Deep Dive into David Hocking’s Annotated Scriptures

David Hocking has a unique and insightful approach to sacred texts. Hocking, based in Raleigh, North Carolina, has distinguished himself not as a writer of new scripture, but as an editor and publisher who meticulously reformats existing texts to enhance the reader’s understanding. His work aims to make scripture more digestible, offering explanations, details, and insights that go beyond mere summary.

Hocking’s signature style involves a detailed reformatting that guides the reader. He shades words or phrases in gold when they capture his interest, providing additional information in a golden shaded box at the bottom of the page. In his “Red Letter Edition” works, the voice of the Lord (Heavenly Father, Holy Spirit, or Jesus Christ) is presented in red text, while angelic communications or quoted scripture are rendered in blue text. For complex sections like genealogies, he brilliantly incorporates flowcharts, making dense information visually accessible.

His latest major project, “The Revelations of Joseph Smith,” is particularly groundbreaking. Unlike traditional versions, Hocking deliberately chose not to title it “Doctrine and Covenants.” This is because the historical “Doctrine and Covenants” of 1835 included the “Lectures on Faith,” which were later removed from canon. Hocking’s version is Joseph Smith-centric, presenting his revelations in strict chronological order. This chronological arrangement allows readers to witness the “unfolding of the restoration in real-time,” providing a clearer sense of progression. Each revelation is introduced with its date, Joseph Smith’s age, the current section number, and the location where it was received. He also divides the book into historical periods, such as the “Coming Forth of the Book of Mormon,” the “Church of Christ period,” the “Church of the Latter-day Saints,” and the “Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints,” aligning with the church’s evolving name and phases.

One of the most compelling aspects of “The Revelations of Joseph Smith” is Hocking’s inclusion of un-canonized revelations that are part of Joseph Smith’s historical record. This includes the fascinating account of Zelph, a “white Lamanite warrior and chieftain” whose skeletal remains Joseph Smith encountered during Zion’s Camp18. Hocking sees this as a “physical witness” to the Book of Mormon’s authenticity19. He also features the controversial Canadian copyright revelation, which, though it did not result in a copyright for the Book of Mormon, is still considered a revelation within Joseph Smith’s history1720. These inclusions provide a richer, more comprehensive view of Joseph Smith’s revelatory experiences.

Hocking has also published several other annotated editions, including the Book of Mormon (his first foray, even selling through Deseret Book), the Book of Jasher (which he notes contains excerpts found in the Book of Mormon), and the Book of Isaiah. His Joseph Smith Translation (JST) of the New Testament is notable for putting Joseph’s additions in brackets. His new Bible will soon be available in red and blue letter editions. A significant forthcoming project is “The Plat of Zion,” described as an annotated edition focusing on revelations pertaining to the city of Zion. Hocking’s books, published under Beacon Light Books, are known for their heirloom quality, featuring leather-bound covers, gold gilding, and sewn bindings, designed to be passed down through generations. He describes his mission as “illuminating sacred text.” While not an academic historian, Hocking considers himself a diligent researcher and organizer, capable of making complex topics accessible to a wider audience.

Nature of Revelation: Is Section 132 One or Many?

One significant point of discussion centers on Doctrine and Covenants Section 132, a pivotal revelation concerning plural marriage. There’s a question whether this section constitutes a single revelation or a compilation of three or four distinct revelations.

• David Hocking acknowledges this possibility, noting that other canonized sections, such as Section 107 and Section 42 (A and B), were indeed hybridized from separate formulations over different times.

• However, Hocking emphasizes his approach in his book: rather than offering his own definitive opinion on whether Section 132 is one or multiple revelations, he lets the work of B.H. Roberts speak for itself. Roberts, a prominent editor, dedicated extensive research—about 9-10 pages of material—to analyzing the style, commentary, and origin of statements within Section 132. Hocking highlights Roberts’s analysis in his book, specifically where the Lord is speaking.

• To provide further context, Hocking also includes testimonies from Lorenzo Snow and Eliza R. Snow at the end of this discussion in his book, offering their perspectives on polygamy after presenting Roberts’s detailed analysis.

Hocking also offers a personal theory, which he states is his own speculation, about the concept of multiple wives by drawing metaphorical connections to the pre-mortal life and Old Testament figures. He suggests that if Lucifer was “firstborn” or a twin, and was “cast out,” this could be seen as a metaphor for the many instances of firstborns being cast out or replaced in the House of Israel narrative, which is also characterized by multiple wives like Hagar, Leah, Rachel, Bilhah. He asks whether this pattern is “God-given” or “wicked,” acknowledging that it “may not be for our day” and “may be evil for our day”. He contrasts historical polygamy with contemporary “illicit affairs” and “multiple partners,” noting that while these are often considered bad, the historical practice of polygamy faces different scrutiny.

Book of Mormon Geography: The “Chile” Revelation & Atlantic Route

Another significant and often contentious topic is the geographical setting of the Book of Mormon, particularly where Lehi’s family landed in the Americas.

• A specific point of contention is a note written by Frederick G. Williams on the backside of a canonized revelation (though the specific section is not identified in the sources). This note suggests that Lehi landed “basically in Chile,” a statement that strongly supports the South American geography proponents.

• Jonathan Neville and “Heartlanders” (proponents of a North American setting) argue that this note was solely Williams’s writing, not Joseph Smith’s. However, as the query notes, many believe that since Joseph Smith wrote little down himself, such a note on a canonized revelation would likely reflect his understanding.

• Hocking addresses this in an appendix in his annotated “Book of Mormon” book. He explains that the mention of “Chile” might have originated from an assumption. The original statement, he suggests, might have been “30 degrees latitude,” and because it was assumed to be “south latitude,” the name “Chile” was then overlaid.

• If the assumption of “south” is removed, the 30 degrees latitude could also refer to 30 degrees north latitude, which would place the landing site around the panhandle of Florida, aligning with an Atlantic route. Hocking states that he doesn’t have “definitive information that says, yes, he said this and we approve of it. It’s all speculation” regarding the “Chile” interpretation. He views this “one statement” as a potential “outlier” compared to “number of statements that were referred to in North America”.

David Hocking supports the Atlantic travel route, citing emerging data that validates this theory. He highlights new research concerning Michigan copper.

• This copper, known as “float copper” from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, has a unique isotopic signature.

• Recent press releases indicate that a specialized lab in Sweden has found this unique Michigan copper isotope in “Old World copper” from Europe, suggesting an oceanic Atlantic trade route. This implies that Michigan copper, which was extensively mined (10,000 mines leading to “several tons and tons and tons” of copper), is largely “missing in North America” but could have contributed to the Bronze Age in the Old World.

• Hocking connects this to the Phoenicians, known as “mariners,” who reportedly traveled to Cornwall, England, for tin. He speculates that they might have collected Michigan copper to combine with tin to make bronze.

• This scientific inquiry into the Bronze Age and the missing copper is an example of “scientific tangents” that can relate to biblical history and Book of Mormon questions, such as the Mulekites’ journey across the Atlantic.

• He references a project where Philip Beale, a naval captain, replicated a Phoenician ship and sailed it from Lebanon, around Africa, and eventually, due to currents and winds, ended up near North America, demonstrating the feasibility of such transatlantic voyages. Beale reportedly stated that a Pacific route for such large ships would not have been possible.

Joseph Smith’s View on Lamanite Location

Beyond the landing site, the sources reveal Joseph Smith’s consistent understanding of the location of the Lamanites in his time.

• Hocking notes that the first 20 revelations in Joseph Smith’s works focus on the coming forth of the Book of Mormon and its language.

• Once the Book of Mormon was published, the revelations indicated that it should be taken to the Lamanites, with the Lord promising, “I will go with you”.

• Hocking states that Joseph Smith’s actions and words consistently point to the Lamanites being located in North America. Joseph Smith and early missionaries traveled to New York, Ohio, Iowa, and Missouri to preach to the Lamanites.

• Even up to a month before his martyrdom, Joseph Smith continued to identify contemporary Native American groups, such as the Sauk and Fox Indians (including Appanoose and Keokuk), as Lamanites, telling them, “This is a record of your forefathers”. Hocking emphasizes that Joseph Smith’s voice is heard “over and over again” saying, “You’re a Lamanite. You lived here”.

In summary, David Hocking’s work delves into the intricate details of Joseph Smith’s revelations. His approach of presenting existing scholarship and allowing readers to draw their own conclusions contributes to a richer understanding of these complex topics.