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Visions of Moses, June 1830 [Moses 1]

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Visions of Moses, June 1830 [Moses 1]

Source Note

“A Revelation given to Joseph the Revelator June 1830,” Visions of Moses, [, Seneca Co., NY, or , Susquehanna Co., PA (or possibly or , NY)], June 1830; handwriting of ; three pages; now in Old Testament Revision 1, CHL.
This text is found on two leaves measuring approximately 12¾ × 7¾ inches (32 × 20 cm). It is unclear whether this text was envisioned in June 1830 as part of a larger work of Bible revision or whether it became part of a larger project later, as the work of Bible revision unfolded. The notation at the beginning of the text (“A Revelation given to Joseph the Revelator June 1830”) and the similar heading that introduces the text that immediately follows this text in Old Testament Manuscript 1 (“A Revelation given to the Elders of the Church of Christ On the first Book of Moses given to Joseph the Seer”) are both similar to headings attached to other early revelatory texts. However, the pages comprising this text eventually became both physically and intellectually associated with the sixty-one-page manuscript now known as Old Testament Revision 1.
The collection of Old Testament material of which this is a part was created between June 1830 and March 1831 and comprises texts relating to the biblical book of Genesis from the beginning through chapter 24, verse 41. Today the manuscript is composed of both loose sheets and at least one gathering of pages encased in a paper wrapper, with evidence of sewing at one point along the margin to keep it together. Halfway through the featured text, the ink flow changes to a different shade of ink. The break in ink may be related to the original production of the text, but the implications are unclear. Textual evidence and apparent scribal errors hint that the featured text may be a later copy, but the evidence is inconclusive.
The Bible revision manuscripts remained in JS’s possession throughout his life. After JS’s death, the manuscript was in the possession of his wife for more than twenty years until 1867, when she gave it to her son so that the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (RLDS church) could publish it. It was in the possession of the RLDS church (now Community of Christ) until 2024, when The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints acquired it. The manuscript is now held at the Church History Library in Salt Lake City.

Footnotes

  1. [1]

    Old Testament Revision 1, p. 3.

  2. [2]

    See Call, “Copied from the Journal of Anson Call,” 3–4; F. M. Cooper, “Spiritual Reminiscences.—No. 2,” Autumn Leaves, Jan. 1891, 18.

    Call, Anson. “Copied from the Journal of Anson Call,” 1879. CHL. MS 4783.

    Cooper, F. M. “Spiritual Reminiscences.—No. 2,” Autumn Leaves 4, no. 1 (Jan. 1891): 17–20.

  3. [3]

    Romig, “New Translation Materials since 1844,” 31.

    Romig, Ronald E. “New Translation Materials since 1844.” In Joseph Smith’s New Translation of the Bible: Original Manuscripts, edited by Scott H. Faulring, Kent P. Jackson, and Robert J. Matthews, 29–40. Provo, UT: Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University, 2004.

  4. [4]

    The Holy Scriptures: Translated and Corrected by the Spirit of Revelation by Joseph Smith, Jr., the Seer (Plano, IL: Joseph Smith, I. L. Rogers, E. Robinson, 1867).

  5. [5]

    For additional information about the chain of custody and provenance of the Bible revision manuscripts, see Romig, “New Translation Materials since 1844,” 29–40.

    Romig, Ronald E. “New Translation Materials since 1844.” In Joseph Smith’s New Translation of the Bible: Original Manuscripts, edited by Scott H. Faulring, Kent P. Jackson, and Robert J. Matthews, 29–40. Provo, UT: Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University, 2004.

Historical Introduction

JS’s and revision of ancient scripture formed a foundational part of his religious beliefs and teachings. His largest work of translation was the Book of Mormon, which he finished by July 1829. During the translation of the Book of Mormon he produced a text said to be the translation of a lost Johannine parchment and also dictated a revelation stating that there were additional “records which contain much of my gospel, which have been kept back because of the wickedness of the people” and that was to assist JS “in bringing to light” such . Book of Mormon passages also spoke of “plain and precious things” missing from the Bible and promised that these “plain and most precious parts of the Gospel of the Lamb” would be restored. JS dictated these passages in the spring of 1829 and may have understood them as calling for a reexamination and new “translation” of the Bible, but even as late as March 1830, when the Book of Mormon was published, there are no indications in surviving records that JS planned another extensive translation project.
This June 1830 revelation began a new episode in JS’s involvement with ancient texts, becoming as it did the opening portion of a much larger Genesis-related manuscript. As JS and had with the Johannine parchment text, they likely saw the “Visions of Moses” as providing insight into a biblical figure and event; in this case, the revelation expands the view of Moses but also records narratives at best hinted at in biblical texts. As JS’s work on the Bible unfolded over the next several months, it became a revision and often an expansion of the King James Version of Genesis. Although it is unknown whether JS or Cowdery originally saw this revelation as the initial step of the larger project, which JS referred to as his “translation” of the Bible, the “Visions of Moses” and the texts that follow in the manuscript became an integral part of that nearly three-year endeavor.
The text is in the handwriting of and, similar to many of JS’s revelations in Revelation Book 1, bears a simple heading: “A Revelation given to Joseph the Revelator June 1830.” The heading did not identify the location. During June, JS possibly visited all three of the church (in , , and , New York) and may also have returned to his home in , Pennsylvania, making it difficult to identify where the text was produced.

Footnotes

  1. [1]

    See Account of John, Apr. 1829–C [D&C 7].

  2. [2]

    Revelation, Apr. 1829–A [D&C 6:26–27]; see also Revelation, Apr. 1829–B [D&C 8:1, 11].

  3. [3]

    Book of Mormon, 1830 ed., 30–31 [1 Nephi 13:28, 32].

  4. [4]

    Images and a transcript of the full “Old Testament Manuscript 1” may be viewed here. The copy of the King James Bible that JS used for his revision work, which began in summer or fall 1830, was purchased in early October 1829. A notation on the flyleaf, in the handwriting of JS, reads: “The Book of the Jews and the property of Joseph Smith junior and Oliver Cowdery Bought October the 8th 1829 at E. B. Grandins Book Store Palmyra Wayne County New York Price $3.75 H[o]liness to the L[ord].” This Bible, an 1828 stereotype edition printed by H. and E. Phinney of Cooperstown, New York, is now in possession of the Community of Christ Library-Archives, Independence, MO.

  5. [5]

    The translation was not a Bible translation in the conventional sense; rather, it was seen as an inspired revision that included the restoration by revelation of missing texts. In some instances, grammatical or other linguistic changes were made, but in other places modifications elaborated or clarified doctrine. By the time JS stopped working on the translation manuscripts in July 1833, he had revised more than three thousand verses and added phrases, verses, and occasionally even whole chapters to the Bible. He made his most extensive textual changes to Genesis. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints included the revelation featured here as “Visions of Moses” in its Pearl of Great Price, which was canonized in 1880. (Letter to Church Leaders in Jackson County, Missouri, 2 July 1833; see also Matthews, Plainer Translation, chap. 3; Howard, Restoration Scriptures, chaps. 4–6; and Faulring et al., Joseph Smith’s New Translation of the Bible.)

    Matthews, Robert J. “A Plainer Translation”: Joseph Smith’s Translation of the Bible: A History and Commentary. Provo, UT: Brigham Young University Press, 1975.

    Howard, Richard P. Restoration Scriptures: A Study of Their Textual Development. 2nd ed. Independence, MO: Herald Publishing House, 1995.

    Faulring, Scott H., 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.

  6. [6]

    JS’s history, which attempted to place his revelations in chronological order, left this revelation out of the original draft of the history, but William W. Phelps inserted a copy of it after a lengthy description of JS’s arrest and acquittal in the first few days of July 1830. (JS History, vol. A-1, 48; see also JS History, vol. A-1, miscellaneous papers.)

    JS History / Smith, Joseph, et al. History, 1838–1856. Vols. A-1–F-1 (original), A-2–E-2 (fair copy). Historian’s Office, History of the Church, 1839–ca. 1882. CHL. CR 100 102, boxes 1–7. The history for the period after 5 Aug. 1838 was composed after the death of Joseph Smith.

  7. [7]

    See Historical Introduction to Revelation, July 1830–A [D&C 24]. JS was in Fayette, New York, on 9 June 1830, at the first conference of the church. By the end of June he was in the Colesville, New York, area, at South Bainbridge, where he was tried on charges of being a disorderly person. (Minutes, 9 June 1830; Knight, Autobiographical Sketch, 2; “Mormonism,” Morning Star, 16 Nov. 1832, 114; JS History, vol. A-1, 44–47.)

    Knight, Joseph, Jr. Autobiographical Sketch, 1862. CHL. MS 286.

    Morning Star. Limerick, ME. 1826–1904.

Asterisk (*) denotes a "featured" version, which includes an introduction and annotation.
*Visions of Moses, June 1830 [Moses 1]
Old Testament Revision 1 Old Testament Revision, John Whitmer First Copy Old Testament Revision 2 Visions of Moses, June 1830, as Recorded in Phelps, Diary and Notebook [Moses 1] Visions of Moses, June 1830, as Recorded in Richards, Pocket Companion [Moses 1] Visions of Moses, June 1830, Unidentified Scribe Copy [Moses 1] “History of Joseph Smith” Visions of Moses, June 1830, as Recorded in Cleminson, Record [Moses 1]

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A Revelation given to Joseph the Revelator June 1830
The words of God which he gave <​spake​> unto Moses at a time when Moses was caught up into an exceeding high Mountain & he saw God face to face & he talked with him & the glory of God was upon Moses therefore Moses could endure his presence & God spake unto Moses saying Behold I I am the Lord God Almighty & endless is my name for I am without beginning of days or end of years & is this not endless & behold thou art my Son Wherefore look & I will shew thee the workmanship of mine hands but not all for my works are without end & also my wo[r]ds for they never cease wherefore no man can behold all my works except he behold <​all​> my glory & no man can behold all my glory & afterwords remain in the flesh & I have a work for thee Moses my Son & thou art in similitude to my <​mine​> only begotten & mine only begotten is & shall be for he is full of grace & truth but there is none other God beside me & all things are present with me for I know them all And now behold this one thing I shew unto thee Moses my son for thou art in the world & now I shew it thee And it came to pass that Moses looked & beheld the world upon which he was created & Moses beheld the world & the ends thereof & all the Children of men which was & which was created of the same he greatly marvelled & wondered & the presence of God withdrew from Moses that his glory was not upon Moses & Moses was left unto himself & as he was left unto himself he fell unto the Earth, And it came to pass, that it was for the space of many hours before Moses did again receive his natural strength [lik]e unto man, & he saith unto himself no Now for this once I know that [m]an is nothing, which thing I never had supposed, but now mine eyes, mine own eyes but not mine eyes for mine eyes could not have beheld for I should have withered & died in his presence but his glory was upon me & I beheld his face for I was transfigered before him And now it came to pass that when Moses had said these words, behold, Satan came tempting him saying, Moses, Son of man, worship me, And it came to pass that Moses looked upon Satan & saith, Who art thou for behold, I am a Son of God in the similitude of his only begotten, & where is thy glory that I should worship thee, for, behold, I could not look upon God except his glory should come upon me, & I were transfigered before him but I can look upon thee in the natural man, if not so surely blessed be the name of my God for his Spirit hath not altogether withdrawn from me or else where is thy glory for it is blackness unto me & I can Judge between thee & God for God said unto me Worship God for him only shalt thou serve Get thee hence Satan deceive me not for God said unto me Thou art after the similitude of mine only begotten & he also gave unto me commandment when he called unto me out of the burning bush Saying [c]all upon God in the name of mine only begotten & worship me And again Moses saith I will not cease to call upon God I have other things to inquire of him for his glory has been upon me & it is glory unto me wherefore I can judge betwixt him & thee[.] depart hence Satan And now when Mose[s] had said these words Satan cried with a loud [voice &] wrent upon the Ea[r]t[h] [p. [1]]
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Document Information

Related Case Documents
Editorial Title
Visions of Moses, June 1830 [Moses 1]
ID #
37
Total Pages
3
Print Volume Location
JSP, D1:150–156
Handwriting on This Page
  • Oliver Cowdery

Footnotes

  1. [1]

    See Exodus 33:11; and Deuteronomy 34:10.

  2. [2]

    See Hebrews 7:3.

  3. [3]

    TEXT: “wo[page torn]ds”.

  4. [4]

    The Book of Mormon describes the transfiguration of three of Jesus’s disciples in the Americas: “And whether they were in the body or out of the body, they could not tell: for it did seem unto them like a transfiguration of them, that they were changed from this body of flesh, into an immortal state, that they could behold the things of God.” (Book of Mormon, 1830 ed., 510–511 [3 Nephi 28:15].)

  5. [5]

    Words supplied based on John Whitmer’s circa January 1831 copy of this text. It is unclear whether “wrent” was intended to be “went,” or an alternate spelling of “rent” (the past tense of “rend”), or a mistaken rendering of the past tense of “rant.” Confusion over JS’s intended meaning affected how the text was worded in subsequent published versions of the revelation. (Old Testament Revision, John Whitmer first copy, 1; see also Jackson, Book of Moses, 50, 62n58.)

    Old Testament Revision Manuscript, John Whitmer first copy, ca. 1830. CHL.

    Jackson, Kent P. The Book of Moses and the Joseph Smith Translation Manuscripts. Provo, UT: Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University, 2005.

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