”The land of Egypt being first discovered by a woman, who was the daughter of Ham, and the daughter of Egyptus, which in the Chaldean signifies Egypt, which signifies that which is forbidden; When this woman discovered the land it was under water, who afterward settled her sons in it; and thus, from Ham, sprang that race which preserved the curse in the land.” (LDS Abraham 2:23-24)
Who is the race referring to in this verse? Is this referring to people of a certain skin color? If this refers to skin color, and we’re talking about descendants of Noah, why would only eight souls be saved from the flood and one of them be cursed when all the wicked are being killed by the flood? Why would God destroy the wicked and preserve the curse at the same time? Or could it be that the curse being preserved in the land of Egypt has nothing to do with skin color?
This record of Abraham was first published in the Times and Seasons (vol 3, No. 9, March 1, 1842). In this same issue, the word “race” is used in another section speaking of the Book of Mormon in this way:
“We are informed by these records that America in ancient times has been inhabited by two distinct races of people. The first were called Jaredites and came directly from the tower of Babel. The second race came directly from the city of Jerusalem, about six hundred years before Christ. They were principally Israelites, of the descendants of Joseph. The Jaredites were destroyed about the time that the Israelites came from Jerusalem, who succeeded them in the inheritance of the country. The principal nation of the second race fell in battle towards the close of the fourth century” (Times and Seasons vol 3, No. 9, March 1, 1842, pg. 707, “Church History” – Letter to Mr. John Wentworth).
Who are the two races spoken of in the book of Mormon? The Nephites and Lamanites? As defined in this article, obviously not. Using the vernacular of Joseph Smith as demonstrated in this article in the Times and Seasons, the word “race” has nothing to do with skin color. Could the word “race” as used here, be the same way the word “race” is intended in the book of Abraham, which was first published in this same issue of the Times and Seasons?
If race has nothing to do with skin color, how might that change the meaning of what is said in this record of Abraham?
The verses which follow immediately after the statement about a race which preserves a curse in the land of Egypt, explain:
”Now the first government of Egypt was established by Pharaoh, the eldest son of Egyptus, the daughter of Ham, and it was after the manner of the government of Ham, which was patriarchal. Pharaoh, being a righteous man, established his kingdom and judged his people wisely and justly all his days, seeking earnestly to imitate that order established by the fathers in the first generations, in the days of the first patriarchal reign, even in the reign of Adam, and also of Noah, his father, who blessed him with the blessings of the earth, and with the blessings of wisdom, but cursed him as pertaining to the Priesthood. Now, Pharaoh being of that lineage by which he could not have the right of Priesthood, notwithstanding the Pharaohs would fain claim it from Noah, through Ham, therefore my father was led away by their idolatry; (LDS Abraham 1:25-27)
Are these verses explaining what the curse is and how this curse was preserved in the land of Egypt? What then is the curse? What is the right of Priesthood spoken of here? If Pharaoh is a righteous man, why can he not obtain this right of priesthood?
Concerning the right of priesthood, recall that in the beginning there was only one priesthood. Later appendages were added but originally there was only one. It can be observed that the right of priesthood was handed down from father to son and obtaining this priesthood was known as the “right of the firstborn”. This right was generally understood to be the right of the first son worthy to obtain it, though in practice, it rarely went to the eldest son. There was never but one in each generation who held this right of priesthood. Adam is the first to have it.
Upon Adam, God conferred the right to “have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth” (LDS Moses 2:28). This right continued from Adam to Seth (because Abel was slain by Cain due to jealousy that his brother would obtain this right), to Enos, to Cainan, to Mahalaleel, to Jared, to Enoch, to Methuselah, to Lamech, to Noah (see LDS D&C 107:42-52). From Noah, there is some controversy concerning this right and a succession crisis ensued.
The most widely accepted and popular group of the day supported the house of Pharaoh to hold this right, which they believed the first Pharaoh obtained from Ham, whom they believed received it from Noah. The order established by the first Pharaoh resembled the order established by Adam and carried on through Noah. Abraham was born into a family which accepted this tradition of Pharaoh as being the true priesthood line. Abraham later came to reject this religious tradition and refers to this order as idolatry.
There was another, much less popular and mostly denounced tradition of that day which held Shem to be the heir of this right of priesthood through Noah. This tradition held that by righteousness, Shem became Melchizedek, the king of Salem or king of peace who, like Enoch before him, established a city of peace where he and his people were eventually caught up into heaven.
At the same time Melchizedek taught his gospel, the Egyptians taught that to show respect to the proper line of priesthood, one must be in subjection to Pharaoh. They held no regard for Melchizedek. This line of priesthood through Pharaoh proved, through the process of time, to be a curse. Even so, they were blessed with the blessings of the earth and with much wisdom and became the economic and knowledge capitol of the world, thus fulfilling the word of the Lord concerning this race.
Being cursed pertaining to priesthood resulted in the Egyptians having a religious order similar to the order of priesthood which brought about Zion but without the actual power of it. Their tradition claimed an unbroken line to the Patriarchs of old who had power, which they thought they also held. As much as they believed the house of Pharaoh to be filled with holy men of God, they were never caught up into heaven like Melchizedek. They were left fighting against other orders and justifying themselves while upholding their own priestly order despite its lack of power to open a real pathway to heaven. This race was indeed cursed pertaining to priesthood.