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Old Testament Revision, John Whitmer First Copy

Source Note

Old Testament Revision, between Dec. 1830 and early Jan. 1831; 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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; sixteen pages; CHL.
This copy of the Old Testament Revision remained in the Whitmer family until 1903, when it was acquired by the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (now Community of Christ).
1

Jackson and Faulring, “Old Testament Manuscript 3,” 116.


Comprehensive Works Cited

Jackson, Kent P., and Scott H. Faulring. “Old Testament Manuscript 3: An Early Transcript of the Book of Moses.” Mormon Historical Studies 5, no. 2 (Fall 2004): 113–144.

In 2024, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints acquired the manuscript from the Community of Christ, and it is now held at the Church History Library in Salt Lake City.

Footnotes

  1. [1]

    Jackson and Faulring, “Old Testament Manuscript 3,” 116.

    Jackson, Kent P., and Scott H. Faulring. “Old Testament Manuscript 3: An Early Transcript of the Book of Moses.” Mormon Historical Studies 5, no. 2 (Fall 2004): 113–144.

Historical Introduction

Shortly before
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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moved from
New York

Located in northeast region of U.S. Area settled by Dutch traders, 1620s; later governed by Britain, 1664–1776. Admitted to U.S. as state, 1788. Population in 1810 about 1,000,000; in 1820 about 1,400,000; in 1830 about 1,900,000; and in 1840 about 2,400,...

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to
Kirtland

Located ten miles south of Lake Erie. Settled by 1811. Organized by 1818. Latter-day Saint missionaries visited township, early Nov. 1830; many residents joined Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Population in 1830 about 55 Latter-day Saints and...

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, Ohio, in early January 1831, he made a copy of Old Testament Revision 1. This copy includes the first 19 pages and the first five lines of page 20 of the revision (Moses 1; Genesis 1–5). It is possible Whitmer only copied part of the revision manuscript, or that he copied as much as had been dictated by January 1831. The specific circumstances for making this copy are unknown. It was kept in the Whitmer family until 1903, when the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints acquired it.
1

Jackson and Faulring, “Old Testament Manuscript 3,” 116.


Comprehensive Works Cited

Jackson, Kent P., and Scott H. Faulring. “Old Testament Manuscript 3: An Early Transcript of the Book of Moses.” Mormon Historical Studies 5, no. 2 (Fall 2004): 113–144.

For more information on JS’s Bible revision project, see Historical Introduction to Old Testament Revision 1.

Footnotes

  1. [1]

    Jackson and Faulring, “Old Testament Manuscript 3,” 116.

    Jackson, Kent P., and Scott H. Faulring. “Old Testament Manuscript 3: An Early Transcript of the Book of Moses.” Mormon Historical Studies 5, no. 2 (Fall 2004): 113–144.

Asterisk (*) denotes a "featured" version, which includes an introduction and annotation. *Visions of Moses, June 1830 [Moses 1]

Page 8

[deliver] thy brother Abel into thine hands | & Satan Swear unto Cain that he would do according to his commands & all these things were done in secret & Cain sa[i]th truly I am Mahan the Master of this great Secret that I may murder & get gain wherefore Cain was called Mahan & he gloried in his wickedness & Cain went into the field & Cain talked with his Brother & it came to pass that while they were in the field that Cain rose up against abel his brother & slew him & Cain gloried in that which he had done saying <​I​> am free shurely the flocks of my brother falleth into my hands]- & the Lord said unto Cain where is Abel thy Brothr & he said I know not am I my Brothers keeper & he said what hast thou done the voice of thy brothers blood cries unto me from the ground & now thou shalt be cursed from the Earth which hath opened her mouth to receive thy Brothers blood from thy hand when thou tillest the ground it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength a fugitive & vagabo[nd] shalt thou be in the Earth & Cain said unto the Lord Satan tempted me because of my brothers flock & I was wroth also for his offering thou didst except & not mine my punishment is greater than I can bear Behold thou hast driven me out this day from the face of the Earth & from thy presence I be hid & I shall be a fugitive & a vagabond in the Earth & it shall come to pass evry one that findeth me shall slay me because of mine oath for the[s]e things are not hid from the Lord & the Lord said unto him therefore whosoever slayeth Cain vengence shall be taken on him seven fold & the Lord set a mark upon Cain lest any finding him should kill him & Cain went out from the presence of the Lord & his wife & many of his brethren & dwelt in the Land of Nod in the East of Eden & Cain knew his wife & she conceived & bear Enoch & he also begat many sons & daughters & he builded a City & he called the name of the City after his son Enoch & unto Enoch was born Irad & other sons & daughters & Irad begat Mahujaal & other sons & daughters & Mahujeal begat Mathusael & other sons & daughters & Mathusael begat Lamech & Lamech took unto himself two wives the name of one being Adah & the name of the other Zillah & Adah bear Jabal he was the father of such as dwell in tents & they were keepers of Cattle & his brother’s name was Jubal who was the Father of all such who handle the harp & Organ & Zillah she also bear Tubal Cain an instructor of evry artificer in brass & Iron & the sister of Tubal Cain was Called Namah Noomah & lamech said unto his [wives] Adah & Zillah hear my voice ye wives of Lamech hearken unto my speech for I have slain a man to my wounding & a young man to my hurt if Cain shall be avenged seven fold truly Lamech shall be seventy & seven fold for Lamech having entered into a covenant with Satan after the manner of Cain wherein he became Master Mahan, Master of that great secret which was administered unto Cain by Satan & Irah the Son of Enoch having known their Seceret began to reveal it unto the Sons of Adam wherefore Lame[c]h being angery slew him for the oaths sake for from the days of Cain there was a secret combination & their works were in the dark & they knew every man his brother Therefore the Lord cursed Lamech & his house & all that had covenanted with Satan for they kept not the commandments of God & it displeased God & he ministered not unto them & their works were abominations & began to spread among all the sons of men & it was among the sons of men & among the daughters of men these things were not [p. 8]
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Related Case Documents
Editorial Title
Old Testament Revision, John Whitmer First Copy
ID #
9243
Total Pages
30
Print Volume Location
Handwriting on This Page
  • John Whitmer

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