The revisions made to A Book of Commandments reveal deliberate editorial changes by Joseph Smith, Jr., altering the original phrasing of a purported divine revelation. The specific shift is evident when comparing the original and revised versions of the text, with differences highlighted in blue and red below. Initially, the revelation explicitly referenced a rod of nature,” suggesting a direct endorsement of divining or dowsing practices. This explicit reference was later replaced by the more ambiguous phrase, gift of Aaron, obscuring the original context and intent.

ORIGINAL:

“[Y]ou have another gift, which is the gift of working with the rod: behold it has told you things: behold there is no other power save God, that can cause this rod of nature, to work in your hands, for it is the work of God.”

A Book of Commandments (Harmony, PA: The Church of Jesus Christ of latter-day Saints, April 1829), VII:3 (pg 19).

REVISION:

“[Y]ou have another gift, which is the gift of Aaron; behold, it has told you many things; Behold, there is no other power, save the power of God that can cause this gift of Aaron to be with you.”

Doctrine and Covenants – Section 8 (Salt Lake City, UT: The Church of Jesus Christ of latter-day Saints, 2021), 6-7.

The deliberate alteration of wording, from a clear reference to a divining rod to the obscure gift of Aaron, suggests an effort to distance church practices from folk magic origins and align the revelations more closely with traditional biblical language and authority intent.