Egyptian/Hebrew Help

[Bernard Gui]

In Egyptian or Hebrew, there must be a word

for "first," meaning something that comes before

or must be done before something else.

Anybody know what the words would be and what

the literal translation would be?

Thanks in advance.

Bernard

[Robert F. Smith]

In Egyptian or Hebrew, there must be a word

for "first," meaning something that comes before

or must be done before something else.

Anybody know what the words would be and what

the literal translation would be?

Thanks in advance.

Bernard

The Hebrew word for “first,beginning” (as in Gen 1:1) is the same word as for “head, principal,” r’oš, r’ēš, which is also the name, “head,” of the rebus (glyph) from which that Canaanite letter was first derived and named. The Egyptian word for “first,” tp, has the same semantic range (“head; beginning”), is likewise represented as a head-glyph, and is used in such phrases as m sp tpy “from the beginning of time” (in Book of Abraham 1:3, Fac. 2:10-11, and in The Thousand, a Ramesside poem in praise of the god ’Amon), or sp tpy “First Occasion, the Creation.” One may also usethe Egyptian word ḥЗt, “forehead; chief, head; beginning,” as in ḥЗt sp, “regnal year,” or ḥЗt nḥḥ “the beginning of eternity,” but the parallel doesn’t seem as apt.

The meaning “first” in Hebrew in Genesis 1:1 (RESHITH) was discussed by Joseph Smith during his Eulogy at the Funeral of King Follett, April 7, 1844. According to the reconstruction of Stan Larson and others, Joseph parsedthe first Hebrew word there, BERESHITH, as consisting of BE “in, by, through,”ROSH, “the head,” etc., in context as ROSHITH BARA ELOHIM “In the first, the Head One of the Gods brought forth the Gods.”

Edited August 14, 2011 by Robert F. Smith

[Bernard Gui]

Thank you for the information. The last part hits directly on

the reason I'm asking about "first." In Alma 13:3,

the phrase "in the first place" puzzles me. This phrase is

used four times in the Book of Mormon: Mosiah 2:23, Alma 13:3,5,

and Alma 32:22. As far as I can tell, this phrase is not

used in any other scripture.

In Alma 13 and Mosiah 2 is it possible "in the first place" refers

to a time such as the creation or pre-mortal existence

and not to the first priority in a list of things to do?

Alma 13

3 And this is the manner after which they were ordained—being called and prepared from the foundation of the world according to the foreknowledge of God, on account of their exceeding faith and good works; in the first place being left to choose good or evil; therefore they having chosen good, and exercising exceedingly great faith, are called with a holy calling, yea, with that holy calling which was prepared with, and according to, a preparatory redemption for such.

4 And thus they have been called to this holy calling on account of their faith, while others would reject the Spirit of God on account of the hardness of their hearts and blindness of their minds, while, if it had not been for this they might have had as great privilege as their brethren.

5 Or in fine, in the first place they were on the same standing with their brethren; thus this holy calling being prepared from the foundation of the world for such as would not harden their hearts, being in and through the atonement of the Only Begotten Son, who was prepared—

6 And thus being called by this holy

and Mosiah 2

23 And now, in the first place, he hath created you, and granted

unto you your lives, for which ye are indebted unto him.

seem to use this phrase in the same way you used "in the first"

in your translation of Genesis 1:1. Could that phrase also be rendered

"in the first place"?

Could there be a connection, or am I just whistling in

the wind? Both Alma 13 and Mosiah 2 would be easier to

understand were this the case.

Bernard

[Robert F. Smith]

Thank you for the information. The last part hits directly on

the reason I'm asking about "first." In Alma 13:3,

the phrase "in the first place" puzzles me. This phrase is

used four times in the Book of Mormon: Mosiah 2:23, Alma 13:3,5,

and Alma 32:22. As far as I can tell, this phrase is not

used in any other scripture.

In Alma 13 and Mosiah 2 is it possible "in the first place" refers

to a time such as the creation or pre-mortal existence

and not to the first priority in a list of things to do?

Alma 13 and Mosiah 2 seem to use this phrase in the same way you used "in the first"

in your translation of Genesis 1:1. Could that phrase also be rendered "in the first place"?

Could there be a connection, or am I just whistling in

the wind? Both Alma 13 and Mosiah 2 would be easier to

understand were this the case.

Bernard

I can see how the original author/editor could have been conscious of a play on words there in the Book of Mormon, but the primary meaning of such a phrase is likely to have been the more common and mundane meaning in 19th century English. In other words, Joseph's best attempt (with the stone transducer) to put the reformed Egyptian into colloquial English.