Kolob

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Facsimile 2 from the Book of Abraham
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Detail of Facsimile No. 2 (the Hypocephalus of Sheshonq). Reference numeral 1 represents Kolob according to Joseph Smith. In fact, it is a modified or poorly reconstructed figure of a creator God.

Kolob is a star or planet described in the Book of Abraham, a sacred text of the Latter Day Saint movement. Several Latter Day Saint denominations claim that the Book of Abraham was translated from an Egyptian papyrus scroll (which was actually a copy of the Egyptian funerary texts) by Joseph Smith, the founder of the movement. According to this work, Kolob is the heavenly body nearest to the throne of God. While the Book of Abraham calls Kolob a "star",[1] it also calls planets "stars",[2] and therefore some Latter Day Saint commentators consider Kolob a planet.[3] The body also appears in Latter Day Saint culture, including a reference to Kolob in an LDS hymn.[4]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference ReferenceA was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Gee, Hamblin & Peterson (2006) (noting "Confusion between the uses of the terms stars and planets").
  3. ^ See, e.g., Alvin R. Dyer, "BYU Speeches", April 7, 1964, pp. 14–15.
  4. ^ "284. If You Could Hie to Kolob", Hymns of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, LDS Church, 1985