The Pearl of Great Price: A Verse-By-Verse Commentary

This resource fills the need for an up-to-date commentary on the Pearl of Great Price that draws on both ancient and modern sources. Employing the latest research on the Book of Abraham and the Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible, the editors have assembled an excellent resource for scholars and students. The scriptural text is broken up into logical sections, each followed with verse-by-verse notes, comments on the entire section, and suggestions for further reading. The book draws heavily on Hebrew etymologies in its analysis of the Book of Moses. The material on the Book of Abraham examines the history, age, and meaning of the Joseph Smith Papyri. The facsimiles receive their own treatment, considered in context of their relation to the Book of Abraham and the Hor Book of Breathings. A separate chapter compares the creation events described in Genesis, Moses, and Abraham and frankly addresses the age of the earth, evolution, death before the fall, and the varying sequences of events in the creation literature. Biblical textual development is discussed, and varying theories are weighed. This is an important and timely contribution to understanding the Pearl of Great Price.