Book of Moses Evidence: Wordplay on Joseph

Prophecy of a Restorer

Speaking to Moses, the Lord prophesied, “thou shalt write the things which I shall speak. And in a day when the children of men shall esteem my words as naught and take many of them from the book which thou shalt write, behold, I will raise up another like unto thee; and they shall be had again among the children of men—among as many as shall believe” (Moses 1:40–41).

As pointed out by Matthew Bowen, this prophecy appears to invoke to the so-called “canon formula” which prohibits adding or taking away content from a sacred text (as found in biblical passages like Deuteronomy 4:2 and Revelation 22:18–19).1 In the Moses account, the Lord specifically warned that men would “take many” words out of his book. However, instead of the addition of content being a negative thing, it is instead viewed positively in this context. This is because the original words of Moses would be “had again” or restored by “another like unto” Moses himself.

While the text never specifies the identity of this future restorer, the Book of Mormon helps clarify the matter. To Joseph who was sold into Egypt, the Lord prophesied of a future prophet named “Joseph” who would restore the word of the Lord in the latter days and who was specifically said to “be great like unto Moses” (2 Nephi 3:9). This prophet is, of course, Joseph Smith, who translated the Book of Mormon (fulfilling the prophecy given to Joseph who was sold into Egypt) and who also revealed the Book of Moses (fulfilling the prophecy given to Moses).

Wordplay on Joseph

Although Moses’s prophecy doesn’t name Joseph Smith directly, an allusion to his name appears to be present through the use of wordplay. Bowen explains, “The concepts of ‘adding’ and ‘taking away’ (or diminishing, gathering in) are at the heart of the meaning of the name Joseph in the biblical tradition attributed to Moses.”2

As a precedent for linking the name Joseph with these concepts, one can turn to a short chiasm in Genesis 30:23–24, where Joseph is first introduced in the Bible:

As can be seen, the verbs “take away” [ʾāsap] and “add” [yōsēp] are very similar to the name of Joseph [yôsēp]. Remarkably, a similar chiastic structure is found in Moses 1:41, except, in this case, the name of Joseph is only implied at the center:

Much like Joseph’s introduction in Genesis 30, the prophecy of Joseph Smith in the Book of Moses is sandwiched between verbs that evoke his own name, suggesting intentional wordplay.3

Conclusion

Bowen writes, 

The Lord’s words in Moses 1:41 echo or play on the etymological meaning of the name Joseph—“may he [Yahweh] add” as he foretells a figure through whom the Lord’s words, even after having been “taken” (away) from Moses’s “book,” “shall be had again [or, added] among the children of men.” Moses 1:41 thus anticipates and makes use of the language of the so-called canon formulas … [which are] meant to ensure their stability by warning against “adding” or “diminishing” (i.e., “taking away”) from them.4

Some may doubt that this wordplay is intentional, yet Bowen has written extensively on the presence of Joseph-related puns in various Book of Mormon passages. When the textual data is viewed collectively, it becomes apparent that Joseph Smith’s revelations are consciously aware of the relationship between the name Joseph and Hebrew verbs that convey “adding” or “taking away.”5 Since Joseph Smith most likely didn’t possess the linguistic knowledge and literary capacity to produce this pun in 1830, it helps strengthen the case for the authenticity of the Book of Moses.6