Kolob

What is Kolob?

Kolob is a celestial body mentioned in the Book of Abraham and in Facsimile 2.[1] It is a star or planet,[2] a "great" and "governing" celestial object,[3] is "near unto" God and "nigh unto the throne of God,"[4] was used to tell relative time,[5] and was associated with creation.[6]

Is Kolob a star or a planet?

It's unclear. The Book of Abraham appears to describe it as both,[7] and historically Latter-day Saint leaders and scriptural interpreters have used both the words "star" and "planet" to describe Kolob.[8]

Is Kolob where God lives or near where God lives?

It's unclear. The Book of Abraham is also ambiguous on whether Kolob is where God lives or near where God lives,[9] and Latter-day Saint leaders and writers have described it both ways.[10]

Related Question

Is there any evidence that Joseph Smith liked astrology?

Isn't Kolob just a symbol for Christ?

Possibly. Some Latter-day Saint writers have drawn a symbolic connection between Kolob and Jesus Christ,[11] but the Book of Abraham itself doesn't seem to make this connection explicit. The text seems to describe Kolob as if it were a literal celestial body.[12]

Did we live on Kolob in the pre-existence?

It's unclear. In the early twentieth century, Orson F. Whitney wrote a poem depicting Kolob as the location of the pre-mortal council.[13] Some other Church leaders have also taught this,[14] but the Book of Abraham doesn't explicitly say so.

Do people live on Kolob?

It's unknown. Some early Latter-day Saints seemed to hold this view.[15] Brigham Young mentioned on one occasion there being inhabitants on Kolob and other "distant planets."[16]Others taught that Kolob had inhabitants but did not specify if that's where souls return to after death.[17] The Book of Abraham isn't clear on this.

Did the earth fall from Kolob's orbit or the presence of God at the Fall of Adam and Eve?

It's unclear. The Book of Abraham isn't explicit on this. However, Brigham Young[18] and John Taylor[19] did teach this concept.

Do we know where Kolob is?

No. It's most commonly associated with the star Sirius (Canis Majoris).[20] It's also sometimes associated with other stars or star patterns,[21] like Thuban (Alpha Draconis)[22] or the Pleiades star cluster,[23] or even placed at the center of the Milky Way Galaxy.[24] There is no official doctrine on where Kolob is or otherwise what kind of celestial object it might be.

Is it known where the name Kolob comes from?

Not definitively, but there are some possibilities. Some Latter-day Saint scholars have proposed various ancient roots for the word, listed below.

Table of proposed origins for the name Kolob

Word	Language	Meaning
*ḳlb/ḳrb	Proto-Afroasiatic (Hamito-Semitic)	“interior, inside, middle”[25]
qrb(m)	Semitic (Hebrew, Akkadian)	"near, middle"[26]
qalb	Semitic (Arabic)	"heart, soul, center"[27]
klb	Semitic (Hebrew, Ugaritic, Akkadian)	"dog"[28]

Why do people believe that Kolob might be Sirius?

There are a couple of potential reasons. The consonants in the name Kolob (klb) match the consonantal root for the word "dog" in ancient Semitic languages.[29] Since Sirius has been known as the "dog star" (Canis Majoris) since ancient times,[30] some draw a connection between the two.[31]

Others have also compared the Book of Abraham's description of Kolob with the ancient Egyptian understanding of Sirius.[32]

Do people actually believe that God lives on the star Sirius?

Not exactly. The connections some scholars have suggested between Kolob and Sirius are based on perceived similarities between the Book of Abraham and ancient cosmology,[33] not necessarily because they themselves believe God physically dwells on Sirius.[34]

Is there any scientific explanation for Kolob?

Maybe? Some Latter-day Saints have attempted to place Kolob into a modern scientific context but there is no consensus on how to harmonize the cosmology of the Book of Abraham with modern science.[35]

If Kolob is a physical place, is it in our same universe?

It's unknown. The proposals matching Kolob to any celestial body or object (a star or star system or something in the center of the Milky Way galaxy) are speculation.[36]

Is Kolob a central concept in Latter-day Saint theology?

No, not really. The last time Kolob was mentioned in General Conference was in 1966.[37] In the 2017 seminary and institute curriculum, Kolob is only briefly mentioned.[38]

Has Kolob influenced Latter-day Saint culture?

Yes. Latter-day Saints have used Kolob as a source of inspiration for poems[39] and hymns.[40] One author even used Kolob as the basis for a 2016 graphic novel.[41]

Did Kolob inspire Battlestar Galactica?

Seems like it. Glen A. Larson,[BIO] an executive producer for the sci-fi TV show Battlestar Galactica, was an active Latter-day Saint.[42] He reportedly "infused his series mythology with too many Mormon references to ignore,"[43] including a planet called Kobol and other Latter-day Saint themes and concepts.[44]

The Earth-like planet Kobol from Battlestar Galactica, inspired by the Latter-day Saint Kolob, against a black space background. — The planet Kobol from Battlestar Galactica.

Why do people make fun of Kolob so much?

It is a strange concept. For example, in the Book of Mormon musical song "I Believe," it's sung: "I believe that God lives on a planet called Kolob! I believe that Jesus has his own planet as well."[45]

Critics have discussed the idea of Kolob since the nineteenth century.[46]

But it is weird, right?

Yes.

The Facts

Kolob is a concept depicted in the Book of Abraham.
It is described in the Book of Abraham as a star or planet that is either where God lives or in the proximity of where God lives.
It is associated with Creation and was used to tell relative time.
Joseph Smith didn't say much of anything about Kolob beyond what he gave us in the Book of Abraham.
Some have speculated that it may be a reference to the star Sirius which was an important star to ancient Egyptians.
Kolob is rarely featured in teachings by Church leaders or in Church curriculum.

Our Take

The idea of Kolob can be weird and somewhat "sci-fi-esque." Is God living on some other planet like some sort of alien? Could humans ever discover the planet where God is? Doesn't this sound like some sort of Christian fan fiction?

It’s okay to feel a little confused or weirded out by Kolob—it is a strange idea. We don't know much about it, except that it's mentioned in the Book of Abraham, in a well-known hymn, and in many Latter-day Saint poems. We don't know if it's a real physical location or not, or if it's a star or a planet, or if God lives near or on it. It might just be a symbol that Abraham borrowed from the ancient Egyptians as a way to signify the expansive nature of God.

It's also fine to think it’s not that important. Kolob is a unique idea to our faith and can inspire wonder for the universe and God's plan for His children. That wonder is helpful when it helps us "hie" a little closer to God.

What's Your Take?

Josh S.
“All things given from God are to be types of Christ (2 Nephi 11:4; Moses 6:63). And especially since Abraham 3 is in canonized scripture, we are to find Jesus in it. God isn’t trying to help Abraham learn more about astronomy, but helping him know who God and Jesus are (John 17:3).”
Cosmo C.
“Kolob could potentially be Abraham's observation of Polaris being the "central star" in the sky. Utilizing this information and trying to teach eternal truths is common in religious texts. Though the connection with Sirius intrigues me.”
Justin I.
“I think Kolob is explicitly a metaphor for Jesus Christ. The first 9 words in Abraham 3:18 introduces the interpretation of verses 1-17. The rest of the chapter uses language mirroring the language used in the first 17 verses as well. It is also probably a real place.”
Dan P.
“God and his son must reside somewhere, Kolob sounds as good as any.”
David M.
“With God, all things are possible. Ancient Scripture relies a lot on symbolism. So do we.”

Read More Difficult Questions

148 Primary Sources

Footnotes

BIOGlen Larson
Glen Albert Larson (1937-2014), was a Latter-day Saint that was born in Long Beach, California. Larson's band, the Four Preps, was signed on by Capitol Records in 1956. Larson married Carol Jean Gourley in 1961, and then later divorced in 1982. Larson later had two more marriages. He moved away from music to TV writing in 1966. He was the creator of the 1978 television series, Battlestar Galactica, which had several themes based on Latter-day Saint teachings such Kobol (Kolob.) Larson's noted television series included Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, Quincy, M.E., B. J. and the Bear, The Fall Guy, Magnum, P.I. and Knight Rider.
[1]↩︎
Kolob is first mentioned in Abraham 3:3 and is discussed more in verses 4, 9, and 16 (and then later in Abraham 5:13). It is portrayed visually in Figure 1 of Facsimile 2.
- Kolob identified and discussed in 1842 BOA text; said to be near unto God.
- Kolob identified as "the residence of God".
[2]↩︎
In Abraham 3:2, the prophet Abraham is said to have seen the "stars" in a vision, and in the next verse among "these" (meaning the stars just mentioned in verse 2) is said to be the "great one," Kolob.
Later in verse 16, Kolob is said to be "the greatest of all the Kokaubeam," meaning the stars.
However, in verse 9, Kolob appears to be listed among the planets that are set above one another as one approaches the throne of God.
- Kolob identified as "the residence of God".
- Kolob identified and discussed in 1842 BOA text; said to be near unto God.
[3]↩︎
This language is used in Abraham 3:2–3, 16 to describe Kolob, which is said to be a "great" star among the "governing ones" (other major stars).
- Kolob identified and discussed in 1842 BOA text; said to be near unto God.
- Kolob identified as "the residence of God".
[4]↩︎
Once again, this is the language used in Abraham 3:2–3, 9, 16 and in Figure 1 of Facsimile 2, which says Kolob is "nearest to the celestial, or the residence of God."
- Kolob identified as "the residence of God".
- Kolob identified and discussed in 1842 BOA text; said to be near unto God.
[5]↩︎
Abraham 3:4 (verse 16 in the original versification) reads:
Kolob was after the manner of the Lord, according to its times and seasons in the revolutions thereof; that one revolution was a day unto the Lord, after his manner of reckoning, it being one thousand years according to the time appointed unto that whereon thou standest. This is the reckoning of the Lord’s time, according to the reckoning of Kolob.
Abraham 5:13 (verse 31 in the original versification) also mentions "the Lord’s time, which was after the time of Kolob."
Figure 1 of Facsimile 2 reads that "the measurement [of Kolob was] according to celestial time, which celestial time signifies one day to a cubit. One day in Kolob is equal to a thousand years according to the measurement of this earth."
- Kolob identified and discussed in 1842 BOA text; said to be near unto God.
- Kolob identified as "the residence of God".
[6]↩︎
Figure 1 of Facsimile 2 says Kolob "signif[ies] the first creation."
- Kolob identified as "the residence of God".
[7]↩︎
In Abraham 3:2, the prophet Abraham is said to have seen the "stars" in a vision, and in the next verse among "these" (meaning the stars just mentioned in verse 2) is said to be the "great one," Kolob.
Later in verse 16, Kolob is said to be "the greatest of all the Kokaubeam," meaning the stars.
However, in verse 9, Kolob appears to be listed among the planets that are set above one another as one approaches the throne of God.
- Kolob identified and discussed in 1842 BOA text; said to be near unto God.
- Kolob identified as "the residence of God".
[8]↩︎
For example, Kolob is defined in the "Egyptian Alphabet and Grammar" document connected with the translation of the Book of Abraham and attributed to Joseph Smith as "the first great grand governing fixed Star." Others who have called it a star include William W. Phelps, George Q. Cannon, B. H. Roberts, and John A. Widtsoe.
On the other hand, William Appleby, Wilford Woodruff, Brigham Young, John Taylor, Orson F. Whitney, and others have referred to Kolob as a planet.
Others still, like Parley P. Pratt, Orson Pratt, and Charles W. Penrose have called Kolob a sun or a world.
[9]↩︎
For instance, Figure 1 of Facsimile 2 reads, "Kolob, signifying the first creation, nearest to the celestial, or the residence of God."
From this sentence, it can be hard to tell if Kolob is nearest to the celestial or if it is the celestial (God's residence).
The language in the text of the Book of Abraham is also unclear. If Kolob is "nearest" or "nigh unto the throne of God" (Abraham 3:2, 9), then it seems as though it can't be the same as the residence of God itself.
- Kolob identified as "the residence of God".
[10]↩︎
In 1853, for instance, William W. Phelps identified Kolob as the "elder world" of the Gods from which Adam came.
Later in the 1880s, however, Apostle Franklin D. Richards was quoted as teaching God "resides in the center of the universe near the planet Kolob," but not on Kolob proper.
Then, in a 1964 General Conference talk, William J. Critchlow, Jr. identified Kolob as the actual place where God dwells.
Critics of Latter-day Saint doctrine since at least the middle of the nineteenth century have characterized Kolob as the place where God physically resides in Latter-day Saint theology. It's possible that these critics were reacting against common or popular LDS perceptions about Kolob of the day. But it's also possible that these critics were misunderstanding or deliberately misattributing things to members of the Church to make them look bad.
[11]↩︎
Joseph Fielding McConkie and Craig J. Ostler, for example, have made a drawn out comparison between Kolob and Jesus Christ (e.g., both are "great ones," both are "near to God," etc.).
Andrew C. Skinner made this comparison in the Ensign in 1997, and the Church's official manual for Seminaries and Institutes of Religion also makes this comparison, showing this interpretation has some institutional support.
[12]↩︎
In the Book of Abraham, the patriarch sees "the stars" and describes them as being "great." Amidst the great stars is Kolob, which is said to be near God's presence. Kolob was "set" by God to "govern" the other stars, and has an annual "revolution."
However, Abraham does see Kolob in a vision with the Urim and Thummim, which might lead to a metaphorical interpretation of Kolob.
- Kolob identified and discussed in 1842 BOA text; said to be near unto God.
[13]↩︎
Whitney published the poem in 1904. One section read:
In solemn council sat the Gods;
From Kolob's height supreme,
Celestial light blazed forth afar
O'er countless kokaubeam;
- Orson F. Whitney writes a poem that evokes Kolob, associates it with pre-existence, the stars, etc.
[14]↩︎
An 1843 poem attributed to Joseph Smith speaks of the "council in Kolob," referring to the pre-mortal council. But this poem may have been ghostwritten by William W. Phelps, who referred to returning Kolob in poems.
John Taylor and Parley P. Pratt also appear to have also taught this.
[15]↩︎
David John, writing in 1857, believed the earth would return and "be connected" to Kolob.
Contemporary journalists (some hostile to the Latter-day Saints, others not) reported encountering this belief among early members of the Church.
[16]↩︎
Young made this comment in an 1853 sermon where he appears to understand Kolob to be a planet somewhere in space.
- Brigham Young mentions Kolob, seems to call it a planet.
[17]↩︎
Robert Richards, a former early member of the Church, in an 1858 book, recalled learning that God lived on Kolob and that the "future residence of the saints" after resurrection would be "as in the present world." Richards doesn't state where that future residence would be.
- Robert Richards recalls learning about Kolob, a "distant planet," and that Saints after resurrection would live like in the present world.
[18]↩︎
In 1874, Brigham Young said the Earth was "near the throne of our Father in Heaven" when it was created, but then "when man fell, the earth fell into space, and took up its abode in this planetary system, and the sun became our light."
Brigham then added:
This is the glory the earth came from, and when it is glorified it will return again unto the presence of the Father, and it will dwell there, and these intelligent beings that I am looking at, if they live worthy of it, will dwell upon this earth.
- Brigham Young says earth "fell" from God's presence.
[19]↩︎
John Taylor wrote in 1857 how the Earth "had fled and fell from where it was first organized, near the planet Kolob" at some time in the past, presumably at the Fall.
- JT mentions Kolob in connection with pre-existence; identifies it as a planet.
[20]↩︎
William W. Phelps is the first known Latter-day Saint to make this connection in 1857. This identification has actually become very popular and persists to this day.
[21]↩︎
Milton R. Hunter, writing in 1951, compared Kolob to a few different stars (including Betelgeuse, Antares, Myra, and Arcturus) and said that "any of these massive bodies of matter could easily be accepted as being comparable in size to the great star Kolob which God showed to Father Abraham."
- Milton R. Hunter comments on Kolob, calls it a star, compares it to other stars and constellations.
[22]↩︎
An 1888 book The Light of Messiah argued that Kolob was the "great sun Thuban."
- Fagerstjerna elaborates on cosmology, naming Kolob as an important star (identified with the star Thuban) and "spiritual sun."
[23]↩︎
Peter Canavan, writing in an RLDS periodical, made this connection in 1873.
- PC calls Kolob a planet near the Pleiades star system.
[24]↩︎
This theory has been advanced, for example, by LDS writer Lynn M. Hilton.
- Hilton argues Kolob is at the center of the Milky Way Galaxy.
[25]↩︎
Pearl of Great Price Central Central noted "there are conjectural [or reconstructed] Afroasiatic roots that could potentially place this word in Abraham’s day."
- POGP Central website overviews arguments for origin of the name Kolob.
[26]↩︎
This proposal was put forward by multiple Latter-day Saint scholars, including Hugh Nibley and Michael D. Rhodes.
- MDR argues that Kolob derives from Semitic root meaning "heart, center".
- Hugh Nibley and Michael D. Rhodes give proposed etymology for Kolob.
[27]↩︎
Janne M. Sjodahl proposed this origin in 1913. He was followed by James E. Homans/Robert C. Webb. More recently this theory was repeated by Hugh Nibley and Michael D. Rhodes.
[28]↩︎
This etymology was proposed by John Gee and Stephen D. Ricks in their 2001 article on the historicity of the Book of Abraham.
- JG and SDR discuss a possible etymology for the name Kolob.
[29]↩︎
The possible linguistic connections between Kolob and the Semitic word for "dog" have been explored by a number of different LDS authors. In 2001, for instance, John Gee and Stephen D. Ricks explained:
[T]he name Kolob fits well with two Semitic roots. Either it could be from *qlb (Arabic qalb, “heart”) or *klb (Akkadian kalbu, “dog,” Ugaritic klb, “dog,” Hebrew keleb, “dog,” [e.g., Ex. 11:7], Syriac kelb, kalbā’, “dog,” Arabic kalb, “dog,” Ethiopic kalb, “dog”). Both are used for stars or constellations, the former in Arabic for Regulus; the latter, in Akkadian, represents “the constellation Hercules,” while in Syriac it represents the star Sirius; in Arabic it represents the constellation Canus Major, especially the main star Sirius.
- JG and SDR discuss a possible etymology for the name Kolob.
- Hugh Nibley and Michael D. Rhodes give proposed etymology for Kolob.
[30]↩︎
Jay B. Holberg has collected evidence from classical sources identifying Sirius as the dog star.
- Jay B. Holberg reviews ancient sources that identify Sirius as the dog star.
[31]↩︎
One of the first to make this connection was a non-Mormon writer named James E. Homans (publishing under the pseudonym Robert C. Webb).
- RCW/JEH discusses possible etymologies for the name Kolob; defines Kolob as a star.
- Arch S. Reynolds discusses Kolob, links it with the Dog Star Sirius.
[32]↩︎
For example, one article described some overlapping characteristics between the Kolob description and ancient Egypt texts that depict Sirius, including:
- both are associated with the throne of God
- both are recognized as the “greatest” (probably meaning brightest) of stars
- both are depicted as governing other stars
- both are associated with creation
- both are significant in measuring time
[33]↩︎
For example, these perceived similarities have been discussed by an article that notes the "mythological as well as calendrical significance" of Sirius to the ancient Egyptians and how it relates to Kolob.
- POGP Central website overviews arguments for origin of the name Kolob.
[34]↩︎
Discussions about Kolob and Sirius have focused more on the origins of the name Kolob rather than whether Sirius is literally where God lives.
- Hugh Nibley and Michael D. Rhodes give proposed etymology for Kolob.
- JG and SDR discuss a possible etymology for the name Kolob.
[35]↩︎
One of the earliest commentaries on Kolob in the context of modern science was in 1895 from B. H. Roberts, and one of the most recent is from 2005 from astronomer J. Ward Moody and egyptologist Michael Rhodes.
[36]↩︎
These proposals reach back to the nineteenth century and have included Sirius (Canis Majoris), Thuban (Alpha Draconis), and the Pleiades star cluster, among others.
[37]↩︎
In the October 1966 General Conference, Joseph Fielding Smith taught:
Authority is an eternal principle operative throughout the universe. To the "utmost bounds" of space, all things are governed by law emanating from the Lord our God. On Kolob and other giant governing stars, and in the tiny electron, infinitely small and of which all things are composed, divine authority is manifest in the form of immutable law. All space is filled with matter, and that matter is controlled and directed by an all-wise and omniscient Creator.
- JFS mentions Kolob, calls it a "giant governing star."
[38]↩︎
Both the 2017 teacher and student manuals on the Pearl of Great Price touch on the concept of Kolob and discuss its characteristics.
- Church manual discusses Kolob; calls it a star; says it can be seen as a symbol for JC.
- Church manual discusses Kolob; calls it a star; says Kolob can be compared to Jesus Christ.
[39]↩︎
For example, a person called "J. McF" wrote a poem called "Gazing at the Comet" in 1874 that mentioned Kolob in the context of a comet. Orson F. Whitney also mentioned Kolob in his epic poem Elias.
- Poem by JMcF mentions Kolob in the context of a comet.
- Orson F. Whitney writes a poem that evokes Kolob, associates it with pre-existence, the stars, etc.
[40]↩︎
The most famous example is William W. Phelp's poem "There is no End," known today as "If You Could Hie to Kolob."
There have also been other hymns and poems written about Kolob and connecting it to concepts like eternal progression or the grandeur of the cosmos.
[41]↩︎
In Kolobians Seek the Afterlife, Floyd Willmore wrote about magical talking horses from Kolob who come to Earth to learn more about religion and the afterlife.
- Willmore writes fictional account of two "Kolobians" visiting a young boy to discuss religion.
[42]↩︎
Larson's membership in the Church was highlighted in the August 1979 issue of the Ensign.
- Ensign identifies GL, executive producer of BSG, as a Church member.
[43]↩︎
In a 2014 Deseret News article, Jim Bennett wrote about Kobol and other Latter-day Saint themes in Battlestar Galactica in his obituary for Larson.
- JB reports that GL incorporated LDS ideas/themes, including Kolob, into TV show "Battlestar Galactica."
[44]↩︎
Two different authors writing in academic publications noted how Kobol in Battlestar Galactica draws clear influence from Kolob.
- ER notes the connection between Kolob and Kobol on BSG.
- IBN notes connection between Kolob and Kobol in BSG.
[45]↩︎
The character Elder Price, a Mormon missionary, sings this line.
- Lyrics to "I Believe" in the BOM Musical mention Kolob.
[46]↩︎
George Seibel, a critic of the Church, described the teaching og Kolob as "a fair sample of the ludicrous."
Another news article used Kolob as part of an example of the faith being "essentially matierialistic," noting that "everything that exists is either matter or a modification of matter."
Other articles and books from critics described the theology of Kolob while talking about concepts like polygamy, eternities, and the physical nature of God.