Moses 3 — JST

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

Preamble

Summary

Moses 3 parallels Genesis 2, presenting the Sabbath rest, the spiritual creation preceding the natural, the forming of Adam from dust, the planting of Eden, the naming of animals, and the creation of Eve. Smith's key addition is the doctrine that all things were created spiritually before they were naturally upon the earth.

What Is Remarkable

The spiritual-before-natural creation principle (3:5-7) is Smith's major theological insertion. God explains that he created all things 'spiritually, before they were naturally upon the face of the earth.' This two-stage creation doctrine is unique to the JST and becomes a cornerstone of Latter-day Saint theology. The text also retains the first-person divine narration from Moses 2.

Points of Friction

Genesis 2 contains no reference to a spiritual creation preceding the physical. The Masoretic Text presents Genesis 2 as a second account of the same creation events. Smith interprets the apparent redundancy as evidence of a spiritual-then-physical creation order. The first-person narration and christological additions continue to diverge from the Hebrew source.

Connections

Parallels Genesis 2:1-25. The spiritual creation doctrine connects to Abraham 3-5 (another LDS creation account). The rib/Eve narrative parallels 1 Corinthians 11:8-9. The tree of knowledge and tree of life anticipate the Fall in Moses 4.

1 Genesis 2:1 — Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them.

Thus the heaven and the earth were finished, and all the host of them.

'Heaven' singular vs. KJV 'heavens.' Otherwise identical to Gen 2:1.

2 Genesis 2:2 — And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made.

And on the seventh day I, God, ended my work, and all things which I had made; and I rested on the seventh day from all my work, and all things which I had made were finished, and I, God, saw that they were good;

Adds a final approval formula: 'I, God, saw that they were good.' First-person framing continues.

3 Genesis 2:3 — And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.

And I, God, blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it; because that in it I had rested from all my work which I, God, had created and made.

Follows Gen 2:3, first-person framing. The Sabbath institution is established.

4 Genesis 2:4 — These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created, in the day that the LORD God made the earth and the heavens,

And now, behold, I say unto you, that these are the generations of the heaven and of the earth, when they were created, in the day that I, the Lord God, made the heaven and the earth,

Adds 'And now, behold, I say unto you' — maintaining the revelation-to-Moses frame. First-person narration continues.

5 Genesis 2:5 — And every plant of the field before it was in the earth, and every herb of the field before it grew: for the LORD God had not caused it to rain upon the earth, and there was not a man to till the ground.

And every plant of the field before it was in the earth, and every herb of the field before it grew. For I, the Lord God, created all things, of which I have spoken, spiritually, before they were naturally upon the face of the earth. For I, the Lord God, had not caused it to rain upon the face of the earth. And I, the Lord God, had created all the children of men; and not yet a man to till the ground; for in heaven created I them; and there was not yet flesh upon the earth, neither in the water, neither in the air;

The pivotal theological insertion: 'created all things spiritually, before they were naturally upon the face of the earth.' Smith explains the Genesis 2 repetition as describing a prior spiritual creation. 'In heaven created I them' places this spiritual creation in a heavenly realm.

6 Genesis 2:6 — But there went up a mist from the earth, and watered the whole face of the ground.

But I, the Lord God, spake, and there went up a mist from the earth, and watered the whole face of the ground.

Adds 'I, the Lord God, spake' — the mist is caused by divine command, not spontaneous natural process.

7 Genesis 2:7 — And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

And I, the Lord God, formed man from the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul, the first flesh upon the earth, the first man also; nevertheless, all things were before created; but spiritually were they created and made according to my word.

Major expansion. Adam is 'the first flesh upon the earth, the first man also.' The spiritual-before-natural principle is restated: 'all things were before created; but spiritually were they created.' This clarifies the two-stage creation model.

8 Genesis 2:8 — And the LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed.

And I, the Lord God, planted a garden eastward in Eden, and there I put the man whom I had formed.

Follows Gen 2:8, first-person framing.

9 Genesis 2:9 — And out of the ground made the LORD God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil.

And out of the ground made I, the Lord God, to grow every tree, naturally, that is pleasant to the sight of man; and man could behold it. And it became also a living soul. For it was spiritual in the day that I created it; for it remaineth in the sphere in which I, God, created it, yea, even all things which I prepared for the use of man; and man saw that it was good for food. And I, the Lord God, planted the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and also the tree of knowledge of good and evil.

Heavily expanded. Trees are grown 'naturally' — distinguishing from the prior spiritual creation. Trees are described as 'living souls,' and each 'remaineth in the sphere in which I, God, created it.' The two named trees are retained from Genesis.

10 Genesis 2:10 — And a river went out of Eden to water the garden; and from thence it was parted, and became into four heads.

And I, the Lord God, caused a river to go out of Eden to water the garden; and from thence it was parted, and became into four heads.

Adds 'I, the Lord God, caused' — the river flows by divine agency.

11 Genesis 2:11 — The name of the first is Pison: that is it which compasseth the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold;

The name of the first was Pison, and it compasseth the whole land of Havilah, where I, the Lord God, created much gold;

'Where there is gold' becomes 'where I, the Lord God, created much gold' — gold is a divine creation.

12 Genesis 2:12 — And the gold of that land is good: there is bdellium and the onyx stone.

And the gold of that land was good, and there was bdellium, and the onyx stone.

Essentially identical to Gen 2:12, past tense.

13 Genesis 2:13 — And the name of the second river is Gihon: the same is it that compasseth the whole land of Ethiopia.

And the name of the second river was called Gihon; the same that compasseth the whole land of Ethiopia.

Follows Gen 2:13.

14 Genesis 2:14 — And the name of the third river is Hiddekel: that is it which goeth toward the east of Assyria. And the fourth river is Euphrates.

And the name of the third river was Hiddekel; that which goeth toward the east of Assyria. And the fourth river was the Euphrates.

Follows Gen 2:14, past tense.

15 Genesis 2:15 — And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.

And I, the Lord God, took the man, and put him into the Garden of Eden, to dress it, and to keep it.

Follows Gen 2:15, first-person framing.

16 Genesis 2:16 — And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat:

And I, the Lord God, commanded the man, saying: Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat,

Follows Gen 2:16, first-person framing.

17 Genesis 2:17 — But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it, nevertheless, thou mayest choose for thyself, for it is given unto thee; but, remember that I forbid it, for in the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

Major expansion: 'thou mayest choose for thyself, for it is given unto thee.' Smith inserts explicit moral agency — the command is a prohibition, but the capacity to choose is divinely granted. This becomes foundational to LDS theology of the Fall as a necessary choice rather than mere disobedience.

18 Genesis 2:18 — And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.

And I, the Lord God, said unto mine Only Begotten, that it was not good that the man should be alone; wherefore, I will make an help meet for him.

Smith adds 'unto mine Only Begotten' — the Father consults the Son about creating Eve, as with the creation of Adam in Moses 2:26.

19 Genesis 2:19 — And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof.

And out of the ground I, the Lord God, formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and commanded that they should come unto Adam, to see what he would call them; and they were also living souls; for I, God, breathed into them the breath of life, and commanded that whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that should be the name thereof.

Significant expansion: animals are 'living souls' and receive the 'breath of life' from God — extending the nephesh concept beyond humanity. God 'commanded' the animals to come rather than 'bringing' them.

20 Genesis 2:20 — And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field; but for Adam there was not found an help meet for him.

And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field; but as for Adam, there was not found an help meet for him.

Essentially identical to Gen 2:20.

21 Genesis 2:21 — And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof;

And I, the Lord God, caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam; and he slept, and I took one of his ribs and closed up the flesh in the stead thereof;

Follows Gen 2:21, first-person framing.

22 Genesis 2:22 — And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man.

And the rib which I, the Lord God, had taken from man, made I a woman, and brought her unto the man.

Follows Gen 2:22, first-person framing.

23 Genesis 2:23 — And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.

And Adam said: This I know now is bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of man.

Adds 'I know now' — Adam's recognition is conscious and declared.

24 Genesis 2:24 — Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.

Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife; and they shall be one flesh.

Identical to Gen 2:24. The marriage institution is established.

25 Genesis 2:25 — And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.

And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.

Identical to Gen 2:25. Their prelapsarian innocence is indicated by the absence of shame.

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