Revelation, April 1829–D [D&C 9]

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Revelation, April 1829–D [D&C 9]
Source Note

Revelation,
Harmony Township
Located in northeastern Pennsylvania. Area settled, by 1787. Organized 1809. Population in 1830 about 340. Population in 1840 about 520. Contained Harmony village (no longer in existence). Josiah Stowell hired JS to help look for treasure in area, Oct. 1825...
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, Susquehanna Co., PA, to
Oliver Cowdery
3 Oct. 1806–3 Mar. 1850. Clerk, teacher, justice of the peace, lawyer, newspaper editor. Born at Wells, Rutland Co., Vermont. Son of William Cowdery and Rebecca Fuller. Raised Congregationalist. Moved to western New York and clerked at a store, ca. 1825–1828...
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, Apr. 1829. Featured version, titled “Chapter VIII,” typeset [between 1 Nov. and 31 Dec. 1832] for Book of Commandments, 20–21.
John Whitmer
27 Aug. 1802–11 July 1878. Farmer, stock raiser, newspaper editor. Born in Pennsylvania. Son of Peter Whitmer Sr. and Mary Musselman. Member of German Reformed Church, Fayette, Seneca Co., New York. Baptized by Oliver Cowdery, June 1829, most likely in Seneca...
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copied this revelation [ca. Mar. 1831] into Revelation Book 1, but the page on which the final portion of the revelation was copied was removed at some point from that volume and is no longer extant.
1
See Revelation Book 1, pp. 14, [207].
The version found in the Book of Commandments and featured below is the earliest complete, extant version. For more complete source information, see the source note for the Book of Commandments.
Footnotes
[1]
See Revelation Book 1, pp. 14, [207].
Historical Introduction
Earlier in April 1829, JS had dictated one revelation granting
Oliver Cowdery
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the gift to
translate
To produce a text from one written in another language; in JS’s usage, most often through divine means. JS considered the ability to translate to be a gift of the spirit, like the gift of interpreting tongues. He recounted that he translated “reformed Egyptian...
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ancient records and another instructing him to rely on the
Holy Ghost
A right or privilege bestowed through the confirmation ordinance. Individuals were confirmed members of the church and received the gift of the Holy Ghost through the laying on of hands. The Book of Mormon explained that remission of sins requires not only...
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as he translated.
1
Revelation, Apr. 1829–A [D&C 6:25–27]; Revelation, Apr. 1829–B [D&C 8:2–4].
When Cowdery attempted to translate, however, he was unsuccessful. The revelation featured here explained Cowdery’s failure and promised that he would translate at another time.
2
The previous revelations promising that Cowdery could translate had stated that he would be able to assist in bringing to light “parts of my scriptures which have been hidden,” “records which contain much of my gospel,” and “the engraveings of old Records,” but did not specify the Book of Mormon in particular. (Revelation, Apr. 1829–A [D&C 6:26–27]; Revelation, Apr. 1829–B [D&C 8:1].)
Likely dictated in the second half of April, this revelation informed Cowdery that he “could have translated” if he had proceeded correctly. He had apparently begun well but did not continue in the same manner, having “not understood” the process: “You have supposed that I would give it unto you, when you took no thought, save it was to ask me.” While suspending for the present Cowdery’s gift to translate, the revelation underscored his ongoing current responsibility: “Behold the work which you are called to do, is to write for my servant Joseph.”
Footnotes
[1]
Revelation, Apr. 1829–A [D&C 6:25–27]; Revelation, Apr. 1829–B [D&C 8:2–4].
[2]
The previous revelations promising that Cowdery could translate had stated that he would be able to assist in bringing to light “parts of my scriptures which have been hidden,” “records which contain much of my gospel,” and “the engraveings of old Records,” but did not specify the Book of Mormon in particular. (Revelation, Apr. 1829–A [D&C 6:26–27]; Revelation, Apr. 1829–B [D&C 8:1].)
Asterisk (*) denotes a "featured" version, which includes an introduction and annotation. Revelation Book 1
*Revelation, April 1829–D [D&C 9]
Book of Commandments, 1833 Doctrine and Covenants, 1835 History, 1838–1856, volume A-1 [23 December 1805–30 August 1834] History, circa 1841, draft [Draft 3] History, circa 1841, fair copy “History of Joseph Smith” Doctrine and Covenants, 1844
Page 20
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CHAPTER VIII.

1 A Revelation given to
Oliver [Cowdery]
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, in
Harmony
Located in northeastern Pennsylvania. Area settled, by 1787. Organized 1809. Population in 1830 about 340. Population in 1840 about 520. Contained Harmony village (no longer in existence). Josiah Stowell hired JS to help look for treasure in area, Oct. 1825...
More Info
, Pennsylvania, April, 1829.
1
The partially extant transcript of this revelation in Revelation Book 1 provides a more descriptive introductory statement (likely created by John Whitmer): “A Revelation to Oliver he was disrous [desirous] to know the reason why he could not Translate & thus said the Lord unto him.” The text in Revelation Book 1 also includes the date “1829,” with a later editorial insertion by Cowdery giving the month as April. (Revelation Book 1, p. 14.)

BEHOLD I say unto you, my son, that, because you did not
translate
To produce a text from one written in another language; in JS’s usage, most often through divine means. JS considered the ability to translate to be a gift of the spirit, like the gift of interpreting tongues. He recounted that he translated “reformed Egyptian...
View Glossary
according to that which you desired of me, and did commence again to write for my servant Joseph, even so I would that you should continue until you have finished this record,
2
The Book of Mormon.
which I have intrusted unto you: and then behold, other records have I, that I will give unto you power that you may assist to translate.
3
In the mid-1830s, JS began preparing “A translation Of some ancient Records . . . purporting to be the writings of Abraham, while he was in Egypt.”a Several extant items of the Kirtland-era Egyptian papers (although not manuscript pages of the Book of Abraham translation itself) are in the handwriting of Oliver Cowdery.b(^a“A Translation,” Times and Seasons, 1 Mar. 1842, 3:704.^bSee, for example, [Egyptian Alphabet] and “Valuable Discovery of Hiden Reccords,” Kirtland Egyptian Papers, ca. 1835–1836, CHL; see also JS, Journal, 1 Oct. 1835; Oliver Cowdery, “Egyptian Mummies,” LDS Messenger and Advocate, Dec. 1835, 2:234–237; and Gee, “Eyewitness, Hearsay, and Physical Evidence,” 196.)
Comprehensive Works Cited
Times and Seasons. Commerce/Nauvoo, IL. Nov. 1839–Feb. 1846.
Kirtland Egyptian Papers, ca. 1835–1836. CHL.
Latter Day Saints’ Messenger and Advocate. Kirtland, OH. Oct. 1834–Sept. 1837.
Gee, John. “Eyewitness, Hearsay, and Physical Evidence of the Joseph Smith Papyri.” In The Disciple as Witness: Essays on Latter-day Saint History and Doctrine in Honor of Richard Lloyd Anderson, edited by Stephen D. Ricks, Donald W. Parry, and Andrew H. Hedges, 175–217. Provo, UT: Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies, 2000.

2 Be patient my son, for it is wisdom in me, and it is not expedient that you should translate at this present time. Behold the work which you are called to do, is to write for my servant Joseph; and behold it is because that you did not continue as you commenced, when you begun to translate, that I have taken away this privilege from you. Do not murmur my son, for it is wisdom in me that I have dealt with you after this manner.

3 Behold you have not understood, you have supposed that I would give it unto you, when you took [p. 20]
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Related Case Documents
Editorial Title
Revelation, April 1829–D [D&C 9]
ID #
4683
Total Pages
2
Print Volume Location
JSP, D1:48–50
Handwriting on This Page
Printed text
Footnotes
[1]
The partially extant transcript of this revelation in Revelation Book 1 provides a more descriptive introductory statement (likely created by John Whitmer): “A Revelation to Oliver he was disrous [desirous] to know the reason why he could not Translate & thus said the Lord unto him.” The text in Revelation Book 1 also includes the date “1829,” with a later editorial insertion by Cowdery giving the month as April. (Revelation Book 1, p. 14.)
[2]
The Book of Mormon.
[3]
In the mid-1830s, JS began preparing “A translation Of some ancient Records . . . purporting to be the writings of Abraham, while he was in Egypt.”a Several extant items of the Kirtland-era Egyptian papers (although not manuscript pages of the Book of Abraham translation itself) are in the handwriting of Oliver Cowdery.b
(^a“A Translation,” Times and Seasons, 1 Mar. 1842, 3:704. ^bSee, for example, [Egyptian Alphabet] and “Valuable Discovery of Hiden Reccords,” Kirtland Egyptian Papers, ca. 1835–1836, CHL; see also JS, Journal, 1 Oct. 1835; Oliver Cowdery, “Egyptian Mummies,” LDS Messenger and Advocate, Dec. 1835, 2:234–237; and Gee, “Eyewitness, Hearsay, and Physical Evidence,” 196.)
Times and Seasons. Commerce/Nauvoo, IL. Nov. 1839–Feb. 1846.
Kirtland Egyptian Papers, ca. 1835–1836. CHL.
Latter Day Saints’ Messenger and Advocate. Kirtland, OH. Oct. 1834–Sept. 1837.
Gee, John. “Eyewitness, Hearsay, and Physical Evidence of the Joseph Smith Papyri.” In The Disciple as Witness: Essays on Latter-day Saint History and Doctrine in Honor of Richard Lloyd Anderson, edited by Stephen D. Ricks, Donald W. Parry, and Andrew H. Hedges, 175–217. Provo, UT: Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies, 2000.