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This verse may mean that Abish’s earthly father had a vision and she was converted when he communicated it to her. It may also mean that she saw her earthly father in a vision that converted her to the Lord. Beyond these, there may be yet another interpretation.
Abish is a name combined from two Hebrew words: ʾāb, which means “father,” and ʾîš (pronounced ish), which means “man.” Thus, Abish could be interpreted as “father is a man.”9
What if Abish had a vision of her Heavenly Father and discovered, like Joseph Smith, that He is in the form of a man? Her name would beautifully preserve her testimony of her revelatory experience that “Father [in Heaven] is a man.” This stunning possibility could indicate that Abish is the only named woman recorded in scripture, besides Mother Eve, to have seen God the Father.
Whatever the interpretation, Abish’s knowledge of God motivated her to action and helped people accept Ammon and his message. She knew God was not just some higher power or nebulous force in the universe. She knew He was her Heavenly Father, and that knowledge made a difference in her life. It can make a similar difference in our lives as we read and remember her story.— Wilcox
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