Why are these things mentioned in the book of mormon as being. According to the text, the nephites and the lamanites initially spoke hebrew 600 bc and might have spoken a modified semitic language until at least 400 ad, when the book of mormon ends. Examples of steel being mentioned in the old testament include 2 sam. Steel was also unknown in the new world prior to the arrival of european explorers, yet the book of mormon mentions the use of both iron and steel 2 nephi 5. Similar steel articles mentioned in the king james version of the bible kjv are actually hardened copper.
There are a small number of mentions in the book of mormon of horses. Steel is mentioned five times in the book of mormon ether 7. Scholars today have varying theories about the true authorship of the book of mormon, but most conclude that smith composed the book himself, possibly with the help of oliver cowdery and sidney rigdon, drawing from information and publications available in his time, including the king james bible, the wonders of nature, and view of the hebrews. Scimitars are unknown until the rise of the moslem faith after 600 a. For those new to arm who arent informed on the controversythe book of mormon claims that its people had and used horses as late as 26 ad 3 nephi 6. Since there has been a lot of criticism by some antimormons about the steelusing nephites, it might be useful to see what the book of mormon actually says about iron and steel. In fact, book of mormon horses are never mentioned in a combat narrative. Civilizations of their magnitude and duration would be expected to leave extensive archaeological records. Apologetics press the book of mormon and the ancient. The book of mormon has a few different mentions of horses in different verses, but horses in the book of mormon arent used in the way we understand horses to be used.
Why horses are mentioned in the book of mormon is unstated. Jan 29, 2018 one of the most persistent questions about the book of mormon has been the mention of horses among the nephites, lamanites, and jaredites. Jan 23, 2016 long after the book of mormon was published, they found that various combinations of iron and steel existed near jerusalem as early as 600 b. According to the book of nephi, which is the first book in the book of mormon, both nephi and laban had items that were made from steel. However, while precolumbian tribes used metal, often beaten, there is no accepted evidence of hightemperature melting. Mormons generally leave science to the scientists to figure out and focus instead on faith. If joseph had created a fictional story, why doesnt the book of mormon reflect horses in ways that were familiar to nineteenthcentury americans. Although the book of mormon twice mentions that nephi created steel out of molten rocks, archaeologists of ancient america affirm that craftsmen smelted gold, copper, and some silver.
Metals, weapons, and the book of mormon mormon answersldsfaq. Antimormon writers who condemn the book of mormon for its mention of steel rarely point out that the bible mentions steel in equally ancient times the same is true of brass. It was first published in march 1830 by joseph smith as the book of mormon. Archaeology of the book of mormon mormonism examined youtube. In light of this view, latterday saints have approached this question in one of two ways.
Still, several items mentioned in the book of mormon once considered anachronistic have since been verified 12. Sjodahl note that weapons of steel were even found in ancient tombs in egypt. There are only really two mentions of chariots in the book of mormon. Any casual student of archaeology knows scientists frequently find animals alive that were previously believed to be extinct. It successfully rebuts the notion that steel is an anachronism in the book of mormon. Miracles behind this months church magazine cover art emily abel church magazines are full of accounts of the lord guiding hearts and hands around the world. There are a number of words and phrases in the book of mormon that are anachronistictheir. Horses are mentioned in eight different book of mormon episodes that involve. That leaves 11 times that the book of mormon claims that horses existed in the new world. A scientist looks at book of mormon anachronisms interpreter. The bible also mentions steel long before it was invented. Not a few things stuff you missed in sunday school.
It has been pointed out in these pages that there are many things in the former book that might well have suggested many major things in the other. The book of mormon shouldve mentioned how lehi miraculously hung on to his wealth. How they were used, when, and by whom, is left unsaid. The book of mormon also mentions the nephites becoming exceedingly rich in steel production over 200 years after nephis arrival. Roberts 18571933, a general authority of the church of jesus christ of latterday saints lds church, which examine the validity of the book of mormon as a translation of an ancient american. Steel was a hard or durable metal, typically an alloy of copper, either bronze or brass. Horses in the book of mormon post by nibbler fri apr 27, 2018 7. Lds what evidence is there that the book of mormon. While some alleged book of mormon anachronisms are conceptual. Steel and iron are mentioned several times in the book of mormon. Moreover, archaeological evidence for the presence of the horse in the precolumbian americas is presently scant and inconclusive. A contemporary mormon view is that these civilizations rose and fell in mesoamerica. Apr 01, 2015 and they also had horses, and asses, and there were elephants and cureloms and cumoms. The book of mormon mentions synagogues at least 12 times.
Studies of the book of mormon is a collection of essays written at the beginning of the 20th century though not published until 1985 by b. Apologetics press the book of mormon and the ancient evidence. Horses were reintroduced to the americas caribbean by christopher. The book of mormon mentions that horses were known and used by the jaredites and the people of lehi. New evidence for horses in america book of mormon central. Lds what evidence is there that the book of mormon events. There is no evidence that horses existed on the american continent during the timeframe of the book of mormon. Have precolumbian horses been discovered in america.
Lds church members are taught that the book of mormon bom is scripture, as well as a true record of the inhabitants of the americas from about 2200 bc to 420 ad. The book of mormon frequently mentions steel weapon, such as the blade of labans sword 1 nephi 4. The book of mormon does not mention wheels as existing in north america. Horses are only mentioned once during the nearly two. Jan 19, 2008 the book of mormon mentions many animals and plants. A particularly noteworthy reference concerns a military leader named laban, who is described as having a steel sword with a gold hilt 1 nephi 4. No evidence has been found in the americas of iron being hardened to make steel in ancient times. The book of mormon mentions horses a few times, even though were not in the americas before the spanish arrived, according to current expert opinion. What about the plants and animals mentioned in the book of mormon. Three incidences of steel in the new world are mentioned in the book of mormon, one early amongst the jaredites after their arrival around 2400 bc, one immediately after the lehi partys arrival in the new world discussing nephis knowledge of steel at approximately 580 bc, and one of occurrence amongst the nephites around 400 bc.
Since there has been a lot of criticism by some antimormons about the steel using nephites, it might be useful to see what the book of mormon actually says about iron and steel. The book of mormon says the nephites possessed silk. Since the publication of the book of mormon in 1830, mormon archaeologists have attempted. Silk did not exist in america in precolumbian times. Archaeology of the book of mormon mormonism examined. Just another of the many swords that are mentioned in the book of mormon at a time and place where swords did not exist. Many critics ridicule the mention of horses in the book of mormon, for it is widely assumed that horses were not known to man in the americas prior to contact with europeans. Of these, two refer to near eastern weapons of the early sixth century b. Steel swords, elephants and horses in the book of mormon. Since the book of mormon text mentions horses rarely, the likelihood of finding bones or other remains of their horses becomes even more remote. However, other mentions of steel in the book of mormon run counter to available archaeological evidence. This argument follows from the fact that the book of mormon refers to certain old world articles made of steel.
On nephis steel bow by common consent, a mormon blog. Some argue that little scientific evidence has been found supporting the existence of these fauna and flora during book of mormon times on the american continent, where the book of mormon took place. In spite of difficulties in defending this claim, and although the evidence is incomplete, the geological and archaeological record does provide support for horses and even wheeled vehicles in ancient america. Steel is only mentioned at the very beginning of the book. Vaughn, discovered a 2000yearold hematite mine near nazca, peru. The book of mormon mentions iron and steel very early on and. Ammon preparing the horses and chariots of king lamoni, and the nephites gathering their horses and chariots in. Anti mormon writers who condemn the book of mormon for its mention of steel rarely point out that the bible mentions steel in equally ancient times the same is true of brass. Mormon challenges are precolumbian horses in book of. Apr 11, 2016 and it came to pass that the people of nephi did till the land, and raise all manner of grain, and of fruit, and flocks of herds and also many horses. The book of mormon mentions iron and steel very early on and maintains that these were used for buildings, tools and weapons. Peruvian setting for the book of mormon mormon matters.
In addition to meaning a byproduct of smelting, it can also mean waste matter. An additional criticism of the historical authenticity of the book of mormon concerns linguistics. Another scholar pointed out several possibilities for mentions of horses. The book of mormon frequently mentions swords and scimiters scimitars. Scientists, historians, and other scholars have long maintained the view that there were no horses in the americas during book of mormon times. Steel is mentioned only five times in the book of mormon, once in the book of ether 7. The people of the book of mormon had herds of animals that could be described as sheep. Both the bible and the book of mormon mention steel in relation to ancient jerusalem. Metals, weapons, and the book of mormon mormon answers. The book of mormon is supposed to be a history of real people living in a real place. Credit to unearlyheadlesslabanwe all know the book of mormon mentions stuff that shouldnt be there horses, steel, etc but in retrospect, why didnt the book of mormon mention things that wouldve been there. The book of mormon mentions a number of metals, and the use of metal. There are many other anachronistic plants and animals present in the book of mormon, such as wheat, cattle, ox, sheep, elephant and the ass.
Response to lds living article on evidence supporting the. The book of mormon mentions several animals, plants, and technologies that are. Guns, germs, and steel by jared diamond mormonism 101. The suggestion of horses and chariots in precolumbian america has long been an easy target for critics of the book of mormon. Horses elephants oxen sheep swine goats cattle wheels chariots wheat silk steel iron. The book of mormon is a sacred text of the latter day saint movement, which adherents believe contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the american continent from approximately 2200 bc to ad 421. Some people believe that references to horses are out of place since it is widely believed that they were extinct long before book of mormon times. The book of mormon mentions horses, yet these animals seem not to have been known to native americans who greeted the spaniards upon their arrival in the new world in the sixteenth century. There are two major fallacies in discussions on this topic. Ted dee stoddard, in the issue of the word horse in the book of mormon, reminds us that horses existed at one time in the ancient world, but were believed to have become extinct. One of the more obvious anachronisms contained in the book of mormon is the presence of horses.
But horses and wheeled transportation didnt exist in the precolumbian new world. Horses are mentioned once, in moroni s retelling of the record of ether, as one of the animals that were useful unto. For the first 150 years of mormonisms existence, everyone thought it was a story about a people who left the middle east and came to south or central america, and who fought wars clear up into new york state where. Horses are claimed most often as livestock and work horses, but never mentioned as riding animals. First is the problem of the hermeneutics of hyperskepticism.
Between 2004 and 2007, a purdue university archaeologist, kevin j. Roberts 18571933, a general authority of the church of jesus christ of latterday saints lds church, which examine the validity of the book of mormon as a translation of an ancient american source. There are three possible ways to approach this puzzle, dealing with archaeology, ancient cultural practices, and difficulties in translation. Large mammals like elephants and horses had become extinct in the americas by 11,000 bc pp. There does not appear to be archeological proof for their existence in the new world during the time period in which they are mentioned 600 b. Why is it mentioned in the book of mormon, when it hadnt been invented yet. On a related note, the bible talks about tents, brass, steel, and other. Nineteenthcentury horses were also used to plough fields, but there is no mention of this in the book of mormon. Why are horses mentioned in the book of mormon lds living. Weapons used from 544 bc to 52 bc p107359 are listed as bows and arrows, steel swords, axes, brass and copper breastplates, shields, horses and chariots, and scimitars.
The book of mormon mentions horses, elephants, cattle. And it came to pass that the people of nephi did till the land, and raise all manner of grain, and of fruit, and flocks of herds and also many. And i think we can certainly agree that nephis steel bow must be understood in the same light as the kjv bow of steel that appears in three passages of the old testament. Below is the modern map of the area of smiths youth. Just because there arent many obvious horse remnants from 100 b. Of course, archaelogical and anthropological research shows us that the western horse went extinct thousands of years before the time of the alleged. These dates range all the way from the journey of the jaredites preabraham, up until the time just prior to the appearance of christ in the americas 33 ad. Still, several items mentioned in the book of mormon once considered anachronistic have since been verified. This paper is based on a talk and powerpoint presentation given to the book of mormon lands conference, 20 october 2007. The nephites made swords of steel, a derivative of iron. Steel is an alloy that was not known to the ancients. More metal swords, cimeters, and breastplates, none of which has ever been found. The nephites mined gold and also worked copper and silver.
Hard evidence of ancient american horses byu studies. Miller then discusses with considerable brevity matters such as steel. Horses are mentioned in eight different book of mormon episodes that involve an ancient new world setting. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading science and the book of mormon. The book of mormon says that a jaredite rebel forged steel weapons from ore in a nearby hill and armed an entire army with it. The book of mormon also mentions horses during the nephite. South american archaeologists do not find evidence for fully developed smelting practices until four hundred years after nephis supposed arrival in the americas. Horses are mentioned only on a few occasions in the book of mormon the last mention is around the time of christ. They are mentioned in abundance in the book of mormon flocks, herds, cattle but no evidence for their existence in the amercias during book of mormon times has yet been found. Apr 28, 2018 since the book of mormon text mentions horses rarely, the likelihood of finding bones or other remains of their horses becomes even more remote. A related discussion is in my post, update on horses in the book of mormon, mormanity blog, feb.
The book of mormon mentions horses, elephants, cattle, swine. Nephi mentions wild horses among animals found on arrival in. Well, the book of mormon is a migration story, similar to the idea of the book of exodus in the old testament, except there are three migrations involved in this. Discussion regarding the historicity of the book of mormon often focuses on archaeological issues, some of which relate to the large size and the long time span of the civilizations mentioned in the book. Horses and steel are mentioned in the book of mormon, but didnt actually exist in the area and time period that the book of mormon took place. Apologists counter that the word steel in the book of mormon likely refers to a hardened metal other than iron. Dec 03, 2009 here is what my copy of the book of mormon states. An account written by the hand of mormon upon plates taken from the plates of nephi, who claimed that it had been.
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