Scripture Helps

Genesis 12–17; Abraham 1–2

Abraham sought the blessings of the priesthood and desired to be a greater follower of righteousness. The Lord miraculously delivered him from being sacrificed to false gods. God made a covenant with Abraham that would ultimately affect all families of the earth. The Lord promised Abraham innumerable seed. Sarah gave her handmaid Hagar to Abraham as a wife in an effort to fulfill the Lord’s promises of posterity. In their old age, the Lord promised Abraham and Sarah that they would have a son named Isaac.

Resources

• Background and Context

• Learn More

• Media

Note: The citation of a source not published by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints does not imply that it or its author is endorsed by the Church or represents the official position of the Church.

Background and Context

Abraham 1–2

What is the book of Abraham?

See “Abraham 3. What is the book of Abraham?”

Abraham 1:2–3

How did Abraham receive the priesthood?

“Finding there was greater happiness and peace” for him, Abraham “sought for the blessings of the fathers, and the right whereunto [he] should be ordained.” He “became a rightful heir, a High Priest, holding the right belonging to the fathers.”

In Old Testament times, the priesthood was “handed down from father to son,” beginning with Adam. Because Abraham’s own father had turned away from God, Abraham sought the priesthood from another source. The Doctrine and Covenants teaches that “Abraham received the priesthood from Melchizedek.”

Melchizedek Blesses Abraham, by Walter Rane

Abraham 1:12, 14

What are the facsimiles in the Book of Abraham?

“The book of Abraham includes three print illustrations, known as facsimiles, which are based on images on the [ancient Egyptian] papyri [that Joseph Smith bought]. These facsimiles were included when the book of Abraham was first published in 1842. Joseph Smith’s explanations of the images were published alongside the facsimiles. …

“Most of the explanations Joseph published with the facsimiles do not match the interpretations of modern Egyptologists. However, scholars have noted some parallels. For example, Joseph Smith described the four figures in figure 6 of Facsimile 2 as ‘this earth in its four quarters.’ Other scholars have similarly interpreted identical figures in other ancient Egyptian texts. Facsimile 1 contains a crocodile deity swimming in what Joseph Smith called ‘the firmament over our heads.’ Scholars have similarly identified Egyptian conceptions of heaven as ‘a heavenly ocean.’

“We don’t know how the facsimiles relate to the text. There is evidence that some Jewish authors during the era in which the papyri were created adapted and incorporated Egyptian drawings and stories into their own sacred texts, including those relating to Abraham. It is possible that these illustrations were repurposed in a similar way.”

Abraham 1:21–27

What were the curses mentioned by Abraham?

Abraham gave a brief explanation about the discovery and habitation of Egypt after the Flood. He wrote of a “curse in the land” that was preserved through the posterity of Noah’s son Ham.

Abraham later noted that the first pharaoh was “a righteous man.” He said that Noah “blessed [Pharaoh] with the blessings of the earth, and with the blessings of wisdom, but cursed him as pertaining to the Priesthood.”

These verses do not clearly explain what the curses were or why they were given. In the past, some have incorrectly associated the curse on Ham’s posterity with the priesthood and temple restriction pertaining to people of Black African descent in our dispensation. Today, the Church disavows this and other past theories seeking to explain reasons for the priesthood and temple restriction.

Abraham 2:6–11

What is the covenant God made with Abraham?

(Compare Genesis 12:1–3; 13:14–18; 15:1–21; 17:1–10.)

Among the promises God made to Abraham were the following:

• His posterity would be numerous.

• Jesus Christ would be born through his lineage.

• He and his seed would inherit certain lands.

• His seed would receive the gospel and bear the priesthood.

• Through his seed all nations of the earth would be blessed.

All who make and keep sacred covenants with God become the seed of Abraham and heirs to the blessings of the Abrahamic covenant.

President Russell M. Nelson taught:

“We have received, as did they of old, the holy priesthood and the everlasting gospel. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are our ancestors. We are of Israel. We have the right to receive the gospel, blessings of the priesthood, and eternal life. Nations of the earth will be blessed by our efforts and by the labors of our posterity. The literal seed of Abraham and those who are gathered into his family by adoption receive these promised blessings—predicated upon acceptance of the Lord and obedience to his commandments. …

“We are men and women of God quite precisely because we have made covenants with Him. We are of Abraham. We are children of the covenant—the Abrahamic covenant.”

Abraham on the Plains of Mamre, by Grant Romney Clawson

Genesis 12:14–20; Abraham 2:22–25

Why did Sarah say that she was Abraham’s sister?

The book of Abraham clarifies that the Lord warned Abraham and Sarah of danger and instructed Sarah to tell the Egyptians that she was Abraham’s sister. Abraham and Sarah obeyed the Lord’s counsel and were spared from a dangerous situation. Because Abraham and Sarah both descended from Terah, customs of their time would likely have allowed for Abraham to accurately refer to Sarah as his sister.

Genesis 14:18–20

Who was Melchizedek?

Most of what we know about Melchizedek is found in Restoration scripture. He was a great prophet, high priest, and king. He ordained Abraham to the priesthood. Like Enoch and the people of Zion, Melchizedek and his people “wrought righteousness, and obtained heaven.”

Before Melchizedek’s day, the priesthood “was called the Holy Priesthood, after the Order of the Son of God. But out of respect or reverence to the name of the Supreme Being, to avoid the too frequent repetition of his name, they, the church, in ancient days, called that priesthood after Melchizedek, or the Melchizedek Priesthood.”

Genesis 15:1–18

Why did Abraham cut animals in two?

As Abraham spoke with the Lord in vision, the Lord repeated His promises to bless Abraham with land and posterity. Even though Abraham believed the Lord, he desired a confirmation of God’s promise to him about the land.

God commanded Abraham to take various animals, cut them each in two, and set the pieces apart from each other. Later, “a smoking furnace, and a burning lamp,” likely representing the Lord’s presence, “passed between those pieces.” The account ends by stating, “In the same day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates.”

In the Old Testament, the phrase “to make a covenant” comes from the Hebrew words kārat berît, which can also be translated as “to cut a covenant.” In ancient times, covenants would sometimes be made binding by killing and cutting an animal. The act of passing through the carcasses was likely a symbol that the individual was willing to die if they broke the oath.

Similarly, God’s presence passing through the animals likely assured Abraham that the Lord would fulfill His promises. President Russell M. Nelson taught, “When we enter a covenant with God, we have made a covenant with Him who will always keep His word.”

Genesis 16:1–3

Why did Sarah give Hagar to Abraham as a wife?

Despite the Lord’s promises to Abraham that he would have a great posterity, Sarah was still unable to have children after many years of marriage. By giving Hagar to Abraham as a plural wife, Sarah hoped to enable Abraham to have children and fulfill the Lord’s promises. From latter-day revelation we understand that this was a commandment from God that Abraham and Sarah obeyed.

The Book of Mormon teaches that marriage between one man and one woman is God’s standing law of marriage. However, God has at times commanded the practice of plural marriage as an exception. One reason God has given for the practice of plural marriage is to “raise up seed unto [Him].”

During the early days of the restored Church, the Lord commanded the practice of plural marriage for a time, beginning with the Prophet Joseph Smith. “This principle was among the most challenging aspects of the Restoration—for Joseph personally and for other Church members.” Revelation from the Lord to Wilford Woodruff in 1890 led to the end of the practice of plural marriage in the Church.

Genesis 16:4–6

Why did Sarah deal harshly with Hagar?

When Hagar discovered that she was pregnant, Sarah became “despised in [Hagar’s] eyes.” This implies that Hagar showed a lack of respect or even showed contempt toward Sarah. When tensions escalated, Abraham reminded Sarah that she had authority within their household over Hagar, and Sarah could act to resolve the conflict within their family. Sarah then “dealt hardly with” Hagar, leading Hagar to flee.

Studying the interactions between Abraham, Sarah, and Hagar can remind us of the need we all have for mercy, grace, and redemption through Jesus Christ. Despite their circumstances and imperfections, Abraham, Sarah, and Hagar loved the Lord and were greatly blessed by Him. Hagar’s decision to return to Abraham and Sarah allowed her to receive her own covenantal promise concerning her posterity.

Genesis 17:5, 15

Why did the Lord change the names of Abram and Sarai?

Illustration of Abraham and Sarah, by Dilleen Marsh

In Hebrew the name Abram means “exalted father,” and Abraham means “father of a multitude.” The name Sarah means “princess.” The Lord giving new names to Abraham and Sarah can represent their transformation to a new identity as individuals in a covenant relationship with God. President Russell M. Nelson taught, “The bestowal of those new names marked the beginning of a new life and a new destiny for this family.”

Genesis 17:10–14

How was circumcision related to the Lord’s covenant with Abraham?

As a reminder of His covenant with Abraham, God commanded all male members of Abraham’s household to be circumcised. For Abraham and his family, this act was a symbol of the Abrahamic covenant. It represented dedication to God and separation from the world and sin. Circumcision as a token of the Abrahamic covenant was no longer required after Jesus Christ’s mortal ministry.

Learn More

The Abrahamic covenant

• Russell M. Nelson, “The Everlasting Covenant,” Liahona, Oct. 2022, 4–11

• “The Abrahamic Covenant,” in Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Russell M. Nelson (2024)

The book of Abraham

• Andrew C. Skinner, “The Book of Abraham: A Most Remarkable Gift for Our Time” (digital-only article), Liahona, Jan. 2022, Gospel Library

• Topics and Questions, “Abraham, Book of,” Gospel Library

• Gospel Topics Essays, “Translation and Historicity of the Book of Abraham,” Gospel Library

Media

Videos

Images

An Angel Saves Abraham, by Del Parson

“A Facsimile from the Book of Abraham, No. 2”

Father of Nations, by Eva Koleva Timothy

The Lord Appearing unto Abraham, by Keith Larson

Melchizedek—Keeper of the Storehouse, by Clark Kelley Price

God Liveth and Seeth Me, by Elspeth Young

Notes

1. Abraham 1:2.

2. Doctrine and Covenants 107:40.

3. See Doctrine and Covenants 84:14–16; 107:40–52.

4. See Abraham 1:5–7.

5. Doctrine and Covenants 84:14. See also History, 1838–1856 (Manuscript History of the Church), volume E-1, 1708, josephsmithpapers.org.

6. Topics and Questions, “Abraham, Book of,” Gospel Library.

7. Abraham 1:21–24.

8. Abraham 1:26.

9. Some have speculated that Pharaoh did not have the right to the priesthood because he was a descendant of Cain through Egyptus, the wife of Ham. But this view goes beyond what the scriptures teach and should not be perpetuated today.

10. See Topics and Questions, “Race and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,” Gospel Library. See also Dallin H. Oaks, “President Oaks Remarks at Worldwide Priesthood Celebration” (address given at the “Be One” celebration, June 1, 2018), newsroom.ChurchofJesusChrist.org.

11. See Genesis 17:5–6; Abraham 3:14.

12. See Galatians 3:16; “The Abrahamic Covenant,” in Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Russell M. Nelson (2024), Gospel Library.

13. See Genesis 17:8; Abraham 2:6.

14. See Abraham 2:9.

15. See Abraham 2:11; 1 Nephi 15:18.

16. See Galatians 3:27–29; Abraham 2:10–11; “The Abrahamic Covenant,” in Teachings: Russell M. Nelson.

17. “The Abrahamic Covenant,” in Teachings: Russell M. Nelson.

18. See Abraham 2:22–25.

19. See Genesis 20:12.

20. See Stephen O. Smoot and others, “Did Abraham Lie About His Wife, Sarai?,” BYU Studies Quarterly, vol. 61, no. 4 (2022), 126–28; see also John Gee, “The Wanderings of Abraham,” in From Creation to Sinai: The Old Testament through the Lens of the Restoration, ed. Daniel L. Belnap and Aaron P. Schade (2021), 265–66.

21. See Joseph Smith Translation, Genesis 14:26, Gospel Library.

22. See Hebrews 7:1–3; see also Joseph Smith Translation, Genesis 14:27–36, Gospel Library; Guide to the Scriptures, “Melchizedek,” Gospel Library.

23. See Doctrine and Covenants 84:14.

24. Joseph Smith Translation, Genesis 14:34, Gospel Library.

25. Doctrine and Covenants 107:2–4.

26. See Genesis 15:3–7.

27. See Genesis 15:6.

28. See Jared T. Parker, “Cutting Covenants,” in The Gospel of Jesus Christ in the Old Testament, ed. D. Kelly Ogden and others (2009), 114.

29. Genesis 15:17.

30. Genesis 15:18.

31. Parker, “Cutting Covenants,” 110; Tremper Longman III and Mark L. Strauss, The Baker Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words, entry 1285, page 943 and entry 3772, page 972.

32. See Parker, “Cutting Covenants,” 110; Shon D. Hopkin, “The Covenant among Covenants: The Abrahamic Covenant and Biblical Covenant Making,” in Belnap and Schade, From Creation to Sinai, 237–38.

33. See Michael D. Coogan and others, eds., The New Oxford Annotated Bible: New Revised Standard Version, 5th ed. (2018), 32, note on Genesis 15:9–17; Thomas R. Valletta, “The Captain and the Covenant,” in The Book of Mormon: Alma, the Testimony of the Word, ed. Monte S. Nyman and Charles D. Tate Jr. (1992), 226–27.

34. See Parker, “Cutting Covenants,” 114–15.

35. Russell M. Nelson, “The Everlasting Covenant,” Liahona, Oct. 2022, 11.

36. See Genesis 13:16.

37. See Genesis 16:1.

38. See Genesis 16:1–3. Sarah’s offering of her servant Hagar to Abraham followed ancient customs in cases of infertility (see Camille Fronk Olson, “The Matriarchs: Administrators of God’s Covenantal Blessings,” in Belnap and Schade, From Creation to Sinai, 392–93).

39. See Doctrine and Covenants 132:34.

40. See Jacob 2:27, 30.

41. Jacob 2:30. Regarding Abraham’s plural marriage to Hagar, the Lord said, “God commanded Abraham, and Sarah gave Hagar to Abraham to wife. And why did she do it? Because this was the law; and from Hagar sprang many people. This, therefore, was fulfilling, among other things, the promises” (Doctrine and Covenants 132:34).

42. See Gospel Topics Essays, “Plural Marriage in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,” Gospel Library.

43. Gospel Topics Essays, “Plural Marriage in Kirtland and Nauvoo,” Gospel Library.

44. See the introduction to Official Declaration 1.

45. Genesis 16:4.

46. The Hebrew word used to describe Hagar’s attitude toward Sarah indicates that Sarah became small or insignificant in Hagar’s eyes or that Hagar treated Sarah with contempt (see Longman and Strauss, The Baker Expository Dictionary, entry 7043, page 1014).

47. See Genesis 16:6.

48. Genesis 16:6.

49. See Romans 3:23–26; 2 Nephi 2:8. See also Avram R. Shannon, “Abraham: A Man of Relationships,” in Belnap and Schade, From Creation to Sinai, 295‒99.

50. See Genesis 16:10–14; 17:1–8, 15–19; Abraham 2:8–13.

51. Even though Hagar was acting as surrogate for Sarah, the Lord revealed to Hagar what Ishmael’s name would be, along with the promise that her seed would be multiplied (see Genesis 16:10–14). Hagar is one of only a handful of women in scripture who received a divine annunciation of the birth of her own child (see Genesis 16:10–12; see also Judges 13:2–5; 1 Samuel 1:17, 19–20; Luke 1:26–38). Only Hagar and Mary were told what to name their sons.

52. Bible Dictionary, “Abraham.”

53. Bible Dictionary, “Sarah or Sarai.”

54. See Shannon, “Abraham,” 300–301.

55. Russell M. Nelson, “The Everlasting Covenant,” 7.

56. See Bible Dictionary, “Circumcision.”

57. See Moroni 8:8.