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D&C 132:51 - Emma commanded to stay herself


dblagent007

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D&C 132:51 states:

51 Verily, I say unto you: A commandment I give unto mine handmaid, Emma Smith, your wife, whom I have given unto you, that she stay herself and partake not of that which I commanded you to offer unto her; for I did it, saith the Lord, to prove you all, as I did Abraham, and that I might require an offering at your hand, by covenant and sacrifice.

In the book Mormon Enigma, it is noted that this verse has been used as a basis to assert that "Joseph offered Emma a plural husband as a test of some sort." pg 177

Ann Eliza Young, in her book Wife No. 19 (pg. 84), gives a different explanation:

She is here commanded to "stay herself, and partake not" of that which Joseph had offered her. It is, however, only right to add that the Mormon exponents of the Revelation say that this passage refers to an offer which Joseph had made to sacrifice his own personal feelings, and to accede to a divorce between Emma and himself.

Does anyone know of any additional evidence that supports either explanation (or possibly a different explanation). I am curious to find out what this verse refers to.

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Double Agent,

Why not both of those explanations? ;-)

I think the answer can be figured out from the text and context of D&C 132.

For more information, please see the book on the topic that I'm going to write someday. :P

Don

You think the Lord commanded JS to offer Emma both a plural husband and a divorce? How would the husband be a plural husband if JS was divorced from Emma?

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You think the Lord commanded JS to offer Emma both a plural husband and a divorce? How would the husband be a plural husband if JS was divorced from Emma?

Who says the offer was for just one extra husband?

But I think you might be barking up the wrong tree. Based on the last two Gospel Doctrine lessons I've had on this section, it is only referring to monogamous Celestial Marriage.

And this year's course of study seems to imply that the promises of "Abraham" as expressed in D&C 132 aren't referring to polygamy as well.

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These "tests" always seem kinda fishy to me. Go do this thing you aren't really supposed to do...then ah ha.... its just a test of the emergency broadcast system. I wonder if I should be employing this sacred, divine method of testing more on my kids.

"Son, I want you to go and play Halo 3 all day this Sunday instead of going to church."

"Sweet! Thanks Dad!" (as he sprints to the game room)

"Uh......., wait! Stop son! This is just a test!" (too late)

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You think the Lord commanded JS to offer Emma both a plural husband and a divorce? How would the husband be a plural husband if JS was divorced from Emma?

Yeah, you'd want to remove the "plural": a divorce and another husband.

Don

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Who says the offer was for just one extra husband?

I don't even want to think about that. Although if there is one thing that the history of plural marriage has taught me, it is to not discount anything as being too weird.

But I think you might be barking up the wrong tree. Based on the last two Gospel Doctrine lessons I've had on this section, it is only referring to monogamous Celestial Marriage.

LOL.

And this year's course of study seems to imply that the promises of "Abraham" as expressed in D&C 132 aren't referring to polygamy as well.

The lesson at least acknowledges that plural marriage happened and that JS practiced plural marriage.

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These "tests" always seem kinda fishy to me. Go do this thing you aren't really supposed to do...then ah ha.... its just a test of the emergency broadcast system. I wonder if I should be employing this sacred, divine method of testing more on my kids.

"Son, I want you to go and play Halo 3 all day this Sunday instead of going to church."

"Sweet! Thanks Dad!" (as he sprints to the game room)

"Uh......., wait! Stop son! This is just a test!" (too late)

Well, then he would have failed and you would tell him to "stay himself and partake not" of the forbidden fruit of Halo3....

Then be sure to have the flaming sword at the ready.

Don

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