart of David his Father.

6th. And Solomon did evil in the sight of the Lord, as David his Father, and went not fully after the Lord.

33d Because that they have forsaken me and <have> worshiped Ashtorath the Godess of the Zidonians, chemosh the God of the moabites, and Milcom the God of the children of Ammon, and have not walked in my ways, do that which is right in mine eyes, and my statutes and my Judgments, and his heart is become as David his father; and he repenteth not as did David his Father, that I may forgive him. howbeit, I will not take the whole kingdom out of his hand, but I will make him prince all the days of his Life, for David my servants sake, whom I chose, because he kept my commandment and my statutes <in> that day.

But I will take the kingdom out of his sons hand, and will give unto thee ten tribes. And unto his son will I give one tribe, that David my servant may have a light alway be fore me in Jerusalem, the city which I have chosen me, to put my name thare. And I will take thee, and thou shall reign according to all that thy soul desireth, and shall be King over Israel, And it shall be, if thou wilt harken unto all that I command thee, and will <wilt> walk in my ways, and do right in my sight, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as David my servant did in the day that I blessed him; I will be with thee, and build thee a sure house as I built for David, and give Israel unto thee.

And, for the transgression of David, and also for the People I have rent the kingdom, and for this I will afflict the [p. 76]

14th. And if thou wilt walk in my ways, to keep my stat— uts, & my commandments, then I will lengthen thy days, and thou shalt not walk in unrighteousness as did thy Father David

1 Kings, Chapter 11

"— XI Chapter——

4, Verse For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, his wives turned away his heart after other Gods; and his heart was not perfect with the Lord his God, and it became as the heart of David his Father.

6th. And Solomon did evil in the sight of the Lord, as David his Father, and went not fully after the Lord.

33d Because that they have forsaken me and have worshiped Ashtorath the Godess of the Zidonians, chemosh the God of the moabites, and Milcom the God of the children of Ammon, and have not walked in my ways, do that which is right in mine eyes, and my statutes and my Judgments, and his heart is become as David his father; and he repenteth not as did David his Father, that I may forgive him. howbeit, I will not take the whole kingdom out of his hand, but I will make him prince all the days of his Life, for David my servants sake, whom I chose, because he kept my commandment and my statutes in that day.

But I will take the kingdom out of his sons hand, and will give unto thee ten tribes. And unto his son will I give one tribe, that David my servant may have a light alway be fore me in Jerusalem, the city which I have chosen me, to put my name thare. And I will take thee, and thou shall reign according to all that thy soul desireth, and shall be King over Israel, And it shall be, if thou wilt harken unto all that I command thee, and wilt walk in my ways, and do right in my sight, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as David my servant did in the day that I blessed him; I will be with thee, and build thee a sure house as I built for David, and give Israel unto thee.

And, for the transgression of David, and also for the People I have rent the kingdom, and for this I will afflict the [p. 76]

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Old Testament Revision 2

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