Aren’t the chances that Joseph Smith made up a fictional, outlandish place (Olishem) that turned out to be accurate in name, time, and location too astronomical even to be considered?

In Abraham 1:10 we read:

Even the thank-offering of a child did the priest of Pharaoh offer upon the altar which stood by the hill called Potiphar’s Hill, at the head of the plain of Olishem.

Kerry Muhlestein remarks:

This is a name that no one had heard of during Joseph Smith’s day; but since the Book of Abraham uses a number of terms that no one has encountered elsewhere, Olishem did not stand out in any way at first. However, discoveries of ancient texts since Joseph’s day revealed two texts—one from before Abraham’s time and one roughly contemporary—name a location near Haran called Olishem. The chances that Joseph Smith would make up a fictional, outlandish place that turned out to be accurate in name, time, and location are too astronomical even to be considered. I do not know how that fact could be interpreted as anything other than evidence that Joseph Smith was really translating an ancient document.

– Kerry Muhlestein – Egyptian Papyri and the Book of Abraham – A Faithful, Egyptological Point of View

Where did Joseph Smith get the name “Olishem” from? Where would he have heard about it?

See:

• Kerry Muhlestein – Egyptian Papyri and the Book of Abraham – A Faithful, Egyptological Point of View

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