Category: Antiquity
Alma Son of Judah: The Ancient Bar Kokhba Letters from Israel Refute a Popular Argument Against the Authenticity of the Book of Mormon
One of the more popular “easy” arguments to dismiss the Book of Mormon is that the name Alma is a woman’s name. Many critics have pointed out that it’s a…
Further Notes on One of the Earliest Hebrew Texts, the Silver Amulets of Ketef Hinnom
Last year I discussed an intriguing archaeological find near Jerusalem: two inscriptions on silver amulets which appear to be the oldest Hebrew inscriptions found so far. See “The Oldest Hebrew…
The Town of Palmyra vs. the City of Helam: A Subtle but Meaningful Contrast in Communities and Culture
A couple days before Christmas when it was Joseph Smith’s birthday, I reflected briefly upon his life in rather small towns in New York and elsewhere prior to publication of…
The Oldest Hebrew Inscription and the Psalms in the Book of Mormon
Tiny silver amulets engraved with Hebrew from the era of King Josiah, found at Ketef Hinnon, Israel. From the Biblical Archaeology Society. My recent publication on David and the Psalms…
New Life for Ancient Word Plays in the Book of Mormon: Paanchi, Ankh, and Deadly Oaths
It’s no secret that secret combinations are one of the most salient and intelligent aspects of the Book of Mormon. The patterns of behavior and potential dangers in exposed secret…
The Egyptian Context for the Book of Abraham: Why Hor, Priest of Thebes, Might Want an Abraham Text
One of the important but often overlooked issues in the debate over the origins of the Book of Abraham is why the ancient Egyptian owner of the Joseph Smith papyri…
An Ancient Tradition of Writing on Metal? Surprise (?) from a Newly Translated Ancient Hebrew Text
“Fate of Ark of the Covenant Revealed in Hebrew Text” is the title of an intriguing news item at LiveScience.com dated Jan. 7, 2014. It discusses a newly translated ancient…
The Significance of Nahom: Just Three Letters?
When thoughtfully understood, the evidence for Book of Mormon plausibility and authenticity related to Nephi’s account of crossing the Arabian Peninsula are profound and impressive. The modern findings and insights…
Chrism, Temples, and Interesting Books and Texts
There are a few books I’d like recommend to serious LDS students of the Temple. Several time previously I’ve mentioned Sinai and Zion: An Entry into the Jewish Bible by…
A Chinese Saying to Consider: “Review the Ancient, Know the New”
Tonight I ran into an interesting Chinese saying: 溫 故 知 新 (Wen Gu Zhi Xin), which literally means “review the ancient, know the new.” One meaning is that by…
