Moses 1 — JST

42 verses • Pearl of Great Price, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Preamble

Summary

Moses 1 is entirely absent from the Hebrew Bible and KJV Genesis. It presents a visionary prologue in which Moses speaks with God face to face on an exceedingly high mountain, learns that he is made in the similitude of God's Only Begotten, and then endures a direct confrontation with Satan before receiving a panoramic vision of the earth and all its inhabitants.

What Is Remarkable

Smith introduced an entire pre-Genesis chapter with no biblical parallel. Moses learns the purpose of creation ('to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man,' 1:39), sees worlds without number, and is told that only this earth's account will be given. The Satan encounter (1:12-22) dramatizes the adversary's tactics and Moses' authority to command him to depart.

Points of Friction

No corresponding text exists in the Masoretic Text or any ancient Genesis manuscript. The chapter presupposes a cosmology of multiple inhabited worlds (1:33-35) and a pre-mortal divine council, concepts absent from standard Genesis. The face-to-face theophany contradicts Exodus 33:20 on a surface reading, which Smith resolves by specifying Moses was 'transfigured' (1:11).

Connections

Moses 1:39 is one of the most cited verses in Latter-day Saint theology. The Satan confrontation parallels the temptation of Jesus (Matt 4:1-11). 'Worlds without number' resonates with Hebrews 1:2, 11:3 and D&C 76:24. The concept of being in God's 'similitude' connects to Genesis 1:26-27 (imago Dei).

1

The words of God, which he spake unto Moses at a time when Moses was caught up into an exceedingly high mountain,

No Genesis parallel. This verse sets the frame as divine speech delivered during a mountaintop theophany, echoing Sinai but placed before the creation account.

2

And he saw God face to face, and he talked with him, and the glory of God was upon Moses; therefore Moses could endure his presence.

Face-to-face encounter presupposes divine enablement — Moses could endure only because God's glory rested on him. This resolves the tension with Exodus 33:20.

3

And God spake unto Moses, saying: Behold, I am the Lord God Almighty, and Endless is my name; for I am without beginning of days or end of years; and is not this endless?

God self-identifies with a title ('Endless') that functions as both a name and a description of divine eternality. Cf. D&C 19:10-12.

4

And, behold, thou art my son; wherefore look, and I will show thee the workmanship of mine hands; but not all, for my works are without end, and also my words, for they never cease.

Moses is addressed as God's son — establishing a filial relationship. The caveat 'but not all' anticipates the limitation disclosed in v. 35.

5

Wherefore, no man can behold all my works, except he behold all my glory; and no man can behold all my glory, and afterwards remain in the flesh on the earth.

A mortal limitation principle: full disclosure of God's glory would be incompatible with continued mortal existence.

6

And I have a work for thee, Moses, my son; and thou art in the similitude of mine Only Begotten; and mine Only Begotten is and shall be the Savior, for he is full of grace and truth; but there is no God beside me, and all things are present with me, for I know them all.

Moses is told he bears the 'similitude' of the Only Begotten — a typological relationship. 'Full of grace and truth' echoes John 1:14. The monotheistic declaration qualifies the multiple-worlds theology.

7

And now, behold, this one thing I show unto thee, Moses, my son, for thou art in the world, and now I show it unto thee.

Transition to the visionary demonstration. 'This one thing' refers to the earth and its inhabitants.

8

And it came to pass that Moses looked, and beheld the world upon which he was created; and Moses beheld the world and the ends thereof, and all the children of men which are, and which were created; of the same he greatly marveled and wondered.

A panoramic vision of the entire earth and all humanity, past and present. Moses' response is wonder — a common motif in apocalyptic vision literature.

9

And the presence of God withdrew from Moses, that his glory was not upon Moses; and Moses was left unto himself. And as he was left unto himself, he fell unto the earth.

The withdrawal of divine glory leaves Moses physically collapsed — reinforcing that the theophany was sustained only by God's power.

10

And it came to pass that it was for the space of many hours before Moses did again receive his natural strength like unto man; and he said unto himself: Now, for this cause I know that man is nothing, which thing I never had supposed.

The recovery takes 'many hours.' Moses' conclusion — 'man is nothing' — is a humility formula echoing Psalm 8:4, but here derived from direct experience.

11

But now mine own eyes have beheld God; but not my natural, but my spiritual eyes, for my natural eyes could not have beheld; for I should have withered and died in his presence; but his glory was upon me; and I beheld his face, for I was transfigured before him.

Smith resolves the theological problem of seeing God by introducing spiritual eyes vs. natural eyes, enabled by transfiguration. Cf. Matt 17:1-2.

12

And it came to pass that when Moses had said these words, behold, Satan came tempting him, saying: Moses, son of man, worship me.

Satan addresses Moses as 'son of man' — a deliberate demotion from God's address of 'my son' in v. 4. The demand for worship parallels Matt 4:9.

13

And it came to pass that Moses looked upon Satan and said: Who art thou? For behold, I am a son of God, in the similitude of his Only Begotten; and where is thy glory, that I should worship thee?

Moses' challenge rests on his prior experience: having seen God's glory, he can recognize its absence in Satan. He corrects 'son of man' to 'son of God.'

14

For behold, I could not look upon God, except his glory should come upon me, and I were transfigured before him. But I can look upon thee in the natural man. Is it not so, surely?

Moses uses empirical reasoning: God required transfiguration to behold; Satan does not. The contrast exposes Satan's lack of divine glory.

15

Blessed be the name of my God, for his Spirit hath not altogether withdrawn from me, or else where is thy glory, for it is darkness unto me? And I can judge between thee and God; for God said unto me: Worship God, for him only shalt thou serve.

Moses credits God's lingering Spirit for his discernment. 'Him only shalt thou serve' echoes Deut 6:13 and Matt 4:10.

16

Get thee hence, Satan; deceive me not; for God said unto me: Thou art after the similitude of mine Only Begotten.

Direct dismissal, echoing Matt 4:10. Moses anchors his identity in God's declaration.

17

And he also gave me commandments when he called unto me out of the burning bush, saying: Call upon God in the name of mine Only Begotten, and worship me.

References the burning bush theophany (Exodus 3), but adds the christological element of calling upon God 'in the name of mine Only Begotten.'

18

And again Moses said: I will not cease to call upon God, I have other things to inquire of him: for his glory has been upon me, wherefore I can judge between him and thee. Depart hence, Satan.

Moses reaffirms his intent to continue seeking God. 'I can judge between him and thee' summarizes the discernment principle.

19

And now, when Moses had said these words, Satan cried with a loud voice, and ranted upon the earth, and commanded, saying: I am the Only Begotten, worship me.

Satan escalates to impersonation, claiming to be the Only Begotten — a false-christ motif.

20

And it came to pass that Moses began to fear exceedingly; and as he began to fear, he saw the bitterness of hell. Nevertheless, calling upon God, he received strength, and he commanded, saying: Depart from me, Satan, for this one God only will I worship, which is the God of glory.

Moses experiences genuine fear and a vision of hell, but prayer restores his strength. The pattern — fear, prayer, divine empowerment, command — becomes a model.

21

And now Satan began to tremble, and the earth shook; and Moses received strength, and called upon God, saying: In the name of the Only Begotten, depart hence, Satan.

The dramatic shift: Satan trembles, the earth shakes. Moses invokes the name of the Only Begotten as the authority for expulsion.

22

And it came to pass that Satan cried with a loud voice, with weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth; and he departed hence, even from the presence of Moses, that he beheld him not.

Satan's departure is described with language drawn from descriptions of the damned (Matt 13:42). His exit is complete.

23

And now of this thing Moses bore record; but because of wickedness it is not had among the children of men.

An editorial note explaining why this text is absent from the biblical record: it was lost 'because of wickedness.'

24

And it came to pass that when Satan had departed from the presence of Moses, that Moses lifted up his eyes unto heaven, being filled with the Holy Ghost, which beareth record of the Father and the Son;

Post-conflict, Moses is filled with the Holy Ghost. The parenthetical defines the Spirit's witness function.

25

And calling upon the name of God, he beheld his glory again, for it was upon him; and he heard a voice, saying: Blessed art thou, Moses, for I, the Almighty, have chosen thee, and thou shalt be made stronger than many waters; for they shall obey thy command as if thou wert God.

God reappears and blesses Moses. 'Stronger than many waters' foreshadows the Red Sea crossing. 'As if thou wert God' echoes Exodus 7:1.

26

And lo, I am with thee, even unto the end of thy days; for thou shalt deliver my people from bondage, even Israel my chosen.

A commissioning promise paralleling Exodus 3:12. 'Israel my chosen' ties this vision to the covenant narrative.

27

And it came to pass, as the voice was still speaking, Moses cast his eyes and beheld the earth, yea, even all of it; and there was not a particle of it which he did not behold, discerning it by the Spirit of God.

A second panoramic vision, now more detailed — every particle of the earth. The mechanism is spiritual discernment.

28

And he beheld also the inhabitants thereof, and there was not a soul which he beheld not; and he discerned them by the Spirit of God; and their numbers were great, even numberless as the sand upon the sea shore.

Every soul on earth is shown to Moses. 'Numberless as the sand' echoes the Abrahamic promise (Gen 22:17).

29

And he beheld many lands; and each land was called earth, and there were inhabitants on the face thereof.

The vision expands beyond this earth to multiple inhabited worlds — a plurality-of-worlds doctrine.

30

And it came to pass that Moses called upon God, saying: Tell me, I pray thee, why these things are so, and by what thou madest them?

Moses asks two questions: purpose ('why') and means ('by what'). These drive the remainder of the revelation.

31

And the Lord said unto Moses: For mine own purpose have I made these things. Here is wisdom and it remaineth in me.

God's answer to 'why' is sovereign purpose. The full reason is not disclosed to Moses.

32

And by the word of my power, have I created them, which is mine Only Begotten Son, who is full of grace and truth.

God's answer to 'by what': creation through the Word, identified as the Only Begotten Son. Parallels John 1:1-3 and Col 1:16.

33

And worlds without number have I created; and I also created them for mine own purpose; and by the Son I created them, which is mine Only Begotten.

The most explicit statement of cosmic plurality. All created through the Son. Cf. Heb 1:2, 11:3.

34

And the first man of all men have I called Adam, which is many.

A cryptic statement: Adam is 'many.' May reference Hebrew 'adam' as a collective noun, or imply each world has its own 'Adam' figure.

35

But only an account of this earth, and the inhabitants thereof, give I unto you. For behold, there are many worlds that have passed away by the word of my power. And there are many that now stand, and innumerable are they unto man; but all things are numbered unto me, for they are mine and I know them.

The scope narrows to this earth. Worlds 'have passed away' suggests a cyclical cosmology. 'Innumerable unto man' but numbered to God.

36

And it came to pass that Moses spake unto the Lord, saying: Be merciful unto thy servant, O God, and tell me concerning this earth, and the inhabitants thereof, and also the heavens, and then thy servant will be content.

Moses accepts the limitation and requests only this earth's account. His humility contrasts with the earlier fear before Satan.

37

And the Lord God spake unto Moses, saying: The heavens, they are many, and they cannot be numbered unto man; but they are numbered unto me, for they are mine.

Reiterates the many-heavens doctrine. The refrain 'they are mine' emphasizes divine sovereignty.

38

And as one earth shall pass away, and the heavens thereof even so shall another come; and there is no end to my works, neither to my words.

Earths and heavens succeed one another without end. God's creative and communicative work is perpetual.

39

For behold, this is my work and my glory — to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.

Source Text

For behold, this is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.

The single most famous verse in the Book of Moses. God's purpose: immortality (resurrection for all) and eternal life (exaltation for the faithful). Foundational to Latter-day Saint theology.

40

And now, Moses, my son, I will speak unto thee concerning this earth upon which thou standest; and thou shalt write the things which I shall speak.

The commission to write: Moses is to record what follows, which becomes the creation account of Moses 2.

41

And in a day when the children of men shall esteem my words as naught and take many of them from the book which thou shalt write, behold, I will raise up another like unto thee; and they shall be had again among the children of men — among as many as shall believe.

Source Text

And in a day when the children of men shall esteem my words as naught and take many of them from the book which thou shalt write, behold, I will raise up another like unto thee; and they shall be had again among the children of men—among as many as shall believe.

A prophecy of textual loss and restoration. 'Another like unto thee' is understood in LDS tradition as Joseph Smith.

42

And these words were spoken unto Moses in the mount, the name of which shall not be known among the children of men. And now they are spoken unto you. Show them not unto any except them that believe. Even so. Amen.

The chapter closes with a secrecy injunction. The shift to second person ('spoken unto you') addresses the modern reader directly.