Doctrine and Covenants 17—When and How Did These Three Men Receive the Promised Witness?

The witness that these three men sought came shortly after the revelation in section 17 was given. The Prophet Joseph Smith, David Whitmer, Oliver Cowdery, and Martin Harris went to the woods near the Whitmer home. There the four men sought the promised witness through earnest prayer—but nothing happened. Finally, Martin Harris excused himself, saying that he believed himself unworthy. While he went off alone to ask for forgiveness, the remaining three men received a marvelous vision and heard the voice of God bear record of what they saw. The Prophet Joseph then went to find Martin Harris. The Prophet joined with him in prayer, and, after a period of time, Martin Harris received the same vision the others had previously received. “The Testimony of Three Witnesses,” in the front of the Book of Mormon, is their description of the experience. The people of this generation will be held accountable for the testimony of these witnesses, just as they will be for the testimonies in the book itself (2 Nephi 33:11–15;Ether 12:38–39).

A few days after that sacred experience, the Prophet Joseph was permitted to show the plates of the Book of Mormon to eight other men. Although they did not have a vision or hear the voice of God, they were able to touch the plates. Their testimony is also found in the front of the Book of Mormon.

Doctrine and Covenants 17:1—What Was the “Breastplate”?

Lucy Mack Smith, the Prophet’s mother, had the opportunity to examine the breastplate that Joseph received with the plates (Joseph Smith—History 1:35). She gave the following description of it in her biography of her son:

“It was wrapped in a thin muslin handkerchief, so thin that I could feel its proportions without any difficulty.

“It was concave on one side and convex on the other, and extended from the neck downwards, as far as the center of the stomach of a man of extraordinary size. It had four straps of the same material, for the purpose of fastening it to the breast, two of which ran back to go over the shoulders, and the other two were designed to fasten to the hips. They were just the width of two of my fingers (for I measured them), and they had holes in the end of them, to be convenient in fastening” (History of Joseph Smith,ed. Preston Nibley [1958], 111).

Doctrine and Covenants 17:6—The Lord’s Testimony of the Book of Mormon

Elder Bruce R. McConkie, a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, taught:

“One of the most solemn oaths ever given to man is found in these words of the Lord relative to Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon. ‘He [meaning Joseph Smith] has translated the book, even that part which I have commanded him,’ saith the Lord, ‘and as your Lord and your God liveth it is true.’ (D&C 17:6.)

“This is God’s testimony of the Book of Mormon. In it Deity himself has laid his godhood on the line. Either the book is true or God ceases to be God. There neither is nor can be any more formal or powerful language known to men or gods” (Conference Report, Apr. 1982, 50; orEnsign,May 1982, 33).

Their Witness and Yours