Mormon's Code: Ciphers and Ancient Egyptian Knowledge

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Mormon’s Code

Ciphers & Ancient Egyptian Knowledge

May we continually advance in

Righteousness and Knowledge

Power

Mormon’s Code

Ciphers & Ancient Egyptian Knowledge ©

Jason Allen Pitts

December 25, 2018

Hurricane, Utah

Print Version ISBN 9781731279682

535.24.12.24

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All Rights Reserved. Published in the United States of America. This work is not an official publication of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. The views expressed herein are the responsibility of the author.

The Book of Mormon

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"And now, behold,

we have written this record

according to our knowledge"

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Moroni 

I am the son of Mormon,

and my father was a descendant of Nephi,

and I am the same who hideth up this record unto the Lord. 

Contents

Ancient Egyptian Knowledge

Mormon’s Record and Ancient Egyptian Knowledge

Ancient Egyptian Knowledge in the Book of Mormon

Ancient Egyptian Knowledge

The ancient Egyptians possessed vast quantities of time keeping and mathematical knowledge. Much of their knowledge is inscribed in tombs, pyramids and other structures. Their knowledge included the time keeping concepts of: star tables that marked the hours of each night, the solar sun cycle, the hourglass, seconds based on the swing of a pendulum, twelve daytime and twelve nighttime hours and the sundial. Additional time keeping devices include the 10-day week, 30-day month and the 12-month year, for 360 days, as well as a civil calendar of 365 days. Advanced mathematical concepts allowed for the building of the pyramids and other great structures, many aligned true north. They possessed a knowledge of the 360 degree circle. 360 was so important to them that the circle, the world and the days of their calendar were all based on 360.  They used base 10 and base 60 mathematical concepts. Much of our modern-day knowledge, time keeping models and mathematical concepts stem from ancient Egyptian knowledge. 

We learn a lot about ancient Egyptian Mathematical concepts from the Rhind Papyrus. The Rhind Mathematical Papyrus is one of the best known examples of Egyptian mathematics. It is named after Alexander Rhind who purchased the papyrus in 1858 A.D. in Luxor, Egypt. It was found during illegal excavations near Ramesseum. It dates to around 1,550 B.C.

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The Papyrus consists of reference tables and a collection of  arithmetic and algebraic problems, geometry problems, area problems and problems related to the slopes of pyramids. It also includes problems that are not mathematical in nature, tables of data including a table involving Horus eye fractions. It was believed that if there was a reference of a part of Horus’ eye, that it would signal a mathematical equation.

Other items believed to involve ancient Egyptian mathematical equations are references to the Black Ibis bird which is believed to mean find unknown quantity x. A fire drill, loaf and three bars means remainder or balance. A Papyrus scroll means total calculations. Knotted strips of cloth, papyrus rolled up, tied and sealed with a hand means total and that the calculation may be vertical within the group. A ripple of water means of or times in calculations.

A horned viper means end of calculation. An X or two sticks crossed signals to divide, often times by 1/4, or to add or multiply. Two bars mean to multiply by two. A bar on the left means to read from left to right. Legs are believed to mean go, stop or addition. An eye with the number three means to divide by 1/3. A foot pointed in one direction means go that direction. Thus, key words or symbols prompted mathematical calculations. ​[1]

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Egyptian Knowledge came to the Israelites through several sources.  Egypt is close to Israel, about 400 miles, and undoubtedly a trading partner with the House of Israel over the centuries. The Israelites were in bondage in Egypt and lived among them for about four hundred years.  The Prophet Moses was raised by the Egyptian Pharaohs’ Daughter and undoubtedly was educated in Egyptian Math and Sciences in his youth. In the Book of Hebrews we learn a little about the early life of Moses, By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid three months of his parents, because they saw he was a proper child; and they were not afraid of the king’s commandment. By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter; choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt...​[2] Even Joseph took Mary and baby Jesus to Egypt to escape from Herod and the events that unfolded around Bethlehem.​[3]

Thus we see that the ancient Israelites had access to Egyptian knowledge. The Prophet Lehi and his group carried the knowledge with them when they journeyed to the American Continent. We learn that the knowledge continued on the American Continent throughout the generations. For example, Nephi, Mosiah and Zeniff all mentioned knowledge being passed down from one generation to the next.

Nephi wrote, I, Nephi, having been born of goodly parents, therefore I was taught somewhat in all the learning of my father; and having seen many afflictions in the course of my days, nevertheless, having been highly favored of the Lord in all my days; yea, having had a great knowledge of the goodness and the mysteries of God, therefore I make a record of my proceedings in my days. Yea, I make a record in the language of my father, which consists of the learning of the Jews and the language of the Egyptians. And I know that the record which I make is true; and I make it with mine own hand; and I make it according to my knowledge.​[4]

Mosiah wrote, ...And he also taught them concerning the records which were engraven on the plates of brass, ... For it were not possible that our father, Lehi, could have remembered all these things, to have taught them to his children, except it were for the help of these plates; for he having been taught in the language of the Egyptians therefore he could read these engravings, and teach them to his children, that thereby they could teach them to their children, and so fulfilling the commandments of God, even down to this present time. ... I would that ye should remember to search them diligently, that ye may profit thereby; and I would that ye should keep the commandments of God, that ye may prosper in the land according to the promises which the Lord made unto our fathers.​[5]

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Zeniff wrote,  I, Zeniff, having been taught in all the language of the Nephites...​[6] Even those Nephites who went to live among the lamanites carried knowledge with them. Now these dissenters, having the same instruction and the same information of the Nephites...​[7]

Thus we learn that knowledge and language were passed down from generation to generation and was among both the Nephites and the Lamanites. Mormon’s son Moroni finished the record and wrote, And now, behold, we have written this record according to our knowledge...

Book of Mormon Overview

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The Prophet Mormon called his record, The Book of Mormon, not to be confused with the entire Book of Mormon Collection which contains 15 individual books or records including:

First Nephi

Second  Nephi

Jacob

Enos

Jarom

Omni

Words of Mormon

Mosiah

Alma

Helamen

Third Nephi

Fourth Nephi

Mormon

Ether

Moroni

Mormon’s record is near the end of the collection of books, it points us towards Christ and recounts the destruction of a nation. Mormon starts his record with the following sentences, And now I, Mormon, make a record of the things which I have both seen and heard, and call it the Book of Mormon. And about the time... In the middle of the record there is reference to a lion, which the Egyptians regarded as the majestic guardian of the sun. Near the end of The Book of Mormon, the Prophet Moroni finishes the record and writes, ...And now, behold, we have written this record according to our knowledge,...

Thus, starting with an opening concept of time and containing a reference to a Lion which the Egyptians regarded as the guardian of the sun and with an ending concept that the record was written according to our knowledge, we can look for traces of ancient knowledge in the record through various means, especially through