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The Book of Abraham and Joseph Smith's Hebrew Classes with Joshua Seixas
Book of Abraham > Book of Abraham Plagiarism Accusations > The Book of Abraham and Joseph Smith's Hebrew Classes with Joshua Seixas
The Book of Abraham and Joseph Smith's Hebrew Classes with Joshua Seixas
Summary: Several transliterations of Hebrew words in the Book of Abraham stem from Joseph Smith's classes with Rabbi Joshua Seixas. Critics allege that this constitutes plagiarism on the part of Joseph Smith. As supporting evidence, critics allege that the Hebrew used in the Book of Abragam is Sephardic Hebrew. Sephardic Hebrew had its origins in 1492 following the exile of Jews from Spain. Thus, how could it have been spoken by Abraham? What's more, critics allege that Hebrew itself isn't a language old enough to have been spoken by Abraham. This page addresses the charge of plagiarism. On another page, we have addressed how Hebrew could have been spoken by Abraham.
The following chart demonstrates similarities to Joshua Seixas' Manual Hebrew Grammar (1834):[1]
| Book of Abraham Transliteration | Manual Hebrew Grammar (1834) Transliteration | Society of Biblical Literature Transliteration | Hebrew |
|---|---|---|---|
| Raukeeyang (Facsimile 1, Fig. 12; Fac. 2, Fig. 4) | raukeeyagn | rāqîʿa | רָקִיעַ |
| Shaumau (Fac. 1, Fig. 12) | *shaumau | *ŝāmāh | שָׁמָה* |
| Shaumahyeem (Fac. 1, Fig. 12) | shaumayeem | ŝāmayîm | שָׁמַיִם |
| Kokob (Abraham 3:13) | kokaub | Kôkāb | כּוֹכָב |
| Kokaubeam (Abraham 3:13, 16) | kokaubeem | kôkābîm | כּוֹכָבִים |
| Hah-ko-kau-beam (Fac. 2, Fig. 5) | hakokaubeem | ha-kôkābîm | הַכּוֹכָבִים |
| Gnolaum (Abraham 3:18) | gnolaum | ʿôlām | עוֹלָם |
This chart shows that Joseph Smith was indisputably influenced by his study of Hebrew. However, it is not clear whether this shows that Joseph Smith plagiarized from Seixas' grammar.[2]
Some people criticize the Book of Abraham because it uses words that look like Sephardic Hebrew and follow the Joshua Seixas transliteration system that Joseph Smith learned in the 1830s. They say this proves the book is just a modern creation. But, as the Stephen O. Smoot explains, Joseph was working to translate ancient records into English using the tools he knew. Just because he used the Hebrew letters and spelling system he learned does not mean the ideas themselves are modern. He was trying to show the meaning of ancient words in a way that his readers could understand, combining divine inspiration with the knowledge he had. Some of these Hebrew terms appear in the text itself, and some in explanations added by scribes, showing that the use of Hebrew is more sophisticated than Joseph Smith simply cribbing the words from Joshua Seixas.
Smoot also points out that the Hebrew in the Book of Abraham doesn’t have to come directly from Abraham himself; it could reflect the way the record was copied and preserved over centuries. Ancient writings often went through many changes as they were passed down, and Joseph’s translation reflects the process of bringing those ancient ideas into English. Using the Seixas system simply helped him communicate the meaning of these words to people in his own time.[3]
For Latter-day Saints, this shows that the Book of Abraham is consistent with both ancient language and the way God works through modern prophets. The presence of Hebrew words doesn’t weaken its truth—it shows how God used Joseph’s knowledge and tools to reveal real, ancient truths to the world. This helps us see the Book of Abraham as an inspired translation that connects us to ancient ideas, not just a story created in the 19th century.
Notes
- ↑ Taken from Stephen O. Smoot, "Joseph Smith Jr. as a Translator: The Book of Abraham as Case Study," Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship 64 (2025): 357.
- ↑ Matthew J. Grey, “'The Word of the Lord in the Original': Joseph Smith's Study of Hebrew in Kirtland,” in Approaching Antiquity: Joseph Smith and the Ancient World, eds. Lincoln H. Blumell, Matthew J. Grey, and Andrew H. Hedges (Religious Studies Center; Deseret Book, 2015), 249–302.
- ↑ Stephen O. Smoot, "Joseph Smith Jr. as a Translator," 357–64.