Egyptian Language
The Jews held contempt for Egypt, who enslaved them for 430 years. It is absurd to think that the Jews would have recorded their history in ‘the language of the Egyptians’—just as it would be absurd if modern-day Jews recorded their history in the language of Nazi Germany.
Yea, I make a record in the language of my father, which consists of the learning of the Jews and the language of the Egyptians. | |
 | — 1 Nephi
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And now, behold, we have written this record according to our knowledge, in the characters which are called among us the reformed Egyptian. | |
| — Mormon
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Shiz
A decapitated man struggles to breathe.
And it came to pass that after he had smitten off the head of Shiz, that Shiz raised up on his hands and fell; and after that he had struggled for breath, he died. | |
| — Ether
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Ancient Submarines
In the Book of Mormon narrative, around 2500 BC the Jaredites built submarines.
And the Lord said: Go to work and build, after the manner of barges....
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| — Ether
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- An absurd solution to get oxygen—pluggable holes on the top and bottom of the vessel.
Thou shalt make a hole in the top, and also in the bottom; and when thou shalt suffer for air thou shalt unstop the hole and receive air. And if it be so that the water come in upon thee, behold, ye shall stop the hole, that ye may not perish in the flood. | |
| — Ether
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Babylonian Exile
The Book of Mormon begins with a prophet named Lehi warning Jerusalem to repent or the city will be destroyed and its people taken captive. In response the people mock him.
For it came to pass in the commencement of the first year of the reign of Zedekiah, king of Judah, (my father, Lehi, having dwelt at Jerusalem in all his days); and in that same year came many prophets, prophesying unto the people that they must repent, or the great city Jerusalem must be destroyed....
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| — 1 Nephi
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Nebuchadnezzar conquers Jerusalem — 2 Kings 24:10-17
The author was ignorant that the Babylonians had already conquered Jerusalem and exiled all its people, except the poor.
[Nebuchadnezzar] carried away all Jerusalem, and all the princes, and all the mighty men of valour, even ten thousand captives, and all the craftsmen and smiths: none remained, save the poorest sort of the people of the land. | |
 | — Prophet Jeremiah
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- The Babylonian siege and exile happened under Judah’s King Jehoiachin. v.12
And Jehoiachin the king of Judah went out to the king of Babylon... and the king of Babylon took him in the eighth year of his reign. | |
| — Prophet Jeremiah
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- After the exile, Nebuchadnezzar made Zedekiah King. 2 Kings 24:17
And he carried away Jehoiachin to Babylon....
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| — Prophet Jeremiah
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The first year of the reign of Zedekiah
According to the Book of Mormon, Lehi's warnings to Jerusalem happened in the “first year of the reign of Zedekiah, King of Judah”. 1 Nephi 1:4
- We would not expect the poor left behind in Jerusalem to mock that which they had just seen was possible. 1 Nephi 1:19
- Lehi lived in Jerusalem all his life and was not poor so he should have already been exiled.
Lehi, having dwelt at Jerusalem in all his days. | |
| — 1 Nephi
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And it came to pass that he [Lehi] departed into the wilderness. And he left his house, and the land of his inheritance, and his gold, and his silver, and his precious things, and took nothing with him, save it were his family, and provisions, and tents, and departed into the wilderness. | |
| — 1 Nephi
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King Solomon’s Temple Replica
In the Book of Mormon narrative, the Jews who settled in the New World constructed a replica of Solomon’s Temple.
And I, Nephi, did build a temple; and I did construct it after the manner of the temple of Solomon. | |
| — 2 Nephi
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- Construction of King Solomon’s Temple was a major undertaking. It included:
- 30,000 laborers. 1 Kings 5:13
- 70,000 transporters. 1 Kings 5:15
- 80,000 stone hewers. 1 Kings 5:15
- 3,300 deputies. 1 Kings 5:16
- Construction took seven years. 1 Kings 6:38
- Although the Book of Mormon says that the Jews lacked “many precious things... not found upon the land” (2 Nephi 5:16), the list of materials used to construct both temples is nearly identical.
| Solomon's Temple | Nephi's Temple | ||
|---|---|---|---|
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Now send me skilled men to work in gold, silver, brass and iron; and in purple, crimson and blue... to prepare timber in abundance for me, for the house which I am about to build shall be great and wonderful. |
And I did teach my people to build buildings, and to work in all manner of wood, and of iron, and of copper, and of brass, and of steel, and of gold, and of silver, and of precious ores, which were in great abundance. |
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— Ezra
Priest and Scribe
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— 2 Nephi
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Two Battles, One Hill
The Book of Mormon repeats a fantastical narrative of two races, 800 years apart, who battle on the same hill, with only one survivor to recount their annihilation.
| Jaredites: Shiz vs. Coriantumr |
Nephites vs. Lamanites | |
|---|---|---|
| Timeline | Migrated to the New World around 2500 BC. | Migrated to the New World around 610 BC.
Lamanites are cursed with dark skin and split from the Nephites. |
| All inhabitants gather for war | Ether 15:12, 15 | Mormon 6:2, 5 |
| Battle at Hill Cumorah | Ether 15:11
Hill called ‘Ramah’ by Jaredites |
Mormon 6:2 |
| Total annihilation, only one survivor | Jaredites annihilated, Coriantumr last survivor.
Ether 15:29-31, Omni 1:21 |
Nephites annihilated,
Moroni last survivor.
Mormon 8:2-3 |
