8 | The Book of Moses

Text and Commentary

The Book of Moses

An Extract From Joseph Smith’s New Translation of the Bible
Prologue—God’s
Revelation to Moses “Behold, I am the Lord God Almighty,

1
and Endless is my name. For I am
The words of God which he spa- without beginning of days or end of
ke unto Moses at a time when years, and is not this endless? 4 And,
Moses was caught up into an behold, thou art my son. Wherefore
exceedingly high mountain. 2 And he look, and I will show thee the work-
saw God face to face, and he talked manship of mine hands. But not all,
with him, and the glory of God was for my works are without end, and
upon Moses. Therefore, Moses could also my words, for they never cease.
endure his presence. 5
Wherefore, no man can behold all my
works, except he behold all my glory.
The First Transfiguration And no man can behold all my glo-
and Vision of Moses
ry, and afterwards remain in the flesh
3
And God spake unto Moses, saying, on the earth. 6 And I have a work for

1 The opening chapter of the book of Moses narrates a dramatic experience of the eponymous
prophet on an unnamed mountain (1:42) sometime after his encounter with God in the burn-
ing bush (1:17) but before the exodus of Israel out of Egypt (1:26). The first line of OT1 iden-
tifies this text simply as “A Revelation given to Joseph the Revelator June 1830.” Scholars con-
tinue to wonder if Moses 1 is a standalone revelation or if it acts as a sort of preface to the rest
of the Prophet’s inspired revision of the book of Genesis. Moses 1:40 appears to indicate that
the account preserved in this chapter is a sort of framing device for the subsequent narrative.
Although 1:40–41 indicates that Moses recorded his experience, without recourse to any an-
cient manuscripts it is unknown how much of this chapter is a restoration of lost text as op-
posed to Joseph Smith’s expansive revelation about an important (but otherwise unknown)
incident in Moses’s life. 1:1–2 Moses being “caught up” into a high mountain and beholding
the glory of God face-to-face evokes a temple setting and context comparable to imagery at-
tested throughout the Hebrew Bible and other ancient sources. Latter-day Saint commentators
have written extensively on this chapter, noting its similarity to other ascension texts wherein
a prophet ascends into the presence of God and receives a divine commission. The striking
parallels between Moses 1 and this body of ancient literature are undeniable. (Consult the
bibliography for representative samples of this scholarship.) Saw God face to face. Compare
Exodus 33:11; Deuteronomy 34:10. Other prophets so privileged to have beheld the Lord “face
to face” include, but are not limited to, Enoch (Moses 7:4), Abraham (Abraham 3:11), Jacob
(Genesis 32:30), and Moroni (Ether 12:39). 1:3 Endless. Compare Moses 7:35. (see additional
clarification on this name for God provided in Doctrine and Covenants 19:4–12.) 1:4 This is
the first of several instances in this chapter where Moses is for the first time declared to be a
son of God (compare Moses 1:6–7, 13, 40). The status of Moses as a son of God will feature
prominently later in the narrative when Lucifer attempts to deceive Moses into worshipping
him (1:12–13). The Hebrew phrase “son of God” (ben ʾelohim) denotes a divine or supernat-
ural being. As a son of heavenly parents along with the rest of humanity, Moses was indeed a
 The Book of Moses | 9

Moses’s Soliloquy
thee, Moses, my son. And thou art in
the similitude of mine Only Begotten. 10
And it came to pass that it was for
And mine Only Begotten is and shall the space of many hours before Moses
be the Savior, for he is full of grace and did again receive his natural strength
truth. But there is no God beside me, like unto man. And he said unto him-
and all things are present with me, for I self, “Now for this cause I know that
know them all. 7 And now behold, this man is nothing, which thing I never
one thing I show unto thee, Moses, had supposed. 11 But now mine own
my son. For thou art in the world, and eyes have beheld God. But not my
now I show it unto thee.” 8 And it came natural, but my spiritual eyes, for my
to pass that Moses looked, and beheld natural eyes could not have beheld,
the world upon which he was created. for I should have withered and died
And Moses beheld the world and the in his presence. But his glory was
ends thereof, and all the children of upon me, and I beheld his face, for I
men which are, and which were cre- was transfigured before him.”
ated. Of the same he greatly marveled
Satan Tempts Moses and Is
and wondered. 9 And the presence of
Rebuked
God withdrew from Moses, that his
glory was not upon Moses. And Moses 12
And it came to pass that when Mo-
was left unto himself. And as he was ses had said these words, behold,
left unto himself, he fell unto the earth. Satan came tempting him, saying,

son of God. But in this context, the phrase likely implies more than mere divine parentage,
signaling Moses’s status as a participant in God’s heavenly divine council. 1:5 The phrase “on
the earth” is absent from OT1 and was inserted interlineally in OT2. The implication seems to
be that anybody who experiences the full scope and extent of God’s eternal glory throughout
Creation cannot be withheld from a greater or more permanent level of deification, and there-
fore Moses was shown only a portion thereof. 1:6 Here the title of “Only Begotten” is invoked
for the first time. This epithet will feature prominently throughout the rest of the book (see
Moses 2:1, 24–27; 3:18; 4:1, 3, 28; 5:7–9, 57; 6:52, 57, 59, 62; 7:50, 59, 62). As used in the New
Testament, the term derives from the Greek monogenēs (with equivalents in Hebrew and Ar-
amaic: yĕḥîd) and is featured in other scripture as a title for Jesus (see John 3:16; Alma 5:48;
Doctrine and Covenants 76:23). It carries a sense of possessing a unique or special relation-
ship to somebody else and otherwise of being “one of a kind.” (Isaac is afforded this attribute
at Genesis 22:2 and Hebrews 11:17 even though Ishmael was his older half-brother.) No God
beside me. See also Isaiah 45:5, 21–22; Hosea 13:4–5; Doctrine and Covenants 76:1. This dec-
laration is an affirmation of God’s incomparable status as the Father of humanity and Lord of
Creation, not necessarily a declaration of His sole existence. Indeed, as depicted unmistakably
throughout the text, besides God stands His Only Begotten Son. 1:8 Children of men. The
Hebrew meaning of this term (bĕnêy ʾadam) is simply “mortals, humans” (compare Abraham
3:27) 1:10 Compare Joseph Smith—History 1:20, where the Prophet Joseph Smith reports
being similarly exhausted after his visionary experience. See also 1 Nephi 1:6–7; Alma 19:6.
1:11 In the ancient mindset, encountering God or other divine beings was considered extraor-
dinarily dangerous and potentially fatal (see Exodus 33:20; Judges 6:22–23; 13:21–23), for
precisely the same reason given here. 1:12 Satan appears in the narrative here for the first time
10 | The Book of Moses

“Moses, son of man, worship me.” he also gave me commandments

13
And it came to pass that Moses when he called unto me out of the
looked upon Satan, and said, “Who burning bush, saying, ‘Call upon God
art thou? For behold, I am a son of in the name of mine Only Begotten,
God, in the similitude of his Only Be- and worship me.’” 18 And again Mo-
gotten. And where is thy glory, that ses said, “I will not cease to call upon
I should worship thee? 14 For behold, God, I have other things to inquire of
I could not look upon God, except him. For his glory has been upon me;
his glory should come upon me, and wherefore I can judge between him
I were transfigured before him. But and thee. Depart hence, Satan.”
I can look upon thee in the natural 19
And now, when Moses had said
man. Is it not so, surely? 15 Blessed be these words, Satan cried with a loud
the name of my God, for his Spirit voice, and ranted upon the earth,
hath not altogether withdrawn from and commanded, saying, “I am the
me, or else where is thy glory, for it Only Begotten. Worship me!” 20 And
is darkness unto me. And I can judge it came to pass that Moses began to
between thee and God. For God said fear exceedingly. And as he began
unto me, ‘Worship God, for him only to fear, he saw the bitterness of hell.
shalt thou serve.’ 16 Get thee hence, Nevertheless, calling upon God, he
Satan. Deceive me not. For God said received strength, and he command-
unto me, ‘Thou art after the simili- ed, saying, “Depart from me, Satan,
tude of mine Only Begotten.’ 17 And for this one God only will I worship,

and will be a prominent antagonist throughout the rest of the account, scheming to influence
the lives of the children of Adam and Eve in deleterious ways. Son of man. Satan demotes
Moses’s status to that of a mere mortal in an attempt to command his allegiance, seemingly
unaware of God’s declaration at Moses 1:4. Moses counters in the next verse and at 1:16 by
affirming his ennobling status as a son of God in the “similitude” (that is, likeness or resem-
blance) of God’s Only Begotten. 1:15 Darkness unto me. Both OT1 and OT2 use the word
“blackness” instead of “darkness.” This earlier reading may evoke a more visceral visual expe-
rience on Moses’s part (that is, Satan’s imitative glory is as the pitch blackness of night com-
pared to the splendor and glory of God) and might relate to the “blackness” that characterizes
the people of Canaan at 7:8 and the descendants of Cain in 7:22. (See also the commentary on
these verses.) 1:17 This verse preserves one of God’s instructions to Moses otherwise unattest-
ed in the Hebrew Bible (see Exodus 3). 1:18 OT1 and OT2 add “and it is glory unto me” after
“his glory has been upon me.” 1:19 Satan ranted upon the earth. OT1 and OT2 both read that
Satan “wrent” upon the earth. This is most likely a variant of “rent” (the past tense of “rend”),
meaning that Satan broke up the earth around Moses in a terrible display of fury. The change
to “ranted” occurred in the 1981 edition of the Pearl of Great Price. With either verb the im-
agery is basically the same: Satan, out of desperation and anger that Moses refused to worship
him, lashed out in some type of terrifying display (see also 1:21). I am the Only Begotten. With
this declaration, Satan desperately attempts to reassert his status as a once-ranking member of
the divine council. He is, in effect, attempting still to subvert the Father’s plan even after his
disastrous attempt to claim glory for himself in the premortal council (compare 4:1–4; Abra-
ham 3:24–28). 1:20 Compare the description given by Joseph Smith of his encounter with
 The Book of Moses | 11

which is the God of glory.” 21 And now thou, Moses, for I, the Almighty, have
Satan began to tremble, and the earth chosen thee, and thou shalt be made
shook. And Moses received strength, stronger than many waters. For they
and called upon God, saying, “In shall obey thy command as if thou
the name of the Only Begotten, de- wert God. 26 And lo, I am with thee,
part hence, Satan.” 22 And it came even unto the end of thy days. For
to pass that Satan cried with a loud thou shalt deliver my people from
voice, with weeping, and wailing, bondage, even Israel my chosen.”
and gnashing of teeth, and he depart- 27
And it came to pass, as the voice
ed hence, even from the presence of was still speaking, Moses cast his eyes
Moses, that he beheld him not. 23 And and beheld the earth, yea, even all of
now of this thing Moses bore record, it, and there was not a particle of it
but because of wickedness it is not which he did not behold, discerning
had among the children of men. it by the Spirit of God. 28 And he be-
held also the inhabitants thereof, and
The Second there was not a soul which he beheld
Transfiguration and
not, and he discerned them by the
Vision of Moses
Spirit of God. And their numbers
24
And it came to pass that when Satan were great, even numberless as the
had departed from the presence of sand upon the seashore. 29 And he be-
Moses, that Moses lifted up his eyes held many lands, and each land was
unto heaven, being filled with the called earth, and there were inhabi-
Holy Ghost, which beareth record of tants on the face thereof.
the Father and the Son. 25 And calling 30
And it came to pass that Mo-
upon the name of God, he beheld his ses called upon God, saying, “Tell
glory again, for it was upon him. And me, I pray thee, why these things are
he heard a voice, saying, “Blessed art so, and by what thou madest them.”

Satan in the Sacred Grove in Joseph Smith—History 1:15–16. 1:21 In OT1 and OT2 Moses
explicitly calls upon the name of Jesus Christ to rebuke Satan. Two subsequent scribal edits
changed this to “his Son” and then finally “the Only Begotten,” the latter of which was used by
Orson Pratt in the 1878 edition and subsequent editions of the Pearl of Great Price. Moses’s
invoking the name of the Only Begotten as opposed to the name Jesus Christ is more in har-
mony with the repeated mention of this title throughout the previous verses, which perhaps
accounts for the change. 1:22 Weeping, wailing, and gnashing of teeth is characteristic of Sa-
tan and those who share his eternal fate (see Mosiah 16:2; Alma 40:13; Doctrine and Cove-
nants 19:5; 101:91; 133:73). 1:24 The imagery of Moses lifting up his eyes to behold another
heavenly vision reflects a common biblical idiom sometimes used in visionary or quasi-vi-
sionary contexts (see Genesis 13:10, 14; 18:2; 22:4, 13; 24:63; 31:10, 12; 33:1; Exodus 14:10;
Numbers 24:2; Deuteronomy 4:19; Psalm 121:1; 123:1; Isaiah 40:26; see also the commentary
at Abraham 3:11–12). 1:25 Compare Exodus 7:1, where the Lord declares that Moses is “a god
to Pharaoh.” The promise that Moses will have power over the waters is an obvious allusion to
the parting of the Red Sea (see Exodus 14:21–31). 1:29 Moses beholds in vision many lands
called “earth.” The immediate context and Moses 1:40 suggest that Moses is beholding many
lands and their inhabitants on this planet, with each land called “earth” (Hebrew: ʾereṣ, “land,
12 | The Book of Moses

31
And behold, the glory of the Lord unto man. But all things are num-
was upon Moses, so that Moses stood bered unto me, for they are mine and
in the presence of God, and talked I know them.”
with him face to face. And the Lord 36
And it came to pass that Mo-
God said unto Moses, “For mine own ses spake unto the Lord, saying, “Be
purpose have I made these things. merciful unto thy servant, O God,
Here is wisdom and it remaineth and tell me concerning this earth,
in me. 32 And by the Word of my and the inhabitants thereof, and also
power have I created them, which the heavens, and then thy servant
is mine Only Begotten Son, who is will be content.” 37 And the Lord God
full of grace and truth. 33 And worlds spake unto Moses, saying, “The heav-
without number have I created, and ens, they are many, and they cannot
I also created them for mine own be numbered unto man; but they are
purpose. And by the Son I created numbered unto me, for they are mine.
them, which is mine Only Begotten. 38
And as one earth shall pass away,
34
And the first man of all men have and the heavens thereof, even so shall
I called Adam, which is many. 35 But another come. And there is no end to
only an account of this earth, and the my works, neither to my words. 39 For
inhabitants thereof, give I unto you. behold, this is my work and my glo-
For behold, there are many worlds ry: to bring to pass the immortality
that have passed away by the Word of and eternal life of man. 40 And now,
my power. And there are many that Moses, my son, I will speak unto thee
now stand, and innumerable are they concerning this earth upon which

country, earth”). However, a grander cosmic scale involving multiple worlds cannot be fully
ruled out in light of 1:37–38. 1:30–31 OT2 replaces “tell me” with “shew me,” suggesting an-
ticipation for another visionary experience. Face to face. For a second time Moses beholds the
Lord face-to-face. As with Abraham (in Abraham 3:11) the context is a visionary glimpse of
Creation. 1:32 The Only Begotten is identified as the Word of God’s power, anticipating the
profound Logos hymn of John 1:1–18. 1:33 Compare Doctrine and Covenants 76:23–24. 1:34
The gloss provided in this verse identifies Adam as “many” (although the antecedent to “many”
could also be “man” or “men,” a reading that is reinforced by Moses 4:26). Coupled with 1:29,
this may suggest a plurality of “Adams” who inhabit many lands called “earth” throughout
God’s Creation. 1:35–36 The Creation that God reveals to Moses pertains only to this world
(compare 1:40; 2:1), leaving open for speculation the nature of the rest of God’s innumerable
Creations. The infinite and grand scope of God’s creative power throughout the cosmos as
described in this text leaves the reader overwhelmed with a simultaneous sense of both aston-
ishment and nothingness (compare Moses’s reaction at 1:10). 1:37 OT1 begins this verse with
“And the Lord God spake unto Moses saying The Heavens there are many.” This was revised in
OT2 to read: “And the Lord God spake unto Moses of the Heavens saying these are many.” 1:39
This verse—cherished and cited by Latter-day Saints as a short encapsulation of the purpose
and intention behind God’s plan of salvation—is explicitly couched in the context of the pur-
pose behind Creation and humanity’s existence. OT1 renders it “this is my work to my glory
to the immortality & the eternal life of man.” The rendering of this verse so well known to
Latter-day Saints today was made in OT2 and has been used by each edition of the Pearl of
 The Book of Moses | 13

thou standest. And thou shalt write ken unto you. Show them not unto
the things which I shall speak. 41 And any except them that believe. Even
in a day when the children of men so. Amen.
shall esteem my words as naught and
take many of them from the book
God Reveals the Creation
which thou shalt write, behold, I will
to Moses
raise up another like unto thee, and (Genesis 1:1–2:3; Abraham 4:1–5:3)

2
they shall be had again among the
children of men, among as many as And it came to pass that the
shall believe.” Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
“Behold, I reveal unto you con-
Epilogue: An Injunction to cerning this heaven and this earth.
Secrecy
Write the words which I speak. I am
42
These words were spoken unto Mo- the Beginning and the End—the Al-
ses in the mount, the name of which mighty God. By mine Only Begotten
shall not be known among the chil- I created these things.
dren of men. And now they are spo-

Great Price since 1878. In the OT1 rendering, the work of the Father in bringing about the
immortality and eternal life of humankind is depicted more forcefully as being commensurate
or proportional with the increase of His glory. In other words, as more of His children attain
immortality and eternal life, the glory of the Father increases. This subtly anticipates teachings
made by the Prophet Joseph Smith toward the end of his life that the eternal life and exaltation
of God and His children compound as they continue to progress through the eternities. 1:42
This injunction to secrecy is especially appropriate when the account is viewed as a temple text
and an apocalypse—that is, a revelation that unveils mysteries or secrets about the world, its
destiny, and God’s plans for humanity (see the commentary for 7:65–67). A common feature
in Jewish and Christian apocalyptic literature is the urge to keep the contents of revelations
secret or otherwise shielded from profane or unworthy readers (compare Daniel 8:26 and also
Matthew 17:9; Mark 9:9, where Jesus swears the disciples to secrecy after His own transfigura-
tion on a high mount).
2 This chapter commences the first of two Creation accounts found in the book of Moses that
correspond to Genesis 1:1–2:3. OT1 and OT2 respectively begin this chapter by designating
it as “chapter first” and “The Book of Genesis Chapter first,” which seems to indicate some
intention behind its being the opening chapter of the Prophet’s inspired revision of Genesis.
As mentioned previously, it is unclear if the preceding chapter describing Moses’s visionary
experience on the mount is a standalone revelation or a prologue to the narrative that com-
mences with this chapter. (Based on internal textual cues, the latter seems more likely.) 2:1
The Lord spake unto Moses. In a radical departure from the Genesis text, which features an
anonymous third-person narrator throughout, this chapter opens at first with an anonymous
third-person narrator (Moses?) but then immediately shifts to the Lord narrating the details
of Creation directly to Moses in the first person. In this respect, the text bears striking resem-
blance to the apocryphal book of Jubilees, which also begins with Moses’s being summoned
to a high mountain where the Lord (or the angel of the Lord) gives an account of the Creation
and other events from early biblical history that Moses is commanded to record. This heaven
and this earth. As at Moses 1:35–36, 40, the text makes it clear that the details of Creation