Full text of "The book of Jasher : referred to in Joshua and second Samuel"

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TORONTO

SHELF No.

35 1 ?3

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S / i

ADVERTISEMENT TO THE SECOND EDITION,

IN issuing a second edition of the Book of Jasher, the publishers deem it just and proper to
subjoin a portion of the remarks from various sources that have offered in relation to the merits
of the work. That it has not had a circulation commensurate with its merits, may be ascribed
to the timidity of those who were apprehensive that it was put forth as an inspired work,
whereas all that was originally claimed for it was the fidelity of its translation from the Hebrew
and its undoubted antiquity. Since the publication of the first edition, it has been ascertained
that seven or more editions of this work have issued from the Press in various parts of Europe
since the discovery of printing ; and eminent Hebrew scholars from Germany, now in this
country, are familiar with the book, and bear testimony to the estimation in which it is held
abroad, among literary persons of high attainments.

CER TIFIC AXES.

University of New York, April 10, 1840.

I have compared a large portion of the translation of the Book of Jasher with the original
Hebrew, and find it faithfully and elegantly rendered into English. The Hebrew itself is of a
very pure character. ISAAC NORDHIEMER,

PROFESSOR OF ORIENTAL LITERATURE.

To Messrs. Noah cf- Gould,

GENTLEMEN I am acquainted with the Book of Jasher, having read a considerable part of it
while in the hands of the translator in England. The Hebrew is very purely written, and the
translator is an eminent scholar and has done it ample justice. It is full of interest throughout,
and breathes a pure spirit of piety and religion, and I am satisfied that this is the first English
translation ever made of that work, the Royal Asiatic Society at Culcutta never having com
pleted the translation of their copy as anticipated.

April 14, 1840. H. V. NATHAN,

MINISTER OF THE ENG. AND GERMAN SYNAGOGUE, KINGSTON, JAMAICA.

The following letter is from Professor Turner an able Hebrew scholar.

Theological Seminary, Chelsea Square, N. Y., April 28, 1840.

GENTLEMEN Agreeably to a request made to me yesterday by Mr. Noah, I have sufficiently
examined the English version of the Rabbinical work which heads the title of the Book of Jas
her, to satisfy myself of its general correctness. I have carefully compared three chapters of
the translation with the original, and have no hesitation in saying that in general they give a
correct representation of the author s meaning, and as literal as the different idioms of the t wo
languages would allow. In some instances however, it would have been desirable that every
word of the Hebrew should have been rendered into English. For instance, in ch. i, v. 2, the
Cranslator has omitted the word dust, in mentioning man s formation from the ground, and in
v. 4, the literal version after middle part would be and he took away one of his ribs and built
flesh upon it, and made a woman and brought her to the man. In v. 6 also, the Rabbinical
writer does not say called their names Adam and Eve, but in the very words of the Hebrew
bible, v. 2. called their name Adam. In chap, xx, v. 4, the version reads thus ; &lt; and the
servants of Abimelech went to Abimelech, saying, in the original it is and the servants of
Abimelech came and praised Sarah to the king, saying, &c. In v. 19, the name of Pharaoh
is omitted, and occasionally the word subjects, is substituted for servants.

It is possible that the translator made use of a copy of some other edition which may have
varied in a few words from that examined by me. The points referred to, are, on the whole,
unimportant, and do not detract from the general accuracy of the translation.

I am respectfully,

Your obt. serv t.
To Messrs, Noah $ Gould. SAMUEL H. TURNER.

The following letter is from Professor Bush of New York.

New York, April 30, 1840.

GENTLEMEN I have examined portions of several chapters of the Book of Jasher in the
original, carefully comparing with it the translation put into my hands by the publishers. The
work itself is evidently composed in the purest Rabbinical Hebrew, with a large intermixture of
the Biblical idiom, and I consider the translation as a whole, not only as decidedly faithful, but
as peculiarly happy in retaining the air of antique simplicity which distinguishes the original, and
which constitutes the matchless excellence of our English version of the Hebrew Scriptures. In
a few instances I have noticed slight verbal variations from the original, similar to those ad
verted to by Prof. Turner, as in one case choice of our sepulchres for choice of our land ; but
they are of too little moment to detract from the character of general fidelity which I do not
hesitate to assign to the translation. Very respectfully, Yours, &c.,

To Messrs. Noah $ Gould. GEO. BUSH.

NOTICES OF THE PRESS.

THE BOOK OF JASHER. In the book of Joshua, x. 13, it is said, Is this not written in the book
of Jasher ? And in 2d Samuel I. 18, 19, it is recorded, Behold it is written in the book of Jas
her, the beauty of Israel is slain upon thy high places ; how are the mighty fallen ! In Home s
Introduction to the study of the Scriptures there is an account of various writings that claim to
be the book of Jasher, and among the rest is one written in Rabbinical Hebrew, said to have
been discovered in Jerusalem at its capture by Titus. This book has been translated into Eng
lish, and has just been published in a beautiful octavo volume of 260 pages.

This volume forms what may at least be termed a literary curiosity. The translator lays no
claim for this book as a work of inspiration, but as a monument of history comparatively covered
with the ivy of the remotest ages ; as a work possessing in its language all the characteristic
simplicity of patriarchal times ; and as such he conceives it peculiarly calculated to illustrate and
confirm the sacred truths handed down to us in the Scriptures.

That the present work is a faithful translation of a veritable Hebrew original we cannot
doubt after perusing the testimonies of such men as Professors Nordheimer, Turner, and Bush
of this city, who have all examined it, and upon comparison pronounced the English version in
general correct ; although it will be observed that these gentlemen carefully abstain from utter
ing any opinion as to the authenticity of the work, or its value as auxiliary in any sense to revela
tion. There can be no question as to its being the same wofk with that mentioned by Home as
printed at Venice in 1613, and from internal evidence we think it may be dated as far back as
any of the kindred fictions of the Talmud, and perhaps to a period coeval with the recently Ang
licized Book of Enoch, of which Prof. Stuart has given an elaborate account in the January
number of the Biblical Repository. A certain value no doubt attaches to any book faithfully
transmitted to us from so remote a period of the past, and if we should find in it no traces what
ever of historical verity, we may still be interested or amused to see into what wild extravaganzas
a Rabbinical fancy may run, and with what ingenuity it may graft upon the majestic simplicity
and brevity of the sacred narrative a luxuriant offshoot of fables, fictions, allegories, and dreams.

N. Y. Observer.

THE BOOK OF JASHER. The existence of the book of Jasher mentioned in the Bible has
long been doubted. The most industrious researches for centuries were baffled in its pursuit,
and a number of forgeries produced during the early ages of Christianity predisposed scholars to
regard with suspicion every work for which was claimed antiquity or verity. The discovery of
the book of Enoch in Abyssinia, and other exhumations of the same kind, have in some degree
lessened the habitual suspicion with which such pretensions are regarded, and the announce
ment of the publication of the Book of Jasher/ will now command the attention of the learned,
at least, if not their sanction.

Some persons of less wit than assurance have declared that this curions production is an im
position. We do not know precisely what meaning they attach to that term ; but if it is to be
taken in its legitimate sense, those who apply it to the Book of Jasher are incapable of judging
of what constitutes an effort to deceive. It is declared by the editor to be a translation of a very
old Hebrew manuscript nothing more. No claim of inspiration is preferred ; no declaration of
belief that it is even a veritable historical chronicle, though an opinion is hazarded that it is the
book spoken of in one or two passages of scripture, of the same title. Of its antiquity we have
abundant evidence in the work itself. Eminent orientalists, well qualified to give judgment in
the premises, assert that it is written in the purest Hebrew, and that the style is of that peculiar
kind for which the earliest Jewish writings are distinguished. It is certainly a great curiosity,
and it must command much attention among critics. New Yorker.

THE BOOK OF JASHER. This remarkable book, which is twice referred to in the Old Testa
ment, has caused much literary disturbance. It being a desideratum in biblical literature, the
temptations have been great to produce fabrications under the title, and some of these have
proved successful in imposing for a time even upon men of learning and research. The imposi
tions however have been long detected, and another copy, in Hebrew, of the work has been dis
covered. A translation of it was commenced by order of the Asiatic Society, but upon learning
that the work we now notice was in progress, that translation was discontinued. This has been
most carefully examined by persons conversant with the original language, and it has received
from them very high praise both for the fidelity and the vigor of the translation. To those who
may not happen to be acquainted with the book, we would state that it is a bible history from
the creation of the world to the death of Joshua ; it has never been deemed a canonical book,
but yet one of high authority ; in no instance contradicting the Old Testament text, but in
some particulars amplifying where the bible has slightly touched. It is therefore an important
adjunct to the biblical library, and no mean assistant to the biblical student. It removes several
apparent discrepancies in the sacred text, assists in enforcing very early traditions, by showing
weighty cotemporary existences, and by collating the Bible, this work and Josephus, together, the
latter two of course being but notes as it were to the former, a service will be done to the reli
gious as well as to the antiquarian world, the value of which cannot easily be calculated. We
earnestly recommend the work to general perusal, and in fact have little doubt that the nature
of it will commend itself. That there are many interpolations and certain extravagances in this
copy there is no doubt, and as an apocryphal work it must be considered ; but if it were only
for its chronological merit it must be always interesting Albion.

THE BOOK OF JASHER. This work, with a few exceptions, probably interpolations, bears very
clear and decisive marks of a very high antiquity. But a few of its words recognize even the ex
istence of the Chaldean language, as stated by its learned and judicious translator. It was written,
if we may judge from the close of its records, not long after the death of Joshua. And besides
confirming most of the Bible facts recorded anterior to that date, adds many incidents and partic
ulars not found in the sacred books. Its author is not known, for the book of Jasher means the
correct or upright record.

Various forgeries under this name have from time to time appeared. This seems to be of a
more plausible parentage. Still its claims to any thing but a human origin will not admit of
much debate. It has no internal evidence of inspiration ; but, like the Epistles of Clemens,
Barnabas, and the Shepherd of Hermas, the book of Enoch, and other apocryphal books, Jewish
and Christian, it savors not of that peculiar unction which gives to the canonical scriptures an
unrivalled claim upon the credence of mankind, and bespeaks for them a candid and reverential
hearing. Such are its claims for a reading. * * * Millennial Harbinger.

THE BOOK OF JASHER. Like the Book of Enoch, which has lately been given to the world in
an English dress, the antiquity of this work will, we suppose, scarcely admit of a doubt ; the par
ticular date of its origin must be matter of scholastic conjecture. As to its inspiration, the pub
lishers decline expressing an opinion, but we imagine, that no one, who compares its apocryphal
style with the simplicity of the Holy Scriptures, will be at any loss for an opinion upon this head.
Still, we believe that the book is worthy of the attention of scholars, and that the novelty of its
character, as well as the elegant mode in which it is bound, will recommend it to many general
readers. Baptist Advocate.

THE BOOK OF JASHER. This curious piece of antiquity lies before us, which we should have
noticed ere this, had not a press of other matter prevented. This book purports to be the identical
book of Jasher referred to in Joshua and 2d Samuel. As to the truth of its professions, we do
not pretend to say, and leave that to the learned to examine into ; but from a careful perusal of it r
we are unable to see why it should not be so considered, for it breathes as pure a spirit of piety
as the Mosaic account in the Sacred Oracles, which it corroborates and amplifies. That it is
translated from the purest Rabbinical Hebrew any person at all acquainted with the Hebrew
character, must be convinced even from a glance of the original copy, now in the possession of
the publishers. There are, no doubt, some parts, fabulous interpolations of the Rabbi, but which
do not affect the general character of the work. The conversation between Abraham and Isaac,
while going to the place of sacrifice, and that between Joseph and his brethren ; the reception
which Jacob received from Joseph, are all calculated to please, interest, and sustain the claim to
authenticity of the work. We recommend the book to the public as a work of uncommon in
terest, and a very great curiosity. N. Y. New Era.

THE BOOK OF JASHER. We have received this handsome and interesting volume. Generally
speaking, it has been noticed with much favor, and by those who know especially. A distin
guished scholar, writing in the Boston Atlas, observes of the work that it is a great curiosity,

and merits attention in many respects. There is no doubt of its being a translation from a very
ancient Hebraic manuscript. The idiom and style of the original differ altogether from the
modern Rabbinical Hebrew, and possess all those characteristics which Gesenius, the most illus
trious of Hebrew critics, has pointed out as distinguishing the ancient from the modern Hebrew.
We find that great interest has been excited in this work, for a long time, in Europe, and else
where. Had the work been well known to the early ecclesiastical councils, it is not improbable
that it would have formed an integral portion of the sacred writings, although most likely it
would have taken rank among the books of the Apocrypha. Philadelphia Gazette.

THE BOOK OF JASHER. This work has been for several years in the progress of translation in
England, and the original copy and manuscript and notes, have been purchased from the propri
etor for publication in this country, and a very beautiful stereotyped edition in the Biblical form
has just been completed by Mr. Gould. The Hebrew is pronounced by Jewish and Christian
scholars and divines to be of the purest character. It was printed in Venice in 1613, from the
manuscript or sacred rolls, which for centuries had remained in Spain, in the great Hebrew col
lege of Cordova, under Abarbanel, in the eleventh century, and is now published for the first
time in English. The Rev. Dr. Horn, in his notes, speaks of several fabrications of Jasher, and
one in particular by Alcuin, which not many years since was published in Bristol, in England.
That evident fabrication bears no analogy to the present work, which is of considerable length,
commencing with the creation of man, and ending with the death of Joshua confirming every
fact in the Old Testament, and amplifying and carrying out details of intense interest. Boston
Post.

THE BOOK OF JASHER. A work of much interest, whatever may be its claims to authenticity,
has recently issued from the New York press. If it be the lost Book of Jasher, referred to in
Joshua and Samuel, even with interpolations and crudities, it will be eagerly sought for, not
only by the lovers of biblical criticism, but by the general reader ; and if it be a fabrication alto
gether, its great antiquity will render it an object of curiosity. Albany Argus.

THE BOOK OF JASHER. This new work is just now exciting great attention among all who
feel an interest in the Scriptures. It purports to be the book spoken of in the Bible, in Joshua
and 2d Samuel, and is a narrative of the events from the creation of Adam to the death of Joshua.
It differs but little from the Bible but enlarges upon each period of time, and is quite diffuse upon
topics that in the Bible are treated with brevity. As to the authenticity of the work we are not
prepared to speak, but we are sure that it will be perused with interest by every reader. Phil.
Spirit of the Times.

THE BOOK OF JASHER. This is a most luxuriously-printed volume, and one which every
lover of scriptural antiquity ought to possess. We fear it has been regarded with prejudice,
because it was known among men of letters that a wretched counterfeit appeared in England in
the laat century, got up by a journeyman printer, which purported to be a translation of the lost
book of Jasher referred to in Joshua and Second Samuel. The work before us is of a very
different character. It is, beyond all question, aversion, and a faithful one too, of the book re
ferred to by that eminent scholar, Dr. Home, which was said to have been discovered at the
capture of Jerusalem by the Romans, and which was printed at Venice in 1613. There can be
no reasonable doubt of its great antiquity, and we agree with the able editor, Major Noah, in
pronouncing it a work of great interest. New- York Mirror.

THE BOOK OF JASHER;

REFERRED TO IN

JOSHUA AND SECOND SAMUEL.

FAITHFULLY TRANSLATED

FROM THE ORIGINAL HEBREW INTO ENGLISH-

NEW YORK :
PUBLISHED BY M. M. NOAH & A. S. GOULD,

AT 144 NASSAU-STREET.

1840.

Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year eighteen hundred and forty, by Morde-
cai M. Noah & Alexander S. Gould, in the office of the Clerk of the Southern District of
New-York.

ALEX. 8. GOULD, TYPOGRAPHER, 144 NASSAU-STREET.
STEREOTYPED BY R. C. VALENTINE, 45 GOLD-STREET.

PREFACE.

IT is with pleasure that I am able to present to the American public the
translation of the Book of Jasher, as referred to in Joshua and Second
Samuel, which, after several years negotiation with the owner and trans
lator of the work in England, I have succeeded in obtaining.

There are many books named in the Old Testament, which are now
classed among the missing books, or books supposed to have been lost
amidst the many revolutions which have occurred in Judea. These books
are not included in the Jewish Canons, and it is questionable whether there
are any missing of what were considered as emanating from inspired
writers ; for, when the works enumerated in the Bible could not be found
after the most diligent search, the inference was, that the names applied
to other books, or that they were different versions of the same work.

Thus, the Book of the Covenant, (Exodus xxiv. 7.) was a mere collec
tion of the injunctions and institutions delivered by the Almighty to Moses.
So it might also be said of the Book of the Law, (Deut. xxxi. 9.) The
Book of the wars of the Lord (Numbers xxi. 14.) cannot be found, and
is every where spoken of as one of the missing books. Dr. Lightfoot, in
his Chronicles, thinks that Moses refers to a book of his own compos
ing, written by command of God, (Exodus xvii. 14.) We think, however,
that the Book of Judges is the one referred to as the Book of the wars of
the Lord ; because, in that book we have all the exploits of the Hebrews
detailed at length. We find in Chronicles and Kings a number of books

IV PREFACE.

named, which are not to be found. The acts of David the King, written
in the Book of Samuel the Seer, also in the Book of Nathan the Prophet,
and also in the Book of Gad the Seer ; the acts of Solomon are in the
Book of Nathan the Prophet, and also in the Book of Abijah the Shulam-
ite ; the acts of Rehoboam in the Book of Shemaiah the Prophet ; the acts
of Jehoshaphat in the Book of Jehu. The journals of the kings of Judah
and Israel ; the three thousand and five songs, and a treatise on botany
and animated nature, by this learned king, are lost ; so also are the "Acts
of Manasseh." These works, not having been found by Ezra, could not
have been inserted in the Old Testament, and consequently cannot be con
sidered as having been written by divine inspiration. Nevertheless, it
would be assuming more than is required or necessary, to say that there
were no other books in the time of Ezra, than those considered as divinely
inspired. St. Austin says, " The penmen of the Sacred Scripture writ
some things as they are, men with historical lore and diligence : other
things they writ as prophets, by inspiration from God." We thus have a
classification of their labors, both as historians and as prophets. The ne
gligence of the Jews in ancient days, and their constant transition from
one country to another, occasioned many losses of the sacred writings.
The Book of Deuteronomy was lost for a long time. There were many
books rejected by the Canons which are still objects of curiosity, and
venerable for their antiquity. The prayer of King Manasseh, Bel and
the Dragon, the two Books of Esdras, the Book of the Maccabees,
and the Book of Enoch, recently found and translated from the Ethiopic.
The Book of Jasher, referred to in Joshua and Second Samuel, has been
long an object of great curiosity. Some of the Hebrew writers contend
that it was the lives and acts of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and other
patriarchs, who were called Jasherim, the Just. Dr. Lightfoot thinks it
is the Book of the Wars of God, and so the reader may think in perusing
the various battles it recounts. Grotius calls it a triumphal poem. Jose-
phus says, " That by this book are to be understood certain records kept
in some safe place on purpose, giving an account of what happened among
the Hebrews from year to year, and called Jasher, or the upright, on ac
count of the fidelity of the annals."

PREFACE.

Il is known that such have been the curiosity and anxiety to discover
this missing book, that several forgeries under that name have appear*
from time to time ; and the Rev. Mr. Home, in his Introduction to
Study of the Scripture, has been at some pains to collect a history of the
various fabrications of Jasher ; the most remarkable of which was origi
nally published in England, in the year 1750, by a person called Hive,
*nd purported to be a translation from a Hebrew work of that name,
found in Persia by Alcuin. It was republished in Bristol in the
year 1829, and a copy is now in my possession. It is a miserable
fabrication, occupying but sixty two and a half pages, with copious notes,
making out Jasher to be one of the Judges, whereas the translation of the
word is the upright, or the upright record. In the same work of Dr.
Home, a slight reference is made to the Book of Jasher, written in Rab
binical Hebrew, said to have been discovered in Jerusalem at its capture
under Titus, and printed in Venice in 1613. This is the book now trans
lated into English for the first time. Long prior to the destruction of
Jerusalem, the Jews had established themselves in various parts of Spain
and Italy; they traded to the bay of Gibraltar, as historians affirm, in the
earliest periods of history ; and Basnage mentions that in Sagunto, a town
in Spain, a tombstone was discovered, bearing the following inscription
in the Hebrew language : This is the tomb of Adoniram, an officer of
King Solomon, who came to collect the tribute, and died the day,"

&c. There can be no doubt that Spain, probably France and Italy, were
tributary to Solomon. It is, however, certain, that the Jews carried with
them into Spain, on their dispersion, an immense number of manuscripts
and sacred rolls, where they remained many years, and were, in the
eleventh century, placed in their great college at Cordova, and from
thence were conveyed to Venice on the first discovery of printing. The
printer s Hebrew preface to Jasher shows that it was a painful transcript
from a very old and almost illegible Hebrew record, and printed by and
with the consent of the great Consistory of Rabbins at Venice, who alone
had the power of publishing such works from the Hebrew records as
they deemed authentic. From the Venice edition of Jasher, another edi-

VI PREFACE.

tion was many years subsequently published, in Lemberg, in Gallicia.
Both editions, in Hebrew, are now in my possession ; and the Royal Asi
atic Society, having found a copy of Jasher in Calcutta, gave orders to
have it translated, which order was countermanded when it was ascer
tained that considerable progress had been made in England in this trans
lation. The following copy of a letter from the secretary to the trans
lator, shows the estimate which that learned Society placed upon the
work.

ROYAL ASIATIC SOCIETY HOUSE.
Grafton St., Bond St., London, Sept. 2, 1831.
DEAR SIR :

I am extremely obliged by your having favored me with the sight of
Mr. Noah s letter, and in reply to your letter, mention that the Oriental
Translation Committee does not consider that it has any claims on your
work, and if that ever the Rev. Mr. Adams translates the Book of Jasher,
it will not be in the lapse of several years. Hoping that your praiseworthy
and valuable labors in that interesting work will soon, in one shape or
other, be presented to the public,

I remain, Dear Sir,

Your obliged and ob t Serv t,

WM. HlJTTMAN,

Whatever may have been written and published by commentators, re
lative to the fabrications of Jasher, I am persuaded they had no reference
to this work, although this is the work slightly touched upon by Dr.
Home, as the publication in Venice, on the first discovery of printing; but
of its origin and history he knew nothing beyond the rumor that it had
originally been brought from Jerusalem. There are some events recorded
in Jasher, that are found in the Talmud, no doubt copied from Jasher ;
for although we find in the Talmud, the Mishnah, and Gemarrah, many
parables and fanciful tales, to effect moral and religious purposes, yet
every thing that we have in Jasher we find recorded in the Bible, with
this difference, that in Jasher the occurrences of the Bible are amplified and
detailed at length. The celebrated philosopher, Mendelsohn, expresses a

PREFACE. VH

high opinion of this work. There are, nevertheless, some events which
are recorded in Jasher, which may create surprise, particularly a detail of
the rape of the Sabines, which, at the first glance, I was disposed to con
sider as an interpolation ; but a little reflection satisfied me that it was an
event placed in proper chronological order. Pizron, in his Revolution of
Empires, or Antiquities of Nations, says, (page 164,) " It is therefore like
ly from what I have said, that several of the Titans, in the reign of Ura
nus, or, at least, in that of Saturn, staying and fixing themselves in that
part of Italy which is adjacent to the Tiber and the Appenines, were after
ward called Umbrians. If such were the case, as it seems it was, the
settlement of the Titans in Italy was made about the time of the calling
of Abraham, that is, when he left Chaldea, to go and dwell in the land of
Canaan." Page 175, " Now, if all this came to pass, it must have hap
pened about the time Deucalion reigned in Greece, or some years after
the deluge that happened under that prince." If as Pizron says, the sepa
ration of the Sabines from the Umbrians took place 1500 years before
Christ, it will not be far distant from the time at which Jasher places the
rape of the Sabine women, in the 91st year of the life of Abraham.

The following is the translator s preface, and with all his admitted
learning and ability, he has been unable to do justice to the beauty, gran
deur, and alike the simplicity of the original Hebrew. I also subjoin a
translation of the Hebrew preface and a translation of the printer s pre
face, being all the documents in my possession.

Without giving it to the world as a work of Divine inspiration, or as
suming the responsibility to say that it is not an inspired book, I have
no hesitation in pronouncing it a work of great antiquity and interest, and
t work that is entitled, even regarding it as a literary curiosity, to a great
circulation among those who take pleasure in studying the Scriptures.

M. M. NOAH.

New- York, April, 1839.

TRANSLATOR S PREFACE.

THE age in which we live has been, and continues to be, particularly
distinguished by a laudable desire in the minds of men, to inquire into the
various states of knowledge, and of the arts, as they existed in times an
terior to the Christian era ; animated with these noble and elevated views,
a considerable number of individuals, greatly distinguished for their genius
and learning, have in succession turned their attention to the East to those
celebrated countries, in which the arts of civilization and the lights of sci
ence first dawned upon, enlightened, and embellished human society.
The magnificent and unequalled remains of the arts in Egypt, Babylonia,
Assyria, Palestine, and Persia, have, from time to time, been visited and
explored ; and it has been amidst these fallen monuments of human gran
deur, that the adventurous and enlightened traveller has found himself
amply rewarded for his laborious and hazardous undertakings ; for, amidst
these wrecks of human greatness, he has succeeded in gathering ample
evidence, in confirmation of many of the most important truths recorded
in sacred history.

Profane histories have, indeed, conveyed down to us some account of
these kingdoms, and of the mighty monarchs who, during a long succes
sion of ages, ruled over them ; but the events which they relate are evi
dently so mixed up with exaggeration, and so adulterated with fable, that,
however celebrated their authors might have been, and however fascinating
may be the style of their composition, the religious and philosophic student
turns from them with dissatisfaction, to the divinely authenticated annals
of the Hebrews ; because, it is from these alone that he can derive true
information concerning the rise, the splendour, the decline, and the real
causes of the ruin of those celebrated empires.

In the sacred history we are presented with the only authentic, and, of
course, the only valuable information concerning the origin of the universe,
of men and all other animated creatures, of the gradual increase of the
human race, of the flood in the year A. M. 1656, of which mighty event
ihere are existing evidences to the present day ; evidences, so universal and
so ponderous, that all the ingenuity of the sceptical geologists will never
be able to remove them in order to make room for their plausible hypotheses.

x TRANSLATOR S PREFACE.

The ever memoiable events and transactions recorded in Scripture are
with many others of the most interesting nature, comprehended in the
Book of Jasher ; and they are all arrayed in that style of simple, unadorned
majesty and precision, which so peculiarly distinguishes the genius of the
Hebrew language ; and this, together with other numerous internal evi
dences, it is presumed will go far to convince the Hebrew scholar that the
book is, with the exception of some doubtful parts, a venerable monument
of antiquity ; and that, notwithstanding some few additions may have been
made to it in comparatively modern times, it still retains sufficient to prove
it a copy of the book referred to in Joshua, ch. x., and 2 Samuel, ch. L
There are not more than seven or eight words in the whole book that by
construction can be derived from the Chaldean language.

The printed Hebrew copy, in the hands of the translator, is without
points. During his first perusal of it, some perplexities and doubts rose
up in his mind respecting its authenticity : but the more closely he studied
it, the more its irresistible evidence satisfied him, that it contained a trea
sure of information concerning those early times, upon which the histories
of other nations are either silent, or cast not a single ray of real light ; and
he was more especially delighted to find that the evidence of the whole
of its contents went to illustrate and confirm the great and inestimable
truths which are recorded in divine history, down to a few years later than
the death of Joshua, at which period the book closes.

In this extraordinary book, the reader will meet with models of the most
sublime virtue, devotion and magnanimity, that cannot fail to raise his
admiration, and, at the same time, to excite a generous feeling of emula
tion to follow the glorious examples set before him.

With these preliminary observations, the translator now respectfully
proceeds to lay before the readers a few remarks upon the contents of the
book. The title -Hpn 15D is literally, " the upright or correct record ;"
but because the book was not known, it was therefore termed the " Book
of Jasher ; this has caused some persons, who are ignorant of the He
brew language, to suppose that Jasher was the name of a prophet, or of
one of the Judges of Israel ; an instance of which appears in a publication
which came from the press about the middle of the last century, and which
purported to have been a translation into English of the Hebrew manu
script of Jasher, found at Gazna in Persia; which translation only
was said to have been thence brought by Alcuin. When the translator
wrote to the Editor of the London Courier, in November last, he was not
aware that the copy of Jasher, announced in the Bristol Gazette as an

TRANSLATOR S PREFACE. xr

important discovery, had reference to that fictitious book, which, through
the kindness of a friend, he had previously obtained a sight of, and was
soon convinced that the whole book was the work of some sceptic in
England, in imitation of the language of Scripture, as it was sent forth
from the press without the name of printer, bookseller, editor or pub
lisher; and it is evident that those who were concerned in getting it up,
in making Jasher the name of a Judge of Israel were ignorant of the
very rudiments of the language, from which they pretended to have
translated it, as it is well known, even to a tyro in the Hebrew language,
that the definite article, Jl is never prefixed to proper names.

The important transactions which are narrated with so remarkable a
brevity in the Bible, are, in Jasher, more circumstantially detailed ; as in
the instance of the murder of Abel by his brother Cain, a particular ac
count is given of the disagreement which preceded it, and of the pretext
which Cain sought for the commission of the crime. It appears, also,
that when the divine judgment condemned him to wander upon the earth,
his wife accompanied him, not to the land of Nod, for no such place is
mentioned ; but, from this book it appears that the word Nod, in the Scrip
ture, has been given for the participle of the verb ^"]^ " to move or wander
about. Jasher has it thus :

W 1^1 DB&gt; irn "KM* rapon p rnrr ueSo win njn pp *nn

iS -KPN SDI NH py rtnp p*a rrm

tc And at that time Cain went forth from the presence of the Lord, from
the place where he was ; and he went moving and wandering in the land
at the east of Eden, he and all belonging to him."

In the passage respecting the birth of Cain and Abel, three daughters
are also mentioned. According to Jasher, the art of writing appears to
have been known and practised from the earliest periods ; it is stated
that Cainanwas informed beforehand by God, of the intended destruction
of mankind by the flood, which he engraved upon tablets of stone, and
preserved amongst his treasures.

This book contains a more detailed account of the awful circumstances
attending the commencement of the flood, and of the conduct of Noah to
ward the terrified multitude who had assembled about the ark, when the
fatal moment had arrived, and their doom was irrevocably fixed. f

A particular delineation of the life and character of Enoch is given,
showing, that by his wisdom he reigned over the sons of men, continually in
structing them in truth, righteousness, and a knowledge of the Most High,

XII TRANSLATOR S PREFACE.

Jasher informs us, that in the days of Peleg, not only the families of the
human race were separated and spread abroad, but that the earth itself
was divided ; and of both these facts, it may be presumed, there are suffi
cient existing evidences, even at this day. This book gives, also, a more de
tailed account of the genealogies of the descendants of Japheth, Shem, and
Ham, and of the various parts of the earth which were colonized by them.

Connected with this period of the history is given an account of Nim-
rod ; in which is strikingly depicted the arbitrary and violent character of
his conduct and government. The contested point, as to whether Nimrod
was the founder of the Assyrian Empire, is here decided. The cause
of the dispute amongst commentators proceeded from the word "TM^K
in Gen. chapter x. ver. 11, signifying either the name of a man, or the
name of the land of Assyria. Jasher has it thus :

* nyrm any DP um &c - mo ODI mi aon DP p TIPN ran

" And Asher, the son of Shem, went forth, he and his sons, and the
children of his household, &c., and they there built four cities."

Jasher clearly elucidates a number of genealogical and chronological
difficulties, which occur in the Bible ; an instance is here adduced of the
genealogy of Seir, the Horite, upon which the Bible is silent.

The learned commentator, Aben Ezra, remarks, 1DW I^T tf? *V#P
" Seir, his genealogy we do not know ;" and the word *inn * s supposed
to come from *")in a noble ; but Jasher gives us the descent of Seir,
(which accounts for his being called the Horite,) in the following words :

f#D p nn p Tin p vyv *]Vi

" And Seir, the son of Hur, the son of Hivi, the son of Canaan, went,"
&c. ; hence he was called the Horite, from Hur, his father.

The character of Abraham, for piety, true dignity and hospitality, ap
pears to stand unrivalled ; but the most affecting and beautiful account in
this book, is that of Abraham offering up his son Isaac. The mutual
affection of the father and son, and their willing devotion and obedience to
the commands of their Maker, are so exquisitely described, that the heart
of him who can peruse the narrative without being deeply affected, must be
callous indeed. The conduct of Sarah, as connected with this unexampled
and glorious event, was altogether worthy of the wife of Abraham, and the
mother of Isaac. At this time Sarah died at Kireath-arba. Her funeral
is described as having been magnificent ; and it is expressly mentioned, that
it was attended by Shem, the son of Noah, Eber his son, king Abimelech,
together with Anar, Ashcol and Mamre, and other great people of the land.

TRANSLATOR S PREFACE. XIII

In the Bible, Sarah is the only woman whose age is given at her death ;
but it may be interesting to the reader to know, that Jasher generally states
the ages of all the women who are particularly mentioned in the course of
the history.

From this book we learn that Noah and Abraham were contemporaries.
How beautiful the contemplation of the meeting of these two Patriarchs,
the one being a monument of God s mercy, and the other having the pro
mise of the favour and grace of God, not only to himself, but to his seed
after him. This fact might be proved from Scripture ; but from the 32d
verse in the llth chapter of Genesis, most of the Christian commentators
have erroneously dated the birth of Abraham 60 years later than it actually
took place ; as it is generally stated that he was born A. M. 2008, whereas
the regular calculation in the Bible leads us to 60 years earlier, viz. 1948.
The only cause of this error has been that Abraham s departure from
Haran, at the age of 75, is recorded close to the description of the death
of Terah, at the age of 205, in Gen. ch. xi. v. 32. Although this is the
frequent manner of Scripture, to record events out of the regular order of
succession, (an instance of which we find in Isaac, whose death is recorded
in Gen. xxxv. 29, when we know from the calculations given us in Scripture,
that Isaac s death, must have taken place when Joseph was about 29 years
old ; and the description given in Jasher, of Isaac s coming from Hebron to
comfort Jacob upon the loss of Joseph, is beautiful,) it is of great im
portance, in its making a difference of 60 years in the chronology of the
world.

This book gives a particular account of the instruction received by
Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, from Shem and Eber, through which they
became so excellent in piety and wisdom, their tutors in learning having
lived to so great an age ; and Shem particularly, who, being acquainted
with all that was known before the flood, could therefore strengthen his
precepts of virtue, the true worship of God, and the necessary dependance
upon him alone, by recording the awful events which he had seen.

The history of Joseph has always been considered one of the most
admirable and interesting on record. It is composed in a style of simple
and artless eloquence, which touches every feeling heart. A judicious
critic has observed, that he considers it a perfect composition. This
history, in Jasher, enters more into detail concerning the affairs of Potiphar s
wife, Zelicah ; Joseph s magnificent procession through the cities of Egypt,
on coming into power ; the pomp with which he was attended by Pharaoh s
chariots, officers, and people, when he went up to meet his father ; the

XIV TRANSLATOR S PREFACE.

affecting scene which then took place, together with other remarkable
incidents. This beautiful narrative might justly be entitled, the triumph of
virtue and piety ; and it is presumed that few can peruse it, unmoved by
sentiments of the highest admiration, mixed with the deepest feelings of
sympathy. The history of the Israelites during their sojourning in Egypt,
contains an account of many interesting particulars not noticed in the
Bible. Toward the latter end of this period, Balaam &gt; Job, Jannes, and
Jambres, appear to have acted their respective parts in some memorable
transactions.

This book clears up the reference in 2 Samuel, ch. i., by showing that
David, in the commencement of his beautiful elegy on the death of Saul
and Jonathan, revived an injunction given by Jacob in his dying charge
to his son Judah, contained in Jasher in these words :

" But teach, I pray thee, thy children the use of the bow, and all in
struments of war," &c. This goes far to prove the authenticity of the
book, as it beautifully clears up what was always considered obscure.

If commentators upon the holy Scriptures have sought for illustrations
in the works of Homer, Pliny, Herodotus, and other profane writers ; if
they have anxiously caught at glimmerings among the absurdities of Pa
ganism, and the obscurities of Heathen fables, the translator humbly and
respectfully hopes that they will now grant a favorable reception to evi
dence of an entirely opposite character, which is presented in the Book of
Jasher.

He does not recommend it to their notice as a work of inspiration, but
as a monument of history, comparatively covered with the ivy of the re
motest ages ; as a work possessing, in its language, all the characteristic
simplicity of patriarchal times ; and as such, he conceives it peculiarly
calculated to illustrate and confirm the sacred truths handed down to us in
the Scriptures.

But in making these observations, he is far from offering it as a perfect
record. Like all other ancient writings, (except the inspired volume,) it
has in some respects suffered from the consuming hand of time ; and there
is reason to believe that some additions have been made to it. In fine, it
contains a history of the lives and memorable transactions of all the illus
trious characters recorded in sacred history, from Adam down to the time
of the Elders, who immediately succeeded Joshua.

TRANSLATION OF THE HEBREW PREFACE.

THIS BOOK IS TH1T WHICH IS CALLED THE UPRIGHT BOOK.

IT has at this time been ascertained by us that when the holy city Je
rusalem was destroyed by Titus, all the military heads went in to rob and
plunder, and that amongst the officers* of Titus was one whose name was
Sidrus, who went in to search, and found in Jerusalem a house of great
extent, and took away all the spoils which he found there ; when he wished
to go out of the house, he looked at the wall and fancied that he saw trea
sures there, so he broke down the wall and the building and found a cask
full of various books of the Law, the Prophets, and the Hagiographa,t also
books of the kings of Israel, and of the kings of other nations, as well as
many other books of Israel, together with the books of the Mishnah
adopted and established ; many rolls were also lying there ; he also found
there all sorts of provision and wine in abundance, and discovered an old
man sitting there, who was reading in those books. When the officer saw
this great sight he was greatly astonished, and said to the old man, why dost
thou sit alone in this place, without any person remaining with thee ? So
the old man answered, for many years past was I aware of this second
destruction of Jerusalem, so I built this house and made for myself a bal
cony ,J and I brought with me these books to read, and I brought also
sufficient provision, thinking thereby to|| save my life.

And God caused the old man to find favor in the eyes of the officer, who
brought him forth with respect with all his books, and they went from city
to city and from country to country until they reached Sevilia ; and the
officer found that this old man was possessed of wisdom and understand
ing and acquainted with various kinds of science, upon discovering which
he raised and honored him, was constantly in his house and was taught by
him all sorts of wisdom, and they built for themselves a lofty and capacious
house in the suburbs of Sevilia and placed there all those books.

This house is yet in Sevilia unto this day, and they wrote there all the
events that would hereafter take place amongst the kings of the world unto
the coming of our Messiah.

Buxton gives this word " episcopus" which, besides a bishop, means also a lieu
tenant, overseer, superintendant. See Arach.
t Psalms, Proverbs, &c.

t miD3K or porch, a Talmudical word derived from the Greek. See Arach.
II See Jeremiah 38 2, the same expression.

xv i HEBREW PREFACE.

And it came to pass that when God carried* us away with a mighty
captivity by the hands of the kings of Edom, from city to city and from
country to country in bitter anxiety, this book, called " The Generations of
Adam" together with other books came into our hands, for they came from
that house in Sevilia, and they came afterward to our city Napuli, which
city is under the sway of the king of Spain, (whose glory may be exalted.)
And when we saw these books, that they were books of all wisdom, we
resolved in our minds to print them like all the books that came to our
hands. Now this book is the best and most valuable of all, and of this
book twelve copies have reached us, and we searched in them and found
them all of one copy, there was no difference, nothing added and nothing
deficient, nor any alteration in letters, words or events, for they were all
alike as it were of one copy.

Since, therefore, we saw in this book great merit urging us to this re
solve, we are determined to print it and it is found written that this book
is called the Book Jasher, because all its transactions are in that order
as they had taken place in the world as regards priority and succession,
for thou wilt not find in this book any postponement of events that were
anterior, or priority of those that were posterior, but every thing is re
corded in its place and time.

Thou wilt thus find that it relates the death of such a one at the particu
lar time of the life of another and thus throughout. Owing to this it was
called Sepher Hajashar, but it is customary to call it the Generations of
Adam, the reason of which is that they call it by that with which it com
mences, but the chief name thereof is the book " JASHER" owing to
the reasons we have assigned. Now it is found that this book is translated
into Greek, entitled " Lo libris de los divitiis"

It is also found written in the book of the Asmoneans which has come
down to us, that in the days of Ptolemy king of Egypt, he ordered his
servants to go and gather all the books of laws, and all the books of
Chronicles which they could find in the world, so that he might become
wise through them, and by examining them become acquainted with the
subjects and events of the world, and to compile from them a book in all
matters of jurisdiction regarding the affairs of life, thereby to exercise pure
justice. So they went and collected for him nine hundred and sixty five
books and brought to him, when he commanded them to go again and
seek to complete the number of a thousand books, and they did so. After
this, some of the persecutors of Israel stood up before him and said, O
king, why wilt thou trouble thyself in this manner? Send to the Jews in
Jerusalem that they shall bring unto thee the book of their law which was
written for them from the mouth of the Lord by their Prophets, from
which thou mayest become wise, and regulate all judgments and laws ac
cording to thy desire ; so the king hearkened to their words, and sent to
the Jews upon this matter, who sent to him this book, for they could not
give unto him the book of the Lord, for they said, we cannot give the law

*See same expression, Isaiah 22. 17.

HEBREW PREFACE. xvn

of the Lord to a stranger. Now when this book came to the hands of
Ptolemy he read it and it pleased him greatly, and he searched therein
in his wisdom, and he examined it and found therein what he had desired,
and he neglected all the other books which they had collected for him,
and he blessed him who had advised him to this thing.

After some time the persecutors of Israel became aware of this, that
the Israelites had not sent the book of the law to the king, and they
came and said unto him, O king, the Israelites have treated thee with con
tempt, for they did not send to thee the book of the law which we had
mentioned to thee, but they sent to thee another book which they had in
their hands, therefore send to them that they may forward unto thee the
book of their law, for from that book thou wilt obtain thy desire much
more than from the book which they have sent to thee ; so when the king
heard their words he became exceedingly wroth against the Israelites, and
his anger burned within him until he sent again to them for them to for
ward to him the book of the law. Fearing that they might still continue
to scorn him, he acted prudently with them and sent to seventy of their
elders and placed them in seventy houses, that each should write the
book of the law, so that no alteration might be found in them, and the
divine spirit rested upon them, and they wrote for him seventy books and
they were all of one version, without addition or diminution. At this the
king rejoiced greatly and he honored the elders, together with all the
Jews, and he sent offerings and gifts to Jerusalem as it is written there.*
At his death, the Israelites acted cunningly with his son and took from
his treasures the book of the law, but left this book there and look it not
away, in order that every future king might know the wonders of the
Lord, blessed be his name, and that he had chosen Israel from all nations,
and that there is no God beside him.

This book is therefore in Egypt unto this day, and from that time it
became circulated throughout the earth, until it reached us in our captivity
this day in the city of Napuli, which is under the rule of the king of Spain.
Now thou wilt find in this book that some of the kings of Edom, of Chit-
tim and the kings of Africa who were in those days, are mentioned,
although it might appear that such was not the aim or intent of this book ;
but the reason of this was to show to every person obtaining this book
the contrast between the wars of Israel and the wars of the Gentiles, for the
conquest of Gentile kings one over the other was by accident, which is not so
in the conquest of the kings of Israel over the Gentiles, which is by a miracle
from our blessed Lord as long as the Israelites trust in his exalted name.

Now the uses of this book are many, all of which lead us to confidence
in God, (whose name be exalted,) and to our adherence unto him and his
ways.

The first use is the additional information it affords us upon the sub
jects of the creation of man and the deluge, recording also the years of the
twenty generations and their misdeeds ; also at what period they were

* In the book of the Asmoneans mentioned above.

XYIII HEBREW PREFACE.

born, and when they died, by which means, our hearts may be inclined
to adhere to the Lord, when we see the mighty works which he per
formed in days of old.

The second use is in the additional account respecting the birth of Abra
ham and how it was that he cleaved to the Lord, and the transactions that
took place between him and Nimrod; and thus also of ^the account of the
builders of the tower of Babel,* how that the Lord drove them to the four
corners of the earth, and how they established the countries and lands
called after their names unto this day, by which means we may
draw nigh to our Creator. The third use is the explanation it gives
us how the patriarchs adhered to the Lord, and of their transactions
which convince us of their fear of God. The fourth use is, in what it
records of the affairs of Sodom and the iniquities of its people, and in
what consisted their sins, as well as their punishment, by which means
we may refrain from all evil doings. The fifth use is in the account of
the faith of Isaac and Jacob in the Lord, and the prayers and weeping of
Sarah at the binding of Isaac for a sacrifice, which is of great use in in
clining our hearts to the service of the Lord. The sixth use is in the in
formation it affords us upon the subject of the wars of the sons of Jacob
with the people of Shechem and the seven cities of the Amorites. This
will rouse our hearts to faith in our God ; for how could ten men destroy
seven cities, if their hearts had not been impressed with faith in the Lord ?

The seventh use is, in the information it gives us of all the events that
happened to Joseph in Egypt, with Potiphar and his wife and with the
king of Egypt, for this will also rouse our hearts to the fear of the Lord,
and to remove ourselves from all sin, so that it may be well with us in the
latter end.

The eighth use is in the account it furnishes us of what happened to
Moses in Cush and in Midian, by which we may understand the wonders
of the Lord which he performs for the righteous, and that we may thereby
adhere to him. The ninth use is in its recording what had happened to
the Israelites in Egypt, and when the commencement of their servitude
took place, and how they served the Egyptians in all manner of hard work,
and to what purpose all this tended how after this God was favorable to
them through their trusting in him, and there is no doubt of this that he
who reads the events of Egypt from this book on the nights of the Pass
over, will receive a great reward, as our Rabbins of blessed memory say,
he that is occupied in relating the exit from Egypt is to be praised, in
which this book is included, for this is the true narration which ought to
be read after the Hagadah, for such person (reading this) may be assured
that he will be greatly rewarded ; we do so this day in our captivity in the
countries of Spain, after having finished reading the Hagadah, we com
mence reading in this book the whole affair of Egypt, from the Israelites
going down to Egypt unto their exit, for in this book a person ought to

* Called ruScn in because the earth was then divided.

HEBREW PREFACE. XIX

read. The eleventh* use is, that some of the comments of our Rabbles
and of other commentators who have explained the law, thou wilt find
illustrated in this book, such as the account of the messengers who met
Jacobf when he came from Mesopotamia after they had gone to Esau,
also the account of Gabriel who taught Joseph seventy languages, also
the illustration it affords of himj who smote Midian in the fields of Moab,
and the like. The twelfth use is, that every person lecturing in public
may bring forward in his discourse, subjects from this book, which the
commentators have not explained, by which means he may make an im
pression upon the hearts of his audience. The thirteenth use is, that all
merchants and travellers, who have an opportunity to study the law, may
read this book and receive their reward, for therein is the reward of the
soul as well as the delight of the body, in the discovery of new matter not
recorded in any other book, and by these means will man understand to
know the Lord and cleave unto him.

Now because we have seen the merit of this book, and the great use
fulness thereof, we have undertaken to print it without addition or diminu
tion, and from this time we have commenced to print it in a book, that
such books may be in the hands of the members of our covenant, the men
of our captivity in order that it may be farther circulated throughout every
generation, and every city, family and country, so that they may under
stand the wonders of the Lord which he performed for our ancestors, and
his bounties toward them from the days of old, and that he chose us from
all nations. May they who devote their hearts to the fear of the Lord,
be rendered meritorious by studying therein whilst we confide in the Lord,
the God of Gods, and depend upon him and seek salvation and assistance
from him, in this heavenly work, and may he prosper us in the right path,
and deliver us from errors, and cleanse us from secret faults, as his an
ointed said, " who can understand his errors ? cleanse thou me from
secret faults ."$ May God teach us the good way and direct us in a pros
perous path for the sake of his mercies and kindnesses, and may he gra
ciously fulfil the desires of our hearts, Amen, and so be his will.

* The eleventh use. I cannot see any mention of the tenth use ; this must have been
omitted, I think, before the words above, "how after this God was favourable to them through
their trusting in him."

t See the latter part of ch. 31.

t The obscure passage in Genesis, 36. 35. in the Bible, is cleared up in Jasher, ch. 62,
where it gives a long history of Hadad, the son of Bedad.

$ Psalms, 19. 12.

THE PRINTER S PREFACE.

THE humble worm, and no man, Joseph, son to my father, the wise and
highly respected in Israel, Samuel the little one, says, my witness is in
heaven and my testimony is on high, the God of Gods knows, and Israel
knows also, how much fatigue I have undergone, and how much trouble
I have taken until I had brought to light the hidden treasures of this book ;
for ever since I was driven from my land, from the metropolis of Israel,
the great city of wise men and scribes, the renowned city of Pasia, ever
since the Lord, through my great offences, has driven me with a violent
captivity, one stumbling after the other, he weakened my strength in the
way, the iron entered my soul until I reached the Italian harbor, the royal
city Livorno (Leghorn,) which is under the sway of our Lord the most
serene Grand Duke Don Ferdinand de Media (Medici Qu ?) for neither
by day nor by night could I remain silent, I was continually in thought,
my soul was humbled in me, and sleep was removed from mine eyes,
when I reflected how energetically my father, the crown of my head,
strove with his purse and labor to transcribe this book, as was his con
stant custom from his love of the study of the Law, to lavish money and
wealth, principal and interest, for the purchase and the transcribing, for
my own use,of books without end, in or"der that I might obtain wisdom and
instruction, to comprehend the words of understanding, as all of the inhabi
tants of my city can testify and declare ; (O God remember him favor
ably to rest in glory with the righteous who are in the garden of Eden,
Amen ! for this loss is felt only by me,) especially in the transcribing of
this book it is holy for praises to the Lord, for there was never seen nor
found but one, which the intelligent and pious scribe Jacob, the son of
Atiyah, transcribed from a very old manuscript, the letters of which were
defaced ; and had it not been for the consummate ability of the above
mentioned Rabbi, no other person could have made out those letters, nor
have transcribed them, from their antiquity and from their having been
defaced.

Now my father, of blessed memory, found favor in his eyes, to obtain
this book on loan, in order that he might also get one transcribed by the
hands of a certain scribe, and in the year 5373,* through my great sins,
I went out of the pale of my birth place, and from my father s house,
owing to the terrors of famine, pestilence and slaughter. The sword de-

* Corresponding with the year 1613.

XXII PRINTER S PREFACE.

stroyed from without, and within was the terror of pestilence and famine,
on account of the battles and contentions which took place between the
sons of the old king Maruccus who had died, for each lifted himself up,
saying, I will reign, and they devoured the Israelites with open mouth,
so that very few remained of them, even a tithe of a tithe ; many families
and heads of the houses of their fathers were lost and destroyed and be
came as naught ; many books of various kinds, new and old, some in
manuscript and others in print, as well as those of modern times, were
mostly destroyed by fire, or were torn to pieces, which, together with their
owners, lie hid under the ruins to this day. Woe to the eyes that beheld this !
yet may the name of the Lord be blessed for the evil as well as for the good.

Fearing that this book might share the same fate as the others, I daily
used the most persevering exertions in sending letters to some particular
individuals in the city Argilia, in the city Titu, and in the city Pasia, to
such as had been left, humbly beseeching them to search and inquire
where might be the place of the glory of this book, and it was sought after
and found to be hid in the hands of one of the individuals of the congrega
tion, the wise and highly gifted Moses Chasan ; and thanks are due to him,
that upon his ascertaining my good intention to print it and to scatter it
throughout all Jewish communities, he did not delay to send it, as he felt
a desire for a heavenly reward for this pious act, yea, he sent it to me as
a gift, may he receive a blessing from the Lord, and may his reward be
perfect. Amen.

Now I in my humble station have composed a work entitled *|DV fUlfiD
in two parts, one part containing some of the scriptural comments which
I made with the gracious help of the Lord, and the second part containing
fifty lectures which I delivered to a great congregation, besides a later
comment containing explanations of parts of the Talmud which I met
with in the course of my studies, and which I illustrated according to my
humble abilities ; now I am revising this work a second time in order to
bring it to the press, if heaven spare my life, yet I said to my heart, to
thee, O worm, and no man, does the scripture proclaim " It is time for
thee, O Lord, to work, for they have made void thy law" for the printing
of this book of Jasher tends to the honor and glory of the Lord, for through
it will the hearts of men be directed to cleave to the blessed Lord, and
by the means of which they will understand the wonderful works of God,
and his bounties toward our ancestors from the days of old, and how he
chose us from all nations, as thou wilt see at length in the preface, where
in thou wilt perceive enumerated the great many uses, thirteen in num
ber, which induce men to confide in the Lord and to adhere to him.

I have also found another use therein, which is, that many parts of the
five books difficult of comprehension, and which the commentators have
been unable to reconcile, are, by means of this book, properly understood,
because it gives a detail of those parts, wherein the sacred volume is
brief in its account, and relates events as they occurred ; thou wilt there
fore find me lifting up my hand in the margin with the words *VJ?H ^Otf
" The humble editor says" by which will be understood what I have as-

PRINTER S PREFACE. xxni

serted ; search and thou will find many things also, which our Rabbies in
their works gave in short, are brought forth more fully in this book since
it is high time now to act and have a care for the glory of God s name.
Since then it is proper for me at present to defer the publication of my
above mentioned work until I shall first have brought to light the hidden
treasures of this book and to reveal them to the world, I am confident that
with the help of the Lord all Israel will exult and rejoice therein.

I have therefore put my trust in the Lord, may he remember me favor
ably, that I may be enabled in the next year by his help and decree to
publish also my afore mentioned work.

As for me, my prayer is to him who dwells on high, may the Lord God
assist me, and send me from on high his peace, favor, and faithfulness to
help me, that he may lead me beside the still waters, and conduct me to
the paths of righteousness for the sake of his great name, and for the sake
of his law. Amen for ever and ever.

THE BOOK OF JASHER

THIS IS THE BOOK OF THE GENERATIONS OF MAN WHOM GOD CREATED

UPON THE EARTH ON THE DAY WHEN THE LORD GOD MADE

HEAVEN AND EARTH.

CHAPTER I.

1 . And God said let us make man
in our image, after our likeness, and
God created man in his own image.

2. And God formed man from the
ground, and he blew into his nostrils
the breath of life, and man became
a living soul endowed with speech.

3. And the Lord said it is not
good for man to be alone ; I will
make unto him a helpmate.

4. And the Lord caused a deep
sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept,
and he took away one of his ribs,
and he built flesh upon it and form
ed it and brought it to Adam, and
Adam awoke from his sleep, and be
hold a woman was standing before
him.

5. And he said, this is a bone of my
bones and it shall be called woman,
for this has been taken from man ;
and Adam called her name Eve, for
she was the mother of all living.

6. And God blessed them and
called their names Adam and Eve in
the day that he created them, and

the Lord God said, be fruitful
multiply and fill the earth.

7. And the Lord God took Adam
and his wife, and he placed them in
the garden of Eden to dress it and
to keep it ; and he commanded them
and said unto them, from every tree
of the garden you may eat, but from
the tree of the knowledge of good
and evil you shall not eat, for in the
day that you eat thereof you shall
surely die.

8. And when God had blessed
and commanded them he went from
them, and Adam and his wife dwelt
in the garden according to the com
mand which the Lord had command
ed them.

9. And the serpent, which God
had created with them in the earth,
came to them to incite them to trans
gress the command of God which he
had commanded them.

10. And the serpent enticed and
persuaded the woman to eat from
the tree of knowledge, and the wo
man hearkened to the voice of the
serpent, and she transgressed the

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

word of God, and took from the tree
of the knowledge of good and evil
and she ate, and she took from it
and gave also to her husband and he
ate.

11. And Adam and his wife trans
gressed the command of God which
he commanded them, and God knew
it, and his anger was kindled against
them and he cursed them.

12. And the Lord God drove them
that day from the garden of Eden,
to till the ground from which they
were taken, and they went and dwelt
at the east of the garden of Eden ;
and Adam knew his wife Eve and she
bore two sons and three daughters.

13. And she called the name of
the first born Cain, saying, I have
obtained a man from the Lord, and
the name of the other she called Abel,
for she said, in vanity we came into
the earth and in vanity we shall be
taken from it.

14. And the boys grew up and
their father gave them a possession
in the land ; and Cain was a tiller
of the ground, and Abel a keeper of
sheep.

15. And it was at the expiration
of a few years, that they brought an
approximating offering to the "Lord,
and Cain brought from the fruit of
the ground, and Abel brought from
the firstlings of his flock from the fat
thereof, and God turned and inclined
to Abel and his offering, and a fire
came down from the Lord from
heaven and consumed it.

16. And unto Cain and his offer
ing the Lord did not turn, and he
did not incline to it, for he had
brought from the inferior fruit of the
ground before the Lord, and Cain
was jealous against his brother Abel
on account of this, and he sought a
pretext to slay him.

17. And in some time after, Cain
and Abel his brother went one day
into the field to do their work ; and
they were bolh in the field, Cain
tilling and ploughing his ground,
and Abel feeding his flock ; and the
flock passed that part which Cain
had ploughed in the ground, and it
sorely grieved Cain on this account.

18. And Cain approached his bro
ther Abel in anger, and he said unto
him, what is there between me and
thee that thou comest to dwell and
bring thy flock to feed in my land ?

19. And Abel answered his bro
ther Cain and said unto him, what
is there between me and thee, that
thou shalt eat the flesh of my flock
and clothe thyself with their wool ?

20. And now therefore, put off
the wool of my sheep with which
thou hast clothed thyself, and recom
pense me for their fruit and flesh
which thou hast eaten, and when
thou shalt have done this, I will then
go from thy land as thou hast said ?

21. And Cain said to his brother
Abel, surely if I slay thee this day,
who will require thy blood from me ?

22. And Abel answered Cain,
saying, surely God who has made us
in the earth, he will avenge my cause,
and he will require my blood from
thee shouldst thou slay me, for the
Lord is the judge and arbiter, and it
is he who will requite man according
to his evil, and the wicked man ac
cording to the wickedness that he
may do upon earth.

23. And now, if thou shouldst
slay me here, surely God knoweth
thy secret views, and will judge thee
for the evil which thou didst declare
to do unto me this day.

24. And when Cain heard the
words which Abel his brother had
spoken, behold the anger of Cain

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

was kindled against his brother Abel
for declaring this thing.

25. And Cain hastened and rose
up, and took the iron part of his
ploughing instrument, with which he
suddenly smote his brother and he
slew him, and Cain spilt the blood
of his brother Abel upon the earth,
and the blood of Abel streamed upon
the earth before the flock.

26. And after this Cain repented
having slain his brother, and he was
sadly grieved, and he wept over him
and it vexed him exceedingly.

27. And Cain rose up and dug a
hole in the field, wherein he put his
brother s body, and he turned the
dust over it.

28. And the Lord knew what Cain
had done to his brother, and the Lord
appeared to Cain and said unto him,
where is Abel thy brother that was
with thee ?

29. And Cain dissembled, and
said, I do not know, am I my bro
ther s keeper ? And the Lord said
unto him, what hast thou done ? The
voice of thy brother s blood crieth
unto me from the ground where thou
hast slain him.

30. For thou hast slain thy brother
and hast dissembled before me, and
didst imagine in thy heart that I saw
thee not, nor knew all thy actions.

31. But thou didst this thing and
didst slay thy brother for naught and
because he spoke rightly to thee, and
now, therefore, cursed be thou from
the ground which opened its mouth
to receive thy brother s blood from
thy hand, and wherein thou didst
bury him.

32. And it shall be when thou
shalt till it, it shall no more give thee
its strength as in the beginning, for
thorns and thistles shall the ground
produce, and thou shalt be moving

and wandering in the earth* until the
day of thy death.

33. And at that time Cain went
out from the presence of the Lord
from the place where he was, and he
went moving andt wandering in the
land towards the east of Eden, he
and all belonging to him.

34. And Cain knew his wife in
those days, and she conceived and
bare a son, and he called his name
Enoch, saying, in that time the Lord
began to give him rest and quiet in
the earth.

35. And at that time Cain also be
gan to build a city : and he built the
city and he called the name of the
city Enoch, according to the name
of his son ; for in those days the
Lord had given him rest upon the
earth, and he did not move about
and wander as in the beginning.

36. And Irad was born to Enoch,
and Irad begat Mechuyael and Me-
chuyael begat Methusael.

CHAPTER II.

1 . And it was in the hundred and
thirtieth year of the life of Adam
upon the earth, that he again knew
Eve his wife, and she conceived and
bare a son in his likeness and in his
image, and she called his name Seth,
saying, because God has appointed

* Although we find in the 34th and 35th ver
ses that God gave him rest, it might only have
been a temporary rest ; and as we are neither
told in scripture nor in this book anything more
relating to Cain, we cannot infer anything con
trary to this declaration.

t There is no mention made of the land of
Nod ; the word here used is iu the partici
ple present of the verb TW to wander ; the last
letter of those verbs whose two final letters are
similar, is sometimes dropped, and it might have
been nij with one daleth, like the word used in
scripture ~w without the vau, which is frequent
ly omitted.

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

me another seed in the place of Abel,
for Cain has slain him.

2. And Seth lived one hundred
and five years, and he begat a son ;
and Seth called the name of his son
Enosh, saying, because in that time
the sons of men began to multiply,
and to afflict their souls and hearts
by transgressing and rebelling against
God.

3. And it was in the days of Enosh
that the sons of men continued to
rebel and transgress against God, to
increase the anger of the Lord against
the sons of men.

4. And the sons of men went and
they served other Gods, and they
forgot the Lord who had created
them in the earth : and in those days
the sons of men made images of brass
and iron, wood and stone, and they
bowed down and served them.

5. And every man made his God
and they bowed down to them, and
the sons of men forsook the Lord all
the days of Enosh and his children ;
and the anger of the Lord was kin
died on account of their works and
abominations which they did in the
earth.

6. And the Lord caused the wa
ters of the river Gihon to overwhelm
them, and he destroyed and consu
med them, and he destroyed the third
part of the earth ; and notwithstand
ing this, the sons of men did not turn
from their evil ways, and their hands
were yet extended to do evil in the
sight of the Lord.

7. And in those days there was
neither sowing nor reaping in the
earth ; and there was no food for the
sons of men and the famine was very
great in those days.

8. And the seed which they sowed
in those days in the ground became
thorns, thistles and briers ; for from

the days of Adam was this declara
tion concerning the earth, of the
curse of God, which he cursed the
earth, on account of the sin which
Adam sinned before the Lord.

9. And it was when men conti
nued to rebel and transgress against
God, and to corrupt their ways, that
the earth also became corrupt.

10. And Enosh lived ninety years
and he begat Cainan ;

1 1 . And Cainan grew up and he
was forty years old, and he became
wise and had knowledge and skill in
all wisdom, and he reigned over all
the sons of men, and he led the sons
of men to wisdom and knowledge ;
for Cainan was a very wise man and
had understanding in all wisdom,
and with his wisdom he ruled over
spirits and daemons ;

12. And Cainan knew by his wis
dom that God would destroy the sons
of men for having sinned upon earth,
and that the Lord would in the lat
ter days bring upon them the waters
of the flood.

13. And in those days Cainan
wrote upon tablets of stone, what
was to take place in time to come,
and he put them in his treasures.

14. And Cainan reigned over the
whole earth, and he turned some of
the sons of men to the service of
God.

15. And when Cainan was sev
enty years old, he begat three sons
and two daughters.

16. And these are the names of
the children of Cainan ; the name of
the first born Mahlallel, the second
Enan, and the third Mered, and their
sisters were Adah and Zillah ; these
are the five children of Cainan that
were born to him.

17. AndLamech, the son of Me-
thusael, became related to Cainan by

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

marriage, and he took his two daugh
ters for his wives, and Adah con
ceived and bare a son to Lamech,
and she called his name Jabal.

18. And she again conceived and
bare a son, and called his name Ja
bal ; and Zillah, her sister, was bar
ren in those days and had no off
spring.

19. For in those days the sons of
men began to trespass against God,
and to transgress the commandments
which he had commanded to Adam, to
be fruitful and multiply in the earth.

20. And some of the sons of men
caused their wives to drink a draught
that would render them barren, in
order that they might retain their
figures and whereby their beautiful
appearance might not fade.

21. And when the sons of men
caused some of their wives to drink,
Zillah drank with them.

22. And the child-bearing women
appeared abominable in the sight of
their husbands, as widows, whilst
their husbands lived, for to the bar
ren ones only they were attached.

23. And in the end of days and
years, when Zillah became old, the
Lord *opened her womb.

24. And she conceived and bare a
son and she called his name Tubal
Cain, saying, after I had withered
away have I obtained him from the
Almighty God.

25. And she conceived again and
bare a daughter, and she called her
name Naamah, for she said, after I
had withered away have I obtained
pleasure and delight.

26. And Lamech was old and ad-

* It cannot be supposed that they gave Zil
lah the drink to cause barrenness when she be
came old, for as it is expressed in verse twenty,
it was given to those to retain their figures and
whereby their beautiful appearance might not
fade.

vanced in years, and his eyes were
dim that he could not see, and Tubal
Cain, his son, was leading him, and
it was one day that Lamech went in
to the field and Tubal Cain his son
was with him, and whilst they were
walking in the field, Cain the son of
Adam advanced towards them ; for
Lamech was very old and could not
see much, and Tubal Cain his son
was very young.

27. And Tubal Cain told his fa
ther to draw his bow, and with the
arrows he smote Cain, who was yet
far off, and he slew him, for he ap
peared to them to be an animal.

28. And the arrows entered Cain s
body although he was distant from
them, and he fell to the ground and
died.

29. And the Lord requited Cain s
evil according to his wickedness,
which he had done to his brother
Abel, according to the word of the
Lord which he had spoken.

30. And it came to pass when
Cain had died, that Lamech and Tu
bal went to see the animal which
they had slain, and they saw, and be
hold Cain their grandfather was fal
len dead upon the earth.

31. And Lamech was very much
grieved at. having done this, and in
clapping his hands together he struck
his son and caused his death.

32. And the wives of Lamech
heard what Lamech had done, and
they sought to kill him.

33. And the wives of Lamech ha
ted him from that day, because he
slew Cain and Tubal Cain, and the
wives of Lamech separated from
him, and would not hearken to him
in those days.

34. And Lamech came to his
wives, and he pressed them to listen
to him about this matter.

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

35. And lie said to his wives
Adah and Zillah, hear my voice O
wives of Lamech, attend to my
words, for now you have imagined
and said that I slew a man with my
wounds, and a child with my stripes
for their having done no violence,
but surely know that I am old and
greyheaded, and that my eyes are
heavy through age, and I did this
thing unknowingly.

36. And the wives of Lamech
listened to him in this matter, and
they returned to him with the advice
of their father Adam, but they bore
no children to him from that time,
knowing that God s anger was in
creasing in those days against the
sons of men, to destroy them with
the waters of the flood for their evil
doings.

37. And Mahlallel the son of Cai-
nan lived sixty five years and he be
gat Jered ; and Jered lived sixty-two
years and he begat Enoch.

CHAPTER III.

1. AND Enoch lived sixty-five
years and he begat Methuselah ;
and Enoch walked with God after
having begot Methuselah, and he
served the Lord, and despised the
evil ways of men.

2. And the soul of Enoch was
wrapped up in the instruction of the
Lord, in knowledge and in under
standing ; and he wisely retired from
the sons of men, and secreted him
self from them for many days.

3. And it was at the expiration of
many years, whilst he was serving
the Lord, and praying before him in
his house, that an angel of the Lord
called to him from Heaven, and he
said, here am I.

4. And he said, rise, go forth from

thy house and from the place where
thou dost hide thyself, and appear to
the sons of men, in order that thou
mayst teach them the way in which
they should go, and the work which
they must accomplish to enter in the
ways of God.

5. And Enoch rose up according
to the word of the Lord, and went
forth from his house, from his place
and from the chamber in which he
was concealed ; and he went to the
sons of men and taught them the
ways of the Lord, and at that time
assembled the sons of men and ac
quainted them with the instruction
of the Lord.

6. And he ordered it to be pro
claimed in all places where the sons
of men dwelt, saying, where is the
man who wishes to know the ways
of the Lord and good works ? let
him come to Enoch.

7. And all the sons of men then
assembled to him, for all who desired
this thing went to Enoch, and Enoch
reigned over the sons of men accor
ding to the word of the Lord, and
they came and bowed to him and
they heard his word.

8. And the spirit of God was upon
Enoch, and he taught all his men the
wisdom of God and his ways, and
the sons of men served the Lord all
the days of Enoch, and they came
to hear his wisdom.

9. And all the kings of the sons of
men, both first and last, together
with their princes and judges, came
to Enoch when they heard of his
wisdom, and they bowed down to
him, and they also required of Enoch
to reign over them, to which he con
sented.

10. And they assembled in all,, one
hundred and thirty kings and princes,
and they made Enoch king over

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

them, and they were all under his
power and command.

11. And Enoch taught them wis
dom, knowledge, and the ways of the
Lord ; and he made peace amongst
them, and peace was throughout the
earth during the life of Enoch.

12. And Enoch reigned over the
sons of men two hundred and forty-
three years, and he did justice and
righteousness with all his people, and
he led them in the ways of the Lord.

13. And these are the generations
of Enoch; Methuselah, Elisha, and
Elimelech, three sons ; and their sis
ters were Melca and Nahmah, and
Methuselah lived eighty-seven years
arid he begat Lamech.

14. And it was in the fifty-sixth
year of the life of Lamech when
Adam died ; nine hundred and thirty
years old was he at his death, and
his two sons, with Enoch and Me
thuselah his son, buried him with
great pomp, as at the burial of kings,
in the cave which God had told him.

15. And in that place all the sons
of men made a great mourning and
weeping on account of Adam ; it
has therefore become a custom
among the sons of men to this day.

16. And "Adam died because he
ate of the tree of knowledge ; he and
his children after him, as the Lord
God had spoken.

17. And it was in the year of
Adam s death which was the two
hundred and forty-third year of the
reign of Enoch, in that time Enoch
resolved to separate himself from the
sons of men and to secrete himseH
as at first in order to serve the Lord.

18. And Enoch did so, but did
not entirely secrete himself from
them, but kept away from the sons
of men three days and then went to
them for one dav.

19. And during the three days that
tie was in his chamber, he prayed
to, and praised the Lord his God,
and the day on which he went and
appeared to his subjects he taught
them the ways of the Lord, and all
they asked him about the Lord he
told them.

20. Arid he did in this manner for
many years, and he afterward con
cealed himself for six days, and ap
peared to his people one day in seven ;
and after (hat once in a month, and
then once in a year, until all the kings,
princes and sons of men sought for
him, and desired again to see the face
of Enoch, and to hear his word ; but
they could not, as all the sons of men
were greatly afraid of Enoch, and
they feared to approach him on
account of the Godlike awe that
was seated upon his countenance ;
therefore no man could look at him,
fearing he might be punished and
die.

21. And all the kings and princes
resolved to assemble the sons of men,
and to come to Enoch, thinking that
they might all speak to him at the
time when he should come forth
amongst them, and they did so.

22. And the day came when
Enoch went forth and they all assem
bled and came to him, and Enoch
spoke to them the words of the Lord
and he taught them wisdom and
knowledge, and they bowed down
before him and they said, may the
king live, may the king live !

23. And in some time after, when
the kings and princes and the sons
of men were speaking to Enoch, and
Enoch was teaching them the ways
of God, behold an angel of the Lord
then called unto Enoch from heaven,
and wished to bring him up to heaven
to make him reign there over the sons

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

of God, as he had reigned over the
sons of men upon earth.

23. When at that time Enoch
heard this he went and assembled all
the inhabitants of the earth, and
taught them wisdom and knowledge
and gave them divine instructions,
and he said to them, I have been
required to ascend into heaven, I
therefore do not know the day of my
going.

25. And now therefore I will
teach you wisdom and knowledge
and will give you instruction before I
leave you, how to act upon earth
whereby you may live ; and he did
so.

26. And he taught them wisdom
and knowledge, and gave them in
struction, and he reproved them, and
he placed before them statutes and
judgments to do upon earth, and he
made peace amongst them, and he
taught them everlasting life, and
dwelt with them some time teaching
them all these things.

27. And at that time the sons of
men were with Enoch, and Enoch
was speaking to them, and they
lifted up their eyes and the likeness
of a great horse descending from
heaven, and the horse paced in the*
air;

28. And they told Enoch what
they had seen, and Enoch said to
them, on my account does this horse
descend upon earth ; the time is come
when I must go from you and I shall
no more be seen by you.

29. And the horse descended at
that time and stood before Enoch,

* To express the region of the atmosphere
nn is often used, as the word -viN air, met with
in modern Hebrew works, is of rabbinical ex
traction and may be derived from niN light, by
which it might have been intended to show that
the air is the medium through which tho rays
of light become visible to us.

and all the sons of men that were
with Enoch saw him.

30. And Enoch then again ord-
jred a voice to be proclaimed, say-
ng, where is the man who delight-
3th to know the ways of the Lord
lis God, let him come this day to
Enoch before he is taken from us.

31. And all the sons of men as
sembled and came to Enoch that
day ; and all the kings of the earth
with their princes and counsellors
remained with him that day ; and
Enoch then taught the sons of men
wisdom and knowledge, and gave
them divine instruction ; and he bade
them serve the Lord and walk in his
ways all the days of their lives, and
he continued to make peace amongst
them.

32. And it was after this that he
rose up and rode upon the horse ;
and he went forth and all the sons of
men went after him, about eight
hundred thousand men ; and they
went with him one day s journey.

33. And the second day he said
to them, return home to your tents,
why will you go ? perhaps you may
die ; and some of them went from
him, and those that remained went
with him six day s journey ; and
Enoch said to them every day, re
turn to your tents, lest you may die ;
but they were not willing to return,
and they went with him.

34. And on the sixth day some ot
the men remained and clung to him,
and they said to him, we will go with
thee to the place where thou goest ;
as the Lord liveth, death only shall
separate us.

35. And they urged so much to
go with him, that he ceased speak
ing to them ; and they went after
him and would not return ;

36. And when the kings returned

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

they caused a census to be taken, in
order to know the number of re
maining men that went with Enoch ;
and it was upon the seventh day that
Enoch ascended into heaven in a
whirlwind, with horses and chariots
of fire.

37. And on the eighth day all the
kings that had been with Enoch sent
to bring back the number of men
that were with Enoch, in that place
from which he ascended into heaven.

38. And all those kings went to
the place and they found the earth
there filled with snow, and upon the
snow were large stones of snow,
and one said to the other, come, let
us break through this snow and see,
perhaps the men that remained with
Enoch are dead, and are now under
the stones of snow, and they search
ed but could not find him, for he had
ascended into heaven.

CHAPTER IV.

1. And all the days that Enoch
lived upon the earth, were three
hundred and sixty five years.

2. And when Enoch had ascend
ed into heaven, all the kings of the
earth rose and took Methuselah his
son and anointed him, and they
caused him to reign over them in
the place of his father.

3. And Methuselah acted upright
ly in the sight of God, as his father
Enoch had taught him, and he like
wise during the whole of his life
taught the sons of men wisdom,
knowledge and the fear of God, and
he did not turn from the good way
either to the right or to the left.

4. But in the latter days of Me
thuselah, the sons of men turned
from the Lord, they corrupted the
earth, they robbed and plundered

each other, and they rebelled against
God and they transgressed, and they
corrupted their ways, and would not
hearken to the voice of Methuselah,
but rebelled against him.

5. And the Lord was exceedingly
wroth against them, and the Lorcl
continued to destroy the seed in
those days, so that there was neither
sowing nor reaping in the earth.

6. For when they sowed the
ground in order that they might ob
tain food for their support, behold,
thorns and thistles were produced
which they did not sow.

7. And still the sons of men did
not turn from their evil ways, and
their hands were still extended to do
evil in the sight of God, and they
provoked the Lord with their evil
ways, and the Lord was very wroth,
and repented that he had made
man.

8. And he thought to destroy and
annihilate them *and he did so.

9. In those days when Lamech
the son of Methuselah was one hun
dred and sixty years old, Seth the
son of Adam died.

10. And all the days that Seth
lived, were nine hundred and twelve
years, and he died.

11. And Lamech was one hun
dred and eighty years old when he
took Ashmua, the daughter of Elishaa
the son of Enoch his uncle, and she
conceived.

12. And at that time the sons of
men sowed the ground, and a little
food was produced, yet the sons of
men did not turn from their evil
ways, and they trespassed and re
belled against God.

13. And the wife of Lamech
conceived and bare him a son at

*Referring to what was shortly to take place ;
the flood.

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

that time, at the revolution of the
year.

14. And Methuselah called his
name Noah, saying, the earth was
in his days at rest and free from cor
ruption, and Lamech his father call
ed his name *Menachem, saying,
this one shall comfort us in our works
and miserable toil in the earth,
which God had cursed.

15. And the child grew up and
was weaned, and he went in the
ways of his father Methuselah, per
fect and upright with God.

16. And all the sons of men depar
ted from the ways of the Lord in those
days as they multiplied upon the face
of "the earth with sons and daughters,
and they taught one another their
evil practices, and they continued
sinning against the Lord.

17. And every man made unto
himself a god, and they robbed and
plundered every man his neighbor
as well as his relative, and they cor
rupted the earth, and the earth was
filled with violence.

18. And their judges mid rulers
went to the daughters of men and
took their wives by force from their
husbands according to their choice,
and the sons of men in those days
took from the cattle of the earth, the
beasts of the field and the fowls of
the air, and taught the mixture of
animals of one species with the
other, in order therewith to provoke
the Lord ; and God saw the whole
earth and it was corrupt, for all flesh
had corrupted its ways upon earth,
all men and all animals.

* Menachem signifies a comforter. We have
no account in scripture of his being called Me
nachem, although the reason why he might have
had that name is given as it is here : " this one
will comfort us," (Gen.) which does not so well
accord with the name Noah, which means to
rest.

19. And the Lord said, I will blot
out man that I created from the face
of the earth, yea from man to the
birds of the air, together with cattle
and beasts that are in the field, for I
repent that I made them.

20. And all men who walked in
the ways of the Lord, died in those
days, before the Lord brought the
evil upon man which he had de
clared, for this was from the Lord,
that they should not see the evil
which the Lord spoke of concerning
the sons of men.

21. And Noah found grace in the
sight of the Lord, and the Lord chose
him and his children to raise up seed
from them upon the face of the
whole earth.

CHAPTER V.

1 . And it was in the eighty fourth
year of the life of Noah, that Enoch
the son of Seth died ; he was nine
hundied and five years old at his
death.

2. And in the one hundred and
seventy ninth year of the life of
Noah, Cainan the son of Enosh
died, and all the days of Cainan
were nine hundred and ten years,
and he died.

3. And in the two hundred and
thirty fourth year of the life of Noah r
Mahlallel the son of Cainan died,
and the days of Mahlallel were
eight hundred and ninety five years,
and he died.

4. And Jered the son of Mahlallel
died in those days, in the three hun
dred and thirty sixth year of the life
of Noah ; and all the days of Jered
were nine hundred and sixty two
years, and he died.

5. And all who followed the Lord
I died in those days, before they saw

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

the evil which God declared to do
upon earth.

6. And after the lapse of many
years, in the four hundred and eigh
tieth year of the life of Noah, when
all those men, who followed the
Lord had died away from amongst
the sons of men, and only *Methuse-
lah was then left, God said unto
Noah and Methuselah, saying,

7. Speak ye, and proclaim to the
sons of men, saying, thus saith the
Lord, return from your evil ways
and forsake your works, and the
Lord will repent of the evil that he
declared to do to you, so that it shall
not come to pass.

8. For thus saith the Lord, behold
I give you a period of one hundred
and twenty years ; if you will turn
to me and forsake your evil ways,
then will I also turn away from the
evil which I told you, and it shall
not exist, saith the Lord.

9. And Noah and Methuseleh
spoke all the words of the Lord to
the sons of men, day after day, con
stantly speaking to them.

10. But the sons of men would
not hearken to them, nor incline
their ears to their words, and they
were stiffnecked.

11. And the Lord granted them
a period of one hundred and twenty
years, saying, if they will return,
then will God repent of the evil, so
as not to destroy the earth.

12. And Noah the son of Lamech
refrained from taking a wife in those
days, to beget children, for he said,
surely now God will destroy the
earth, wherefore then shall I beget
children ?

* Methuselah only was left of the good ones
who did not die, besides Noah, who is mention
ed in the beginning of the verse, in the 450th
year of the life of Noah.

13. And Noah was a just man, he
was perfect in his generation, and

he Lord chose him to raise up seed
From his seed upon the face of the
arth.

14. And the Lord said unto Noah,
take unto thee a wife, and beget chil
dren, for I have seen thee righteous
3efore me in this generation.

15. And thou shalt raise up seed,
and thy children with thee, in the
midst of the earth ; and Noah went
and took a wife, and he chose*
Naamah the daughter of Enoch, and
she was five hundred and eighty
years old.

16. And Noah was four hundred
and ninety eight years old, when he
took Naamah for a wife.

17. And Naamah conceived and
bare a son, and he called his name
Japheth, saying, God has enlarged
me in the earth ; and she conceived
again and bare a son, and he called
his name Shem, saying, God has
made me a remnant, to raise up seed
in the midst of the earth.

18. And Noah was five hundred
and two years old when Naamah
bare Shem, and the boys grew up
and went in the ways of the Lord, in
all that Methuselah and Noah their
father taught them.

19. And Lamech the father of
Noah died in those days ; yet verily
he did not go with all his heart in

* From this it appears that the offspring of
the great, pious and illustrious Enoch was re
served to be the partner of the just and upright
Noah, thereby connecting the best of the fami
ly of Cain and Seth together. It was certainly
a great age to contract matrimony &gt; but it must
be remembered that Noah was then getting on
to five hundred years, and as he deferred mar
riage to this exceeding great age, he looked out
for one of his own age. I suppose that Enoch s
daughter intended living secluded from men,
like her father, until Noah, the best of men then
living, applied to her.

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

the ways of his father, and he died in
the hundred and ninety-fifth year of
the life of Noah.

20. And all the days of Lamech
were seven hundred and seventy
years and he died.

21. And all the sons of men who
knew the Lord, died in that year be
fore the Lord brought evil upon
them ; for the Lord willed them to
die, so as not to behold the evil
that God would bring upon their
brothers and relatives, as he had so
declared to do.

22. In that time, the Lord said
to Noah and Methuselah, stand forth
and proclaim to the sons of men all
the words that I spoke to you in those
days, peradventure they may turn
from their evil ways, and I will then
repent of the evil and will not bring it.

23. And Noah and Methuselah
stood forth, and said in the ears of
the sons of men, all that God had
spoken concerning them.

24. But the sons of men would
not hearken, neither would they in
cline their ears to all their declara
tions.

25. And it was after this that the
Lord said to Noah, the end of all
flesh is come before me, on account
of their evil deeds, and behold I will
destroy the earth.

26. And do thou take unto thee
Gopher wood, and go to a certain
place and make a large ark, and
place it in that spot.

27. And thus shalt thou make it ;
three hundred cubits its length, fifty
cubits broad and thirty cubits high.

28. And thou shalt make unto thee
a door, open at its side, and to a cubit
thou shalt finish above, and cover it
within and without with pitch.

29. And behold I will bring the
flood of waters upon the earth, and

all flesh be destroyed, from under
the heavens, all that is upon earth
shall perish.

30. And thou and thy household
shall go and gather two couple of
all living things, male and female,
and shall bring them to the ark, to
raise up seed from them upon earth.

31. And gather unto thee all food
that is eaten by all the animals, that
there may be food for thee and for
them.

32. And thou shalt choose for thy
sons three maidens, from the daugh
ters of men, and they shall be wives
to thy sons.

33. And Noah rose up, and he
made the ark, in the place where God
had commanded him, and Noah did
as God had ordered him.

34. In his five hundred and ninety
fifth year Noah commenced to make
the ark, and he made the ark in five
years, as the Lord had commanded.

35. Then Noah took the three
daughters of Eliakim, son of Methu
selah, for wives for his sons, as the
Lord had commanded Noah.

36. And it was at that time Me
thuselah the son of Enoch died ; nine
hundred and sixty years old was he,
at his death.

CHAPTER VI.

1 . At that time, after the death of
Methuselah, the Lord said to Noah,
go thou with thy household into the
ark ; behold I will gather to thee all
the animals of the earth, the beasts
of the field and the fowls of the
air, and they shall all come and sur
round the ark.

2. And thou shalt go and seat thy
self by the doors of the ark, and all
the beasts, the animals, and the fowls,
shall assemble and place themselves

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

before thee, and such of them as
shall come and crouch before thee,
shalt thou take and deliver into the
hands of thy sons, who shall bring
them to the ark, and all that will
stand before thee thou shalt leave.

3. And the Lord brought this
about on the next day, and animals,
beasts and fowls came in great mul
titudes and surrounded the ark.

4. And Noah went and seated him
self by the door of the ark, and of all
flesh that crouched before him, he
brought into the ark, and all that stood
before him he left upon earth.

5. And a lioness came, with her
two whelps, male and female, and
the three crouched before Noah, and
the two whelps rose up against
the lioness and smote her, and made
her flee from her place, and she went
away, and they returned to their pla
ces, and crouched upon the earth
before Noah.

6. And the lioness ran away, and
stood in the place of the lions.

7. And Noah saw this, and* won
dered greatly, and he rose and took
the two whelps, and brought them
into the ark.

8. And Noah brought into the ark
from all living creatures that were
upon earth, so that there was none
left but which Noah brought into
the ark.

9. Two and two came to Noah
into the ark, but from the clean ani
mals, and clean fowls, he brought
seven couples, as God had com
manded him.

10. And all the animals, and beasts,
and fowls, were still there, and they
surrounded the ark at everyplace,

* At the height to which even the animals of
the earth had corrupted themselves, that the
young whelps could so unnaturally rise up
against their parent in such a time of disaster.

and the rain had not descended till
seven days after.

11. And on that day, the Lord
caused the whole earth to shake,
and the sun darkened, and the foun
dations of the world raged, and the
whole earth was moved violently,
and the lightning flashed, and the
thunder roared, and all the fountains
in the earth were broken up, such as
was not known to the inhabitants be
fore ; and God did this mighty act,
in order to terrify the sons of men,
that there might be no more evil upon
earth.

1 2. And still the sons of men would
not return from their evil ways, and
they increased the anger of the Lord
at that time, and did not even direct
their hearts to all this.

13. And at the end of seven days,
in the six hundredth year of the life
of Noah, the waters of the flood
were upon the earth.

14. And all the fountains of the
deep were broken up, and the win
dows of heaven were opened, and
the rain was upon the earth forty
days and forty nights.

15. And Noah and his household,
and all the living creatures that were
with him, came into the ark on ac
count of the waters of the flood, and
the Lord shut him in.

16. And all the sons of men that
were left upon the earth, became ex
hausted through evil on account of
the rain, for the waters were coming
more violently upon the earth, and
the animals and beasts were still sur
rounding the ark.

17. And the sons of men assem
bled together, about* seven hundred

* It must be remembered, that according to
this book, a third part of the earth had already
been destroyed by the overflowing of the river
Gihon. See chapter 2, verse 6.

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

thousand men and women, and they
came unto Noah to the ark.

18. And they called to Noah, say
ing, open for us that we may come
to thee in the ark and wherefore
shall we die ?

19. And Noah, with a loud voice,
answered them from the ark, saying,
have you not all rebelled against the
Lord, and said that he does not exist ?
and therefore the Lord brought upon
you this evil, to destroy and cut you
off from the face of the earth.

20. Is not this the thing that I
spoke to you of one hundred and
twenty years back, and you would
not hearken to the voice of the Lord,
and now do you desire to live upon
earth ?

21. And they said to Noah, we
are ready to return to the Lord ; only
open for us that we may live and
not die.

22. And Noah answered them,
saying, behold now that you see the
trouble of your souls, you wish to
return to th e Lord ; why did you not
return during these hundred and
twenty years, which the Lord gran
ted you as the determined period ?

23. But now you come and tell
me this on account of the troubles
of your souls, now also the Lord
will not listen to you, neither will he
give ear to you on this day, so that
you will not now succeed in your
wishes.

24. And the sons of men ap
proached in order to break into the
ark, to come in on account of the
rain, for they could not bear the rain
upon them.

25. And the Lord sent all the
beasts and animals that stood round
the ark. And the beasts overpow
ered them and drove them from that
place, and every man went his way

and they again scattered themselves
upon the face of the earth.

26. And the rain was still de
scending upon the earth, and it de
scended forty days and forty nights,
and the waters prevailed greatly upon
the earth ; and all flesh that was upon,
the earth or in the waters died, whe
ther men, animals, beasts, creeping
things or birds of the air, and there
only remained Noah and those that
were with him in the ark.

27. And the waters prevailed and
they greatly increased upon the earth,
and they lifted up the ark and it was
raised from the earth.

28. And the ark floated upon the
face of the waters, and it was tossed
upon the waters so that all the living
creatures within were turned about
like pottage in the cauldron.

29. And great anxiety seized all
the living creatures that were in the
ark, and the ark was like to be broken,

30. And all the living creatures
that were in the ark were terrified,
and the lions roared, and the oxen
lowed, and the wolves howled, and
every living creature in the ark
spoke and lamented in its own lan
guage, so that their voices reached
to a great distance, and Noah and his
sons cried and wept in their troubles ;
they were greatly afraid that they
had reached the gates of death.

31. And Noah prayed unto the
Lord, and he cried unto him on ac
count of this, and he said, Lord
help us, for we have no strength to
bear this evil that has encompassed
us, for the waves of the waters have
surrounded us, mischievous torrents
have terrified us, the snares of death
have come before us ; answer us, O
Lord, answer us, light up thy coun
tenance toward us and be gracious
to us, redeem us and deliver us.

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

32. And the Lord hearkened to
the voice of Noah, and the Lord re
membered him.

33. And a wind passed over the
earth, and the waters were still and
the ark rested.

34. And the fountains of the deep
and the windows of heaven were
stopped, and the rain from heaven
was restrained.

35. And the waters decreased in
those days, and the ark rested upon
the mountains of Ararat.

36. And Noah then opened the
windows of the ark, and Noah still
called out to the Lord at that time
and he said, Lord, who didst form
the earth and the heavens and all that
are therein, bring forth our souls from
this confinement, and from the prison
wherein thou hast placed us, for I
am much wearied with sighing.

37. And the Lord hearkened to
the voice of Noah, and said to him,
when thou shalt have completed a
full year thou shalt then go forth.

38. And at the revolution of the
year, when a full year was comple
ted to Noah s dwelling in the ark,
the waters were dried from off the
earth, and Noah put off the covering
of the ark.

39. At that time, on the twenty-
seventh day of the second month,
the earth was dry, but Noah and his
sons, and those that were with him,
did not go out from the ark until the
Lord told them.

40. And the day came that the
Lord told them to go out, and they
all went out from the ark.

41. And they went and returned
every one to his way and to his place,
and Noah and his sons dwelt in the
land that God had told them, and
they served the Lord all their days,
and the Lord blessed Noah and his

sons on their going out from the ark.
42. And he said to them, be fruit
ful and fill all the earth ; become
strong and increase abundantly in the
earth and multiply therein.

CHAPTER VII.

1. AND these are the names of
the sons of Noah : Japheth, Ham
and Shem ; and children were born
to them after the flood, for they had
taken wives before the flood.

2. These are the sons of Japheth ;
Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tu-
bal, Meshech and Tiras, seven sons.

3. And the sons of Gomer were
Askinaz, Rephath and Tegarmah.

4. And the sons of Magog were
Elichanaf and Lubal.

5. And the children of Madai
were Achon, Zeelo, Chazoni and
Lot.

6. And the sons of Javan were
Elisha, Tarshish, Chittim and Dudo-
nim.

7. And the sons of Tubal were
Ariphi, Kesed and Taari.

8. And the sons of Meshech
were Dedon, Zaron and Shebashni.

9. And the sons of Tiras were
Benib, Gera, Lupirion and Gilak ;
these are the sons of Japheth ac
cording to their families, and their
numbers in those days were about
four hundred and sixty men.

10. And these are the sons of
Ham ; Cush, Mitzraim, Phut and
Canaan, four sons ; and the sons of
Cush were Seba, Havilah, Sabta,
Raama and Satecha, and the sons of
Raama were Sheba and Dedan.

1). And the sons of Mitzraim
were Lud, Anom and Pathros, Chas-
loth and Chaphtor.

12. And the sons of Phut were
Grebul , Hadan, Benah and Adan.

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

13. And the sons of Canaan
were Zidon, Heth, Amori, Gergashi,
Hivi, Arkee, Seni, Arodi, Zimodi
and Cham ot hi.

14. These are the sons of Ham,
according to their families, and their
numbers in those days were about
seven hundred and thirty men.

15. And these are the sons of
Shem; Elam, Ashur, Arpachshad,
Lud and Aram, five sons ; and the
sons of Elam were Shushan, Ma-
chul and Harmon.

16. And the sons of Ashar were
Mirus and Mokil, and the sons of
Arpachshad were Shelach, Anar
and Ashcol.

17. And the sons of Lud were
Pethor and Bizayon, and the sons
of Aram were Uz, Chul, Gather
and Mash.

18. These are the sons of Ham,
according to their families ; and
their numbers in those days were
about three hundred men.

19. These are the generations of
Shem ; Shem begat Arpachshad and
Arpachshad begat Shelach, and
Shelach begat Eber and to Eber
were born two children, the name of
one was Peleg, for in his days the
sons of men were divided, and in
the latter days, the earth was divi
ded.

20. And the name of the second
was Yoktan, meaning that in his
day the lives of the sons of men
were diminished and lessened.

21. These are the sons of Yok
tan ; Almodad, Shelaf, Chazarmov-
eth, Yerach, Hadurom, Ozel, Diklah
Obal, Abimael, Sheba, Ophir, Hav
ilah and Jobab ; all these are the
sons of Yoktan.

22. And Peleg his brother bega
Yen, and Yen begat Serug, and Se
rug begat Nahor, and Nahor bega

Terah, and Terah was thirty-eight
fears old, and he begat Haran and
Vahor.

23. And Cush the son of Ham,
he son of Noah, took a wife in those
iays, in his old age, and she bare

a son, and they called his name
\imrod, saying, at that time the

ons of men again began to rebel
and transgress against God, and the
;hild grew up, and his father loved

lim exceedingly, for he was the son

f his old age.

24. And the garments of skin
which God made for Adam and his
wife, when they went out of the
garden, were given to Cush.

25. For after the death of Adam
and his wife, the garments were giv
en to Enoch, the son of Jered, and
when Enoch was taken up to God,
ic gave them to Methuselah, his son.

26. And at the death of Methuse-
ah, Noah took them and brought
ihem to the ark, and they were with
lim until he went out of the ark.

27. And in their going out, Ham
stole those garments from Noah his
father, and he took them and hid
them from his brothers.

28. And when Ham begat his
first born Cush, he gave him the
garments in secret, and they were
with Cush many days.

29. And Cush also concealed them
from his sons and brothers, and when
Cush had begotten Nimrod, he
gave him those garments through
his love for him, and Nimrod grew
up, and when he was twenty years
old he put on those garments.

30. And Nimrod became strong
when he put on the garments, and
God gave him might and strength,
and he was a mighty hunter in the
earth, yea, he was a mighty hunter
in the field, and he hunted the ani-

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

mals and he built altars, and he of
fered upon them the animals before
the Lord.

31. And Nimrod strengthened
himself, and he rose up from amongst
his brethren, and he fought the bat
tles of his brethren against all their
enemies round about.

33. And the Lord delivered all
the enemies of his brethren in his
hands, and God prospered him from
time to time in his battles, and he
reigned upon earth.

33. Therefore it became current
in those days, when a man ushered
forth those that he had trained up
for battle, he would say to them, like
God did to Nimrod, who was a
mighty hunter in the earth, and who
succeeded in the battles that prevail
ed against his brethren, that he de
livered them from the hands of their
enemies, so may God strengthen
us and deliver us this day.

34. And when Nimrod was forty
years old, at that time there was a
war between his brethren and the
children of Japheth, so that they
were in the power of their enemies.

35. And Nimrod went forth at
that time, and he assembled all the
sons of Cush and their families,
about four hundred and sixty men,
and he hired also from some of his
friends and acquaintances about
eighty men, and he gave them their
hire, and he went with them to bat
tle, and when he was on the road,
Nimrod strengthened the hearts of
the people that went with him.

36. And he said to them, do not
fear, neither be alarmed, for all our
enemies will be delivered into our
hands, and you may do with them
as you please.

37. And all the men that went
were about five hundred, and they

fought against their enemies, and
they destroyed them, and subdued
them, and Nimrod placed standing
officers over them in their respective
places.

38. And he took some of their
children as security, and they were
all servants to Nimrod and to his
brethren, and Nimrod and all the
people that were with him turned
homeward.

39. And when Nimrod had joy
fully returned from battle, after having
conquered his enemies, all his breth
ren, together with those who knew
him before, assembled to make him
king over them, and they placed the
regal crown upon his head.

40. And he set over his subjects
and people, princes, judges and
rulers, as is the custom amongst
kings.

41. And he placed Terah the son
of Nahor the prince of his host, and
he dignified him and elevated him
above all his princes.

42. And whilst he was reigning
according to his heart s desire, after
having conquered all his enemies
around, he advised with his counsel
lors to build a city for his palace,
and they did so.

43. And they found a large valley
opposite to the east, and they built
him a large and extensive city, and
Nimrod called the name of the city
that he built Shinar, for the Lord
had vehemently shaken his enemies
and destroyed them.

44. And Nimrod dwelt in Shinar,
and he reigned securely, and he
fought with his enemies and he sub
dued them, and he prospered in all
his battles, and his kingdom became
very great.

45. And all nations and tongues
heard of his fame, and they gathered

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

themselves* to him, and they bowed
down to the earth, and they brought
him offerings, and he became their
lord and king, and they all dwelt
with him in the city of Shinar, and
Nimrod reigned in the earth over all
the sons of Noah, and they were all
under his power and counsel.

46. And all the earth was of one
tongue and words of union, but Nim
rod did not go in the ways of the
Lord, and he was more wicked than
all the men that were before him, from
the days of the flood until those days.

47. And he made Gods of wood

* According to Jasher, (and, I believe, Dr.
Clarke gives the same opinion of some Chris
tian commentators,) an inference can be drawn
that there was a partial separation of mankind
long before the affair at Babel, as the confusion
of languages did not take place till about 340
years after the flood, being the end of Peleg s
life, or the 48th year of the life of Abraham ;
and having shown that the date of Abraham s
birth should be A. M. 1948 instead of 2008, it
will follow that the confusion of Babel took
place A. M. 1996. I have no doubt that a se
paration took place before then, until they were
reunited under the dominion of Nimrod. Ow
ing to this separation, and their numerous in
crease, their having no regular form of govern
ment, and particularly their petty wars among
each other, their first language would branch
out into many variations, but still near enough
to the original to be understood by each other,
and sufficiently altered to be called different
tongues ; and as a number of families might, by
co-operating together, be called a petty nation,
so would some alteration in their speech, or
tongue, be sufficient to distinguish them. Ja
sher tells us, that when Nimrod was 40 years
old, there was war between his brethren and
the children of Japheth ; (see verse 34 ;) and
that they were under the power of their ene
mies ; that with a few people, (of the children
of Cush only,) he made war, and subdued them ;
and that they all came to dwell with him in
Shinar. I have frequently had to remark that
the word all must not in the Hebrew be taken
in that latitude, as it would in the modern lan
guages. When a united number is intended to
be expressed, the word all is used as in verse
35, when "Nimrod assembled all the sons o
Cush, and their families, about four hundred am
sixty men," by this is meant that all those assem
bled of the families of Cush were four hundrec

and stone, and he bowed down to
them, and he rebelled against the
Lord, and taught all his subjects and
the people of the earth his wicked
ways ; and Mardon his son was more
wicked than his father.

48. And every one that heard of
the acts of Mardon the son of Nimrod
would say, concerning him, from the
wicked goeth forth wickedness ;
therefore it became a proverb in the
whole earth, saying, from the wick
ed goeth forth wickedness, and it
was current in the words of men
from that time to this.

and sixty men. Sufficient examples will be found
in Jasher as well as in scripture, where VD must be
understood in this sense. I therefore understand
in this verse, not that all mankind came to live in
Shinar, but that all those that did come, resided
in Shinar. And if, owing to their former separa
tion into petty nations, they must have adopted
various dialects sufficient to distinguish them, as
Jasher tells us that " all nations and tongues
heard his fame," so when they were reuni
ted, and become under one government, not
from choice, but from compulsion, then they be
came again of one lip and words of union ; for
thus would I translate D tnN onai% commonly
translated, and one speech, which is the li
teral translation, meaning that after their ces
sation from war and petty broils, they again
spoke in one lip and words of union, in opposi
tion to separate dialects and words of strife.
This inference of a former separation will ex
plain that part of the speech of the builders of
Babel, " we will build a tower, &c., &c., lest
we be scattered upon the face of the earth,"
alluding to their former dissensions, by which
means they had originally separated, and be
come scattered, but wishing to unite in idolatry,
and raise an amazing tower, they hoped it would
be the means of uniting the whole race of man
kind under their impious standard. It seems
that the families of Cush, Mitzraim, Phut and
Canaan were the chief instigators to this im
pious act, and that out of all the families then
existing, not of Ham only, but the impious of
all the families that assembled to the task, were
600,000 men ; and they chose a valley at two
days distance from Shinar, say twenty miles.
I have no doubt the numbers of the human race
were very considerable at that time, as it was
340 years after the flood, and there was plenty
of time for the propagation of men to three or
four millions of inhabitants.

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

49. And Terah the son of Nahor,
prince of Nimrod s host, was in those
days very great in the sight of the
king and his subjects, and the king
and princes loved him, and they ele
vated him very high.

50. And Terah* took a wife, and
her name was Amthelo the daughter
of Cornebo ; and the wife of Terah
conceived and bare him a son in
those days.

51. Terah was seventy years old
when he begat him, and Terah called
the name of his son that was born to
himt Abram, because the king had
raised him in those days, and digni
fied him above all his princes that
were with him.

CHAPTER VIII.

1 . And it was in the night that
Abram was born, that all the ser
vants of Terah, and all the wise men
of Nimrod, and his conjurors came
and ate and drank in the house of
Terah, and they rejoiced with him on
that night.

2. And when all the wise men
and conjurors went out from the
house of Terah, they lifted up their
eyes toward heaven that night to
look at the stars, and they saw, and
behold one very large star came
from the east and ran in the heav
ens, and he swallowed up the four
stars from the four sides of the
heavens.

* By this it seems he had another wife who
bare Abram, different from her who baxe Haran
and Nahor. See verse 22.

1 013K From this it seems that Abram was
called so, not because he was a mighty father,
but because Terah was a mighty father in the
court of Nimrod, and therefore God changed
his name to Abraham, appropriating to him in
a much more extensive sense, the meaning
which Terah applied to himseIC

3. And all the wise men of the
king and his conjurors were aston
ished at the sight, and the sages un
derstood this matter, and they knew
its import.

4. And they said to each other, this
only betokens the child that has been
born to Terah this night, who will
grow up and be fruitful, and multi
ply, and possess all the earth, he
and his children for ever, and he
and his seed will slay great kings,
and inherit their lands.

5. And the wise men and conju
rors went home that night, and in the
morning all these wise men and con
jurors rose up early, and assembled
in an appointed house.

6. And they spoke and said to each
other, behold the sight that we saw
last night is hidden from the king, it
has not been made known to him.

7. And should this thing get
known to the king in the latter days,
he will say to us, why have you con
cealed this matter from me, and then
we shall all suffer death ; therefore,
now let us go and tell the king the
sight which we saw, and the inter
pretation thereof, and we shall then
remain clear.

8. And they did so, and they all
went to the king and bowed down to
him to the ground, and they said,
may the king live, may the king live.

9. We heard that a son was born
to Terah the son of Nahor, the prince
of thy host, and we yesternight came
to his house, and we ate and drank
and rejoiced with him 1 that night.

10. And when thy servants went
out from the house of Terah, to go
to our respectire homes to abide
there for the night, we lifted up our
eyes to heaven, and we saw a great
star coming from the east, and the
same star ran with great speed, and

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

swallowed up four great stars, from
the four sides of the heavens.

1 1 . And thy servants were aston
ished at the sight which we saw,
and were greatly terrified, and we
made our judgment upon the sight,
and knew by our wisdom the proper
interpretation thereof, that this thing
applies to the child that is born to
Terah, who will grow up and multi
ply greatly, and become powerful,
and kill all the kings of the earth,
and inherit all their lands, he and his
seed forever.

1 2. And now our lord and king,
behold we have truly acquainted thee
with what we have seen concerning
this child.

13. If it seemeth good to the king
to give his father value for this child,
we will slay him before he shall
grow up and increase in the land,
and his evil increase against us, that
we and our children perish through
his evil.

1 4 . And the king heard their words
and they seemed good in his sight,
and he sent and called for Terah,
and Terah came before the king.

15. And the king said to Terah,
I have been told that a son was yes
ternight born to thee, and after this
manner was observed in the heavens
at his birth.

16. And now therefore give me
the child, that we may slay him be
fore his evil springs up against us,
and I will give thee for his value,
thy house full of silver and gold.

17. And Terah answered the king
and said to him ; my Lord and king,
I have heard thy words, and thy ser
vant shall do all that his king desi-
reth.

18. But my lord and king, I will
tell thee what happened to me yes
ternight, that I may see what advice

the king will give his servant, and
then I will answer the king upon
what he has just spoken ; and the
king said, speak.

19. And Terah said to the king,
Ayon, son of Mored, came to me
yesternight, saying,

20. Give unto me the great and
beautiful horse that the king gave thee,
and I will give thee silver and gold,
and straw and provender for its value ;
and I said to him, wait till I see the king
concerning thy words, and behold
whatever the king saith, that will I do.

21. And now my lord and king,
behold I have made this thing known
to thee, and the advice which my
king will give unto his servant, that
will I follow.

22. And the king heard the words
of Terah, and his anger was kindled
and he considered him in the light of
a fool.

23. And the king answered Terah,
and he said to him, art thou so silly,
ignorant, or deficient in understand
ing, to do this thing, to give thy beau
tiful horse for silver and gold or even
for straw and provender ?

24. Art thou so short of silver and
gold, that thou shouldest do this
thing, because thou canst not obtain
straw and provender to feed thy
horse ? and what is silver and gold to
thee, or straw and provender, that
thou shouldst give away that fine
horse which I gave thee, like which
there is none to be had on the whole
earth?

25. And the king left off speak
ing, and Terah answered the king,
saying, like unto this has the king
spoken to his servant ;

26. I beseech thee, my lord and
king, what is this which thou didst
say unto me, saying, give thy son
that we may slay him, and I will

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

give thee silver and gold for his
value ; what shall I do with silver
and gold after the death of my son ?
who shall inherit me ? surely then at
my death, the silver and gold will re
turn to my king who gave it.

27. And when the king heard the
words of Terah, and the parable
which he brought concerning the
king, it grieved him greatly and he
was vexed at this thing, and his anger
burned within him.

28. And Terah saw that the an
ger of the king was kindled against
him, and he answered the king, say
ing, all that I have is in the king s
power ; whatever the king desireth
to do to his servant, that let him do,
yea, even my son, he is in the king s
power, without value in exchange, he
and his two brothers that are older
than he.

29. And the king said to Terah,
no, but I will purchase thy younger
son for a price.

30. And Terah answered the
king, saying, I beseech thee my lord
and king to let thy servant speak a
word before thee, and let the king
hear the word of his servant, and
Terah said, let my king give me
three days time till I consider this
matter within myself, and consult
with my family concerning the words
of my king ; and he pressed the king
greatly to agree to this.

31. And the king hearkened to
Terah, and he did so and he gave him
three days time, and Terah went out
from the king s presence, and he
came home to his family and spoke
to them all the words of the king ;
and the people were greatly afraid.

32. And it was in the third day
that the king sent to Terah, saying,
send me thy son for a price as I spoke
to thee ; and shouldst thou not do

this, I will send and slay all thou
hast in thy house, so that thou shalt
not even have a dog remaining.

33. And Terah hastened, (as the
thing was urgent from the king), and
he took a child from one of his ser
vants, which his handmaid had born
to him that day, and Terah brought
the child to the king and received
value for him.

34. And the Lord was with Terah
in this matter, that Nimrod might not
cause Abram s death, and the king
took the child from Terah and with
all his might dashed his head to the
ground, for he thought it had been
Abram; and this was concealed from
him from that day, and it was forgot
ten by the king, as it was the will of
Providence not to suffer Abram s
death.

35. And Terah took Abram his
son secretly, together with his mo
ther and nurse, and he concealed
them in a cave, and he brought them
their provisions monthly.

36. And the Lord was with Abram
in the cave and he grew up, and
Abram was in the cave ten years,
and the king and his princes, sooth
sayers and sages, thought that the
king had killed Abram.

CHAPTER IX.

1. AND Haran, the son of Terah,
Abram s oldest brother, took a wife in
those days.

2. Haran was thirty-nine years
old when he took her ; and the" wife
of Haran conceived and bare a son,
and he called his name Lot.

3. And she conceived again and
bare a daughter, and she called her
name Milca ; and she again conceived
and bare a daughter, and she called
her name Sarai.

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

4. Haran was forty-two years old
when he begat Sarai, which was in
the tenth year of the life of Abram;
and in those days Abram and his
mother and nurse went out from the
cave, as the king and his subjects
had forgotten the affair of Abram.

5. And when Abram came out
from the cave, he went to Noah and
his son Shem, and he remained with
them to learn the instruction of the
Lord and his ways, and no man knew
where Abram was, and Abram serv
ed Noah and Shem his son for a long
time.

6. And Abram was in Noah s
house thirty-nine years, and Abram
knew the Lord from three years old,
and he went in the ways of the Lord
until the day of his death, as Noah
and his son Shem had taught him ;
and all the sons of the earth in those
days greatly transgressed against the
Lord, and they rebelled against him
and they served other gods, and they
forgot the Lord who had created
them in the earth ; and the inhabi
tants of the earth made unto them
selves, at that time, every man his
God ; gods of wood and stone which
could neither speak, hear, nor deli
ver, and the sons of men served them
and they became their gods.

7. And the king and all his ser
vants, and Terah with all his house
hold were then the first of those that
served gods of wood and stone.

8. And Terah had twelve gods of
large size, made of wood and stone,
after the twelve months of the year,
and he served each one monthly, and
every month Terah would bring his
meat offering and drink offering to his
gods ; thus did Terah all the days.

9. And all that generation were
wicked in the sight of the Lord, and
they thus made every man his god,

but they forsook the Lord who had
created them.

10. And there was not a man
found in those days in the whole earth,
who knew the Lord (for they served
each man his own God) except Noah
and his household, and all those who
were under his counsel knew the
Lord in those days.

1 1 . And Abram the son of Terah
was waxing *great in those days in
the house of Noah, and no man
knew it, and the Lord was with him.

12. And the Lord gave Abram an
understanding heart, and he knew all
the works of that generation were
vain, and that all their gods were
vain and were of no avail.

13. And Abram saw the sun
shining upon the earth, and Abram
said unto himself surely now this
sun that shines upon the earth is God,
and him will I serve.

14. And Abram served the sun in
that day and he prayed to him, and
when evening came the sun set as
usual, and Abram said within him
self, surely this cannot be God ?

15. And Abram still continued to
speak within himself, who is he who
made the heavens and the earth?
who created upon earth? where is he?

16. And night darkened over him,
and he lifted up his eyes toward
the west, north, south and east, and
he saw that the sun had vanished
from the earth, and the day became
dark.

1 7. And Abram saw the stars and
moon before him, and he said, surely
this is the God who created the
whole earth as well as man, and
behold these his servants are gods
around him ; and Abram served the
moon and prayed to it all that night.

* In divine truths, as is explained in the next
verse.

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

18. And in the morning when it
was light and the sun shone upon
the earth as usual, Abram saw all
the things that the Lord God had
made upon earth.

19. And Abram said unto himself,
surely these are not gods that made
the earth and all mankind, but these
are the servants of God ; and Abram
remained in the house of Noah and
there knew the Lord and his ways,
and he served the Lord all the days
of his life, and all that generation
forgot the Lord, and served other
gods of wood and stone, and rebel
led all their days.

20. And king Nimrod reigned se
curely, and all the earth was under
his control, and all the earth was of
one tongue and words of union.

21. And all the princes of Nimrod
and his great men took counsel to
gether ; Phut, Mitzraim, Cush and
Canaan with their families, and they
said to each other, come let us build
ourselves a city and in it a strong
tower, and its top reaching heaven,
and we will make ourselves famed,
so that we may reign upon the whole
world, in order that the evil of our
enemies may cease from us, that we
may reign mightily over them, and
that we may not become scattered
over the earth on account of their
wars.

22. And they all went before the
king, and they told the king these
words, and the king agreed with
them in this affair, and he did so.

23. And all the families assembled
consisting of about six hundred
thousand men, and they went to
seek an extensive piece of ground
to build the city and the tower, and
they sought in the whole earth and
they found none like one valley at
the east of the land of Shinar, about

two days walk, and they journeyed
there and they dwelt there.

24. And they began to make
bricks and burn fires to build the city
and the tower that they had imagined
to complete.

25. And the building of the tower
was unto them a transgression and
a sin, and they began to build it, and
whilst they were building against
the Lord God of heaven, they imagin
ed in their hearts to war against him
and to ascend into heaven.

26. And all these people and all
the families divided themselves in
three parts ; the first said we will as
cend into heaven and fight against
him ; the second said, we will ascend
to heaven and place our own gods
there and serve them ; and the third
part said, we will ascend to heaven
and smite him with bows and spears ;
and God knew all their works and
all their evil thoughts, and he saw
the city and the tower which they
were building.

27. And when they were building
they built themselves a great city and
a very high and strong tower ; and on
account of its height the mortar and
bricks did not reach the builders in
their ascent to it, until those who went
up had completed a full year, and
after that, they reached to the buil
ders and gave them the mortar and
bricks ; thus was it done daily.

28. And behold these ascended
and others descended the whole day ;
and if a brick should fall from their
hands and get broken, they would all
weep over it, and if a man fell and
died, none of them would look at him.

29. And the Lord knew their
thoughts, and it came to pass when
they were building they cast the
arrows toward the heavens, and all
the arrows fell upon them filled with

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

blood, and when they saw them
they said to each other, surely we
have slain all those that are in heaven.

30. For this was from the Lord
in order to cause them to err, and in
order to destroy them from off the
face of the ground.

31. And they built the tower and the
city, and they did this thing daily until
many days and years were elapsed.

32. And God said to the seventy
angels who stood foremost before
him, to those who were near to him,
saying, come let us descend and con
fuse their tongues, that one man shall
not understand the language of his
neighbor, and they did so unto them.

33. And from that day following,
they forgot each man his neighbor s
tongue, and they could not under
stand to speak in one tongue, and
when the builder took from the hands
of his neighbor lime or stone which
he did not order, the builder would
cast it away and throw it upon his
neighbor, that he would die.

34. And they did so many days,
and they killed many of them in
this manner.

35. And the Lord smote the three
divisions that were there, and he
punished them according to their
works and designs ; those who said,
we will ascend to heaven and serve
our Gods, became *like apes and
elephants ; and those who said, we
will smite the heaven with arrows,
the Lord killed them, one man
through the hand of his neighbor ;

*A long note I have upon this, as it might be
translated, "and they became apes and ele
phants," this being the example of the work in
the hands of Mr. Adam of Calcutta, sent to
me by the royal Asiatic society, to see if it
were like mine. The words are " and his
heart died within him, and he became" (not a
atone) but " like unto a stone," as it is rightly
translated in the English Bible.

and the third division of those who
said, we will ascend to heaven and
fight against him, the Lord scattered
them throughout the earth.

36. And those who were left
amongst them, when they knew and
understood the evil which was com
ing upon them, they forsook the
building, and they also became scat
tered upon the face of the whole earth.

37. And they ceased building the
city and the tower ; therefore he
called that place Babel, for there
the Lord confounded the language of
the whole earth ; behold it was at
the east of the land of Shinar.

38. And as to the tower which the
sons of men built, the earth opened
its mouth and swallowed up one third
part thereof, and a fire also descend
ed from heaven and burned another
third, and the other third is left to this
day, and it is of that part which was
aloft, and its circumference is *three
days walk.

39. And many of the sons of men
died in that tower, a people without
number.

CHAPTER X.

1. AND Peleg the son of Eber
died in those days, in the forty-
eighth year of the life of Abram son
of Terah, and all the days of Terah
were two hundred and thirty nine
years.

* This cannot be the tower that Herodotus
saw, though it might be erected on the same
spot ; reckoning a day s walk 10 miles, as is sup
posed by the best Christian commentators, its
circumference will be 30 miles. This will not
appear so very astonishing when it is consider
ed that six hundred thousand men were employ
ed in erecting it, and, as Jasher tells, they were
many years engaged in this infamous work ;
and it will not exceed credibility, when it is re
membered that the wall of China is 1500 miles
in length.

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

2. And when the Lord had scat
tered the sons of men on account of
their sin at the tower, behold they
spread forth into many divisions, and
all the sons of men were dispersed
into the four corners of the earth.

3. And all the families became
each according to its language, its
land, or its city.

4. And the sons of men built
many cities according to their fami
lies, in all the places where they
went, and throughout the earth where
the Lord had scattered them.

5. And some of them built cities in
places from which they were after-
ward extirpated, and they called these
cities after their own names, or the
names of their children, or after their
particular occurrences.

6. And the sons of Japheth the
son of Noah went and built them
selves cities in the places where they
were scattered, and they called all
their cities after their names, and the
sons of Japheth were divided upon
the face of the earth into many di
visions and languages.

7. And these are the sons of Ja
pheth according to their families,
Gomer, Magog, Medai, Javan, Tu-
bal, Meshech and Tiras ; these are
the children of Japheth according to
their generations.

8. And the children of Gomer, ac
cording to their cities, were the Fran-
cum who dwelt in the land of Franza
by the river Fran za by the river Senah.

9. And the children of Rephath
are the Bartonim, who dwell in the
land of Bartonia by the river Ledah
which empties its waters in the great
*sea Gihon, that is, oceanus.

* This is the same as the river Gihon men
tioned in ch. 5, which overflowed and destroyed
part rf the earth. In the Hebrew o&lt; sea, and
mi river are frequently put for each other.

10. And the children of Tugarma
are ten families, and these are their
names ; Buzar, Parzunac, Balgar,
Elicanum, Ragbib, Tarki, Bid, Ze-
buc, Ongal and Tilmaz ; all these
spread and rested in the North and
built themselves cities.

1 1 . And they called their cities
after their own names, those are they
who abide by the rivers Hithlah and
Italac unto this day.

12. But the families of Angoli,
Balgar and Parzunac, they dwell by
the great river Dubnee ; and the
names of their cities are also ac
cording to their own names.

13. And the children of Javan are
the Javanim who dwell in the land
of Makdonia, and the children of
Madai are the Orelum that dwell in
the land of Curson, and the children
of Tubal are those that dwell in the
land of Tuskanah by the river Pa-
shiah.

14. And the children of Meshech
are the Shibashni and the children
of Tiras are Rushash, Cushni, and
Ongolis ; all these went and built
themselves cities ; those are the cities
that are situate by the sea Jabus by
the river Cura, which empties itself
in the river Tragan.

15. And the children of Eli shah
are the Almanim, and they also went
and built themselves cities; those
are the cities situate between the
mountains of Job and Shibathmo ;
and of them were the people of
Lumbardi who dwell opposite the
mountains of Job and Shibathmo,
and they conquered the land of Italia
and remained there unto this day.

16. And the children of Chittim
are the Romim who dwell in the
valley of Canopia by the river Ti-
breu.

17. And the children of Dudonim

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

are those who dwell in the cities of
the sea Gihon in the land of Bordna.

18. These are the families of the
children of Japheth according to
their cities and languages, when they
were scattered after the tower, and
they called their cities after their
names and occurrences ; and these
are the names of all their cities ac
cording to their families, which they
built in those days after the tower.

19. And the children of Ham
were Cush, Mitzraim, Phut and Ca
naan according to their generation
and cities.

20. All these went and built them
selves cities as they found Jit places
for thejn, and they called their cities
after the names of their fathers Cush,
Mitzraim, Phut and Canaan.

21. And the children of Mitz
raim are the Ludim, Anamim, Leha-
bim, Naphtuchim, Pathrusim, Cas-
luchim and Caphturim, seven families.

22. All these dwell by the river
Sihor, that is the brook of Egypt,
and they built themselves cities and
called them after their own names.

23. And the children of Pathros
and Casloch intermarried together,
and from them went forth the Pelish-
tim, the Azathim, and the Gerarim,
the Githim and the Ekronim, in all
five families ; these also built them
selves cities, and they called their
cities after the names of their fathers
unto this day.

24. And the children of Canaan
also built themselves cities, and they
called their cities after their names,
eleven cities and others without
number.

25. And four men from the fami
ly of Ham went to the land of the
plain ; these are the names of the
four men, Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah
and Zeboyim.

26. And these men built them
selves four cities in the land of the
plain, and they called the names of
their cities after their own names.

27. And they and their children
and all belonging to them dwelt in
those cities, and they were fruitful
and multiplied greatly and dwelt
peaceably.

28. And Seir the son of Hur,
son of Hivi, son of Canaan, went
and found a valley opposite to Mount
Paran, and he built a city there, and
he and his seven sons and his house
hold dwelt there, and he called the
city which he built Seir, according
to his name ; that is the land of
Seir unto this day.

29. These are the families of the
children of Ham, according to their
languages and cities, when they
were scattered to their countries
after the tower.

30. And some of the children of
Shem son of Noah, father of all the
children of Eber, also went and
built themselves cities in the places
wherein they were scattered, and
they called their cities after their
names.

31. And the sons of Shem were
Elam, Ashur, Arpachshad, Lud and
Aram, and they built themselves
cities and called the names of all
their cities after their names.

32. And Ashur son of Shem and
his children and household went
forth at that time, a very large body
of them, and they went to a distant
land that they found, and they met
with a very extensive valley in the
land that they went to, and they
built themselves four cities, and they
called them after their own names-
and occurrences.

33. And these are the names of
the cities which the children of Asfe-

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

ur built, Ninevah, Resen, Calach
and Rehobother; and the children
of Ashur dwell there unto this day.

34. And the children of Aram also
went and built themselves a city, and
they called the name of the city Uz
afte r their eldest brother, and they
dwelt therein ; that is the land of
Uz to this day.

35. And in the second year after
the tower a man from the house of
Ashur, whose name was Bela, went
from the land of Ninevah to sojourn
with his household wherever he
could find a place; and they came
until opposite the cities of the plain
against Sodom, and they dwelt there.

36. And the man rose up and
built there a small city, and called
its name Bela after his name ; that
is the land of Zoar unto this day.

37. And these are the families of
the children of Shem according to
their language and cities, after they
were scattered upon the earth after
the tower.

38. And every kingdom, city and
family of the families of the chil
dren of Noah built themselves many
cities after this.

39. And they established govern
ments in all their cities, in order to
be regulated by their orders ; so did
all the families of the children of
Noah forever.

CHAPTER XT.

1 . AND Nimrod son of Cush was
still in the land of Shinar, and he
reigned over it and dwelt there, and
he built cities in the land of Shinar.

2. And these are the names of
the four cities which he built, and
he called their names after the oc
currences that happened to them in
the building of the tower.

3. And he called the first Babel,
saying, because the Lord there con
founded the language of the whole
earth ; and the name of the second
he called *Erech, because from there
God dispersed them.

4. And the third he called tEched,
saying, there was a great battle at
that place ; and the fourth he called
Calnah, because his princes and
mighty men were consumed there,
and they vexed the Lord, they rebel
led and transgressed against him.

5. And when Nimrod had built
these cities in the land of Shinar, he
placed in them the remainder of
his people, his princes and his mighty
men that were left in his kingdom.

6. And Nimrod dwelt in Babel,
and he there renewed his reign over
the rest of his subjects, and he
reigned securely, and the subjects
and princes of Nimrod called his
name Amraphel, saying that at the
tower his princes and men fell
through his means.

7. And notwithstanding this, Nim
rod did not return to the Lord, and
he continued in wickedness and
teaching wickedness to the sons of
men ; and Mardon his son was
worse than his father, and continued
to add to the abominations of his
father.

8. And he caused the sons of men
to sin, therefore it is said, from the
wicked goeth forth wickedness.

9. At that time there was war be
tween the families of the children
of Ham, as they were dwelling in
the cities which they had built.

10. And Chedorlaomer, king of
Elam, went away from the families of

* TIN like on2n isnKM, as Kimchi explains
it, that they drew them out.

t n3N is a term for battle, from WN
sparks of fire.

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

the children of Ham, and he fought
with them and he subdued them, and
he went to the five cities of the
plain and he fought against them and
he subdued them, and they were
under his control.

1 1 . And they served him twelve
years, and they gave him a yearly tax.

12. At that time died Nahor, son
of Serug, in the forty ninth year of
the life of Abram son of Terah.

13. And in the fiftieth year of the
life of Abram son of Terah, Abram
came forth from the house of Noah,
and went to his father s house.

14. And Abram knew the Lord,
and he went in his ways and instruc
tions, and the Lord his God was
with him.

15. And Terah. his father was in
those days still captain of the host
of king Nimrod, and he still follow
ed strange gods.

16. And Abram came to his
father s house and saw twelve gods
standing there in their temples, and the
anger of Abram was kindled when he
saw these images in his father s house.

17. And Abram said, as the Lord
liveth these images shall not remain
in my father s house ; so shall the
Lord who created me do unto me if
in three days time I do not break
them all.

18. And Abram went from them,
and his anger burned within him.
And Abram hastened and went
from the chamber to his father s
outer court, and he found his father
sitting in the court, and all his ser
vants with him, and Abram came
and sat before him.

19. And Abram asked his father,
saying, Father, tell me where is God
who created heaven and earth, and
all the sons of men upon earth, and
who created thee and me. And Te

rah answered his son Abram and
said, behold those who created us
are all with us in the house.

20. And Abram said to his father,
my lord shew them to me I pray
thee ; and Terah brought Abram into
the chamber of the inner court, and
Abram saw, and behold the whole
room was full of gods of wood and
stone, twelve great images and oth
ers less than they without number.

21. And Terah said to his son,
behold these are they which made
all thou seest upon earth, and which
created me and thee, and all man
kind.

22. And Terah bowed down to
his gods, and he then went away
from them, and Abram his son went
away with him.

23. And when Abram had gone
from them he went to his mother and
sat before her, and he said to his
mother, behold, my father has shown
me those who made heaven and
earth, and all the sons of men.

24. Now therefore hasten and
fetch a kid from the flock, and make
of it savoury meat, that I may bring
it to my father s gods as an offering
for them to eat ; perhaps I may
thereby become acceptable to them.

25. And his mother did so, and
she fetched a kid, and made savoury
meat thereof, and brought it to
Abram, and Abram took the savoury
meat from his mother and brought it
before his father s gods, and he
drew nigh to them that they might
eat ; and Terah his father did not
know of it.

26. And Abram saw on the day
when he was sitting amongst them
that they had no voice, no hearing,
no motion, and not one of them could
stretch forth his; hand to eat.

27. And Abram mocked them,

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

and said, surely the savoury meat
that I prepared has not pleased them,
or perhaps it was too little for them,
and for that reason they would not
eat ; therefore to-morrow I will pre
pare fresh savoury meat, better and
more plentiful than this, in order
that. I may see the result.

28. And it was on the next day
that Abram directed his mother con
cerning the savoury meat, and his
mother rose and fetched three fine
kids from the flock, and she made of
them some excellent savoury meat,
such as her son was fond of, and she
gave it to her son Abram ; and Te-
rah his father did not know of it.

29. And Abram took the savoury
meat from his mother, and brought
it before his father s gods into the
chamber; and he came nigh unto
them that they might eat, and he
placed it before them, and Abram
sat before them all day,* thinking per
haps they might eat.

30. And Abram viewed them, and
behold they had neither voice nor
hearing, nor did one of them stretch
forth his hand to the meat to eat.

31. And in the evening of that
day in that house Abram was clothed
with the spirit of God.

32. And he called out and said,
wo unto my father and this wicked

* This is continued in the same beautiful strain
of irony a* the whole ; his first visit to the idols
with the first dish, his troubling his mother to
make fresh delicacies, fearing the first was not
good enough, and then his sitting there all day
watching them if they would eat, were all to
afford him materials for making a noble and for-
cible appeal to his father, to show him that he
exerted his best efforts to please his gods ; that
he attended twice upon them to try their ap
petites with the most relishing dishes, and that
he did not do this in haste, but that he had
watched them the whole day to see of what his
gods were capable. This strain of irony is not
much inferior to that where Elisha calls on the
worshippers of Baal.

generation, whose hearts are all in
clined to vanity, who serve these
idols of wood and stone which can
neither eat, smell, hear nor speak,
who have mouths without speech,
eyes without sight, ears without
hearing, hands without feeling, and
legs which cannot move ; like them
are those that made them and that
trust in them.

33. And when Abram saw all
these things his anger was kindled
against his father, and he hastened
and took a hatchet in his hand, and
came unto the chamber of the gods,
and he broke all his father s gods.

34. And when he had done break
ing the images, he placed the hatchet
in the hand of the great god which
was there before them, and he went
out; and Terah his father came
home, for he had heard at the door
the sound of the striking of the hatch
et ; so Terah came into the house
to know what this was about.

35. And Terah, having heard the
noise of the hatchet in the room of
images, ran to the room to the ima
ges, and he met Abram going out.

36. And Terah entered the room
and found all the idols fallen down
and broken, and the hatchet in the
hand of the largest, which was not
broken, and the savoury meat which
Abram his son had made was still
before them.

37. And when Terah saw this his
anger was greatly kindled, and he
hastened and went from the room to
Abram.

30. And he found Abram his son
still sitting in the house ; and he said
to him, what is this work thou hast
done to my gods ?

39. And Abram answered Terah
his father and he said, not so my
lord, for I brought savoury meat

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

before them, and when I came nigh
to them with the meat that they
might eat, they all at once stretched
forth their hands to eat before the
great one had put forth his hand to
eat.

40. And the large one saw their
works that they did before him, and
his anger was violently kindled
against them, and he went and took
the hatchet that was in the house and
came to them and broke them all,
and behold the hatchet is yet in his
hand as thou seest.

4 1 . And Terah s anger was kin
dled against his son Abram, when
he spoke this ; and Terah said to
Abram his son in his anger, what is
this tale that thou hast told ? Thou
speakest lies to me.

42. Is there in these gods spirit,
soul or power to do all thou hast told
me ? Are they not wood and stone,
and have I not myself made them,
and canst thou speak such lies, say
ing that the large god that was with
them smote them ? It is thou that
didst place the hatchet in his hands,
and then sayest he smote them all.

43. And Abram answered his fa
ther and said to him, and how canst
thou then serve these idols in whom
there is no power to do any thing ?
Can those idols in which thou trust-
est deliver thee ? can they hear thy
prayers when thou callest upon
them? can they deliver thee from the
hands of thy enemies, or will they
fight thy battles for thee against thy
enemies, that thou shouldst serve
wood and stone which can neither
speak nor hear ?

44. And now surely it is not good for
thee nor for the sons of men that are
connected with thee, to do these
things ; are you so silly, so foolish or so
short of understanding that you will

serve wood and stone, and do after
this manner ?

45. And forget the Lord God who
made heaven and earth, and who cre
ated you in the earth, and thereby
3ring a great evil upon your souls in
this matter by serving stone and
wood?

46. Did not our fathers in days of
old sin in this manner, and the Lord
God of the universe brought the
waters of the flood upon them and
destroyed the whole earth ?

47. And how can you continue to
do this and serve gods of wood and
stone, who cannot hear, or speak, or
deliver you from oppression, thereby
bringing down the anger of the God
of the universe upon you ?

48. Now therefore my father re
frain from this, and bring not evil upon
thy soul and the souls of thy house
hold.

49. And Abram hastened and
rang from before his father, and

took the hatchet from his father s lar
gest idol, with which Abram broke
it and ran away.

50. And Terah, seeing all tha*
Abram had done, hastened to go from
his house, and he went to the king
and he came before Nimrod and stood
before him, and he bowed down to
the king ; and the king said, what
dost thou want ?

51 . And he said, I beseech thee my
lord, to hear me now fifty years back
a child was born to me, and thus has
he done to my gods and thus has he
spoken ; and now therefore, my lord
and king, send for him that he may
come before thee, and judge him ac
cording to the law, that we may be
delivered from his evil.

52. And the king sent three men
of his servants, and they went and
brought Abram before the king.

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

And Nimrod and all his princes and
servants were that day sitting before
him, and Terah sat also before them.

53. And the king said to Abram,
what is this that thou hast done to
thy father and to his gods ? And
Abram answered the king in the
words that he spoke to his father, and
he said, the large god that was with
them in the house did to them what
thou hast heard.

54. And the king said to Abram,
had they power to speak and eat and
do as thou hast said ? And Abram
answered the king, saying, and if
there be no power in them why dost
thou serve them and cause the sons
of men to err through thy follies ?

55. Dost thou imagine that they
can deliver thee or do any thing small
or great, that thou shouldst serve
them ? And why wilt thou not serve
the God of the whole universe, who
created thee and in whose power it
is to kill and to keep alive ?

56. O foolish, simple, and igno
rant king, woe unto thee forever.

57. I thought thou wouldst teach
thy servants the upright way, but
thou hast not done this, but hast fil
led the whole earth with thy sins and
the sins of thy people who have fol
lowed thy ways.

58. Dost thou not know, or hast
thou not heard, that this evil which
thou doest, our ancestors sinned there
in in days of old, and the eternal God
brought the waters of the flood upon
them and destroyed them all, and
also destroyed the whole earth on
their account ? And wilt thou and
thy people rise up now and do like
unto this work, in order to bring
down the anger of the Lord God of
the universe, and to bring evil upon
thee and the whole earth ?

59. Now therefore put away this

evil deed which *thou doest, and
serve the God of the universe, as
thy soul is in his hands, and then it
will be well with thee.

60. And if thy wicked heart will
not hearken to my words to cause
thee to forsake thy evil ways and to
serve the eternal God, then wilt thou
die in shame in the latter days, thou,
thy people and all who are connect
ed with thee, hearing thy words or
walking in thy evil ways.

61. And when Abram had ceased
speaking before the king and princes,
Abram lifted up his eyes to the
heavens, and he said, the Lord seeth
all the wicked and he will judge
them.

CHAPTER XII.

1 . And when the king heard the
words of Abram he ordered him to
be put into prison ; and Abram was
ten days in prison.

2. And at the end of those days
the king ordered that all the kings,
princes and governors of different
provinces and the sages should come
before him, and they sat before him,
and Abram was still in the house of
confinement.

3. And the king said to the prin
ces and sages, have you heard what
Abram the son of Terah has done
to his father ? Thus has he done to
him, and I ordered him to be brought
before me, and thus has he spoken ;
his heart did not misgive him, nei
ther did he stir in my presence, and
behold now he is confined in the
prison.

4. And therefore decide what judg-

* I have here continued the singular pronoun
in order to keep up the chain of the narrative,
though the Hebrew has the transition to the
plural, as including Nimrod s men.

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

ment is due to this man who reviled
the king ; who spoke and did all the
things that you heard.

5. And they all answered the king,
saying, the man who revileth the
king should be hanged upon a tree ;
but having done all the things that
he said, and having despised our
gods, he must therefore be burned
to death, for this is the law in this
matter.

6. If it pleaseth the king to do
this, let him order his servants to
kindle a fire both night and day in
thy brick furnace, and then we will
cast this man into it. And the king
did so, and he commanded his ser
vants that they should prepare a fire
for three days and three nights in the
king s furnace, that is in Casdim ;
and the king ordered them to take
Abram from prison and bring him
out to be burned.

7. And all the king s servants,
princes, lords, governors and judges,
and all the inhabitants of the land,
about nine hundred thousand men,
stood opposite the furnace to see
Abram.

8. And all the women and little
ones crowded upon the roofs and
towers to see what was doing with
Abram, and they all stood together
at a distance ; and there was not a
man left that did not come on that
day to behold the scene.

9. And when Abram was come,
the conjurors of the king and the
sages saw Abram, and they cried
out to the king, saying, our sovereign
lord, surely this is the man whom
we know to have been the child at
whose birth the great star swallowed
the four stars, which we declared to
the king now fifty years since.

10. And behold now his father has
also transgressed thy command, and

mocked thee by bringing thee ano
ther child, which thou didst kill.

1 1 . And when the king heard their
words he was exceedingly wroth,
and he ordered Terah to be brought
before him.

12. And the king said, hast thou
heard what the conjurors have spo
ken ? Now tell me truly, how didst
thou ; and if thou shalt speak truth
thou shalt be acquitted.

13. And seeing that the king s an
ger was so much kindled, Terah
said to the king, my lord and king,
thou hast heard the truth and what
the sages have spoken is right. And
the king said, how couldst thou do
this thing, to transgress my orders
and to give me a child that thou didst
not beget, and to take value for him ?

14. And Terah answered the king,
because my tender feelings were ex
cited for my son, at that time, and I
took a son of my handmaid, and I
brought him to the king.

15. And the king said, who advi
sed thee to this ? Tell me, do not
hide aught from me, and then thou
shalt not die.

16. And Terah was greatly terri
fied in the king s presence, and he
said to the king, it was Haran my
eldest son who advised me to this ;
and Haran was in those days that
Abram was born, two and thirty
years old.

17. But Haran did not advise his
father to anything, for Terah said
this to the king in order to deliver
his soul from the king, for he feared
greatly ; and the king said to Terah,
Haran thy son who advised thee to
this shall die through fire with Abram ;
for the sentence of death is upon him
for having rebelled against the king s
desire in doing this thing.

18. And Haran at that time felt

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

inclined to follow the ways of Abram,
but he kept it within himself.

19. And Haran said in his heart,
behold now the king has seized
Abram on account of these things
which Abram did, and it shall come
to pass, that if Abram prevail over
the king I will follow him, but if the
king prevail I will go after the king.

20. And when Terah had spoken
this to the king concerning Haran his
son, the king ordered Haran to be
seized with Abram.

21. And they brought them both,
Abram and Haran his brother, to
cast them into the fire ; and all the
inhabitants of the land and the king s
servants and princes and all the
women and little ones were there,
standing that day over them.

22. And the king s servants took
Abram and his brother, and they
stripped them of all their clothes
excepting their lower garments which
were upon them.

23. And they bound their hands
and feet with linen cords, and the
servants of the king lifted them up
and cast them both into the furnace.*

24. And the Lord loved Abram
and he had compassion over him,
and the Lord came down and deliv
ered Abram from the fire and he was
not burned.

25. But all the cords with which
they bound him were burned, while
Abram remained and walked about
in the fire.

26. And Haran died when they
had cast him into the fire, and he
was burned to ashes, for his heart
was not perfect with the Lord ; and
those men who cast him into the

* This is noticed in the Talmud. The Rec-
habites have this tradition, and we also find it
recorded in the Koran that Abram was thrown
into a fiery furnace by Nimrod.

fire, the flame of the fire spread
over them, and they were burned ;
and twelve men of them died.

27. And Abram walked in the
midst of the fire three days and three
nights, and all the servants of the
king saw him walking in the fire,
and they came and told the king,
saying, behold we have seen Abram
walking about in the midst of the
fire, and even the lower garments
which are upon him are not burned,
but the cord with which he was
bound is burned.

28. And when the king heard
their words his heart fainted and he
would not believe them ; so he sent
other faithful princes to see this mat
ter, and they went and saw it and
told it to the king ; and the king
rose to go and see it, and he saw
Abram walking to and fro in the
midst of the fire, and he saw Haran s
body burned, and the king wonder
ed greatly.

29. And the king ordered Abram
to be taken out from the fire ; and his
servants approached to take him out
and they could not, for the fire was
round about and the flame ascend
ing toward them from the furnace.

30. And the king s servants fled
from it, and the king rebuked them,
saying, make haste and bring Abram
out of the fire that you shall not die.

31. And the servants of the king
again approached to bring Abram
out, and the flames came upon them
and burned their faces so that eight
of them died.

32. And when the king saw that
his servants could not approach the
fire lest, they should be burned, the
king called to Abram, O servant of
the God who is in heaven, go forth
from amidst the fire and come hkh-
er before me ; and Abram hearkened

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

to the voice of the king, and he
went forth from the fire and came
and stood before the king.

33. And when Abram came out
the king and all his servants saw
Abram coming before the king, with
his lower garments upon him, for
they were not burned, but the cord
with which he was bound was
burned.

34. And the king said to Abram,
how is it that thou wast not burned
in the fire ?

35. And Abram said to the king,
the God of heaven and earth in
whom I trust and who has all in his
power, he delivered me from the
fire into which thou didst cast me.

36. And Haran the brother of
Abram was burned to ashes, and
they sought for his body and they
found it consumed.

37. And Haran was eighty-two
years old when he died in the fire of
Casdim. And the king, princes and
inhabitants of the land, seeing that
Abram was delivered from the fire,
they came and bowed down to
Abram.

38. And Abram said to them, do
not bow down to me but bow down
to the God of the world who made
you, and serve him and go in his
ways for it is he who delivered me
from out of this fire, and it is he who
created the souls and spirits of all
men, and formed man in his mother s
womb, and brought him forth into
the world, and it is he who will de
liver those who trust in him from
all pain.

39. And this thing seemed very
wonderful in the eyes of the king
and princes, that Abram was saved
from tiie fire and that Haran was
burned; and the king gave Abram
many presents and he gave him his

two head servants from the king s
house ; the name of one was Oni
and the name of the other was
Eliezer.

40. And all the kings, princes
and servants gave Abram many gifts
of silver and gold and pearl, and the
king and his princes sent him away,
and he went in peace.

41. And Abram went forth from
the king in peace, and many of the
king s servants followed him, and
about three hundred men joined him.

42. And Abram returned on that
day and went to his father s house,
he and the men that followed him,
and Abram served the Lord his God
all the days of his life, and he walked
in his ways and followed his law.

43. And from that day forward
Abram inclined the hearts of the
sons of men to serve the Lord.

44. And at that time Nahor and
Abram took unto themselves wives,
the daughters of their brother Ha
ran ; the wife of Nahor was Milca
and the name of Abram s wife was
Sarai. And Sarai wife of Abram
was barren ; she had no offspring in
those days.

45. And at the expiration of two
years from Abram s going out of the
fire, that is in the fifty second year
of his life, behold king Nimrod sat
in Babel upon the throne, and the
king fell asleep and dreamed that he
was standing with his troops and
hosts in a valley opposite the king s
furnace.

46. And he lifted up his eyes and
saw a man in the likeness of Abram
coming forth from the furnace, and
that he came and stood before the
king with his drawn sword, and then
sprang to the king with his sword,
when the king fled from the man,
for he was afraid ; and while he

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

was running, the man threw an egg
upon the king s head, and the egg
became a great river.

47. And the king dreamed that all
his troops sank in that river and
died, and the king took flight with
three men who were before him and
he escaped.

48. And the king looked at these
men and they were clothed in prince
ly dresses as the garments of kings,
and had the appearance and majesty
of kings.

49. And while they were running,
the river again turned to an egg be
fore the king, and there came forth
from the egg a young bird which
came before the king, and flew at
his head and plucked out the king s
eye.

50. And the king was grieved at
the sight, and he awoke out of his
sleep and his spirit was agitated,
and he felt a great terror.

51. And in the morning the king
rose from his couch in fear, and he
ordered all the wise men and magi
cians to come before him, when the
king related his dream to them.

52. And a wise servant of the
king, whose name was Anuki, an
swered the king, saying, this is noth
ing else but the evil of Abram and
his seed which will spring up against
my lord and king in the latter days.

53. And behold the day will come
when Abram and his seed and the
children of his household will war
with my king, and they will smite all
the king s hosts and his troops.

54. And as to what thou liast said
concerning three men which thou
didst see like unto thyself, and
which did escape, this means that
only thou wilt escape with three
kings from the kings of the earth
who will be with thee in battle.

55. And that which thou sawest
of the river which turned to an egg
as at first, and the young bird pluck
ing out thine eye, this means nothing
else but the seed of Abram which
will slay the king in latter days.

56. This is my king s dream, and
this is its interpretation, and the
dream is true, and the interpretation
which thy servant has given thee is
right.

57. Now therefore my king, surely
thou knowest that it is now fifty-two
years since thy sages saw this at
the birth of Abram, and if my king
will suffer Abram to live in the earth
it will be to the injury of my lord and
king, for all the days that Abram
liveth neither thou nor thy kingdom
will be established, for this was
known formerly at his birth ; and
why will not my king slay him, that
his evil may be kept from thee in
latter days ?

58. And Nimrod hearkened to the
voice of Anuki, and he sent some of
his servants in secret to go and seize
Abram, and bring him before the
king to suffer death.

59. And Eliezer, Abram s servant
whom the king had given him, was
at that time in the presence of the
king, and he heard what Anuki had
advised the king, and what the king
had said to cause Abram s death.

60. And Eliezer said to Abram,
hasten, rise up and save thy soul,
that thou mayest not die through the
hands of the king, for thus did he
see in a dream concerning thee, and
thus did Anuki interpret it, and thus
also did Anuki advise the king con
cerning thee.

61. And Abram hearkened to the
voice of Eliezer, and Abram has
tened and ran for safety to the house
of Noah and his son, Shem, and he

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

concealed himself there and found a
place of safety ; and the king s ser
vants came to Abram s house to seek
him, but they could not find him,
and they searched throughout the
country and he was not to be found,
and they went and searched in every
direction and he was not to be met
with.

62. And when the king s servants
could not find Abram they returned
to the king, but the king s anger
against Abram was stilled, as they
did not find him, and the king drove
from his mind this matter concern
ing Abram.

63. And Abram was concealed in
Noah s house for one month until
the king had forgotten this matter,
but Abram was still afraid of the
king ; and Terah came to see Abram
his son secretly in the house of Noah,
and Terah was very great in the
eyes of the king.

64. And Abram said to his father,
dost thou not know that the king
thinketh to slay me, and to annihi
late my name from the earth by the
advice of his wicked counsellors ?

65. Now whom hast thou here
and what hast thou in this land ?
Arise, let us go together to the land
of Canaan, that we maybe delivered
from his hand, lest thou perish also
through him in the latter days.

66. Dost thou not know or hast
thou not heard, that it is not through
love that Nimrod giveth thee all this
honour, but it is only for his benefit
that he bestoweth all this good upon
thee?

67. And if he do unto thee greater
good than this, surely these are only
vanities of the world, for wealth and
riches cannot avail in the day of wrath
and anger.

68. Now therefore hearken to my

voice, and let us arise and go to the
land of Canaan, out of the reach of
injury from Nimrod ; and serve thou
the Lord who created thee in the
earth and it will be well with thee ;
and cast away all the vain things
which thou pursuest.

69. And Abram ceased to speak,
when Noah and his son Shem an
swered Terah, saying, true is the
word which Abram hath said unto
thee.

70. And Terah hearkened to the
voice of his son Abram, and Terah
did all that Abram said, for this was
from the Lord, that the king should
not cause Abram s death.

CHAPTER XIII.

1 . And Terah took his son Abram
and his grandson Lot, the son of
Haran, and Sarai his daughter-in-law,
the wife of his son Abram, and all
the souls of his household and went
with them from Ur Casdim to go to
the land of Canaan. And when they
came as far as the land of Haran
they remained there, for it was ex
ceeding good land for pasture, and
of sufficient extent for those who ac
companied them.

2. And the people of the land of
Haran saw that Abram was good
and upright with God and men, and
that the Lord his God was with him,
and some of the people of the land
of Haran came and joined Abram,
and he taught them the instruction
of the Lord and his ways; and these
men remained with Abram in his
house and they adhered to him.

3. And Abram remained in the
land three years, and at the expira
tion of three years the Lord appeared
to Abram and said to him; I am the
Lord who brought thee forth from

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

Ur Casdim, and delivered thee from
the hands of all thine enemies.

4. And now therefore if thou wil
hearken to my voice and keep my
commandments, my statutes and my
laws, then will I cause thy enemies
to fall before thee, and I will multi
ply thy seed like the stars of heaven,
and I will send my blessing upon al]
the works of thy hands, and thou
shalt lack nothing.

5. Arise now, take thy wife and
all belonging to thee and go to the
land of Canaan and remain there,
and I will there be unto thee for a
God, and I will bless thee. And
Abram rose and took his wife and all
belonging to him, and he went to the
land of Canaan as the Lord had told
him ; and Abram was fifty years old
when he went from Haran.

6. And Abram came to the land
of Canaan and dwelt in the midst of
the city, and he there pitched his tent
amongst the children of Canaan, in
habitants of the land.

7. And the Lord appeared to Ab
ram when he came to the land of
Canaan, and said to him, this is the
land which I gave unto thee and to
thy seed after thee forever, and I will
make thy seed like the stars of hea
ven, and I will give unto thy seed for
an inheritance all the lands which
thou seest.

8. And Abram built an altar in the
place where God had spoken to him,
and Abram there called upon the
name of the Lord.

9. At that time, at the end of three
years of Abram s dwelling in the
land of Canaan, in that year Noah
died, which was the fifty-eighth year
of the life of Abram ; and all the
days that Noah lived were nine hun
dred and fifty years and he died.

10. And Abram dwelt in the land

of Canaan, he, his wife, and all be
longing to him, and all those that ac
companied him, together with those
that joined him from the people of the
land; but Nabor, Abram s brother,
and Terah his father, and Lot the
son of Haran and all belonging to
them dwelt in Haran.

1 1 . In the fifth year of Abram s
dwelling in the land of Canaan the
people of Sodom and Gomorrah and
all the cities of the plain revolted
from the power of Chedor] aomer, king
of Elam ; for all the kings of the
cities of the plain had served Che-
dorlaomer for twelve years, and given
him a yearly tax, but in those days
in the thirteenth year, they rebelled
against him.

12. And in the tenth year of
Abram s dwelling in the land of Ca
naan there was war between Nimrod
king of Shinarand Chedorlaomerking
of Elam, and Nimrod came to fight
with Chedorlaomer and to subdue him.

13. For Chedorlaomer was at that
time one of the princes of the hosts
of Nimrod, and when all the people
at the tower were dispersed and
those that remained were also scat
tered upon the face of the earth, Che
dorlaomer went to the land of Elam
and reigned over it and rebelled
against his Lord.

14. And in those days when Nim
rod saw that the citie s of the plain
tiad rebelled, he came with pride and
anger to war with Chedorlaomer, and
Nimrod assembled all his princes
and subjects, about seven hundred
thousand men, and went against Che
dorlaomer, and Chedorlaomer went
out to meet him with five thousand
men, and they prepared for battle in
the valley of Babel which is between
Elam and Shinar.

15. And all those kings fought

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

there, and Nimrod and his people
were smitten before the people of
Chedorlaomer, and there fell from
Nimrod s men about six hundred
thousand, and Mardon the king s son
fell amongst them.

16. And Nimrod fled and return
ed in shame and disgrace to his land,
and he was under subjection to Che
dorlaomer for a long time, and Che
dorlaomer returned to his land and
sent princes of his host to the kings
that diuelt around him, to Arioch
king of Elasar, and to Tidal king of
Goyim, and made a covenant with
them, and they were all obedient to
his commands.

17. And it was in the fifteenth
year of Abram s dwelling in the land
of Canaan, which is the seventieth
year of the life of Abram, and the
Lord appeared to Abram in that
year and he said to him, I am the
Lord who brought thee out from Ur
Casdim to give thee this land for an
inheritance.

18. Now therefore walk before
me and be perfect and keep my com
mands, for to thee and to thy seed I
will give this land for an inheritance,
from the river Mitzraim unto the
great river Euphrates.

19. And thou shalt come to thy
fathers in peace and in good age, and
the fourth generation shall return
here in this land and shall inherit it
forever ; and Abram built an altar,
and he called upon the name of the
Lord who appeared to him, and he
brought up sacrifices upon the altar
to the Lord.

20. At that time Abram returned
and went to Haran to see his father
and mother, and his father s house
hold, and Abram and his wife and all
belonging to him returned to Haran,
and Abram dwelt in Haran five years.

21. And many of the people of
Haran, about seventy two men, fol
lowed Abram and Abram taught them
the instruction of the Lord and his-
ways, and he taught them to know
the Lord.

22. In those days the Lord ap
peared to Abrarn in Haran, and he
said to him, behold, I spoke unto
thee these twenty years back saying,

23. Go forth from thy land, from
thy birth-place and from thy father s
house, to the land which I have
shown thee to give it to thee and to
thy children, for there in that land
will I bless thee, and make thee a
great nation,, and make thy name
great, and in thee shall the families
of the earth be blessed,

24. Now therefore arise, go forth
from this place, thou, thy wife,, and
all belonging to thee y also every one
born in thy house and all the souls-
thou hast made in Haran, and bring
them out with thee from here, and
rise to return to the land of Canaan,

25. And Abram arose and took his-
wife Sarai and all belonging to- him,
and all that were born to him in hds-
house and the souls which they had
made in Haran, and they came out to
go to the land of Canaan.

26. And Abram went and return
ed to the land of Canaan, according
to the word of the Lord. And Lot
the son of his brother Haran went
with him, and Abram was seventy

i five years old when he went forth
| from Haran to return to the land of
Canaan.

27. And he came to the land of
Canaan according to the word of the
Lord to Abram, and he pitched his
tent and he dwelt in the plain of
Mamre, and with him was Lot his
brother s son, and all belonging to
him.

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

28* And the Lord again appeared
to Abram and said, to thy seed will
I give this land ; and he there built
an altar to the Lord who appeared
to him, which is still to this day in
the plains of Mamre.

CHAPTER XIV.

1. In those days there was in the
land of Shinar a wise man who had
understanding in all wisdom, and of
a beautiful appearance, but he was
poor and indigent ; his name was
Rikayon and he was hard set to sup
port himself.

2. And he resolved to go to Egypt,
to Oswiris the son of Anom king of
Egypt, to show the king his wisdom ;
for perhaps he might find grace in
his sight, to raise him up and give
him maintenance ; and Rikayon did
so.

3. And when Rikayon came to
Egypt he asked the inhabitants of
Egypt concerning the king, and the
inhabitants of Egypt told him the
custom of the king of Egypt, for it
was then the custom of the king of
Egypt that he went from his royal
palace and was seen abroad only one
day in the year, and after that the
king would return to his palace to
remain there.

4. And on the day when the king
went forth he passed judgment in the
land, and every one having a suit
came before the king that day to ob
tain his request.

5. And when Rikayon heard of
the custom in Egypt and that he
could not come into the presence of
the king, he grieved greatly and was
very sorrowful.

6. And in the evening Rikayon
went out and found a house in ruins,
formerly a bake house in Egypt,

and he abided there all night in bit
terness of soul and pinched with
hunger, and sleep was removed from
his eyes.

7. And Rikayon considered with
in himself what he should do in the
town until the king made his appear
ance, and how he might maintain
himself there.

8. And he rose in the morning
and walked about, and met in his way
those who sold vegetables and va
rious sorts of seed with which they
supplied the inhabitants.

9. And Rikayon wished to do the
same in order to get a maintenance
in the city, but he was unacquainted
with the custom of the people, and
he was like a blind man among them.

10. And he went and obtained
vegetables to sell them for his sup
port, and the rabble assembled about
him and ridiculed him, and took his
vegetables from him and left him
nothing.

1 1 . And he rose up from there in
bitterness of soul, and went sighing
to the bake house in which he had
remained all the night before, and
he slept there the second night.

12. And on that night again he
reasoned within himself how he could
save himself from starvation, and he
devised a scheme how to act.

13. And he rose up in the morn
ing and acted ingeniously, and went
and hired thirty strong men of the
rabble, carrying their war instru
ments in their hands, and he led
them to the top of the Egyptian se
pulchre, and he placed them there.

14. And he commanded them,
saying, thus saith the king, strength
en yourselves and be valiant men,
and let no man be buried here until
two hundred pieces of silver be
given, and then he may be buried ;

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

and those men did according to the
order of Rikayon to the people of
Egypt the whole of that year.

15. And in eight months time Ri
kayon and his men gathered great
riches of silver and gold, and Rikay
on took a great quantity of horses
and other animals, and he hired more
men, and he gave them horses and
they remained with him.

16. And when the year came
round, at the time the king went
forth into the town, all the inhabi
tants of Egypt assembled together
to speak to him concerning the work
of Rikayon and his men.

17. And the king went forth on
the appointed day, and all the Egyp
tians came before him and cried un
to him, saying,

18. May the king live forever.
What is this thing thou doest in the
town to thy servants, not to suffer a
dead body to be buried until so much
silver and gold be given ? Was
there ever the like unto this done in
the whole earth, from the days of
former kings yea even from the days
of Adam, unto this day, that the
dead should not be buried only for a
set price ?

19 We know it to be the custom
of kings to take a yearly tax from
the living, but thou dost not only do
this, but from the dead also thou ex-
actest a tax day by day.

20. Now, king, we can no more
bear this, for the whole city is ruin
ed on this account, and dost thou not
know it ?

21. And when the king heard all
that they had spoken he was very
wroth, and his anger burned within
him at this affair, For he had known
nothing of it.

22. And the king said, who and
where is he that dares to do this

wicked thing in my land without
my command ? Surely you will tell
me.

23. And they told him all the
works of Rikayon and his men, and
the king s anger was aroused, and
be ordered Rikayon and his men to
be brought before him.

24. And Rikayon took about a
thousand children, sons and daugh
ters, and clothed them in silk and

mbroidery, and he set them upon
horses and sent them to the king by
means of his men, and he also took
a great quantity of silver and gold
and precious stones, and a strong
and beautiful horse, as a present for
the king, with which he came before
the king and bowed down to the
earth before him ; and the king, his
servants and all the inhabitants of
Egypt wondered at the work of Ri
kayon, and they saw his riches and
the present that he had brought to the
king.

25. And it greatly pleased the
king and he wondered at it ; and
when Rikayon sat before him the
king asked him concerning all his
works, and Rikayon spoke all his
words wisely before the king, his
servants and all the inhabitants of

Egypt-

26. And when the king heard the
words of Rikayon and his wisdom,
Rikayon found grace in his sight,
and he met with grace and kindness
from all the servants of the king and
from all the inhabitants of Egypt, on
account of his wisdom and excellent
speeches, and from that time they
loved him exceedingly.

16. And the king answered and
said to Rikayon, thy name shall na
more be called Rikayon but Pha
raoh* shall be* thy name, since thou

* Pharaoh from jnc, to get paid, to exact.

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

didst exact a tax from the dead ; and
he called his name Pharaoh,

28. And the king and his subjects
loved Rikayon for his wisdom, and
they consulted with all the inhabi
tants of Egypt to make him prefect
under the king.

29. And all the inhabitants of
Egypt and its wise men did so, and
it was made a law in Egypt.

30. And they made Rikayon Pha
raoh, prefect under Oswiris king of
Egypt, and Rikayon Pharaoh gov
erned over Egypt, daily administer
ing justice to the whole city, but Os
wiris the king would judge the people
of the land one day in the year, when
he went out to make his appear
ance.

31. And Rikayon Pharaoh cun
ningly usurped the government of
Egypt, and he exacted a tax from all
the inhabitants of Egypt.

32. And all the inhabitants of
Egypt greatly loved Rikayon Pha
raoh, and they made a decree to call
every king that should reign over
them and their seed in Egypt, Pha
raoh.

33. Therefore all the kings that
reigned in Egypt from that time for
ward were called Pharaoh unto this
day.

CHAPTER XV.

1. And in that year there was a
heavy famine throughout the land of
Canaan, and the inhabitants of the
land could not remain on account of
the famine for it was very grievous.

2. And Abram and all belonging
to him rose and went down to Egypt
on account of the famine, and when
they were at the brook Mitzraim
they remained there some time to
rest from the fatigue of the road.

3. And Abram and Sarai were
walking at the border of the brook
Mitzraim, and Abram beheld his wife
Sarai that she was very beautiful.

4. And Abram said to his wife
Sarai, since God has created thee
with such a beautiful countenance,
I am afraid of the Egyptians lest
they should slay me and take thee
away, for the fear of God is not in
these places.

5 Surely then thou shalt do this,
say thou an my sister to all that may
ask thee, in order that it may be well
with me, and that we may live and
not be put to death.

6. And Abram commanded the
same to all those that came with him
to Egypt on account of the famine ;
also his nephew Lot he commanded,
saying, if the Egyptians ask thee
concerning Sarai say she is the sister
of Abram.

7. And yet with all these orders
Abram did not put confidence in them,
but he took Sarai and placed her in
a chest and concealed it amongst
their vessels, for Abram was greatly
concerned about Sarai on account of
the wickedness of the Egyptians.

8. And Abram and all belonging
to him rose up from the brook Mitz
raim and came to Egypt ; and they
had scarcely entered the gates of the
city when the guards stood up to
them, saying, give tythe to the king
from what you have, and then you
may come into the town ; and Abram
and those that were with him did so.

9. And Abram with the people
that were with him came to Egypt,
and when they came they brought
the chest in which Sarai was con
cealed, and the Egyptians saw the
chest.

10. And the king s servants ap
proached Abram, saying, what hast

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

thou here in this chest which we
have not seen ? Now open thou the
chest and give tythe to the king of
all that it contains.

1 1 . And Abram said, this chest I
will not open, but all you demand
upon it I will give. And Pharaoh s
officers answered Abrarn, saying, it
is a chest of precious stones, give us
the tenth thereof.

1 2. Abram said, all that you desire
I will give, but you must not open
the chest.

13. And the king s officers pressed
Abram, and they reached the chest
and opened it with force, and they
saw, and behold a beautiful woman
was in the chest.

14. And when the officers of the
king beheld Sarai they were struck
with admiration at her beauty, and
all the princes and servants of Pha
raoh assembled to see Sarai, for she
was very beautiful. And the king s
officers ran and told Pharaoh all that
they had seen, and they praised Sarai
to the king ; and Pharaoh ordered
her to be brought, and the woman
came before the king.

15. And Pharaoh beheld Sarai and
she pleased him exceedingly, and he
was struck with her beauty, and the
king rejoiced greatly on her account,
and made presents to those who
brought him the tidings concerning
her.

16. And the woman was then
brought to Pharaoh s house, and
Abram grieved on account of his
wife, and he prayed to the Lord to de
liver her from the hands of Pha
raoh.

17. And Sarai also prayed at that
time and said, O Lord God thou didst
tell my Lord Abram to go from his
land and from his father s house to
the land of Canaan, and thou didst

promise to do well with him if he
would perform thy commands ; now
behold we have done that which thou
didst command us, and we left our
land and our families, and we went
to a strange land and to a people
whom we have not known before.

18. And we came to this land to
avoid the famine, and this evil acci
dent has befallen me ; now therefore
O Lord God deliver us and save us
from the hand of this oppressor, and
do well with me for the sake of thy
mercy.

19. And the Lord hearkened to
the voice of Sarai, and the Lord sent
an angel to deliver Sarai from the
power of Pharaoh.

20. And the king came and sat
before Sarai, and behold an angel of
the Lord was standing over them,
and he appeared to Sarai and said to
her, do not fear for the Lord has
heard thy prayer.

21. And the king approached Sa
rai and said to her, what is that man
to thee who brought thee hither ? and
she said, he is my brother.

22. And the king said, it is incum
bent upon us to make him great, to
elevate him and to do unto him all
the good which thou shalt command
us ; and at that time the king sent I
Abram silver and gold and precious
stones in abundance, together with
cattle, men servants and maid ser
vants ; and the king ordered Abram
to be brought, and he sat in the court
of the king s house, and the king
greatly exalted Abram on that night.

23. And the king approached to-
speak to Sarai, and he reached out
his hand to touch her, when the an
gel smote him heavily, and he was
terrified and he refrained from reach
ing to her.

24. And when the king caine near

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

to Sarai, the angel smote him to the
ground, and acted thus to him the
whole night, and the king was ter
rified .

25. And the angel on that night
smote heavily all the servants of the
king, and his whole household, on
account of Sarai, and there was a
great lamentation that night amongst
the people of Pharaoh s house.

26. And Pharaoh, seeing the evil
that befel him, said, surely on account
of this woman has this thing happen
ed to me, and he removed himself at
some distance from her and spoke
pleasing words* to her.

27. And the king said to Sarai,
tell me I pray thee concerning the
man with whom thou earnest here ;
and Sarai said this man is my hus
band, and I said to thee that he was
my brother for I was afraid, lest thou
shouldst put him to death through
wickedness.

28. And the king kept away from
Sarai, and the plagues of the angel
of the Lord ceased from him and his
household ; and Pharaoh knew that
he was smitten on account of Sarai,
and the king was greatly astonished
at this.

29. And in the morning the king
called for Abram and said to him,
what is this thou hast done to me ?
Why didst thou say, she is my sister,
owing to which I took her unto me
for a wife, and this heavy plague has
therefore come upon me and my
household.

30. Now therefore here is thy wife,
take her and go from our land lest
we all die on her account. And Pha-

* Hebrew, spoke good words to her heart,
meaning that he endeavored to gain her heart
or confidence, by good words and modest con
duct, to tell him what Abram was really akin
to her, whereby he might discover the cause ol
the angel smiting him and his people.

raoh took more cattle, men servants
and maid servants, and silver and
gold, to give to Abram, and he re
turned unto him Sarai his wife.

31. And the king took a maiden
whom he begat by his concubines,
and he gave her to Sarai for a hand
maid.

32. And the king said to his daugh
ter, it is better for thee my daughter
to be a handmaid in this man s house
than to be a mistress in my house,
after we have beheld the evil that
befel us on account of this woman.

33. And Abram arose, and he and
all belonging to him went away from
Egypt ; and Pharaoh ordered some
of his men to accompany him and all
that went with him.

34. And Abram returned to the
land of Canaan, to the place where
he had made the altar, where he at
first had pitched his tent.

35. And Lot the son of Haran,
Abram s brother, had a heavy stock
of cattle, flocks and herds and tents,
for the Lord was bountiful to them
on account of Abram.

36. And when Abram was dwel
ling in the land the herdsmen of Lot
quarrelled with the herdsmen of
Abram, for their property was too
great for them to remain together in
the land, and the land could not bear
them on account of their cattle.

37. And when Abram s herdsmen
went to feed their flock they would
not go into the fields of the people
of the land, but the cattle of Lot r s
herdsmen did otherwise, for they
were suffered to feed in the fields of
the people of the land.

38. And the people of the land
saw this occurrence daily, and they
came to Abram and quarrelled with
him on account of Lot s herdsmen.

39. And Abram said to Lot, what

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

is this thou art doing to me, to make
me despicable to the inhabitants of
the land, that thou orderest thy herds
men to feed thy cattle in the fields
of other people ? Dost thou not know
that I am a stranger in this land
amongst the children of Canaan, and
why wilt thou do this unto me ?

40. And Abram quarrelled daily
with Lot on account of this, but Lot
would not listen to Abram, and he
continued to do the same and the in
habitants of the land came and told
Abram.

41. And Abram said unto Lot.
how long wilt thou be to me for a
stumbling block with the inhabitants
of the land ? Now I beseech thee
let there be no more quarrelling be
tween us, for we are kinsmen.

42. But I pray thee separate from
me, go and choose a place where
thou mayst dwell with thy cattle and
all belonging to thee, but keep thy
self at a distance from me, thou and
thy household.

43. And be not afraid in going
from me, for if any one do an injury
to thee, let me know and I will
avenge thy cause from him, only re
move from me.

44. And when Abram had spoken
all these words to Lot, then Lot arose
and lifted up his eyes toward the
plain of Jordan.

45. And he saw that the whole of
this place was well watered, and
good for man as well as affording
pasture for the cattle.

46. And Lot went from Abram to
that place, and he there pitched his
tent and he dwelt in Sodom, and they
were separated from each other.

47. And Abram dwelt in the plain
of Mamre, which is in Hebron, and
he pitched his tent there, and Abram
remained in that place many years.

CHAPTER XVI.

1. At that time Chedorlaomer
king of Elam sent to all the neigh 1 -
boring kings, to Nimrod king of
Shinar who was then under Ms
power, and to Tidal king of Goyim r
and to Arioch king of Elasar, with
whom he made a covenant, say
ing, come up to me and assist me,
that we may smite all the towns of
Sodom and its inhabitants, for they
have rebelled against me these thir
teen years.

2. And these four kings went up
with all their camps, about eight
hundred thousand men, and they
went as they were, and smote every
man they found in their road.

3. And the five kings of Sodom
and Gomorrah, Shinab king of Ad-
mah, Shemeber king of Zeboyim,
Bera king of Sodom, Bersha king
of Gomorrah, and Bela king of Zo-
ar, went out to meet them, and they
all joined together in the valley of
Siddim.

4. And these nine kings made
war in the valley of Siddim ; and
the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah
were smitten before the kings of
Elam.

5. And the valley of Siddim was
full of lime-pits and the kings of
Elam pursued the kings of Sodom,
and the kings of Sodom with their
camps fled and fell into the lime-
pits, and all that remained went to
the mountain for safety, and the five
kings of Elam came after them and
pursued them to the gates of Sodom,
and they took all that there was in
Sodom.

6. And they plundered all the
cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, and
they also took Lot, Abram s brother s
son, and his property, and they

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

seized all the goods of the cities of
Sodom, and they went away; and
Unic, Abram s servant, who was in
the battle, saw this, and told Abram
all that the kings had done to the
cities of Sodom, and that Lot was
taken captive by them.

7. And Abram heard this, and he
rose up with about three hundred
and eighteen men that were with
him, and he that night pursued these
kings and smote them, and they all
fell before Abram and his men, and
there was none remaining but the
four kings who fled, and they went
each his own road.

8. And Abram recovered all the
property of Sodom, and he also re
covered Lot and his property, his
wives and little ones and all belong
ing to him, so that Lot lacked no
thing.

9. And when he returned from
smiting these kings, he and his men
passed the valley of Siddim where
the kings had made war together.

10. And Beraking of Sodom, and
the rest of his men that were with
him, went out from the lime-pits in
to which they had fallen, to meet
Abram and his men.

1 1 . And Adonizedek king of Jeru
salem, the same was Shem, went out
with his men to meet Abram and his
people, with bread and wine, and
they remained together in the valley
of Melech.

12. And Adonizedek blessed Ab
ram, and Abram gave him a tenth
from all that he had brought from
the spoil of his enemies, for Adoni
zedek was a priest before God.

13. And all the kings of Sodom
and Gomorrah who were there, with
their servants, approached Abram
and begged of him to return them
their servants whom he had made

captive, and to take unto himself all
the property.

14. And Abram answered the
kings of Sodom, saying, as the Lord
liveth who created heaven and earth,
and who redeemed my soul from all
affliction, and who delivered me this
day from my enemies, and gave them
into my hand, 1 will not take any
thing belonging to you, that you may
not boast to-morrow, saying, Abram
became rich from our property that
he saved.

15. For the Lord my God in
whom I trust said unto me, thou
shalt lack nothing, for I will bless
thee in all the works of thy hands.

16. And now therefore behold,
here is all belonging to you, take it
and go ; as the Lord liveth t will
not take from you from a living soul
down to a shoe tie or thread, ex
cepting the eocpense of the food of
those who went out with me to battle,
as also the portions of the men who
went with me, Anar, Ashcol and
Mamre, they and their men, as well
as those also who had remained to
watch the baggage, they shall take
their portion of the spoil.

17. And the kings of Sodom gave
Abram according to all that he had
said, and they pressed him to take of
whatever he chose, but he would not.

18. And he sent away the kings
of Sodom and the remainder of their
men, and he gave them orders about
Lot, and they went to their respec
tive places.

19. And Lot, his brother s son, he
also sent away with his property,
and he* went with them, and Lot
returned to his home, to Sodom, and
Abram and his people returned to
their home to the plains of Mamre
which is in Hebron.

* Lot went with the kings.

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

20. At that time the Lord again
appeared to Abram in Hebron, and
he said to him, do not fear, thy re
ward is very great before me, for I
will not leave thee, until I shall have
multiplied thee, and blessed thee and
made thy seed like the stars in
heaven, which cannot be measured
nor numbered.

21. And I will give unto thy seed
all these lands that thou seest with
thine eyes, to them will I give them
for an inheritance forever, only be
strong and do not fear, walk before
me and be perfect.

22. And in the seventy eighth
year of the life of Abram, in that
year died Reu the son of Peleg, and
all the days of Reu were two hundred
and thirty nine years, and he died.

23. And Sarai the daughter of
Haran, Abram s wife, was still bar
ren in those days, she did not bear
to Abram either son or daughter.

24. And when she saw that she
bare no children she took her hand
maid Hagar, whom Pharaoh had
given her, and she gave her to Ab
ram her husband for a wife.

25. For Hagar learned all the
ways of Sarai as Sarai taught her,
she was not in any way deficient in
following her good ways.

26. And Sarai said to Abram, be
hold here is my handmaid Hagar,
go to her that she may bring forth
upon my knees, that I may also ob
tain children through her.

27. And at the end of ten years
of Abram s dwelling in the land of
Canaan, which is the eighty fifth
year of Abram s life, Sarai gave
Hagar unto him.

28. And Abram hearkened to the
voice of his wife Sarai, and he took
his handmaid Hagar and Abram
came to her and she conceived.

29. And when Hagar saw that
she had conceived she rejoiced
greatly, and her mistress was despis
ed in her eyes, and she said within
herself, this can only be that I am
better before God than Sarai my
mistress, for all the days that my
mistress has been with my lord, she
did not conceive, but me the Lord
has caused in so short a time to
conceive by him.

30. And when Sarai saw that Ha
gar had conceived by Abram, Sarai
was jealous of her handmaid, and
Sarai said within herself, this is sure
ly nothing else but that she must be
better than I am.

31. And Sarai said unto Abram,
my wrong be upon thee, for at the
time when thou didst pray before the
Lord for children why didst thou not
pray on my account, that the Lord
should give me seed from thee ?

32. And when I speak to Hagar
in thy presence, she despiseth my
words, because, she has conceived,
and thou wilt say nothing to her ;
may the Lord judge between me and
thee for what thou hast done to me,

33. And Abram said to Sarai, be
hold thy handmaid is in thy hand, do
unto her as it may seem good in thy
eyes ; and Sarai afflicted her, and
Hagar fled from her to the wilder
ness.

34. And an angel of the Lord
found her in the place where she had
fled, by a well, and he said to her,
do not fear, for I will multiply thy
seed, for thou shalt bear a son and
thou shalt call his name Ishmael ;
now then return to Sarai thy mistress
and submit thyself under her hands.

35. And Hagar called the place
of that well Beer-lahai-roi, it is be
tween Kadesh and the wilderness of
Bered.

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

36. And Hagar at that time re
turned to her master s house, and at
the end of days Hagar bare a son
to Abram, and Abram called his name
Ishmael ; and Abram was eighty-six
years old when he begat him.

CHAPTER XVII.

1 . And in those days, in the nine
ty-first year of the life of Abram, the
children of Chittim made war with
the children of Tubal, for when the
Lord had scattered the sons of men
upon the face of the earth, the chil
dren of Chittim went and embodied
themselves in the plain of Canopia,
and they built themselves cities there
and dwelt by the river Tibreu.

2. And the children of Tubal dwelt
in Tuscanah, and their boundaries
reached the river Tibreu, and the
children of Tubal built a city in Tus
canah, and they called the name Sa-
binah, after the name of Sabinah son
of Tubal their father, and they dwelt
there unto this day.

3. And it was at that time the
children of Chittim made war with
the children of Tubal, and the chil
dren of Tubal were smitten before
the children of Chittim, and the chil
dren of Chittim caused three hundred
and severity men to fall from the chil
dren of Tubal.

4. And at that time the children
of Tubal swore to the children of
Chittim, saying, you shall not inter
marry amongst us, and no man shall
give his daughter to any of the sons
of Chittim.

5. For all the daughters of Tubal
were in those days fair, for no women
were then found in the whole earth
so fair as the daughters of Tubal.

6. And all who delighted in the
beauty of women went to the daugh

ters of Tubal and took wives from
them, and the sons of men, kings and
princes, who greatly delighted in the
aeauty of women, took wives in those
days from the daughters of Tubal.

7. And at the end of three years
after the children of Tubal had sworn
to the children of Chittim not to give
them their daughters for wives, about
twenty men of the children of Chit
tim went to take some of the daugh
ters of Tubal, but they found none.

8. For the children of Tubal kept
their oaths not to intermarry with
them, and they would not break their
oaths.

9. And in the days of harvest the
children of Tubal went into their
fields to get in their harvest, when
the young men of Chittim assembled
and went to the city of Sabinah, and
each man took a young woman from
the daughters of Tubal, and they
came to their cities.

10. And the children of Tubal
heard of it and they went to make
war with them, and they could not
prevail over them, for the mountain
was exceedingly high from them, and
when they saw they could not pre
vail over them they returned to their
land.

And at the revolution of the year
the children of Tubal went and hired
about ten thousand men from those
cities that were near them, and they
went to war with the children of
Chittim.

12. And the children of Tubal
went to war with the children of
Chittim, to destroy their land and to
distress them, and in this engage-
ment the children of Tubal prevailed
over the children of Chittim, and the
children of Chittim, seeing that they
were greatly distressed, lifted up the
children which they had had by the

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

daughters of Tubal, upon the wall
which had been built, to be before
the eyes of the children of Tubal.

13. And the children of Chittim
said to them, have you come to make
war with your own sons and daugh
ters, and have we not been consi
dered your flesh and bones from that
time till now ?

14. Arid when the children of Tu
bal heard this they ceased to make
war with the children of Chittim, and
they went away.

15. And they returned to their
cities, and the children of Chittim at
that time assembled and built two
cities by the sea, and they called
one Purtu and the other Ariza.

16. And Abram the son of Terah
was then ninety-nine years old.

17. At that time the Lord appear
ed to him and he said to him, I will
make my covenant between me and
thee, and I will greatly multiply thy
seed, and this is the covenant which
I make between me and thee, that
every male child be circumcised, thou
and thy seed after thee.

18. At eight days old shall it be
circumcised, and this covenant shall
be in your flesh for an everlasting
covenant.

19. And now therefore thy name
shall no more be called Abram but
Abraham, and thy wife shall no more
be called Sarai but Sarah.

20. For I will bless you both, and
I will multiply your seed after you
that you shall become a great nation,
and kings shall come forth from you.

CHAPTER XVIII.

1 . And Abraham rose and did all
that God had ordered him, and he
took the men of his household and
those bought with his money, and

he circumcised them as the Lord had
commanded him.

2. And there was not one left
whom he did not circumcise, and
Abraham and his son Ishmael were
circumcised in the flesh of their fore
skin ; thirteen years old was Ishmael
when he was circumcised in the flesh
of his foreskin.

3. And in the third day Abraham
went out of his tent and sat at the
door to enjoy the heat of the sun,
during the pain of his flesh.

4. And the Lord appeared to him
in the plain of Mamre, and sent three
of his ministering angels to* visit
him, and he was sitting at the door
of the tent, and he lifted up his eyes
and saw, and lo, three men were
coming from a distance, and he rose
up and ran to meet them, and he
bowed down to them and brought
them into his house.

5. And he said to them, if now I
have found favor in your sight, turn
in and eat a morsel of bread ; and he
pressed them, and they turned in and
he gave them water and they washed
their feet, and he placed them under
a tree at the door of the tent.

6. And Abraham ran and took a
calf, tender and good, and he hasten
ed to kill it, and gave it to his ser
vant Eliezer to dress.

7. And Abraham came to Sarah
into the tent, and he said to her,
make ready quickly three measures
of fine meal, knead it and make
cakes to cover the pot containing the
meat, and she did so.

8. And Abraham hastened and
brought before them butter and
milk, beef and mutton, and gave it
before them to eat before the flesh of
the calf was sufficiently done, and
they did eat.

Hebrew vipaS to seek or inquire after him.

THE BOOK OF JA.SHER.

9. And when they had done eat
ing, one of them said to him, I will
return to thee according to the time
of life, and Sarah thy wife shall have
a son.

10. And the men afterward de
parted and went their ways, to the
places to which they were sent.

11. In those days all the people
of Sodom and Gomorrah, and of the
whole five cities, were exceedingly
wicked and sinful against the Lord,
and they provoked the Lord with
their abominations, and they strength
ened in acting abominably and scorn
fully before the Lord, and their
wickedness and crimes were in those
days great before the Lord.

12. And they had in their land a
very extensive valley, about half a
day s walk, and in it there were
fountains of water and a great deal
of herbage surrounding the water.

13. And all the people of Sodom
and Gomorrah went there four times
in the year, with their wives and
children and all belonging to them,
and they rejoiced there with timbrels
and dances.

14. And in the time of rejoicing
they would all rise and lay hold of
their neighbors wives, and some,
the virgin daughters of their neigh
bors, and they enjoyed them, and
each man saw his wife and daugh
ter in the hands of his neighbor
and did not say a word.

15. And they did so from morn
ing to night, and they afterward re
turned home each man to his house
and each woman to her tent; so
they always did four times in the
year.

16. Also when a stranger came
into their cities and brought goods
which he had purchased with a view
to dispose of there, the people of

these cities would assemble, men,
women and children, young and old,
and go to the man and take his goods
by force, giving a little to each man
until there was an end to all the
goods of the owner which he had
brought into the land.

17. And if the owner of the goods
quarreled with them, saying, what
is this work which you have done to
me, then they would approach to
him one by one, and each would
show him the little which he took
and taunt him, saying, I only took
that little which thou didst give me ;
and when he heard this from them
all, he would arise and go from them
in sorrow and bitterness of soul,
when they would all arise and go
after him," and drive him out of the
city with great noise and tumult.

18. And there was a man from
the country of Elam who was
leisurely going on the road, seated
upon his ass, which carried a fine
mantle of divers colors, and the
mantle was bound with a cord upon
the ass.

19. And the man was on his jour
ney passing through the street of
Sodom when the sun set in the even
ing, and he remained there in order
to abide during the night, but no
one would let him into his house ;
and at that time there was in Sodom
a wicked and mischievous man, one
skilful to do evil, and his name was
Hedad.

20. And he lifted up his eyes and
saw the traveller in the street of the
city, and he came to him and said,
whence comest thou and whither
dost thou go?

21 . And the man said to him, I
am travelling from Hebron to Elam
where I belong, and as I passed the
sun set and no one would suffer me

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

to enter his house, though I had
bread and water and also straw and
provender for my ass, and am short
of nothing.

22. And Hedad answered and
said to him, all that thou shalt want
shall be supplied by me, but in the
street thou shalt not abide all night.

23. And Hedad brought him to
his house, and he took off the mantle
from the ass with the cord, and
brought them to his house, and he
gave the ass straw and provender
whilst the traveller ate and drank in
Hedad s house, and he abided there
that night.

24. And in the morning the tra
veller rose up early to continue his
journey, when Hedad said to him,
wait, comfort thy heart with a mor
sel of bread and then go, and the
man did so ; and he remained with
him, and they both ate and drank
together during the day, when the
man rose up to go.

25. And Hedad said to him, be
hold now the day is declining, thou
hadst better remain all night that thy
heart may be comforted; and he
pressed him so that he tarried there
all night, and on the second day he
rose up early to go away, when He-
dad pressed him, saying, comfort
thy heart with a morsel of bread and
then go; and he remained and ate
with him also the second day, and
then the man rose up to continue
his journey.

26. And Hedad said to him, be
hold now the day is declining, remain
with me to comfort thy heart and in
the morning rise up early and go thy
way.

27. And the man would not re
main, but rose and saddled his ass,
and whilst he was saddling his ass
the wife of Hedad said to her hus

band, behold this man has remained
with us for two days eating and
drinking and he has given us nothing,
and now shall he go away from us
without giving any thing ? and He-
dad said to her, be silent.

28. And the man saddled his ass
to go, and he asked Hedad to give
him the cord and mantle to tie it up
on the ass.

29. And Hedad said to him, what
sayest thou ? and he said to him,
that thou my lord shalt give me the
cord and the mantle made with divers
colors which thou didst conceal with
thee in thy house to take care of it.

30. And Hedad answered the
man, saying, this is the interpreta
tion of thy dream, the cord which
thou didst see, means that thy life
will be lengthened out like a cord,
and having seen the mantle colored
with all sorts of colors, means that
thou shalt have a vineyard in which
thou wilt plant trees of all fruits.

31. And the traveller answered,
saying, not so my lord, for I was
awake when I gave thee the cord
and also a mantle woven with differ
ent colors, which thou didst take off
the ass to put them by for me ; and
Hedad answered and said, surely I
have told thee the interpretation of
thy dream and it is a good dream,
and this is the interpretation there
of.

32. Now the sons of men give
me four pieces of silver, which is my
charge for interpreting dreams, and
of thee only I require three pieces of
silver.

33. And the man was provoked
at the words of Hedad, and he cried
bitterly, and he brought Hedad to
Serak judge of Sodom.

34. And the man laid his cause
before Serak the judge, when Hedad

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

replied, saying, it is not so, but thus
the matter stands; and the judge said
to the traveller, this man Hedad tell-
eth thee truth, for he is famed in the
cities for the accurate interpretation
of dreams.

35. And the man cried at the word
of the judge, and he said, not so my
Lord, for it was in the day that I
gave him the cord and mantle which
was upon the ass, in order to put them
by in his house ; and they both dis
puted before the judge, the one say
ing thus the matter was, and the other
declaring otherwise.

36. And Hedad said to the man,
give me four pieces of silver that I
charge for my interpretations of
dreams ; I will not make any allow
ance ; and give me the expense of the
four meals that thou didst eat in my
house.

37. And the man said to Hedad,
truly I will pay thee for what I ate
in thy house, only give me the cord
and mantle which thou didst conceal
in thy house.

38. And He.dad replied before the
judge and said to the man, did I not
tell thee the interpretation of thy
dream ? the cord means that thy days
shall be prolonged like a cord, and
the mantle, that thou wilt have a
vineyard in which thou wilt plant all
kinds of fruit trees.

39. This is the proper interpreta
tion of thy dream, now give me the
four pieces of silver that I require as
a compensation, for I will make thee
no allowance.

40. And the man cried at the
words of Hedad and they both quar
reled before the judge, and the judge
gave orders to his servants, who drove
them rashly from the house.

41 . And" they went away quarrel
ing from the judge, when the people

of Sodom heard them, and they ga
thered about them and they exclaim
ed against the stranger, and they
drove him rashly from the city.

42. And the man continued his
journey upon his ass with bitterness
of soul, lamenting and weeping.

43. And whilst he was going along
he wept at what had happened to him
in the corrupt city of Sodom.

CHAPTER XIX.

1. And the cities of Sodom had
four judges to four cities, and these
were their names, Serak in the city
of Sodom, Sharkad in Gomorrah,
Zabnac in Admah, and Menon in
Zeboyim.

2. And Eliezer Abraham s servant
applied to them different names, and
he converted Serak to *Shakra,
Sharkad to Shakrura, Zabnac to Ke-
zobim, and Menon to Matzlodin.

3. And by desire of their four
judges the people of Sodom ano!
Gomorrah had beds erected in the
streets of the cities, and if a man
came to these places they laid hold
of him and brought him to one of
their beds, and by force made him
to lie in them.

4. And as he lay down, three men
would stand at his head and three at
his feet, and measure him by the
length of the bed, and if the man was
less than the bed these six men would
stretch him at each end, and when
he cried out to them they would not
answer him.

5. And if he was longer than the
bed then they would draw together
the two sides of the bed at each end,

* BV3T3 N-inp2&gt; Nipt? are different names for
falsehood. Eliezer made these puns upon their
names to show that falsehood formed the fount*
dation of their decisions.

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

until the man had reached the gates
of death.

6. And if he continued to cry out
to them, they would answer him,
saying, thus shall it be done to a man
that cometh into our land.

7. And when men heard all these
things that the people of the cities of
Sodom did, they refrained from com
ing there.

8. And when a poor man came to
their land they would give him silver
and gold, and cause a proclamation
in the whole city not to give him a
morsel of bread to eat, and if the
stranger should remain there some
days, and die from hunger, not hav
ing been able to obtain a morsel of
bread, then at his death all the peo
ple of the city would come and take
their silver and gold which they had
given to him.

9. And those that could recognize
the silver or gold which they had
given him took it back, and at his
death they also stripped him of his
garments, and they would fight about
them, and he that prevailed over his
neighbor took them.

19. They would after that carry
him and bury him under some of the
shrubs in the deserts ; so they did
all the days to any one that came to
them and died in their land.

11. And in the course of time
Sarah sent Eliezer to Sodom, to see
Lot and inquire after his welfare.

12. And Eliezer went to Sodom,
and he met a man of Sodom fighting
with a stranger, and the man of So
dom stripped the poor man of all his
clothes and went away.

13. And this poor man cried to
Eliezer and supplicated his favor
on account of what the man of Sodom
had done to him.

14. And he said to him, why dost

| thou act thus to the poor man who
came to thy land ?

15. And the man of Sodom an
swered Eliezer, saying, is this man
thy brother, or have the people of
Sodom made thee a judge this day,
that thou speakest about this man ?

16. And Eliezer strove with the
man of Sodom on account of the poor
man, and when Eliezer approached
to recover the poor man s clothes
from the man of Sodom, he hastened
and with a stone smote Eliezer in the
forehead.

17. And the blood flowed copious
ly from Eliezer s forehead, and when
the man saw the blood he caught
hold of Eliezer, saying, give me my
hire for having rid thee of this bad
blood that was in thy forehead, for
such is the custom and the law in
our land.

1 8. And Eliezer said to him, thou
hast wounded me and requirest me
to pay thee thy hire ; and Eliezer
would not hearken to the words of
the man of Sodom.

19. And the man laid hold of Elie
zer and brought him to Shakra the
judge of Sodom for judgment.

20. And the man spoke to the
judge, saying, I beseech thee my lord,
thus has this man done, for I smote
him with a stone that the blood flowed
from his forehead, and he is unwil
ling to give me my hire.

21. And the judge said to Eliezer,
this man speaketh truth to thee, give
him his hire, for this is the custom in
our land ; and Eliezer heard the
words of the judge and he lifted up
a stone and smote the judge, and the
stone struck on his forehead and the
blood flowed copiously from the fore
head of the judge, and Eliezer said,
if this then is the custom in your land
give thou unto this man what I should

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

have given him, for this has been
thy decision, thou didst decree it.

22. And Eliezer left the man of
Sodom with the judge, and he went
away.

23. And when the kings of Elam
had made war with the kings of So
dom, the kings of Elam captured all
the property of Sodom, and they took
Lot captive, with his property, and
when it was told to Abraham he went
and made war with the kings of
Elam, and he recovered from their
hands all the property of Lot as well
as the property of Sodom.

24. At that time the wife of Lot
bare him a daughter, and he called
her name Paltith, saying, because
God had delivered him and his whole
household from the kings of Elam ;
and Paltith daughter of Lot grew up,
and one of the men of Sodom took
her for a wife.

25. And a poor man came into the
city to seek a maintenance, and he
remained in the city some days, and
all the people of Sodom caused a
proclamation of their custom not to
give this man a morsel of bread to
eat, until he dropped dead upon the
earth, and they did so.

26. And Paltith the daughter of
Lot saw this man lying in the streets
starved with hunger, and no one
would give him any thing to keep
him alive, and he was just upon the
point of death.

27. And her soul was filled with
pity on account of the man, and she
fed him secretly with bread for many
days, and the soul of this man was
revived.

For when she went forth to fetch
water she would put the bread in
the water pitcher, and when she came
to the place where the poor man was,
she took the bread from the pitcher

and gave it him to eat ; so she did
many days.

29. And all the people of Sodom
and Gomorrah wondered how this
man could bear starvation for so
many days.

30. And they said to each other,
this can only be that he eats and
drinks, for no man can bear starva
tion for so many days or live as this
man has, without even his counten
ance changing ; and three men con
cealed themselves in a place where
the poor man was stationed, to know
who it was that brought him bread
to eat.

31. And Paltith daughter of Lot
went forth that day to fetch water,
and she put bread into her pitcher of
water, and she went to draw water
by the poor man s place, and she
took out the bread from the pitcher
and gave it to the poor man and he
ate it.

32. And the three men saw what
Paltith did to the poor man, and they
said to her, it is thou then who hast
supported him, and therefore has he
not starved, nor changed in appear
ance, nor died like the rest.

33. And the three men went out
of the place in which they were con
cealed, and they seized Paltith and
the bread which was in the poor
man s hand.

34. And they took Paltith and
brought her before their judges, and
they said to them, thus did she do,
and it is she who supplied the poor
man with bread, therefore did he
not die all this time ; now therefore
declare to us the punishment due
to this woman for having transgress
ed our law.

35. And the people of Sodom and
Gomorrah assembled and kindled a
fire in the street of the city, and they

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

took the woman and cast her into the
fire and she was burned to ashes.

36. And in the city of Admah
there was a woman to whom they
did the like.

37. For a traveller came into the
city of Admah to abide there all
night, with the intention of going
home in the morning, and he sat op
posite the door of the house of the
young woman s father, to remain
there, as the sun had set when he had
reached that place; and the young
woman saw him sitting by the door
of the house.

38. And he asked her for a drink
of water and she said to him, who
art thou ? and he said to her I was
this day going on the road, and
reached here when the sun set, so I
will abide here all night, and in the
morning I will arise early and con
tinue my journey.

39. And the young woman went
into the house and fetched the man
bread and water to eat and drink.

40. And this affair became known
to the people of Admah, and they as
sembled and brought, the young wo
man before the judges, that they
should judge her for this act.

41. And the judge said the judg
ment of death must pass upon this
woman because she transgressed our
law, and this therefore is the deci
sion concerning her.

42. And the people of those cities
assembled and brought out the young
woman, and anointed her with rioney
from head to foot, as the judge had
decreed, and they placed her before
a swarm of bees which were then
in their hives, and the bees flew up
on her and stung her that her whole
body was swelled.

43. And the young woman cried
out on account of the bees, but no

one took notice of her or pitied her,
and her cries ascended to heaven.

44. And the Lord was provoked
at this and at all the works of the
cities of Sodom, for they had abun
dance of food and had tranquility
amongst them, and still would not
sustain the poor and the needy, and
in those days their evil doings and
sins became great before the Lord.

45. And the Lord sent for two of
the angels that had come to Abra
ham s house, to destroy Sodom and
its cities.

46. And the angels rose up from
the door of Abraham s tent, after
they had eaten and drunk, and they
reached Sodom in the evening, and
Lot was then sitting in the gate of
Sodom, and when he saw them he
rose to meet them and he bowed
down to the ground.

47. And he pressed them greatly
and brought them into his house, and
he gave them victuals which they
ate, and they abided all night in his
house.

48. And the angels said to Lot,
arise, go forth from this place, thou
and all belonging to thee, lest thou
be consumed in the iniquity of this
city, for the Lord will destroy this
place.

49. And the angels laid hold upon
the hand of Lot and upon the hand
of his wife, and upon the hands of
his children, and all belonging to
him, and they brought him forth and
set him without the cities.

50. And they said to Lot, escape
for thy life, and he fled and all be
longing to him.

51. Then the Lord rained upon
Sodom and upon Gomorrah and up
on all these cities brimstone and fire
from the Lord out of heaven.

52. And he overthrew these cities-,

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

all the plain and all the inhabitants
of the cities, and that which grew
upon the ground ; and Ado the wife
of Lot looked back to see the de
struction of the cities, for her com
passion was moved on account of her
daughters who remained in Sodom,
for they did not go with her.

53. And when she looked back
she became a pillar of salt, and it is
yet in that place unto this day.

54. And the oxen which stood in
that place daily licked up the salt to
the extremities of their feet, and in
the morning it would spring forth
afresh, and they again licked it up
unto this day.

55. And Lot and two of his
daughters that remained with him
fled and escaped to the cave of
Adullam, and they remained there
for some time.

56. And Abraham rose up early
in the morning to see what had been
done to the cities of Sodom ; and he
looked and beheld the smoke of the
cities going up like the smoke of a
furnace.

57. And Lot and his two daugh
ters remained in the cave, and they
made their father drink wine, and
they lay with him, for they said
there was no man upon earth that
could raise up seed from them, for
they thought that the whole earth
was destroyed.

58. And they both lay with their
father, and they conceived and bare
sons, and the first born called the
name of her son Moab, saying, from
my father did I conceive him ; he is
the father of the Moabites unto this
day.

59. And the younger also called
her son Benami ; he is the father of
the children of Ammon unto this
day.

60. And after this Lot and his two
daughters went away from there, and
he dwelt on the other side of the
Jordan with his two daughters and
their sons, and the sons of Lot grew
up, and they went and took them-
selve.3 wives from the land of
Canaan, and they begat children and
they were fruitful and multiplied.

CHAPTER XX.

1 . And at that time Abraham jour
neyed from the plain of Mamre, and
he went to the land of the Philistines,
and he dwelt in Gerar ; it was in the
twenty-fifth year of Abraham s being
in the land o"f Canaan, and the hun-
dreth year of the life of Abraham,
that he came to Gerar in the land of
the Philistines.

2. And when they entered the land
he said to Sarah his wife, say thou
art my sister, to any one that shall
ask thee, in order that we may es
cape the evil of the inhabitants of the
land.

3. And as Abraham was dwelling
in the land of the Philistines, the ser
vants of Abimelech, king of the Phi
listines, saw that Sarah was exceed^
ingly beautiful, and they asked Abra
ham concerning her, and he said, she
is my sister.

4. And the servants of Abimelech
went to Abimelech, saying, a man
from the land of Canaan is come to
dwell in the land, and he has a sister
that is exceeding fair.

5. And Abimelech heard the words
of his servants who praised Sarah to
him, and Abimelech sent his officers,
and they brought Sarah to the king.

6. And Sarah came to the house
of Abimelech, and the king saw that
Sarah was beautiful, and she pleased
him exceedingly.

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

7. And he approached her and
said to her, what is that man to thee
with whom thou didst come to our
land ? and Sarah answered and said
he is my brother, and we came from
the land of Canaan to dwell wherever
we could find a place.

8. And Abimelech said to Sarah,
behold my land is before thee, place
thy brother in any part of this land
that pleases thee, and it will be our
duty to exalt and elevate him above
all the people of the land since he is
thy brother.

9. And Abimelech sent for Abra
ham, and Abraham came to Abime
lech.

10. And Abimelech said to Abra
ham, behold I have given orders that
thou shalt be honored as thou de-
sirest on account of thy sister Sarah.

1 1 . And Abraham went forth from
the king, and the king s present fol
lowed him.

12. As at evening time, before
men lie down to rest, the king was
sitting upon his throne, and a deep
sleep fell upon him, and he lay upon
the throne and slept till morning.

13. And he dreamed that an angel
of the Lord came to him with a
drawn sword in his hand, and the
angel stood over Abimelech, and
wished to slay him with the sword,
and the king was terrified in his
dream, and said to the angel, in what
have I sinned against thee that thou
comest to slay me with thy sword ?

14. And the angel answered and
said to Abimelech, behold thou diest
on account of the woman which thou
didst yesternight bring to thy house,
for she is a married woman /the wife
of Abraham who came to thy house ;
now therefore return that man his
wife, for she is his wife ; and shouldst
thou not return her, know that thou

wilt surely die, thou and all belong
ing to thee.

15. And on that night there was
a great outcry in the land of the Phi
listines, and the inhabitants of the
land saw the figure of a man stand
ing with a drawn sword in his hand,
and he smote the inhabitants of the
land with the sword, yea he continued
to smite them.

16. And the angel of the Lord
smote the whole land of the Philis
tines on that night, and there was a
great confusion on that night and on
the following morning.

17. And every womb was closed,
and all their issues, and the hand of
the Lord was upon them on account
of Sarah, wife of Abraham, whom
Abimelech had taken.

18. And in the morning Abime
lech rose with terror and confusion
and with a great dread, and he sent
and had his servants called in, and
he related his dream to them, and
the people were greatly afraid.

19. And one man standing amongst
the servants of the king answered
the king, saying, sovereign king,
restore this woman to her husband,
for he is her husband, for the like
happened to the king of Egypt when
this man came to Egypt.

20. And he said concerning his
wife, she is my sister, for such is his
manner of doing when he cometh to
dwell in the land in which he is a
stranger.

21. And Pharaoh sent and took
this woman for a wife, and the Lord
brought upon him grievous plagues
until he returned the woman to her
husband.

22. Now therefore, sovereign
king, know what happened yester
night to the whole land, for there was
a very great consternation and great

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

pain and lamentation, and we know
that this was on account of the wo
man which thou didst take.

23. Now therefore, restore this
woman to her husband, lest it should
befall us as it did to Pharaoh king of
Egypt and his subjects, and that we
may not die ; and Abimelech has
tened and called and had Sarah called
for, and she came before him, and
he had Abraham called for, and he
came before him.

24. And Abimelech said to them,
what is this work you have been do
ing in saying you are brother and
sister, and I took this woman for a
wife?

25. And Abraham said, because
I thought I should suffer death on
account of my wife ; and Abimelech
took flocks and herds, and men ser
vants and maid servants, and a thou
sand pieces of silver, and he gave
them to Abraham, and he returned
Sarah to him.

26. And Abimelech said to Abra
ham, behold the whole land is before
thee, dwell in it wherever thou shalt
choose.

27. And Abraham and Sarah his
wife went forth from the king s
presence with honor and respect,
and they dwelt in the land, even in
Gerar.

28. And all the inhabitants of the
land of the Philistines and the king s
servants were still in pain, through
the plague which the angel had in
flicted upon them the whole night on
account of Sarah.

29. And Abimelech sent for Abra
ham, saying, pray now for thy ser
vants to the Lord thy God, that he
may put away this mortality from
amongst us.

30. And Abraham prayed on ac
count of Abimelech and his subjects,

and the Lord heard the prayer of
Abraham, and he healed Abimelech
and all his subjects.

CHAPTER XXI.

1 . And it was at that time at the
end of a year and four months of
Abraham s dwelling in the land of
the Philistines in Gerar, that God
visited Sarah, and the Lord remem
bered her, and she conceived and
bare a son to Abraham.

2. And Abraham called the name
of the son which was born, to him,
which Sarah bare to him, Isaac.

3. And Abraham circumcised his
son Isaac at eight days old, as God
had commanded Abraham to do
unto his seed after him ; and Abra
ham was one hundred, and Sarah
ninety years old, when Isaac was
born to them.

4. And the child grew up and he
was weaned, and Abraham made a
great feast upon the day that Isaac
was weaned.

5. And Shem and Eber and all
the great people of the land, and Abi
melech king of the Philistines, and
his servants, and Phicol the captain
of his host, came to eat and drink
and rejoice at the feast which Abra
ham made upon the day of his son
Isaac s being weaned.

6. Also Terah, the father of Abra
ham, and Nahor his brother, came
from Haran, they and all belonging
to them, for they greatly rejoiced on
hearing that a son had been born to
Sarah.

7. And they came to Abraham,
and they ate and drank at the feast
which Abraham made upon the day
of Isaac s being weaned.

8. And Terah and Nahor rejoiced
with Abraham, and they remained

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

with him many days in the land of
the Philistines.

9. At that time Serug the son of
Reu died, in the first year of the birth
of Isaac son of Abraham.

10. And all the days of Serug were
two hundred and thirty-nine years,
and he died.

1 1 . And Ishmael the son of Abra
ham was grown up in those days ;
he was fourteen years old when Sa
rah bare Isaac to Abraham.

12. And God was with Ishmael the
son of Abraham, and he grew up and
he learned the use of the bow and
became an archer.

13. And when Isaac was five years
old he was sitting with Ishmael at
the door of the tent.

14. And Ishmael came to Isaac
and seated himself opposite to him,
and he took the bow and drew it and
put the arrow in it, and intended to
slay Isaac.

15. And Sarah saw the act which
Ishmael desired to do to her son
Isaac, and it grieved her exceedingly
on account of her son, and she sent
for Abraham and said to him, cast
out this bondwoman and her son, for
her son shall not be heir with my
son, for thus did he seek to do unto
him this day.

16. And Abraham hearkened to
the voice of Sarah, and he rose up
early in the morning, and he took
twelve loaves and a bottle of water
which he gave to Hagar, and sent
her away with her son, and Hagar
went with her son to the wilderness,
and they dwelt in the wilderness of
Paran with the inhabitants of the wil
derness, and Ishmael was an archer,
and he dwelt in the wilderness a long
time.

17. And he and his mother after
ward went to the land of Egypt, and

they dwelt there, and Hagar took a
wife for her son from Egypt, and her
name was Meribah.

1 8. And the wife of Ishmael con
ceived and bare four sons and twc
daughters, and Ishmael and his mo
ther and his wife and children after
ward went and returned to the wil
derness.

19. And they made themselves
tents in the wilderness, in which they
dwelt, and they continued to travel
and then to rest monthly and yearly.

20. And God gave Ishmael flocks
and herds and tents on account of
Abraham his father, and the man in
creased in cattle.

21. And Ishmael dwelt in deserts
and in tents, travelling and resting
for a long time, and he did not see
the face of his father.

22. And in some time after, Abra
ham said to Sarah his wife, I will
go and see my son Ishmael, for I
have a desire to see him, for I have
not seen him for a long time.

23. And Abraham rode upon one
of his camels to the wilderness to
seek his son Ishmael, for he heard
that he was dwelling in a tent in the
wilderness with all belonging to him.

24. And Abraham went to the
wilderness, and he reached the tent
of Ishmael about noon, and he asked
after Ishmael, and he found the wife
of Ishmael sitting in the tent with her
children, and Ishmael her husband
and his mother were not with them.

25. And Abraham asked the wife
of Ishmael, saying, where has Ish
mael gone ? and she said, he has
gone to the field to hunt, and Abra
ham was still mounted upon the
camel, for he would not get off to
the ground as he had sworn to his
wife Sarah that he would not get off
from the camel.

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

26. And Abraham said to Ish-
niael s wife, my daughter give me a
little water that I may drink, for I
am fatigued from the journey.

27. And Ishmael s wife answered
and said to Abraham, we have
neither water nor bread, and she
continued sitting in the tent and did
not notice Abraham, neither did she
ask him who he was.

28. But she was beating her chil
dren in the tent, and she was curs
ing them, and she also cursed her
husband Ishmael and reproached
him, and Abraham heard the words
of Ishmael s wife to her children,
and he was very angry and dis
pleased.

29. And Abraham called to the
woman to come out to him from the
tent, and the woman came and stood
opposite to Abraham, for Abraham
was still mounted upon the camel.

30. And Abraham said to Ish
mael s wife, when thy husband Ish
mael returneth home say these words
to him.

31. A very old man from the land
of the Philistines came hither to
seek thee, and thus was his appear
ance and figure ; I did not ask him
who he was, and seeing thou wast
not here he spoke unto me and said,
when Ishmael they husband return
eth tell him thus did this man say,
when thou comest home put away
this nail of the tent which thou hast
placed here, and place another nail
in its stead.

32. And Abraham finished his in
structions to the woman, and he
turned and went off on the camel
homeward.

33. And after that Ishmael come
from the chase, he and his mother,
and returned to the tent, and his
wife spoke these words to him.

34. A very old man from the land
of the Philistines came to seek thee,
and thus was his appearance and
figure ; I did not ask him who he
was, and seeing thou wast not at
home he said to me, when they hus
band cometh home tell him, thus
saith the old man, put away the nail
of the tent which thou hast placed
here and place another nail in its
stead.

35. And Ishmael heard the words
of his wife, and he knew that it was
his father, and that his wife did not
honor him.

36. And Ishmael understood his
father s words that he had spoken to
his wife, and Ishmael hearkened to
the voice of his father, and Ishmael
cast off that woman and she went
away.

37. And Ishmael afterward went
to the land of Canaan, and he took
another wife and he brought her to
his tent to the place where he then
dwelt.

38. And at the end of three years
Abraham said, I will go again and
see Ishmael my son, for I have not
seen him for a long time.

39. And he rode upon his camel
and went to the wilderness, and he
reached the tent of Ishmael about
noon.

40. And he asked after Ishmael,
and his wife came out of the tent
and she said, he is not here my lord,
for he has gone to hunt in the fields,
and to feed the camels, and the
woman said to Abraham, turn in my
lord into the tent and eat a morsel of
bread, for thy soul must be wearied
on account of the journey.

41. And Abraham said to her, I
will not stop for I am in haste to
continue my journey, but give me a
little water to drink, for I have

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

thirst ; and the woman hastened and
ran into the tent and she brought out
water and bread to Abraham, which
she placed before him and she urged
him to eat, and he ate and drank
and his heart was comforted and he
blessed his son Ishmael.

42. And he finished his meal and
he blessed the Lord, and he said to
Ishmael s wife, when Ishmael cometh
home say these words to him ;

43. A very old man from the land
of the Philistines came hither and
asked after thee, and thou wast not
here, and I brought him out bread j
and water and he ate and drank and !
his heart was comforted.

44. And he spoke these words to ;
me ; when Ishmael thy husband
cometh home, say unto him, the nail
of the tent which thou hast is very
good, do not put it away from the
tent.

45. And Abraham finished com
manding the woman, and he rode off
to his home to the land of the Phil
istines ; and when Ishmael came
to his tent his wife went forth to
meet him with joy and a cheerful
heart.

46. And she said to him, an old
man came here from the land of the
Philistines and thus was his appear
ance, and he asked after thee and
thou wast not here, so I brought out
bread and water, and he ate and
drank and his heart was comforted.

47. And he spoke these words to
me ; when Ishmael thy husband
cometh home say to him, the nail of
the tent which thou hast is very
good, do not put it away from the
tent.

48. And Ishmael knew that it was
his father, and that his wife had
honored him, and the Lord blessed
Ishmael.

CHAPTER XXII.

1 . And Ishmael then rose up and
took his wife and his children and
his cattle and all belonging to him,
and he journeyed from there and he
went to his father in the land of the
Philistines.

2. And Abraham related to Ish
mael his son the transaction with the
first wife that Ishmael took, accord
ing to what she did.

3. And Ishmael and his children
dwelt with Abraham many days in
that land, and Abraham dwelt in the
land of the Philistines a long time.

4. And the days increased and
reached twenty six years, and after
that Abraham with his servants and
all belonging to him went from the
land of the Philistines and removed
to a great distance, and they came
near to Hebron, and they remained
there, and the servants of Abraham
dug wells of water, and Abraham
and all belonging to him dwelt by
the water, and the servants o Abi-
melech king of the Philistines heard
the report that Abraham s servants
had dag wells of water in the bor
ders of the land.

5. And they came and quarreled
with the servants of Abraham, and
they robbed them of the great well
which they had dug.

6. And Abimelech king of the
Philistines heard of this affair, and
he with Phicol the captain of his
host and twenty of his men came to
Abraham, and Abimelech spoke to
Abraham concerning his servants,
and Abraham rebuked Abimelech
concerning the well of which his
servants had robbed him.

7. And Abimelech said to Abra
ham, as the Lord liveth who created
the whole earth I did not hear of the

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

act which my servants did unto thy
servants until this day.

8. And Abraham took seven ewe
lambs and gave them to Abimelech,
saying, take these I pray thee from
my hands that it may be a testimony
for me that I dug this well.

9. And Abimelech took the seven
ewe lambs which Abraham had
given to him, for he had also given
him cattle and herds in abundance,
and Abimelech swore to Abraham
concerning the well, therefore he
called that well Beersheba, for there
they both swore concerning it.

10. And they both made a co
venant in Beersheba, and Abime
lech rose up with Phicol the cap
tain of his host and all his men,
and they returned to the land of
the Philistines, and Abraham and
all belonging to him dwelt in Beer
sheba and he was in that land a long
time.

11. And Abraham planted a large
grove in Beersheba, and he made to
it four gates facing the four sides of
the earth, and he planted a vineyard
in it, so that if a traveller came to
Abraham he entered any gate which
was in his road, and remained there
and ate and drank and satisfied him
self and then departed.

12 For the house of Abraham was
always open to the sons of men that
passed and repassed, who came
daily to eat and drink in the house
of Abraham.

13. And any man who had hunger
and came to Abraham s house, Abra
ham would give him bread that he
might eat and drink and be satisfied,
and any one that came naked to his
house he would clothe with garments
as he might choose, and give him
silver and gold and make known to
him the Lord who had created him

in the earth ; this did Abraham all
his life.*

14. And Abraham and his children
and all belonging to him dwelt in
Beersheba, and he pitched his tent
as far as Hebron.

15. And Abraham s brother Na-
hor and his father and all belonging
to them dwelt in Haran, for they did
not come with Abraham to the land
of Canaan.

16. And children were born to
Nahor which Milca the daughter of
Haran, and sister to Sarah, Abra
ham s wife, bare to him.

17. And these are the names of
those that were born to him, Uz,
Buz, Kemuel, Kesed, Chazo, Pil-
dash, Tidlaf, and Bethuel, being

! eight sons, these are the children of
I Milca which she bare to Nahor
Abraham s brother.
. 18. And Nahor had a concubine
and her name was Reumah, and she
also bare to Nahor, Zebach, Ga-
chash, Tachash and Maacha, being
four sons.

19. And the children that were
born to Nahor were twelve sons be
sides his daughters, and they also had
children born to them in Haran.

20. And the children of Uz the
first born of Nahor were Abi, Che-
ref, Gadin, Melus, and Deborah
their sister.

21. And the sons of Buz were
Berachel, Naamath, Sheva and Ma-
donu.

22. And the sons of Kemuel were
Aram and Rechob.

23. And the sons of Kesed were
Anamlech, Meshai, Benon and Yifi ;
and the sons of Chazo were Pildash,
Mechi and Opher.

24. And the sons of Pildash were
Arud, Chamum, Mered and Moloch.

* Hebrew, all the days.

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

25. And the sons of Yidlaf were
Mushan, Cushan and Mutzi.

26. And the children of Bethuel
were Sechar, Laban and their sister
Rebecca.

27. These are the families of the
children of Nahor, that were born to
them in Haran ; and Aram the son
of Kemuel and Rechob his brother
went away from Haran, and they
found a valley in the land by the
river Euphrates.

28. And they built a city there,
and they called the name of the city
after the name of Pethor the son of
Aram, that is Aram Naherayim* un
to this day.

29. And the children of Kesed
also went to dwell where they could
find a place, and they went and they
found a valley opposite to the land
of Shinar, and they dwelt there.

30. And they there built them
selves a city, and they called the
name of the city Kesed after the
name of their father, that is the land
Kasdimf unto this day, and the Kas-
dim dwelt in that land and they
were fruitful and multiplied exceed-

31. And Terah father of Nahor
and Abraham went and took another
wife in his old age, and her name
was Pelilah, and she conceived and
bare him a son and he called his
name Zoba.

32. And Terah lived twenty five
years after he begat Zoba.

33. And Terah died in that year,
that is in the thirty fifth year of the
birth of Isaac son of Abraham.

34. And the days of Terah were
two hundred and five years, and he
was buried in Haran.

35. And Zoba the son of Terah

* Mesopotamia.
t Chaldea.

lived thirty years and he begat Aram,
Achlis and Merik.

36. And Aram son of Zoba son
of Terah, had three wives and he
begat twelve sons and three daugh
ters ; and the Lord gave to Aram
the son of Zoba, riches and posses
sions, and abundance of cattle, and
flocks and herds, and the man in
creased greatly.

37. And Aram the son of Zoba
and his brother and all his house
hold journeyed from Haran, and they
went to dwell where they should
find a place, for their property was
too great to remain in Haran ; for
they could not stop in Haran to
gether with their brethren the child
ren of Nahor.

38. And Aram the son of Zoba
went with his brethren, and they
found a valley at a distance toward
the eastern country and they dwelt
there.

39. And they also built a city
there, and they called the name
thereof Aram, after the name of their
eldest brother; that is Aram Zoba
to this day.

40. And Isaac the son of Abra
ham was growing up in those days,
and Abraham his father taught him
the way of the Lord to know the
Lord, and the Lord was with him.

41. And when Isaac was thirty
seven years old, Ishmael his brother
was going about with him in the
tent.

42. And Ishmael boasted of him
self to Isaac, saying, I was thirteen
years old when the Lord spoke to
my father to circumcise us, and I did
according to the word of the Lord
which he spoke to my father, and I
gave my soul unto the Lord, and I
did not transgress his word which
he commanded my father.

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

43. And Isaac answered Ishrnael,
saying, why dost thou boast to me
about this, about a little bit of thy
flesh which thou didst take from thy
body, concerning which the Lord
commanded thee ?

44. As the Lord liveth, the God
of my father Abraham, if the Lord
should say unto my father, take now
thy son Isaac and bring him up an
ottering before me, I would not re
frain but I would joyfully accede to
it.

45. And the Lord heard the word
that Isaac spoke to Ishmael, and it
seemed good in the sight of the Lord,
and he thought to try Abraham in this
matter.

46. And the day arrived when the
sons of God came and placed them
selves before the Lord, and Satan also
came with the sons of God before
the Lord.

47. And the Lord said unto Satan,
whence comest thou ? and Satan an
swered the Lord and said, from go
ing to and fro in the earth, and from
walking up and down in it.

48. And the Lord said to Satan,
what is thy word to me concerning
all the children of the earth? and
Satan answered the Lord and said,
I have seen all the children of the
earth who serve thee and remember
thee when they require anything from
thee.

49. And when thou givest them
the thing which they require from
thee, they sit at their ease, and for
sake thee and they remember thee
no more.

50. Hast thou seen Abraham the
son of Terah, who at first had no
children, and he served thee and
erected altars to thee wherever he
came, and he brought up offerings
upon them, and he proclaimed thy

name continually to all the children
of the earth.

51. And now that his son Isaac is
born to him, he has forsaken thee,
he has made a great feast for all the
inhabitants of the land, and the Lord
he has forgotten.

52. For amidst all that he has done
he brought thee no offering ; neither
burnt offering nor peace offering, nei
ther ox, lamb nor goat of all that he
killed on the day that his son was
weaned.

53. Even from the time of his
son s birth till now, being thirty-seven
years, he built no altar before thee,
nor brought up any offering to thee,
for he saw that thou didst give what
he requested before thee, and he
therefore forsook thee.

54. And the Lord said to Satan,
hast thou thus considered my servant
Abraham ? for there is none like him
upon earth, a perfect and an upright
man before me, one that feareth God
and avoideth evil ; as I live, were I
to say unto him, bring up Isaac thy
son before me, he would not withhold
him from me, much more if I told
him to bring up a burnt offering be
fore me from his flocks or herds.

55. And Satan answered the Lord
and said, speak then now unto Abra
ham as thou hast said, and thou wilt
see whether he will not this day trans
gress and cast aside thy words.

CHAPTER XXIII.

1 . At that time the word of the
Lord came to Abraham, and he said
unto him, Abraham, and he said here
I am.

2. And he said to him, take now
thy son, thine only son whom thou
lovest, even Isaac, and go to the land
of Moriah, and offer him there for a

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

burnt offering upon one of the moun
tains which shall be shown to thee,
for there wilt thou see a cloud and
the glory of the Lord.

3. And Abraham said within him
self, how shall I separate my son
Isaac from Sarah his mother, in order
to bring him up for a burnt offering
before the Lord ?

4. And Abraham came into the
tent, and he sat before Sarah his
wife, and he spoke these words to
her.

5. My son Isaac is grown up and
he has not for some time studied the
service of his God, now to-morrow I
will go and bring him to Shem, and
Eber his son, and there he will learn
the ways of the Lord, for they will
teach him to know the Lord as well
as to know that when he prayeth
continually before the Lord, he will
answer him, therefore there he will
know the way of serving the Lord
his God.

6. And Sarah said, thou hast spo
ken well, go my lord and do unto him
as thou hast said, but remove him
not at a great distance from me, nei
ther let him remain there too long,
for my soul is bound within his soul.

7. And Abraham said unto Sarah,
my daughter, let us pray to the Lord
our God that he may do good with
us.

8. And Sarah took her son Isaac
and he abided all that night with her,
and she kissed and embraced him,
and gave him instructions till morn
ing.

9. And she said to him, O my son
how can my soul separate itself "from
thee ? And she still kissed him and
embraced him, and she gave Abra
ham instructions concerning him.

1 0. And Sarah said to Abraham,
O my lord, I pray thee take heed of

thy son, and place thine eyes over
him, for I have no other son nor
daughter but him.

1 1 . O forsake him not. If he be
hungry give him bread, and if he be
thirsty give him water to drink ; do
not let him go on foot, neither let
him sit in the sun.

12. Neither let him go by himself
in the road, neither force him from
whatever he may desire, but do unto
him as he may say to thee.

13. And Sarah wept bitterly the
whole night on account of Isaac, and
she gave him instructions till morn
ing.

14. And in the morning Sarah se
lected a very fine and beautiful gar
ment from those garments which she
had in the house, that Abimelech had
given to her.

15. And she dressed Isaac her son
therewith, and she put a turban upon
his head, and she enclosed a precious
stone in the top of the turban, and
she gave them provision for the road,
and they went forth, and Isaac went
with his father Abraham, and some
of their servants accompanied them
to see them off the road.

16. And Sarah went out with
them, and she accompanied them
upon the road to see them off, and
they said to her, return to the tent.

17. And when Sarah heard the
words of her son Isaac she wept
bitterly, and Abraham her husband
wept with her, and their son wept
with them a great weeping; also those
who went with them wept greatly.

18. And Sarah caught hold of her
son Isaac, and she held him in her
arms, and she embraced him and
continued to weep with him, and
Sarah said, who knoweth if after
this day I shall ever see thee again ?

19. And they still wept together,

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

Abraham, Sarah and Isaac and all
those that accompanied them on the
road wept with them, and Sarah
afterward turned away from her son,
weeping bitterly, and all her men
servants and maid servants returned
with her to the tent.

20. And Abraham went with
Isaac his son to bring him up as an
offering before the Lord, as he had
commanded him.

21. And Abraham took two of
his young men with him, Ishmael
the son of Hagar and Eliezer his
servant, and they went together with
them, and whilst they were walking
in the road the young men spoke
these words to themselves.

22. And Ishmael said to Eliezer,
now my father Abraham is going
with Isaac to bring him up for a
burnt offering to the Lord, as he
commanded him.

23. Now when he returneth he
will give unto me all that he pos
sesses, to inherit after him, for I am
his first born.

24. And Eliezer answered Ish
mael and said, surely Abraham did
cast thee away with thy mother,
and swear that thou shouldst not in
herit any thing of all he possesses,
and to whom will he give all that he
has, with all his treasures, but unto
me his servant, who has been faith
ful in his house, who has served
him night and day, and has done
all that he desired me ? to me will
he bequeath at his death all that he
possesses.

25. And whilst Abraham was pro
ceeding with his son Isaac along the
road, Satan came and appeared to
Abraham in the figure of a very aged
man, humble and of contrite spirit,
and he approached Abraham and
said to him, art thou silly or brutish,

that thou goest to do this thing this
day to thine only son ?

26. For God gave thee a son in
thy latter days, in thy old age, and
wilt thou go and slaughter him this
day because he committed no vio
lence, and wilt thou cause the soul
of thine only son to perish from the
earth ?

27. Dost thou not know and un
derstand that this thing cannot be
from the Lord ? for the Lord cannot
do unto man such evil upon earth to
say to him, go slaughter thy child.

28. And Abraham heard this and
knew that it was the word of Satan
who endeavored to draw him aside
from the way of the Lord, but
Abraham would not hearken to the
voice of Satan, and Abraham rebu
ked him so that he went away.

29. And Satan returned and came
to Isaac ; and he appeared unto Isaac
in the figure of a young man, comely
and well favoured.

30. And he approached Isaac and
said unto him, dost thou not know
and understand that thy old silly.,
father bringeth thee to the slaughter
this day for nought ?

31. Now therefore, my son, do
not listen nor attend to him, for he
is a silly old man, and let not thy
precious soul and beautiful figure be
lost from the earth.

32. And Isaac heard this, and
said unto Abraham, hast thou heard,
my father, that which this man has
spoken ? even thus has he spoken.

33. And Abraham answered his
son Isaac and said to him, take heed
of him and do not listen to his words,
nor attend to him, for he is Satan
endeavoring to draw us aside this
day from the commands of God.

34. And Abraham still rebuked
Satan, and Satan went from them,

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

and seeing he could not prevail over
them he hid himself from them, and
he went and passed before them in
the road ; and he transformed him
self to a large brook of water in the
road, and Abraham and Isaac and
his two young men reached that
place, and they saw a brook large and
powerful as the mighty waters.

35. And they entered the brook
and passed through it, and the
waters at first reached their legs.

36. And they went deeper in the
brook and the waters reached up to
their necks, and they were all terri
fied on account of the water ; and
whilst they were going over the
brook Abraham recognized that
place, and he knew that there was
no water there before.

37. And Abraham said to his son
Isaac, I know this place in which
there was no brook nor water, now
therefore it is this Satan who does
all this to us, to draw us aside this
day from the commands of God.

38. And Abraham rebuked him
and said unto him, the Lord rebuke
thee, O Satan, begone from us for
we go by the commands of God.

39. And Satan was terrified at the
voice of Abraham, and he went
away from them, and the place
again became dry land as it was at
first.

40. And Abraham went with
Isaac toward the place that God hac
told him.

41. And on the third day Abra
ham lifted up his eyes and saw the
place at a distance which God hac
told him of.

42. And a pillar of fire appearec
to him that reached from the earth
to heaven, and a cloud of glory up
on the mountain, and the glory of
the Lord was seen in the cloud.

43. And Abraham said to Isaac,
ny son dost thou see in that moun-
ain, which we perceive at a distance,
hat which I see upon it ?

44. And Isaac answered and said
unto his father, I see and lo a pillar

&gt;f fire and a cloud, and the glory of
he Lord is seen upon the cloud.

45. And Abraham knew that his
son Isaac was accepted before the
Lord for a burnt offering.

46. And Abraham said unto Eli-
ezer and unto Ishmael his son, do
you also see that which we see up
on the mountain which is at a dis-

ance?

47. And they answered and said,
we see nothing more than like the
other mountains of the earth. And
Abraham knew that they were not
accepted before the Lord to go with
them, and Abraham said to them,
abide ye here with the ass whilst I
and Isaac my son will go to yonder
mount and worship there before the
Lord and then return to you.

48. And Eliezer and Ishmael re
mained in that place, as Abraham
bad commanded.

49. And Abraham took wood for
burnt offering and placed it upon

his son Isaac, and he took the fire
and the knife, and they both went to
that place.

50. And when they were going
along Isaac said to his father, be
hold, I see here the fire and wood,
and where then is the lamb that is
to be the burnt offering before the
Lord?

51. And Abraham answered his
son Isaac, saying, the Lord has
made choice of thee my son, to be
a perfect burnt offering instead of
the lamb.

52. And Isaac said unto his fath
er, I will do all that the Lord spoke

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

to thee with joy and cheerfulness of
heart.

53. And Abraham again said unto
Isaac his son, is there in thy heart
any thought or counsel concerning
this, which is not proper? tell me
my son, I pray thee, my son con
ceal it not from me.

54. And Isaac answered his fath
er Abraham and said unto him, O
my father, as the Lord liveth and as
thy soul liveth there is nothing in
my heart to cause me to deviate
either to the right or to the left from
the word that he has spoken to
thee.

55. Neither limb nor muscle has
moved or stirred at this, nor is there
in my heart any thought or evil
counsel concerning this.

56. But I am of joyful and cheer
ful heart in this matter, and I say,
blessed is the Lord who has this
day chosen me to be a burnt offering
before him.

57. And Abraham greatly rejoiced
at the words of Isaac, and they went
on and came together to that place
that the Lord had spoken of.

58. And Abraham approached to
build the altar in that place, and
Abraham was weeping, and Isaac
took stones and mortar until they
had finished building the altar.

59. And Abraham took the wood
and placed it in order upon the altar
which he had built.

60. And he took his son Isaac and
bound him in order to place him
upon the wood which was upon the
altar, to slay him for a burnt offering
before the Lord.

6 1 . And Isaac said to his father, bind
me securely and then place me upon
the altar lest I should turn and move,
and break loose from the force of the
knife upon my flesh and thereby

profane the burnt offering; and
Abraham did so.

62. And Isaac still said to his
father, my father, when thou shalt
have slain me and burnt me for an
offering, take with thee that which
shall remain of my ashes to bring to
Sarah my mother, and say to her,
this is the sweet smelling savor of
Isaac ; but do not tell her this if she
should sit near a well or upon any
high place, lest she should cast her
soul after me and die.

63. And Abraham heard the
words of Isaac, and he lifted up his
voice and wept when Isaac spake
these words ; and Abraham s tears
gushed down upon Isaac his son,
and Isaac wept bitterly, and he said
to his father, hasten thou, O my
father, and do with me the will of
the Lord our God as he has com
manded thee.

64. And the hearts of Abraham
and Isaac rejoiced at this thing which
the Lord had commanded them ; but
the eye wept bitterly whilst the heart
rejoiced.

65. And Abraham bound his son
Isaac, and placed him on the altar
upon the wood, and Isaac stretched
forth his neck upon the altar before
his father, and Abraham stretched
forth his hand to take the knife to
slay his son as a burnt offering be
fore the Lord.

66. At that time the angels of
mercy came before the Lord and
spake to him concerning Isaac, say
ing*

67. Lord, thou art a merciful

and compassionate king over all that
thou hast created in heaven and in
earth, and thou supportest them all ;
give therefore ransom and redemp
tion instead of thy servant Isaac, and
pity and have compassion upon Abra-

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

ham and upon Isaac his son, who
are this day performing thy com
mands.

68. Hast thou seen, O Lord, how
Isaac the son of Abraham thy ser
vant is bound down to the slaughter
like an animal ? now therefore let
thy pity be roused for them, Lord.

69. At that time the Lord appear
ed unto Abraham, and called to him
from heaven, and said unto him, lay
not thine hand upon the lad, neither
do thou any thing unto him, for now
I know that thou fearest God in per
forming this act, and in not withhold
ing thy son, thine only son, from me.

70. And Abraham lifted up his
eyes and saw, and behold, a ram was
caught in a thicket by his horns ; that
was the ram which the Lord God
had created in the earth in the day
that he made earth and heaven.

71. For the Lord had prepared
this ram from that day, to be a burnt
offering instead of Isaac.

72. And this ram was advancing
to Abraham when Satan caught hold
of him and entangled his horns in the
thicket, that he might not advance to
Abraham, in order that Abraham
might slay his son.

73. And Abraham, seeing the ram
advancing to him and Satan withhold
ing him, fetched him and brought
him before the altar, and he loosened
his son Isaac from his binding, and
he put the ram in his stead, and
Abraham killed the ram upon the
altar, and brought it up as an offering
in the place of his son Isaac.

74. And Abraham sprinkled some
of the blood of the ram upon the al
tar, and he exclaimed and said, this
is in the place of my son, and may
this be considered this day as the
blood of my son before the Lord.

75. And all that Abraham did on

this occasion by the altar, he would
exclaim and say, this is in the room,
of my son, and may it this day be
considered before the Lord in the
place of my son ; and Abraham fin
ished the whole of the service by the
altar, and the service was accepted,
before the Lord, and was accounted
as if it had been Isaac ; and the Lord
blessed Abraham and his seed on
that day.

76. And Satan went to Sarah, and
he appeared to her in the figure of
an old man very humble and meek,
and Abraham was yet engaged in the
burnt offering before the Lord.

77. And he said unto her, dost
thou not know all the work that
Abraham has made with thine only
son this day ? for he took Isaac and
built an altar and killed him, and
brought him up as a sacrifice upon
the altar, and Isaac cried and wept
before his father, but he looked not
at him, neither did he have compas
sion over him.

78. And Satan repeated these
words, and he went away from her,
and Sarah heard all the words of
Satan, and she imagined him to be
an old man from amongst the sons of
men who had been with her son, and
had come and told her these things.

79. And Sarah lifted up her voice
and wept and cried out bitterly on
account of her son ; and she threw
herself upon the ground and she
cast dust upon her head, and she
said, O my son, Isaac my son, O
that I had this day died instead of
thee. And she continued to weep
and said, it grieves me for thee, O
my son, my son Isaac, O that I had
died this day in thy stead.

80. And she still continued to
weep, and said, it grieves me for
thee after that I have reared thee and

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

have brought thee up ; now my joy
is turned into mourning over thee, I
that had a longing for thee, and cried
and prayed to God till I bare thee at
ninety years old ; and now hast thou
served this day for the knife and the
fire, to be made an offering.

81. But I console myself with
thee my son, in its being the word
of the Lord, for thou didst perform
the command of thy G od : for who
can transgress the word of our God,
in whose hands is the soul of every
living creature ?

82. Thou art just O Lord our God,
for all thy works are good and righ
teous ; for I also am rejoiced with
thy word which thou didst command,
and whilst mine eye weepeth bitterly
my heart rejoiceth.

83. And Sarah laid her head upon
the bosom of one of her handmaids,
and she became as still as a stone.

84. She afterward rose up and
went about making inquiries till she
came to Hebron, and she inquired
of all those whom she met walking
in the road, and no one could tell her
what had happened to her son.

85. And she came with her maid
servants and men servants to Kireath
Arba, which is Hebron, and she
asked concerning her son, and she
remained there whilst she sent some
of her servants to seek where Abra
ham had gone with Isaac ; they went
to seek him in the house of Shem
and Eber, and they could not find
him, and they sought throughout the
land and he was not there.

86. And behold, Satan came to
Sarah in the shape of an old man,
and he came and stood before her,
and he said unto her, I spoke falsely
unto thee, for Abraham did not kill
his son and he is not dead ; and
when she heard the word her joy

was so exceedingly violent on ac
count of her son, that her soul went
out through joy ; she died and was
gathered to her people.

87. And when Abraham had
finished his service he returned with
his son Isaac to his young men, and
they rose up and went together to
Beersheba, and they came home.

88. And Abraham sought for Sa
rah, and could not find her, and he
made inquiries concerning her, and
they said unto him, she went as far
as Hebron to seek you both where
you had gone, for thus was she in
formed.

89. And Abraham and Isaac went
to her to Hebron, and when they
found that she was dead they lifted
up their voices and wept bitterly over
her; and Isaac fell upon his mother s
face and wept over her, and he said,
O my mother, my mother, how hast
thou left me, and where hast thou
gone ? O how, how hast thou left
me!

90. And Abraham and Isaac wept
greatly and all their servants wept
with them on account of Sarah, and
they mourned over her a great and
heavy mourning.

CHAPTER XXIV.

1 . And the life of Sarah was one
hundred and twenty seven years,
and Sarah died ; and Abraham rose
up from before his dead to seek a
burial place to bury his wife Sarah ;
and he went and spoke to the child
ren of Heth, the inhabitants of the
land, saying,

2. I am a stranger and a sojourner
with you in your land ; give me a
possession of a burial place in your
land, that I may bury my dead from
before me.

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

3. And the children of Heth said
unto Abraham, behold the land is
before thee, in the choice of our se
pulchres bury thy dead, for no man
shall withhold thee from burying
thy dead.

4. And Abraham said unto them,
if you are agreeable to this go and
intreat for me to Ephron, the son of
Zochar, requesting that he may give
me the cave of Machpelah, which is
in the end of his field, and I will
purchase it of him for whatever he
desire for it.

5. And Ephron dwelt among the
children of Heth, and they went and
called for him, and he came before
Abraham, and Ephron said unto
Abraham, behold all thou require st
thy servant will do ; and Abraham
said, no, but I will buy the cave and
the field which thou hast for value,
in order that it may be for a posses
sion of a burial place for ever.

6. And Ephron answered and said,
behold the field and the cave are be
fore thee, give whatever thou desir-
est; and Abraham said, only at full
value will I buy it from thy hand,
and from the hands of those that go
in at the gate of thy city, and from
the hand of thy seed for ever.

7. And Ephron and all his breth
ren heard this, and Abraham weigh
ed to Ephron four hundred shekels
of silver in the hands of Ephron and
in the hands of all his brethren ; and
Abraham wrote this transaction, and
he wrote it and testified it with four
witnesses.

8. And these are the names of the
witnesses, Amigal son of Abishna
the Hittite, Adichorom son of Ashu-
nach the Hivite, Abdon son of Achi-
ram the Gomerite, Bakdil the son of
Abudish the Zidonite.

9 And Abraham took the book of

the purchase, and placed it in his
treasures, and these are the words
that Abraham wrote in the book,
namely.

10. That the cave and the field
Abraham bought from Ephron the
Hittite, and from his seed, and from
those that go out of his city, and
from their seed for ever, are to be a
a purchase to Abraham and to his
seed and to those that go forth from
his loins, for a possession of a burial
place for ever ; and he put a signet
to it and testified it with witnesses.

1 1 . And the field and the cave that
was in it and all that place were
made sure unto Abraham and unto
his seed after him, from the children
of Heth ; behold it is before Mamre
in Hebron, which is in the land of
Canaan.

12. And after this Abraham buri
ed his wife Sarah there, and that
place and all its boundary became to
Abraham and unto his seed for a
possession of a burial place.

13. And Abraham buried Sarah
with pomp as observed at the inter
ment of kings, and she was buried in
very fine and beautiful garments.

14. And at her bier was Shem,
his sons Eber and Abimelech, to
gether with Anar. Ashcol and Mamre,
and all the grandees of the land fol
lowed her bier.

15. And the days of Sarah were
one hundred and twenty seven years
and she died, and Abraham made a
great and heavy mourning, and he
performed the rites of mourning for
seven days.

16. And all the inhabitants of the
land comforted Abraham and Isaac
his son on account of Sarah.

17. And when the days of their
mourning passed by Abraham sent
away his son Isaac, and he went to

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

the house of Shem and Eber, to
learn the ways of the Lord and his
instructions, and Abraham remained
there three years.

18. At that time Abraham rose up
with all his servants, and they went
and returned homeward to Beershe-
ba, and Abraham and all his servants
remained in Beersheba.

19. And at the revolution of the
year Abimelech king of the Philis
tines died in that year ; he was one
hundred and ninety three years old
at his death ; and Abraham went
with his people to the land of the
Philistines, and they comforted the
whole household and all his servants,
and he then turned and went home.

20. And it was after the death of
Abimelech that the people of Gerar
took Benmalich his son, and he was
only twelve years old, and they
made him king in the place of his
father.

21. And they called his name
Abimelech after the name of his
father, for thus was it their custom
to do in Gerar, and Abimelech
reigned instead of Abimelech his
father, and he sat upon his throne.

22. And Lot the son Haran also
died in those days, in the thirty ninth
year of the life of Isaac, and all the
days that Lot lived were one hundred
and forty years and he died.

23. And these are the children of
Lot, that were born to him by his
daughters ; the name of the first born
was Moab, and the name of the
second was Benami.

24. And the two sons of Lot went
and took themselves wives from the
land of Canaan, and they bare
children to them, and the children of
Moab were Ed, Mayon, Tarsus, and
Kanvil, four sons, these are fathers
to the children of Moab unto this day.

25. And all the families of the
children of Lot went to dwell wher
ever they should light upon, for they
were fruitful and increased abun
dantly.

26. And they went and built them
selves cities in the land where they
dwelt, and they called the names of
the cities which they built after their
own names.

27. And Nahor the son of Terah,
brother to Abraham, died in those
days in the fortieth year of the life
of Isaac, and all the days of Nahor
were one hundred and seventy two
years and he died and was buried in
Haran.

28. And when Abraham heard
that his brother was dead he grieved
sadly, and he mourned over his
brother many days.

29. And Abraham called for
Eliezer his head servant, to give
him orders concerning his house, and
he came and stood before him.

30. And Abraham said to him,
behold I am old, I do not know the
day of my death ; for I am advanced
in "days ; now therefore rise up, go
forth and do not take a wife for my
son from this place and from this
land, from the daughters of the
Canaanites amongst whom we dwell.

31. But go to my land and to my
birth place, and take from thence a
wife for my son, and the Lord God
of Heaven and earth who took me
from my fathers house and brought
me to this place, and said unto me,
to thy seed will I give this land for
an inheritance for ever, he will send
his angel before thee and prosper
thy way, that thou mayest obtain a
wife for my son from my family and
from my father s house.

32. And the servant answered his
master Abraham and said, behold I

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

go tc thy birth place and to thy
lather s house, and take a wife for
thy son from there ; but if the woman
be not willing to follow me to this
land, shall I take thy son back to the
land of thy birth place ?

33. And Abraham said unto him,
take heed that thou bring not my
son hither again, for the Lord before
whom I have walked he will send
his angel before thee and prosper
thy way.

34. And Eliezer did as Abraham
ordered him, and Eliezer swore unto
Abraham his master upon this
matter ; and Eliezer rose up and took
ten camels of the camels of his
master, and ten men from his master s
servants with him, and they rose up
and went to Haran, the city of
Abraham and Nahor, in order to
fetch a wife for Isaac the son of
Abraham ; and whilst they were gone
Abraham sent to the house of Shem
and Eber, and they brought from
thence his son Isaac.

35. And Isaac came home to his
father s house to Beersheba, whilst
Eliezer and his men came to Haran ;
and they stopped in the city by the
watering place, and he made his
camels to kneel down by the water
and they remained there.

36. And Eliezer, Abraham s ser
vant, prayed and said, O God of
Abraham my master; send me I
pray thee good speed this day and
show kindness unto my master, that
thou shalt appoint this day a wife
for my master s son from his family.

37. And the Lord hearkened to
the voice of Eliezer, for the sake of
his servant Abraham, and he hap
pened to meet with the daughter of
Bethuel, the son of Milcah, the wife
of Nahor, brother to Abraham, and
Eliezer came to her house.

38. And Eliezer related to them
all his concerns, and that he was
Abraham s servant, and they greatly
rejoiced at him.

39. And they all blessed the Lord
who brought this thing about, and
they gave him Rebecca, the daugh
ter of Bethuel, for a wife for Isaac.

40. And the young woman was
of very comely appearance, she was
a virgin, and Rebecca was ten years
old in those days.

41. And Bethuel and Laban and
his children made a feast on that
night, and Eliezer and his men came
and ate and drank and rejoiced there
on that night.

42. And Eliezer rose up in the
morning, he and the men that were
with him, and he called to the whole
household of Bethuel, saying, send
me away that I may go to my mas
ter ; and they rose up and sent away
Rebecca and her nurse Deborah, the
daughter of Uz, and they gave her
silver and gold, men servants and
maid servants, and they blessed her.

43. And they sent Eliezer away
with his men ; and the servants took
Rebecca, and he went and returned
to his master to the land of Canaan.

44. And Isaac took Rebecca and
she became his wife, and he brought
her into the tent.

45. And Isaac was forty years old
when he took Rebecca, the daughter
of his uncle Bethuel, for a wife.

CHAPTER XXV.

1 . And it was at that time that
Abiaham again took a wife in his old
age, and her name was Keturah,from
the land of Canaan.

2. And she bare unto him Zim-
rau, Yokshan, Medan, Midian, Yish-
bak and Shuach, being six sons.

THE BOOK OF JASHER,

And the children of Zemran were
Abihen, Molich and Marim.

3. And the sons of Yokshan were
Sheba and Dedan, and the sons of
Medan were Amida, Joab, Gochi,
Elisha and Nothach ; and the sons
of Midian were Ephah, Epher,
Chanoch, Abida and Eldaah.

4. And the sons of Yishbak were
Makiro, Beyodua and Tator.

5. And the sons of Shuach were
Bildad, Mamdad, Munan and Meban ;
all these are the families of the chil
dren of Keturah the Canaanitish wo
man which she bare unto Abraham
the Hebrew.

6. And Abraham sent all these
away, and he gave them gifts, and
they went away from his son Isaac
to dwell wherever they should find
a place.

7. And all these went to the moun
tain at the east, and they built them
selves six cities in which they dwelt
unto this day.

8. But the children of Sheba and
Dedan, children of Yokshan, with
their children, did not dwell with their
brethren in their cities, and they jour
neyed and encamped in the countries
and wildernesses unto this day.

9. And the children of Midian,
son of Abraham, went to the east of
the land of Cush, and they there
found a large valley in the eastern
country, and they remained there
and built a city, and they dwelt
therein ; that is the land of Midian
unto this day.

10. And Midian dwelt in the city
which he built, he and his five sons
and all belonging to him.

11. And these are the names of
the sons of Midian according to their
names in their cities, Ephah, Epher,
Chanoch, Abida and Eldaah.

12. And the sons of Ephah were

Methach, Meshar, Avi and Tzanua,
and the sons of Epher were Ephron,
Zur, Alirun and Medin, and the sons
of Chanoch were Reuel, Rekem, Azi,
Alyoshub and Alad.

13. And the sons of Abida were
Chur, Melud, Keruy, Molchi; and
the sons of Eldaah were Miker, and
Reba, and Malchiyah and Gabol ;
these are the names of the Midianites
according to their families ; and af
terward the families of Midian spread
throughout the land of Midian.

14. And these are the generations
of Ishmael the son of Abraham,
whom Hagar, Sarah s handmaid, bare
unto Abraham.

15. And Ishmael took a wife from
the land of Egypt, and her name was
Ribah, the same is Meribah.

16. And Ribah bare unto Ishmael
Nebayoth, Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam
and their sister Bosmath.

17. And Ishmael cast away his
wife Ribah, and she went from him
and returned to Egypt to the house
of her father, and she dwelt there, for
she had been very bad in the sight
of Ishmael, and in the sight of his
father Abraham.

18. And Ishmael afterward took
a wife from the land of Canaan, and
her name was Malchuth, and she
bare unto him Nishma, Dumah,
Masa, Chadad, Tema, Yetur, Nap-
hish and Kedma.

19. These are the sons of Ishmael,
and these are their names, being
twelve princes according to their
nations ; and the families of Ishmael
afterward spread forth, and Ishmael
took his children and all the property
that he had gained, together with the
souls of his household and all belong
ing to him, and they went to dwell
where they should find a place.

20. And they went and dwelt near

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

the wilderness of Paran, and their
dwelling was from Havilah unto
Shur, that is before Egypt as thou
comest toward Assyria.

21. And Ishmael and his sons
dwelt in the land, and they had chil
dren born to them, and they were
fruitful and increased abundantly.

22. And these are the names of
the sons of Nebayoth the first born
of Ishmael; Mend, Send, and Ma-
yon ; and the sons of Kedar were
Alyon, Kezem, Chamad and Eli.

23. And the sons of Adbeel were
Chamad and Jabin ; and the sons of
Mibsam were Obadiah, Ebedmelech
and Yeush ; these are the families
of the children of Ribah the wife of
Ishmael.

24. And the sons of Mishmatheson
of Ishmael were Shamua, Zecaryon
and Obed ; and the sons of Dumah
were Kezed, Eli, Machmad* and
Amed.

25. And the sons of Masa were
Melon, Mula and Ebidadon ; and the
sons of Chadad were Azur, Minzar
and Ebedmelech ; and the sons of
Tema were Seir, Sadon and Yakol.

26. And the sons of Yetur were
Merith, Yaish, Alyo, and Pachoth ;
and the sons of Naphish were Ebed-
Tamed, Abiyasaph and Mir; and
the sons of Kedma were Calip,
Tachti, and Omir ; these were the
children of Malchuth the wife of Ish
mael according to their families.

27. All these are the families of
Ishmael according to their genera
tions, and they dwelt in those lands
wherein they had built themselves
cities unto this day.

28. And Rebecca the daughter of
Bethuel, the wife of Abraham s son
Isaac, was barren in those days, she
had no offspring ; and Isaac dwelt

* This is generally called Mohammed.

with his father in the land of Canaan ;
and the Lord was with Isaac ; and
Arpachshad the son of Shem the
son of Noah died in those days, in
the forty eighth year of the life of
Isaac, and all the days that Arpach
shad lived were four hundred and
thirty eight years, and he died.

CHAPTER XXVI.

1. And in the fifty ninth year of
the life of Isaac the son of Abraham,
Rebecca his wife was still barren
in those days.

2. And Rebecca said unto Isaac,
truly I have heard, my lord, that thy
mother Sarah was barren in her
days until my lord Abraham, thy
father, prayed for her and she con
ceived by him.

3. Now therefore stand up, pray
thou also to God and he will hear
thy prayer and remember us through
his mercies.

4. And Isaac answered his wife
Rebecca, saying, Abraham has al
ready prayed for me to God to mul
tiply his seed, now therefore this
barrenness must proceed to us from
thee.

5. And Rebecca said unto him,
but arise now thou also and pray,
that the Lord may hear thy prayer
and grant me children, and Isaac
hearkened to the words of his wife,
and Isaac and his wife rose up and
went to the land of Moriah to pray
there and to seek the Lord, and
when they had reached that place
Isaac stood up and prayed to the
Lord on account of his wife because
she was barren.

6. And Isaac said, Lord God
of heaven and earth, whose good
ness and mercies fill the earth, thou

i who didst take my father from his

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

father s house and from his birth
place, and didst bring him unto this
land, and didst say unto him, to thy
seed will I give the land, and thou
didst promise him and didst declare
unto him, I will multiply thy seed as
the stars of heaven and as the sand
of the sea, now may thy words be
verified which thou didst speak unto
my father.

7. For thou art the Lord our God,
our eyes are toward thee to give us
seed of men, as thou didst promise
us, for thou art the Lord our God
and our eyes are directed toward
thee only.

8. And the Lord heard the prayer
of Isaac the son of Abraham, and the
Lord was intreated of him and Re
becca his wife conceived.

9. And in about seven months
after the children struggled together
within her, and it pained her greatly
that she was wearied on account of
them, and she said to all the women
who were then in the land, did such
a thing happen to you as it has to
me ? and they said unto her, no.

10. And she said unto them, why
am I alone in this amongst all the
women that were upon earth? and
she went to the land of Moriah to
seek the Lord on account of this ;
and she went to Shem and Eber his
son to make inquiries of them in
this matter, and that they should
seek the Lord in this thing respect
ing her.

11. And she also asked Abraham
to seek and inquire of the Lord about
all that had befallen her.

12. And they all inquired of the
Lord concerning this matter, and they
brought her word from the Lord and
told her, two children are in thy
womb, and two nations shall rise
from them ; and one nation shall be

stronger than the other, and the
greater shall serve the younger.

13. And when her days to be de
livered were completed, she knelt
down, and behold there were twins
in her womb, as the Lord had spo
ken to her.

14. And the first came out red all
over like a hairy garment, and all the
people of the land called his name
Esau, saying, that this one was made
complete from the womb.

15. And after that came his bro
ther, and his hand took hold of Esau s
heel, therefore they called his name
Jacob.

16. And Isaac, the son of Abra
ham, was sixty years old when he
begat them.

17. And the boys grew up to their
fifteenth year, and they came amongst
the society of men. Esau was a de
signing and deceitful man, and an
expert hunter in the field, and Jacob
was a man perfect and wise, dwelling
in tents, feeding flocks and learning
the instructions of the Lord and the
commands of his father and mother.

18. And Isaac and the children
of his household dwelt with his father
Abraham in the land of Canaan, as
God had commanded them.

19. And Ishmael the son of Abra
ham went with his children and all
belonging to them, and they returned
there to the land of Havilah, and they
dwelt there.

20. And all the children of Abra
ham s concubines went to dwell in
the land of the east, for Abraham
had sent them away from his son,
and had given them presents, and
they went away.

21. And Abraham gave all that he
had to his son Isaac, and he also
gave him all his treasures.

22. And he commanded him, say-

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

ing, dost thou not know and under
stand the Lord is God in heaven and
in earth, and there is no other beside
him?

23. And it was he who took me
from my father s house, and from
my birth-place, and gave me all the
delights upon earth ; who delivered
me from the counsel of the wicked,
for in him did I trust.

24. And he brought me to this
place, and he delivered me from Ur
Casdim ; and he said unto me, to
thy seed will I give all these lands,
and they shall inherit them when
they keep my commandments, ray
statutes and my judgments that I
have commanded thee, and which I
shall command them.

25. Now therefore my son, hear
ken to my voice, and keep the com
mandments of the Lord thy God,
which I commanded thee, do not turn
from the right way either to the right
or to the left, in order that it may be
well with thee and thy children after
thee forever.

26. And remember the wonderful
works of the Lord, and his kindness
that he has shown toward us, in hav
ing delivered us from the hands of
our enemies, and the Lord our God
caused them to fall into our hands ;
and now therefore keep all that I
have commanded thee, and turn not
away from the commandments of thy
God, and serve none beside him, in
order that it may be well with thee
and thy seed after thee.

27. And teach thou thy children
and thy seed the instructions of the
Lord and his commandments, and
teach them the upright way in which
they should go, in order that it may
be well with them forever.

28. And Isaac answered his father
and said unto him, that which my

Lord has commanded that will I do,
and I will not depart from the com
mands of the Lord my God, I will
keep all that he commanded me ; and
Abraham blessed his son Isaac, and
also his children; and Abraham
taught Jacob the instruction of the
Lord and his ways.

29. And it was at that time that
Abraham died, in the fifteenth year
of the life of Jacob and Esau, the
sons of Isaac, and all the days of
Abraham were one hundred and se
venty-five years, and he died and
was gathered to his people in good
old age, old and satisfied with days,
and Isaac and Ishmael his sons bu
ried him.

30. And when the inhabitants of
Canaan heard that Abraham was
dead, they all came with their kings
and princes and all their men to bury
Abraham.

31. And all the inhabitants of the
land of Haran, and all the families
of the house of Abraham, and all the
princes and grandees, and the sons
of Abraham by the concubines, all
came when they heard of Abraham s
death, and they requited Abraham s
kindness, and comforted Isaac his
son, and they buried Abraham in the
cave which he bought from Ephron
the Hittite and his children, for the
possession of a burial place.

32. And all the inhabitants of Ca
naan, and all those who had known
Abraham, wept for Abraham a whole
year, and men and women mourned
over him.

33. And all the little children, and
all the inhabitants of the land wept
on account of Abraham, for Abraham
had been good to them all, and be
cause he had been upright with God
and men.

34. And theie arose not a man

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

who feared God like unto Abraham,
for he had feared his God from his
youth, and had served the Lord, and
had gone in all his ways during his
life, from his childhood to the day
of his death.

35. And the Lord was with him
and delivered him from the counsel
of Nimrod and his people, and when
he made war with the four kings of
Elam he conquered them.

36. And he brought all the chil
dren of the earth to the service of
God, and he taught them the ways
of the Lord, and caused them to
know the Lord.

37. And he formed a grove and he
planted a vineyard therein, and he
had always prepared in his tent meat
and drink to those that passed through
the land, that they might satisfy
themselves in his house.

38. And the Lord God delivered
the whole earth on account of Abra
ham.

39. And it was after the death of
Abraham that God blessed his son
Isaac and his children, and the Lord
was with Isaac as he had been with
his father: Abraham, for Isaac kept
all the commandments of the Lord
as Abraham his father had command
ed him ; he did not turn to the right
or to the left from the right path
which his father had commanded
him.

CHAPTER XXVII.

1. And Esau at that time, after
the death of Abraham, frequently
went in the field to hunt.

2. And Nimrod king of Babel, the
same was Amraphel, also frequently
went with his mighty men to hunt
in the field, and to walk about with
his men in the cool of the day.

3. And Nimrod was observing
Esau all the days, for a jealousy was
formed in the heart of Nimrod against
Esau all the days.

4. And on a certain day Esau went
in the field to hunt, and he found
Nimrod walking in the wilderness
with his two men.

5. And all his mighty men and his
people were with him in the wilder
ness, but they removed at a distance
from him, and they went from him
in different directions to hunt, and
Esau concealed himself for Nimrod,
and he lurked for him in the wilder
ness.

6. And Nimrod and his men that
were with him did not know him,
and Nimrod and his men frequently
walked about in the field at the cool
of the day, and to know where his
men were hunting in the field.

7. And Nimrod and two of his
men that were with him came to the
place where they were, when Esau
started suddenly from his lurking
place, and drew his sword, and has
tened and ran to Nimrod and cut off
his head.

8. And Esau fought a desperate
fight with the two men that were
with Nimrod, and when they called
out to him, Esau turned to them and
smote them to death with his sword.

9. And all the mighty men of Nim
rod, who had left him to go to the
wilderness, heard the cry at a dis
tance, and they knew the voices of
those two men, and they ran to know
the cause of it, when they found their
king and the two men that were with
him lying dead in the wilderness.

10. And when Esau saw the
mighty men of Nimrod coming at a
distance, he fled, and thereby escap
ed ; and Esau took the valuable gar
ments of Nimrod, which Nimrod s

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

father had bequeathed to Nimrod,
and with which Nimrod prevailed
over the whole land, and he ran and
concealed them in his house.

1 1 . And Esau took those garments
and ran into the city on account of
Nimrod s men, and he came unto his
father s house wearied and exhausted
from fight, and he was ready to die
through grief when he approached
his brother Jacob and sat before him.

12. And he said unto his brother
Jacob, behold I shall die this day,
and wherefore then do I want the
birthright ? And Jacob acted wisely
with Esau in this matter, and Esau
sold his birthright to Jacob, for it was
so brought about by the Lord.

13. And Esau s portion in the
cave of the field of Machpelah, which
Abraham had bought from the chil
dren of Heth for the possession of a
burial ground, Esau also sold to Ja
cob, and Jacob bought all this from
his brother Esau for value given.

14. And Jacob wrote the whole
of this in a book, and he testified the
same with witnesses, and he sealed
it, and the book remained in the
hands of Jacob.

15. And when Nimrod the son of
Cush died, his men lifted him up
and brought him in consternation,
and buried him in his city, and all
the days that Nimrod lived were two
hundred and fifteen years and he
died.

16. And the days that Nimrod
reigned upon the people of the land
were one hundred and eighty-five
years ; and Nimrod died by the sword
of Esau in shame and contempt, and
the seed of Abraham caused his death
as he had seen in his dream.

17. And at the death of Nimrod
his kingdom became divided into
many divisions, and all those parts

that Nimrod reigned over were re
stored to the respective kings of the
land, who recovered them after the
death of Nimrod, and all the people
of the house of Nimrod were for a
long time enslaved to all the other
kings of the land.

CHAPTER XXVIII.

1. And in those days, after the
death of Abraham, in that year the
Lord brought a heavy famine in the
land, and whilst the famine was ra
ging in the land of Canaan, Isaac
rose up to go down to Egypt on ac
count of the famine, as his father
Abraham had done.

2. And the Lord appeared that
night to Isaac and he said to him, do
not go down to Egypt but rise and
go to Gerar, to Abimelech king of
the Philistines, and remain there till
the famine shall cease.

3. And Isaac rose up and went to
Gerar, as the Lord commanded him,
and he remained there a full year.

4. And when Isaac came to Gerar,
the people of the land saw that Re
becca his wife was of a beautiful ap
pearance, and the people of Gerar
asked Isaac concerning his wife, and
he said, she is my sister, for he was
afraid to say she was his wife lest
the people of the land should slay
him on account of her.

5. And the princes of Abimelech
went and praised the woman to the
king, but he answered them not, nei
ther did he attend to their words.

6. But he heard them say that
Isaac declared her to be his sister,
so the king reserved this within him
self.

7. And when Isaac had remained
three months in the land, Abimelech
looked out at the window, and he

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

saw, and behold Isaac was sporting
with Rebecca his wife, for Isaac
dwelt in the outer house belonging
to the king, so that the house of
Isaac was opposite the house of the
king.

8. And the king said unto Isaac,
what is this thou hast done to us in
saying of thy wife, she is my sister ?
how easily might one of the great
men of the people have lain with her,
and thou wouldst then have brought
guilt upon us.

9. And Isaac said unto Abime-
lech, because I was afraid lest I die
on account of my wife, therefore I
said, she is my sister.

10. At that time Abimelech gave
orders to all his princes and great
men, and they took Isaac and Re
becca his wife and brought them be
fore the king.

1 1 . And the king commanded that
they should dress them in princely
garments, and make them ride
through the streets of the city, and
proclaim before them throughout the
land, saying, this is the man and this
is his wife ; whoever toucheth this
man or his wife shall surely die.
And Isaac returned with his wife to
the king s house, and the Lord was
with Isaac and he continued to wax
great and lacked nothing.

12. And the Lord caused Isaac to
find favor in the sight of Abimelech,
and in the sight of all his subjects,
and Abimelech acted well with Isaac,
for Abimelech remembered the oath
and the covenant that existed be
tween his father and Abraham.

13. And Abimelech said unto
Isaac, behold the whole earth is be
fore thee ; dwell wherever it may
seem good in thy sight until thou
shall return to thy land ; and Abime
lech gave Isaac fields and vineyards

and the best part of the land of Ge-
rar, to sow and reap and eat the fruits
of the ground until the days of the
famine should have passed by.

14. And Isaac sowed in that land,
and received a hundred-fold in the
same year, and the Lord blessed him.

15. And the man waxed great,
and he had possession of flocks and
possession of herds and great store
of servants.

16. And when the days of the fa
mine had passed away the Lord ap
peared to Isaac and said unto him,
rise up, go forth from this place and
return to thy land, to the land of
Canaan ; and Isaac rose up and re
turned to Hebron which is in the
land of Canaan, he and all belonging
to him as the Lord commanded him.

17. And after this Shelach the
son of Arpachshad died in that year,
which is the eighteenth year of the
lives of Jacob and Esau ; and all the
days that Shelach lived were four
hundred and thirty- three years and
he died.

18. At that time Isaac sent his
younger son Jacob to the house of
Shem and Eber, and he learned the
instructions of the Lord, and Jacob
remained in the house of Shem and
Eber for thirty-two years, and Esau
his brother did not go, for he was not
willing to go, and he remained in
his father s house in the land of Ca
naan.

19. And Esau was continually
hunting in the fields to bring home
what he could get, so did Esau all
the days.

20. And Esau was a designing
and deceitful man, one who hunted
after the hearts of men and *invei-

* The literal meaning of the Hebrew is, "he
stole their minds," a beautiful figure in the ori
ginal to express deceit, falsehood and fraud.

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

gled them, and Esau was a valiant
man in the field, and in the course
of time went as usual to hunt ; and
he came as far as the field of Seir,
the same is Edom.

21. And he remained in the land
of Seir hunting in the field a year
and four months.

22. And Esau there saw in the
land of Seir the daughter of a man
of Canaan, and her name was Jehu-
dith, the daughter of Beeri, son of
Epher, from the families of Heth the
son of Canaan.

23. Arid Esau took her for a wife,
and he came unto her ; forty years
old was Esau when he took her, and
he brought her to Hebron the land
of his father s dwelling place, and he
dwelt there.

24. And it came to pass in those
days, in the hundred and tenth year
of the life of Isaac, that is in the fif
tieth year of the life of Jacob, in that
year died Shem the son of Noah ;
Shem was six hundred years old at
his death.

25. And when Shem died Jacob
returned to his father to Hebron which
is in the land of Canaan.

26. And in the fifty-sixth year of
the life of Jacob, people came from
Haran, and Rebecca was told con
cerning her brother Laban the son
of Bethuel.

27. For the wife of Laban was
barren in those days, and bare no
children, and also all his handmaids
bare none to him.

28. And the Lord afterward re
membered Adinah the wife of Laban,
and she conceived and bare twin
daughters, and Laban called the
names of his daughters, the name of
the elder Leah, and the name of the
younger Rachel.

29. And those people came and

told these things to Rebecca, and

Rebecca rejoiced greatly that the

Lord had visited her brother and
that he had got children.

CHAPTER XXIX.

1 . And Isaac the son of Abraham
became old and advanced in days,
and his eyes became heavy through
age ; they were dim and could not
see.

2. At that time Isaac called unto
Esau his son, saying, get I pray thee
thy weapons, thy quiver arid thy
bow, rise up and go forth into the
field and get me some venison, and
make me savory meat and bring it
to me, that I may eat in order that
I may bless thee before my death,
as I have now become old arid grey
headed.

3. And Esau did so ; and he took
his weapon and went forth into the
field to hunt for venison, as usual,
to bring to his father as he had or
dered him, so that he might bless
him.

4. And Rebecca heard all the
words that Isaac had spoken unto
Esau, and she hastened and called
her son Jacob, saying, thus did thy
father speak unto thy brother Esau,
and thus did I hear, now therefore
hasten thou and make that which I
shall tell thee.

5. Rise up and go, I pray thee, to
the flock and fetch me two fine kids
of the goats, and I will get the sa
vory meat for thy father, and thou
shalt bring the savory meat that he
may eat before thy brother shall have
come from the chase, in order that
thy father may bless thee.

6. And Jacob hastened and did as
his mother had commanded him, and
he made the savory meat and brought

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

it before his father before Esau had
come from his chase.

7. And Isaac said unto Jacob,
who art thou, my son ? And he said
I am thy first born Esau, I have
done as thou didst order me, now
therefore rise up I pray thee, and
eat of my hunt, in order that thy
soul may bless me as thou didst speak
unto me.

8. And Isaac rose up and he ate
and he drank, and his heart was
comforted, and he blessed Jacob,
and Jacob went away from his father ;
and as soon as Isaac had blessed
Jacob and he had gone away from
him, behold Esau came from his
hunt from the field, and he also
made savory meat and brought it to
his father to eat thereof and to bless
him.

9. And Isaac said unto Esau, and
who was he that has taken venison
and brought it me before thou earnest
and whom I did bless ? And Esau
knew that his brother Jacob had
done this, and the [anger of Esau
was kindled against his brother Jacob
that he had acted thus toward him.

10. And Esau said, is he not
rightly called Jacob? for he has
supplanted me twice, he took away
my birth right and now he has taken
away my blessing ; and Esau wept
greatly ; and when Isaac heard the
voice of his son Esau weeping, Isaac
said unto Esau, what can I do my
son, thy brother came with subtlety
and took away thy blessing ; anH
Esau hated his brother Jacob on ac
count of the blessing that his father
had given him, and his anger was
greatly roused against him.

11. And Jacob was very much
afraid of his brother Esau, and he
rose up and fled to the house of Eber
the son of Shem, and he concealed

himself there on account of his
brother, and Jacob was sixty three
years old when he went forth from
the land of Canaan from Hebron, and
Jacob was concealed in Eber s house
fourteen years on account of his
brother Esau, and he there continued
to learn the ways of the Lord and
his commandments.

12. And when Esau saw that
Jacob had fled and escaped from
him, and that Jacob had cunningly
obtained the blessing, then Esau
grieved exceedingly, and he was also
vexed at his father and mother; and
he also rose up and took his wife
and went away from his father and
mother to the land of Seir, and he
dwelt there ; and Esau saw there a
woman from amongst the daughters
of Heth whose name was Bosmath,
the daughter of Elon the Hittite, and
he took her for a wife in addition to
his first wife, and Esau called her
name Adah, saying the blessing had
in that time passed from him.

13. And Esau dwelt in the land
of Seir six months without seeing
his father and mother, and afterward
Esau took his wives and rose up and
returned to the land of Canaan, and
Esau placed his two wives in his
father s house in Hebron.

14. And the wives of Esau vexed
and provoked Isaac and Rebecca
with their works, for they walked
not in the ways of the Lord, but
served their father s gods of wood
and stone as their father had taught
them, and they were more wicked
than their father.

15. And they went according to
the evil desires of their hearts, and
they sacrificed and burnt incense to
the Baalim, and Isaac and Rebecca
became weary of them.

16. And Rebecca said, I am

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

weary of my life because of the
daughters of Heth ; if Jacob take a
wife of the daughters of Heth, such
as these which are of the daughters
of the land, what good then is life
unto me ?

17. And in those days Adah the
wife of Esau conceived and bare
him a son, and Esau called the name
of the son that was born unto him
Eliphaz, and Esau was sixty five
years old when she bare him.

18. And Ishmael the son of
Abraham died in those days, in the
sixty fourth year of the life of Jacob,
and all the days that Ishmael lived
were one hundred and thirty seven
years and he died.

19. And when Isaac heard that
Ishmael was dead he mourned for
him, and Isaac lamented over him
many days.

20. And at the end of fourteen
years of Jacob s residing in the house
of Eber, Jacob desired to see his
father and mother, and Jacob came
to the house of his father and mother
to Hebron, and Esau had in those
days forgotten what Jacob had done
to him in having taken the blessing
from him in those days.

21. And when Esau saw Jacob
coming to his father and mother he
remembered what Jacob had done
to him, and he was greatly incensed
against him and he sought to slay
him.

22. And Isaac the son of Abraham
was old and advanced in days, and
Esau said, now my father s time is
drawing nigh that he must die, and
when he shall die I will slay my
brother Jacob.

23. And this was told to Rebecca,
and she hastened and sent and called
for Jacob her son, and she said unto
him, arise go and flee to Haran to

my brother Laban and remain there
for some time, until thy brother s
anger be turned from thee and then
shalt thou come back.

24. And Isaac called unto Jacob
and said unto him, take not a wife
from the daughters of Canaan, for
thus did our father Abraham com
mand us according to the word of
the Lord which he had commanded
him, saying, unto thy seed will I give
this land ; if thy children keep my
covenant that I have made with thee,
then will I also perform to thy child
ren that which I have spoken unto
thee and I will not forsake them.

25. Now therefore my son hearken
to my voice, to all that I shal] com
mand thee, and refrain from taking
a wife from amongst the daughters
of Canaan ; arise, go to Haran to the
house of Bethuel thy mother s
father, and take unto thee a wife from
there from the daughters of Laban
thy mother s brother.

26. Therefore take heed lest thou
shouldst forget the Lord thy God
and all his ways in the land to which
thou goest, and shouldst get con
nected with the people of the land
and pursue vanity and forsake the
Lord thy God.

27. But when thou comest to the
land serve there the Lord, do not
turn to the right or to the left from the
way which I commanded thee and
which thou didst learn.

28. And may the Almighty God
grant thee favor in the sight of the
people of the earth, that thou mayest
there take a wife according to thy
choice ; one who is good and upright
in the ways of the Lord.

29. And may God give unto thee
and thy seed the blessing of thy
father Abraham, and make thee
fruitful and multiply thee, and may-

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

est thou become a multitude of
people in the land whither thou

tgoest, and may God cause thee to
return to this land, the land of thy
father s dwelling, with children and
with great riches, with joy and with
pleasure.

30. And Isaac finished command
ing Jacob and blessing him, and he
gave him many gifts, together with
silver and gold, and he sent him away ;
and Jacob hearkened to his father
and mother ; he kissed them and
arose and went to Padanaram, and
Jacob was seventy seven years old
when he went out from the land of
Canaan from Beersheba.

31. And when Jacob went away
to go to Haran Esau called unto his
son Eliphaz, and secretly spoke unto
him, saying, now hasten, take thy
sword in thy hand and pursue Jacob
and pass before him in the road, and
lurk for him, and slay him with thy
sword in one of the mountains, and
take all belonging to him and come
back.

32. And Eliphaz the son of Esau
was an active man and expert with
the bow as his father had taught him,
and he was a noted hunter in the
field and a valiant man.

33. And Eliphaz did as his father
had commanded him, and Eliphaz
was at that time thirteen years old,
and Eliphaz rose up and went and
took ten of his mother s brothers with
him and pursued Jacob.

34. And he closely followed Ja
cob, and he lurked for him in the
border of the land of Canaan oppo
site to the city of Shechem.

35. And Jacob saw Eliphaz and
his men pursuing him, and Jacob
stood still in the place in which he
was going, in order to know what
this was, for he did not know the

thing ; and Eliphaz drew his sword
and he went on advancing, he and
his men, toward Jacob ; and Jacob
said unto them, what is to do with
you that you have come hither, and
what meaneth it that you pursue with
your swords.

36. And Eliphaz came near to Ja
cob and he answered and said unto him,
thus did my father command me, and
now therefore I will not deviate from
the orders which my father gave me ;
and when Jacob saw that Esau had
spoken to Eliphaz to employ force
Jacob then approached and suppli
cated Eliphaz and his men, saying
to him,

37. Behold all that I have and
which my father arid mother gave
unto me, that take unto thee and go
from me and do not slay me, and
may this thing be accounted unto
thee a righteousness.

38. And the Lord caused Jacob
to find favor in the sight of Eliphaz
the son of Esau, and his men, and they
hearkened to the voice of Jacob, and
they did not put him to death, and
Eliphaz and his men took all belong
ing to Jacob together with the silver
and gold that he had brought with
him from Beersheba ; they left him
nothing.

39. And Eliphaz and his men
went away from him and they re
turned to Esau to Beersheba, and
they told him all that had occurred
to them with Jacob, and they gave
him all that they had taken from
Jacob.

40. And Esau was indignant at
Eliphaz his son, and at his men that
were with him, because they had not
put Jacob to death.

41. And they answered and said
unto Esau, because Jacob supplica
ted us in this matter not to slay him*

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

our pity was excited toward him, and
we took all belonging to him and
brought it unto thee ; and Esau took
all the silver and gold which Eliphaz
had taken from Jacob and he put
them by in his house.

42. At that time when Esau saw
that Isaac had blessed Jacob, and had
commanded him, saying, thou shalt
not take a wife from amongst the
daughters of Canaan, and that the
daughters of Canaan were bad in the
sight of Isaac and Rebecca,

43. Then he went to the house of
Ishmael his uncle, and in addition to
his other wives he took Machlath the
daughter of Ishmael, the sister of
Nebayoth, for a wife.

CHAPTER XXX.

1 . And Jacob went forth continu
ing his road to Haran, and he came
as far as mount Moriah, and he tar
ried there all night near the city of
Luz ; and the Lord appeared there
unto Jacob on that night, and he said
unto him, I am the Lord God of
Abraham and the God of Isaac thy
father; the land upon which thou
liest I will give unto thee and thy
seed.

2. And behold I am with thee and
will keep thee wherever thou goest,
and I will multiply thy seed as the
stars of Heaven, and I will cause all
thine enemies to fall before thee ;
and when they shall make war with
thee they shall not prevail over thee,
and I will bring thee again unto this
land with joy, with children, and
with great riches.

3. And Jacob awoke from his
sleep and he rejoiced greatly at the
vision which he had seen ; arid he
called the name of that place Bethel.

4. And Jacob rose up from that

place quite rejoiced, and when he
walked his feet felt light to him for
joy, and he went from there to the
land of the children of the East, and
he returned to Haran and he sat by
the shepherd s well.

5. And he there found some men
going from Haran to feed their flock,
and Jacob made inquiries of them,
and they said, we are from Haran.

6. And he said unto them, do you
know Laban the son of Nahor ? and
they said we know him and behold
his daughter Rachel is coming along
to feed her father s flock.

7. Whilst he was yet speaking with
them, Rachel the daughter of Laban
came to feed her fathers sheep, for
she was a shepherdess.

8. And when Jacob saw Rachel
the daughter of Laban his mother s
brother, he ran and kissed her, and
lifted up his voice and wept.

9. And Jacob told Rachel that he
was the son of Rebecca her father s
sister, and Rachel ran and told her
father, and Jacob continued to cry
because he had nothing* with him to
bring to the house of Laban.

10. And when Laban heard that
his sister s son Jacob had come, he
ran and kissed him and embraced
him and brought him into the house
and gave him bread, and he ate.

11. And Jacob related to Laban
what his brother Esau had done to
him, and what his son Eliphaz had
done to him in the road.

12. And Jacob resided in Laban s
house for one month, and Jacob ate
and drank in the house of Laban, and
afterward Laban said unto Jacob,
tell me what shall be thy wages, for
how canst thou serve me for nought ?

13. And Laban had no sons but

* Having been robbed on the road by Eli-
phaz, the son of Esau.

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

only daughters, and his other wives
and handmaids were still barren in
those days ; and these are the names
of Laban s daughters which his wife
Adinah had borne unto him ; the
name of the elder was Lear and the
name of the younger was Rachel ;
and Leah was tender-eyed, but Ra
chel was beautiful and well favored,
and Jacob loved her.

14. And Jacob said unto Laban, I
will serve thee seven years for Ra
chel thy younger daughter ; and La-
ban consented to this and Jacob
served Laban seven years for his
daughter Rachel.

15. And in the second year of Ja
cob s dwelling in Haran, that is in
the seventy-ninth year of the life of
Jacob, in that year died Eber the son
of Selah, he was four hundred and
sixty-four years old at his death.

16. And when Jacob heard that
Eber was dead he grieved exceed
ingly, and he lamented and mourned
over him many days.

17. And in the third year of Ja
cob s dwelling in Haran, Bosmath,
the daughter of Ishmael, the wife of
Esau, bare unto him a son, and Esau
called his name Reuel.

18. And in the fourth year of Ja
cob s residence in the house of La-
ban, the Lord visited Laban and re
membered him on account of Jacob,
and sons were born unto him, and
his first born was Beor, his second
was Alib, and the third was Cho-
rash.

19. And the Lord gave JLaban
riches and honor, sons and daugh
ters, and the man increased greatly
on account of Jacob.

20. And Jacob in those days serv
ed Laban in all manner of work, in
the house and in the field, and the
blessing of the Lord was in all that

belonged to Laban in the house and
in the field.

21. And in the fifth year died Je-
hudith, the daughter of Beeri, the
wife of Esau, in the land of Canaan,
and she had no sons but daughters
only.

22. And these are the names of
her daughters which she bare to
Esau, the name of the elder was
Marzith, and the name of the younger
was Puith.

23. And when Jehudith died, Esau
rose up and went to Seir to hunt in
the field, as usual, and Esau dwelt
in the land of Seir for a long time.

24. And in the sixth year Esau
took for a wife, in addition to his other
wives, Ahlibamah, the daughter of
Zebeon the Hivite, and Esau brought
her to the land of Canaan.

25. And Ahlibamah conceived and
bare unto Esau three sons, Yeush,
Yaalan and Korah.

26. And in those days, in the land
of Canaan, there was a quarrel be
tween the herdsmen of Esau and the
herdsmen of the inhabitants of the
land of Canaan, for Esau s cattle and
goods were too abundant for him to
remain in the land of Canaan, in his
father s house, and the land of Ca
naan could not bear him on account
of his cattle.

27. And when Esau saw that his
quarrelling increased with the inha
bitants of the land of Canaan, he rose
up and took his wives and his sons
and his daughters, and all belonging
to him, and the cattle which he pos
sessed, and all his property that he
had acquired in the land of Canaan,
and he went away from the inhabit
ants of the land to the land of Seir,
and Esau and all belonging to him
dwelt in the land of Seir.

28. But from time to time Esau

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

would go and see his father and mo
ther in the land of Canaan, and Esau
intermarried with the Horites, and
he gave his daughters to the sons of
Seir, the Horite.

29. And he gave his elder daugh
ter Marzith to Anah, the son of Ze-
beon, his wife s brother, and Puith
he gave to Azar, the son of Bilhan
the Horite ; and Esau dwelt in the
mountain, he and his children, and
they were fruitful and multiplied.

CHAPTER XXXI.

1. And in the seventh year, Ja
cob s service which he served Laban
was completed, and Jacob said unto
Laban, give me my wife, for the days
of my service are fulfilled ; and La-
ban did so, and Laban and Jacob as
sembled all the people of that place
and they made a feast.

2. And in the evening Laban came
to the house, and afterward Jacob
came there with the people of the
feast, and Laban extinguished all the
lights that were there in the house.

3. And Jacob said unto Laban,
wherefore dost thou do this thing
unto us 1 and Laban answered, such
is our custom to act in this land.

4. And afterward Laban took his
daughter Leah, and he brought her
to Jacob, and he came to her and
Jacob did not know that she was Leah.

5. And Laban gave his daughter
Leah his maid Zilpah for a hand
maid.

6. And all the people at the feast
knew what Laban had done to Jacob,
but they did not tell the thing to Ja
cob.

7. And all the neighbors came that
night to Jacob s house, and they ate
and drank and rejoiced, and played
before Leah upon timbrels, and with

dances,* and they responded before
Jacob, Heleah, Heleah.f

8. And Jacob heard their words
but did not understand their meaning,
but he thought such might be their
custom in this land.

9. And the neighbors spoke these
words before Jacob during the night,
and all the lights that were in the
house Laban had that night extin
guished.

10. And in the morning, when
daylight appeared, Jacob turned to-
his wife and he saw, and behold it
was Leah that had been lying in his
bosom, and Jacob said, behold now
I know what the neighbors said last
night, Heleah they said, and I knew
it not.

1 1 . And Jacob called unto Laban,
and said unto him, what is this that
thou didst unto me ? Surely I served
thee for Rachel, and why didst thou
deceive me and didst give me Leah ?

12. And Laban answered Jacob,
saying, not so is it done in our place
to give the younger before the elder ;
now therefore if thou desirest to take-
her sister likewise, take her unto thee
for the service which thou wilt serve-
me for another seven years.

13. And Jacob did so, and he also
took Rachel for a wife, and he served
Laban seven years more, and Jacob
also came to Rachel, and he loved
Rachel more than Leah, and Laban
gave her his maid Bilha-h for a hand
maid.

14. And when the Lord saw that
Leah was hated, the Lord opened
her womb, and she conceived and
bare Jacob four sons in those days.

* S&gt;riD is commonly translated a dance, but it
seems by this book that it must have been at
sort of musical instrument.

t Composed of two Hebrew words, n*6 KV
He Leah, i. e., she is Leah.

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

15. And these are their names,
Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah,
and she afterward left bearing.

16. And at that time Rachel was
barren, and she had no offspring, and
Rachel envied her sister Leah, and
when Rachel saw that she bare no
children to Jacob, she took her hand
maid Bilhah, and she bare Jacob two
sons, Dan and Naphtali.

17. And when Leah saw that she
had left bearing, she also took her
handmaid Zilpah, and she gave her
to Jacob for a wife, and Jacob also
came to Zilpah, and she also bare
Jacob two sons, Gad and Asher.

18. And Leah again conceived
and bare Jacob in those days two
sons and one daughter, and these are
their names, Issachar, Zebulon, and
their sister Dinah.

19. And Rachel was still barren in
those days, and Rachel prayed unto
the Lord at that time, and she said,
O Lord God remember me and visit
me, I beseech thee, for now my
husband will cast me off, for I have
borne him no children.

20. Now O Lord God, hear my
supplication before thee, and see
my affliction, and give me children
like one of the handmaids, that I may
no more bear my reproach.

21. And God heard her and open
ed her womb, and Rachel conceived
and bare a son, and she said the
Lord has taken away my reproach,
and she called his name Joseph, say
ing, may the Lord add to me another
son ; and Jacob was ninety one years
old when she bare him.

22. At that time Jacob s mother
i Rebecca sent her nurse Deborah the

daughter of Uz, and two of Isaac s
servants unto Jacob.

23. And they came to Jacob to
Haran and they said unto him, Re

becca has sent us to thee that thou
shalt return to thy father s house to
the land of Canaan ; and Jacob
hearkened unto them in this which
his mother had spoken.

24. At that time, the other seven
years which Jacob served Laban for
Rachel were completed, and it was
at the end of fourteen years that he
had dwelt in Haran that Jacob said
unto Laban, give me my wives and
send me away, that I may go to my
land, for behold my mother did send
unto me from the land of Canaan
that I should return to my father s
house.

25. And Laban said unto him,
not so I pray thee ; if I have found
favor in thy sight do not leave me ;
appoint me thy wages and I will
give them, and remain with me.

26. And Jacob said unto him,
this is what thou shalt give me for
wages, that I shall this day pass
through all thy flock and take away
from them every lamb that is speck
led and spotted and such as are
brown amongst the sheep, and
amongst the goats, and if thou wilt
do this thing for me I will return
and feed thy flock and keep them
as at first.

27. And Laban did so, and Laban
removed from his flock all that Jacob
had said and gave them to him.

28. And Jacob placed all that he
had removed from Laban s flock in
the hands of his sons, and Jacob
was feeding the remainder of La-
ban s flock.

29. And when the servants of
Isaac which he had sent unto Jacob
saw that Jacob would not then re
turn with them to the land of Canaan
to his father, they then went away
from him, and th ey returned home
to the land of Canaan.

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

30. And Deborah remained with
Jacob in Haran, and she did not re
turn with the servants of Isaac to
the land of Canaan, and Deborah
resided with Jacob s wives and child
ren in Haran.

31. And Jacob served Laban six
years longer, and when the sheep
brought forth, Jacob removed from
them such as were speckled and
spotted, as he had determined with
Laban, and Jacob did so at Laban s
for six years, and the man increased
abundantly and he had cattle and
maid servants, and men servants,
camels and asses.

32. And Jacob had two hundred
drove of cattle, and his cattle were
of large size and of beautiful appear
ance and were very productive, and all
the families of the sons of men desired
to get some of the cattle of Jacob,
for they were exceedingly pros
perous.

33. And many of the sons of men
came to procure some of Jacob s
flock, and Jacob gave them a sheep
for a man servant or a maid servant
or for an ass or a camel, or whatever
Jacob desired from them they gave
him.

34. And Jacob obtained riches
and honor and possessions by means
of these transactions with the sons
of men, and the children of Laban
envied him of this honor.

35. And in the course of time he
heard the words of Laban s sons,
saying, Jacob has taken away all
that was our father s, and of that
which was our father s has he ac
quired all this glory.

36. And Jacob beheld the counte
nance of Laban and of his children,
and behold it was not toward him in
those days as it had been before.

And the Lord appeared to Jacob

at the expiration of the six years*
and said unto him, arise go forth out
of this land, and return to the land
of thy birth place and I will be with
thee.

38. And Jacob rose up at that
time and he mounted his children
and wives and all belonging to him
upon camels, and he went forth to
go to the land of Canaan to his father
Isaac.

29. And Laban did not know that
Jacob had gone from him, for La-
ban had been that day sheep shear
ing.

40. And Rachel stole her father s
images, and she took them and she
concealed them upon the camel upon
which she sat, and she went on.

41. And this is the manner of the
images ; in taking a man who is the
first born and slaying him and taking
the hair off his head, then taking salt
and salting the head and anointing it
in oil, then taking a small tablet of
copper or a tablet of gold and writing
the name upon it, and placing the
tablet under his tongue, and taking
the head with the tablet under the
tongue and putting it in the house,
and lighting up lights before it and
bowing down to it.

42. And at the time when they
bow down to it, it speaketh to them
in all matters that they ask of it,
through the power of the name
which is written in it.

43. And some make them in the
figures of men, of gold and silver,
and go to them in times known to
them, and the figures receive the
influence of the stars, and tell them
future things, and in this manner
were the images which Rachel stole
from her father.

44. And Rachel stole those im
ages which were her father s, in

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

order that Laban might not know
through them where Jacob had gone.

45. And Laban came home and
he asked concerning Jacob and his
household, and he was not to be

found, and Laban sought his images
to know where Jacob had gone, and
could not find them, and he went to
some other images, and he inquired
of them and they told him that Jacob
had fled from him to his father s to
the land of Canaan.

46. And Laban then rose up and
he took his brothers and all his ser
vants, and he went forth and pursued
Jacob, and he overtook him in mount
Gilead.

47. And Laban said unto Jacob,
what is this thou hast done to me to
flee and deceive* me, and lead my
daughters and their children as cap
tives taken by the sword ?

48. And thou didst not suffer me
to kiss them and send them away
with joy, and thou didst steal my
gods and didst go away.

49. And Jacob answered Laban,
saying, because I was afraid lest thou
wouldst take thy daughters by force
from me ; and now with whomso
ever thou findest thy gods he shall
die.

50. And Laban searched for the
images and he examined in all Ja
cob s tents and furniture, but could
not find them.

51. And Laban said unto Jacob,
we will make a covenant together
and it shall be a testimony between
me and thee ; if thou shalt afflict my
daughters, or shalt take other wives
besides my daughters, even God
shall be a witness between me and
thee in this matter.

52. And they took stones and
made a heap, and Laban said, this

* Hebrew, steal my heart.

heap is a witness between me and
thee, therefore he called the name
thereof Gilead.

53. And Jacob and Laban offered
sacrifice upon the mount, and they
ate there by the heap, and they tar
ried in the mount all night, and La-
ban rose up early in the morning,
and he wept with his daughters and
he kissed them, and he returned un
to his place.

54. And he hastened and sent off
his son Beor, who was seventeen
years old, with Abichorof the son of
Uz, the son of Nahor, and with them
were ten men.

55. And they hastened and went
and passed on the road before Jacob,
and they came by another road to
the land of Seir.

56. And they came unto Esau
and said unto him, thus saith thy
brother and relative, thy mother s
brother Laban, the son of Bethuel,
saying,

57. Hast thou heard what Jacob
thy brother has done unto me, who
first came to me naked and bare, and
I went to meet him, and brought
him to my house with honor, and I
made him great, and I gave him my
two daughters for wives and also two
of my maids.

58. And God blessed him on my
account, and he increased abundant
ly, and had sons, daughters and maid
servants.

59. He has also an immense
stock of flocks and herds, camels and
asses, also silver and gold in abun
dance ; and when he saw that his
wealth increased, he left me whilst I
went to shear my sheep, and he rose
up and fled in secrecy.

60. And he lifted his wives and
children upon camels, and he led
away all his cattle and property

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

which he acquired in my land, and
he lifted up his countenance to go to
his father Isaac to the land of Ca
naan.

61. And he did not suffer me to
kiss my daughters and their children,
and he" led my daughters as captives
taken by the sword, and he also
stole my gods and he fled.

62. And now I have left him in
the mountain of the brook of Jabuk,
him and all belonging to him ; he
lacketh nothing.

63. If it be thy wish to go to him,
go then and there wilt thou find him,
and thou canst do unto him as thy
soul desireth ; and Laban s messen
gers came and told Esau all these
things.

64. And Esau heard all the words
of Laban s messengers, and his an
ger was greatly kindled against Ja
cob, and he remembered his hatred
and his anger burned within him.

65. And Esau hastened and took
his children and servants and the
souls of his household, being sixty
men, and he went and assembled all
the children of Seir the Horite and
their people, being three hundred
and forty men, and took all this num
ber of four hundred men with drawn
swords, and he went unto Jacob to
smite him.

66. And Esau divided this num
ber into several parts, and he took the
sixty men of his children and ser
vants and the souls of his household
as one head, and gave them in care
of Eliphaz his eldest son.

67. Arid the remaining heads he
gave to the care of the six sons of
Seir the Horite, and he placed every
man over his generations and child
ren.

68 And the whole of this camp
went as it was, and Esau went

amongst them toward Jacob, and he
conducted them with speed.

69. And Laban s messengers de
parted from Esau and went to the
land of Canaan, and they came to the
house of Rebecca the mother of Ja
cob and Esau.

70. And they told her, saying, be
hold thy son Esau has gone against
his brother Jacob with four hundred
men, for he heard that he was com
ing, and he is gone to make war
with him, and to smite him and to
take all that he has.

71. And Rebecca hastened and
sent seventy two men from the ser
vants of Isaac to meet Jacob on the
road ; for she said, peradventure,
Esau may make war in the road
when he meets him.

72. And these messengers went
on the road to meet Jacob, and they
met him in the road of the brook on
the opposite side of the brook Jabuk,
and Jacob said when he saw them,
this camp is destined to me from God,
and Jacob called the name of that
place Machnayim.

73. And Jacob knew all his fath
er s people, and he kissed them and
embraced them and came with them,
and Jacob asked them concerning
his father and mother, and they said,
they were well.*

74. And these messengers said
unto Jacob, Rebecca thy mother has
sent us to thee, saying, I have heard,
my son, that thy brother Esau has
gone forth against thee on the road
with men from the children of Seir
the Horite.

75. And therefore, my son, hear
ken to my voice and see with thy
counsel what thou wilt do, and when
he cometh up to thee, supplicate him,
and do not speak rashly to him, and

* Hebrew, peace.

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

give him a present from what thou
possesses!, and from what God has
favored thee with.

76. And when he asketh thee con
cerning thy affairs, conceal nothing
from him, perhaps he may turn from
his anger against thee and thou wilt
thereby save thy soul, thou and all
belonging to thee, for it is thy duty
to honor him, for he is thy elder
brother.

77. And when Jacob heard the
words of his mother which the mes
sengers had spoken to him, Jacob
lifted up his voice and wept bitterly,
and did as his mother then command
ed him.

CHAPTER XXXII.

1. And at that time Jacob sent
messengers to his brother Esau to
ward the land of Seir, and he spoke
to him words of supplication.

2. And he commanded them, say
ing, thus shall ye say to my lord, to
Esau, thus saith thy servant Jacob,
let not my lord imagine that my fath
er s blessing with which he did bless
me has proved beneficial to me.

3. For I have been these twenty
years with Laban, and he deceived
me and changed my wages ten times,
as it has all been already told unto
my lord.

4. And I served him in his house
very laboriously, and God afterward
saw my affliction, my labor and the
work of my hands, and he caused
me to find grace and favor in his
sight.

5. And I afterward through God s
great mercy and kindness acquired
oxen and asses and cattle, and men
servants and maid servants.

6. And now I am coming to my
land and my home to my father and

mother, who are in the land of
Canaan ; and I have sent to let my
lord know all this in order to find
favor in the sight of my lord, so that
he may not imagine that I have of
myself obtained wealth, or that the
blessing with which my father bless
ed me has benefited me.

7. And those messengers went to
Esau, and found him on the borders
of the land of Edom going toward
Jacob, and four hundred men of the
children of Seir the Horite were
standing with drawn swords.

8. And the messengers of Jacob
told Esau all the words that Jacob
had spoken to them concerning
Esau.

9. And Esau answered them with
pride and contempt, and said unto
them, surely I have heard and truly
it has been told unto me what Jacob
has done to Laban, who exalted him
in his house and gave him his daugh
ters for wives, and he begat sons and
daughters, and abundantly increased
in wealth and riches in Laban s
house through his means.

10. And when he saw that his
wealth was abundant and his riches
great he fled with all belonging to-
him, from Laban s house, and he-
led Laban s daughters away from
the face of their father, as captives
taken by the sword, without telling
him of it.

11. And not only to Laban has
Jacob done thus but also unto me
has he done so, and has twice sup
planted me, and shall I be silent ?

12. Now therefore I have this day
come with my camps to meet him,
and I will do unto him according to
the desire of my heart.

13. And the messengers returned
and came to Jacob and said unto
him, we came to thy brother, to

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

Esau, and we told him all thy words,
and thus has he answered us, and
behold he cometh to meet thee with
four hundred men.

14. Now then know and see what
thou shalt do, and pray before God
to deliver thee from him.

15. And when he heard the words
of his brother which he had spoken
to the messengers of Jacob, Jacob
was greatly afraid and he was dis
tressed.

16. And Jacob prayed to the Lord
his God, and he said, O Lord God
of my fathers, Abraham and Isaac,
thou didst say unto me when I went
away from my father s house, say-

in g&gt;

17. I am the Lord God of thy
father Abraham and the God of
Isaac, unto thee do I give this land
and thy seed after thee, and I will
make thy seed as the stars of heaven,
and thou shalt spread forth to the
four sides of heaven, and in thee and
in thy seed shall all the families of
the earth be blessed.

18. And thou didst establish thy
words, and didst give unto me riches
and children and cattle, as the ut
most wishes of my heart didst thou
give unto thy servant ; thou didst
give unto me all that I asked from
thee, 50 that I lacked nothing.

19. And thou didst afterward say
unto me, return to thy parents an d
to thy birth place and I will still do
well with thee.

20. And now that I have come,
and thou didst deliver me from La-
ban, I shall fall in the hands of Esau
who will slay me, yea, together with
the mothers of my children.

21. Now therefore O Lord God
deliver me, I pray thee, also from
the hands of my brother Esau, for I
am greatly afraid of him.

22. And if there is no righteous
ness in me, do it for the sake of Abra
ham and my father Isaac.

23. For I know that through kind
ness and mercy have I acquired this
wealth; now therefore I beseech
thee to deliver me this day with thy
kindness and to answer me.

24. And Jacob ceased praying to
the Lord, and he divided the people
that were with him with the flocks
and cattle into two camps, arid he
gave the half to the care of Damesek,
the son of Eliezer Abraham s ser
vant, for a camp, with his children,
and the other half he gave to the care
of his brother Eliarms the son of
Eliezer, to be for a camp with his
children.

25. And he commanded them, say
ing, keep yourselves at a distance
with your camps, and do not come too
near each other, and if Esau come to
one camp and slay it, the other camp
at a distance from it will escape
him.

26. And Jacob tarried there that
night, and during the whole night he
gave his servants instructions con
cerning the forces and his children.

27. And the Lord heard the pray
er of Jacob on that day, and the
Lord then delivered Jacob from the
hands of his brother Esau.

28. And the Lord sent three an
gels of the angels of heaven, and
they went before Esau and came to
him.

29. And these angels appeared un
to Esau and his people as two thou
sand men, riding upon horses fur
nished with all sorts of war instru
ments, and they appeared in the
sight of Esau and all his men to be
divided into four camps, with four
chiefs to them.

30. And one camp went on and

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

they found Esau coming with four
hundred men toward his brother Ja
cob, and this camp ran toward Esau
and his people and terrified them,
and Esau fell off the horse in alarm,
and all his men separated from him
in that place, for they were greatly
afraid.

31. And the whole of the camp
shouted after them when they fled
from Esau, and all the warlike men
answered, saying,

32. Surely we are the servants of
Jacob who is the servant of God, and
who then can stand against us ? And
Esau said unto them, O then, my
lord and brother Jacob is your lord&gt;
whom I have not seen for these twen
ty years, and now that I have this
day come to see him, do you treat
me in this manner ?

33. And the angels answered him,
saying, as the Lord liveth, were not
Jacob of whom thou spokest thy bro
ther, we had not left one remaining
from thee and thy people, but only
on account of Jacob we will do no
thing to them.

34. And this camp passed from
Esau and his men and it went away,
and Esau and his men had gone from
them about a league when the second
camp came toward him with all sorts
of weapons, and they also did unto
Esau and his men as the first camp
had done to them.

35. And when they had left it to
go on, behold the third camp came
toward him and they were all terri
fied, and Esau fell off the horse, and
the whole camp cried out, and said,
surely we are the servants of Jacob,
who is the servant of God, and who
can stand against us ?

36. And Esau again answered
them, saying, O then, Jacob my lord
and your lord is my brother, and for

twenty years I have not seen his
countenance, and hearing this day
that he was coming, I went this day
to meet him, and do you treat me in
this manner ?

37. And they answered him, and
said unto him, as the Lord liveth,
were not Jacob thy brother as thou
didst say, we had not left a remnant
from thee and thy men, but on ac
count of Jacob of whom thou spokest
being thy brother, we will not med
dle with thee or thy men.

38. And the third camp also passed
from them, and he still continued his
road w r ith his men toward Jacob,
when the fourth camp came toward
him, and they also did unto him and
his men as the others had done.

39. And when Esau beheld the
evil* which the four angels had done
to him and to his men, he became
greatly afraid of his brother Jacob,
and he went to meet him in peace.

40. And Esau concealed his ha
tred against Jacob, because he was
afraid of his life on account of his
brother Jacob, and because he ima
gined that the four camps that he
had lighted upon were Jacob s se.
vants.

41. And Jacob tarried that night
with his servants in their camps, and
he resolved with his servants to give
unto Esau a present from all that he
had with him, and from all his pro
perty ; and Jacob rose up in the
morning, he and his men, and they
chose from amongst the cattle a pre
sent for Esau.

42. And this is the amount of the
present which Jacob chose from his
flock to give unto his brother Esau ;
and he selected two hundred and forty

* Although they did no actual injury to them,
they caused great alarm and confusion to Esau
and his people ; this is the evil alluded to.

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

head from the flocks, and he selected
from the camels and asses thirty each,
and of the herds he chose fifty kine.

43. And he put them all in ten
droves, and he placed each sort by
itself, and he delivered them into the
hands of ten of his servants, each
drove by itself.

44. And he commanded them, and
said unto them, keep yourselves at
a distance from each other, and put
a space between the droves, and
when Esau and those who are with
him shall meet you and ask you,
saying, whose are you, and whither
do you go, and to whom belongeth
all this before you, you shall say
unto them, we are the servants of
Jacob, and we come to meet Esau
in peace, and behold Jacob cometh
behind us.

45. And that which is before us is
a present sent from Jacob to his bro
ther Esau.

46. And if they shall say unto
you, why doth he delay behind you,
from coming to meet his brother and
to see his face, then you shall say
unto them, surely he cometh joyfully
behind us to meet his brother, for he
said, I will appease him with the
present that goeth to him, and after
this I will see his face, peradventure
he will accept of me.

47. So the whole present passed
on in the hands of his servants, and
went before him on that day, and he
lodged that night with his camps by
the border of the brook of Jabuk,
and he rose up in the midst of the
night, and he took his wives and his
maid servants, and all belonging to
him, and he that night passed them
over the ford Jabuk.

48. And when he had passed all
belonging to him over the brook, Ja
cob was left by himself, and a man

met him, and he wrestled with him
that night until the breaking of the
day, and the hollow of Jacob s thigh
was out of joint through wrestling
with him.

49. And at the break of day the
man left Jacob there, and he blessed
him and went away, and Jacob pass
ed the brook at the break of day, and
he halted upon his thigh.

50. And the sun rose upon him
when he had passed the brook, and
he came up to the place of his cattle
and children.

51 . And they went on till midday,
and whilst they were going the pre
sent was passing on before them.

52. And Jacob lifted up his eyes
and looked, and behold Esau was at
a distance, coming along with many
men, about four hundred, and Jacob
was greatly afraid of his brother.

53. And Jacob hastened and di
vided his children unto his wives
and his handmaids, and his daughter
Dinah he put in a chest, and deliver
ed her into the hands of his servants.

54. And he passed before his chil
dren and wives to meet his brother,
and he bowed* down to the ground,
yea he bowed down seven times un
til he approached his brother, and
God caused Jacob to find grace and
favor in the sight of Esau and his
men, for God had heard the prayer
of Jacob,

55. And the fear of Jacob and his
terror fell upon his brother Esau, for
Esau was greatly afraid of Jacob for
what the angels of God had done to
Esau, and Esau s anger against Ja
cob was turned into kindness.

56. And when Esau saw Jacob
running toward him, he also ran to
ward him and he embraced him, and
he fell upon his neck, and they kissed
and they wept.

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

57. And God put fear and kind
ness toward Jacob in the hearts of
the men that came with Esau, and
they also kissed Jacob and embraced
him.

58. And also Eliphaz, the son of
Esau, with his four brothers, sons
of Esau, wept with Jacob, and they
kissed him and embraced him, for
the fear of Jacob had fallen upon
them all.

59. And Esau lifted up his eyes
and saw the women with their off
spring, the children of Jacob, walk
ing behind Jacob and bowing along
the road to Esau.

60. And Esau said unto Jacob,
who are these with thee my brother ?
are they thy children or thy servants ?
and Jacob answered Esau and said,
they are my children which God
hath graciously given to thy servant.

61. And whilst Jacob was speak
ing to Esau and his men, Esau be
held the whole camp, and he said
unto Jacob, whence didst thou get
the whole of the camp that I met
yesternight ? and Jacob said, to find
favor in the sight of my Lord, it is
that which Go l d graciously gave to
thy servant.

62. And the present came before
Esau, and Jacob pressed Esau, say
ing, take I pray thee the present
that I have brought to my lord, and
Esau said, wherefore is this my pur
pose ? keep that which thou hast
unto thyself.

63. And Jacob said, it is incum
bent upon me to give all this, since
I have seen thy face, that thou still
livest in peace.

64. And Esau refused to take the
present, and Jacob said unto him, I
beseech thee my lord, if now I have
found favor in thy sight, then receive
my present at my hand, for I have

therefore seen thy face, as though I
had seen a god-like face, because
thou wast pleased with me.

65. And Esau took the present,
and Jacob also gave unto Esau silver
and gold and bdellium, for he press
ed him so much that he took them.

66. And Esau divided the cattle
that was in the camp, and he gave
the half to the men who had come
with him, for they had come on hire,
and the other half he delivered unto
the hands of his children.

67. And the silver and gold and
bdellium he gave in the hands of Eli
phaz his eldest son, and Esau said
unto Jacob, let us remain with thee,
and we will go slowly along with
thee until thou comest to my place
with me, that we may dwell there
together.

68. And Jacob answered his bro
ther and said, I would do as my lord
speaketh unto me, but my lord know-
eth that the children are tender, and
the flocks and herds with their young
who are with me, go but slowly, for
if they went swiftly they would all
die, for thou kriowest their burdens
and their fatigue.

69. Therefore let my lord pass on
before his servant, and I will go on
slowly for the sake of the children
and the flock, until I come to my
lord s place to Seir.

70. And Esau said unto Jacob, I
will place with thee some of the
people that are with me to take care
of thee in the road, and to bear thy
fatigue and burden, and he said,
what needeth it my lord, if I may
find grace in thy sight ?

71. Behold I will come unto thee
to Seir to dwell there together as
thou hast spoken, go thou then with
thy people for I will follow thee.

"72. And Jacob said this to Esau

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in order to remove Esau and his men
from him, so that Jacob might after
ward go to his father s house to the
land of Canaan.

73. And Esau hearkened to the
voice of Jacob, and Esau returned
with the four hundred men that were
with him on their road to Seir, and
Jacob and all belonging to him went
that day as far as the extremity of
the land of Canaan in its borders,
and he remained there some time.

CHAPTER XXXIII.

1 . And in some time after Jacob
went away from the borders of the
land, and he came to the land of
Shalem, that is the city of Shechem,
which is in the land of Canaan, and
he rested in front of the city.

2. And he bought a parcel of the
field which was there, from the child
ren of Hamor the people of the land,
for five shekels.

3. And Jacob there built himself
a house, and he pitched his tent
there, and he made booths for his
cattle, therefore he called the name
of that place Succoth.

4. And Jacob remained in Suc
coth a year and six months.

5. At that time some of the women
of the inhabitants of the land went to
the city of Shechem to dance and
rejoice with the daughters of the
people of the city, and when they
went forth then Rachel and Leah
the wives of Jacob with their families
also went to behold the rejoicing of
the daughters of the city.

6. And Dinah the daughter of
Jacob also went along with them
and saw the daughters of the city,
and they remained there before these
daughters whilst all the people of the
city were standing by them to be

hold their rejoicings, and all the
great people of the city were there.

7. And Shechem the son of
Hamor the prince of the land was
also standing there to see them.

8. And Shechem beheld Dinah
the daughter of Jacob sitting with
her mother before the daughters of
the city, and the damsel pleased him
greatly, and he there asked his
friends and his people, saying, whose
daughter is that sitting amongst the
women, whom I do not know in this
city?

9. And they said unto him, surely
this is the daughter of Jacob the son
of Isaac the Hebrew, who has dwelt
in this city for some time, and when
it was reported that the daughters of
the land were going forth to rejoice
she went with her mother and maid
servants to sit amongst them as thou
seest.

10. And Shechem beheld Dinah
the daughter of Jacob, and when he
looked at her his soul became fixed
upon Dinah.

11. And he sent and had her
taken by force, and Dinah came to
the house of Shechem and he seiz
ed her forcibly and lay with her and
humbled* her, and he loved her ex
ceedingly and placed her in his
house.

12. And they came and told the
thing unto Jacob, and when Jacob
heard that Shechem had defiled his
daughter Dinah, Jacob sent twelve
of his servants to fetch Dinah from
the house of Shechem, and they
went and came to the house of
Shechem to take away Dinah from
there.

1 3. And when they came Shechem
went out to them with his men and

* Translated in the Bible, "and he defiled
her." Genesis, ch. 34, v. 2.

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

drove them from his house, and he
would not suffer them to come before
Dinah, but Shechem was sitting with
Dinah kissing and embracing her
before their eyes.

14. And the servants of Jacob
came back and told him, saying,
when we came, he and his men
drove us away, and thus did Shechem
do unto Dinah before our eyes.

15. And Jacob knew moreover
that Shechem had defiled his daugh
ter, but he said nothing, and his sons
were feeding his cattle in the field,
and Jacob remained silent till their
return.

16. And before his sons came
home Jacob sent two maidens from
his servants daughters to take care
of Dinah in the house of Shechem,
and to remain with her, and Shechem
sent three of his friends to his father
Hamor the son of Chiddekem, the
son of Pered, saying, get me this
damsel for a wife.

17. And Hamor the son of Chid
dekem the Hivite came to the house
of Shechem his son, and he sat be
fore him, and Hamor said unto his
son, Shechem, is there then no
woman amongst the daughters of thy
people that thou wilt take an Hebrew
woman who is not of thy people ?

18. And Shechem said to him,
her only must thou get for me, for
she is delightful in my sight ; and
Hamor did according to the word of
his son, for he was greatly beloved
by him.

19. And Hamor went forth to
Jacob to commune with him con
cerning this matter, and when he had

fane from the house of his son
hechem, before he came to Jacob
to speak unto him, behold the sons
of Jacob had come from the field, as
soon as they heard the thing that

Shechem the son of Hamor had
done.

20. And the men were very much
grieved concerning their sister, and
they all came home fired with anger,
before the time of gathering in their
cattle.

21. And they came and sat before
their father and they spoke unto him
kindled with wrath, saying, surely
death is due to this man and to his
household, because the Lord God of
the whole earth commanded Noah
and his children that man shall never
rob, nor commit adultery ; now be
hold Shechem has both ravaged and
committed fornication with our sister,
and not one of all the people of the
city spoke a word to him.

22. Surely thou knowest and an-
derstandest that the judgment of
death is due to Shechem, and to his
father, and to the whole city on ac
count of the thing which he has done.

23. And whilst they were speak
ing before their father in this matter,
behold Hamor the father of She
chem came to speak to Jacob the
words of his son concerning Dinah,
and he sat before Jacob and before
his sons.

24. And Hamor spoke unto them,
saying, the soul of my son Shechem
longeth for your daughter ; I pray
you give her unto him for a wife and
intermarry with us; give us your
daughters and we will give you our
daughters, and you shall dwell with
us in our land and we will be as one
people in the land.

25. For our land is very exten
sive, so dwell ye and trade therein
and get possessions in it, and do
therein as you desire, and no one
shall prevent you by saying a word
to you.

26. And Hamor ceased speaking

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

unto Jacob and his sons, arid behold
Shechem his son had come after
him, and he sat before them.

27. And Shechem spoke before
Jacob and his sons, saying, may I
find favor in your sight that you will
give me your daughter, and what
ever you say unto me that will I do
for her.

28. Ask me for abundance of
dowry and gift, and I will give it,
and whatever you shall say unto me
that will I do, and whoever he be
that will rebel against your orders,
he shall die ; only give me the damsel
for a wife.

29. And Simeon and Levi answer
ed Hamor and Shechem his son de
ceitfully, saying, all you have spoken
unto us we will do for you.

30. And behold our sister is in
your house, but keep away from her
until we send to our father Isaac
concerning this matter, for we can
do nothing without his consent.

31. For he knoweth the ways of
our father Abraham, and whatever
he sayeth unto us we will tell you,
we will conceal nothing from you.

32. And Simeon and Levi spoke
this unto Shechem and his father in
order to find a pretext, and to seek
counsel what was to be done to She
chem and to his city in this matter.

33. And when Shechem and his
father heard the words of Simeon
and Levi, it seemed good in their
sight, aud Shechem and his father
came forth to go home.

34. And when they had gone, the
sons of Jacob said unto their father,
saying, behold, we know that death
is due to these wicked ones and to
their city, because they transgressed
that which God had commanded un
to Noah and his children and his
seed after them.

35. And also because Shechem
did this thing to our sister Dinah
in defiling her, for such vileness
shall never be done amongst us.

36. Now therefore know and see
what you will do, and seek counsel
and pretext what is to be done to
them, in order to kill all the inhabi
tants of this city.

37. And Simeon said to them,
here is a proper advice for you ; tell
them to circumcise every male
amongst them as we are circumcis
ed, and if they do not wish to do
this, we shall take our daughter from
them and go away.

38. And if they consent to do this
and will do it, then when they are
sunk down with pain, we will attack
them with our swords, as upon one
who is quiet and peaceable, and we
will slay every male person amongst
them.

39. And Simeon s advice pleased
them, and Simeon and Levi resolved
to do unto them as it was proposed.

40. And on the next morning She
chem and Hamor his father came
again unto Jacob and his sons, to
speak concerning Dinah, and to hear
what answer the sons of Jacob would
give to their words.

41. And the sons of Jacob spoke
deceitfully to them, saying, we told
our father Isaac all your words, and
your words pleased him.

42. But he spoke unto us, saying,
thus did Abraham his father com
mand him from God the Lord of the
whole earth, that any man who is not
of his descendants that should wish
to take one of his daughters, shall
cause every male belonging to him
to be circumcised, as we are circum
cised, and then we may give him our
daughter fora wife.

43. Now we have made known to

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

you all our ways that our father
spoke unto us, for we cannot do this
of which you spoke unto us, to give
our daughter to an uncircumcised
man, for it is a disgrace to us.

44. But herein will we consent to
you, to give you our daughter, and
we will also take unto ourselves
your daughters, and will dwell
amongst you and be one people as
you have spoken, if you will hearken
to us, and consent to be like us, to
circumcise every male belonging to
you, as we are circumcised.

45. And if you will not hearken
unto us, to have every male circum
cised as we are circumcised, as we
have commanded, then we will come
to you, and take our daughter from
you and go away.

46. And Shechem. and his father
Hamor heard the words of the sons
of Jacob, and the thing pleased them
exceedingly, and Shechem and his
father Hamor hastened to do the
wishes of the sons of Jacob, for She
chem was very fond of Dinah, and
his soul was rivetted to her.

47. And Shechem and his father
Hamor hastened to the gate of the
city, and they assembled all the men
of their city and spoke unto them
the words of the sons of Jacob, saying,

48. We came to these men, the
sons of Jacob, and we spoke unto
them concerning their daughter, and
these men will consent to do accord
ing to our wishes, and behold our
land is of great extent for them, and
they will dwell in it, and trade in it,
and we shall be one people ; we will
take their daughters, and our daugh
ters we will give unto them for
wives.

49. But only on this condition
will these men consent to do this
thing ; that every male amongst us

be circumcised as they are circum
cised, as their God commanded them,
and when we shall have done accord
ing to their instructions to be circum
cised, then will they dwell amongst
us, together with their cattle and
possessions, and we shall be as one
people with them.

50. And when all the men of the
city heard the words of Shechem
and his father Hamor, then all the
men of their city were agreeable to
this proposal, and they obeyed to be
circumcised, for Shechem and his
father Hamor were greatly esteemed
by them, being the princes of the
land.

51. And on the next day, She
chem and Hamor his father rose up
early in the morning, and they as
sembled all the men of their city in
to the middle of the city, and they
called for the sons of Jacob, who cir-
numcised every male belonging to
them on that day and the next.

52. And they circumcised She
chem and Hamor his father, and the
five brothers of Shechem, and then
every one rose up and went home,
for this thing was from the Lord
against the city of Shechem, and
from the Lord was Simeon s coun
sel in this matter, in order that the
Lord might deliver the city of She
chem into the hands of Jacob s two
sons.

CHAPTER XXXIV.

1 . And the number of all the males
that were circumcised, were six hun
dred and forty -five men, and two
hundred and forty-six children.

2. But Chiddekem, son of Pered,
the father of Hamor, and his six
brothers, would not listen unto She
chem and his father Hamor, and they

100

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

would not be circumcised, for the
proposal of the sons of Jacob was
loathsome in their sight, and their
anger was greatly roused at this,
that the people of the city had not
hearkened to them.

3. And in the evening of the sec
ond day, they found eight, small chil
dren who had not been circumcised,
for their mothers had concealed them
from Shechem and his father Hamor,
and from the men of the city.

4. And Shechem and his father
Hamor sent to have them brought be
fore them to be circumcised, when
Chiddekem and his six brothers
sprang at them with their swords,
and sought to slay them.

5. And they sought to slay also
Shechem and his father Hamor, and
they sought to slay Dinah with them,
on account of this matter.

6. And they said unto them, what
is this thing that you have done ? are
there no women amongst the daugh
ters of your brethren the Canaanites,
that you wish to take unto yourselves
daughters of the Hebrews, whom
ye knew not before, and will do this
act which your fathers never com
manded you ?

7. Do you imagine that you will
succeed through this act which you
have done ? and what will you an
swer in this affair to your brethren
the Canaanites, who will come to
morrow and ask you concerning this
thing ?

8. And if your act shall not appear
just and good in their sight, what will
you do for your lives, and we for
our lives, in your not having hear
kened to our voices ?

9. And if the inhabitants of the land
and all your brethren the children of
Ham, shall hear of your act, saying,

1 0. On account of a Hebrew wo

man did Shechem and Hamor his
father, and all the inhabitants of their
city, do that with which they had
been unacquainted and which their
ancestors never commanded them,
where then will you fly or where
conceal your shame, all your days
before your brethren, the inhabitants
of the land of Canaan?

1 1 . Now therefore we cannot bear
up against this thing which you have
done, neither can we be burthened
with this yoke upon us, which our
ancestors did not command us.

12. Behold to-morrow we will go
and assemble all our brethren the Ca-
naanitish brethren who dwell in the
land, and we will all come and smite
you and all those who trust in you,
that there shall not be a remnant left
from you or them.

13. And when Hamor and his son
Shechem and all the people of the
city heard the words of Chiddekem
and his brothers, they were terribly
afraid of their lives at their words,
and they repented of what they had
done.

14. And Shechem and his father
Hamor answered their father Chidde
kem and his brethren, and they said
unto them, all the words which you
spoke unto us are true.

15. Now do not say, nor imagine
in your hearts that on account of the
love of the Hebrews we did this thing
that our ancestors did not command
us.

16. But because we saw that it
was not their intention and desire to
accede to our wishes concerning their
daughter as to our taking her, except
on this condition, so we hearkened to
their voices and did this act which
you saw, in order to obtain our desire
from them.

17. And when we shall have ob-

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

101

tained our request from them, we will
then return to them and do unto them
that which you say unto us.

18. We beseech you then to wait
and tarry until our flesh shall be
healed and we again become strong,
and we will then go together against
them, and do unto them that which is
in your hearts and in ours.

19. And Dinah the daughter of
Jacob heard all these words which
Chiddekem and his brothers had spo
ken, and what Hamor and his son
Shechem and the people of their city
had answered them.

20. And she hastened and sent
one of her maidens, that her father
had sent to take care of her in the
house of Shechem, to Jacob her fa
ther and to her brethern, saying :

21. Thus did Chiddekem and his
brothers advise concerning you, and
thus did Hamor and Shechem and
the people of the city answer them.

22. And when Jacob heard these
words he was filled with wrath, and
he was indignant at them, and his an
ger was kindled against them.

23. And Simeon and Levi swore
and said, as the Lord liveth, the God
of the whole earth, by this time to
morrow, there shall not be a remnant
left in the whole city.

24. And twenty young men had
concealed themselves who were not
circumcised, and these young men
fought against Simeon and Levi, and
Simeon and Levi killed eighteen of
them, and two fled from them and es
caped to some lime pits that were in
the city, and Simeon and Levi sought
for them, but could not find them.

25. And Simeon and Levi continu
ed to go about in the city, and they
killed all the people of the city at the
edge of the sword, and they left none
remaining.

26. And there was a great conster
nation in the midst of the city, and
the cry of the people of the city as
cended to heaven, and all the women
and children cried aloud.

27. And Simeon and Levi slew
all the city ; they left not a male re
maining in the whole city.

28. And they slew Hamor and
Shechem his son at the edge of the
sword, and they brought away Dinah
from the house of Shechem and they
went from there.

29. And the sons of Jacob went
and returned, and came upon the
slain, and spoiled all their property
which was in the city and the field.

30. And whilst they were taking
the spoil, three hundred men stood
up and threw dust at them and struck
them with stones, when Simeon
turned to them and he slew them all
with the edge of the sword, and Si
meon turned before Levi, and came
into the city.

31. And they took away their
sheep and their oxen and their cattle,
and also the remainder of the women
and little ones, and they led all these
away, and they opened a gate and
went out and came unto their father
Jacob with vigor.

32. And when Jacob saw all that
they had done to the city, and saw
the spoil that they took from them,
Jacob was very angry at them, and
Jacob said unto them, what is this
that you have done to me ? behold I
obtained rest amongst the Canaan-
itish inhabitants of the land, and none
of them meddled with me.

33. And now you have done to
make me obnoxious to the inhabit
ants of the land, amongst the Ca-
naanites and the Perizzites, and I
am but of a small number, and they
will all assemble against me and slay

102

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

me when they hear of your work
with their brethren, and I and my
household will be destroyed.

34. And Simeon and Levi and all
their brothers with them answered
their father Jacob and said unto him,
behold we live in the land, and shall
Shechem do this to our sister ? why
art thou silent at all that Shechem
has done ? and shall he deal with our
sister as with a harlot in the streets ?

35. And the number of women
whom Simeon and Levi took cap
tives from the city of Shechem, whom
they did not slay, was eighty-five
who had not known man.

36. And amongst them was a
young damsel of beautiful appear
ance and well favored, whose name
was Bunah, and Simeon took her for
a wife, and the number of the males
which they took captives and did not
slay, was forty-seven men, and the
rest they slew.

37. And all the young men and
women that Simeon and Levi had
taken captives from the city of She
chem, were servants to the sons of
Jacob and to their children after
them, until the day of the sons of Ja
cob going forth from the land of Egypt.

38. And when Simeon and Levi
had gone forth from the city, the two
young men that were left, who had
concealed themselves in the city, and
did not die amongst the people of
the city, rose up, and these young
men went into the city and walked
about in it, and found the city deso
late without a man, and only women
weeping, and these young men cried
out and said, behold, this is the evil
which the sons of Jacob the Hebrew
did to this city in their having this
day destroyed one of the Canaanitish
cities, and were not afraid of their
lives of all the land of Canaan.

39. And these men left the city
and went to the city of Tapnach, an d
they came there and told the inhabi
tants of Tapnach all that had befal
len them, and all that the sons of Ja
cob had done to the city of Shechem,

40. And the information leached
Jashub king of Tapnach, and he sent
men to the city of Shechem to see
those young men, for the king did
not believe them in this account,
saying, how could two men lay waste
such a large town as Shechem \

4 1 . And the messengers of Jashub
came back and told him, saying, we
came unto the city, and it is destroy
ed, there is not a man there ; only
weeping women ; neither is any
flock or cattle there, for all that was in
the city the sons of Jacob took away.

42. And Jashub wondered at this,
saying, how could two men do this
thing, to destroy so large a city, and
not one man able to stand against
them?

43. For the like has not been from
the days of Nimrod, and not even
from the remotest time, has the like
taken place ; and Jashub, king of
Tapnach, said to his people, be cou
rageous and we will go and fight
against these Hebrews, and do unto
them as they did unto the city, and
we will avenge the cause of the peo
ple of the city.

44. And Jashub, king of Tapnach,
consulted with his counsellors about
this matter, and his advisers said
unto him, alone thou wilt not prevail
over the Hebrews, for they must be
powerful to do this work to the whole
city.

45. If two of them laid waste the
whole city, and no one stood against
them, surely if thou wilt go against
them, they will all rise against us
and destroy us likewise.

THE BOOK OF JASHER

103

46. . But if thou wilt send to al
the kings that surround us, and le
them come together, then we wil
go with them and fight against the
sons of Jacob ; then wilt thou prevai"
against them.

47. And Jashub heard the words
of his counsellors, and their words
pleased him and his people, and he
did so ; and Jashub king of Tapnach
sent to all the kings of the Amorites
that surrounded Shechem and Tap
nach, saying,

48. Go up with me and assist me,
and we will smite Jacob the Hebrew
and all his sons, and destroy them
from the earth, for thus did he do to
the city of Shechem, and do you not
know of it ?

49. And all the kings of the Amor
ites heard the evil that the sons of
Jacob had done to the city of She
chem, and they were greatly aston
ished at them.

50. And the seven kings of the
Amorites assembled with all their
armies, about ten thousand men with
drawn swords, and they came to
fight against the sons of Jacob ; and
Jacob heard that the kings of the
Amorites had assembled to fight
against his sons, and Jacob was
greatly afraid, and it distressed him.

51. And Jacob exclaimed against
Simeon and Levi, saying, what is
this act that you did ? why have you
injured me, to bring against me all
the children of Canaan to destroy
me and my household ? for I was at
rest, even I and my household, and
you have done this thing to me, and
provoked the inhabitants of the land
against me by your proceedings.

52. And Judah answered his fa
ther, saying, was it for nought my
brothers Simeon and Levi killed all
the inhabitants of Shechem ? Surely

it was because Shechem had hum
bled our sister, and transgressed the
command of our God to Noah and
his children, for Shechem took our
sister away by force, and committed
adultery with her.

53. And Shechem did all this evil
and not one of the inhabitants of his
city interfered with him, to say, why
wilt thou do this ? surely for this my
brothers went and smote the city,
and the Lord delivered it into their
hands, because its inhabitants had
transgressed the commands of our
God. Is it then for nought that they
have done all this ?

54. And now why art thou afraid
or distressed, and why art thou dis
pleased at my brothers, and why is
thine anger kindled against them ?

55. Surely our God who delivered
nto their hand the city of Shechem

and its people, he will also deliver
nto our hands all the Canaanitish
dngs who are coming against us,

and we will do unto them as my bro-
hers did unto Shechem.

56. Now be tranquil about them
and cast away thy fears, but trust in
,he Lord our God, and pray unto him
o assist us and deliver us, and deli
ver our enemies into our hands.

57. And Judah called to one of
lis father s servants, go now and see
vhere those kings, who are coming
against us, are situated with their
armies.

58. And the servant went and
ooked far off, and went up opposite

mount Sihon, and saw all the camps

if the kings standing in the fields,

,nd he returned to Judah and said,

aehold the kings are situated in the

field with all their camps, a people

exceedingly numerous, like unto the

sand upon the sea shore.

59. And Judah said unto Simeon

104

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

and Levi, and unto all his brothers,
strengthen yourselves and be sons
of valour, for the Lord our God is
with us ; do not fear them.

60. Stand forth each man, girt
with his weapons of war, his bow
and his sword, and we will go and
fight against these uncircumcised
men ; the Lord is our God, he will
save us.

61. And they rose up, and each
girt on his weapons of war great and
small, eleven sons of Jacob, and all
the servants of Jacob with them.

62. And all the servants of Isaac
who were with Isaac in Hebron, all
came to them equipped in all sorts
of war instruments, and the sons of
Jacob and their servants, being one
hundred and twelve men, went to
ward these kings, and Jacob also
went with them.

63. And the sons of Jacob sent
unto their father Isaac the son of
Abraham to Hebron, the same is
Kireath-arba, saying,

64. Pray we beseech thee for
us unto the Lord our God, to pro
tect us from the hands of the Ca-
naanites who are coming against us,
and to deliver them into our hands.

65. And Isaac the son of Abraham
prayed unto the Lord for his sons,
and he said, Lord God, thou didst
promise my father, saying, I will
multiply thy seed as the stars of
heaven, and thou didst also promise
me, and establish thou thy word,
now that the kings of Canaan are
coming together, to make war with
my children because they committed
no violence.

66. Now therefore O Lord God,
God of the whole earth, pervert I
pray thee the counsel of these kings
that they may not fight against my
sons.

67. And impress the hearts of
these kings and their people with the
terror of my sons, and bring down
their pride, and that they may turn
away from my sons.

68. And with thy strong hand and
outstretched arm deliver my sons and
their servants from them, for power
and might are in thy hands to do all
this.

69. And the sons of Jacob and
their servants went toward these
kings, and they trusted in the Lord
their God, and whilst they were go
ing, Jacob their father also prayed
unto the Lord and said, O Lord God,
powerful and exalted God, who hast
reigned from days of old, from
thence till now and forever ;

. 70. Thou art he who stirreth up
wars and causeth them to cease, in
thy hand are power and might to
exalt and to bring down ; O may my
prayer be acceptable before thee
that thou mayest turn to rne with
thy mercies, to impress the hearts
of these kings and their people with
the terror of my sons, and terrify
them and their camps, and with thy
great kindness deliver all those that
trust in thee, for it is thou who canst
bring people under us and reduce
nations under our power.

CHAPTER XXXV.

1 . And all the kings of the Amo-
rites came and took their stand in
the field to consult with their coun
sellors what was to be done with the
sons of Jacob, for they were still
afraid of them, saying, behold, two
of them slew the whole of the city of
Shechem.

2. And the Lord heard the prayers
of Isaac and Jacob, and he filled the
hearts of all these kings advisers

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

105

with great fear and terror that they
unanimously exclaimed,

3. Are you silly this day, or is
there no understanding in you, that
you will fight with the Hebrews, and
why will you take a delight in your
own destruction this day ?

4. Behold two of them came to
the city of Shechem without fear or
terror, and they killed all the inhabi
tants of the city, that no man stood
up against them, and how will you
be able to fight with them all ?

5. Surely you know that their
God is exceedingly fond of them,
and has done mighty things for them,
such as have not been done from
days of old, and amongst all the
gods of nations, there is none can do
like unto his mighty deeds

6. Surely he delivered their fath
er Abraham, the Hebrew, from the
hand of Nimrod, and from the hand
of all his people who had many times
sought to slay him.

7. He delivered him also from the
fire in which king Nimrod had cast
him, and his God delivered him from
it.

8. And who else can do the like ?
surely it was Abraham who slew the
five kings of Elam, when they had
touched his brother s son who in
those days dwelt in Sodom.

9. And took his servant that was
faithful in his house and a few of his
men, and they pursued the kings of
Elam in one night and killed them,
and restored to his brother s son all
his property which they had taken
from him.

10. And surely you know the God
of these Hebrews is much delighted
with them, and they are also delight
ed with him, for they know that he
delivered them from all their ene
mies.

1 1 . And behold through his love
toward his God, Abraham took his
only and precious son and intended
to bring him up as a burnt offering
to his God, and had it not been for
God who prevented him from doing
this, he would then have done it
through his love to his God.

1 2. And God saw all his works,
and swore unto him, and promised
him that he would deliver his sons
and all his seed from every trouble
that would befall them, because he
had done this thing, and through his
love to his God stifled his compas
sion for his child.

13. And have you not heard what
their God did to Pharaoh king of
Egypt, and to Abimelech king of
Gerar, through taking Abraham s
wife, who said of her she is my sis
ter, lest they might slay him on ac
count of her, and think of taking her
for a wife ? and God did unto them
and their people all that you heard
of.

14. And behold, we ourselves saw
with our eyes that Esau, the brother
of Jacob, came to him with four
hundred men, with the intention of
slaying him, for he called to mind
that he had taken away from him
his father s blessing.

15. And he went to meet him
when he came from Syria, to smite
the mother with the children, and
who delivered him from his hands
but his God in whom he trusted ? he
delivered him from the hand of his
brother and also from the hands of
his enemies, and surely he again
will protect them.

16. Who does not know that it
was their God who inspired them
with strength to do to the town of
Shechem the evil which you heard
of?

106

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

17. Could it then be with their
own strength that two men could
destroy such a large city as She-
chem had it not been for their God
in whom they trusted? he said and
did unto them all this to slay the in
habitants of the city in their city.

18. And can you then prevail
over them who have come forth to
gether from your city to fight with
the whole of them, even if a thou
sand times as many more should
come to your assistance.

19. Surely you know and under
stand that you do not come to fight
with them, but you come to war with
their God who made choice of them,
and you have therefore all come this
day to be destroyed.

20. Now therefore refrain from
this evil which you are endeavoring
to bring upon yourselves, and it will
be better for you not to go to battle
with them, although they are but
few in numbers, because their God
is with them.

21. And when the kings of the
Amorites heard all the words of their
advisers, their hearts were filled
with terror, and they were afraid of
the sons of Jacob and would not
fight against them.

22. And they inclined their ears
to the words of their advisers, and
they listened to all their words, and
the words of the counsellors greatly
pleased the kings, and they did so.

23. And the kings turned and re
frained from the sons of Jacob, for
they durst not approach them to
make war with them, for they were
greatly afraid of them, and their
hearts melted within them from their
fear of them.

24. For this proceeded from the
Lord to them, for he heard the pray
ers of his servants Isaac and Jacob,

for they trusted in him ; and all
these kings returned with their
camps on that day, each to his own
city, and they did not at that time
fight with the sons of Jacob.

25. And the sons of Jacob kept
their station that day till evening op
posite mount Sihon, and seeing that
these kings did not come to fight
against them, the sons of Jacob re
turned home.

CHAPTER XXXVI

1 . At that time the Lord appeared
unto Jacob saying, arise, go to Bethel
and remain there, and make there
an altar to ihe Lord who appeareth
unto thee, who delivered thee and all
thy sons from affliction.

2. And Jacob rose up with his
sons and all belonging to him, and
they went and came to Bethel ac
cording to the word of the Lord.

3. And Jacob was ninety nine
years old when he went up to Bethel,
and Jacob and his sons and all the
people that were with him, remained
in Bethel in Luz, and he there built
an altar to the Lord who appeared
unto him, and Jacob and his sons re
mained in Bethel six months.

4. At that time died Deborah the
daughter of Uz, the nurse of Re
becca, who had been with Jacob ;
and Jacob buried her beneath Bethel
under an oak that was there.

5. And Rebecca the daughter oi
Bethuel, the mother of Jacob, also
died at that time in Hebron, the
same is Kireath-arba, and she was
buried in the cave of Machpelah
which Abraham had bought from the
children of Heth.

6. And the life of Rebecca was
one hundred and thirty three years,
and she died and when Jacob heard

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

107

that his mother Rebecca was dead
he wept bitterly for his mother, and
made a great mourning for her, and
lor Deborah her nurse beneath the
oak, and he called the name of that
place Allon-bachuth.

7. And Laban the Syrian died in
those days, for God smote him be
cause he transgressed the covenant
that existed between him and Jacob.

8. And Jacob was a hundred
years old when the Lord appeared
unto him, and blessed him and called
his name Israel, and Rachel the wife
of Jacob conceived in those days.

9. And at that time Jacob and all
belonging to him journeyed from
Bethel to go to his father s house, to
Hebron.

10. And whilst they were going
on the road, and there was yet but
a little way to come to Ephrath,
Rachel bare a son and she had hard
labour and she died.

11. And Jacob buried her in the
way to Ephrath, which is Bethlehem,
and he set a pillar upon her grave,
which is there unto this day ; and the
days of Rachel were forty five years
and she died.

12. And Jacob called the name of
his son that was born to him, which
Rachel bare unto him, Benjamin, for
he was born to him in the land on
the right hand.

13. And it was after the death of
Rachel, that Jacob pitched his tent
in the tent of her hand maid Bilhah.

14. And Reuben was jealous for
his mother Leah on account of this,
and he was filled with anger, and he
rose up in his anger and went and
entered the tent of Bilhah and he
thence removed his father s bed.

15. At that time the portion of
birth right, together with the kingly
and priestly offices, was removed

from the sons of Reuben, for he had
profaned his father s bed, and the
birthright was given unto Joseph,
the kingly office to Judah, and the
priesthood unto Levi, because Reu
ben had defiled his fathers bed.

16. And these are the generations
of Jacob who were born to him in
Padan-aram, and the sons of Jacob
were twelve.

17. The sons of Leah were Reu
ben the first born, and Simeon, Levi,
Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, and their
sister Dinah; and the sons of Rachel
were Joseph and Benjamin.

18. The sons of Zilpah, Leah s
handmaid, were Gad and Asher, and
the sons of Bilhah, Rachel s handmaid,
were Dan and Naphtali; these are
the sons of Jacob which were born
to him in Padan-aram.

19. And Jacob and his sons and
all belonging to him journeyed and
came to Mamre, which is Kireath-
arba, that is in Hebron, where Abra
ham and Isaac sojourned, and Jacob
with his sons and all belonging to
him, dwelled with his father in
Hebron.

20. And his brother Esau and his
sons, and all belonging to him went
to the land of Seir and dwelt there,
and had possessions in the land of
Seir, and the children of Esau were
fruitful and multiplied exceedingly
in the land of Seir.

21 . And these are the generations
of Esau that were born to him in the
land of Canaan, and the sons of Esau
were five.

22. And Adah bare to Esau his
first born Eliphaz, and she also bare
to him Reuel, and Ahlibamah bare to
him Jeush, Yaalam and Korah.

23. These are the children of Esau
who were born to him in the land of
Canaan ; and the sons of Eliphaz

108

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

the son of Esau were Teman, Omar,
Zepho, Gatam, Kenaz and Amalex,
and the sons of Reuel were Nachath,
Zerach, Shamah and Mizzah.

24. And the sons of Jeush were
Timnah, Alvah, Jetheth ; and the
sons of Yaalam were Alah, Phinor
and Kenaz.

25. And the sons of Korah were
Teman, Mibzar, Magdiel and Eram ;
these are the families of the sons of
Esau according to their dukedoms
in the land of Seir.

26. And these are the names of
the sons of Seir the Horite, inhab
itants of the land of Seir, Lotan,
Shobal, Zibean, Anah, Dishan, Ezer
and Dishon, being seven sons.

27. And the children of Lotan
were Hori, Heman and their sister
Timna , that is Timna who came to
Jacob and his sons, and they would
not give ear to her, and she went
and became a concubine to Eliphaz
the son of Esau, and she bare to him
Amalek.

28. And the sons of Shobal were
Alvan, Manahath, Ebal, Shepho, and
Onam, and the sons of Zibeon were
Ajah, and Anah, this was that Anah
who found the Yemim in the wilder
ness when he fed the asses of Zibeon
his father.

29. And whilst he was feeding his
father s asses he led them to the
wilderness at different times to feed
them.

30. And there was a day that he
brought them to one of the deserts
on the sea shore, opposite the wilder
ness of the people, and whilst he
was feeding them, behold a very
heavy storm came from the other side
of the sea and rested upon the asses
that were feeding there, and they
all stood still.

31. And afterward about one hun

dred and twenty great and terrible
animals came out from the wilderness
at the other side of the sea, and
they all came to the place where the
asses were, and they placed them
selves there.

32. And those animals, from their
middle downward, were in the shape
of the children of men, and from
their middle upward, some had the
likeness of bears, and some the like
ness of the keephas, with tails behind
them from between their shoulders
reaching down to the earth, like the
tails of the ducheephath, and these
animals came and mounted and rode
upon these asses, and led them away,
and they went away unto this day.

33. And one of these animals ap
proached Anah and smote him with
his tail, and then fled from that place.

34. And when he saw this work
he was exceedingly afraid of his life,
and he fled and escaped to the city.

35. And he related to his sons and
brothers all that had happened to
him, and many men went to seek the
asses but could not find them, and
Anah and his brothers went no more
to that place from that day following,
for they were greatly afraid of their
lives.

36. And the children of Anah the
son of Seir, were Dishon and his sis
ter Ahlibamah, and the children of
Dishon were Hemdan, Eshban, Ith-
ran and Cheran, and the children of
Ezer were Bilhan, Zaavan, and Akan,
and the children of Dishan were Uz
and Aran.

37. These are the families of the
children of Seir the Horite, accord
ing to their dukedoms in the land of
Seir.

38. And Esau and his children
dwelt in the land of Seir the Horite,
the inhabitant of the land, and they

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

109

had possessions in it and were fruit
ful and multiplied exceedingly, and
Jacob and his children and all belong
ing to them, dwelt with their father
Isaac in the land of Canaan as the
Lord had commanded Abraham their
father.

CHAPTER XXXVII.

1. And in the one hundred and
fifth year of the life of Jacob, that is
the ninth year of Jacob s dwelling
with his children in the land of Ca
naan, he came from Padan-aram.

2. And in those days Jacob jour
neyed with his children from Hebron,
and they went and returned to the
city of Shechem, they and all belong
ing to them, and they dwelt there,
for the children of Jacob obtained
good and fat pasture land for their
cattle in the city of Shechem, the
city of Shechem having then been
rebuilt, and there were in it about
three hundred men and women.

3. And Jacob and his children and
all belonging to him dwelt in the part
of the field which Jacob had bought
from Hamor the father of Shechem,
when he came from Padan-aram be
fore Simeon and Levi had smitten
the city.

4. And all those kings of the Ca-
naanites and Amorites that surround
ed the city of Shechem, heard that
the sons of Jacob had again come to
Shechem and dwelt there.

5. And they said, shall the sons of
Jacob the Hebrew again come to the
city and dwell therein, after that they
have smitten its inhabitants and driven
them out ? shall they now return and
also drive out those who are dwelling
in the city or slay them ?

6. And all the kings of Canaan
again assembled, and they came to

gether to make war with Jacob and
iis sons.

7. And Jashub king of Tapnach
sent also to all his neighboring kings,
to Elan king of Gaash, and to Ihuri
king of Shiloh, and to Parathon king
of Chazar, and to Susi king of Sar-
ton, and to Laban king of Beth-ho-
ran, and to Shabir king of Othnay-
mah, saying,

8. Come up lo me and assist me,
and let us smite Jacob the Hebrew
and his sons, and all belonging to him,
for they are again come to Shechem
to possess it and to slay its inhabi
tants as before ;

9. And all these kings assembled
together and came with all their
camps, a people exceedingly plenti
ful like the sand upon the sea shore,
and they were all opposite to Tap
nach.

10. And Jashub king of Tapnach
went forth to them with all his army,
and he encamped with them opposite
to Tapnach without the city, and all
these kings they divided into seven
divisions, being seven camps against
the sons of Jacob.

1 1 . And they sent a declaration*
to Jacob and his son, saying, come
you all forth to us that we may
have an interview together in the
plain, and revenge the cause of the
men of Shechem whom you slew in
their city, and you will now again re
turn to the city of Shechem and dwell
therein, and slay its inhabitants as
before.

12. And the sons of Jacob heard
this and their anger was kindled ex
ceedingly at the words of the kings
of Canaan, and ten of the sons of
Jacob hastened and rose up, and
each of them girt on his weapons of
war ; and there were one hundred

* Hebrew, a book or record.

110

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

and two of their servants with them
equipped in battle array.

13. And all these men the sons of
Jacob with their servants went to
ward these kings, and Jacob their
father was with them, and they all
stood upon the heap of Shechem.

14. And Jacob prayed to the Lord
for his sons, and he spread forth his
hands to the Lord, and he said, O
God, thou art an Almighty God, thou
art our father, thou didst form us and
we are the works of thine hands ; I
pray thee deliver my sons through thy
mercy from the hand of their ene
mies, who are this day coming to
fight with them, and save them from
their hand, for in thy hand is power
and might, to save the few from the
many.

15. And give unto my sons, thy
servants, strength of heart and might
to fight with their enemies, to subdue
them, and make their enemies fall
before them, and let not my sons and
their servants die through the hands
of the children of Canaan,

1 6. But if it seemeth good in thine
eyes to take away the lives of my
sons and their servants, take them in
thy great mercy through the hand of
thy ministers,* that they may not
perish this day by the hands of the
lungs of the Amorites.

17. And when Jacob ceased pray
ing to the Lord the earth shook from
its place, and the sun darkened, and
all these kings were terrified and a
great consternation seized them.

1 8. And the Lord hearkened to the
prayer of Jacob, and the Lord im
pressed the hearts of all the kings
and their hosts with the terror and
awe of the sons of Jacob.

19. For the Lord caused them to
hear the voice of chariots, and the

* Angels or messengers.

voice of mighty horses from the sons
of Jacob, and the voice of a great
army accompanying them.

20. And these kings were seized
with great terror at the sons of Jacob,
and whilst they were standing in
their quarters, behold the sons of Ja
cob advanced upon them, with one
hundred and twelve men, with a great
and tremendous shouting.

21. And when the kings saw the
sons of Jacob advancing toward them,
they were still more panic struck,
and they were inclined to retreat
from before the sons of Jacob as at
first, and not to fight with them.

22. But they did not retreat, say
ing, it would be a disgrace to us thus
twice to retreat from before the He
brews.

23. And the sons of Jacob came
near and advanced against all these
kings and their armies, and they saw,
and behold it was a very mighty peo
ple, numerous as the sand of the
sea.

24. And the sons of Jacob called
unto the Lord and said, help us O
Lord, help us and answer us, for we
trust in thee, and let us not die by
the hands of these uncircumcised
men, who this day have come against
us.

25. And the sons of Jacob girt on
their weapons of war, and they took
in their hands each man his shield
and his javelin, and they approached
to battle.

26. And Judah, the son of Jacob,
ran first before his brethren, and ten
of his servants with him, and he went
toward these kings.

27. And Jashub, king of Tapnach,
also came forth first with his army
before Judah, and Judah saw Jashub
and his army coming toward him,
and Judah s wrath was kindled, and

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

Ill

his anger burned within him, and he
approached to battle in which Judah
ventured his life.*

28. And Jashub and all his army
were advancing toward Judah, and
he was riding upon a very strong and
powerful horse, and Jashub was a
very valiant man, and covered with
iron and brass from head to foot.

29. And whilst he was upon the
horse, he shot arrows with both hands
from before and behind, as was his
manner in all his battles, and he ne
ver missed the place to which he
aimed his arrows.

30. And when Jashub came to
fight with Judah, and was darting
many arrows against Judah, the Lord
bound the hand of Jashub, and all
the arrows that he shot rebounded
upon his own men.

31. And notwithstanding this, Ja
shub kept advancing toward Judah,
to challenge him with the arrows,
but the distance between them was
about thirty cubits, and when Judah
saw Jashub darting forth his arrows
against him, he ran to him with his
wrath-excited might.

32. And Judah took up a large
stone from the ground, and its weight
was sixty shekels, and Judah ran to
ward Jashub, and with the stone
struck him on his shield, that Jashub
was stunned with the blow, and fell
off from his horse to the ground.

33. And the shield burst asunder
out of the hand of Jashub, and through
the force of the blow sprang to the
distance of about fifteen cubits, and
the shield fell before the second
camp.

34. And the kings that came with
Jashub saw at a distance the strength
of Judah, the son of Jacob, and what

* The literal translation of this is, " and Ju
dah gave his soul to die."

he had done to Jashub, and they were
terribly afraid of Judah.

35. And they assembled near Ja-
shub s camp, seeing his confusion,
and Judah drew his sword and smote
forty-two men of the camp of Jashub,
and the whole of Jashub s camp fled
before Judah, and no man stood
against him, and they left Jashub
and fled from him, and Jashub was
still prostrate upon the ground.

36. And Jashub seeing that all the
men of his camp had fled from him,
hastened and rose up with terror
against Judah, and stood upon his
legs opposite Judah.

37. And Jashub had a single com
bat with Judah, placing shield toward
shield, and Jashub s men all fled y for
they were greatly afraid of Judah.

38. And Jashub took his spear in
his hand to strike Judah upon his
head, but Judah had quickly placed
his shield to his head against Ja
shub s spear, so that the shield of
Judah received the blow from Ja
shub s spear, and the shield was split
in two.

39. And when Judah saw that his
shield was split, he hastily drew his
sword and smote Jashub at his an
cles, and cut off his feet that Jashub
fell upon the ground, and the spear
fell from his hand.

40. And Judah hastily picked up
Jashub s spear, with which he sever
ed his head and cast it next to his
feet.

41. And when the sons of Jacob
saw what Judah had done to Jashub,
they all ran into the ranks of the other
kings, and the sons of Jacob fought
with the army of Jashub, and the ar
mies of all the kings that were there.

42. And the sons of Jacob caused
fifteen thousand of their men to fall,
and they smote them as if smiting at

112

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

gourds, and the rest fled for their
lives.

43. And Judah was still standing
by the body of Jashub, and stripped
Jashub of his coat of mail.

44. And Judah also took off the
iron and brass that was about Jashub,
and behold nine men of the captains
of Jashub came alone to fight against
Judah.

45. And Judah hastened and took
up a stone from the ground, and with
it smote one of them upon the head,
and his skull was fractured, and the
body also fell from the horse to the
ground.

46. And the eight captains that
remained, seeing the strength of Ju
dah, were greatly afraid and they
fled, and Judah with his ten men pur
sued them, and they overtook them
and slew them.

47. And the sons of Jacob were
still smiting the armies of the kings,
and they slew many of them, but
those kings daringly kept their stand
with their captains, and did not re
treat from their places, and they ex
claimed against those of their armies
that fled from before the sons of Ja
cob, but none would listen to them,
for they were afraid of their lives lest
they should die.

48. And all the sons of Jacob, af
ter having smitten the armies of the
kings, returned and came before Ju
dah, and Judah was still slaying the
eight captains of Jashub, and strip
ping off their garments.

49. And Levi saw Elon, king of
Gaash, advancing toward him, with
his fourteen captains to smite him,
but Levi did not know it for certain.

50. And Elon with his captains
approached nearer, and Levi looked
back and saw that battle was given
him in the rear, and Levi ran with

twelve of his servants, and they
went and slew Elon and his captains
with the edge of the sword.

CHAPTER XXXVIII.

1 . And Ihuri king of Shiloh came
up to assist Elon, and he approached
Jacob, when Jacob drew his bow
that was in his hand and with an ar
row struck Ihuri which caused his
death.

2. And when Ihuri king of Shiloh
was dead, the four remaining kings
fled from their station with the rest
of the captains, and they endeavor
ed to retreat, saying, we have no more
strength with the Hebrews after their
having killed the three kings and
their captains who were more power
ful than we are.

3. And when the sons of Jacob
saw that the remaining kings had re
moved from their station, they pur
sued them, and Jacob also came from
the heap of Shechem from the place
where he was standing, and they
went after the kings and they ap
proached them with their servants.

4. And the kings and the captains
with the rest of their armies, seeing
that the sons of Jacob approached
them, were afraid of their lives and
fled till they reached the city of
Chazar.

5. And the sons of Jacob pursued
them to the gate of the city of Cha
zar, and they smote a great smiting
amongst the kings and their armies,
about four thousand men, and whilst
they were smiting the army of the
kings Jacob was occupied with his
bow confining himself to smiting the
kings, and he slew them all.

6. And he slew Parathon king of
Chazar at the gate of the city of
Chazar, and he afterward smote Susi

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

113

king of Sarton, and Laban king of
Bethchorin,and Shabir king of Mach-
naymah, and he slew them all with
arrows, an arrow to each of them,
and they died.

7. And the sons of Jacob seeing
that all the kings were dead and that
they were broken up and retreating,
continued to carry on the battle with
the armies of the kings opposite the
gate of Chazar, and they still smote
about four hundred of their men.

8. And three men of the servants
of Jacob fell in that battle, and when
Judah saw that three of his ser
vants had died, it grieved him greatly,
and his anger burned within him
against the Amorites.

9. And all the men that remained
of the armies of the kings were
greatly afraid of their lives, and they
ran and broke the gate of the walls
of the city of Chazar, and they all
entered the city for safety.

10. And they concealed them
selves in the midst of the city of Cha
zar, for the city of Chazar was very
large and extensive, and when all
these armies had entered the city,
the sons of Jacob ran after them to
the city.

1 1 . And four mighty men, experi
enced in battle, went forth from the
city and stood against the entrance
of the city, with drawn swords and
spears in their hands, and they placed
themselves opposite the sons of Ja
cob, and would not suffer them to
enter the city.

12. And Naphtali ran and came
between them and with his sword
smote two of them, and cut off their
heads at one stroke.

13. Arid he turned to the other
two, and behold they had fled, and
he pursued them, overtook them,
smote them and slew them.

14. And the sons of Jacob came
to the city and saw, and behold there
was another wall to the city, and
they sought for the gate of the wall
and could not find it, and Judah
sprang upon the top of the wall, and
Simeon and Levi followed him and
they all three descended from the
wall into the city.

15. And Simeon and Levi slew all
the men who ran for safety into the
city, and also the inhabitants of the
city with their wives and little ones,
they slew with the edge of the sword,
and the cries of the city ascended up
to heaven.

16. And Dan and Naphtali sprang
upon the wall to see what caused the
noise of lamentation, for the sons of
Jacob felt anxious about their bro
thers, and they heard the inhabitants
of the city speaking with weeping
and supplications, saying, take all
that we possess in the city and go
away, only do not put us to death.

17. And when Judah, Simeon and
Levi, had ceased smiting the inhabi
tants of the city, they ascended the
wall and called to Dan and Naphtali,
who were upon the wall, and to the
rest of their brothers, and Simeon and
Levi informed them of the entrance
into the city, and all the sons of Ja
cob came to fetch the spoil.

18. And the sons of Jacob took
the spoil of the city of Chazar, the
flocks and herds, and the property,
and they took all that could be cap
tured and went away that day from
the city.

19. And on the next day the sons
of Jacob went to Sarton, for they
heard that the men of Sarton who
had remained in the city were as
sembling to fight with them for hav
ing slain their king, and Sarton was
a very high and fortified city, and it

114

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

had a deep rampart surrounding the
city.

20. And the pillar of the rampart
was about fifty cubits and its breadth
forty cubits, arid there was no place
for a man to enter the city on ac
count of the rampart, and the sons
of Jacob saw the rampart of the city
and they sought an entrance in it but
could not find it.

21. For the entrance to the city
was at the rear, and every man that
wished to come into the city came by
that road and went round the whole
city, and he afterward entered the
city.

22. And the sons of Jacob seeing
they could not find the way into the
city, their anger was kindled greatly,
and the inhabitants of the city see
ing that the sons of Jacob were com
ing to them were greatly afraid of
them, for they had heard of their
strength and what they had done to
Chazar.

23. And the inhabitants of the
city of Sarton could not go out to
ward the sons of Jacob after having
assembled in the city to fight against
them, lest they might thereby get
into the city, but when they saw
that they were coming toward them,
they were greatly afraid of them, for
they had heard of their strength and
what they had done to Chazar.

24. So the inhabitants of Sarton
.speedily took away the bridge of
the road of the city, from its place,
before the sons of Jacob came, and
they brought it into the city.

25. And the sons of Jacob came
and sought the way into the city, and
could not find it, and the inhabitants
of the city went up to the top of the
wall, and saw, and behold the sons
of Jacob were seeking an entrance
into the city.

26. And the inhabitants of the
city reproached the sons of Jacob
from the top of the wall, and they
cursed them, and the sons of Jacob
heard the reproaches and they were
greatly incensed, and their anger
burned within them.

27. And the sons of Jacob were
provoked at them, and they all rose
and sprang over the rampart with
the force of their strength, and
through their might passed the forty
cubits breadth of the rampart,

28. And when they had passed
the rampart they stood under the
wall of the city, and they found all
the gates of the city enclosed! with
iron doors.

29. And the sons of Jacob came
near to break open the doors of the
gates of the city, and the inhabitants
did not let them, for from the top of
the wall they were casting stones
and arrows upon them.

30. And the number of the people
that were upon the wall was about
four hundred men, and when the
sons of Jacob saw that the men of
the city would not let them open the
gates of the city, they sprang and
ascended the top of the wall, and
Judah went up first to the east part
of the city.

31. And Gad and Asher went up
after him to the west corner of the
city, and Simeon and Levi to the
north, and Dan and Reuben to the
south.

32. And the men who were on
the top of the wall, the inhabitants
of the city, seeing that the sons of
Jacob were coming up to them, they
all fled from the wall, descended in
to the city, and concealed themselves
in the midst of the city.

33. And Issachar and Naphtali
that remained under the wall ap

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

115

preached and broke the gates of the
city, and kindled a fire at the gates
of the city, that the iron melted, and
all the sons of Jacob came into the
city, they and all their men, and they
fought with the inhabitants of the
city of Sarton, and smote them with
the edge of the sword, and no man
stood up before them.

34. And about two hundred men
fled from the city, and they all went
and hid themselves in a certain tower
in the city, and Judah pursued them
to the tower and he broke down the
tower, which fell upon the men, and
they all died.

35. Aud the sons of Jacob went
up the road of the roof of that tower,
and they saw, and behold there was
another strong and high tower at a
distance in the city, and the top of it
reached to heaven,* and the sons of
Jacob hastened and descended, and
went with all their men to that tower,
and found it filled with about three
hundred men, women and little
ones.

36. And the sons of Jacob smote
a great smiting amongst those men
in the tower, and they ran away and
fled from them.

37. And Simeon and Levi pur
sued them, when twelve mighty and
valiant men came out to them from
the place where they had concealed
themselves.

38. And those twelve men main
tained a strong battle against Simeon
and Levi, and Simeon and Levi
could not prevail over them, and
those valiant men broke the shields
of Simeon and Levi, and one of them
struck at Levi s head with his sword,
when Levi hastily placed his hand
to his head, for he was afraid of the

* This is a figurative expression in the He
brew, to express an exceeding great height.

sword, and the sword struck Levi s
hand, and it wanted but little to the
hand of Levi being cut off.

39. And Levi seized the sword of
the valiant man in his hand, and took
it forcibly from the man, and with it
he struck at the head of the power
ful man, and he severed his head.

40. And eleven men approached
to fight with Levi, for they saw that
one of them was killed, and the
sons of Jacob fought, but the sons of
Jacob could not prevail over them,
for those men were very powerful.

41. And the sons of Jacob seeing
that they could not prevail over them,
Simeon gave a loud and tremendous
shriek, and the eleven powerful men
were stunned at the voice of Sime
on s shrieking.

42. And Judah at a distance knew
the voice of Simeon s shouting, and
Naphtali and Judah ran with their
shields to Simeon and Levi, and
found them fighting with those pow
erful men, unable to prevail over
them as their shields were broken.

43. And Naphtali saw that the
shields of Simeon and Levi were
broken, and he took two shields
from his servants and brought them
to Simeon and Levi.

44. And Simeon, Levi and Judah
on that day fought all three against
the eleven mighty men until the time
of sunset, but they could not prevail
over them.

45. And this was told unto Jacob,
and he was sorely grieved, and he
prayed unto the Lord, and he and
Naphtali his son went against these
mighty men.

46. And Jacob approached and
drew his bow, and came nigh unto
the mighty men, and slew three of
their men with the bow, and the re
maining eight turned back, and be-

116

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

hold, the war waged against them in
the front and rear, and they were
greatly afraid of their lives, and could
not stand before the sons of Jacob,
and they fled from before them.

47. And in their flight they met
Dan and Asher coming toward them,
and they suddenly fell upon them,
and fought with them, and slew two
of them, and Judah and his brothers
pursued them, and smote the remain
der of them, and slew them.

48. And all the sons of Jacob re
turned and walked about the city,
searching if they could find any men,
and they found about twenty young
men in a cave in the city, and Gad
and Asher smote them all, and Dan
and Naphtali lighted upon the rest
of the men who had fled and escaped
from the second tower, and they
smote them all.

49. And the sons of Jacob smote
all the inhabitants of the city of Sar-
ton, but the women and little ones
they left in the city and did not slay
them.

50. And all the inhabitants of the
city of Sarton were powerful men,
one of them would pursue a thou
sand, and two of them would not flee
from ten thousand of the rest of
men.

51. And the sons of Jacob slew
all the inhabitants of the city of Sar
ton with the edge of the sword, that
no man stood up against them, and
they left the women in the city.

52. And the sons of Jacob took all
the spoil of the city, and captured
what they desired, and they took
flocks and herds and property from
the city, and the sons of Jacob did
unto Sarton and its inhabitants as
they had done to Chazar and its in
habitants, and they turned and went
away

CHAPTER XXXIX.

1. And when the sons of Jacob
went from the city of Sarton, they
had gone about two hundred cubits
when they met the inhabitants of
Tapnach coming toward them, for
they went out to fight with them,
because they had smitten the king
of Tapnach and all his men.

2. So all that remained in the city
of Tapnach come out to fight with
the sons of Jacob, and they thought
to retake from them the booty and
the spoil which they had captured
from Chazar and Sarton.

3. And the rest of the men of Tap
nach fought with the sons of Jacob
in that place, and the sons of Jacob
smote them, and they fled before
them, and they pursued them to the
city of Arbelan, and they all fell be
fore the sons of Jacob.

4. And the sons of Jacob returned
and came to Tapnach, to take away
the spoil of Tapnach, and when they
came to Tapnach they heard that the
people of Arbelan had gone out to
meet them to save the spoil of their
brethren, and the sons of Jacob left
ten of their men in Tapnach to plun
der the city, and they went out to
ward the people of Arbelan.

5. And the men of Arbelan went
out with their wives to fight with the
sons of Jacob, for their wives were
experienced in battle, and they went
out, about four hundred men and
women.

6. And all the sons of Jacob shout
ed with a loud voice, and they all ran
toward the inhabitants of Arbelan,
and with a great and tremendous
voice.

7. And the inhabitants of Arbelan
heard the noise of the shouting of the
sons of Jacob, and their roaring like

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

117

the noise of lions and like the roaring
of the sea and its waves.

8. And fear and terror possessed
their hearts on account of the sons
of Jacob, and they were terribly afraid
of them, and they retreated and fled
before them into the city, and the
sons of Jacob pursued them to the
gate of the city, and they came upon
them in the city.

9. And the sons of Jacob fought
with them in the city, and all their
women were engaged in slinging
against the sons of Jacob, and the
combat was very severe amongst
them the whole of that day till evening.

10. And the sons of Jacob could
not prevail over them, and the sons
of Jacob had almost perished in that
battle, and the sons of Jacob cried
unto the Lord and greatly gained
strength toward evening, and the sons
of Jacob smote all the inhabitants of
Arbelan by the edge of the sword,
men, women and little ones.

1 1 . And also the remainder of the
people who had fled from Sarton, the
sons of Jacob smote them in Arbe
lan, and the sons of Jacob did unto
Arbelan and Tapnach as they had
done to Chazar and Sarton, and when
the women saw that all their men
were dead, they went upon the roofs
of the city and smote the sons of Ja
cob by showering down stones like
rain.

12. And the sons of Jacob hasten
ed and came into the city and seized
all the women and smote them with
the edge of the sword, and the sons
of Jacob captured all the spoil and
booty, flocks and herds and cattle.

1 3. And the sons of Jacob did unto
Machnaymah as they had done to
Tapnach, to Chazar and to Shiloh,
and they turned from there and went
away.

14. And on the fifth day the sons
of Jacob heard that the people of
Gaash had gathered against them to
battle, because they had slain their
king and their captains, for there had
been fourteen captains in the city of
Gaash, and the sons of Jacob had
slain them all in the first battle.

1 5 And the sons of Jacob that day
girt on their weapons of war, and
they marched to battle against the
inhabitants of Gaash, and in Gaash
there was a strong and mighty peo
ple of the people of the Amorites,
and Gaash was the strongest and
best fortified city of all the cities of
the Amorites, and it had three walls.

16. And the sons of Jacob came
to Gaash and they found the gates
of the city locked, and about five
hundred men standing at the top of
the outermost wall, and a people
numerous as the sand upon the sea
shore were in ambush for the sons
of Jacob from without the city at the
rear thereof.

17. And the sons of Jacob ap
proached to open the gates of the
city, and whilst they were drawing
nigh, behold those who were in am
bush at the rear of the city came
forth from their places and surround
ed the sons of Jacob.

18. And the sons of Jacob were
enclosed between the people of
Gaash, and the battle was both to
their front and rear, and all the men
that were upon the wall, were cast
ing from the wall upon them, arrows
and stones.

19. And Judah, seeing that the
men of Gaash were getting too heavy
for them, gave a most piercing and
tremendous shriek and all the men
of Gaash were terrified at the voice
of Judah s cry, and men fell from the
wall at his powerful shriek, and all

118

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

those that were from without and
within the city were greatly afraid
of their lives.

20. And the sons of Jacob still
came nigh to break the doors of the
city, when the men of Gaash threw
stones and arrows upon them from
the top of the wall, and made them
flee from the gate.

21. And the sons of Jacob re
turned against the men of Gaash
who \vere with them from without
the city, and they smote them ter
ribly, as striking against gourds, and
they could not stand against the sons
of Jacob, for fright and terror had
seized them at the shriek of Judah.

22. And the sons of Jacob slew
all those men who were from with
out the city, and the sons of Jacob
still drew nigh to effect an entrance
into the city, and to fight under the
city walls, but they could not for all
the inhabitants of Gaash who re
mained in the city had surrounded
the walls of Gaash in every direction,
so that the sons of Jacob were unable
to approach the city to fight with
them.

23. And as the sons of Jacob
came nigh to one corner to fight un
der the wall, the inhabitants of Gaash
threw arrows and stones upon them
like showers of rain, and they fled
from under the wall.

24. And the people of Gaash who
were upon the wall, seeing that the
sons of Jacob could not prevail over
them from under the wall, reproach
ed the sons of Jacob in these words ;
saying ,

25. What is the matter with you
in the battle that you cannot prevail ?
can you then do unto the mighty city
of Gaash and its inhabitants as you
did to the cities of the Amorites that
were not so powerful? Surely to

those weak ones amongst us you did
those things, and slew them in the
entrance of the city, for they had no
strength when they were terrified at
the sound of your shouting.

26. And will you now then be
able to fight in this place ? Surely
here you will all die, and we will
avenge the cause of those cities that
you have laid waste.

27. And the inhabitants of Gaash
greatly reproached the sons of Jacob
and reviled* them with their gods,
and continued to cast arrows and
stones upon them from the wall.

28. And Judah and his brothers
heard the words of the inhabitants of
Gaash and their anger was greatly
roused, and Judah was jealous of his
God in this matter, and he called out
and said, Lord, help, send help to
us and our brothers.

29. And he ran at a distance with
all his might, with his drawn sword
in his hand, and he sprang from the
earth and by dint of his strength,
mounted the wall, and his sword fell
from his hand.

30. And Judah shouted upon the
wall, and all the men that were upon
the wall were terrified, and some of
them fell from the wall into the city
and died, and those who were yet
upon the wall, when they saw Judah s
strength, they were greatly afraid
and fled for their lives into the city
for safety.

31. And some were emboldened
to fight with Judah upon the wall,
and they came nigh to slay him when
they saw there was no sword in
Judah s hand, and they thought of

* They reviled the God of the sons of Jacob,
as inferred from the next verse, " and Judah was
jealous of his God," as orpnSxa onVSp*) might
bear the translation, and they reviled or cursed
them by their own gods, or using the names of
their idols in their execrations.

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

119

casting him from the wall to his
brothers, and twenty men of the city
came up to assist them, and they sur
rounded Judah and they all shouted
over him, and approached him with
drawn swords, and they terrified
Judah, and Judah cried out to his
brothers from the wall.

32. And Jacob and his sons drew
the bow from under the wall, and
smote three of the men that were
upon the top of the wall, and Judah
continued to cry and he exclaimed,
O Lord help us, Lord deliver us,
and he cried out with a loud voice
upon the wall, and the cry was heard
at a great distance.

33. And after this cry he again
repeated to shout, and all the men
who surrounded Judah on the top of
the wall were terrified, and they
each threw his sword from his hand
at the sound of Judah s shouting and
his tremor, and fled.

34. And Judah took the swords
which had fallen from their hands,
and Judah fought with them and slew
twenty of their men upon the wall.

35. And about eighty men and
women still ascended the wall from
the city and they all surrounded Ju
dah, and the Lord impressed the fear
of Judah in their hearts, that they were
unable to approach him.

36. And Jacob and all who were
with him drew the bow from under
the wall, and they slew ten men upon
the wall, and they fell below the wall,
before Jacob and his sons.

37. And the people upon the wall
seeing that twenty of their men had
fallen, they still ran toward Judah
with drawn swords, but they could
not approach him for they were great
ly terrified at Judah s strength.

38. And one of their mighty men
whose name was Arud approached

to strike Judah upon the head with
his sword, when Judah hastily put
his shield to his head, and the sword
hit the shield, and it was split in two.

39. And this mighty man after he
had struck Judah ran for his life, at
the fear of Judah, and his feet slip
ped upon the wall and he fell amongst
the sons of Jacob who were below
the wall, and the sons of Jacob
smote him and slew him.

40. And Judah s head pained him
from the blow of the powerful man,
and Judah had nearly died from it.

41. And Judah cried out upon the
wall owing to the pain produced by
the blow, when Dan heard him, and
his anger burned within him, and he
also rose up and went at a distance
and ran and sprang from the earth
and mounted the wall with his wrath
excited strength.

42. And when Dan came upon the
wall near unto Judah all the men
upon the wall fled, who had stood
against Judah, and they went up to
the second wall, and they threw ar
rows and stones upon Dan and Judah
from the second wall, and endeavor
ed to drive them from the wall.

43. And the arrows and stones
struck Dan and Judah, and they had
nearly been killed upon the wall, and
wherever Dan and Judah fled upon
the wall, they were attacked with
arrows and stones from the second
wall.

44. And Jacob and his sons were
still at the entrance of the city below
the first wall, and they were not able
to draw their bow against the inhabi
tants of the city, as they could not be
seen by them, being upon the second
wall.

45. And Dan and Judah when they
could no longer bear the stones and
arrows that fell upon them from the

120

THE BOOK OF JASHER

second wall, they both sprang upon
the second wall near the people of
the city, and when the people of the
city who were upon the second wall
saw that Dan and Judah had come
to them upon the second wall, they
all cried out and descended below be
tween the walls.

46. And Jacob and his sons heard
the noise of the shouting from the
people of the city, and they were
still at the entrance of the city, and
they were anxious about Dan and Ju
dah who were not seen by them, they
being upon the second wall.

47. And Naphtali went up with
his wrath excited might and sprang
upon the first wall to see what caus
ed the noise of shouting which they
had heard in the city, and Issachar
and Zebulun drew nigh to break the
doors of the city, and they opened
the gates of the city and came into
the city.

48. And Naphtali leaped from the
first wall to the second, and came to
assist his brothers, and the inhabitants
of Gaash who were upon the wall,
seeing that Naphtali was the third
who had come up to assist his brothers,
they all fled and descended into the
city, and Jacob and his sons and all
their young men came into the city
to them.

49. And Judah and Dan and Naph
tali descended from the wall into the
city and pursued the inhabitants of the
city, and Simeon and Levi were from
without the city and knew not that
the gate was opened, and they went
up from there to the wall and came
down to their brothers into the city.

50. And the inhabitants of the city
had all descended into the city, and
the sons of Jacob came to them in
different directions and the battle
waged against them from the front

and the rear, and the sons of Jacob
smote them terribly and slew about
twenty thousand of them men and
women, not one of them could stand
up against the sons of Jacob.

51. And the blood flowed, plenti
fully in the city, and it was like a
brook of water, and the blood flowed
like a brook to the outer part of the
city, and reached the desert of Beth-
chorin.

52. And the people of Bethcho-
rin saw at a distance the blood flow
ing from the city of Gaash, and about
seventy men from amongst them
ran to see the blood, and they came
to the place where the blood was.

53. And they followed the track
of the blood and came to the wall of
the city of Gaash, and they saw the
blood issue from the city, and they
heard the voice of crying from the
inhabitants of Gaash, for it ascended
unto heaven, and the blood was con
tinuing to flow abundantly like a
brook of water.

54. And all the sons of Jacob
were still smiting the inhabitants of
Gaash, and were engaged in slaying
them till evening, about twenty thou
sand men and women, and the people
of Chorin said, surely this is the
work of the Hebrews, for they are
still carrying on war in all the cities
of the Amorites.

55. And those people hastened
and ran to Bethchorin, and each took
his weapons of war, and they cried
out to all the inhabitants of Beth
chorin, who also girt on their wea
pons of war to go and fight with the
sons of Jacob.

56. And when the sons of Jacob
had done smiting the inhabitants of
Gaash, they walked about the city to
strip all the slain, and coming in the
innermost part of the city and farther

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

121

on they met three very powerful men,
and there was no sword in their
hand.

57. And the sons of Jacob came
up to the place where they were, and
the powerful men ran away, and one
of them had taken Zebulun, who he
saw was a young lad and of short
stature, and with his might dashed
him to the ground.

58. And Jacob ran to him with his
sword and Jacob smote him below
his loins with the sword, and cut him
in two, and the body fell upon Zebu
lun.

59. And the second one approach
ed and seized Jacob to fell him to
the ground, and Jacob turned to him
and shouted to him, whilst Simeon
and Levi ran and smote him on the
hips with the sword and felled him
to the ground.

60. And the powerful man rose
up from the ground with wrath-ex
cited might, and Judah came to him
before he had gained his footing,
and struck him upon the head with
the sword, and his head was split
and he died.

61. And the third powerful man
seeing that his companions were
killed, ran from before the sons of
Jacob, and the sons of Jacob pursued
him in the city; and whilst the
powerful man was fleeing he founc
one of the swords of the inhabitants
of the city, and he picked it up anc
turned to the sons of Jacob anc
fought them with that sword.

62. And the powerful man ran to
Judah to strike him upon the heac
with the sword, aud there was no
shield in the hand of Judah; anc
whilst he was aiming to strike him
Naphtali hastily took his shield anc
put it to Judah s head, and th
sword of the powerful man hit th

shield of Naphtali and Judah escap
ed the sword.

63. And Simeon and Levi ran up
on the powerful man with their
swords and struck at him forcibly
with their swords, and the two
swords entered the body of the pow
erful man and divided it in two,

ength-wise.

64. And the sons of Jacob smote
the three mighty men at that time,
together with all the inhabitants of
Gaash, and the day was about to de
cline.

65. And the sons of Jacob walk
ed about Gaash and took all the
spoil of the city, even the little ones
and women they did not suffer to
live, and the sons of Jacob did unto
Gaash as they had done to Sarton
and Shiloh.

CHAPTER XL.

1 . And the sons of Jacob led away
all the spoil of Gaash, and went out
of the city by night.

2. They were going out marching
toward the castle of Bethchorin, and
the inhabitants of Bethchorin were
going to the castle to meet them, and
on that night the sons of Jacob
fought with the inhabitants of Beth
chorin, in the castle of Bethchorin.

3. And all the inhabitants of Beth
chorin were mighty men, one of them
would not flee from before a thou
sand men, and they fought on that
night upon the castle, and their
shouts were heard on that night from
afar, and the earth quaked at their
shouting.

4. And all the sons of Jacob were
afraid of those men, as they were
not accustomed to fight in the dark,
and they were greatly confounded,
and the sons of Jacob cried unto the

122

Lord, saying, give help to us O Lord,
deliver us that we may not die by
the hands of these uncircumcised
men.

5. And the Lord hearkened to the
voice of the sons of Jacob, and the
Lord caused great terror and confu
sion to seize the people of Beth-
chorin, and they fought amongst
themselves the one with the other in
the darkness of night, and smote
each other in great numbers.

6. And the sons of Jacob, know
ing that the Lord had brought a spirit
of perverseness amongst those men,
and that they fought each man with
his neighbor, went forth from among
the bands of the people of Bethcho-
rin and went as far as the descent of
the castle of Bethchorin, and farther,
and they tarried there securely with
their young men on that night.

7. And the people of Bethchorin
fought the whole night, one man
with his brother, and the other with
his neighbor, and they cried out in
every direction upon the castle, and
their cry was heard at a distance,
and the whole earth shook at their
voice, for they were powerful above
all the people of the earth.

8. And all the inhabitants of the
cities of the Canaanites, the Hittites,
the Amorites, the Hivites and all the
kings of Canaan, and also those who
were on the other side of the Jordan,
heard the noise of the shouting on
that night.

9. And they said, surely these are
the battles of the Hebrews who are
fighting against the seven cities ;
who came nigh unto them, and who
can stand against those Hebrews?

10. And all the inhabitants of the
cities of the Canaanites, and all those
who were on the other side of the
Jordan, were greatly afraid of the

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

sons of Jacob, for they said, behold
the same will be done to us as was
done to those cities, for who can
stand against their mighty strength ?

11. And the cries of the Chori-
nites were very great on that night,
and continued to increase, and they
smote each other till morning, and
numbers of them were killed.

12. And the morning appeared,
and all the sons of Jacob rose up at
day break and went up to the castle,
and they smote those who remained
of the Chorinites in a terrible man
ner, and they were all killed in the
castle.

13. And the sixth day appeared,
and all the inhabitants of Canaan
saw at a distance all the people of
Bethchorin lying dead in the castle
of Bethchorin, and strewed about as
the carcasses of lambs and goats.

14. And the sons of Jacob led all
the spoil which they had captured
from Gaash and went to Bethchorin,
and they found the city full of peo
ple like the sand of the sea, and they
fought with them, and the sons of
Jacob smote them there till evening
time.

15. And the sons of Jacob did un
to Bethchorin as they had done to
Gaash and Tapnach, and as they
had done to Chazar, to Sarton and
to Shiloh.

16. And the sons of Jacob took
with them the spoil of Bethchorin
and all the spoil of the cities, and on
that day they went home to She-
chem.

17. And the sons of Jacob came
home to the city of Shechem, and
they remained without the city, and
they then rested there from the war,
and tarried there all night.

18. And all their servants together
with all the spoil that they had taken

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

123

from ihe cities, they left without the
city, and they did not enter the city,
for they said, peradventure there may
be yet more fighting against us, and
they may come to besiege us in She-
chenu.

19, And Jacob and fais sons and
their servants remained on that and
the next day in the portion of the
field which Jacob had purchased from
Mamor for five shekels, and all that
they had captured was with them.

20, And all the booty which the
sons of Jacob had captured, was in
the portion of the field, immense as
die sand upon the sea shore,

21, And the inhabitants of the land
observed them from afar, and all the
inhabitants of the land were afraid of
the sons f Jacob who had done this
thing, for no king from the days of
old had ever done the like,

"22, And the seven kings of the
Canaanites resolved to make peace
with the sons &lt;sf Jacob, for they were
greatly afraid of their lives, on ac
count of the sons of Jacob,

23. And on that day, being the
seventh -day, Japhia king of Hebron
sent secretly to the king of Ai, and to
the king of Gibeon, and to the king
of Shalem, aud to the king of Adu-
lam, and to the king of Lachish, and
to the king of Ghazar, and to all the
Canaanitish kings who were under
their subjection, saying,

24. Go up with me, and come to
me that we may go to the sons of
Jacob, and I will make peace with
them, and form a treaty with them,
lest all your lands be destroyed by
the swords of the sons of Jacob, as
they did to Shechem and the cities
around it, as you have heard and
seen,

25. And when you come to me,
do not come with many men, but let

every king bring his three head cap
tains, and every captain bring three
of his officers.

26. And come all of you to He
bron, and we will go together to the
sons of Jacob, and supplicate them
that they shall form a treaty of peace
with us.

27. And all those kings did as the
king of Hebron had sent to them, for
they were all under his counsel and
command, and all the kings of Ca
naan assembled to go to the sons of
Jacob, to make peace with them ;
and the sons of Jacob returned and
went to the portion of the field that
was in Shechem, for they did not put
confidence in the kings of the land.

28. And the sons of Jacob returned
and remained in the portion of the
field ten days, and no one came to
make war with them.

29. And when the sons of Jacob
saw that there was no appearance of
war, they all assembled and went to
the city of Shechem, and the sons of
Jacob remained in Shechem.

30. And at the expiration of forty
days, all the kings of the Amorites
assembled from all their places and
came to Hebron, to Japhia, king of
Hebron.

3 1 . And the number of kings that
came to Hebron, to make peace with
the sons of Jacob, was twenty-one
kings, and the number of captains
that came with them was sixty-nine,
and their men were one hundred and
eighty-nine, and all these kings and
their men rested by mount Hebron.

32. And the king of Hebron went
out with his three captains and nine
men, and these kings resolved to go
to the sons of Jacob to make peace.

33. And they said unto the king
of Hebron, go thou before us with
thy men, and speak for us unto the

124

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

sons of Jacob, and we will come af
ter thee and confirm thy words, and
the king of Hebron did so.

34. And the sons of Jacob heard
that all the kings of Canaan had ga
thered together and rested in Hebron,
and the sons of Jacob sent four of
their servants as spies, saying, go
and spy these kings, and search and
examine their men whether they are
few or many, and if they are but few
in number, number them all and
come back.

35. And the servants of Jacob
went secretly to these kings, and did
as the sons of Jacob had commanded
them, and on that day they came
back to the sons of Jacob, and said
unto them, we came unto those kings,
and they are but few in number, and
we numbered them all, and behold,
they were two hundred and eighty-
eight, kings and men.

36. And the sons of Jacob said,
they are but few in number, there
fore we will not all go out to them ;
and in the morning the sons of Jacob
rose up and chose sixty-two of their
men, and ten of the sons of Jacob
went with them ; and they girt on
their weapons of war, for they said,
they are coming to make war with
us, for they knew not that they were
coming to make peace with them.

37. And the sons of Jacob went
with their servants to the gate of She-
chem, toward those kings, and their
father Jacob was with them.

38. And when they had come forth,
behold, the king of Hebron and his
three captains and nine men with
him were coming along the road
against the sons of Jacob, and the
sons of Jacob lifted up their eyes,
and saw at a distance Japhia, king
of Hebron, with his captains, coming
toward them, and the sons of Jacob

took their stand at the place of the
gate of Shechem, and did not , pro
ceed.

39. And the king of Hebron con
tinued to advance, he and his cap
tains, until he came nigh to the sons
of Jacob, and he and his captains
bowed down to them to the ground,
and the king of Hebron sat with his
captains before Jacob and his sons.

40. And the sons of Jacob said
unto him, what has befallen thee, O
king of Hebron ? why hast thou come
to us this day? what dost thou re
quire from us ? and the king of He
bron said unto Jacob, I beseech thee
my lord, all the kings of the Canaan-
ites have this day come to make
peace with you.

41. And the sons of Jacob heard
the words of the king of Hebron,
and they would not consent to his
proposals, for the sons of Jacob had
no faith in him, for they imagined
that the king of Hebron had spoken
deceitfully to them.

42. And the king of Hebron knew
from the words of the sons of Jacob,
that they did not believe his words,
and the king of Hebron approached
nearer to Jacob, and said unto him,
I beseech thee my lord to be assured
that all these kings have come to you
on peaceable terms, for they have
not come with all their men, neither
did they bring their weapons of war
with them, for they have come to
seek peace from my lord and his
sons.

43. And the sons of Jacob answer
ed the king of Hebron, saying, send
thou to all these kings, and if thou
speakest truth unto us, let them each
come singly before us, and if they
come unto us unarmed, we shall then
know that they seek peace from us.

44. And Japhia, king of Hebron,

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

125

sent one of his men to the kings, and
chey all came before the sons of Ja
cob, and bowed down to them to the
ground, and these kings sat before
Jacob and his sons, and they spoke
unto them, saying,

45. We have heard all that you
did unto the kings of the Amorites
with your sword and exceedingly
mighty arm, so that no man could
stand up before you, and we were
afraid of you for the sake of our lives,
lest it should befall us as it did to them.

46. So we have come unto you to
form a treaty of peace between us,
and now therefore contract with us
a covenant of peace and truth, that
you will not meddle with us, inas
much as we have not meddled with
you.

47. And the sons of Jacob knew
that they had really come to seek
peace from them, and the sons of Ja
cob listened to them, and formed a
covenant with them.

48. And the sons of Jacob swore
unto them that they would not med
dle with them, and all the kings of
the Canaanites swore also to them,
and the sons of Jacob made them
tributary from that day forward.

49. And after this all the captains
of these kings came with their men
before Jacob, with presents in their
hands for Jacob and his sons, and
iheyboweddownto him to the ground.

50. And these kings then urged
the sons of Jacob and begged of them
to return all that spoil they had cap
tured from the seven cities of the
Amorites, and the sons of Jacob did
so, and they returned all that they
had captured, the women, the little
ones, the cattle and all the spoil
which they had taken, and they sent
them off, and they went away each
to his city.

51. And all these kings again
bowed down to the sons of Jacob, and
they sent or brought them many gifts
in those days, and the sons of Jacob
sent off these kings and their men,
and they went peaceably away from
them to their cities, and the sons of
Jacob also returned to their home, to
Shechem.

52. And there was peace from
that day forward between the sons
of Jacob and the kings of the
Canaanites, until the children of
Israel came to inherit the land of
Canaan.

CHAPTER XLI.

1. And at the revolution of the
year the sons of Jacob journeyed
from Shechem, and they came to
Hebron, to their father Isaac, and
they dwelt there, but their flocks and
herds they fed daily in Shechem y
for there was there in those days-
good and fat pasture, and Jacob and
his sons and all their household
dwelt in the valley of Hebron.

2. And it was in those days, in
that year, being the hundred and
sixth year of the life of Jacob, in the
tenth year of Jacob s coming from
Padan-aram, that Leah the wife of
Jacob died ; she was fifty one years
old when she died in Hebron.

3. And Jacob and his sons buried
her in the cave of the field of Mach-
pelah, which is in Hebron, which
Abraham had bought from the child
ren of Heth, for the possession of a
burial place.

4. And the sons of Jacob dwelt
with their father in the valley of He
bron, and all the inhabitants of the
land knew their strength, and their
fame went throughout the land.

5. And Joseph the son of Jacob,,

126

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

and his brother Benjamin, the sons of
Rachel the wife of Jacob, were yet
young in -those days, and did not go
out with their brethren during their
battles in all the cities of the Am-
orites.

6. And when Joseph saw the
strength of his brethren, and their
greatness, he praised them and ex
tolled them, but he ranked himself
greater than them, and extolled him
self above them ; arid Jacob, his
father, also loved him more than any
of his sons, for he was a son of his
old age, and through his love toward
him, he made him a coat of many
colors.

7. And when Joseph saw that his
father loved him more than his breth
ren, he continued to exalt himself
above his brethren, and he brought
unto his father evil reports concern
ing them.

8. And the sons of Jacob seeing
the whole of Joseph s conduct toward
them, and that their father loved him
more than any of them, they hated
him and could not speak peaceably
to him all the days.

9. And Joseph was seventeen
years old, and he was still magnify
ing himself above his brethren, and
thought of raising himself above them.

10. At that time he dreamed a
dream, and he came unto his brothers
and told them his dream, and he said
unto them, I dreamed a dream, and
behold we were all binding sheaves
in the field, and my sheaf rose and
placed itself upon the ground and
your sheaves surrounded it and bowed
down to it.

11. And his brethren answered
him and said unto him, what mean-
eth this dream that thou didst dream ?
dost thou imagine in thy heart to
reign or rule over us ?

12. And he still came, and told
the thing to his father Jacob, and
Jacob kissed Joseph when he heard
these words from his mouth, and
Jacob blessed Joseph.

13. And when the sons of Jacob
saw that their father had blessed
Joseph and had kissed him, and that
he loved him exceedingly, they be
came jealous of him and hated him
the more.

14. And after this Joseph dreamed
another dream and related the dream
to his father in the presence of his
brethren, and Joseph said unto his
father and brethren, behold I have
again dreamed a dream, and behold
the sun and the moon and the eleven
stars bowed down to me.

15. And his father heard the
words of Joseph and his dream, and
seeing that his brethren hated Joseph
on account of this matter, Jacob
therefore rebuked Joseph before his
brethren on account of this thing,
saying, what meaneth this dream
which thou hast dreamed, and this
magnifying thyself before thy breth
ren who are older than thou art ?

16. Dost thou imagine in thy
heart that I and thy mother and thy
eleven brethren will come and bow
down to thee, that thou speakest
these things?

17. And his brethren were jealous
of him on account of his words and
dreams, and they continued to hate
him, and Jacob reserved the dreams
in his heart.

18. And the sons of Jacob went
one day to feed their fathers flock in
Shechem, for they were still* herds
men in those days ; and whilst the
sons of Jacob were that day feeding

* He repeats this to contrast their pastoral
employment now, with the battles which they
had just been engaged in.

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

127

in Shechem they delayed, and the
time of gathering in the cattle was
passed, and they had not arrived.

19. And Jacob saw that his sons
were delayed in Shechem, and Ja
cob said within himself, perad ven
ture the people of Shechem have
risen up to fight against them, there
fore they have delayed coming this
day.

20. And Jacob called Joseph his
son, and commanded him, saying, be
hold thy brethren are feeding in She
chem this day, and behold they have
not yet come back ; go now there
fore and see where they are, and bring
me word back concerning the wel
fare of thy brethren and the welfare
of the flock,

21. And Jacob sent his son Joseph
to the valley of Hebron, and Joseph
came for his brothers to Shechem,
and could not find them, and Joseph
went about the field which was near
Shechem, to see where his brothers
had turned, and he missed his road
in the wilderness, and knew not
which way he should go.

22. And an angel of the Lord
found him wandering in the road to
ward the field, and Joseph said unto
the angel of the Lord, I seek my
brethren ; hast thou not heard where
they are feeding ? and the angel of
the Lord said unto Joseph, I saw thy
brethren feeding here, and I heard
them say they would go to feed in
Dothan.

23. And Joseph hearkened to the
voice of the angel of the Lord, and
he went to his brethren in Dothan
and he found them in Dothan feeding
the flock.

24. And Joseph advanced to his
brethren, and before he had come
nigh unto them, they had resolved to
slay him.

25. And Simeon said to his breth
ren, behold the man of dreams is
coming unto us this day, and now
therefore come and let us kill him
and cast him in one of the pits that
are in the wilderness, and when his
father shall seek him from us, we will
say an evil beast has devoured him.

26. And Reuben heard the words
of his brethren concerning Joseph,
and he said unto them, you should
not do this thing, for how can we look
up to our father Jacob ? Cast him
into this pit to die there, but stretch
not forth a hand upon him to spill
his blood ; and Reuben said this, in
order to deliver him from their hand,
to bring him back to his father.

27. And when Joseph came to his
brethren he sat before them, and they
rose upon him and seized him and
smote him to the earth, and stripped
the coat of many colors which he had
on.

28. And they took him and cast
him into a pit, and in the pit there
was no water, but serpents and scor
pions. And Joseph was afraid of
the serpents and scorpions that were
in the pit. And Joseph cried out with a
loud voice, and the Lord hid the ser
pents and scorpions in the sides of
the pit, and they did no harm unto
Joseph.

29. And Joseph called out from
the pit to his brethren and said unto
them, what have I done unto you,
and in what have I sinned ? why do
you not fear the Lord concerning
me ? am I not of your bones and
flesh, and is not Jacob your father,
my father ? why do you do this thing
unto me this day, and how will you
be able to look up to our father Jacob ?

30. And he continued to cry out
and call unto his brethren from the
pit, and he said, O Judah, Simeon

128

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

and Levi my brethren, lift me up
from the place of darkness in which
you have placed me, and come this
day to have compassion on me, ye
children of the Lord, and sons of Ja
cob my father. And if I have sin
ned unto you, are you not the sons
of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob ? if
they saw an orphan they had com
passion over him, or one that was
hungry they gave him bread to eat,
or one that was thirsty they gave him
water to drink, or one that was naked
they covered him with garments !

3 1 . And how then will you with
hold your pity from your brother, for
I am of your flesh and bones, and if
I have sinned unto you, surely you
will do this on account of my father !

32. And Joseph spoke these words
from the pit, and his brethren would
not listen to him, nor incline ears to
the words of Joseph, and Joseph
was crying and weeping in the pit.

33. And Joseph said, that my
father knew, this day, the act which
my brothers have done unto me, and
the words which they have this day
spoken unto me.

34. And all his brethren heard his
cries and weeping in the pit, and his
brethren went and removed them
selves from the pit, so that they might
not hear the cries of Joseph and his
weeping in the pit.

CHAPTER XLIT.

1 , And they went and sat on the
opposite side, about the distance of
a bow-shot, and they sat there to eat
bread, and whilst they were eating,
they held counsel together what
was to be done with him, whether
to slay him or to bring him back to
his father.

2. They were holding the coun

sel, when they lifted up their eyes,
and saw, and behold there was a
company of Ishmaelites coming at a
distance by the road of Gilead, going
down to Egypt.

3. And Judah said unto them,
what gain will it be to us if we slay
our brother ? peradventure God will
require him from us ; this then is the
counsel proposed concerning him,
which you shall do unto him ; be
hold this company of Ishmaelites go
ing down to Egypt.

4. Now therefore, come let us dis
pose of him to them, and let not our
hand be upon him, and they will lead
him along with them, and he will be
lost amongst the people of the land,
and we will not put him to death
with our own hands. And the pro
posal pleased his brethren and they
did according to the word of Judah.

5. And whilst they were discours
ing about this matter, and before the
company of Ishmaelites had come
up to them, seven trading men of
Midian passed by them, and as they
passed they were thirsty, and they
lifted up their eyes and saw the pit
in which Joseph was immured, and
they looked, and behold every
species of bird was upon him.

6. And these Midianites ran to the
pit to drink water, for they thought
that it contained water, and on com
ing before the pit they heard the
voice of Joseph crying and weeping
in the pit, and they looked down in
to the pit, and they saw and behold
there was a youth of comely appear
ance and well favored.

7. And they called unto him and
said, who art thou and who brought
thee hither, and who placed thee in
this pit, in the wilderness? and they
all assisted to raise up Joseph and
they drew him out, and brought him

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

129

up from the pit, and took him and
went away on their journey and
passed by his brethren.

8. Arid these said unto them, why
do you do this, to take our servant
from us and to go away ? surely we
placed this youth in the pit because
he rebelled against us, and you come
and bring him up and lead him away ;
now then give us back our servant.

9. And the Midianites answered
and said unto the sons of Jacob, is
this your servant, or does this man
attend you ? perad venture you are all
his servants, for he is more comely
and well favored than any of you,
and why do you all speak falsely un
to us?

10. Now therefore we will not lis
ten to your words, nor attend to you,
for we found the youth in the pit in
the wilderness, and we took him ;
we will therefore go on.

1 1 . And all the sons of Jacob ap
proached them and rose up to them
and said unto them, give us back
our servant, and why will you all
die by the edge of the sword ? And
the Midianites cried out against
them, and they drew their swords,
and approached to fight with the sons
of Jacob.

12. And behold Simeon rose up
from his seat against them, and
sprang upon the ground and drew
his sword and approached the Midi
anites and he gave a terrible shout
before them, so that his shouting
was heard at a distance, and the
earth shook at Simeon s shouting.

13. And the Midianites were ter
rified on account of Simeon and the
noise of his shouting, and they fell
upon their faces, and were excessive
ly alarmed.

14. And Simeon said unto them;
verily I am Simeon the son of Ja

cob the Hebrew, who have, only
with my brother, destroyed the city
of Shechem and the cities of the
Amorites ; so shall God moreover
do unto me, that if all your brethren
the people of Midian, and also the
kings of Canaan, were to come with
you, they could not fight against
me.

15. Now therefore give us back
the youth whom you have taken, lest
I give your flesh to the birds of the
skies and the beasts of the earth.

16. And the Midianites were more
afraid of Simeon, and they approach
ed the sons of Jacob with terror and
fright, and with pathetic words, say
ing*

17. Surely you have said that the
young man is your servant, and that
he rebelled against you, and there
fore you placed him in the pit ; what
then will you do with a servant who
rebels against his master? Now
therefore sell him unto us, and we
will give you all that you require for
him ; and* the Lord was pleased to
do this in order that the sons of Ja
cob should not slay their brother.

18. And the Midianites saw that
Joseph was of a comely appearance
and well-favored ; they desired him
in their hearts and were urgent to
purchase him from his brethren.

19. And the sons of Jacob hear
kened to the Midianites and they
sold their brother Joseph to them for
twenty pieces of silver, and Reuben
their brother was not with them, and
the Midianites took Joseph and con
tinued their journey to Gilead.

20. They were going along the
road, and the Midianites repented
of what they had done, in having
purchased the young man, and one
said to the other, what is this thing
that we have done, in taking this

130

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

youth from the Hebrews, who is of
comely appearance and well favor
ed.

21. Perhaps this youth is stolen
from the land of the Hebrews, and
why then have we done this thing ?
and if he should be sought for and
found in our hands we shall die
through him.

22. Now surely hardy and power
ful men have sold him to us, the
strength of one of whom you saw
this day; perhaps they stole him
from his land with their might and
with their powerful arm, and have
therefore sold him to us for the small
value which we gave unto them.

23. And whilst they were thus dis
coursing together, they looked, and
behold the company of Ishmaelites
which was coming at first, and which
the sons of Jacob saw, was advanc
ing toward the Midianites, and the
Midianites said to each other, come
let us sell this youth to the company
of Ishmaelites who are coming to
ward us, and we will take for him
the little that we gave for him, and
we will be delivered from his evil.

24. And they did so, and they
reached the Ishmaelites, and the Mi
dianites sold Joseph to the Ishmael
ites for twenty pieces of silver which
they had given for him to his bre
thren.

25. And the Midianites went on
their road to Gilead, and the Ish
maelites took Joseph and they let
him ride upon one of the camels, and
they were leading him to Egypt.

26. And Joseph heard that the
Ishmaelites were proceeding to
Egypt, and Joseph lamented and
wept at this thing that he was to be
so far removed from the land of Ca
naan, from his father, and he wept
bitterly whilst he was riding upon

the camel, and one of their men ob
served him, and made him go down
from the camel and walk on foot, and
notwithstanding this- Joseph continu
ed to cry and weep, and he said, O
my father, my father.

27. And one of the Ishmaelites
rose up and smote Joseph upon the
cheek, and still he continued to weep ;
and Joseph was fatigued in the road,
and was unable to proceed on account
of the bitterness of his soul, and they
all smote him and afflicted him in the
road, and they terrified him in o^rder
that he might cease from weeping,

28. And the Lord saw the affliction
of Joseph and his trouble, and the
Lord brought down upon those men
darkness and confusion, and the hand
of every one that smote him became
withered.

29. And they said to each other,
what is this thing that God has done
to us in the road ? and they knew
not that this befel them on account
of Joseph. And the men proceeded
on the road, and they passed along
the road of Ephrath where Rachel
was buried.

30. And Joseph reached his mo
ther s grave, and Joseph hastened
and ran to his mother s grave, and
fell upon the grave and wept.

31. And Joseph cried aloud upon
bis mother s grave, and he said, O
my mother, my mother, O thou who
didst give me birth, awake now, and
rise and see thy son, how he has been
sold for a slave, and no one to pity
"lim.

32. rise and see thy son, weep
with me on account of my troubles,
and see the heart of my brethren.

33. Arouse my mother, arouse,
awake from thy sleep for me, and
direct thy battles against my bre
thren. O how have they stripped

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131

me of my coat, and sold me already
twice for a slave, and separated me
from my father, and there is no one
to pity me.

34. Arouse and lay thy* cause
against them before God, and see
whom God will justify in the judg
ment, and whom he will condemn.

35. Rise my mother, rise, awake
from thy sleep and see my father how
his soul is with me this day, and
comfort him and ease his heart.

36. And Joseph continued to speak
these words, and Joseph cried aloud
and wept bitterly upon his mother s
grave ; and he ceased speaking, and
from bitterness of heart he became
still as a stone upon the grave.

37. And Joseph heard a voice
speaking to him from beneath the
ground, which answered him with
bitterness of heart, and with a voice of
weeping and praying in these words ;

38. My son, my son Joseph, I have
heard the voice of thy weeping and
the voice of thy lamentation ; I have
seen thy tears ; I know thy troubles,
my son, and it grieves me for thy
sake, and abundant grief is added to
my grief.

39. Now therefore my son, Joseph
my son, hope to the Lord, and wait
for him and do not fear, for the Lord
is with thee, he will deliver thee from
all trouble.

40. Rise my son, go down unto
Egypt with thy masters, and do not
fear, for the Lord is with thee, my
son. And she continued to speak
like unto these words unto Joseph,
and she was still.

* Hebrew, *]vnjpo thy pleadings ; this word
is not found to have this meaning in scripture,
but it is used in the Chaldee, though I have no
doubt it is a Hebrew root fpto to goad, as in
Genesis, ch. 45, v. 17. To plead or argue,
therefore, bears an affinity to the Hebrew fpts
to goad.

41. And Joseph heard this, and
he wondered greatly at this, and he
continued to weep; and after this
one of the Ishmaelites observed him
crying and weeping upon the grave,
and his anger was kindled against
him, and he drove him from there,
and he smote him and cursed him.

42. And Joseph said unto the men,
may I find grace in your sight to take
me back to my father s house, and
he will give you abundance of riches.

43. And they answered him, say
ing, art thou not a slave, and where
is thy father ? and if thou hadst a fa
ther thou wouldst not already twice
have been sold for a slave for so little
value ; and their anger was still roused
against him, and they continued to
smite him and to chastise him, and
Joseph wept bitterly.

44. And the Lord saw Joseph s
affliction, and the Lord again smote
these men, and chastised them, and
the Lord caused darkness to envelope
them upon the earth,, and the light
ning flashed and the thunder roared,
and the earth shook at the voice of
the thunder and of the mighty wind,
and the men were terrified and knew
not where they should go.

45. And the beasts and camels
stood still, and they led them, but
they would not go, they smote them,
and they crouched upon the ground ;
and the men said to each other, what
is this that God has done to us ? what
are our transgressions, and what are
our sins that this thing has thus be
fallen us ?

46. And one of them answered
and said unto them, perhaps on ac
count of the sin of afflicting this slave
has this thing happened this day to

; now therefore implore him
strongly to forgive us, and then we
shall know on whose account this

132

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

evil befalleth us ; and if God shal
have compassion over us, then we
shall know that all this cometh to us
on account of the sin of afflicting this
slave.

47. And the men did so, and they
supplicated Joseph and pressed him
to forgive them ; and they said, we
have sinned to the Lord and to thee,
now therefore vouchsafe to request
of thy God that he shall put away
this death from amongst us, for we
have sinned to him.

48. And Joseph did according to
their words, and the Lord hearkened
to Joseph, and the Lord put away
the plague which he had inflicted
upon those men on account of Jo
seph, and the beasts rose up from
the ground and they conducted them,
and they went on, and the raging
storm abated and the earth became
tranquilized, and the men proceeded
on their journey to go down to Egypt,
and the men knew that this evil had
befallen them on account of Joseph.

49. And they said to each other,
behold we know that it was on ac
count of his affliction that this evil
befel us ; now therefore why shall
we bring this death upon our souls ?
Let us hold counsel what to do to
this slave.

50. And one answered and said,
surely he told us to bring him back
to his father ; now therefore come, let
us take him back and we will go to
the place that he will tell us, and take
from his family the price that we gave
for him and we will then go away.

51. And one answered again and
said, behold this counsel is very good,
but we cannot do so for the way is
very far from us, and we cannot go
out of our road.

52. And one more answered and
said unto them, this is the counsel to

be adopted, we will not swerve from
it ; behold we are this day going to
Egypt, and when we shall have come
to Egypt, we will sell him there at a
high price, and we will be delivered
from his evil.

53. And this thing pleased the
men and they did so, and they con
tinued their journey to Egypt with
Joseph.

CHAPTER XLIII.

1 . And when the sons of Jacob
had sold their brother Joseph to the
Midianites, their hearts were smitten
on account of him, and they repented
of their acts, and they sought for
him to bring him back, but could not
find him.

2. And Reuben returned to the
pit in which Joseph had been put, in
order to lift him out, and restore him
to his father, and Reuben stood by
the pit, and he heard not a word, and
he called out Joseph ! Joseph ! and
no one answered nor uttered a
word,

3. And Reuben said, Joseph has
died through fright, or some serpenf
has caused his death ; and Reuben
descended into the pit, and he search
ed for Joseph and could not find him
in the pit, and he came out again.

4. And Reuben tore his garments
and he said, the child is not there,
and how shall I reconcile my father
about him if he be dead ? and he
went to his brethren and found them
grieving on account of Joseph, and
counselling together how to reconcile
;heir father about him, and Reuben
said unto his brethren, I came to the
3it and behold Joseph was not there,
what then shall we say unto our fa
ther, for my father will only seek the
ad from me.

THE BOOK OF JASHER-

133

5. And his brethren answered him
saying, thus and thus we did, and
our hearts afterward smote us on ac
count of this act, and we now sit to
seek a pretext how we shall recon
cile our father to it.

6. And Reuben said unto them,
what is this you have done to bring
down the grey hairs of our father in
sorrow to the grave ? the thing is not
good, that you have done.

7. And Reuben sat with them, and
they all rose up and swore to each
other not to tell this thing unto Jacob,
and they all said, the man who will
tell this to our father or his household,
or who will report this to any of the
children of the land, we will all rise
up against him and slay him with the
sword.

8. And the sons of Jacob feared
each other in this matter, from the
youngest to the oldest, and no one
spoke a word, and they concealed the
thing in their hearts.

9. And they afterward sat down
to determine and invent something to
say unto their father Jacob concern
ing all these things.

10. And Issachar said unto them,
here is an advice for you if it seem
good in your eyes to do this thing,
take the coat which belongeth to Jo
seph and tear it, and kill a kid of the
goats and dip it in its blood.

1 1 . And send it to our father and
when he seeth it lie will say an evil
beast has devoured him, therefore
tear ye his coat and behold his blood
will be upon his coat, and by your
doing this we shall be free of our
father s murmurings.

1 2. And Issachar s advice pleased
them, and they hearkened unto him
and they did according to the word
of Issachar which he had counselled
them.

13. And they hastened and took
Joseph s coat and tore it, and they
killed a kid of the goats and dipped
the coat in the blood of the kid, and
then trampled it in the dust, and they
sent the coat to their father Jacob by
the hand of Naphtali, and they com
manded him to say these words.

14. We had gathered in the cattle
and had come as far as the road to
Shechem and farther, when we found
this coat upon the road in the wil
derness dipped in blood and in dust ;
now therefore know whether it be
thy son s coat or not.

15. And Naphtali went and he
came unto his father and he gave him
the coat, and he spoke unto him all
the words which his brethren had
commanded him.

16. And Jacob saw Joseph s coat
and he knew it and he fell upon his
face to the ground, and became as
still as a stone, and he afterward rose
up and cried out with a loud and
weeping voice and he said, it is the
coat of my son Joseph !

17. And Jacob hastened and sent
one of his servants to his sons, who
went to them and found them coming
along the road with the flock.

18. And the sons of Jacob came
to their father about evening, and
behold their garments were torn and
dust was upon their heads, and they
found their father crying out and
weeping with a loud voice.

19. And Jacob said unto his sons,
tell me truly what evil have you this
day suddenly brought upon me ? and
they answered their father Jacob,
saying, we were coming along this
day after the flock had been gather
ed in, and we came as far as the city
of Shechem by the road in the wil
derness, and we found this coat filled
with blood upon the ground, and we

134

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

knew it and we sent unto thee if
thou couldst know it.

20. And Jacob heard the words of
his sons and he cried out with a loud
voice, and he said it is the coat of
my son, an evil beast has devoured
him ; Joseph is rent in pieces, for I
sent him this day to see whether it
was well with you and well with the
flocks and to bring me word again from
you, and he went as I commanded
him, and this has happened to him
this day whilst I thought my son was
with you.

21. And the sons of Jacob answer
ed and said, he did not come to us,
neither have we seen him from the
time of our going out from thee until
now.

22. And when Jacob heard their
words he again cried out aloud and he
rose up and tore his garments, and
he put sackcloth upon his loins, and
he wept bitterly and he mourned
and lifted up his voice in weeping
and exclaimed and said these words,

23. Joseph my son, O my son Jo
seph, I sent thee this day after the
welfare of thy brethren, and behold
thou hast been torn in pieces ;
through my hand has this happened
to my son.

24. It gieves me for thee Joseph
my son, it grieves me for thee ; how
sweet wast thou to me during life,
and now how exceedingly bitter is
thy death to me.

25. O that I had died in thy stead
Joseph my son, for it grieves me
sadly for thee my son. O my son, my
son, Joseph my son, where art thou,
and where hast thou been drawn?
arouse, arouse from thy place, and
come and see my grief for thee,
my son Joseph.

26. Come now and number the
tears gushing from my eyes down

my cheeks, and bring them up before
the Lord, that his anger may turn
from me.

27. O Joseph my son how didst
thou fall, by the hand of one by
whom no one had fallen from the
beginning of the world unto this day ;
for thou hast been put to death by
the smiting of an enemy, inflicted
with cruelty, but surely I know that
this has happened to thee, on account
of the multitude of my sins.

28. Arouse now and see how bit
ter is my trouble for thee my son,
although I did not rear thee, nor
fashion thee, nor give thee breath
and soul, but it was God who form
ed thee and built thy bones and co
vered them with flesh, and breathed
in thy nostrils the breath of life, and
then he gave thee unto me.

29. Now truly God who gave
thee unto me, he has taken thee from
me, and such then has befallen thee
this day, and all the works of God
are good.

30. And Jacob continued to speak
like unto these words concerning
Joseph, and he wept bitterly; he
fell to the ground and became still.

31. And all the sons of Jacob see
ing their father s trouble, they repent
ed of what they had done, and they
also wept bitterly.

32. And Judah rose up and lifted
his father s head from the ground,
and placed it upon his lap, and he
wiped his father s tears from his
cheeks, and Judah wept an exceed
ing great weeping, whilst his father s
head was reclining upon his lap,
still as a stone.

33. And the sons of Jacob saw
their father s trouble, and they lifted
up their voices and continued to
weep, and Jacob was yet lying upon
the ground still as a stone.

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

135

34. And all his sons and his ser
vants and his servants children rose
up and stood round him to comfort
him, and he refused to be comforted.

35. And the whole household of
Jacob rose up and mourned a great
mourning on account of Joseph and
their father s trouble, and the intel
ligence reached Isaac, the son of
Abraham, the father of Jacob, and
he wept bitterly on account of Jo
seph, he and all his household, and
he went from the place where he
dwelt in Hebron, and his men with
him, and he comforted Jacob his
son, and he refused to be comforted.

36. And after this, Jacob rose up
from the ground, and his tears were
running down his cheeks, and he
said unto his sons, rise up and take
your swords and your bows, and go
forth into the field, and seek whether
you can find my son s body and bring
it unto me that I may bury it.

37. Seek a/so, I pray you, among
the beasts and hunt them, and that
which shall come the first before

ou seize and bring it unto me, per-
iaps the Lord will this day pity my
affliction, and prepare before you
that which did tear my son in pieces,
and bring it unto me, and I will
avenge the cause of my son.

38. And his sons did as their fath
er had commanded them, and they
rose up early in the morning, and
each took his sword and his bow in
his hand, and they went forth into
the field to hunt the beasts.

39. And Jacob was still crying
aloud and weeping and walking to
and fro in the house, and smiting his
hands together, saying, Joseph my
son, Joseph my son.

40. And the sons of Jacob went
into the wilderness to seize the
beasts, and behold a wolf came to

ward them, and they seized him, and
brought him unto their father, and
they said unto him, this is the first
we~have found, and we have brought
him unto thee as thou didst com
mand us, and thy son s body we could
not find.

41. And Jacob took the beast from
the hands of his sons, and he cried
out with a loud and weeping voice,
holding the beast in his hand, and
he spoke with a bitter heart unto the
beast, why didst thou devour my
son Joseph, and how didst thou have
no fear of the God of the earth, or of
my trouble for my son Joseph ?

42. And thou didst devour my
son for naught, because he commit
ted no violence, and didst thereby
render me* culpable on his account,
therefore God will require him that
is persecuted.

43. And the Lord opened the
mouth of the beast in order to com
fort Jacob with its words, and it an
swered Jacob and spoke these words
unto him.

44. As God liveth who created us
in the earth, and as thy soul liveth,
my lord, I did not see thy son, neith
er did I tear him to pieces, but from
a distant land I also came to seek
my son who went from me this day,
and I know not whether he be living
or dead.

45. And I came this day into the
field to seek my son, and your sons
found me, and seized me and in
creased my grief, and have this day
brought me before thee, and I have
now spoken all my words to thee.

46. And now therefore, son of
man, I am in thy hands, and do unto
me this day as it may seem good in

* In Jacob s lamentation, he blames himself
for having sent him, and having been the cause
of his death.

136

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

thy sight, but by the life of God who
created me, I did not see thy son,
nor did I tear him to pieces, neither
has the flesh of man entered my
mouth all the days of my life.

47. And when Jacob heard the
words of the beast he was greatly
astonished, and sent forth the beast
from his hand, and she went her
way.

48. And Jacob was still crying
aloud and weeping for Joseph day
after day, and he mourned for his
son many days.

CHAPTER XLIV.

1 . And the sons of Ishmael who
had bought Joseph from the Midian-
ites, who had bought him from his
brethren, went to Egypt with Joseph,
and they came upon the borders of
Egypt, and when they came near
unto Egypt, they met four men of
the sons of Medan the son of Abra
ham, who had gone forth from the
land of Egypt on their journey.

2. And the Ishmaelites said unto
them, do you desire to purchase this
slave from us? and they said, deliver
him over to us, and they delivered
Joseph over to them, and they be
held him, that he was a very comely
youth and they purchased him for
twenty shekels.

3. And the Ishmaelites continued
their journey to Egypt, and the
Medanim also returned that day to
Egypt, and the Medanim said to each
other, behold we have heard that
Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh,
captain of the guard, seeketh a good
servant who shall stand before him
to attend him, and to make him over
seer over his house and all belonging
to him.

4. Now therefore come let us sell

him to him for what we may desire, if
he be able to give unto us that which
we shall require for him.

5. And these Medanim went and
came to the house of Potiphar, and
said unto him, we have heard that
thou seekest a good servant to attend
thee, behold we have a servant that
will please thee, if thou canst give
unto us that which we may desire,
and we will sell him unto thee.

6. And Potiphar said, bring him
before me, and I will see him, and
if he please me I will give unto you
that which you may require for him.

7. And the Medanim went and
brought Joseph and placed him be
fore Potiphar, and he saw him, and
he pleased him exceedingly, and
Potiphar said unto them, tell me
what you require for this youth ?

8. And they said, four hundred
pieces of silver we desire for him, and
Potiphar said, I will give it you if
you bring me the record of his sale
to you, and will tell me his history,
for perhaps he may be stolen, for this
youth is neither a slave, nor the son
of a slave, but I observe in him the
appearance of a goodly and hand
some person.

9. And the Medanim went and
brought unto him the Ishmaelites who
had sold him to them, and they told
him, saying, he is a slave and we
sold him to them.

10. And Potiphar heard the words
of the Ishmaelites in his giving the
silver unto the Medanim, and the
Medanim took the silver and went
on their journey, and the Ishmaelites
also returned home.

1 1 . And Potiphar took Joseph and
brought him to his house that he
might serve him, and Joseph found
favor in the sight of Potiphar, and he
placed confidence in him, and made

tfHE BOOK OF JASHER.

137

him overseer over his house, and all
that belonged to him he delivered
over into his hand.

1 2. And the Lord was with Joseph
and he became a prosperous man,
and the Lord blessed the house of
Potiphar for the sake of Joseph.

13. And Potiphar left all that he
had in the hand of Joseph, and
Joseph was one that caused things
to come in and go out, and every
thing was regulated by his wish in
the house of Potiphar.

14. And Joseph was eighteen
years old, a youth with beautiful
eyes and of comely appearance, and
like unto him was not in the whole
land of Egypt.

15. At that time whilst he was in
his master s house, going in and out
of the house and attending his
master, Zelicah his master s wife
lifted up her eyes toward Joseph and
she looked at him, and behold he
was a youth comely and well favored.

16. And she coveted his beauty
in her heart, and her soul was fixed
upon Joseph, and she enticed him
day after day, and Zelicah persuaded
Joseph daily, but Joseph did not lift
up his eyes to behold his master s
wife.

17. And Zelicah said unto him,
how goodly are thy appearance and
form, truly I have looked at all the
slaves, and have not seen so beauti
ful a slave as thou art; and Joseph
said unto her, surely he who created
me in my mother s womb created all
mankind.

18. And she said unto him, how
beautiful are thine eyes, with which
thou hast dazzled* all the inhabitants

* The Hebrew word am is generally render
ed, to make sure or firm, to strengthen ; but in
Canticles, ch. 6, v. 5, it is translated, to over-
come, and according to some commentators, to
comfort.

of Egypt, men and women ; and he
said unto her, how beautiful they are
whilst we are alive, but shouldst
thou behold them in the grave, surely
thou would st move away from them.

19. And she said unto him, how
beautiful and pleasing are all thy
words ; take now I pray thee, the
harp which is in the house, and play
with thy hands and let us hear thy
words.

20. And he said unto her, how
beautiful and pleasing are my words
when I speak the praise of my God
and his glory ; and she said unto him
how very beautiful is the hair of thy
head, behold the golden comb which
is in the house, take it I pray thee
and curl the hair of thy head.

21. And he said unto her, how
long wilt thou speak these words ?
cease to utter these words to me,
and rise and attend to thy domestic
affairs.

22. And she said unto him, there
is no one in my house, and there
is nothing to attend to but to thy
words and to thy wish ; yet not
withstanding all this she could not
bring Joseph unto her, neither did he
place his eye upon her, but directed
his eyes below to the ground.

23. And Zelicah desired Joseph
in her heart, that he should lie with
her, and at the time that Joseph
was sitting in the house doing his
work, Zelicah came and sat before
lim, and she enticed him daily with
her discourse to lie with her, or even
to look at her, but Joseph would not
hearken to her.

24. And she said unto him, if thou
wilt not do according to my words,
[ will chastise thee with the punish
ment of death, and put an iron yoke
ipon thee.

25. And Joseph said unto her,

138

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

surely God who created man looseth
the fetters of prisoners, and it is he
who will deliver me from thy prison
and from thy judgment.

26. And when she could not pre
vail over him, to persuade him, and
her soul being still fixed upon him,
her desire threw her into a grievous
sickness.

27. And all the women of Egypt
came to visit her, and they said unto
her, why art thou in this declining
state ? thou that lackest nothing ;
surely thy husband is a great and
esteemed prince in the sight of the
king, shouldst thou lack any thing of
what thy heart desireth ?

28. And Zelicah answered them,
saying, this day it shall be made
known to you, whence this disorder
springs in which you see me, and
she commanded her maid servants to
prepare food for all the women, and
she made a banquet for them, and
all the women ate in the house of
Zelicah.

29. And she gave them knives to
peel the citrons to eat them, and she
commanded that they should dress
Joseph in costly garments, and that
he should appear before them, and
Joseph came before their eyes and
all the women looked on Joseph, and
could not take their eyes from off
him, and they all cut their hands
with the knives that they had in
their hands, and all the citrons that
were in their hands were filled with
blood.

30. And they knew not what they
had done but they continued to look
at the beauty of Joseph, and did not
turn their eyelids from him.

31. And Zelicah saw what they
had done, and she said unto them,
what is this work that you have
done? behold I gave you citrons

to eat and you have all cut your
hands.

32. And all the women saw their
hands, and behold they were full of
blood, and their blood flowed down
upon their garments, and they said
unto her, this slave in your house has
overcome us, and we could not turn
our eyelids from him on account of
his beauty.

33. And she said unto them,
surely this happened to you in the
moment that you looked at him, and
you could not contain yourselves
from him ; how then can I refrain
when he is constantly in my house,
and I see him day after day going in
and out of my house ? how then can
I keep from declining or even from
perishing on account of this ?

34. And they said unto her, the
words are true, for who can see this
beautiful form in the house and re
frain from him, and is he not thy slave
and attendant in thy house, and why
dost thou not tell him that which is
in thy heart, and sufferest thy soul
to perish through this matter ?

35. And she said unto them, I am
daily endeavoring to persuade him,
and he will not consent to my wishes,
and I promised him every thing that
is good, and yet I could meet* with
no return from him ; I am therefore
in a declining state as you see.

36. And Zelicah became very ill
on account of her desire toward Jo
seph, and she was desperately love
sick on account of him, and all the
people of the house of Zelicah and
her husband knew nothing of this
matter, that Zelicah was ill on ac
count of her love to Joseph.

37. And all the people of her house
asked her, saying, why art thou ill
and declining, and lackest nothing ?

* Hebrew, I could not find anything in him. .

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

139

and she said unto them, I know not
this thing which is daily increasing
upon me.

38. And all the women and her
friends came daily to see her, and
they spoke with her, and she said
unto them, this can only be through
the love of Joseph ; and they said
unto her, entice him and seize him
secretly, perhaps he may hearken to
thee, and put off this death from
thee.

39. And Zelicah became worse
from her love to Joseph, and she con
tinued to decline, till she had scarce
strength to stand.

40. And on a certain day Joseph
was doing his masters work in the
house, and Zelicah came secretly
and fell suddenly upon him, and Jo
seph rose up against her, and he was
more powerful than she, and he
brought her down to the ground.

41. And Zelicah wept on account
of the desire of her heart toward him,
and she supplicated him with weep
ing, and her tears flowed down her
cheeks, and she spoke unto him in a
voice of supplication and in bitterness
of soul, saying,

42. Hast thou ever heard, seen or
known of so beautiful a woman as I
am, or better than myself, who speak
daily unto thee, fall into a decline
through love for thee, confer all this
honor upon thee, and still thou wilt
not hearken to my voice ?

43. And if it be through fear of
thy master lest he punish thee,
as the king liveth no harm shall come
to thee from thy master through this
thing ; now therefore pray listen to
me, and consent for the sake of the
honor which I have conferred upon
thee, and put off this death from me,
and why should I die for thy sake ?
and she ceased to speak.

44. And Joseph answered her,
saying, refrain from me, and leave
this matter to my master; behold
my master knoweth not what there
is with me in the house, for all that
belongeth to him he has delivered
into my hand, and how shall I do
these things in my master s house ?

45. For he hath also greatly ho
nored me in his house, and he hath
also made me overseer over his house,
and he hath exalted me, and there is
no one greater in this house than I
am, and my master hath refrained
nothing from me, excepting thee who
art his wife, how then canst thou
speak these words unto me, and how
can I do this great evil and sin to
God and to thy husband ?

46. Now therefore refrain from
me, and speak no more such words
as these, for I will not hearken to thy
words. But Zelicah would not hear
ken to Joseph when he spoke these
words unto her, but she daily enticed
him to listen to her.

47. And it was after this that the
brook of Egypt was filled above all
its sides, and all the inhabitants of
Egypt went forth, and also the king
and princes went forth with timbrels
and dances, for it was a great rejoic
ing in Egypt, and a holiday at the
time of the inundation of the sea Sihor,
and they went there to rejoice all the
day. -

48. And when the Egyptians went
out to the river to rejoice, as was
their custom, all the people of the
house of Potiphar went with them,
but Zelicah would not go with them,
for she said, I am indisposed, and
she remained alone in the house, and
no other person was with her in the
bouse.

49. And she rose up and ascended
to her temple in the house, and d

140

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

ed herself in princely garments, and
she placed upon her head precious
stones of onyx stones, inlaid with sil
ver and gold, and she beautified her
face and skin with all sorts of wo
men s purifying liquids, and she per
fumed the temple and the house with
cassia and frankincense, and she
spread myrrh and aloes, and she af
terward sat in the entrance of the
temple, in the passage of the house,
through which Joseph passed to do
his work, and behold Joseph came
from the field, and entered the house
to do his master s work.

50. And he came to the place
through which he had to pass, and
he saw all the work of Zelicah, and
he turned back.

51. And Zelicah saw Joseph turn
ing back from her, and she called out
to him, saying, what aileth thee Jo
seph ? come to thy work, and behold
I will make room for thee until thou
shalt have passed to thy seat.

52. And Joseph returned and came
to the house, and passed from thence
to the place of his seat, and he sat
down to do his master s w r ork as
usual, and behold Zelicah came to
him and stood before him in princely
garments, and the scent from her
clothes was spread to a distance.

53. And she hastened and caught
hold of Joseph and his garments, and
she said unto him, as tjje king liveth
if thou wilt not perform my request
thou shalt die this day, and she has
tened and stretched forth her other
hand and drew a sword from beneath
her garments, and she placed it upon
Joseph s neck, and she said, rise and
perform my request, and if not thou
diest this day.

54. And Joseph was afraid of her
at her doing this thing, and he rose
up to flee from her, and she seized

the front of his garments, and in the
terror of his flight the garment which
Zelicah seized was torn, and Joseph
left the garment in the hand of Zeli
cah, and he fled and got out, for he
was in fear.

55. And when Zelicah saw that
Joseph s garment was torn, and thai
he had left it in her hand, and had fled,
she was afraid of her life, lest the
report should spread concerning her,
and she rose up and acted with cun
ning, and put off the garments in
which she was dressed, and she put
on her other garments.

56. And she took Joseph s gar
ment and she laid it beside her, and
she went and seated herself in the
place where she had sat in her ill
ness, before the people of her house
had gone out to the river, and she
called a young lad who was then in
the house, and she ordered him to
call the people of the house to her.

57. And when she saw them she
said unto them with a loud voice and
lamentation see what a Hebrew your
master has brought to me in the
house, for he came this day to lie
with me.

58. For when you had gone out
he came to the house, and seeing
that there was no person in the
house, he came unto me, and caught
hold of me, with intent to lie with
me.

59. And I seized his garments
and tore them and called out against
him with a loud voice, and when I
had lifted up my voice he was afraid
of his life and left his garment before
me, and fled.

60. And the people of her house
spoke nothing, but their wrath was
very much kindled against Joseph,
and they went to his master and told
him the words of his wife.

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

141

61. And Potiphar came home en
raged, and his wife cried out to him,
saying, what is tfiis thing that thou
hast done unto me in bringing a He
brew servant into my house, for he
came unto me this day to sport with
me ; thus did he do unto me this day.

62. And Potiphar heard the words
of his wife, arid he ordered Joseph
to be punished with severe stripes,
and they did so to him.

63. And whilst they were smit
ing him, Joseph called out with a
loud voice, and he lifted up his eyes
to heaven, and he said, O Lord God,
thou knowest that I am innocent of
all these things, and why shall I die
this day through falsehood, by the
hand of these uncircnmcised wicked
men, whom thou knowest ?

64. And whilst Potiphar s men
were beating Joseph he continued to
cry out and weep, and there was a
child there eleven months old, and
the Lord opened the mouth of the
child, and he spake these words be
fore Potiphar s men, who were
smiting Joseph, saying,

65. What do you want of this man,
and why do you do this evil unto
him? my mother speaketh falsely
and uttereth lies ; thus was the trans
action.

66. And the child told them accu
rately all that happened, and all the
words of Zelicah to Joseph day after
day did he declare unto them.

67. And all the men heard the
words of the child and they wonder
ed greatly at the child s words, and
the child ceased to speak and be
came still.

68. And Potiphar was very much
ashamed at the words of his son, and
he commanded his men not to beat
Joseph any more, and the men ceas
ed beating Joseph.

69. And Potiphar took Joseph
and ordered him to be brought to
justice before the priests, who were
judges belonging to the king, in
order to judge him concerning this
affair.

70. And Potiphar and Joseph
came before the priests who were the
king s judges, and he said unto
them, decide I pray you what judg
ment is due to a servant, for thus has
he done.

71. And the priests said unto
Joseph, why didst thou do this thing
to thy master ? and Joseph answered
them, saying, not so my lords, thus
was the matter; and Potiphar said
unto Joseph, surely I entrusted in thy
hands all that belonged to me, and I
withheld nothing from thee but my
wife, and how couldst thou do this
evil ?

72. And Joseph answered, saying,
not so my lord, as the Lord liveth,
and as thy soul liveth, my lord, the
word which thou didst hear from thy
wife is untrue, for thus was the
affair this day.

73. A year has elapsed to me
since I have been in thy house ; hast
thou seen any iniquity in me, or any
thing which might cause thee to de
mand my life ?

74. And the priests said unto
Potiphar, send, we pray thee, and
let them bring before us Joseph s
torn garment, and let us see the tear
in it, and if it shall be that the tear
is in front of the garment, then his
face must have been opposite to her
and she must have caught hold of
him, to come to her, and with deceit
did thy wife do all that she has
spoken.

75. And they brought Joseph s
garment before the priests wJto were
judges, and they saw and behold the

142

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

tear was in front of Joseph, and all
the judging priests knew that she
had pressed him, and they said, the
judgment of death is not due to this
slave for he has done nothing, but
his judgment is, that he be placed in
the prison house on account of the
report, which through him has gone
forth against thy wife.

76. And Potiphar heard their
words, and he placed him in the
prison house, the place where the
king s prisoners are confined, and
Joseph was in the house of confine
ment twelve years.

77. And notwithstanding this, his
master s wife did not turn from him,
&lt;ind she did not cease from speaking
to him day after day to hearken to
her, and at the end of three months
Zelicah continued going to Joseph
to the house of confinement day by
day, and she enticed him to hearken
to her, and Zelicah said unto Joseph,
how long wilt thou remain in this
house? but hearken now to my voice
and I will bring thee out of this
house.

78. And Joseph answered her,
saying, it is better for me to remain
in this house than to hearken to thy
words, to sin against God ; and she
said unto him, if thou wilt not per
form my wish, I will pluck out thine
eyes, add fetters to thy feet, and will
-deliver thee into the hands of them
whom thou didst not know before.

79. And Joseph answered her and
said, behold the God of the whole
earth is able to deliver me from all
that thou canst do unto me, for he
openeth the eyes of the blind, and
looseth those that are bound, and
preserveth all strangers who are un
acquainted with the land.

80. And when Zelicah was unable
to persuade Joseph to hearken to

her, she left off going to entice him ;
and Joseph was still confined in the
house of confinement. And Jacob
the father of Joseph, and all his
brethren who were in the land of
Canaan still mourned and wept in
those days on account of Joseph, for
Jacob refused to be comforted for
his son Joseph, and Jacob cried
aloud, and wept and mourned all
those days.

CHAPTER XLV.

1. And it was at that time in that
year, which is the year of Joseph s
going down to Egypt after his bro
thers had sold him, that Reuben the
son of Jacob went to Timnah and
took unto him for a wife Eliuram.,
the daughter of Avii the Canaanite,
and he came to her.

2. And Eliuram the wife of Reu
ben conceived and bare him Hanoch,
Palu, Chetzron and Carmi, four
sons ; and Simeon his brother took
his sister Dinah for a wife, and she
bare unto him Memuel, Yamin,
Ohad, Jachin and Zochar, five
sons.

3. And he afterward came to
Bunah the Canaanitish woman, the
same is Bunah whom Simeon took
captive from the city of Shechem,
and Bunah was before Dinah and at
tended upon her r and Simeon came
to her, and she bare unto him Saul,

4. And Judah went at that time
to Adulam, and he came to a man of
Adulam, and his name was Hirah,
and Judah saw there the daughter
of a man from Canaan, and her
name was Aliyath, the daughter of
Shua, and he took her, and came
to her, and Aliyath bare unto Judah,
Er, Onan and Shiloh ; three sons.

5. And Levi and Issachar went

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

143

to the land of the east, and they took
unto themselves for wives the
daughters of Jobab the son of Yok-
tan, the son of Eber ; and Jobab the
son of Yoktan had two daughters ;
the name of the elder was Adinah,
and the name of the younger was
Aridah.

6. And Levi took Adina, and Is-
sachar took Aridah, and they came
to the land of Canaan, to their
father s house, and Adinah bare unto
Levi, Gershon, Kehath and Merari ;
three sons.

7. And Aridah bare unto Issachar
Tola, Puvah, Job and Shomron, four
sons ; and Dan went to the land of
Moab and took for a wife Aphlaleth,
the daughter of Chamudan the
Moabite, and he brought her to the
land of Canaan.

8. And Aphlaleth was barren, she
had no offspring, and God afterward
remembered Aphlaleth the wife of
Dan, and she conceived and bare
a son, and she called his name Chus-
him.

9. And Gad and Naphtali went to
Haran and took from thence the
daughters of Amuram the son of Uz,
the son of Nahor, for wives.

10. And these are the names of
the daughters of Amuram ; the name
of the elder was Merimah, and the
name of the younger Uzith ; and
Naphtali took Merimah, and Gad
took Uzith ; and brought them to the
land of Canaan, to their father s
house.

11. And Merimah bare unto
Naphtali Yachzeel, Guni, Jazer and
Shalem, four sons ; and Uzith bare
unto Gad Zephion, Chagi, Shuni,
Ezbon, Eri, Arodi and Arali, seven
sons.

12. And Asher went forth and
took Adon the daughter of Aphlal,

the son of Hadad, the son of Ish-
mael, for a wife, and he brought her
to the land of Canaan.

13. And Adon the wife of Asher
died in those days ; she had no off
spring ; and it was after the death of
Adon that Asher went to the other
side of the river and took for a wife
Hadurah the daughter of Abimael,
the son of Eber, the son of Shem.

14. And the young woman was of
a comely appearance, and a woman
of sense, and she had been the wife
of Malkiel the son of Elam, the son
of Shem.

15. And Hadurah bare a daughter
unto Malkiel, and he called her name
Serach, and Malkiel died after this,
and Hadurah went and remained in
her father s house.

16. And after the death of the
wife of Asher he went and took
Hadurah for a wife, and brought her
to the land of Canaan, and Serach
her daughter he also brought with
them, and she was three years old,
and the damsel was brought up in
Jacob s house.

17. And the damsel was of a come
ly appearance, and she went in the
sanctified ways of the children of
Jacob ; she lacked nothing, and the
Lord gave her wisdom and under
standing.

18. And Hadurah the wife of Ash
er conceived and bare unto him
Yimnah, Yishvah, Yishvi and Be-
riah ; four sons.

19. And Zebulun went to Midian,
and took for a wife Merishah the
daughter of Molad, the son of Abi-
da, the son of Midian, and brought
her to the land of Canaan.

20. And Merushah bare unto Ze
bulun Sered, Elon and Yachleel ;
three sons.

21. And Jacob sent to Aram, the

144

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

son of Zoba, the son of Terah, and
he took for his son Benjamin Me-
chalia the daughter of Aram, and
she came to the land of Canaan to
the house of Jacob ; and Benjamin
was ten years old when he took Me-
chalia the daughter of Aram for a
wife.

22. And Mechalia conceived and
bare unto Benjamin Bela, Becher,
Ashbel, Gera and Naaman, five sons ;
and Benjamin went afterward and
took for a wife Aribath, the daugh
ter of Shomron, the son of Abraham,
in addition to his first wife, and he
was eighteen years old ; and Aribath
bare unto Benjamin Achi, Vosh,
Mupim, Chupim, and Ord ; five
sons.

23. And in those days Judah went
to the house of Shem and took Ta-
mar the daughter of Elam, the son of
Shem, for a wife for his first born Er.

24. And Er came to his wife Ta-
mar, and she became his wife, and
when he came to her he outwardly
destroyed his seed, and his work
was evil in the sight of the Lord,
and the Lord slew him.

25. And it was after the death of
Er, Judah s first born, that Judah
said unto Onan, go to thy brother s
wife and marry her as the next of
kin, and raise up seed to thy brother.

26. And Onan took Tamar for a
wife and he came to her, and Onan
also did like unto the work of his
brother, and his work was evil in the
sight of the Lord, and he slew him
also.

27. And when Onan died, Judah
said unto Tamar, remain in thy fa
ther s house until my son Shiloh shall
have grown up, and Judah did no
more delight in Tamarj to give her
unto Shiloh, for he said, peradven-
lure he will also die like his brothers.

28. And Tamar rose up and went
and remained in her father s house,
and Tamar was in her father s house
for some time.

29. And at the revolution of the
year, Aliyath the wife of Judah died;
and Judah was comforted for his wife,
and after the death of Aliyath, Judah
went up with his friend Hirah to
Timnah to shear their sheep.

30. And Tamar heard that Judah
had gone up to Timnah to shear the
sheep, and that Shiloh was grown up,
and Judah did not delight in her.

31. And Tamar rose up and put
off the garments of her widowhood,
and she put a vail upon her, and she
entirely covered herself, and she
went and sat in the public thorough
fare, which is upon the road to Tim
nah.

32. And Judah passed and saw
her and took her and he came to her,
and she conceived by him, and at
the time of being delivered, behold,
there were twins in her womb, and
he called the name of the first Perez,
and the name of the second Zarah.

CHAPTER XLVI.

1 . In those days Joseph was still
confined in the prison house in the
land of Egypt.

2. At that time the attendants of
Pharaoh were standing before him,
the chief of the butlers and the chief
of the bakers which belonged to the
king of Egypt.

3. And the butler took wine and
placed it before the king to drink,
and the baker placed bread before
the king to eat, and the king drank
of the wine and ate of the bread, he
and his servants and ministers that
ate at the king s table.

4. And whilst they were eating and

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

145

drinking, the butler and the baker
remained there, and Pharaoh s minis
ters found many flies in the wine,
which the butler had brought, and
stones of nitre were found in the ba
ker s bread.

5. And the captain of the guard
placed Joseph as an attendant on
Pharaoh s officers, and Pharaoh s of
ficers were in confinement one year.

6. And at the end of the year,
they both dreamed dreams in one
night, in the place of confinement
where they were, and in the morning
Joseph came to them to attend upon
them as usual, and he saw them, and
behold their countenances were de
jected and sad.

7. And Joseph asked them, why
are your countenances sad and de
jected this day ? and they said unto
him we dreamed a dream, and there
is no one to interpret it ; and Joseph
said unto them, relate, I pray you,
your dream unto me, and God shall
give you an answer of peace as you
desire.

8. And the butler related his dream
unto Joseph, and he said, I saw in
my dream, and behold a large vine
was before me, and upon that vine I
saw three branches, and the vine
speedily blossomed and reached a
great height, and its clusters were ri
pened and became grapes.

9. And I took the grapes and
pressed them in a cup, and placed it
in Pharaoh s hand and he drank ;
and Joseph said unto him, the three
branches that were upon the vine are
three days.

10. Yet within three days, the
king will order thee to be brought out
and he will restore thee to thy office,
and thou shalt give the king his wine
to drink as at first when thou wast his
butler; but let me find favor in thy

sight, that thou shalt remember me
to Pharaoh when it will be well with
thee, and do kindness unto me, and
get me brought forth from this prison,
for I was stolen away from the land
of Canaan and was sold for a slave
in this place.

1 1 . And also that which was told
thee concerning my master s wife is
false, for they placed me in this dun
geon for naught ; and the butler an
swered Joseph, saying, if the king
deal well with me as at first, as thou
hast interpreted to me, I will do all
that thou desirest, and get thee
brought out of this dungeon.

12. And the baker, seeing that Jo
seph had accurately interpreted the
butler s dream, also approached, and
related the whole of his dream to
Joseph.

13. And he said unto him, in my
dream I saw and behold three white
baskets upon my head, and I looked,
and behold there were in the upper
most basket all manner of baked
meats for Pharaoh, and behold the
birds were eating them from off my
head.

14. And Joseph said unto him, the
three baskets which thou didst see
are three days, yet within three days
Pharaoh will take off thy head, and
hang thee upon a tree, and the birds
will eat thy flesh from off thee, as
thou sawest in thy dream.

15. In those days the queen was
about to be delivered, and upon that
day she bare a son unto the king of
Egypt, and they proclaimed that the
king had gotten his first born son and
all the people of Egypt together with
the officers and servants of Pharaoh
rejoiced greatly.

16. And upon the third day of his
birth Pharaoh made a feast for his
officers and servants, for the hosts of

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the land of Zoar and of the land of
Egypt.

17. And all the people of Egypt
and the servants of Pharaoh came to
eat and drink with the king at the
feast of his son, and to rejoice at the
king s rejoicing.

18. And all the officers of the
king and his servants were rejoic
ing at that time for eight days at
the feast, and they made merry with
all sorts of musical instruments, with
timbrels and with dances in the king s
house for eight days.

19. And the butler, to whom Jo
seph had interpreted his dream, for
got Joseph, and he did not mention
him to the king as he had promised,
for this thing was from the Lord in
order to punish Joseph because he
had trusted in man.

20. And Joseph remained after
this in the prison house two years,
until he had completed twelve years.

CHAPTER XLVII.

1. And Isaac the son of Abraham
was still living in those days in the
land of Canaan ; he was very aged,
one hundred and eighty years old,
and Esau his son, the brother of Ja
cob, was in the land of Edom, and
he and his sons had possessions in it
amongst the children of Seir.

2. And Esau heard that his father s
time was drawing nigh to die, and
he and his sons and household carne
unto the land of Canaan, unto his
father s house, and Jacob and his
sons went forth from the place where
they dwelt in Hebron, and they all
came to their father Isaac, and they
found Esau and his sons in the tent.

3. And Jacob and his sons sat be
fore his father Isaac, and Jacob was
still mourning for his son Joseph.

4. And Isaac said unto Jacob,
bring me hither thy sons and I will
bless them ; and Jacob brought his
eleven children before his father
Isaac.

5. And Isaac placed his hands up
on all the sons of Jacob, and he took
hold of them and embraced them,
and kissed them one by one, and
Isaac blessed them on that day, and
he said unto them, may the God of
your fathers bless you and increase
your seed like the stars of heaven for
number.

6. And Isaac also blessed the sons
of Esau, saying, may God cause you
to be a dread and a terror to all that
will behold you, and to all your ene
mies.

7. And Isaac called Jacob and his
sons, and they all came and sat be
fore Isaac, and Isaac said unto Jacob,
the Lord God of the whole earth said 1
unto me, unto thy seed will I give
this land for an inheritance if thy
children keep my statutes and my
ways, and I will perform unto them
the oath which I swore unto thy fa
ther Abraham.

8. Now therefore my son, teach
thy children and thy children s chil
dren to fear the Lord, and to go in
the good way which will please the
Lord thy God, for if you keep the
ways of the Lord and his statutes the
Lord will also keep unto you his co
venant with Abraham, and will da
well with you and your seed all the
days.

9. And when Isaac had finished
commanding Jacob and his children,
he gave up the ghost and died, and
was gathered unto his people.

10. And Jacob and Esau fell upon
the face of their father Isaac, and
they wept, and Isaac was one hun
dred and eighty years old when he

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

147

died in the land of Canaan, in He
bron, and his sons carried him to the
cave of Machpelah, which Abraham
had bought from the children of Heth
for a possession of a burial place.

1 1 . And all the kings of the land
of Canaan went with Jacob and Esau
to bury Isaac, and all the kings of
Canaan showed Isaac great honor at
his death.

12. And the sons of Jacob and the
sons of Esau went barefooted round
about, walking and lamenting until
they reached Kireath-arba.

13. And Jacob and Esau buried
their father Isaac in the cave of Mach
pelah, which is in Kireath-arba in
Hebron, and they buried him with very
great honor, as at the funeral of kings.

14. And Jacob and his sons, and
Esau and his sons, and all the kings
of Canaan made a great and heavy
mourning, and they buried him and
mourned for him many days.

15. And at the death of Isaac, he
left his cattle and his possessions and
all belonging to him to his sons ; and
Esau said unto Jacob, behold I pray
thee, all that our father has left we
will divide it in two parts, and I will
have the choice, and Jacob said we
will do so.

16. And Jacob took all that Isaac
had left in the land of Canaan, the
cattle and the property, and he placed
them in two parts before Esau and
his sons, and he said unto Esau, be
hold all this is before thee, choose
thou unto thyself the half which thou
wilt take.

17. And Jacob said unto Esau,
hear thou I pray thee what I will
speak unto thee, saying, the Lord
God of heaven and earth spoke unto
our fathers Abraham and Isaac, say
ing, unto thy seed will I give this
land for an inheritance forever.

18. Now therefore all that our fa
ther has left is before thee, and be
hold all the land is before thee ;
choose thou from them what thou
desirest.

19. If thou desirest the whole land
take it for thee and thy children for
ever, and I will take this riches, and
if thou desirest the riches take it unto
thee, and I will take this land for me
and for my children to inherit it for
ever.

20. And Nebayoth, the son of Ish-
mael, was then in the land with his
children, and Esau went on that day
and consulted with him, saying,

21. Thus has Jacob spoken unto
me, and thus has he answered me,
now give thy advice and we will
hear.

22. And Nebayoth said, what is
this that Jacob hath spoken unto
thee ? behold all the children of Ca
naan are dwelling securely in their
land, and Jacob sayeth he will inhe
rit it with his seed all the days.

23. Go now therefore and take all
thy father s riches and leave Jacob
thy brother in the land, as he has
spoken.

24. And Esau rose up and return
ed to Jacob, and did all that Nebay
oth the son of Ishmael had advised ;
and Esau took all the riches that
Isaac had^eft, the sonls, the beasts,
the cattle and the property, and all
the riches ; he gave nothing to his
brother Jacob ; and Jacob took all
the land of Canaan, from the brook
of Egypt unto the river Euphrates,
and he took it for an everlasting pos
session, and for his children and for
his seed after him forever.

25. Jacob also took from his bro
ther Esau the cave of Machpelah,
which is in Hebron, which Abraham
had bought from Ephron for a pos-

148

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

session of a burial place for him and
his seed for ever.

26. And Jacob wrote all these
things in the book of purchase, and
he signed it, and he testified all this
with four faithful witnesses.

27. And these are the words
which Jacob wrote in the book, say
ing: The land of Canaan and all the
cities of the Hittites, the Hivites, the
Jebusites, the Amorites, the Periz-
zites, and the Gergashites, all the
seven nations from the river of Egypt
unto the river Euphrates ;

28. And the city of Hebron Kire-
ath-arba and the cave which is in it,
the whole did Jacob buy from his
brother Esau for value, for a posses
sion and for an inheritance for his
seed after him forever.

29. And Jacob took the book of
purchase and the signature, the com
mand and the statutes and the reveal
ed book, and he placed them in an
earthen vessel in order that they
should remain for a long time, and
he delivered them into the hands of
his children.

30. Esau took all that his father
had left him after his death from his
brother Jacob, and he took all the
property, from man and beast, camel
and ass, ox and lamb, silver and
gold, stones and bdellium, and all the
riches which had belonge d to Isaac
the son of Abraham ; there was no
thing left which Esau did not take
unto himself, from all that Isaac had
left after his death.

31. And Esau took all this, and
he and his children went home to the
land of Seir the Horite, away from
his brother Jacob and his children.

32. And Esau had possessions
amongst the children of Seir, and
Esau returned not to the land of Ca
naan from that day forward.

33. And the whole land of Ca
naan became an inheritance to the
children of Israel for an everlasting
inheritance, and Esau with all his
children inherited the mountain of
Seir.

CHAPTER XLVIII.

1 . In those days, after the death
of Isaac, the Lord commanded and
caused a famine upon the whole
earth.

2. At that time Pharaoh king of
Egypt was sitting upon his throne
in the land of Egypt, and lay in his
bed and dreamed dreams, and Pha
raoh saw in his dream that he was
standing by the side of the river of
Egypt.

3. And whilst he was standing he
saw and behdd seven fat fleshed
and well favored kine came up out
of the river.

4. And seven other kine, lean
fleshed and ill favored, came up after
them, and the seven ill favored ones
swallowed up the well favored ones,
and still their appearance was ill as
at first.

5. And he awoke, and he slept
again and he dreamed a second time,
and he saw and behold seven ears
of corn came up upon one stalk, rank
and good, and seven thin ears blast
ed with the east wind sprang up
after them, and the thin ears swal
lowed up the full ones, and Pharaoh
awoke out of his dream.

6. And in the morning the king
remembered his dreams, and his
spirit was sadly troubled on account
of his dreams, and the king hastened
and sent and called for all the magi
cians of Egypt, and the wise men,
and they came and stood before Pha
raoh.

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149

7. And the king said unto them,
I have dreamed dreams, and there is
none to interpret them ; and they
said unto the king, relate thy dreams
to thy servants and let us hear them.

8. And the king related his dreams
to them, and they all answered and
said with one voice to the king, may
the king live for ever ; and this is
the interpretation of thy dreams.

9. The seven good kine which thou
didst see denote seven daughters that
will be born unto thee in the latter
days, and the seven kine which thou
sawest come up after them, and
swallowed them up, are for a sign
that the daughters which will be
born unto thee will all die in the life
time of the king.

10. And that which thou didst see
in the second dream of seven full
and good ears of corn coming up up
on one stalk, this is their interpre
tation, that thou wilt build unto thy
self in the latter days seven cities
throughout the land of Egypt ; and
that which thou sawest of the seven
blasted ears of corn springing up
after them and swallowing them up
whilst thou didst behold them with
thine eyes, is for a sign that the
cities which thou wilt build will all
be destroyed in the latter days, in
the life-time of the king.

11. And when they spoke these
words the king did not incline his
ear to their words, neither did he fix
his heart upon them, for the king
knew in his wisdom that they did
not give a proper interpretation of
the dreams ; and when they had
finished speaking before the king,
the king answered them, saying,
what is this thing that you have
spoken unto me? surely you have
uttered falsehood and spoken lies ;
therefore npw give the proper inter

pretation of my dreams, that you
may not die.

12. And the king commanded af
ter this, and he sent and called again
for other wise men, and they came
and stood before the king, and the
king related his dreams to them, and
they all answered him according to
the first interpretation, and the king s
anger was kindled and he was very
wroth, and the king said unto them,
surely you speak lies and utter false
hood in what you have said.

13. And the king commanded that
a proclamation should be issued
throughout the land of Egpt, saying,
it is resolved by the king and his
great men, that any wise man who
knoweth and understandeth the in
terpretation of dreams, and will not
come this day before the king, he
shall die.

14. And the man that will declare
unto the king the proper interpretation
of his dreams, there shall be given
unto him all that he will require
from the king. And all the wise men
of the land of Egypt came before the
king, together with all the magicians
and sorcerers that were in Egypt
and in Goshen, in Raamses, in
Tachpanches, in Zoar, and in all the
places on the borders of Egypt, and
they all stood before the king.

15. And all the nobles and the
princes, and the attendants belonging
to the king, came together from all
the cities of Egypt, and they all sat
before the king, and the king related
his dreams before the wise men, and
the princes and all that sat before
the king were astonished at the vi
sion.

16. And all the wise men who
were before the king were greatly
divided in their interpretation of his
dreams ; some of them interpreted

150

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

them to the king, saying, the seven
good kine are seven kings, who from
the king s issue will be raised over

Egypt-

17. And the seven bad kine are
seven princes, who will stand up
against them in the latter days and
destroy them ; and the seven ears of
corn are the seven great princes be
longing to Egypt, who will fall in
the hands of the seven less powerful
princes of their enemies, in the wars
of our lord the king.

18. And some of them interpreted
to the king in this manner, saying,
the seven good kine are the strong
cities of Egypt, and the seven bad
kine are the seven nations of the
land of Canaan, who will come against
the seven cities of Egypt in the lat
ter days and destroy mem.

19. And that which thou sawest
in the second dream, of seven good
and bad ears of corn, is a sign that
the government of Egypt will again
return to thy seed as at first.

20. And in his reign the people of
the cities of Egypt will turn against
the seven cities of Canaan who are
stronger than they are, and will de
stroy them, and the government of
Egypt will return to thy seed.

21. And some of them said unto
the king, this is the interpretation of
thy dreams ; the seven good kine are
seven queens, whom thou wilt take for
wives in the latter days, and the seven
bad kine denote that those women will
all die in the lifetime of the king.

22. And the seven good and bad
ears of corn which thou didst see in
the second dream are fourteen chil
dren, and it will be in the latter days
that they will stand up and fight
amongst themselves, and seven of
them will smite the seven that are
more powerful.

23. And some of them said these
words unto the king, saying, the se
ven good kine denote that seven chil
dren will be born to thee, and they
will slay seven of thy children s chil
dren in the latter days ; and the se
ven good ears of corn which thou
didst see in the second dream, are
those princes against whom seven
other less powerful princes will fight
and destroy them in the latter days,
and avenge thy children s cause, and
the government will again return to
thy seed.

24. And the king heard all the
words of the wise men of Egypt and
their interpretation of his dreams,
and none of them pleased the king.

25. And the king knew in his wis
dom that they did not altogether
speak correctly in all these words,
for this was from the Lord to frus
trate the words of the wise men of
Egypt, in order that Joseph might go
forth from the house of confinement,
and in order that he should become
great in Egypt.

26. And the king saw that none
amongst all the wise men and magi
cians of Egypt spoke correctly to
him, and the king s wrath was kin
dled, and his anger burned within him.

27. And the king commanded that
all the wise men and magicians should
go out from before him, and they all
went out from before the king with
shame and disgrace.

28. And the king commanded that
a proclamation be sent throughout
Egypt to slay all the magicians that
were in Egypt, and not one of them
should be suffered to live.

29. And the captains of the guards
belonging to the king rose up, and
each man drew his sword, and they
began to smite the magicians of
Egypt, and the wise men.

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151

30. And after this Merod, chief
butler to the king, came and bowed
down before the king and sat before
him ;

31. And the butler said unto the
king, may the king live forever, and
his government be exalted in the land.

32. Thou wast angry with thy
servant in those days, now two years
past, and didst place me in the ward,
and I was for some time in the ward,
I and the chief of the bakers.

33. And there was with us a He
brew servant belonging to the cap
tain of the guard, his name was Jo
seph, for his master had been angry
with him and placed him in the house
of confinement, and he attended us
there.

34. And in some time after when
we were in the ward, we dreamed
dreams in one night, I and the chief
of the bakers ; we dreamed, each
man according to the interpretation
of his dream.

35. And we came in the morning
and told them to that servant, and he
interpreted to us our dreams, to each
man according to his dream, did he
correctly interpret.

36. And it came to pass as he in
terpreted to us, so was the event ;
there fell not to the ground any of
his words.

37. And now therefore my lord
and king do not slay the people of
Egypt for naught ; behold that slave
is still confined in the house by the
captain of the guard his master, in
the house of confinement.

38. If it pleaseth the king let him
send for him that he may come be
fore thee and he will make known to
thee, the correct interpretation of the
dream which thou didst dream.

39. And the king heard the words
of the chief butler, and the king or

dered that the wise men of Egypt
should not be slain.

40. And the king ordered his ser
vants to bring Joseph before him, and
the king said unto them, go to him
and do not terrify him lest he be con
fused and will not know to speak pro
perly.

41. And the servants of the king
went to Joseph, and they brought
him hastily out of the dungeon, and
the king s servants shaved him, and
he changed his prison garment and
he came before the king.

42. And the king was sitting upon
his royal throne in a princely dress
girt round with a golden ephod, and
the fine gold which was upon it
sparkled, and the carbuncle and the
ruby and the emerald, together with
all the precious stones that were upon
the king s head, dazzled the eye, and
Joseph wondered greatly at the king.

43. And the throne upon which
the king sat was covered with gold
and silver, and with onyx stones, and
it had seventy steps.

44. And it was their custom
throughout the land of Egypt, that
every man who came to speak to the
king, if he was a prince or one that
was estimable in the sight of the
king, he ascended to the king s
throne as far as the thirty first step,
and the king would descend to the
thirty sixth step, and speak with him.

45. If he was one of the common
people, he ascended to the third step,
and the king would descend to the
fourth* and speak to him, and their
custom was, moreover, that any man
who understood to speak in all the
seventy languages, he ascended the

* From his throne, leaving in this instance a
space of sixty three steps, but in the former
there was only the space of three steps inter
vening between the king and his favorites.

152

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

seventy steps, and went up and
spoke till he reached the king.

46. And any man who could not
complete the seventy, he ascended
as many steps as the languages which
he knew to speak in.

47. And it was customary in those
days in Egypt that no one should
reign over them, but who understood
to speak in the seventy languages.

48. And when Joseph came before
the king he bowed down to the
ground before the king, and he as
cended to the third step, and the
king sat upon the fourth step and
spoke with Joseph.

49. And the king said unto Joseph,
T dreamed a dream, and there is no
interpreter to interpret it properly,
and I commanded this day that all
the magicians of Egypt and the wise
men thereof, should come before me,
and I related my dreams to them,
and no one has properly interpreted
them to me.

50. And after this I this day heard
concerning thee, that thou art a wise
man, and canst correctly interpret
every dream that thou hearest.

51. And Joseph answered Pha
raoh, saying, let Pharoah relate his
dreams that he dreamed ; surely the
interpretations belong to God ; and
Pharaoh related his dreams to Joseph,
the dream of the kine, and the dream
of the ears of corn, and the king left
off speaking.

52. And Joseph was then clothed
with the spirit of God before the
king, and he knew all the things that
would befall the king from that day
forward, and he knew the proper
interpretation of the king s dream,
and he spoke before the king.

53. And Joseph found favor in
the sight of the king, and the king
inclined his ears and his heart, and

he heard all the words of Joseph.
And Joseph said unto the king, do
not imagine that they are two dreams,
for it is only one dream, for that
which God has chosen to do through
out the land he has shown to the
king in his dream, and this is the
proper interpretation of thy dream.

54. The seven good kine and ears
of corn are seven years, and the
seven bad kine and ears of corn are
a/so .seven years ; it is one dream.

55. Behold the seven years that
are coming there will be a great
plenty throughout the land, and after
that the seven years of famine will
follow them, a very grievous famine,
and all the plenty will be forgotten
from the land, and the famine will con
sume all the inhabitants of the land.

56. The king dreamed one dream,
and the dream was therefore repeated
unto Pharaoh because the thing is
established by God, and God will
shortly bring it to pass.

57. Now therefore I will give
thee counsel and deliver thy soul
and the souls of the inhabitants of
the land from the evil of the famine,
that thou seek throughout thy king
dom for a man very discreet and
wise, who knoweth all the affairs of
government, and appoint him to
superintend* over the land of Egypt.

58. And let the man whom thou
placest over Egypt appoint officers
under him, that they gather in all the
food of the good years that are com
ing, and let them lay up corn and
deposit it in thy appointed stores.

59. And let them keep that food
for the seven years of famine, that it
maybe found for thee and thy people
and thy whole land, and that thou
and thy land be not cut off by the
famine.

* Hebrew, to go out and come in.

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

153

60. Let all the inhabitants of the
land be also ordered that they gather
in, every man the produce of his
field, of all sorts of food, during the
seven good years, and that they place
it in their stores, that it may be
found for them in the days of the
famine and that they may live upon
it.

61. This is the proper interpreta
tion of thy dream, and this is the
counsel given to save thy soul and
the souls of all thy subjects.

62. And the king answered and
said unto Joseph, who sayeth and
who knoweth that thy words are
correct ? And he said unto the king,
this shall be a sign for thee respect
ing all my words, that they are true
and that my advice is good for thee.

63. Behold thy wife sitteth this
day upon the stool of delivery, and
she will bear thee a son and thou
wilt rejoice with him ; when thy
child shall have gone forth from his
mother s womb, thy first born son
that has been born these two years
back shall die, and thou wilt be
comforted in the child that will be
born unto thee this day.

64. And Joseph finished speaking
these words to the king, and he
bowed down to the king and he went
out, and when Joseph had gone out
from the king s presence, those signs
which Joseph had spoken unto the
king came to pass on that day.

65. And the queen bare a son on
that day and the king heard the glad
tidings about his son, and he rejoiced,
and when the reporter had gone forth
from the king s presence, the king s
servants found the first born son of
the king fallen dead upon the ground.

66. And there was great lamenta
tion and noise in the king s house,
and the king heard it, and he said,

what is the noise and lamentation
that I have heard in the house ? and
they told the king that his first born
son had died ; then the king knew
that all Joseph s words that he had
spoken were correct, and the king
was consoled for his son by the
child that was born to him on that
day as Joseph had spoken.

CHAPTER XLIX.

1. After these things the king
sent and assembled all his officers
and servants, and all the princes and
nobles belonging to the king, and
they all came before the king.

2. And the king said unto them,
behold you have seen and heard all
the words of this Hebrew man, and
all the signs which he declared
would come to pass, and not any of
his words have fallen to the ground.

3. You know that he has given
a proper interpretation of the dream,
and it will surely come to pass, now
therefore take counsel and know
what you will do and how the land
will be delivered from the famine.

4. Seek now and see whether the
like can be found in whose heart
there is wisdom and knowledge, and
I will appoint him over the land.

5. For you have heard what the
Hebrew man has advised concerning
this to save the land therewith from
the famine, and I know that the land
will not be delivered from the famine
but with the advice of the Hebrew
man, him that advised me.

6. And they all answered the king
and said, the counsel which the He
brew has given concerning this is
good ; now therefore, our lord and
king, behold the whole land is in thy
hand, do that which seemeth good in
thy sight.

254

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

7. Him whom thou choosest, and
whom thou in thy wisdom knowest
to be wise and capable of delivering
the land with his wisdom, him shall
die king appoint to be under him
over the land.

8. And the king said to all the of
ficers, I have thought that since God
has made known to the Hebrew man
all that he has spoken, there is none
so discreet and wise in the whole
land as he is ; if it seem good in your
sight I will place him over the land,
for he will save the land with his
wisdom.

9. And all the officers answered
the king and said, but surely it is
written in the Jaws of Egypt, and it
should not be violated, that no man
shall reign over Egypt, nor be the
second to the king, but one who has
knowledge in all the languages of the
sons of men.

10. Now therefore our lord and
king, behold this Hebrew man can
only speak the Hebrew language,
and how then can he be over us the
second under government, a man
who not even knoweth our language ?

11. Now we pray thee send for
him, and let him come before thee,
and prove him in all things, and do
as thou seest^.

12. And the king said, it shall be
done so to-morrow, and the thing
that you have spoken is good ; and
all the officers came on that day be
fore the king.

13. And on that night the Lord
sent one of his ministering angels,
and he came unto the land of Egypt
unto Joseph, and the angel of the
Lord stood over Joseph, and behold
Joseph was lying in the bed at night
in his master s house in the dungeon,
for his master had put him back into
the dungeon on account of his wife.

14. And the angel roused him from
his sleep, and Joseph rose up and
stood upon his legs, and behold the
angel of the Lord was standing op
posite to him ; and the angel of the
Lord spoke with Joseph, and he
taught him all the languages of man
in mat night, and he called his name
Jehoseph.

15. And the angel of the Lord
went from him, and Joseph returned
and lay upon his bed, and Joseph
was astonished at the vision which
he saw.

16. And it came to pass in the
morning that the king sent for all his
officers and servants, and they all
came and sat before the king, and the
king ordered Joseph to be brought,
and the king s servants went and
brought Joseph before Pharaoh,

17. And the king came forth and
ascended the steps of the throne, and
Joseph spoke unto the king in all
languages, and Joseph went up to
him and spoke unto the king until
he arrived before the king in the se
ventieth step, and he sat before the
king.

18. And the king greatly rejoiced
on account of Joseph, and all the
king s officers rejoiced greatly with
the king when they heard all the
words of Joseph.

19. And the thing seemed good, in
the sight of the king and the officers,
to appoint Joseph to be second to the
king over the whole land of Egypt,
and the king spoke to Joseph, say
ing*

20. Now thou didst give me coun
sel to appoint a wise man over the
land of Egypt, in order with his wis
dom to save the land from the famine ;
now therefore, since God has made
all this known to thee, and all the
words which thou hast spoken, there

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155

is not throughout the land a discreet
and wise man like unto thee.

21. And thy name no more shall
be called Joseph, but Zaphnath Paa-
neah shall be thy name ; thou shalt
be second to me, and according to
thy word shall be all the affairs of
my government, and at thy word
shall my people go out and come
in.

22. Also from under thy hand shall
my servants and officers receive their
salary which is given to them month
ly, and to thee shall all the people of
the land bow down; only in my
throne will I be greater than thou.

23. And the king took off his ring
from his hand and put it upon the
hand of Joseph, and the king dressed
Joseph in a princely garment, and
he put a golden crown upon his head,
and he put a golden chain upon his
neck.

24. And the king commanded his
servants, and they made him ride in
the second chariot belonging to the
king, that went opposite to the king s
chariot, and he caused him to ride
upon a great and strong horse from
the king s horses, and to be conduct
ed through the streets of the land of
Egypt.

25. And the king commanded that
all those that played upon timbrels,
harps and other musical instruments
should go forth with Joseph ; one
thousand timbrels, one thousand Me-
choloth, and one thousand Nebalim
went after him.

26. And five thousand men, with
drawn swords glittering in their
hands, and they went marching and
playing before Joseph, and twenty
thousand of the great men of the king
girt with girdles of skin covered with
gold, marched at the right hand of
Joseph, and twenty thousand at his

left, and all the women and damsels
went upon the roofs or stood in the
streets playing and rejoicing at Jo
seph, and gazed at the appearance
of Joseph and at his beauty.

27. And the king s people went
before him and behind him, perfum
ing the road with frankincense and
with cassia, and with all sorts of fine
perfume, and scattered myrrh and
aloes along the road, and twenty men
proclaimed these words before him
throughout the land in a loud voice ;

28. Do you see this man whom
the king has chosen to be his second?
all the affairs of government shall be
regulated by him, and he that trans
gresses his orders, or that does not
bow down before him to the ground,
shall die, for he rebels against the
king and his second.

29. And when the heralds had
ceased proclaiming, all the people of
Egypt bowed down to the ground
before Joseph and said, may the
king live, also may his second live ;
and all the inhabitants of Egypt bow
ed down along the road, and when
the heralds approached them, they
bowed down, and they rejoiced with
all sorts of timbrels, mechol and ne-
bal before Joseph.

30. And Joseph upon his horse
lifted up his eyes to heaven, and
called out and said, He raiseth the
poor man from the dust, He lifteth
up the needy from the dunghill. O
Lord of hosts, happy is the man who
trusteth in thee.

31. And Joseph passed through
out the land of Egypt with Pharaoh s
servants and officers, and they show
ed him the whole land of Egypt and
all the king s treasures.

32. And Joseph returned and
came on that day before Pharaoh,
and the king gave unto Joseph a

156

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

possession in the land of Egypt, a
possession of fields and vineyards,
and the king gave unto Joseph three
thousand talents of silver and one
thousand talents of gold, and onyx
stones and bdellium and many
gifts.

33. And on the next day the king
commanded all the people of Egypt
to bring unto Joseph offerings and
gifts, and that he that violated the
command of the king should die ;
and they made a high place in
the street of the city, and they
spread out garments there, and who
ever brought anything to Joseph put
it into the high place.

34. And all the people of Egypt
cast something into the high place,
one man a golden ear-ring, and the
other rings and ear-rings, and differ
ent vessels of gold and silver work,
and onyx stones and bdellium did he
cast upon the high place ; every one
gave something of what he possessed.

35. And Joseph took all these
and placed them in his treasures,
and all the officers and nobles belong
ing to the king exalted Joseph, and
they gave him many gifts, seeing
that the king had chosen him to be
his second.

36. And the king sent to Poti-
phera, the son of Ahiram priest of
On, and he took his young daughter
Osnath and gave her unto Joseph for
a wife.

37. And the damsel was very
comely, a virgin, one whom man had
not known, and Joseph took her for
a wife ; and the king said unto
Joseph, I am Pharaoh, and beside
thee none shall dare to lift up his
hand or his foot to regulate* my
people throughout the land of Egypt.

38. And Joseph was thirty years
* Hebrew, to go out and come in.

old when he stood before Pharaoh,
and Joseph went out from before the
king, and he became the king s se
cond in Egypt.

39. And the king gave Joseph a
hundred servants to attend him in
his house, and Joseph also sent and
purchased many servants and they
remained in the house of Joseph.

40. Joseph then built for himself
a very magnificent house like unto
the houses of kings, before the court
of the king s palace, and he made in
the house a large temple, very ele
gant in appearance and convenient
for his residence ; three years was
Joseph in erecting his house.

41. And Joseph made unto him
self a very elegant throne of abun
dance of gold and silver, and he
covered it with onyx stones and
bdellium, and he made upon it the
likeness of the whole land of Egypt,
and the likeness of the river of
Egypt that watereth the whole land
of Egypt ; and Joseph sat securely
upon his throne in his house and the
Lord increased Joseph s wisdom.

42. And all the inhabitants of
Egypt and Pharaoh s servants and
his princes loved Joseph exceeding
ly, for this thing was from the Lord
to Joseph.

43. And Joseph had an army that
made war, going out in hosts and
troops to the number of forty thou
sand six hundred men, capable of
bearing arms to assist the king and
Joseph against the enemy, besides
the king s officers and his servants
and inhabitants of Egypt without
number.

44. And Joseph gave unto his
mighty men, ana to all his host,
shields and javelins, and caps and
coats of mail and stones for sling
ing.

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157

CHAPTER L.

1. At that time the children of
Tarshish came against the sons
of Ishmael, and made war with
them, and the children of Tarshish
spoiled the Ishmaelites for a long
time.

2. And the children of Ishmael
were small in number in those days,
and they could not prevail over the
children of Tarshish, and they were
sorely oppressed.

3. And the old men of the Ish
maelites sent a record to the king
of Egypt, saying, send I pray thee
unto thy servants officers and hosts
to help us to fight against the child
ren of Tarshish, for we have been
consuming away for a long time.

4. And Pharaoh sent Joseph with
the mighty men and host which
were with him, and also his mighty
men from the king s house.

5. And they went to the land of
Havilah to the children of Ishmael,
to assist them against the children of
Tarshish, and the children of Ishmael
fought with the children of Tarshish,
and Joseph smote the Tarshishites
and he subdued all their land, and
the children of Ishmael dwelt there
in unto this day.

6. And when the land of Tarshish
was subdued, all the Tarshishites
ran away and came on the border of
their brethren the children of Javan,
and Joseph with all his mighty men
and host returned to Egypt, not one
man of them was missing.

7. And at the revolution of the
year, in the second year of Joseph s
reigning over Egypt, the Lord gave
great plenty throughout the land for
seven years as Joseph had spoken,
for the Lord blessed all the produce
of the earth in those days for seven

years, and they ate and were greatly
satisfied.

8. And Joseph at that time had
officers under him, and they collected
all the food of the good years, and
heaped corn year by year, and they
placed it in the treasuries of Joseph.

9. And at any time when they
gathered the food Joseph command
ed that they should bring the corn
in the ears, and also bring with it
some- of the soil of the field, that it
should not spoil.

10. And Joseph did according to
this year by year, and he heaped up
corn like the sand of the sea for
abundance, for his stores were im
mense and could not be numbered
for abundance.

1 1 . And also all the inhabitants of
Egypt gathered all sorts of food in
their stores in great abundance
during the seven good years, but
they did not do unto it as Joseph did.

1 2. And all the food which Joseph
and the Egyptians had gathered dur
ing the seven years of plenty, was
secured for the land in stores for the
seven years of famine, for the sup
port of the whole land.

13. And the inhabitants of Egypt
filled each man his store and his
concealed place with corn, to be for
support during the famine.

14. And Joseph placed all the
food that he had gathered in all the
cities of Egypt, and he closed all the
stores and placed sentinels over
them.

15. And Joseph s wife Osnath the
daughter of Potiphera bare him two
sons, Manasseh and Ephraim, and
Joseph was thirty four years old
when he begat them.

16. And the lads grew up and
they went in his ways and in his in
structions, they did not deviate from

158

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

the way which their father taught
them, either to the right or left.

17. And the Lord was with the
lads, and they grew up and had un
derstanding and skill in all wisdom
and in all the affairs of government,
and all the king s officers and his
great men of the inhabitants of
Egypt exalted the lads, and they
were brought up amongst the king s
children.

18. And the seven years of plenty
that were throughout the land were
at an end, and the seven years of
famine came after them as Joseph
had spoken, and the famine was
throughout the land.

19. And all the people of Egypt
saw that the famine had commenced
in the land of Egypt, and all the
people of Egypt opened their stores
of corn for the famine prevailed over
them.

20. And they found all the food
that was in their stores, full of ver
min and not fit to eat, and the fa
mine prevailed throughout the land,
and all the inhabitants of Egypt came
and cried before Pharaoh, for the fa
mine was heavy upon them.

21. And they said unto Pharaoh,
give food unto thy servants, and
wherefore shall we die through hun
ger before thy eyes, even we and
ur little ones ?

22. And Pharaoh answered them,
saying, and wherefore do you cry
unto me ? did not Joseph command
that the corn should be laid up dur
ing the seven years of plenty for the
years of famine? and wherefore did
you not hearken to his voice ?

23. And the people of Egypt an
swered the king, saying, as thy soul
liveth, our lord, thy servants have
done all that Joseph ordered, for thy
servants also gathered in all the pro

duce of their fields during the seven
years of plenty and laid it in the
stores unto this day.

24. And when the famine prevailed
over thy servants we opened our
stores, and behold all our produce was
filled with vermin and was not fit for
food.

25. And when the king heard all
that had befallen to the inhabitants of
Egypt, the king was greatly afraid
on account of the famine, and he was
much terrified ; and the king an
swered the people of Egypt, saying,
since all this has happened unto you,
go unto Joseph, do whatever he shall
say unto you, transgress not his com
mands.

26. And all the people of Egypt
went forth and came unto Joseph,
and said unto him, give unto us food
and wherefore shall we die before
thee through hunger ? for we gath
ered in our produce during the seven
years as thou didst command, and
we put it in store, and thus has it
befallen us.

27. And when Joseph heard all
the words of the people of Egypt
and what had befallen them, Joseph
opened all his stores of the produce
and he sold it unto the people of

Egypt-

28. And the famine prevailed
throughout the land, and the famine
was in all countries, but in the land
of Egypt there was produce for sale.

29. And all the inhabitants of
Egypt came unto Joseph to buy
corn, for the famine prevailed over
them, and all their corn was spoiled,
and Joseph daily sold it to all the
people of Egypt.

30. And all the inhabitants of the
land of Canaan and the Philistines,
and those beyond the Jordan, and the
children of the east and all the cities

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159

of the lands far and nigh heard that
there was corn in Egypt, and they
all came to Egypt to buy corn, for
the famine prevailed over them.

31. And Joseph opened the stores
of corn and placed officers over them,
and they daily stood and sold to all
that came.

32. And Joseph knew that his
brethren also would come to Egypt
to buy corn, for the famine prevailed
throughout the earth. And Joseph
commanded all his people that they
should cause it to be proclaimed
throughout the land of Egypt, saying,

33. It is the pleasure of the king,
of his second and of their great men,
that any person who wishes to buy
corn in Egypt shall not send his ser
vants to Egypt to purchase, but his
sons, and also any Egyptian or Ca-
naanite, who shall come from any of
the stores from buying corn in Egypt,
and shall go and sell it throughout
the land, he shall die, for no one shall
buy but for the support of his house
hold.

34. And any man leading two or
three beasts shall die, for a man shall
only lead his own beast.

35. And Joseph placed sentinels
at the gates of Egypt, and command
ed them, saying, any person who
may come to buy corn, suffer him
not to enter until his name, and the
name of his father, and the name of
his father s father be written down,
and whatever is written by day, send
their names unto me in the evening
that I may know their names.

36. And Joseph placed officers
throughout the land of Egypt, and
he commanded them to do all these
things.

37. And Joseph did all these
things, and made, these statutes, in
order that he might know when his

brethren should come to Egypt to
buy corn ; and Joseph s people caus
ed it daily to be proclaimed in Egypt
according to these words and statutes
which Joseph had commanded.

38. And all the inhabitants of the
east and west country, and of all the
earth, heard of the statutes and re
gulations which Joseph had enacted
in Egypt, and the inhabitants of the
extreme parts of the earth came and
they bought corn in Egypt day after
day, and then went away.

39. And all the officers of Egypt
did as Joseph had commanded, and
all that came to Egypt to buy corn,
the gate keepers would write their
names, and their fathers names, and
daily bring them in the evening be
fore Joseph.

CHAPTER LI.

1 . And Jacob afterward heard that
there was corn in Egypt, and he cal
led unto his sons to go to Egypt to
buy corn, for upon them also did the
famine prevail, and he called unto
his sons, saying,

2. Behold I hear that there is corn
in Egypt and all the people of the
earth go there to purchase, now there
fore why will you show yourselves
satisfied before the whole earth ? go
you also down to Egypt and buy us a
little corn amongst those that come
there, that we may not die.

3. And the sons of Jacob hearken
ed to the voice of their father, and
they rose up to go down to Egypt in
order to buy corn amongst the rest
that came there.

4. And Jacob their father com
manded them, saying, when you come
into the city do not enter together in
one gate, on account of the inhabi
tants of the land.

160

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

5. And the sons of Jacob went
forth and they went to Egypt, and the
sons of Jacob did all as their father
had commanded them, and Jacob did
not send Benjamin, for he said, lest
an accident might befall him on the
road like his brother ; and ten of Ja
cob s sons went forth.

6. And whilst the sons of Jacob
were going on the road, they repent
ed of what they had done to Joseph,
and they spoke to each other, saying,
we know that our brother Joseph
went down to Egypt, and now we
will seek him where we go, and if
we find him we will take him from
his master for a ransom, and if not,
by force, and we will die for him.

7. And the sons of Jacob agreed
to this thing and strengthened them
selves on account of Joseph, to de
liver him from the hand of his mas
ter, and the sons of Jacob went to
Egypt ; and when they came near to
Egypt they separated from each other
and they came through ten gates of
Egypt, and the gate keepers wrote
their names on that day, and brought
them to Joseph in the evening.

8. And Joseph read the names
from the hand of the gate-keepers of
the city, and he found that his breth
ren had entered at the ten gates of
the city, and Joseph at that time com
manded that it should be proclaimed
throughout the land of Egypt, saying,

9. Go forth all ye store guards,
close all the corn stores and let only
one remain open, that those who
come may purchase from it.

10. And all the officers of Joseph
did so at that time, and they closed
all the stores and left only one open.

1 1 . And Joseph gave the written
names of his brethren to him that was
set over the open store, and he said
unto him, whosoever shall come to

thee to buy corn, ask his name, and
when men of these names shall come
before thee, seize them and send
them, and they did so.

12. And when the sons of Jacob
came into the city, they joined toge
ther in the city to seek Joseph before
they bought themselves corn.

13. And they went to the walls of
the harlots, and they sought Joseph
in the walls of the harlots for three
days, for they thought that Joseph
would come in the walls of the har
lots, for Joseph was very comely and
well favored, and the sons of Jacob
sought Joseph for three days, and
they could not find him.

14. And the man who was set over
the open store sought for those names
which Joseph had given him, and he
did not find them.

15. And he sent to Joseph, saying,
these three days have passed, and
those men whose names thou didst
give unto me have not come ; and
Joseph sent servants to seek the
men in all Egypt, and to bring them
before Joseph.

16. And Joseph s servants went
and came into Egypt and could not
find them, and went to Goshen and
they were not there, and then went
to the city of Raamses and could not
find them.

17. And Joseph continued to send
sixteen servants to seek his brothers,
and they went and spread themselves
in the four corners of the city, and
four of the servants went into the
house of the harlots, and they found
the ten men there seeking their bro
ther.

1 8. And those four men took them
and brought them before him, and
they bowed down to him to the
ground, and Joseph was sitting upon
his throne in his temple, clothed with

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161

princely garments, and upon his head
was a large crown of gold, and all
the mighty men were sitting around
him.

19. And the sons of Jacob saw
Joseph, and his figure and comeliness
and dignity of countenance seemed
wonderful in their eyes, and they
again bowed down to him to the
ground.

20. And Joseph saw his brethren,
and he knew them, but they knew
him not, for Joseph was very great
in their eyes, therefore they knew
him not.

21. And Joseph spoke to them,
saying, from whence come ye ? and
they all answered and said, thy ser
vants have come from the land of
Canaan to buy corn, for the famine
prevails throughout the earth, and
thy servants heard that there was
corn in Egypt, so they have come
amongst the other comers to buy corn
for their support.

22. And Joseph answered them,
saying, if you have come to purchase
as you say, why do you come through
ten gates of the city ? it can only be
that you have come to spy through
the land.

23. And they all together answer
ed Joseph, and said, not so my lord,
we are right, thy servants are not
spies, but we have come to buy corn,
for thy servants are all brothers, the
sons of one man in the land of Ca
naan, and our father commanded us,
saying, when you come to the city
do not enter together at one gate on
account of the inhabitants of the
land.

24. And Joseph -again answered
them and said, that is the thing which
I spoke unto you, you have come to
spy through the land, therefore you
all came through ten gates of the

city ; you have come to see the na
kedness of the land.

25. Surely every one that cometh
to buy corn goeth his way, and you
are already three days in the land,
and what do you do in the walls of
harlots in which you have been for
these three days ? surely spies do-
like unto these things.

26. And they said unto Joseph,
far be it from our lord to speak thus,
for we are twelve brothers, the sons
of our father Jacob, in the land of
Canaan, the son of Isaac, the son of
Abraham, the Hebrew, and behold
the youngest is with our father this
day in the land of Canaan, and one
is not, for he was lost from us, and
we thought perhaps he might be in
this land, so we are seeking him
throughout the land, and have come
even to the houses of harlots to seek
him there.

27. And Joseph said unto them,
and have you then sought him
throughout the earth, that there only
remained Egypt for you to seek him
in ? And what also should your bro
ther do in the houses of harlots, al
though he were in Egypt ? have you
not said that you are from the sons
of Isaac, the son of Abraham, and
what shall the sons of Jacob do then
in the houses of harlots ?

28. And they said unto him, be
cause we heard that Ishmaelites stole
him from us, and it was told unto us
that they sold him in Egypt, and thy
servant, our brother, is very comely
and well favored, so we thought he
would surely be in the houses of har
lots, therefore thy servants went there
to seek him and give ransom for
him.

29. And Joseph still answered
them, saying, surely you speak false
ly and utter lies, to say of yourselves

162

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

that you are the sons of Abraham ; as
Pharaoh liveth you are spies, there
fore have you come to the houses of
harlots that you should not be known.

30. And Joseph said unto them,
and now if you find him, and his
master requireth of you a great price,
will you give it for him ? and they
said, it shall be given.

31. And he said unto them, and if
his master will not consent to part
with him for a great price, what will
you do unto him on his account ? and
they answered him, saying, if he will
not give him unto us we will slay
him, and take our brother and go
away.

32. And Joseph said unto them,
that is the thing which I have spoken
to you ; you are spies, for you are
come to slay the inhabitants of the
land, for we heard that two of your
brethren smote all the inhabitants of
Shechem, in the land of Canaan, on
account of your sister, and you now
come to do the like in Egypt on ac
count of your brother.

33. Only hereby shall I know that
you are true men ; if you will send
home one from amongst you to fetch
your youngest brother from your fa
ther, and to bring him here unto me,
and by doing this thing I will know
that you are right.

34. And Joseph called to seventy
of his mighty men, and he said unto
them, take these men and bring them
into the ward.

35. And the mighty men took the
ten men, they laid hold of them and
put them into the ward, and they
were in the ward three days.

36. And on the third day Joseph
had them brought out of the ward,
and he said unto them, do this for
yourselves if you be true men, so
that you may live, one of youjf breth

ren shall be confined in the ward
whilst you go and take home the
corn for your household to the land
of Canaan, and fetch your youngest
brother and bring him here unto me,
that I may know that you are true
men when you do this thing.

37. And Joseph went out from
them and came into the chamber,
and wept a great weeping, for his
pity was excited for them, and he
washed his face, and returned to
them again, and he took Simeon from
them and ordered him to be bound,
but Simeon was not willing to be
done so, for he was a very powerful
man and they could not bind him.

38. And Joseph called unto his
mighty men and seventy valiant men
came before him with drawn swords
in their hands, and the sons of Jacob
were terrified at them.

39. And Joseph said unto them,
seize this man and confine him in
prison until his brethren come to
him, and Joseph s valiant men
hastened and they all laid hold of
Simeon to bind him, and Simeon
gave a loud and terrible shriek and
the cry was heard at a distance.

40. And all the valiant men of
Joseph were terrified at the sound of
the shriek, that they fell upon their
faces, and they were greatly afraid
and fled.

41. And all the men that were
with Joseph fled, for they were greatly
afraid of their lives, and only Joseph
Manasseh his son remained there,
and Manasseh the son of Joseph saw
the strength of Simeon, and he was
exceedingly wroth.

42. And Manasseh the son of
Joseph rose up to Simeon, and Manas
seh smote Simeon a heavy blow with
his fist against the back of his neck,
atnd Simeon was stilled of his rage.

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

163

43. And Manasseh laid hold of
Simeon and he seized him violently
and he bound him and brought him
into the house of confinement, and
all the sons of Jacob were astonished
at the act of the youth.

44. And Simeon said unto his
brethren, none of you must say that
this is the smiting of an Egyptian,
but it is the smiting of the house of
my father.

45. And after this Joseph ordered
him to be .called who was set over
the storehouse, to fill their sacks
with corn as much as they could
carry, and to restore every man s
money into his sack, and to give
them provision for the road, and thus
did he unto them.

46. And Joseph commanded them,
saying, take heed less you transgress
my orders to bring your brother as
I have told you, and it shall be when
you bring your brother hither unto
me, then will I know that you are
true men, and you shall traffick in
the land, and I will restore unto you
your brother and you shall return in
peace to your father.

47. And they all answered and
said, according as our lord speaketh
so will we do, and they bowed down
to him to the ground.

48. And every man lifted his corn
upon his ass, and they went out to
go to the land of Canaan to their
father, and they came to the inn and
Levi spread his sack to give pro
vender to his ass, when he saw and
behold his money in full weight was
still in his sack.

49. And the man was greatly
afraid, and he said unto his brethren,
my money is restored and lo, it is
even in my sack, and the men were
greatly afraid, and they said, what is
this that God hath done unto us ?

50. And they all said, and where
is the Lord s kindness with our
fathers, with Abraham, Isaac and
Jacob, that the Lord has this day
delivered us into the hands of the
king of Egypt to contrive against us I

51. And Judah said unto them,
surely we are guilty sinners before
the Lord our God in having sold our
brother, our own flesh, and where
fore do you say, where is the Lord s
kindness with our fathers ?

52. And Reuben said unto them,
said I not unto you, do not sin
against the lad, and you would not
listen to me? now God requireth
him from us, and how dare you say,
where is the Lord s kindness with
our fathers, whilst you have sinned
unto the Lord ?

53. And they tarried over night in
that place, and they rose up early in
the morning and laded their asses
with their corn, and they led them
and went on and came to their
father s house in the land of Canaan.

54. And Jacob and his household
went out to meet his sons, and Jacob
saw and behold their brother Simeon
was not with them, and Jacob said
unto his sons, where is your brother
Simeon, whom I do not see ? and his
sons told him all that had befallen
them in Egypt.

CHAPTER LIL

1. And they entered their house,
and every man opened his sack and
they saw and behold every man s
bundle of money was there, at which
they and their father were greatly
terrified.

2. And Jacob said unto them,
what is this that you have done to
me ? I sent your brother Joseph to
inquire after your welfare and you

164

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

said unto me, a wild beast did de
vour him.

3. And Simeon went with you to
buy food and you say the king of
Egypt hath confined him in prison,
and you wish to take Benjamin to
cause his death also, and bring down
my grey hairs with sorrow to the
grave on account of Benjamin and
his brother Joseph.

4. Now therefore my son shall not
go down with you, for his brother is
dead and he is left alone, and
mischief may befall him by the way
in which you go, as it befel his brother.

5. And Reuben said unto his
father, thou shalt slay my two sons if
I do not bring thy son and place him
before thee ; and Jacob said unto his
sons, abide ye here and do not go
down to Egypt, for my son shall not
go down with you to Egypt, nor die
like his brother.

6. And Judah said unto them, re
frain ye from him until the corn is
finished, and he will then say, take
down your brother, when he will find
his own life and the life of his house
hold in danger from the famine.

7. And in those days the famine
was sore throughout the land, and
all the people of the earth went and
came to Egypt to buy food, for the
famine prevailed greatly amongst
them, and the sons of Jacob remained
in Canaan a year and two months
until their corn was finished.

8. And it came to pass after their
corn was finished, the whole house
hold of Jacob was pinched with
hunger, and all the infants of the sons
of Jacob came together and they
approached Jacob, and they all sur
rounded him, and they said unto him,
give unto us bread and wherefore
shall we all perish through hunger in
thy presence ?

9. Jacob heard the words of his
sons and children, and he wept a great
weeping, and his pity was roused for
them, and Jacob called unto his sons
and they all came and sat before
him.

10. And Jacob said unto them,
and have you not seen how your
children have been weeping over me
this day, saying, give unto us bread,
and there is none ? now therefore re
turn and buy for us a little food.

1 1 . And Judah answered and said
unto his father, if thou wilt send our
brother with us we will go down and
buy corn for thee, and if thou wilt
not send him then we will not go
down, for surely the king of Egypt
particularly enjoined us, saying, you
shall not see my face unless your
brother be with you, for the king of
Egypt is a strong and mighty king,
and behold if we shall go to him
without our brother we shall all be
put to death.

12. Dost thou not know and hast
thou not heard that this king is very
powerful and wise, and there is not
like unto him in all the earth ? behold
we have seen all the kings of the
earth and we have not seen one like
that king, the king of Egypt; surely
amongst all the kings of the earth
there is none greater than Abimelech
king of the Philistines, yet the king
of Egypt is greater and mightier
than he, and Abimelech can only be
compared to one of his officers.

13. Father, thou hast not seen his
palace and his throne, and all his ser
vants standing before him ; thou hast
not seen that king upon his throne
in his pomp and royal appearance,
dressed in his kingly robes with a
large golden crown upon his head ;
thou hast not seen the honor and glo
ry which God has given unto him,

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

165

for there is not like unto him in all
the earth.

1 4. Father, thou hast not seen the
wisdom, the understanding and the
knowledge which God has given in
his heart, nor heard his sweet voice
when he spake unto us.

15. We know not, father, who
made him acquainted with our names
and all that befel us, yet he asked
also after thee, saying, is your father
still living, and is it well with him ?

16. Thou hast not seen the affairs
of the government of Egypt regulat
ed by him, without inquiring of Pha
raoh his lord ; thou hast not seen the
awe and fear which he impressed
upon all the Egyptians.

17. And also when we went from
him, we threatened to do unto Egypt
like unto the rest of the cities of the
Amorites, and we were exceedingly
wroth against all his words which he
spoke considering us as spies, and
now when we shall again come be
fore him his terror will fall upon us
all, and not one of us will be able to
speak to him either a little or great
thing.

18. Now therefore, father, send
we pray thee the lad with us, and we
will go down and buy thee food for
our support, and not die through hun
ger ; and Jacob said, why have you
dealt so ill with me to tell the king
you had a brother ? what is this thing
that you have done unto me ?

19. And Judah said unto Jacob
his father, give the lad into my care
and we will rise up and go down to
Egypt and buy corn, and then return,
and it shall be when we return if the
lad be not with us, then let me bear
thy blame forever.

20. Hast thou seen all our infants
weeping over thee through hunger
and there is no power in thy hand to

satisfy them ? now let thy pity be
roused for them and send our brother
with us and we will go.

21. For how will the Lord s kind
ness to our ancestors be manifested
to thee when thou sayest that the
king of Egypt will take away thy
son ? as the Lord liveth I will not
leave him until I bring him and place
him before thee ; but pray for us unto
the Lord, that he may deal kindly
with us, to cause us to be received
favorably and kindly before the king
of Egypt and his men, for had we
not delayed surely now we had re
turned a second time with thy son.

22. And Jacob said unto his sons,
I trust in the Lord God that he may
deliver you and give you favor in the
sight of the king of Egypt, and in
the sight of all his men.

23. Now therefore rise up and go
to the man, and take for him in your
hands a present from what can be
obtained in the land and bring it be
fore him, and may the Almighty God
give you mercy before him that he
may send Benjamin and Simeon your
brethren with you.

24. And all the men rose up, and
they took their brother Benjamin,
and they took in their hands a large
present of the best of the land, and
they also took a double portion of
silver.

25. And Jacob strictly command
ed his sons concerning Benjamin,
saying, take heed of him in the way
in which you are going, and do not
separate yourselves from him in the
road, neither in Egypt.

26. And Jacob rose up from his
sons and spread forth his hands and
he prayed unto the Lord on account
of his sons, saying, Lord God of
heaven and earth, remember thy co
venant with our father Abraham, re-

166

THE BOOK OF JASHER,

member it with my father Isaac and
deal kindly with my sons and deliver
them not into the hands of the king
of Egypt ; do it I pray thee O God
for the sake of thy mercies and re
deem all my children and rescue
them from Egyptian power, and send
them their two brothers.

27. And all the wives of the sons
of Jacob and their children lifted up
their eyes to heaven and they all
wept before the Lord, and cried unto
him to deliver their fathers from the
hand of the king of Egypt.

28. And Jacob wrote a record to
the king of Egypt and gave it into
the hand of Judah and into the hands
of his sons for the king of Egypt,
saying,

29. From thy servant Jacob, son
of Isaac, son of Abraham the He
brew, the prince of God, to the pow
erful and wise king, the revealer of
secrets, king of Egypt, greeting.

30. Be it known to my lord the
king of Egypt, the famine was sore
upon us in the land of Canaan, and I
sent my sons to thee to buy us a lit
tle food from thee for our support.

31. For my sons surrounded me
and I being very old cannot see with
my eyes, for my eyes have become
very heavy through age, as well as with
daily weeping for my son, for Joseph
who was lost from before me, and
I commanded my sons that they
should not enter together the gates
of the city when they came to
Egypt, on account of the inhabitants
of the land.

32. And I also commanded them
to go about Egypt to seek for my
son Joseph, perhaps they might find
him there, and they did so, and thou
didst consider them as spies of the
land.

33. Have we not heard concerning

thee that thou didst interpret Pha
raoh s dream and didst speak truly
unto him ? how then dost thou not
know in thy wisdom whether my
sons are spies or not ?

34. Now therefore, my lord and
king, behold I have sent my son be
fore thee, as thou didst speak unto
my sons ; I beseech thee to put thy
eyes upon him until he is returned
to me in peace with his brethren.

35. For dost thou not know, or
hast thou not heard that which our
God did unto Pharaoh when he took
my mother Sarah, and what he did
unto Abimelech king of the Philis
tines on account of her, and also
what our father Abraham did unto
the nine kings of Elam, how he
smote them all with a few men that
were with him ?

36. And also what my two sons
Simeon and Levi did unto the eight
cities of the Amorites, how they des
troyed them on account of their sis
ter Dinah ?

37. And also on account of their
brother Benjamin they consoled
themselves for the loss of his brother
Joseph; what will they then do for him
when they see the hand of any people
prevailing over them, for his sake ?

38. Dost thou not know, O king
of Egypt, that the power of God is
with us, and that also God ever
heareth our prayers and forsaketh us
not all the days ?

39. And when my sons told me
of thy dealings with them, I called
not unto the Lord on account of thee,
for then thou would st have perished
with thy men before my son Benja
min came before thee, but I thought
that as Simeon my son was in thy
house, perhaps thou mightest deal
kindly with him, therefore I did not
this thing unto thee.

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

167

40. Now therefore behold Benja-
min my son cometh unto thee with
my sons, take heed of him and put
thy eyes upon him, and then will
God place his eyes over thee and
throughout thy kingdom.

41. Now I have told thee all that
is in my heart, and behold my sons
are coming to thee with their bro
ther, examine the face of the whole
earth for their sake and send them
back in peace with their brethren.

42. And Jacob gave the record to
his sons into the care of Judah to
give it unto the king of Egypt.

CHAPTER LIII.

1 . And the sons of Jacob rose up
and took Benjamin and the whole of
the presents, and they went and
came to Egypt and they stood before
Joseph.

2. And Joseph beheld his brother
Benjamin with them and he saluted
them, and these men came to Jo
seph s house.

3. And Joseph commanded the
superintendant of his house to give
to his brethren to eat, and he did so
unto them.

4. And at noon time Joseph sent
for the men to come before him
with Benjamin, and the men told the
superintendant of Joseph s house
concerning the silver that was return
ed in their sacks, and he said unto
them, it will be well with you, fear
not, and he brought their brother
Simeon unto them.

5. And Simeon said unto his
brethren, the lord of the Egyptians
has acted very kindly unto me, he
did not keep me bound, as you saw
with your eyes, for when you wenl
out from the city he let me free and
dealt kindly witfi me in his house.

6. And Judah took Benjamin by
the hand, and they came before Jo
seph, and they bowed down to him
to the ground.

7. And the men gave the present
unto Joseph and they all sat before
him, and Joseph said unto them, is
it well with you, is it well with your
children, is it well with your aged
father ? and they said it is well, and
Judah took the record which Jacob
had sent and gave it into the hand of
Joseph.

8. And Joseph read the letter and
knew his father s writing, and he
wished to weep and he went into an
inner room and he wept a great
weeping ; and he went out.

9. And he lifted up his eyes and
beheld his brother Benjamin, and he
said, is this your brother of whom
you spoke unto me ? and Benjamin
approached Joseph, and Joseph
placed his hand upon his head and
he said unto him, may God be gra
cious unto thee my son.

10. And when Joseph saw his
brother, the son of his mother, he
again wished to weep, and he enter
ed the chamber, and he wept there,
and he washed his face, and went
out and refrained from weeping, and
he said, prepare food.

1 1 . And Joseph had a cup from
which he drank, and it was of silver
beautifully inlaid with onyx stones,
and bdellium, and Joseph struck the
cup in the sight of his brethren
whilst they were sitting to eat with
him.

12. And Joseph said unto the men,
I know by this cup that Reuben the
first born, Simeon and Levi and Ju
dah, Issachar and Zebulun are child
ren from one mother, seat yourselves
to eat according to your births.

13. And he also placed the others

168

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

according to their births, and he said,
I know that this your youngest bro
ther has no brother, and I, like him,
have no brother, he shall therefore sit
down to eat with me.

14. And Benjamin went up before
Joseph and sat upon the throne, and
the men beheld the acts of Joseph,
and they were astonished at them ;
and the men ate and drank at that
time with Joseph, and he then gave
presents unto them, and Joseph gave
one gift unto Benjamin, and Manas-
seh and Ephraim saw the acts of
their father, and they also gave pre
sents unto him, and Osnath gave
him one present, and they were five
presents in the hand of Benjamin.

15. And Joseph brought them out
wine to drink, and they would not
drink, and they said, from the day
on which Joseph was lost we have
not drunk wine, nor eaten any de
licacies.

16. And Joseph swore unto them,
and he pressed them hard, and they
drank plentifully with him on that
day, and Joseph afterward turned to
his brother Benjamin to speak with
him, and Benjamin was still sitting
upon the throne before Joseph.

17. And Joseph said unto him,
hast thou begotten any children ? and
he said, thy servant has ten sons, and
these are their names, Bela, Becher,
Ashbal, Gera, Naaman, Achi, Rosh,
Mupim, Chupim and Ord, and I
called their names after my brother
whom I have not seen.

18. And he ordered them to bring
before him his map of the stars,
whereby Joseph knew all the times,
and Joseph said unto Benjamin, I
have heard that the Hebrews are ac
quainted with all wisdom, dost thou
know any thing of this ?

19. And Benjamin said, thy ser

vant is knowing also in all the wis
dom which my father taught me, and
Joseph said unto Benjamin, look now
at this instrument and understand
where thy brother Joseph is in
Egypt, who you said went down to
Egypt.

20. And Benjamin beheld that in
strument with the map of the stars
of heaven, and he was wise and look
ed therein to know where his brother
was, and Benjamin divided the whole
land of Egypt into four divisions, and
he found that he who was sitting up
on the throne before him was his
brother Joseph, and Benjamin won
dered greatly, and when Joseph saw
that his brother Benjamin was so
much astonished, he said unto Benja
min, what hast thou seen, and why
art thou astonished ?

21. And Benjamin said unto Jo
seph, I can see by this that Joseph
my brother sitteth here with me upon
the throne, and Joseph said unto him,
I am Joseph thy brother, reveal not
this thing unto thy brethren ; behold
I will send thee with them when they
go away, and I will command them
to be brought back again into the
city, and I will take thee away from
them.

22. And if they dare their lives
and fight for thee, then shall I know
that they have repented of what they
did unto me, and I will make myself
known to them, and if they forsake
thee when I take thee, then shalt thou
remain with me, and I will wrangle
with them, and they shall go away,
and I will not become known to
them.

23. At that time Joseph com
manded his officer to fill their sacks
with food, and to put each man s mo
ney into his sack, and to put the cup
in the sack of Benjamin, and to give

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

169

them provision for the road, and they
did so unto them.

24. And on the next day the men
rose up early in the morning, and
they loaded their asses with their
corn, and they went forth with Ben
jamin, and they went to the land
of Canaan with their brother Ben
jamin.

25. They had not gone far from
Egypt when Joseph commanded him
that was set over his house, saying,
rise, pursue these men before they
get too far from Egypt, and say unto
them, why have you stolen my mas
ter s cup ?

26. And Joseph s officer rose up
and he reached them, and he spoke
unto them all the words of Joseph ;
and when they heard this thing they
became exceedingly wroth, and they
said, he with whom thy master s cup
shall be found shall die, and we will
also become slaves.

27. And they hastened and each
man brought down his sack from his
ass, and they looked in their bags
and the cup was found in Benjamin s
bag, and they all tore their garments
and they returned to the city, and
they smote Benjamin in the road,
continually smiting him until he
came into the city, and they stood
before Joseph.

28. And Judah s anger was kin
dled, and he said, this man has only
brought me back to destroy Egypt
this day.

29. And the men came to Joseph s
house, and they found Joseph sitting
upon his throne, and all the mighty
men standing at his right and left.

30. And Joseph said unto them,
what is this act that you have done,
that you took away my silver cup
and went away? but I know that
you took my cup in order to know

thereby in what part of the land your
brother was.

31. And Judah said, what shall
we say to our lord, what shall we
speak and how shall we justify our
selves ? God has this day found the
iniquity of all thy servants, therefore
has he done this thing to us this day.

32. And Joseph rose up and caught
hold of Benjamin and took him from
his brethren with violence, and he
came to the house and locked the
door at them, and Joseph commanded
him that was set over his house that
he should say unto them, thus saith
the king, go in peace to your father,
behold I have taken the man in whose
hand my cup was found.

CHAPTER LIV.

1 . And when Judah saw the deal
ings of Joseph with them, Judah ap
proached him and broke open the
door, and came with his brethren be
fore Joseph.

2. And Judah said unto Joseph, let
it not seem grievous in the sight of
my lord, may thy servant I pray thee
speak a word before thee ? and Jo
seph said unto him, speak.

3. And Judah spoke before Joseph,
and his brethren were there standing
before them; arid Judah said unto
Joseph, surely when we first came
to our lord to buy food, thou didst
consider us as spies of the land, and
we brought Benjamin before thee,
and thou still makest sport of us this
day.

4. Now therefore let the king hear
my words, and send I pray thee our
brother that he may go along with
us to our father, lest thy soul perish
this day with all the souls of the in
habitants of Egypt.

5. Dost thou not know what two

170

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

of my brethren, Simeon and Levi,
did unto the city of Shechem, and
unto seven cities of the Amorites, on
account of our sister Dinah, and also
what they would do for the sake of
their brother Benjamin ?

6. And I with my strength, who
am greater and mightier than both of
them, come this day upon thee and
thy land if thou art unwilling to send
our brother.

7. Hast thou not heard what our
God who made choice of us did unto
Pharaoh on account of Sarah our
mother, whom he took away from
our father, that he smote him and
his household with heavy plagues,
that even unto this day the Egyp
tians relate this wonder to each
other ? so will our God do unto thee
on account of Benjamin whom thou
hast this day taken from his father,
and on account of the evils which
thou this day heapest over us in thy
land ; for our God will remember his
covenant with our father Abraham
and bring evil upon thee, because
thou hast grieved the soul of our fa
ther this day.

8. Now therefore hear my words
that I have this day spoken unto thee,
and send our brother that he may go
away lest thou and the people of thy
land die by the sword, for you can
not all prevail over me.

9. And Joseph answered Judah,
saying, why hast thou opened wide
thy mouth and why dost thou boast
over us, saying, strength is with
thee ? as Pharaoh liveth, if I com
mand all my valiant men to fight
with you, surely thou and these thy
brethren would sink in the mire.

10. And Judah said unto Joseph,
surely it becometh thee and thy peo
ple to fear me ; as the Lord liveth if
I once draw my sword I shall not

sheathe it again until I shall this day
have slain all Egypt, and I will com
mence with thee and finish with Pha
raoh thy master.

11. And Joseph answered and
said unto him, surely strength be-
longeth not alone 1o thee ; I am
stronger and mightier than thou ;
surely if thou drawest thy sword I
will put it to thy neck and the necks
of all thy brethren.

12. And Judah said unto him,
surely if I this day open my mouth
against thee I would swallow thee up
that thou be destroyed from off the
earth and perish this day from thy
kingdom. And Joseph said, surely
if thou openest thy mouth I have
power and might to close thy mouth
with a stone until thou shaft not be
able to utter a word ; see how many
stones are before us, truly I can take
a stone, and force it into thy mouth
and break thy jaws.

13. And Judah said, God is wit
ness between us, that we have not
hitherto desired to battle with thee,
only give us our brother and we will
go irom thee ; and Joseph answered
and said, as Pharaoh liveth, if all
the kings of Canaan came together
with you, you should not take him
from my hand.

14. Now therefore go your way to
your father, and your brother shall
be unto me for a slave, for he has
robbed the king s house. And Judah
said, what is it to thee or to the char
acter of the king, surely the king
sendeth forth from his house, through
out the land, silver and gold either in
gifts or expenses, and thou still talk-
est about thy cup which thou didst
place in our brother s bag and sayest
that he has stolen it from thee ?

15. God forbid that our brother
Benjamin or any of the seed of Abra-

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

171

ham should do this thing to steal from
thee, or from any one else, whether
king, prince, or any man.

16. Now therefore cease this ac
cusation lest the whole earth hear thy
words, saying, for a little silver the
king of Egypt wrangled with the
men, and he accused them and took
their brother for a slave.

1 7. And Joseph answered and said,
take unto you this cup and go from
me and leave your brother for a slave,
for it is the judgment of a thief to be
a slave.

18. And Judah said, why art thou
not ashamed of thy words, to leave
our brother and to take thy cup ?
Surely if thou givest us thy cup, or
a thousand times as much, we will
not leave our brother for the silver
which is found in the hand of any
man, that we will not die over him.

19. And Joseph answered, and why
did you forsake your brother and sell*
him for twenty pieces of silver unto
this day, and why then will you not
do the same to this your brother ?

20. And Judah said, the Lord is
witness between me and thee that
we desire not thy battles ; now there
fore give us our brother and we will
go from thee without quarreling.

21. And Joseph answered and
said, if all the kings of the land
should assemble they will not be able
to take your brother from my hand ;

* It may seem strange that they were not
surprised at hearing this declaration from Jo-
seph, how he should become acquainted with
what was only known to themselves, but it must
be remembered that they knew that Joseph was
an interpreter of dreams and a noted magician ;
this may be corroborated by Jacob s letter to
Joseph, ch. 52, v. 33. " Have we not heard
concerning thee, that thou didst interpret Pha
raoh s dream, and didst make this famine known
to him before it came, and didst speak truly unto
him, how then dost thou not know in thy wis
dom whether my sons are spies or not?"

and Judah said, what shall we say
unto our father, when he seeth that
our brother cometh not with us, and
will grieve over him ?

22. And Joseph answered and
said, this is the thing which you shall
tell unto your father, saying, the rope
has gone after the bucket.

23. And Judah said, surely thou
art a king, and why speakest thou
these things, giving a false judgment?
woe unto the king who is like unto
thee.

24. And Joseph answered and
said, there is no false judgment in the
word that I spoke on account of your
brother Joseph, for all of you sold
him to the Midianites for twenty
pieces of silver, and you all denied
it to your father and said unto him,
an evil beast has devoured him, Jo
seph has been torn to pieces.

25. And Judah said, behold the
fire of Shem burneth in my heart,
now I will burn all your land with
fire ; and Joseph answered and said,
surely thy sister-in-law Tamar, who
killed your sons, extinguished the
fire of Shechem.

26. And Judah said, if I pluck out
a single hair from my flesh, I will
fill all Egypt with its blood.

27. And Joseph answered and
said, such is your custom to do as
you did to your brother whom you
sold, and you dipped his coat in blood
and brought it to your father in order
that he might say an evil beast de
voured him and here is his blood.

28. And when Judah heard this
thing he was exceedingly wroth and
his anger burned within him, and
there was before him in that place a
stone, the weight of which was about
four hundred shekels, and Judah s
anger was kindled and he took the
stone in one hand and cast it to the

172

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

heavens and caught it with his left
hand.

29. And he placed it afterward
under his legs, and he sat upon it
with all his strength and the stone
was turned into dust from the force
of Judah.

30. And Joseph saw the act of
Judah and he was very much afraid,
but he commanded Manasseh his
son and he also did with another
stone like unto the act of Judah, and
Judah said unto his brethren, let not
any of you say, this man is an Egyp
tian, but by his doing this thing he
is of our father s family.

31. And Joseph said, not to you
only is strength given, for we are
also powerful men, and why will you
boast over us all? and Judah said un
to Joseph, send I pray thee our bro
ther and ruin not thy country this day.

32. And Joseph answered and
said unto them, go and tell your fa
ther, an evil beast hath devoured him
as you said concerning your brother
Joseph.

33. And Judah spoke to his bro
ther Naphtali, and he said unto him,
make haste, go now and number all
the streets of Egypt and come and
tell me ; and Simeon said unto him,
let not this thing be a trouble to thee ;
now I will go to the mount and take
up one large stone from the mount
and level it at every one in Egypt
and kill all that are in it.

34. And Joseph heard all these
words that his brethren spoke before
him, and they did not know that Jo
seph understood them, for they ima
gined that he knew not to speak He
brew.

35. And Joseph was greatly afraid
at the words of his brethren lest they
should destroy Egypt, and he com
manded his son Manasseh, saying,

go now make haste and gather unto
me all the inhabitants of Egypt and
all the valiant men together, and let
them come to me now upon horse
back and on foot and with all sorts
(/musical instruments, and Manas
seh went and did so.

36. And Naphtali went as Judah
had commanded him, for Naphtali
was light-footed as one of the swift
stags, and he would go upon the ears
of corn and they would not break
under him.

37. And he went and numbered
all the streets of Egypt, and found
them to be twelve, and he came
hastily and told Judah, and Judah
said unto his brethren, hasten you
and put on every man his sword up
on his loins and we will come over
Egypt, and smite them all, and let
not a remnant remain.

38. And Judah said, behold, I will
destroy three of the streets with my
strength, and you shall each destroy
one street ; and when Judah was
speaking this thing, behold the inha
bitants of Egypt and all the mighty
men came toward them with all
sorts of musical instruments and
with loud shouting.

39. And their number was five
hundred cavalry and ten thousand in
fantry, and four hundred men who
could fight without sword or spear,
only with their hands and strength.

40. And all the mighty men came
with great storming and shouting,
and they all surrounded the sons of
Jacob and terrified them, and the
ground quaked at the sound of their
shouting.

41. And when the sons of Jacob
saw these troops they were greatly
afraid of their lives, and Joseph did
so in order to terrify the sons of Ja
cob to become tranquilized.

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

173

42 And Judah, seeing some of
his brethren terrified, said unto them,
why are you afraid whilst the grace
of God is with us ? and when Judah
saw all the people of Egypt surround
ing them at the command of Joseph
to terrify them, only Joseph com
manded them, saying, do not touch
any of them ;

43. Then Judah hastened and
drew his sword, and uttered a loud
and bitter scream, and he smote
with his sword, and he sprang upon
the ground, and he still continued to
shout against all the people.

44. And when he did this thing
the Lord caused the terror of Judah
and his brethren to fall upon the
valiant men and all the people that
surrounded them.

45. And they all fled at the sound
of the shouting, and they were ter
rified and fell one upon the other,
and many of them died as they fell,
and they all fled from before Judah
and his brethren and from before Jo
seph.

46. And whilst they were fleeing
Judah and his brethren pursued them
unto the house of Pharaoh, and they
all escaped, and Judah again sat be
fore Joseph and roared at him like
a lion, and gave a great and tremen
dous shriek at him.

47. And the shriek was heard at
a distance, and all the inhabitants of
Succoth heard it, and all Egypt
quaked at the sound of the shriek,
and also the walls of Egypt and of
the land of Goshen fell in from the
shaking of the earth, and Pharaoh
also fell from his throne upon the
ground, and also all the pregnant
women of Egypt and Goshen mis
carried when they heard the noise of
the shaking, for they were terribly
afraid.

48. And Pharaoh sent word, say
ing, what is this thing that has this
day happened in the land of Egypt ?
and they came and told him all the
things from beginning to end, and
Pharaoh was alarmed and he won
dered and was greatly afraid.

49. And his fright increased when
he heard all these things, and he
sent unto Joseph, saying, thou hast
brought unto me the Hebrews to
destroy all Egypt; what wilt thou
do with that thievish slave ? send
him away and let him go with his
brethren, and let us not perish
through their evil, even we, you and
all Egypt.

50. And if thou desirest not to
do this thing, cast off from thee all
my valuable things, and go with
them to their land, if thou delightest
in it, for they will this day destroy
my whole country and slay all my
people ; even all the women of
Egypt have miscarried through their
screams ; see what they have done
merely by their shouting and speak
ing, moreover if they fight with the
sword, they will destroy the land ;
now therefore choose that which
thou desirest, whether me or the
Hebrews, whether Egypt or the land
of the Hebrews.

51. And they came and told Jo
seph all the words of Pharaoh that
he had said concerning him, and Jo
seph was greatly afraid at the words
of Pharaoh, and Judah and his bre
thren were still standing before Jo
seph indignant and enraged, and all
the sons of Jacob roared at Joseph,
like the roaring of the sea and its
waves.

52. And Joseph was greatly afraid
of his brethren and on account of
Pharaoh, and Joseph sought a pre
text to make himself known unto his

174

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

brethren, lest they should destroy all
Egypt.

53. And Joseph commanded his
son Manasseh, and Manasseh went
and approached Judah, and placed
his hand upon his shoulder, and the
anger of Judah was stilled.

54. And Judah said unto his
brethren, let no one of you say that
this is the act of an Egyptian youth
for this is the work of my father s
house.

55. And Joseph seeing and know
ing that Judah s anger was stilled,
he approached to speak unto Judah
in the language of mildness.

56. And Joseph said unto Judah,
surely you speak truth and have this
day verified your assertions con
cerning your strength, and may your
God who delighteth in you, increase
your welfare ; but tell me truly why
from amongst all thy brethren dost
thou wrangle with me on account of
the lad, as none of them had spoken
one word to me concerning him.

57. And Judah answered Joseph,
saying, surely thou must know that
I was security for the lad to his
father, saying, if I brought him not
unto him I should bear his blame
forever.

58. Therefore have I approached
thee from amongst all my brethren,
for I saw that thou wast unwilling to
suffer him to go from thee ; now
therefore may I find grace in thy
sight that thou shalt send him to go
with us, and behold I will remain as
a substitute for him, to serve thee in
whatever thou desirest, for whereso
ever thou shalt send me I will go to
serve thee with great energy.

59. Send me now to a mighty
king who has rebelled against thee
and thou shalt know what I will do
unto him and unto his land ; although

he may have cavalry and infantry
or an exceeding mighty people, 1
will slay them all and bring the
king s head before thee.

60. Dost thou not know or hast
thou not heard that our father Abra
ham with his servant Eliezer smote
all the kings of Elam with their
hosts in one night, they left not one
remaining ? and ever since that day
our father s strength was given unto
us for an inheritance, for us and our
seed forever.

61. And Joseph answered and
said, you speak truth and falsehood
is not in your mouth, for it was also
told unto us that the Hebrews have
power and that the Lord their God
delighteth much in them, and who
then can stand before them ?

62. However on this condition
will I send your brother, if you will
bring before me his brother the son
of his mother, of whom you said that
he had gone from you down to Egypt;
and it shall come to pass when you
bring unto me his brother I will take
him in his stead, because not one of
you was security for him to your
father, and when he shall come unto
me, I will then send with you his
brother for whom you have been
security.

63. And Judah s anger was kin
dled against Joseph when he spoke
this thing, and his eyes dropped blood
with anger, and he said unto his
brethren, how doth this man this day
seek his own destruction and that of
all Egypt !

64. And Simeon answered Joseph,
saying, did we not tell thee at first
that we knew not the particular*
spot to which he went, and whether

* Although they knew he went down to
Egypt, they could not tell to what part or what
town of Egypt he went.

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

175

he be dead or alive, and wherefore
speaketh my lord like unto these
things ?

65. And Joseph observing the
countenance of Judah discerned that
his anger began to kindle when he
spoke unto him, saying bring unto
me your other brother instead of this
brother.

66. And Joseph said unto his breth
ren, surely you said that your brother
was either dead or lost, now if I should
call him this day and he should come
before you, would you give him
unto me instead of his brother ?

67. And Joseph began to speak
and call out, Joseph, Joseph, come
this day before me, and appear to
thy brethren and sit before them.

68. And when Joseph spoke this
thing before them, they looked each
a different way to see from whence
Joseph would come before them.

69. And Joseph observed all their
acts, and said unto them, why do
you look here and there ? I am
Joseph whom you sold to Egypt,
now therefore let it not grieve you
that you sold me, for as a support
during the famine did God send me
before you.

70. And his brethren were terrifi
ed at him when they heard the words
of Joseph, and Judah was exceed
ingly terrified at him.

71 . And when Benjamin heard the
words of Joseph he was before them
in the inner part of the house, and
Benjamin ran unto Joseph his brother
and embraced him and fell upon his
neck, and they wept.

72. And when Joseph s brethren
saw that Benjamin had fallen upon
his brother s neck and wept with him,
they also fell upon Joseph and em
braced him, and they wept a great
weeping with Joseph.

73. And the voice was heard in
the house of Joseph that they were
Joseph s brethren, and it pleased
Pharaoh exceedingly, for he was
afraid of them lest they should de
stroy Egypt.

74. And Pharaoh sent his servants
unto Joseph to congratulate him
concerning his brethren who had
come to him, and all the captains of
the armies and troops that were in
Egypt came to rejoice with Joseph,
and all Egypt rejoiced greatly about
Joseph s brethren.

75. And Pharaoh sent his servants
to Joseph, saying, tell thy brethren
to fetch all belonging to them and let
them come unto me and I will place
them in the best part of the land of
Egypt, and they did so.

76. And Joseph commanded him
that was set over his house to bring
out tohisbrethren gifts and garments,
and he brought out to (hem many
garments being robes of royalty and
many gifts, and Joseph divided them
amongst his brethren.

77. And he gave unto each of his
brethren a change of garments of
gold and silver, and three hun
dred pieces of silver, and Joseph
commanded them all to be dressed in
these garments and to be brought
before Pharaoh.

78. And Pharaoh seeing that all
Joseph s brethren were valiant men,
and of beautiful appearance, he great
ly rejoiced.

79. And they afterward went out
from the presence of Pharaoh to go
to the land of Canaan, to their father,
and their brother Benjamin was with
them.

80. And Joseph rose up and gave
unto them eleven chariots from Pha
raoh, and Joseph gave unto them his
chariot, upon which he rode on the

176

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

day of his being crowned in Egypt,
to fetch his father to Egypt ; and Jo
seph sent to all his brothers children,
garments according to their numbers,
and a hundred pieces of silver to each
of them, and he also sent garments
to the wives of his brethren from the
garments of the king s wives, and he
sent them.

81. And he gave unto each of his
brethren ten men to go with them to
the land of Canaan to serve them, to
serve their children and all belonging
to them in coming to Egypt.

82. And Joseph sent by the hand
of his brother Benjamin ten suits of
garments for his ten sons, a portion
above the rest of the children of the
sons of Jacob.

83. And he sent to each fifty
pieces of silver, and ten chariots on
the account of Pharaoh, and he sent
to his father ten asses laden with all
the luxuries of Egypt, and ten she-
asses laden with corn and bread and
nourishment for his father, and to all
that were with him as provision for
the road.

84. And he sent to his sister Dinah
garments of silver and gold, and
frankincense and myrrh, and aloes
and women s ornaments in great
plenty, and he sent the same from
the wives of Pharaoh to the wives
of Benjamin.

85. And he gave unto all his bre
thren, also to their wives, all sorts of
onyx stones and bdellium, and from
all the valuable things amongst the
great people of Egypt, nothing of all
the costly things was left but what
Joseph sent of to his father s house
hold.

86. And he sent his brethren away,
and they went, and he sent his bro
ther Benjamin with them.

87. And Joseph went out with

them to accompany them on the road
unto the borders of Egypt, and he
commanded them concerning his fa
ther and his household, to come to
Egypt.

88. And he said unto them, do not
quarrel on the road, for this thing
was from the Lord to keep a great
people from starvation, for there will
be yet five years of famine in the
land.

89. And he commanded them r
saying, when you come unto the land
of Canaan, do not come suddenly be
fore my father in this affair, but act
in your wisdom.

90. And Joseph ceased to com
mand them, and he turned and went
back to Egypt, and the sons of Jacob
went to the land of Canaan with joy
and cheerfulness to their father Ja
cob.

9 1 . And they came unto the bor
ders of the land, and they said to
each other, what shall we do in this
matter before our father, for if we
come suddenly to him and tell him
the matter, he will be greatly alarmed
at our words and will not believe us.

92. And they went along until
they came nigh unto their houses,
and they found Serach, the daughter
of Asher, going forth to meet them,
and the damsel was very good and
subtle, and knew how to play upon
the harp.

93. And they called unto her and
she came before them, and she kiss
ed them, and they took her and gave
unto her a harp, saying, go now be
fore our father, and sit before him,
and strike upon the harp, and speak
these words.

94. And they commanded her to
go to their house, and she took the
harp and hastened before them, and
she came and sat near Jacob.

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

177

95. And she played well and sang,
and uttered in the sweetness of her
words, Joseph my uncle is living,
and he ruleth throughout the land of
Egypt, and is not dead.

96. And she continued to repeat
and utter these words, and Jacob
heard her words and they were agree
able to him.

97. He listened whilst she repeat
ed them twice and thrice, and joy
entered the heart of Jacob at the
sweetness of her words, and the spi
rit of God was upon him, and he
knew all her words to be true.

98. And Jacob blessed Serach
when she spoke these words before
him, and he said unto her, my daugh
ter, may death never prevail over
thee, for thou hast revived my spirit ;
only speak yet before me as thou
hast spoken, for thou hast gladdened
me with all thy words.

99. And she continued to sing
these words, and Jacob listened and
it pleased him, and he rejoiced, and
the spirit of God was upon him.

100. Whilst he was yet speaking
with her, behold his sons came to
him with horses and chariots and
royal garments and servants running
before them.

101. And Jacob rose up to meet
them, and saw his sons dressed in
royal garments and he saw all the
treasures that Joseph had sent to
them.

102. And they said unto him, be
informed that our brother Joseph is
living, and it is he who ruleth through
out the land of Egypt, and it is he
who spoke unto us as we told thee.

103. And Jacob heard all the words
of his sons, and his heart palpitated
at their words, for he could not be
lieve them until he saw all that Jo
seph had given them and what he

had sent him, and all the signs which
Joseph had spoken unto them.

104. And they opened out before
him, and showed him all that Joseph
had sent, they gave unto each what
Joseph had sent him, and he knew
that they had spoken the truth, and
he rejoiced exceedingly on account
of his son.

105. And Jacob said, it is enough
for me that my son Joseph is still liv
ing, I will go and see him before I die.

106. And his sons told him all
that had befallen them, and Jacob
said, I will go down to Egypt to see
my son and his offspring.

107. And Jacob rose up and put
on the garments which Joseph had
sent him, and after he had washed,
and shaved his hair, he put upon his
head the turban which Joseph had
serit him.

108." And all the people of Jacob s
house and their wives put on the gar
ments which Joseph had sent to them,
and they greatly rejoiced at Joseph
that he was still living and that he
was ruling in Egypt.

109. And all the inhabitants of
Canaan heard of this thing, and they
came and rejoiced much with Jacob
that he was still living.

110. And Jacob made a feast for
them for three days, and all the kings
of Canaan and nobles of the land
ate and drank and rejoiced in the
house of Jacob.

CHAPTER LV.

1 . And it came to pass after this
that Jacob said, I will go and see my
son in Egypt and will then come
back to the land of Canaan of which
God had spoken unto Abraham, for
I cannot leave the land of my birth
place.

178

THE BOOK OF JASHER,

2. Behold the word of the Lord
came unto him, saying, go down to
Egypt with all thy household and re
main there, fear not to go down to
Egypt for I will there make thee
a great nation.

3. And Jacob said within himself,
I will go and see my son whether
the fear of his God is yet in his
heart amidst all the inhabitants of
Egypt.

4. And the Lord said unto Jacob,
fear not about Joseph, for he still re-
taineth his integrity to serve me, as
will seem good in thy sight, and Ja
cob rejoiced exceedingly concerning
his son.

5. At that time Jacob commanded
his sons and household to go to Egypt
according to the word of the Lord
unto him ; and Jacob rose up with
his sons and all his household, and
he went out from the land of Canaan
from Beer-sheba, with joy and glad
ness of heart, and they went to the
land of Egypt.

6. And it came to pass when they
came near Egypt, Jacob sent Judah
before him to Joseph that he might
show him a situation in Egypt, and
Judah did according to the word of
his father, and he hastened and ran
and came to Joseph, and they as
signed for them a place in the land
of Goshen for all his household, and
Judah returned and came along the
road to his father.

7. And Joseph harnessed the cha
riot, and he assembled all his mighty
men and his servants and all the of
ficers of Egypt in order to go and
meet his father Jacob, and Joseph s
mandate was proclaimed in Egypt,
saying, all that do not go to meet Ja
cob shall die.

8. And on the next day Joseph
went forth with all Egypt a great and

mighty host, all dressed in garments
of fine linen and purple and with in
struments of silver and gold and with
their instruments of war with them.

9. And they all went to meet Ja
cob with all sorts of musical instru
ments, with drums and timbrels,
strewing myrrh and aloes all along
the road, and they all went after this
fashion, and the earth shook at their
shouting.

10. And all the women of Egypt
went upon the roofs of Egypt and
upon the walls to meet Jacob, and
upon the head of Joseph was Phara
oh s regal crown, for Pharaoh had
sent it unto him to put on at the time
of his going to meet his father.

1 1 . And when Joseph came within
fifty cubits of his father, he alighted
from the chariot and he walked to
ward his father, and when all the of
ficers of Egypt and her nobles saw
that Joseph had gone on foot toward
his father, they also alighted and
walked on foot toward Jacob.

12. And when Jacob approached
the camp of Joseph, Jacob observed
the camp that was coming toward
him with Joseph, and it gratified him
and Jacob was astonished at it.

13. And Jacob said unto Judah,
who is that man whom I see in the
camp of Egypt dressed in kingly
robes with a very red garment upon
him and a royal crown upon his head,
who has alighted from his chariot
and is coining toward us ? and Judah
answered his father, saying, he is thy
son Joseph the king ; and Jacob re
joiced in seeing the glory of his son.

14. And Joseph came nigh unto
his father and he bowed to his father,
and all the men of the camp bowed
to the ground with him before Jacob.

15. And behold Jacob ran and
hastened to his son Joseph and fell

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

179

\ipon his neck and kissed him, and
they wept, and Joseph also embraced
his father and kissed him, and they
wept and all the people of Egypt
wept with them.

16. And Jacob said unto Joseph,
now I will die cheerfully after I have
seen thy face, that thou art still liv
ing and with glory.

17. And the sons of Jacob and their
wives and their children and their
servants, and all the household of
Jacob wept exceedingly with Joseph,
and they kissed him and wept
greatly with him.

] 8. And Joseph and all his people
returned afterward home to Egypt,
and Jacob and his sons and all the
children of his household came with
Joseph to Egypt, and Joseph placed
them in the best part of Egypt, in
the land of Goshen.

19. And Joseph said unto his fa
ther and unto his brethren, I will go
up and tell Pharaoh, saying, my bre
thren and my father s household and
all belonging to them have come unto
me, and behold they are in the land
of Goshen.

20. And Joseph did so and took
from his brethren Reuben, Issachar
Zebulun and his brother Benjamin,
and he placed them before Pharaoh.

21. And Joseph spoke unto Pha
raoh, saying, my brethren and my
father s household and all belonging
to them together with their flocks
and cattle have come unto me from
the land of Canaan, to sojourn in
Egypt ; for the famine was sore up
on them.

22. And Pharaoh said unto Jo
seph, place thy father and brethren
in the best part of the land, withhold
not from them all that is good, and
cause them to eat of the fat of the
land.

23. And Joseph answered, saying,
behold I have stationed them in the
land of Goshen, for they are shep
herds, therefore let them remain in
Goshen to feed their flocks apart
from the Egyptians.

24. And Pharaoh said unto Joseph,
do with thy brethren all that they
shall say unto thee ; and the sons of
Jacob bowed down to Pharaoh, and
they went forth from him in peace,
and Joseph afterward brought his
father before Pharaoh.

25. And Jacob came and bowed
down to Pharaoh, and Jacob blessed
Pharaoh, and he then went out ; and
Jacob and all his sons, and all his
household dwelt in the land of G oshen.

26. In the second year, that is in
the hundred and thirtieth year of
the life of Jacob, Joseph maintained
his father and his brethren, and all
his father s household, with bread
according to their little ones, all the
days of the famine ; they lacked no
thing.

27. And Joseph gave unto them
the best part of the whole land ; the
best of Egypt had they all the days
of Joseph ; and Joseph also gave
unto them and unto the whole of his
father s household, clothes and gar
ments year by year ; and the sons
of Jacob remained securely in Egypt
all the days of their brother.

28. And Jacob always ate at Jo
seph s table, Jacob and his sons did
not leave Joseph s table day or night,
besides what Jacob s children con
sumed in their houses.

29. And all Egypt ate bread dur
ing the days of the famine from the
house of Joseph, for all the Egyp
tians sold all belonging to them on
account of the famine.

30. And Joseph purchased all the
lands; and fields of Eygpt for bread

180

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

on the account of Pharaoh, and Jo
seph supplied all Egypt with bread
all the days of the famine, and Jo
seph collected all the silver and gold
that came unto him for the corn
which they bought throughout the
land, and ne accumulated much gold
and silver, besides an immense
quantity of onyx stones, bdellium
and valuable garments which they
brought unto Joseph from every part
of the land when their money was
spent.

31. And Joseph took of all the sil
ver and gold that came into his hand,
about seventy two talents of gold
and silver, and also onyx stones and
bdellium in great abundance, and
Joseph went and concealed them in
four parts, and he concealed one
part in the wilderness near the Red
sea, and one part by the river Perath,
and the third and fourth part he con
cealed in the desert opposite to the
wilderness of Persia and Media.

32. And he took part of the gold
and silver that was left, and gave it
unto all his brothers and unto all his
father s household, and unto all the
women of his father s household, and
the rest he brought to the house of
Pharaoh, about twenty talents of
gold and silver.

33. And Joseph gave all the gold
and silver that was left unto Pha
raoh, and Pharaoh placed it in the
treasury, and the days of the famine
ceased after that in the land, and
they sowed and reaped in the whole
land, and they obtained their usual
quantity year by year ; they lacked
nothing.

34. And Joseph dwelt securely in
Egypt, and the whole land was un
der his advice, and his father and all
his brethren dwelt in the land of
Goshen and took possession of it.

35. And Joseph was very aged,
advanced in days, and his two sons,
Ephraim and Manasseh, remained
constantly in the house of Jacob, to
gether with the children of the sons
of Jacob their brethren, to learn the
ways of the Lord and his law.

36. And Jacob and his sons dwelt
in the land of Egypt in the land of
Goshen, and they took possession in
it, and they were fruitful and multi
plied in it.

CHAPTER LVI.

1 . And Jacob lived in the land of
Egypt seventeen years, and the days
of Jacob, and the years of his life
were a hundred and forty seven
years.

2. At that time Jacob was attack
ed with that illness of which he died,
and he sent and called for his son
Joseph from Egypt, and Joseph his
son came from Egypt, and Joseph
came unto his father.

3. And Jacob said unto Joseph
and unto his sons, behold I die, and
the God of your ancestors will visit
you, and bring you back to the land,
which the Lord sware to give unto
you and unto your children after you;
now therefore when I am dead, bury
me in the cave which is in Machpe-
lah in Hebron in the land of Canaan,
near my ancestors.

4. And Jacob made his sons
swear to bury him in Machpelah, in
Hebron, and his sons swore unto him
concerning this thing.

5. And he commanded them, say
ing, serve the Lord your God, for he
who delivered your fathers will also
deliver you from all trouble.

6. And Jacob said, call all your
children unto me, and all the child
ren of Jacob s sons came and sat be-

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181

fore him, and Jacob blessed them,
and he said unto them, the Lord
God of your fathers shall grant you
a thousand times as much and bless
you, and may he give you the bless
ing of your father Abraham ; and all
the children of Jacob s sons went
forth on that day after he had blessed
them.

7. And on the next day Jacob
again called for his sons, and they all
assembled and came to him and sat
before him, and Jacob on that day
blessed his sons before his death,
each man did he bless according to
his blessing ; behold it is written in
the book of the law of the Lord ap
pertaining to Israel.

8. And Jacob said unto Judah, I
know my son that thou art a mighty
man for thy brethren ; reign over
them, and thy sons shall reign over
their sons forever.

9. Only teach thy sons the bow
and all weapons of war, in order that
they may fight the battles of their
brother who will rule over his ene
mies.*

10. And Jacob again commanded
his sons on that day, saying, behold
I shall be this day gathered unto
my people ; carry me up from Egypt,
and bury me in the cave of Mach-
pelah as I have commanded you.

11. Howbeit take heed I pray you
that none of your sons carry me, on
ly yourselves, and this is the manner
you shall do unto me, when you
carry my body to go with it to the
land of Canaan to bury me.

12. Judah, Issachar and Zebulun
shall carry my bier at the eastern
side ; Reuben, Simeon and Gad at
the south, Ephraim, Manasseh and
Benjamin at the west, Dan, Asher
and Naphtali at the north.

* See II Samuel, ch. 1, v. 18.

13. Let not Levi carry with you,
for he and his sons will carry the
ark of the covenant of the Lord with
the Israelites in the camp, neither
let Joseph my son carry, for as a
king so let his glory be ; howbeit,
Ephraim and Manasseh shall be in
their stead.*

14. Thus shall you do unto me
when you carry me away ; do not
neglect any thing of all that I com
mand you ; and it shall come to pass
when you do this unto me, that the
Lord will remember you favorably
and your children after you forever.

15. And you my sons, honor each
his brother and his relative, and com
mand your children and your child
ren s children after you to serve the
Lord God of your ancestors all the
days,

16. In order that you may pro
long your days in the land, you and
your children and your children s
children for ever, when you do what
is good and upright in the sight of
the Lord your God, to go in all his
ways.

17. And thou, Joseph my son,
forgive I pray thee the wrongs of thy
brethren and all their misdeeds in the
injury that they heaped upon thee,
for God intended it for thine and thy
children s benefit.

18. And O my son leave not thy
brethren to the inhabitants of Egypt,
neither hurt their feelings, for behold
I consign them to the hand of God
and in thy hand to guard them from
the Egyptians ; and the sons of Jacob
answered their father saying, 0, our
father, all that thou hast commanded
us, so will we do ; may God only be
with us.

19. And Jacob said unto his sons,
so may God be with you when you

* Instead of Levi and Joseph.

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THE BOOK OF JASHER.

keep all his ways ; turn not from his
ways either to the right or the left
in performing what is good and up
right in his sight.

20. For I know that many and
grievous troubles will befall you in
the latter days in the land, yea your
children and children s children ; only
serve the Lord and he will save you
from all trouble.

21. And it shall come to pass
when you shall go after God to serve
him and will teach your children after
you, and your children s children,
to know the Lord, then will the Lord
raise up unto you and your children
a servant from amongst your chil
dren, and the Lord will deliver you
through his hand from all affliction,
and bring you out of Egypt and
bring you back to the land of your
fathers to inherit it securely.

22. And Jacob ceased command
ing his sons, and he drew his feet
into the bed, he died and was
gathered to his people.

23. And Joseph fell upon his
father and he cried out and wept
over him and he kissed him, and he
called out in a bitter voice, and he
said, my father, my father.

24. And his sons wives and all
his household came and fell upon
Jacob, and they wept over him, and
cried in a very loud voice concerning
Jacob.

25. And all the sons of Jacob
rose up together, and they tore their
garments, and they all put sackcloth
upon their loins, and they fell upon
their faces, and they cast dust upon
their heads toward the heavens.

26. And the thing was told unto
Osnath Joseph s wife, and she rose
up and put on a sack and she with all
the Egyptian women with her came
and mourned and wept for Jacob.

27. And also all the people of
Egypt who knew Jacob came all on
that day when they heard this thing,
and all Egypt wept for many days.

28. And also from the land of
Canaan did the women come unto
Egypt when they heard that Jacob
was dead, and they wept for him in
Egypt for seventy days.

29. And it came to pass after this
that Joseph commanded his servants
the doctors to embalm his father
with myrrh and frankincense and
all manner of incense and perfume,
and the doctors embalmed Jacob as
Joseph had commanded them.

30. And all the people of Egypt
and the elders and all the inhabitants
of the land of Goshen wept and
mourned over Jacob, and all his sons
and the children of his household
lamented and mourned over their
father Jacob many days.

31. And after the days of his
weeping had passed away, at the
end of seventy days, Joseph said
unto Pharaoh, I will go up and bury
my father in the land of Canaan as
he made me swear, and then I will
return.

32. And Pharaoh sent Joseph,
saying, go up and bury thy father as
he said, and as he made thee swear ;
and Joseph rose up with all his bre
thren to go to the land of Canaan to
bury their father Jacob as he had
commanded them.

33. And Pharaoh commanded that
it should be proclaimed throughout
Egypt, saying, whoever goeth not up
with Joseph and his brethren to the
land of Canaan to bury Jacob, shall
die.

34. And all Egypt heard of Pha
raoh s proclamation, and they all rose
up together, and all the servants of
Pharaoh, and the elders of his house,

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183

and all the elders of the land of Egypt
went up with Joseph, and all the of
ficers and nobles of Pharaoh went
up as the servants of Joseph, and
they went to bury Jacob in the land
of Canaan.

35. And the sons of Jacob carried
the bier upon which he lay ; accord
ing to all that their father commanded
them, so did his sons unto him.

36. And the bier was of pure gold,
and it was inlaid round about with
onyx stones and bdellium ; and the
covering of the bier was gold woven
work, joined with threads, and over
them were hooks of onyx stones and
bdellium.

37. And Joseph placed upon the
head of his father Jacob a large gold
en crown, and he put a golden scep
tre in his hand, and they surrounded
the bier as was the custom of kings
during their lives.

38. And all the troops of Egypt
went before him in this array, at first
all the mighty men of Pharaoh and
the mighty men of Joseph, and after
them the rest of the inhabitants of
Egypt, and they were all girded with
swords and equipped with coats of
mail, and the trappings of war were
upon them.

39. And all the weepers and
mourners went at a distance opposite
to the bier, going and weeping and
lamenting, and the rest of the people
went after the bier.

40. And Joseph and his household
went together near the bier barefooted
and weeping, and the rest of Joseph s
servants went around him ; each man
had his ornaments upon him, and they
were all armed with their weapons of
war.

41. And fifty of Jacob s servants
went in front of the bier, and they
strewed along the road myrrh and

aloes, and all manner of perfume,
and all the sons of Jacob that carried
the bier walked upon the perfumery,
and the servants of Jacob went before
them strewing the perfume along the
road.

42. And Joseph went up with a
heavy camp, and they did after this
manner every day until they reached
the land of Canaan, and they came
to the threshing floor of Atad, which
was on the other side of Jordan, and
they mourned an exceeding great and
heavy mourning in that place.

43. And all the kings of Canaan
heard of this thing and they all went
forth, each man from his house, thirty-
one kings of Canaan, and they all
came with their men to mourn and
weep over Jacob.

44. And all these kings beheld Ja
cob s bier, and behold Joseph s crown
was upon it, and they also put their
crowns upon the bier, and encircled

it with crowns.

45. And all these kings made in
that place a great, and heavy mourn
ing with the sons of Jacob and Egypt
over Jacob, for all the kings of Ca
naan knew the valor of Jacob and his
sons.

46. And the report reached Esau,
saying, Jacob died in Egypt, and his
sons and all Egypt are conveying him
to the land of Canaan to bury him.

47. And Esau heard this thing,
and he was dwelling in mount Seir,
and he rose up with his sons and all
his people and all his household, a
people exceedingly great, and they
came to mourn and weep over Jacob.

48. And it came to pass, when
Esau came he mourned for his bro
ther Jacob, and all Egypt and all
Canaan again rose up and mourned
a great mourning with Esau over Ja
cob in that place.

184

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

49. Arid Joseph and his brethren
brought their father Jacob from that
place, and they went to Hebron to
bury Jacob in the cave by his fathers.

50. And they came unto Kireath-
arba, to the cave, and as they came
Esau stood with his sons against Jo
seph and his brethren as an hindrance
in the cave, saying, Jacob shall not
be buried therein, for it belongeth to
us and to our father.

51. And Joseph and his brethren
heard the words of Esau s sons, and
they were exceedingly wroth, and
Joseph approached unto Esau, say
ing, what is this thing which they
have spoken ? surely my father Jacob
bought it from thee for great riches
after the death of Isaac, now* live
and twenty years ago, and also all
the land of Canaan he bought from
thee and from thy sons, and thy seed
after thee.

52. And Jacob bought it for his
sons and his seed after him for an in
heritance for ever, and why speakest
thou these things this day ?

53. And Esau answered, saying,
thou speakest falsely and utterest
lies, for I sold not anything belonging
to me in all this land, as thou sayest,
neither did my brother Jacob buy
aught belonging to me in this land.

* From this it appears that the sale did not
take place until two years after Isaac s death,
because there were twenty seven years between
Isaac s and Jacob s deaths, for when Isaac died
at the age of one hundred and eighty, Jacob was
one hundred and twenty, and Jacob died aged
one hundred and forty seven, consequently
twenty seven years elapsed ; the purchase of
the cave of Machpelah is also mentioned in the
book of Jasher when Jacob bought Esau s birth
right, see ch. 27, but it was all inserted afresh
in the new contract mentioned in ch. 47 ; and
this is corroborated in the 57th verse of this
chapter, where Joseph tells Naphtali to bring
" all the records, the records of the purchase,
the sealed up one and the open one, also all the
first books in which are written all the words
of the birthright."

54. And Esau spoke these things
in order to deceive Joseph with his
words, for Esau knew that Joseph
was not present in those days when
Esau sold all belonging to him in the
land of Canaan to Jacob.

55. And Joseph said unto Esau,
surely my father inserted these things
with thee in the record of purchase,
and testified the record with witness
es, and behold it is with us in Egypt.

56. And Esau answered, saying
unto him, bring the record, all that
thou wilt find in the record, so will
we do.

57. And Joseph called unto Naph
tali his brother, and he said, hasten
quickly, stay not, and run I pray thee
to Egypt and bring all the records ;
the record of the purchase, the sealed
record and the open record, and also
all the first records in which all the
transactions of the birth-right are
written, fetch thou.

58. And thou shalt bring them
unto us hither, that we may know from
them all the words of Esau and his
sons which they spoke this day.

59. And Naphtali hearkened to
the voice of Joseph and he hastened
and ran to go down to Egypt, and
Naphtali was lighter on foot than
any of the stags that were upon the
wilderness, for he would go upon
ears of corn without crushing them.

60. And when Esau saw that
Naphtali had gone to fetch the re
cords he and his sons increased
their resistance against the cave, and
Esau and all his people rose up
against Joseph and his brethren to
battle.

61. And all the sons of Jacob and
the people of Egypt fought with
Esau and his men, and the sons of
Esau and his people were smitten
before the sons of Jacob, and the

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185

sons of Jacob slew of Esau s people
forty men.

62. And Chushim the son of Dan,
the son of Jacob, was at that time
with Jacob s sons, but he was about a
hundred cubits distant from the place
of battle, for he remained with the
children of Jacob s sons by Jacob s
bier to guard it.

63. And Chushim was dumb and
deaf, still he understood the voice of
consternation amongst the men.

64. And he asked, saying, why do
you not bury the dead and what is
this great consternation? and they
answered him the words of Esau
and his sons; and he ran to Esau
in the midst of the battle, and he
slew Esau with a sword, and he cut
off his head, and it sprang to a dis
tance, and Esau fell amongst the peo
ple of the battle.

65. And when Chushim did this
thing the sons of Jacob prevailed
over the sons of Esau, and the sons
of Jacob buried their father Jacob
by force in the cave, and the sons of
Esau beheld it.

66. And Jacob was buried in He
bron, in the cave of Machpelah
which Abraham had bought from the
sons of Heth for the possession of a
burial place, and he was buried in
very costly garments.

67. And no king had such honor
paid him as Joseph paid unto his fa
ther at his death, for he buried him
with great honor like unto the bu
rial of kings.

68. And Joseph and his brethren
made a mourning of seven days for
their father.

CHAPTER LVII.

1. And it was after this that the
sons of Esau waged war with the

sons of Jacob, and the sons of Esau
fought with the sons of Jacob in He
bron, and Esau was still lying dead,
and not buried.

2. And the battle was heavy be
tween them, and the sons of Esau
were smitten before the sons of Ja
cob, and the sons of Jacob slew of
the sons of Esau eighty men, and not
one died of the people of the sons of
Jacob ; and the hand of Joseph pre
vailed over all the people of the sons
of Esau, and he took Zepho, the
son of Eliphaz, the son of Esau,
and fifty of his men captive, and he
bound them with chains of iron, and
gave them into the hand of his ser
vants to bring them to Egypt.

3. And it came to pass when the
sons of Jacob had taken Zepho and
his people captive, all those that re
mained were greatly afraid of their
lives from the house of Esau, lest
they should also be taken captive,
and they all fled with Eliphaz the
son of Esau and his people, with
Esau s body, and they went on their
road to mount Seir.

4. And they came unto mount Seir
and they buried Esau in Seir,butthey
had not brought his head with them
to Seir, for it was buried in that
place where the battle had been in
Hebron.

5. And it came to pass when the
sons of Esau had fled from before
the sons of Jacob, the sons of Jacob
pursued them unto the borders of
Seir, but they did not slay a single
man from amongst them when they
pursued them, for Esau s body which
they carried with them excited their
confusion, so they fled and the sons
of Jacob turned back from them and
came up to the place where their
brethren were in Hebron, and they
remained there on that day, and on

186

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

the next day until they rested from
the battle.

6. And it came to pass on the third
day they assembled all the sons of
Seir the Horite, and they assembled
all the clildren of the east, a multi
tude of people like the sand of the
sea, and they went and came down
to Egypt to fight with Joseph and his
brethren, in order to deliver their
brethren.

7. And Joseph and all the sons
of Jacob heard that the sons of Esau
and the children of the east had
come upon them to battle in order to
deliver their brethren.

8. And Joseph and his brethren
and the strong men of Egypt went
forth and fought in the city of
Raamses, and Joseph and his bre
thren dealt out a tremendous blow
amongst the sons of Esau and the
children of the east.

9. And they slew of them six
hundred thousand men, and they slew
amongst them all the mighty men of
the children of Seir the Horite ; there
were only a few of them left, and
they slew also a great many of the
children of the east, and of the chil
dren of Esau ; and Eliphaz the son
of Esau and the children of the east
all fled before Joseph and his bre
thren.

10. And Joseph and his brethren
pursued them until they came unto
vSuccoth, and they yet slew of them
in Succoth thirty men, and the rest
escaped and they fled each to his
city.

1 1 . And Joseph and his brethren
and the mighty men of Egypt turned
back from them with joy and cheer
fulness of heart, for they had smitten
all their enemies.

12. And Zepho the son of Eli
phaz and his men were still slaves in

Egypt to the sons of Jacob, and their
pains increased.

13. And when the sons of Esau
and the sons of Seir returned to their
land, the sons of Seir saw that they
had all fallen into the hand of the
sons of Jacob, and the people of
Egypt, on account of the battle of
the sons of Esau.

14. And the sons of Seir said unto
the sons of Esau, you have seen and
therefore you know that this camp
was on your account, and not one
mighty man or an adept in war re-
maineth.

15. Now therefore go forth from
our land, go from us to the land of
Canaan to the land of the dwelling
of your fathers ; wherefore shall
your children inherit the effects of
our children in latter days ?

16. And the children of Esau
would not listen to the children of
Seir, and the children of Seir con
sidered to make war with them.

17. And the children of Esau sent
secretly to Angeas king of Africa,
the same is Dinhabah, saying,

18. Send unto us some of thy
men and let them come unto us, and
we will fight together with the child
ren of Seir the Horite, for they have
resolved to fight with us to drive us
away from the land.

19. And Angeas king of Dinhabah
did so, for he was in those days
friendly to the children of Esau, and
Angeas sent five hundred valiant
infantry to the children of Esau, and
eight hundred cavalry.

20. And the children of Seir sent
unto the children of the east and un
to the children of Midian, saying,
you have seen what the children of
Esau have done unto us, upon whose
account we are almost all destroyed,
in their battle with the sons of Jacob.

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187

21. Now therefore come unto us
and assist us, and we will fight them
together, and we will drive them
from the land and be avenged of the
cause of our brethren who died for
their sakes in their battle with their
brethren the sons of Jacob.

22. And all the children of the
east listened to the children of Seir,
and they came unto them about eight
hundred men with drawn swords,
and the children of Esau fought with
the children of Seir at that time in
the wilderness of Paran.

23. And the children of Seir pre
vailed then over the sons of Esau,
and the children of Seir slew on that
day of the children of Esau in that
battle about two hundred men of the
people of Angeas king of Dinhabah.

24. And on the second day the
children of Esau came again to fight
a second time with the children of
Seir, and the battle was sore upon
the children of Esau this second
time, and it troubled them greatly
on account of the children of Seir.

25. And when the children of
Esau saw that the children of Seir
were more powerful than they were,
some men of the children of Esau
turned and assisted the children of
Seir their enemies.

26. And there fell yet of the peo
ple of the children of Esau in the
second battle fifty eight men of the
people of Angeas king of Dinhabah.

27. And on the third day the child
ren of Esau heard that some of their
brethren had turned from them to
fight against them in the second
battle ; and the children of Esau
mourned when they heard this thing.

28. And they said, what shall we
tlo unto our brethren who turned
from us to assist the children of Seir
our enemies ? and the children of

Esau again sent to Angeas king of
Dinhabah, saying,

29. Send unto us again other men
that with them we may fight with the
children of Seir, for they have already
twice been heavier than we were.

30. And Angeas again sent to the
children of Esau about six hundred
valiant men, and they came to assist
the children of Esau.

31. And in ten days time the
children of Esau again waged war
with the children of Seir in the wil
derness of Paran, and the battle was
very severe upon the children of
Seir, and the children of Esau pre
vailed at this time over the children
of Seir, and the children of Seir
were smitten before the children of
Esau, and the children of Esau slew
from them about two thousand men.

32. And all the mighty men of
the children of Seir died in this
battle, and there only remained their
young children that were left in their
cities.

33. And all Midian and the child
ren of the east betook themselves to
flight from the battle, and they left
the children of Seir and fled when
they saw that the battle was severe
upon them, and the children of Esau
pursued all the children of the east
until they reached their land.

34. And the children of Esau slew
yet of them about two hundred and
fifty men and from the people of the
children of Esau there fell in that
battle about thirty men, but this evil
came upon them through their bre
thren turning from them to assist the
children of Seir the Horite, and the
children of Esau again heard of the
evil doings of their brethren, and
they again mourned on account of
this thing.

35. And it came to pass after the

188

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

battle, the children of Esau turned
back and came home unto Seir, and
the children of Esau slew those who
had remained in the land of the
children of Seir ; they slew also
their wives and little ones, they left
not a soul alive excepting fifty young
lads and damsels whom they suffer
ed to live, and the children of Esau
did not put them to death, and the
lads became their slaves, and the
damsels they took for wives.

36. And the children of Esau
dwelt in Seir in the place of the
children of Seir, and they inherited
their land and took possession of it.

37. And the children of Esau took
all belonging in the land to the child
ren of Seir, also their flocks, their
bullocks and their goods, and all
belonging to the children of Seir,
did the children of Esau take, and
the children of Esau dwelt in Seir
in the place of the children of Seir
unto this day, and the children of
Esau divided the land into divisions
to the five sons of Esau, according
to their families.

38. And it came to pass in those
days, that the children of Esau re
solved to crown a king over them in
the land of which they became pos
sessed. And they said to each other,
not so, for he shall reign over us in
our land, and we shall be under his
counsel and he shall fight our battles,
against our enemies, and they did so.

39. And all the children of Esau
swore, saying that none of their
brethren should ever reign over them,
but a strange man who is not of their
brethren, for the souls of all the
children of Esau were embittered
every man against his son, brother and
friend, on account of the evil they
sustained from their brethren when
they fought with the children of Seir.

40. Therefore the sons of Esau
swore, saying, from that day for
ward they would not choose a king
from their brethren, but one from a
strange land unto this day.

41. And there was a man there
from the people of Angeas king of
Dinhabah; his name was Bela the
son of Beor, who was a very valiant
man, beautiful and comely and wise
in all wisdom and a man of sense
and counsel ; and there was none of
the people of Angeas like unto him.

42. And all the children of Esau
took him and anointed him and they
crowned him for a king, and they
bowed down to him, and they said
unto him, may the king live, may
the king live.

43. And they spread out the sheet,
and they brought him each man ear
rings of gold and silver or rings or
bracelets, and they made him very
rich in silver and in gold, in onyx
stones and bdellium, and they made
him a royal throne, and they placed
a regal crown upon his head, and
they built a palace for him and he
dwelt therein, and he became king
over all the children of Esau.

44. And the people of Angeas
took their hire for their battle from
the children of Esau, and they went
and returned at that time to their
master in Dinhabah.

45. And Bela reigned over the
children of Esau thirty years, and
the children of Esau dwelt in the
land instead of the children of Seir,
and they dwelt securely in their
stead unto this day.

CHAPTER LVIIL

1. And it came to pass in the
thirty second year of the Israelites
going down to Egypt, that is in the

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

189

seventy first year of the life of
Joseph, in that year died Pharaoh
king of Egypt, and Magron his son
reigned in his stead.

2. And Pharaoh commanded Jo
seph before his death to be a father
to his son Magron, and that Magron
should be under the care of Joseph
and under his counsel.

3. And all Egypt consented to
this thing that Joseph should be
king over them, for all the Egyptians
loved Joseph as of heretofore, only
Magron the son of Pharaoh sat upon
his father s throne, and he became
king in those days in his father s
stead.

4. Magron was forty one years
old when he began to reign, and forty
years he reigned in Egypt, and all
Egypt called his name Pharaoh after
the name of his father, as it was
their custom to do in Egypt to every
king that reigned over them.

5. And it came to pass when Pha
raoh reigned in his father s stead, he
placed the laws of Egypt and all the
affairs of government in the hand of
Joseph, as his father had commanded
him.

6. And Joseph became king over
Egypt, for he superintended over all
Egypt, and all Egypt was under his
care and under his counsel, for all
Egypt inclined to Joseph after the
death of Pharaoh, and they loved
him exceedingly to reign over them.

7. But there were some people
amongst them, who did not like him,
saying, no stranger shall reign over
us ; still the whole government of
Egypt devolved in those days upon
Joseph, after the death of Pharaoh,
he being the regulator, doing as he
liked throughout the land without
any one interfering.

8. And all Egypt was under the

care of Joseph, and Joseph made
war with all his surrounding enemies,
and he subdued them ; also all the
land and all the Philistines, unto the
borders of Canaan, did Joseph sub
due, and they were all under his
power and they gave a yearly tax
unto Joseph.

9. And Pharaoh king of Egypt
sat upon his throne in his father s
stead, but he was under the control
and counsel of Joseph, as he was at
first under the control of his father.

10. Neither did he reign but in
the land of Egypt only, under the
counsel of Joseph, but Joseph reign
ed over the whole country at that
time, from Egypt unto the great river
Perath.

11. And Joseph was successful
in all his ways, and the Lord was
with him, and the Lord gave Joseph
additional wisdom, and honor, and
glory and love toward him in the
hearts of the Egyptians and through
out the land, and Joseph reigned over
the whole country forty years.

12. And all the countries of the
Philistines and Canaan and Zidon,
and on the other side of Jordan,
brought presents unto Joseph all his
days, and the whole country was in
the hand of Joseph, and they brought
unto him a yearly tribute as it was
regulated, for Joseph had fought
against all his surrounding enemies
and subdued them, and the whole
country was in the hand of Joseph,
and Joseph sat securely upon his
throne in Egypt.

13. And also all his brethren the
sons of Jacob dwelt securely in the
land, all the days of Joseph, and they
were fruitful and multiplied exceed
ingly in the land, and they served
the Lord all their days, as their
father Jacob had commanded them.

190

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

14. And it came to pass at the
end of many days and years, when
the children of Esau were dwelling
quietly in their land with Bela their
king, that the children of Esau were
fruitful and multiplied in the land,
and they resolved to go and fight with
the sons of Jacob and all Egypt, and
to deliver their brother Zepho, the
son of Eliphaz, and his men, for they
were yet in those days slaves to Jo
seph.

15. And the children of Esau sent
unto all the children of the east, and
they made peace with them, and all the
children of the east came unto them
to go with the children of Esau to
Egypt to battle.

16. And there came also unto them
of the people of Angeas, king of Din-
habah, and they also sent unto the
children of Ishmael and they also
came unto them.

17. And all this people assembled
and came unto Seir to assist the chil
dren of Esau in their battle, and this
camp was very large and heavy with
people, numerous as the sand of the
sea, about eight hundred thousand
men, infantry and cavalry, and all
these troops went down to Egypt to
fight with the sons of Jacob, and they
encamped by Raamses.

18. And Joseph went forth with his
brethren with the mighty men of
Egypt, about six hundred men, and
they fought with them in the land of
Raamses ; and the sons of Jacob at
that time again fought with the chil
dren of Esau, in the fiftieth year of
the sons of Jacob going down to
Egypt, that is the thirtieth year of
the reign of Bela over the children
of Esau in Seir.

19. And the Lord gave all the
mighty men of Esau and the children
of the east into the hand of Joseph

and his brethren, and the people of
the children of Esau and the children
of the east were smitten before Jo
seph.

20. And of the people of Esau and
the children of the east that were
slain, there fell before the sons of Ja
cob about two hundred thousand
men, and their king Bela the son of
Beor fell with them in the battle, and
when the children of Esau saw that
their king had fallen in battle and
was dead, their hands became weak
in the combat.

21. And Joseph and his brethren
and all Egypt were still smiting the
people of the house of Esau, and all
Esau s people were afraid of the sons
of Jacob and fled from before them.

22. And Joseph and his brethren
and all Egypt pursued them a day s
journey, and they slew yet from
them about three hundred men, con
tinuing to smite them in the road ;
and they afterward turned back from
them.

23. And Joseph and all his bre
thren returned to Egypt, not one
man was missing from them, but of
the Egyptians there fell twelve men.

24. And when Joseph returned to
Egypt he ordered Zepho and his men
to be additionally bound, and they
bound them in irons and they increas
ed their grief.

25. And all the people of the chil
dren of Esau, and the children of
the east, returned in shame each unto
his city, for all the mighty men that
were with them had fallen in battle.

26. And when the children of
Esau saw that their king had died in
battle they hastened and took a man
from the people of the children of
the east ; his name was Jobab the
son of Zarach, from the land of
Botzrah, and they caused him to

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191

reign over them instead of Bela their
king.

27. And Jobab sat upon the throne
of Bela as king in his stead, and Jo
bab reigned in Edom over all the
children of Esau ten years, and the
children of Esau went no more to
fight with the sons of Jacob from
that day forward, for the sons of Esau
knew the valor of the sons of Jacob,
and they were greatly afraid of them.

28. But from that day forward the
children of Esau hated the sons of
Jacob, and the hatred and enmity
were very strong between them all
the days, unto this day.

29. And it came to pass after this,
at the end of ten years, Jobab, the
son of Zarach, from Botzrah, died,
and the children of Esau took a man
whose name was Chusham, from the
land of Teman, and they made him
king over them instead of Jobab, and
Chusham reigned in Edom over all
the children of Esau for twenty
years.

30. And Joseph, king of Egypt,
and his brethren, and all the children
of Israel dwelt securely in Egypt in
those days, together with all the chil
dren of Joseph and his brethren,
having no hindrance or evil accident;
and the land of Egypt was at that
time at rest from war in the days of
Joseph and his brethren.

CHAPTER LIX.

1 . And these are the names of the
sons of Israel who dwelt in Egypt,
who had come with Jacob, all the
sons of Jacob came unto Egypt, every
man with his household.

2. The children of Leah were
Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issa-
char and Zebulun, and their sister
Dinah.

3. And the sons of Rachel were
Joseph and Benjamin.

4. And the sons of Zilpah, the
handmaid of Leah, were Gad and
Asher.

5. And the sons of Bilhah, the
handmaid of Rachel, were Dan and
Naphtali.

6. And these were their offspring
that were born unto them in the land
of Canaan, before they came unto
Egypt with their father Jacob.

7. The sons of Reuben were Cha-
noch, Pallu, Chetzron and Carmi.

8*. And the sons of Simeon were
Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jachin, Zochar
and Saul, the son of the Canaanitish
woman.

9. And the children of Levi were
Gershon, Kehath and Merari, and
their sister Jochebed, who was born
unto them in their going down to

Egypt-

10. And the sons of Judah were
Er, Onan, Shelah, Perez and Zarach.

1 1 . And Er and Onan died in the
land of Canaan ; and the sons of Pe
rez were Chezron and Chamul.

12. And the sons of Issachar were
Tola, Puvah, Job and Shomron.

13. And the sons of Zebulun were
Sered, Elon and Jachleel, and the
son of Dan was Chushim.

14. And the sons of Naphtali were
Jachzeel, Guni, Jetzer and Shilam.

15. And the sons of Gad were
Ziphion, Chaggi, Shuni, Ezbon, Eri,
Arodi and Areli.

16. And the children of Asher
were Jimnah, Jishvah, Jishvi, Beriah
and their sister Serach ; and the sons
of Beriah were Cheber and Malchiel.

1 7. And the sons of Benjamin were
Bela, Becher, Ashbel, Gera, Naaman,
Achi, Rosh, Mupim, Chupim and
Ord.

18. And the sons of Joseph, that

192

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

were born unto him in Egypt, were
Manasseh and Ephraim.

19. And all the souls that went
forth from the loins of Jacob, were
seventy souls ; these are they who
came with Jacob their father unto
Egypt to dwell there ; and Joseph
and all his brethren dwelt securely
in Egypt, and they ate of the best
of Egypt all the days of the life of
Joseph.

20. And Joseph lived in the land
of Egypt ninety-three years, and Jo
seph reigned over all Egypt eighty
years.

21. And when the days of Joseph
drew nigh that he should die, he sent
and called for his brethren and all his
father s household, and they all came
together and sat before him.

22. And Joseph said unto his bre
thren and unto the whole of his fa
ther s household, behold I die, and
God will surely visit you and bring
you up from this land to the land
which he swore to your fathers to
give unto them.

23. And it shall be when God shall
visit you to bring you up from here
to the land of your fathers, then bring
up my bones with you from here.

24. And Joseph made the sons of
Israel to swear for their seed after
them, saying, God will surely visit
you and you shall bring up my bones
with you from here.

25. And it came to pass after this
that Joseph died in that year, the se
venty-first year of the Israelites going
down to Egypt.

26. And Joseph was one hundred
and ten years old when he died in the
land of Egypt, and all his brethren
and all his servants rose up and they
embalmed Joseph, as was their cus
tom, and his brethren and all Egypt
mourned over him for seventy days.

27. And they put Joseph in a cof
fin filled with spices and all sorts of
perfume, and they buried him by the
side of the river, that is Sihor^ and
his sons and all his brethren, and the
whole of his father s household made
a seven days mourning for him.

28. And it came to pass after the
death of Joseph, all the Egyptians
began in those days to rule over the
children of Israel, and Pharaoh, king
of Egypt, who reigned in his father s
stead, took all the laws of Egypt and
conducted the whole government of
Egypt under his counsel, and he
reigned securely over his people.

CHAPTER LX.

1 . And when the year came round,
being the seventy-second year from
the Israelites going down to Egypt,
after the death of Joseph, Zepho, the
son of Eliphaz, the son of Esau, fled
from Egypt, he and his men, and
they went away.

2. And he came to Africa, which
is Dinhabah, to Angeas king of Af
rica, and Angeas received them with
great honor, and he made Zepho the
captain of his host.

3. And Zepho found favor in the
sight of Angeas and in the sight of
his people, and Zepho was captain
of the host to Angeas king of Africa
for many days.

4. And Zepho enticed Angeas king
of Africa to collect all his army to go
and fight with the Egyptians, and
&gt;vith the sons of Jacob, and to avenge
of them the cause of his brethren.

5. But Angeas would not listen to
Zepho to do this thing, for Angeas
knew the strength of the sons of Ja
cob, and what they had done to his
army in their warfare with the chil
dren of Esau.

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

193

6. And Zepho was in those days
very great in the sight of Angeas
and in the sight of all his people,
and he continually enticed them to
make war against Egypt, but they
would not.

7. And it came to pass in those
days there was in the land of Chittim
a man in the city of Puzimna, whose
name was Uzu, and he became de
generately deified by the children of
Chittim, and the man died and had
no son, only one daughter whose
name was Jania.

8. And the damsel was exceeding
ly beautiful, comely and intelligent,
there was none seen like unto her
for beauty and wisdom throughout
the land.

9. And the people of Angeas king
of Africa saw her and they came and
praised her unto him, and Angeas
sent to the children of Chittim, and
he requested to take her unto him
self for a wife. And the people of
Chittim consented to give her unto
him for a wife.

1 0. And when the messengers of
Angeas were going forth from the
land of Chittim to take their journey,
behold the messengers of Turnus
king of Bibentu came unto Chittim,
for Turnus king of Bibentu also sent
his messengers to request Jania for
him, to take unto himself for a wife,
for all his men had also praised her
to him, therefore he sent all his ser
vants unto her.

11. And the servants of Turnus
came to Chittim, and they asked
for Jania, to be taken unto Turnus
their king for a wife.

12. And the people of Chittim
said unto them, we cannot give her,
because Angeas king of Africa de
sired her to take her unto him for a
wife before you came, and that we

should give her unto him, and now
therefore we cannot do this thing to
deprive Angeas of the damsel in or
der to give her unto Turnus.

13. For we are greatly afraid of
Angeas lest he come in battle against
us and destroy us, and Turnus your
master will not be able to deliver us
from his hand.

14. And when the messengers of
Turnus heard all the words of the
children of Chittim, they turned
back to their master and told him all
the words of the children of Chittim.

15. And the children of Chittim
sent a memorial to Angeas, saying,
behold Turnus has sent for Jania to
take her unto him for a wife, and
thus have we answered him ; and
we heard that he has collected his
whole army to go to war against
thee, and he intends to pass by the
road of Sardunia to fight against thy
brother Lucus, and after that he will
come to fight against thee.

16. And Angeas heard the words
of the children of Chittim which
they sent him in the record, and his
anger was kindled and he rose up
and assembled his whole army and
came through the islands of the sea,
the road to Sardunia, unto his brother
Lucus king of Sardunia.

17. And Niblos, the son of Lucus,
heard that his uncle Angeas was
coming, and he went out to meet
him with a heavy army, and he kiss
ed him and embraced him, and Nib
los said unto Angeas, when thou
askest my father after his welfare,
when I shall go with thee to fight
with Turnus, ask of him to make
me captain of his host, and Angeas
did so, and he came unto his brother
and his brother came to meet him,
and he asked him after his welfare.

18. And Angeas asked his brother

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THE BOOK OF JASHER.

Lucus after his welfare, and to make
his son Niblos captain of his host,
and Lucus did so, and Angeas and
his brother Lucus rose up and they
went toward Turnus to battle, and
there was with them a great army
and a heavy people.

19. And he came in ships, and
they came into the province of Ash-
torash, and behold Turnus came to
ward them, for he went forth to Sar-
dunia, and intended to destroy it and
afterward to pass on from there to
Angeas to fight with him.

20. And Angeas and Lucus his
brother met Turnus in the valley of
Canopia, and the battle was strong
and mighty between them in that
place.

21. And the battle was severe
upon Lucus king of Sardunia, and
all his army fell, and Niblos his son
fell also in that battle.

22. And his uncle Angeas com
manded his servants and they made
a golden coffin for Niblos and they
put him into it, and Angeas again
waged battle toward Turnus, and
Angeas was stronger than he, and he
slew him, and he smote all his people
with the edge of the sword, and An
geas avenged the cause of Niblos his
brother s son and the cause of the
army of his brother Lucus.

23. And when Turnus died, the
hands of those that survived the
battle became weak, and they fled
from before Angeas and Lucus his
brother.

24. And Angeas and his brother
Lucus pursued them unto the high
road, which is between Alphanu
and Romah, and they slew the whole
army of Turnus with the edge of
the sword.

25. And Lucus king of Sardunia

commanded his servants that they
should make a coffin of brass, and
that they should place therein the
body of his son Niblos, and they
buried him in that place.

26. And they built upon it a high
tower there upon the highroad, and
they called its name after the name
of Niblos unto this day, and they al
so buried Turnus king of Bibentu
there in that place with Niblos.

27. And behold upon the high
road between Alphanu and Romah
the grave of Niblos is on one side
and the grave of Turnus on the
other, and a pavement between them
unto this day.

28. And when Niblos was buried
Lucus his father returned with his
army to his land Sardunia, and An
geas his brother king of Africa went
with his people unto the city of Bi
bentu, that is the city of Turnus.

29. And the inhabitants of Bibentu
heard of his fame and they were great
ly afraid of him, and they went forth
to meet him with weeping and sup
plication, and the inhabitants of Bi
bentu entreated of Angeas not to
slay them nor to destroy their city;
and he did so, for Bibentu was in
those days reckoned as one of the
cities of the children of Chittim ;
therefore he did not destroy the city.

30. But from that day forward
the troops of the king of Africa
would go to Chittim to spoil and
plunder it, and whenever they went
Zepho the captain of the host of An
geas would go with them.

31. And it was after this that
Angeas turned with his army and
they came to the city of Puzimna,
and Angeas took thence Jania the
daughter of Uzu for a wife and
brought her unto his city unto Africa.

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195

CHAPTER LXI.

1. And it came to pass at that
time Pharaoh king of Egypt com
manded all his people to make for
him a strong palace in Egypt.

2. And he also commanded the
sons of Jacob to assist the Egyptians
in the building, and the Egyptians
made a beautiful and elegant palace
for a royal habitation, and he dwelt
therein and he renewed his govern
ment and he reigned securely.

3. And Zebulun the son of Jacob
died in that year, that is the seventy
second year of the going down of
the Israelites to Egypt, and Zebulun
died a hundred and fourteen years
old, and was put into a coffin and
given into the hands of his children.

4. And in the seventy fifth year
died his brother Simeon, he was a
hundred and twenty years old at his
death, and he was also put into a
coffin and given into the hands of his
children.

5. And Zepho the son of Eliphaz
the son of Esau, captain of the host
to Angeas king of Dinhabah, was
still daily enticing Angeas to prepare
for battle to fight with the sons of
Jacob in Egypt, and Angeas was
unwilling to do this thing, for his
servants had related to him all the
might of the sons of Jacob, what
they had done unto them in their
battle with the children of Esau.

6. And Zepho was in those days
daily enticing Angeas to fight with
the sons of Jacob in those days.

7. And after some time Angeas
hearkened to the words of Zepho
and consented to him to fight with
the sons of Jacob in Egypt, and
Angeas got all his people in order,
a people numerous as the sand
which is upon the sea shore, and he

formed his resolution to go to Egypt
to battle.

8. And amongst the servants of
Angeas was a youth fifteen years
old, Balaam the son of Beor was his
name, and the youth was very wise
and understood the art of witchcraft.

9. And Angeas said unto Balaam,
conjure for us, I pray thee, with the
witchcraft, that we may know who
will prevail in this battle to which
we are now proceeding.

10. And Balaam ordered that they
should bring him wax, and he made
thereof the likeness of chariots and
horsemen representing the army of
Angeas and the army of Egypt, and
he put them in the cunningly pre
pared waters that he had for that
purpose, and he took in his hand the
boughs of myrtle trees, and he ex
ercised his cunning, and he joined
them over the water, and there ap
peared unto him in the water the
resembling images of the hosts of
Angeas falling before the resembling
images of the Egyptians and the
sons of Jacob.

1 1 . And Balaam told this thing to
Angeas and Angeas despaired and
did not arm himself to go down to
Egypt to battle, and he remained in
his city.

12. And when Zepho the son of
Eliphaz saw that Angeas despaired
of going forth to battle with the
Egyptians, Zepho fled from Angeas
from Africa, and he went and came
unto Chittim.

13. And all the people of Chittim
received him with great honor, and
they hired him to fight their battles
all the days, and Zepho became ex
ceedingly rich in those days, and the
troops of the king of Africa still
spread themselves in those days, and
the children of Chittim assembled

196

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

and went to Mount Cuptizia on
account of the troops of Angeas king
of Africa, who were advancing upon
them.

14. And it was one day that Zepho
lost a young heifer, and he went to
seek it, and he heard it lowing round
about the mountain.

15. And Zepho went and he saw
and behold there was a large cave at
the bottom of the mountain, and
there was a great stone there at the
entrance of the cave, and Zepho
split the stone and he came unto the
cave and he looked and behold, a
large animal was devouring the ox ;
from the middle upward it resembled
a man, and from the middle down
ward it resembled an animal, and
Zepho rose up against the animal
and slew it with his sword.

16. And the inhabitants of Chittim
heard of this thing, and they rejoiced
exceedingly, and they said, what
shall we do unto this man who has
slain this animal that devoured our
cattle ?

17. And they all assembled to
consecrate one day in the year to
him, and they called the name thereof
Zepho after his name, and they
brought unto him drink offerings
year after year on that day, and they
brought unto him gifts.

18. At that time Jania the daughter
of Uzu wife of king Angeas became
ill, and her illness was heavily felt
by Angeas and his officers, and
Angeas said unto his wise men, what
shall I do to Jania and how shall I
heal her from her illness ? and his
wise men said unto him, because the
air of our country is not like the air
of the land of Chittim, and our water
is not like their water, therefore from
this has the queen become ill.

19. For through the change of air

and water she became ill, and also
because in her country she drank
only the water which came from
Purmah, which her ancestors had
brought up with bridges.

20. And Angeas commanded his
servants, and they brought unto him
in vessels of the waters of Purmah
belonging to Chittim, and they
weighed those waters with all the
waters of the land of Africa and they
found those waters lighter than the
waters of Africa.

21. And Angeas saw this thing
and he commanded all his officers to
assemble the hewers of stone in
thousands and tens of thousands, and
they hewed stones without number,
and the builders came and they built,
an exceedingly strong bridge, and
they conveyed the spring of water
from the land of Chittim unto Africa,
and those waters were for Jania the
queen and for all her concerns, to
drink from and to bake, wash and
bathe therewith, and also to water
therewith all seed from which food
can be obtained, and all fruit of the
ground.

22. And the king commanded that
they should bring of the soil of Chit
tim in large ships, and they also
brought stones to build therewith,
and the builders built palaces for
Jania the queen, and the queen be
came healed of her illness.

23. And at the revolution of the
year the troops of Africa continued
coming to the land of Chittim to
plunder as usual, and Zepho son of
Eliphaz heard their report, and he
gave orders concerning them and he
fought with them, and they fled be
fore him, and he delivered the land
of Chittim from them.

24. And the children of Chittim
saw the valor of Zepho, and the chil-

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

197

dren of Chittim resolved and they
made Zepho king over them, and he
became king over them, and whilst
he reigned they went to subdue the
children of Tuba], and all the sur
rounding islands.

25. And their king Zepho went at
their head and they made war with
Tubal and the islands, and they sub
dued them, and when they returned
from the battle they renewed his go
vernment for him, and they built for
him a very large palace for his royal
habitation and seat, and they made
a large throne for him, and Zepho
reigned over the whole land of Chit
tim and over the land of Italia fifty
years.

CHAPTER LXIT.

1 . In that year, being the seventy-
ninth year of the Israelites going
down to Egypt, died Reuben the son
of Jacob, in the land of Egypt ; Reu
ben was a hundred and twenty-five
years old when he died, and they
put him into a coffin, and he was
given into the hands of his children.

2. And in the eightieth year died
his brother Dan ; he was a hundred
and twenty years old at his death,
and he was also put into a coffin and
given into the hands of his children.

3. And in that year died Chusham
king of Edom, and after him reigned
Hadad the son of Bedad, for thirty-
five years ; and in the eighty-first
year clied Issachar the son of Jacob,
in Egypt, and Issachar was a hun
dred and twenty-two years old at his
death, and he was put into a coffin in
Egypt, and given into the hands of
his children.

4. And in the eighty-second year
died Asher his brother, he was a hun
dred and twenty-three years old at

his death, and he was placed in a
coffin in Egypt, and given into the
hands of his children.

5. And in the eighty-third year
died Gad, he was a hundred and
twenty-five years old at his death,
and he was put into a coffin in Egypt,
and given into the hands of his chil
dren.

6. And it came to pass in the
eighty-fourth year, that is the fiftieth
year of the reign of Hadad, son of
Bedad, king of Edom, that Hadad
assembled all the children of Esau,
and he got his whole army in readi
ness, about four hundred thousand
men, and he directed his way to the
land of Moab, and he went to fight
with Moab and to make them tribu
tary to him.

7. And the children of Moab heard
this thing, and they were very much
afraid, and they sent to the children
of Midian to assist them in fighting
with Hadad, son of Bedad, king of
Edom.

8. And Hadad came unto the land
of Moab, and Moab and the children
of Midian went out to meet him, and
they placed themselves in battle ar
ray against him in the field of Moab.

9. And Hadad fought with Moab,
and there fell of the children of Moab
and the children of Midian many slain
ones, about two hundred thousand
men.

10. And the battle was very se
vere upon Moab, and when the chil
dren of Moab saw that the battle was
sore upon them, they weakened their
hands and turned their backs, and
left the children of Midian to carry-
on the battle.

11. And the children of Midian
knew not the intentions of Moab, but
they strengthened themselves in bat
tle and fought with Hadad and aU

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his host, and all Midian fell before
him.

12. And Hadad smote all Midian
with a heavy smiting, and he slew
them with the edge of the sword, he
left none remaining of those who
came to assist Moab.

13. And when all the children of
Midian had perished in battle, and
the children of Moab had escaped,
Hadad made all Moab at that time
tributary to him, and they became un
der his hand, and they gave a yearly
tax as it was ordered, and Hadad
turned and went back to his land.

14. And at the revolution of the
year, when the rest of the people of
Midian that were in the land heard
that all their brethren had fallen in
battle with Hadad for the sake of
Moab, because the children of Moab
had turned their backs in battle and
left Midian to fight, then five of the
princes of Midian resolved with the
rest of their brethren who remained
in their land, to fight with Moab to
avenge the cause of their brethren.

15. And the children of Midian
sent to all their brethren the children
of the east, and all their brethren, all
the children of Keturah came to as
sist Midian to fight with Moab.

16. And the children of Moab
heard this thing, and they were great
ly afraid that all the children of the
east had assembled together against
them for battle, and they the children
of Moab sent a memorial to the land
of Edom to Hadad the son of Bedad,
saying,

17. Come now unto us and assist
us and we will smite Midian, for they
all assembled together and have come
against us with all their brethren the
children of the east to battle, to
avenge the cause of Midian that fell
in battle.

18. And Hadad, son of Bedad,
king of Edom, went forth with his
whole army and went to the land of
Moab to fight with Midian, and Mi
dian and the children of the east
fought with Moab in the field of Moab,
and the battle was very fierce be
tween them.

19. And Hadad smote all the chil
dren of Midian and the children of
the east with the edge of the sword,
and Hadad at that time delivered
Moab from the hand of Midian, and
those that remained of Midian and
of the children of the east fled before
Hadad and his army, and Hadad pur
sued them to their land, and smote
them with a very heavy slaughter,
and the slain fell in the road.

20. And Hadad delivered Moab
from the hand of Midian, for all the
children of Midian had fallen by the
edge of the sword, and Hadad turned
and went back to his land.

21. And from that day forth, the
children of Midian hated the children
of Moab, because they had fallen in
battle for their sake, and there was
a great and mighty enmity between
them all the days.

22. And all that were found of
Midian in the road of the land of
Moab perished by the sword of Moab,
and all that were found of Moab in
the road of the land of Midian, pe
rished by the sword of Midian ; thus
did Midian unto Moab and Moab unto
Midian for many days.

23. And it came to pass at that
time that Judah the son of Jacob
died in Egypt, in the eighty sixth
year of Jacob s going down to Egypt,
and Judah was a hundred and twenty
nine years old at his death, and they
embalmed him and put him into a
a coffin and he was given into the
hands of his children.

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199

24. And in the eighty ninth year
died Naphtali, he was a hundred and
thirty two years old, and he was put
into a coffin and given into the hands
of his children.

25. And it came to pass in the
ninety first year of the Israelites go
ing down to Egypt, that is in the
thirtieth year of the reign of Zepho
the son of Eliphaz, the son of Esau,
over the children of Chittim, the
children of Africa came upon the
children of Chittim to plunder them
as usual, but they had not come upon
them for these thirteen years.

26. And they came to them in
that year, and Zepho the son of Eli
phaz went out to them with some of
his men and smote them desperately,
and the troops of Africa fled from be
fore Zepho and the slain fell before
him, and Zepho and his men pursued
them, going on and smiting them un
til they were near unto Africa.

27. And Angeas king of Africa
heard the thing which Zepho had
done, and it vexed him exceedingly,
and Angeas was afraid of Zepho all
the days.

CHAPTER LXIII.

1. And in the ninety third year
died Levi the son of Jacob in Egypt,
and Levi was a hundred and thirty
seven years old when he died, and
they put him into a coffin and he was
given into the hands of his children.

2. And it came to pass after the
death of Levi, when all Egypt saw
that the sons of Jacob the brethren
of Joseph were dead, all the Egyp
tians began to afflict the children of
Jacob, and to embitter their lives
from that day unto the day of their
going forth from Egypt, and they
took from their hands all the vine

yards and fields which Joseph had
given unto them, and all the elegant
houses in which the people of Israel
lived, and all the fat of Egypt, the
Egyptians took all from the sons of
Jacob in those days.

3. And the hand of all Egypt be
came more grievous in those days
against the children of Israel, and
the Egyptians injured the Israelites
until the children of Israel were
wearied of their lives on account of
the Egyptians.

4. And it came to pass in those
days, in the hundred and second year
of Israel s going down to Egypt, that
Pharaoh king of Egypt died, and
Melol his son reigned in his stead,
and all the mighty men of Egypt and
all that generation which knew Jo
seph and his brethren died in those
days.

5. And another generation rose up
in their stead, which had not known
the sons of Jacob and all the good
which they had done to them, and all
their might in Egypt.

6. Therefore all Egypt began from
that day forth to embitter the lives of
the sons of Jacob, and to afflict them
with all manner of hard labor, be
cause they had not known their an
cestors who had delivered them in
the days of the famine.

7. And this was also from the Lord,
for the children of Israel, to benefit
them in their latter days, in order
that all the children of Israel might
know the Lord their God.

8. And in order to know the signs
and mighty wonders which the Lord
would do in Egypt on account of his
people Israel, in order that the chil
dren of Israel might fear the Lord
God of their ancestors, and walk in
all his ways, they and their seed af
ter them all the days.

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9. Melol was twenty years old
when he began to reign, and he
reigned ninety four years, and all
Egypt called his name Pharaoh after
the name of his father, as it was
their custom to do to every king who
reigned over them in Egypt.

10. At that time all the troops of
Angeas king of Africa went forth to
spread along the land of Chittim as
usual for plunder.

1 1 . And Zepho the son of Eliphaz
the son of Esau heard their report,
and he went forth to meet them with
his army, and he fought them there
in the road.

12. And Zepho smote the troops
of the king of Africa with the edge
of the sword, and left none remain
ing of them, and not even one re
turned to his master in Africa.

13. And Angeas heard of this
which Zepho the son of Eliphaz had
done to all his troops, that he had de
stroyed them, and Angeas assembled
all his troops, all the men of the land
of Africa, a people numerous like the
sand by the sea shore.

14. And Angeas sent to Lucus his
brother, saying, come to me with all
thy men and help me to smite Zepho
and all the children of Chittim who
have destroyed my men, and Lucus
came with his whole army, a very
great force, to assist Angeas his bro
ther to fight with Zepho and the
children of Chittim.

15. And Zepho and the children
of Chittim heard this thing, and they
were greatly afraid and a great terror
fell upon their hearts.

16. And Zepho also sent a letter
to the land of Edom to Hadad the
son of Bedad king of Edom and to all
the children of Esau, saying,

17. I have heard that Angeas king
of Africa is coming to us with his

brother for battle against us, and we
are greatly afraid of him, for his
army is very great, particularly as he
comes against us with his brother
and his army likewise.

18. Now therefore come you also
up with me and help me, and we
will fight together against Angeas
and his brother Lucus, and you will
save us out of their hands, but if
not, know ye that we shall all die.

19. And the children of Esau sent
a letter to the children of Chittim
and to Zepho their king, saying, we
cannot fight against Angeas and his
people for a covenant of peace has
been between us these many years,
from the days of Bela the first king,
and from the days of Joseph the son
of Jacob king of Egypt, with whom
we fought on the other side of Jor
dan when he buried his father.

20. And when Zepho heard the
words of his brethren the children of
Esau he refrained from them, and
Zepho was greatly afraid of Angeas.

21. And Angeas and Lucus his
brother arrayed all their forces, about
eight hundred thousand men, against
the children of Chittim.

22. And all the children of Chit
tim said unto Zepho, pray for us to
the God of thy ancestors, peradven-
ture he may deliver us from the hand
of Angeas and his army, for we
have heard that he is a great God
and that he delivers all who trust in
him.

23. And Zepho heard their words,
and Zepho sought the Lord and he
said,

24. Lord God of Abraham and
Isaac my ancestors, this day I know
that thou art a true God, and all the
gods of the nations are vain and use
less.

25 Remember now this day un-

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201

to me thy covenant with Abraham
our father, which our ancestors re
lated unto us, and do graciously with
me this day for the sake of Abra
ham and Isaac our fathers, and save
me and the children of Chittim from
the hand of the king of Africa who
comes against us for battle.

26. And the Lord hearkened to
the voice of Zepho, and he had re
gard for him on account of Abraham
and Isaac, and the Lord delivered
Zepho and the children of Chittim
from the hand of Angeas and his
people.

27. And Zepho fought Angeas
king of Africa and all his people on
that day, and the Lord gave all the
people of Angeas into the hands of
the children of Chittim.

28. And the battle was severe up
on Angeas, and Zepho smote all the
men of Angeas and Lucus his bro
ther, with the edge of the sword, and
there fell from them until the even
ing of that day about four hundred
thousand men.

29. And when Angeas saw that all
his men perished, he sent a letter to
all the inhabitants of Africa to come
to him to assist him in the battle, and
he wrote in the letter, saying, all who
are found in Africa let them come
unto me from ten years old and up
ward; let them all come unto me,
and behold if he comes not he shall
die, and all that he has, with his
whole household, the king will take.

30. And all the rest of the inhabi
tants of Africa were terrified at the
words of Angeas, and there went out
of the city about three hundred thou
sand men and boys, from ten years
upward, and they came to Angeas.

31. And at the end of ten days
Angeas renewed the battle against
Zepho and the children of Chittim,

and the battle was very great and
strong between them.

32. And from the army of Angeas
and Lucus Zepho sent many of the
wounded unto his land, about two
thousand men, and Sosiphtar the
captain of the host of Angeas fell in
that battle.

33. And when Sosiphtar had fall
en the African troops turned their
sacks to flee, and they fled, and An
geas and Lucus his brother were
with them.

34. And Zepho and the children
of Chittim pursued them, and they
smote them still heavily on the
road, about two hundred men, and
they pursued Azdrubal the son of
Angeas who had fled with his fa
ther, and they smote twenty of his
men in the road, and Azdrubal
escaped from the children of Chit
tim, and they did not slay him.

35. And Angeas and Lucus his
brother fled with the rest of their
men, and they escaped and came in
to Africa with terror and consterna
tion, and Angeas feared all the days
lest Zepho the son of Eliphaz should
go to war with him.

CHAPTER LXIV.

1. And Balaam the son of Beor
was at that time with Angeas in the
battle, and when he saw that Zepho
prevailed over Angeas, he fled from
there and came to Chittim.

2. And Zepho and the children of
Chittim received him with great ho
nor, for Zepho knew Balaam s wis
dom, and Zepho gave unto Balaam
many gifts and he remained with
him.

3. And when Zepho had returned
from the war, he commanded all the
children of Chittim to be numbered

202

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

who had gone into battle with him,
and behold not one was missed.

4. And Zepho rejoiced at this
thing, and he renewed his kingdom,*
and he made a feast to all his subjects.

5. But Zepho remembered not
the Lord and considered not that the
Lord had helped him in battle, and
that he had delivered him and his
people from the hand of the king of
Africa, but still walked in the ways
of the children of Chittim and the
wicked children of Esau, to serve
other gods which his brethren the
children of Esau had taught him;
it is therefore said, from the wicked
goes forth wickedness.

6. And Zepho reigned over all the
children of Chittim securely, but
knew not the Lord who had deliver
ed him and all his people from the
hand of the king of Africa ; and the
troops of Africa came no more to
Chittim to plunder as usual, for they
knew of the power of Zepho who had
smitten them all at the edge of the
sword, so Angeas was afraid of Ze
pho the son of Eliphaz, and of the
children of Chittim all the days.

7. At that time when Zepho had
returned from the war, and when
Zepho had seen how he prevailed
over all the people of Africa and had
smitten them in battle at the edge of
the sword, then Zepho advised with
the children of Chittim, to go to Egypt
to fight with the sons of Jacob and
with Pharaoh king of Egypt.

8. For Zepho heard that the
mighty men of Egypt were dead and
that Joseph and his brethren the sons
of Jacob were dead, and that all their
children the children of Israel re
mained in Egypt.

9. And Zepho considered to go to

* t. t. After the fatigues of war, to attend
again to domestic government.

fight against them and all Egypt, to
avenge the cause of his brethren the
children of Esau, whom Joseph with
his brethren and all Egypt had smit
ten in the land of Canaan, when they
went up to bury Jacob in Hebron.

10. And Zepho sent messengers
to Hadad, son of Bedad, king of
Edom, and to all his brethren the
children of Esau, saying,

11. Did you not say that you
would not fight against the king of
Africa for he is a member of your
covenant ? behold I fought with him
and smote him and all his people.

12. Now therefore I have resolved
to fight against Egypt and the child
ren of Jacob who are there, and I
will be revenged of them for what
Joseph, his brethren and ancestors
did to us in the land of Canaan when
they went up to bury their father in
Hebron.

13. Now then if you are willing
to come to me to assist me in fight
ing against them and Egypt, then
shall we avenge the cause of our
brethren.

14. And the children of Esau hear
kened to the words of Zepho, and the
children of Esau gathered themselves
together, a very great people, and
they went to assist Zepho and the
children of Chittim in battle.

15. And Zepho sent to all the chil
dren of the east and to all the chil
dren of Ishmael with words like unto
these, and they gathered themselves
and came to the assistance of Zepho
and the children of Chittim in the
war upon Egypt.

16. And all these kings, the king
of Edom and the children of the east,
and all the children of Ishmael, and
Zepho the king of Chittim went
forth and arrayed all their hosts in
Hebron.

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203

17. And the camp was very heavy,
extending in length a distance of
three days journey, a people nume
rous as the sand upon the sea shore
which cannot be counted.

18. And all these kings and their
hosts went down and came against
all Egypt in battle, and encamped to
gether in the valley of Pathros.

19. And all Egypt heard their re
port, and they also gathered them
selves together, all the people of the
land of Egypt, and of all the cities
belonging to Egypt, about three hun
dred thousand men.

20. And the men of Egypt sent
also to the children of Israel who
were in those days in the land of Go-
shen, to come to them in order to go
and fight with these kings.

21. And the men of Israel assem
bled and were about* one hundred
and fifty men, and they went into
battle to assist the Egyptians.

22. And the men of Israel and of
Egypt went forth, about three hun
dred thousand men and one hundred
and fifty men, and they went toward
these kings to battle, and they placed
themselves from without the land of
Goshen opposite Pathros.

23. And the Egyptians believed
not in Israel to go with them in their
camps together for battle, for all the
Egyptians said, perhaps the children
of Israel will deliver us into the hand
of the children of Esau and Ishmael,
for they are their brethren.

24. And all the Egyptians said
unto the children of Israel, remain
you here together in your stand and
we will go and fight against the chil
dren of Esau and Ishmael, and if
these kings should prevail over us,

* t. e. Those who were willing to go amount
ed to 150 men, who were nothing in such a
great army : see the 23d verse for the cause.

then come you altogether upon them
and assist us, and the children of Is
rael did so.

25. And Zepho the son of Eliphaz
the son of Esau king of Chittim, and
Hadad the son of Bedad king of
Edom, and all their camps, and all
the children of the east, and children
of Ishmael, a people numerous as
sand, encamped together in the val
ley of Pathros opposite Tachpanches.

26. And Balaam the son of Beor
the Syrian was there in the camp of
Zepho, for he came with the children
of Chittim to the battle, and Balaam
was a man highly honored in the
eyes of Zepho and his men.

27. And Zepho said unto Balaam,
try by divination for us that we may
know who will prevail in the battle,
we or the Egyptians.

28. And Balaam rose up and tried
the art of divination, and he was skil
ful in the knowledge of it, but he
was confused and the work was de
stroyed in his hand.

29. And he tried it again but it
did not succeed, and Balaam despair
ed of it and left it and did not com
plete it, for this was from the Lord,
in order to cause Zepho and his peo
ple to fall into the hand of the chil
dren of Israel, who had trusted in the
Lord, the God of their ancestors, in
their war.

30. And Zepho and Hadad put
their forces in battle array, and all
the Egyptians went alone against
them, about three hundred thousand
men, and not one man of Israel was
with them.

31. And all the Egyptians fought
with these kings opposite Pathros
and Tachpanches, and the battle was
severe against the Egyptians.

32. And the kings were stronger
than the Egyptians in that battle, and

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THE BOOK OF JASHER.

about one hundred and eighty men
of Egypt fell on that day, and about
thirty men of the forces of the kings,
and all the men of Egypt fled from
before the kings, so the children of
Esau and Ishmael pursued the Egyp
tians, continuing to smite them unto
the place where was the camp of the
children of Israel.

33. And all the Egyptians cried
unto the children of Israel, saying,
hasten to us and assist us and save
us from the hand of Esau, Ishmael
and the children of Chittim.

34. And the hundred and fifty
men of the children of Israel ran
from their station to the camps of
these kings, and the children of Is
rael cried unto the Lord their God
to deliver them.

35. And the Lord hearkened to
Israel, and the Lord gave all the
men of the kings into their hand,
and the children of Israel fought
against these kings, and the children
of Israel smote about four thousand
of the kings men.

36. And the Lord threw a great
consternation in the camp of the
kings, so that the fear of the children
of Israel fell upon them.

37. And all the hosts of the kings
fled from before the children of Is
rael, and the children of Israel pur
sued them continuing to smite them
unto the borders of the land of Gush.

38. And the children of Israel slew
of them in the road yet two thousand
men, and of the children of Israel not
one fell.

39. And when the Egyptians saw
that the children of Israel had fought
with such few men with the kings,
and that the battle was so very severe
against them,

40. All the Egyptians were greatly
afraid of their lives on account of the

strong battle, and all Egypt fled,
every man hiding himself from the
arrayed forces, and they hid them
selves in the road, and they left the
Israelites to fight.

41. And the children of Israel in
flicted a terrible blow upon the kings
men, and they returned from them
after they had driven them to the
border of the land of Gush.

42. And all Israel knew the thing
which the men of Egypt had done
to them, that they had fled from them
in battle, and had left them to fight
alone.

43. So the children of Israel also
acted with cunning, and as the chil
dren of Israel returned from battle,
they found some of the Egyptians in
the road and smote them there.

44. And whilst they slew them,
they said unto them these words,

45. Wherefore did you go from
us and leave us, being a few people,
to fight against these kings who had
a great people to smite us, that you
might thereby deliver your own
souls ?

46. And of some which the Israel
ites met on the road, they the chil
dren of Israel spoke to each other,
saying, smite, smite, for he is an Ish-
maelite, or an Edomite, or from the
children of Chittim, and they stood
over him and slew him, and they
knew that he was an Egyptian.

47. And the children of Israel did
these things cunningly against the
Egyptians, because they had desert-

d them in battle and had fled from
them.

48. And the children of Israel slew
of the men of Egypt in the road in
this manner, about two hundred men.

49. And all the men of Egypt saw
the evil which the children of Israel
bad done to them, so all Egypt fear-

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205

ed greatly the children of Israel, for
they had seen their great power, and
that not one man of them had fallen.
50. So all the children of Israel
returned with joy on their road to
Goshen, and the rest of Egypt re
turned each man to his place.

CHAPTER LXV.

1. And it came to pass after these
things, that all the counsellors of
Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and all the
elders of Egypt assembled and came
before the king and bowed down to
the ground, and they sat before him.

2. And the counsellors and elders
of Egypt spoke unto the king, say
ing.

3. Behold the people of the chil
dren of Israel is greater and mightier
than we are, and thou knowest all
the evil which they did to us in the
road when we returned from battle.

4. And thou hast also seen their
strong power, for this power is unto
them from their fathers, for but a few
men stood up against a people nu
merous as the sand, and smote them
at the edge of the sword, and of them
selves not one has fallen, so that if
they had been numerous they would
then have utterly destroyed them.

5. Now therefore give us counsel
what to do with them, until we gra
dually destroy them from amongst
us, lest they become too numerous
for us in the land.

6. For if the children of Israel
should increase in the land, they will
become an obstacle to us, and if any
war should happen to take place, they
with their great strength will join our
enemy against us, and fight against
us, destroy us from the land and go
away from it.

7. So the king answered the elders

of Egypt and said unto them, this is
the plan advised against Israel, from
which we will not depart.

8. Behold in the land are Pithom
and Rameses, cities unfortified against
battle, it behoves you and us to build
them, and to fortify them.

9. Now therefore go you also and
act cunningly toward them, and pro
claim a voice in Egypt and in Goshen
at the command of the king, saying,

10. All ye men of Egypt, Goshen,
Pathros and all their inhabitants ! the
king has commanded us to build Pi
thom and Rameses, and to fortify
them for battle ; who amongst you
of all Egypt, of the children of Israel
and of all the inhabitants of the cities,
are willing to build with us, shall
each have his wages given to him
daily at the king s order ; so go you
first and do cunningly, and gather
yourselves and come to Pithom and
Rameses to build.

1 1 . And whilst you are building,
cause a proclamation of this kind to
be made throughout Egypt every
day at the command of the king.

12. And when some of the chil
dren of Israel shall come to build
with you, you shall give them their
wages daily for a few days.

13. And after they shall have built
with you for their daily hire, draw
yourselves away from them daily one
by one in secret, and then you shall
rise up and become their task-mas
ters and officers, and you shall leave
them afterward to build without wa
ges, and should they refuse, then
force them with all your might to
build.

14. And if you do this it will be
well with us to strengthen our land
against the children of Israel, for on
account of the fatigue of the building
and the work, the children of Israel

206

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

will decrease, because you will de
prive them from their wives day by
day.

15. And all the elders of Egypt
heard the counsel of the king, and
the counsel seemed good in their
eyes and in the eyes of the servants
of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of all
Egypt, and they did according to the
word of the king.

16. And all the servants went
away from the king, and they caused
a proclamation to be made in all
Egypt, in Tachpanches and in Gosh-
en, and in all the cities which sur
rounded Egypt, saying,

17. You have seen what the child
ren of Esau and Ishmael did to us,
who came to war against us and wish
ed to destroy us ;

18. Now therefore the king com
manded us to fortify the land, to
build the cities Pithom and Rameses,
and to fortify them for battle, if they
should again come against us.

19. Whosoever of you from all
Egypt and from the children of
Israel will come to build with us,
he shall have his daily wages given
by the king, as his command is unto

us.

20. And when Egypt and all the
children of Israel heard all that the
servants of Pharaoh had spoken,
there came from the Egyptians and
the children of Israel to build with
the servants of Pharaoh, Pithom and
Rameses, but none of the children
of Levi came with their brethren to
build.

21. And all the servants of Pha
raoh and his princes came at first
with deceit to build with all Israel as
daily hired laborers, and they gave
to Israel their daily hire at the be
ginning.

22. And the servants of Pharaoh

built with all Israel, and were em
ployed in that work with Israel for
a month.

23. And at the end of the month,
all the servants of Pharaoh began to
withdraw secretly from the people of
Israel daily.

24. And Israel went on with the
work at that time, but they then re
ceived their daily hire, because some
of the men of Egypt were yet carry
ing on the work with Israel at that
time ; therefore the Egyptians gave
Israel their hire in those days, in
order that they, the Egyptians their
fellow workmen, might also take the
pay for their labour.

25. And at the end of a year and
four months all the Egyptians had
withdrawn from the children of
Israel, so that the children of Israel
were left alone engaged in the work.

26. And after all the Egyptians
had withdrawn from the children of
Israel they returned and became op
pressors and officers over them, and
some of them stood over the children
of Israel as task masters, to receive
from them all that they gave them
for the pay of their labour.

27. And the Egyptians did in this
manner to the children of Israel day
by day, in order to afflict the Israel
ites in their work.

28. And all the children of Israel
were alone engaged in the labor, and
the Egyptians refrained from giving
any pay to the children of Israel
from that time forward.

29. And when some of the men
of Israel refused to work on account
of the wages not being given to them,
then the exactors and the servants of
Pharaoh oppressed them and smote
them with heavy blows, and made
them return by force, to labor with
their brethren ; thus did all the

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207

Egyptians unto the children of Israel
all the days.

30. And all the children of Israel
were greatly afraid of the Egyptians
in this matter, and all the children
of Israel returned and worked alone
without pay.

3 1 . And the children of Israel built
Pithom and Rameses, and all the
children of Israel did the work, some
making bricks, and some building,
and the children of Israel built and
fortified all the land of Egypt and
its walls, and the children of Israel
were engaged in work for many
years, until the time came when the
Lord remembered them and brought
them out of Egypt.

32. But the children of Levi were
not employed in the work with their
brethren of Israel, from the beginning
unto the day of their going forth from
Egypt.

33. For all the children of Levi
knew that the Egyptians had spoken
all these words with deceit to the
Israelites, therefore the children of
Levi refrained from approaching to
the work with their brethren.

34. And the Egyptians did not
direct their attention to make the
children of Levi work afterward,
since they had not been with their
brethren at the beginning, therefore
the Egyptians left them alone.

35. And the hands of the men of
Egypt were directed with continued
severity against the children of Israel
in that work, and the Egyptians
made the children of Israel work
with rigor.

36. And the Egyptians embittered
the lives of the children of Israel
with hard work, in mortar and bricks,
and also in all manner of work in the
field.

37. And the children of Israel

called Melol the king of Egypt
"Meror,* king of Egypt," because
in his days the Egyptians had em
bittered their lives with all manner
of work.

38. And all the work wherein the
Egyptians made the children of
Israel labor, they exacted with rigor,
in order to afflict the children of
Israel, but the more they afflicted
them, the more they increased and
grew, and the Egyptians were griev
ed because of the children of Israel.

CHAPTER LXVI.

1. At that time died Hadad the
son of Bedad king of Edom, and
Samlah from Mesrekah, from the
country of the children of the east,
reigned in his place.

2. In the thirteenth year of the
reign of Pharaoh king of Egypt,
which was the hundred and twenty
fifth year of the Israelites going
down into Egypt, Samlah had reign
ed over Edom eighteen years.

3. And when he reigned, he drew
forth his hosts to go and fight against
Zepho the son of Eliphaz and the
children of Chittim, because they
had made war against Angeas king
of Africa, and they destroyed his
whole army.

4. But he did not engage with him,
for the children of Esau prevented
him, saying he was their brother, so
Samlah listened to the voice of the
children of Esau, and turned back
with all his forces to the land of
Edom, and did not proceed to fight
against Zepho the son of Eliphaz.

5. And Pharaoh king of Egypt
heard this thing, saying, Samlah
king of Edom has resolved to fight
the children of Chittim, and after-

* nno from TUD to embitter.

208

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

ward he will come to fight against
Egypt.

6. And when the Egyptians heard
this matter, they increased the labor
upon the children of Israel, lest the
Israelites should do unto them as
they did unto them in their war with
the children of Esau in the days of
Hadad.

7. So the Egyptians said unto
the children of Israel, hasten and do
your work, and finish your task, and
strengthen the land, lest the children
of Esau your brethren should come
to fight against us, for on your ac
count will they come against us.

8. And the children of Israel did
the work of the men of Egypt day
by day, and the Egyptians afflicted
the children of Israel in order to les
sen them in the land.

9. But as the Egyptians increased
the labor upon the children of Israel,
so did the children of Israel increase
and multiply, and all Egypt was fill
ed with the children of Israel.

10. And in the hundred and twen
ty fifth year of Israel s going down
into Egypt, all the Egyptians saw
that their counsel did not succeed
against Israel, but that they increas
ed and grew, and the land of Egypt
and the land of Goshen were filled
with the children of Israel.

11. So all the elders of Egypt and
its wise men came before the king
and bowed down to him and sat be
fore him.

12. And all the elders of Egypt
and the wise men thereof said unto
the king, may the king live forever ;
thou didst counsel us the counsel
against the children of Israel, and
we did unto them according to the
word of the king.

13. But in proportion to the in
crease of the labor so do they in

crease and grow in the land, and be
hold the whole country is filled with
them.

14. Now therefore our lord and
king, the eyes of all Egypt are up-
on thee to give them advice with thy
wisdom, by which they may prevail
over Israel to destroy them, or to
diminish them from the land ; and
the king answered them, saying, give
you counsel in this mattter that we
may know what to do unto them,

15. And an officer, one of the
king s counsellors, whose name was
Job, from Mesopotamia, in the land
of Uz, answered the king, saying,

16. If it please the king, let nim
hear the counsel of his servant ; and
the king said unto him, speak.

17. And Job spoke before the
king, the princes, and before all the
elders of Egypt, saying,

1 8. Behold the counsel of the king
which he advised formerly respect
ing the labor of the children of Is
rael is very good, and you must not
remove from them that labor forever.

19. But this is the advice coun
selled by which you may lessen
them, if it seems good to the king to
afflict them.

20. Behold we have feared war
for a long time, and we said, when
Israel becomes fruitful in the land,
they will drive us from the land if a
war should take place.

21. If it please the king, let a
royal decree go forth, and let it be
written in the laws of Egypt which
shall not be revoked, that every male
child born to the Israelites, his
blood shall be spilled upon the
ground.

22. And by your doing this, when
all the male children of Israel
shall have died, the evil of their
wars will cease ; let the king do so

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

209

and send for all the Hebrew mid-
wives and order them in this matter
to execute it ; so the thing pleased
the king and the princes, and the
king did according to the word of
Job.

23. And the king sent for the He
brew midwives to be called, of
which the name of one was Sheph-
rah, and the name of the other Puah.

24. And the midwives came be
fore the king, and stood in his pre
sence.

25. And the king said unto them,
when you do the office of a midwife
to the Hebrew women, and see them
upon the stools, if it be a son, then
you shall kill him, but if it be a
daughter, then she shall live.

26. But if you will not do this
thing, then will I burn you up and
all your houses with fire.

27. But the midwives feared God
and did not hearken to the king of
Egypt nor to his words, and when
the Hebrew women brought forth to
the midwife son or daughter, then
did the midwife do all that was neces
sary to the child and let it live ; thus
did the midwives all the days.

28. And this thing was told to the
king, and he sent and called for the
midwives and he said to them, why
have you done this thing and have
saved the children alive ?

29. And the midwives answered,
and spoke together before the king,
saying,

30. Let not the king think that the
Hebrew women are as the Egyptian
women, for all the children of Israel
are hale,* and before the midwife
comes to them they are delivered,
and as for us thy handmaids, for

*rwn nvn a same as in Exodus, ch. 1, v. 19,
where the English version is " for they are live
ly." I prefer my translation.

many days no Hebrew woman has
brought forth upon us, for all the
Hebrew women are their own mid-
wives, because they are hale.

31. And Pharaoh heard their
words and believed them in this mat
ter, and the midwives went away
from the king, and God dealt well
with them, and the people multiplied
and waxed exceedingly.

CHAPTER LXVII.

1 . There was a man in the land of
Egypt of the seed of Levi, whose
name was Amram, the son of Ke-
hath, the son of Levi, the son of Is
rael.

2. And this man went and took a
wife, namely Jochebed the daughter
of Levi his father s sister, and she
was one hundred and twenty six
years old, and he came unto her.

3. And the woman conceived and
bare a daughter, and she called her
name Miriam, because in those days
the Egyptians had embittered the
lives of the children of Israel.

4. And she conceived again and
bare a son and she called his name
Aaron, for in the days of her concep
tion, Pharaoh began to spill the
blood of the male children of Israel.

5. In those days died Zepho
the son of Eliphaz, son of Esau,
king of Chittim, and Janeas reigned
.n his stead.

6. And the time that Zepho reign
ed over the children of Chittim was
ifty years, and he died and was
Buried in the city of Nabna in the
"and of Chittim.

7. And Janeas, one of the mighty
men of the children of Chittim,
reigned after him and he reigned
ifty years.

8. And it was after the death of

210

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

the king of Chittim that Balaam the
son of Beor fled from the land of
Chittim, and he went and came to
Egypt to Pharaoh king of Egypt.

9. And Pharaoh received him with
great honor, for he had heard of his
wisdom, and he gave him presents
and made him for a counsellor, and
aggrandized him.

10. And Balaam dwelt in Egypt,
in honor with all the nobles of the
king, and the nobles exalted him, be
cause they all coveted to learn his
wisdom.

1 1 . f And in the hundred and thir--
tieth year of Israel s going down to
Egypt, Pharaoh dreamed that he was
sitting upon his kingly throne, and
lifted up his eyes and saw an old
man standing before him, and there
were scales in the hands of the old
man, such scales as are used by mer
chants.

12. And the old man took the
scales and hung them before Pha
raoh.

13. And the old man took all the
elders of Egypt and all its nobles
and great men, and he tied them to
gether and put them in one scale.

14. And he took a milk kid and
put it into the other scale, and the
kid preponderated over all.

15. And Pharaoh was astonished
at this dreadful vision, why the kid
should preponderate over all, and
Pharaoh woke and behold it was a
dream.

16. And Pharaoh rose up early in
the morning and called all his ser
vants and related to them the dream,
and the men were greatly afraid.

17. And the king said to all his
wise men, interpret I pray you the
dream which I dreamed, that I may
know it.

18. And Balaam the son of Beor

answered the king and said unto him,
this means nothing else but a great
evil that will spring up against Egypt
in the latter days.

19. For a son will be born to Is
rael who will destroy all Egypt and
its inhabitants, and bring forth the
Israelites from Egypt with a mighty
hand.

20. Now therefore king, take
counsel upon this matter, that you
may destroy the hope of the children
of Israel and their expectation, before
this evil arise against Egypt.

21 . And the king said unto Balaam,
and what shall we do unto Israel ?
surely after a certain manner did we
at first counsel against them and
could not prevail over them.

22. Now therefore give you also
advice against them by which we
may prevail over them.

23. And Balaam answered the
king, saying, send now and call thy
two counsellors, and we will see
what their advice is upon this matter
and afterward thy servant will speak.

24. And the king sent and called
his two counsellors Reuel the Midi-
anite and Job the Uzite, and they
came and sat before the king.

25. And the king said to them,
behold you have both heard the dream
which I have dreamed, and the in
terpretation thereof; now therefore
give counsel and know and see what
is to be done to the children of Is
rael, whereby we may prevail over
them, before their evil shall spring
up against us.

26. And Reuel the Midianite an
swered the king and said, may the
king live, may me king live forever.

27. If it seem good to the king,
let him desist from the Hebrews and
leave them, and let him not stretch
forth his hand against them.

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

211

28. For these are they whom the
Lord chose in days of old, and took
as the lot of his inheritance from
amongst all the nations of the earth
and the kings of the earth ; and who
is there that stretched his hand
against them with impunity, of whom
their God was not avenged ?

29. Surely thou knowest that
when Abraham went down to Egypt,
Pharaoh, the former king of Egypt,
saw Sarah his wife, and took her for
a wife, because Abraham said, she is
my sister, for he was afraid, lest the
men of Egypt should slay him on
account of his wife.

30. And when the king of Egypt
had taken Sarah then God smote him
and his household with heavy plagues,
until he restored unto Abraham his
wife Sarah, then was he healed.

31. And Abimelech the Gerarite,
king of the Philistines, God punished
on account of Sarah wife of Abraham,
in stopping up every womb from
man to beast.

32. When their God came to
Abimelech in the dream of night and
terrified him, in order that he might
restore to Abraham Sarah whom he
had taken, and afterward all the peo
ple of Gerar were punished on ac
count of Sarah, and Abraham prayed
to his God for them, and he was in-
treated of him, and he healed them.

33. And Abimelech feared all this
evil that came upon him and his peo
ple, and he returned to Abraham his
wife Sarah, and gave him with her
many gifts.

34. He did so also to Isaac when
he had driven him from Gerar, and
God had done wonderful things to
him, that all the water courses of
Gerar were dried up, and their pro
ductive trees did not bring forth.

35. Until Abimelech of Gerar,

and Ahuzzath one of his friends, and
Pichol the captain of his host, went
to him and they bent and bowed
down before him to the ground,

36. And they requested of him to
supplicate for them, and he prayed
to the Lord for them, and the Lord
was intreated of him and he healed
them.

37. Jacob also, the plain man, was
delivered through his integrity from
the hand of his brother Esau, and
the hand of Laban the Syrian his
mother s brother, who had sought his
life ; likewise from the hand of all
the kings of Canaan who had come
together against him and his children
to destroy them, and the Lord deliv
ered them out of their hands, that
they turned upon them and smote
them, for who had ever stretched
forth his hand against them with im
punity ?

38. Surely Pharaoh the former,
thy father s father, raised Joseph
the son of Jacob above all the prin
ces of the land of Egypt, when he
saw his wisdom, for through his wis
dom he rescued all the inhabitants of
the land from the famine.

39. After which he ordered Jacob
and his children to come down to
Egypt, in order that through their
virtue, the land of Egypt and the
land of Goshen might be delivered
from the famine.

40. Now therefore if it seem good
in thine eyes, cease from destroying
the children of Israel, but if it be
not thy will that ^ they shall dwell in
Egypt, send them forth from here,
that they may go to the land of Ca
naan, the land where their ancestors
sojourned.

41. And when Pharaoh heard the
words of Jethro he was very angry
with him, so that he rose with shame

212

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

from the king s presence, and went
to Midian, his land, and took Joseph s
stick with him.

42. And the king said to Job the
Uzite, what sayest thou Job, and
what is thy advice respecting the
Hebrews ?

43. So Job said to the king, behold
all the inhabitants of the land are in
thy power, let the king do as it
seems good in his eyes.

44. And the king said unto Ba
laam, what dost thou say, Balaam,
speak thy word that we may hear it.

45. And Balaam said to the king,
of all that the king has counselled
against the Hebrews will they be
delivered, and the king will not be
able to prevail over them with any
counsel.

46. For if thou thinkest to lessen
them by the flaming fire, thou canst
not prevail over them, for surely
their God delivered Abraham their
father from Ur* of the Chaldeans ;
and if thou thinkest to destroy them
with a sword, surely Isaac their
father was delivered from it, and a
ram was placed in his stead.

47. And if with hard and rigor
ous labor thou thinkest to lessen
them, thou wilt not prevail even in
this, for their father Jacob served
Laban in all manner of hard work,
and prospered.

48. Now therefore, O King, hear
my words, for this is the counsel
which is counselled against them, by
which thou wilt prevail over them,
and from which thou should st not
depart.

49. If it please the king let him
order all their children which shall
be born from this day forward, to be

* It was stated before that TIN was a fire in
which Abraham was put, and from which God
delivered him.

thrown into the water, for by this
canst thou wipe away their name,
for none of them, nor of their fathers,
were* tried in this manner.

50. And the king heard the words
of Balaam, and the thing pleased the
king and the princes, and the king
did according to the word of Balaam.

51. And the king ordered a pro
clamation to be issued and a law to
be made throughout the land of
Egypt, saying, every male child
born to the Hebrews from this day
forward shall be thrown into the
water.

52. And Pharaoh called unto all
his servants, saying, go now and seek
throughout the land of Goshen where
the children of Israel are, and see
that every son born to the Hebrews
shall be cast into the river, but every
daughter you shall let live.

53. And when the children of
Israel heard this thing which Pha
raoh had commanded, to cast their
male children into the river, some
of the people separated from their
wives and others adhered to them.

54. And from that day forward,
when the time of delivery arrived to
those Women of Israel who had re
mained with their husbands, they
went to the field to bring forth there,
and they brought forth in the field,
and left their children upon the field
and returned home.

55. And the Lord who had sworn
to their ancestors to multiply them,
sent one of his ministering angels
which are in heaven to wash each
child in water, to anoint and swathe
it and to put into its hands two
smooth stones from one of which it
sucked milk and from the other
honey, and he caused its hair to
grow to his knees, by which it might

* Had any miraculous escape from water.

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

213

cover itself, to* comfort it and to
cleave to it, through his compassion
for it.

56. And when God had compas
sion over them and had desired to
multiply them upon the face of the
land, he ordered his earth to receive
them to be preserved therein till the
time of their growing up, after which
the earth opened its mouth and
vomited them forth andf they sprout
ed forth from the city like the herb
of the earth and the grass of the
forest, and they returned each to his
family and to his father s house, and
they remained with them.

57. And the babes of the children
of Israel were upon the earth like
the herb of the field, through God s
grace to them.

58. And when all the Egyptians
saw this thing, they went forth, each
to his field with his yoke of oxen and
his ploughshare, and they ploughed
it up as one ploughs the earth at seed
time.

59. And when they ploughed they
were unable to hurt the infants of the
children of Israel, so the people in
creased and waxed exceedingly

60. And Pharaoh ordered his
officers daily to go to Goshen to
seek for the babes of the children of
Israel.

61. And when they had sought
and found one, they took it from its
mother s bosom by force, and threw
it into the river, but the female child
they left with its mother ; thus did
the Egyptians do to the Israelites
all the days.

* i. e. That the angel was to comfort it and
cleave to it.

t pwi Wy3 TJ7O w*) ; the same sentence is
to be found in Psalm 2, v. 16, upon which the
Rabbins formed this fable, and which has no
connexion with it.

CHAPTER LXVIII.

1. And it was at that time the spirit
of God was upon Miriam the daugh
ter of Amram the sister of Aaron,
and she went forth and prophecied
about the house, saying, behold a
son will be born unto us from my
father and mother this time, and he
will save Israel from the hands of
Egypt.

2. And when Amram heard the
words of his daughter, he went and
took his wife back to the house, after
he had driven her away at the time
when Pharaoh ordered every male
child of the house of Jacob to be
thrown into the water.

3. So Amram took Jochebed his
wife, three years after he had driven
her away, and he came to her and
she conceived.

4. And at the end of seven months
from her conception she brought
forth a son, and the whole house was
filled with great light as of the light
of the sun and moon at the time 01
their shining.

5. And when the woman saw the
child that it was good and pleasing
to the sight, she hid it for three
months in an inner room.

6. In those days the Egyptians
conspired to destroy all the Hebrews
there.

7. And the Egyptian women went
to Goshen where the children of
Israel were, and they carried their
young ones upon their shoulders,
their babes who could not yet speak.

8. And in those days, when the
women of the children of Israel
brought forth, each woman had hid
den her son from before the Egyp
tians, that the Egyptians might not
know of their bringing forth, and
might not destroy them from the land.

214

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

9. And the Egyptian women came
to Goshen and their children who
could not speak were upon their
shoulders, and when an Egyptian
woman came into the house of a
Hebrew woman her babe began to cry.

10. And when it cried the child
that was in the inner room answered
it, so the Egyptian women went and
told it at the house of Pharaoh.

11. And Pharaoh sent his officers
to take the children and slay them ;
thus did the Egyptians to the Hebrew
women all the days.

12. And it was at that time, about
three months from Jochebed s con
cealment of her son, that the thing
was known in Pharaoh s house.

13. And the woman hastened to
take away her son before the officers
came, and she took for him an ark
of bulrushes, and daubed it with slime
and with pitch, and put the child
therein, and she laid it in the flags
by the river s brink.

14. And his sister Miriam stood
afar off to know what would be done
to him, and what would become of
her words *

15. And God sent forth at that
time a terrible heat in the land of
Egypt, which burned up the flesh
of man like the sun in his circuit, and
it greatly oppressed the Egyptians.

16. And all the Egyptians went
down to bathe in the river, on account
of the consuming heat which burned
up their flesh.

17. And Bathia, the daughter of
Pharaoh, went also to bathe in the
river, owing to the consuming heat,
and her maidens walked at the river
side, and all the women of Egyptf
as well.

* Her prophecy, mentioned in v. 1.
t Walked about in respectful attendance on
Bathia.

18. And Bathia lifted up her eyes
to the river, and she saw the ark up
on the water, and sent her maid to
fetch it.

19. And she opened it and saw the
child, and behold the babe wept, and
she had compassion on him, and she
said, this is one of the Hebrew chil
dren.

20. And all the women of Egypt
walking on the river side desired to
give him suck, but he would not suck,
for this thing was from the Lord, in
order to restore him to his mother s
breast.

21. And Miriam his sister was at
that time amongst the Egyptian wo
men at the river side, and she saw
this thing and she said to Pharaoh s
daughter, shall I go and fetch a nurse
of the Hebrew women, that she may
nurse the child for thee ?

22. And Pharaoh s daughter said
to her, go, and the young woman
went and called the child s mother.

23. And Pharaoh s daughter said
to Jochebed, take this child away
and suckle it for me, and I will pay
thee thy wages, two bits of silver
daily ; and the woman took the child
and nursed it.

24. And at the end of two years,
when the child grew up, she brought
him to the daughter of Pharaoh, and
he was unto her as a son, and she
called his name Moses, for she said,
because I drew him out of the water

25. And* Amram his father called
his name Chabar, for he said, it was

*These different names arise from a Rabbinical
torture of a genealogical account in 1 Chroni
cles, ch. 4, v. 18, which has nothing to do with
the birth of Moses, only a woman s name, Ba
thia, daughter of Pharaoh, whom Mered took,
and by a similarity of name to the great Pharaoh
king of Egypt, as if no private person could be
called so, they imagined it must have been Mo
ses the adopted son of king Pharaoh s daughter.
The same story is in the Talmud.

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

215

for him that he associated with his
wife whom he had turned away.

26. And Jochebed his mother
called his name Jekuthiel, because,
she said, I have hoped for him to the
Almighty, and God restored him un
to me.

27. And Miriam his sister called
him Jered, for she descended after
him to the river to know what his
end would be.

28. And Aaron his brother called
his name Abi Zanuch, saying, my
father left my mother and returned
to her on his account.

29. And Kehath the father of Am-
ram called his name Abigdor, because
on his account did God repair the
breach of the house of Jacob, that
they could no longer throw their male
children into the water.

30. And their nurse called him
Abi Socho, saying, in his tabernacle
was he hidden for three months, on
account of the children of Ham.*

31 . And allf Israel called his name
Shemaiah, son of Nethanel, for they
said, in his days has God heard their
cries and rescued them from their
oppressors.

32. And Moses was in Pharaoh s
house, and was unto Bathia, Pha
raoh s daughter, as a son, and Moses
grew up amongst the king s children.

CHAPTER LXIX.

1 . And the king of Edom died in
those days, in the eighteenth year of
his reign, and was buried in his tem
ple which he had built for himself as
his royal residence in the land of
Edom.

* The Egyptians.

t They must have called him so after the ex-
&lt;jdus, or about the time ; but I conjecture the
whole of this part a spurious addition, extracted
from the Rabbinical works.

2. And the children of Esau sent
to Pethor, which is upon the river,
and they fetched from there a young
man of beautiful eyes and comely
aspect, whose name was Saul, and
they made him king over them in the
place of Samlah.

3. And Saul reigned over all the
children of Esau in the land of Edom
for forty years.

4. And when Pharaoh king of
Egypt saw that the counsel which
Balaam had advised respecting the
children of Israel did not succeed,
but that still they were fruitful, mul
tiplied and increased throughout the
land of Egypt,

5. Then Pharaoh commanded in
those days that a proclamation should
be issued throughout Egypt to the
children of Israel, saying, no man
shall diminish any thing of his daily
labor.

6. And the man who shall be found
deficient in his labor which he per
forms daily, whether in mortar or in
bricks, then his youngest son shall
be put in their place.

7. And the labor of Egypt strength
ened upon the children of Israel in
those days, and behold if one brick
was deficient in any man s daily la
bor, the Egyptians took his youngest
boy by force from his mother, and
put him into the building in the place
of the brick which his father had left
wanting.

8. And the men of Egypt did so
to all the children of Israel day by
day, all the days for a long period.

9. But the tribe of Levi did not at
that time work with the Israelites
their brethren, from the beginning,
for the children of Levi knew the
cunning of the Egyptians which they
exercised at first toward the Israel
ites.

216

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

CHAPTER LXX.

1 . And in the third year from the
birth of Moses, Pharaoh was sitting
at a banquet, when Alparanith the
queen was sitting at his right and
Bathia at his left, and the lad Moses
was lying upon her bosom, and Ba
laam the son of Beor with his two
sons, and all the princes of the king
dom were sitting at table in the king s
presence.

2. And the lad stretched forth his
hand upon the king s head, and took
the crown from the king s head and
placed it on his own head.

3. And when the king and princes
saw the work which the boy had
done, the king and princes were ter
rified, and one man to his neighbor
expressed astonishment.

4. And the king said unto the
princes who were before him at
table, what speak you and what say
you, O ye princes, in this matter,
and what is to be judgment against
the boy on account of this act ?

5. And Balaam the son of Beor
the magician answered before the
king and princes, and he said, re
member now, O my lord and king,
the dream which thou didst dream
many days since, and that which thy
servant interpreted unto thee.

6. Now therefore this is a child
from the Hebrew children, in whom
is the spirit of God, and let not my
lord the king imagine that this young
ster did this thing without knowledge.

7. For he is a Hebrew boy, and
wisdom and understanding are with
him, although he is yet a child, and
with wisdom has he done this and
chosen unto himself the kingdom of
Egypt.

8. For this is the manner of all
the Hebrews to deceive kings arid

their nobles, to do all these things
cunningly, in order to make the
kings of the earth and their men
tremble.

9. Surely thouknowest that Abra
ham their father acted thus, who de
ceived the army of Nimrod king of
Babel, and Abimelech king of Gerar,
and that he possessed himself of the
land of the children of Heth and all
the kingdoms of Canaan.

10. And that he descended into
Egypt and said of Sarah his wife,
she is my sister, in order to mislead
Egypt and her king.

1 1 . His son Isaac also did so when
he went to Gerar and dwelt there,
and his strength prevailed over the
army of Abimelech king of the Phi
listines.

12. He also thought of making
the kingdom of the Philistines
stumble, in saying that Rebecca his
wife was his sister.

13. Jacob also dealt treacherous
ly with his brother, and took from
his hand his birthright and his bless
ing.

14. He went then to Padan-aram
to the house of Laban his mother s
brother, and cunningly obtained from
him his daughter, his cattle, and all
belonging to him, and fled away and
returned to the land of Canaan to
his father.

15. His sons sold their brother
Joseph, who went down into Egypt
and became a slave, and was placed
in the prison house for twelve years.

16. Until the former Priaraoh
dreamed dreams, and withdrew him
from the prison house, and magnified
him above all the princes in Egypt
on account of his interpreting his
dreams to him.

17. And when God caused a fa
mine throughout the land he sent for

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

217

and brought his father and all his
brothers, and the whole of his fa
ther s household, and supported them
without price or reward, and bought
the Egyptians for slaves.

18. Now therefore my lord king
behold this child has risen up in their
stead in Egypt, to do according to
their deeds and to trifle with every
king, prince and judge.

19. If it please the king, let us
now spill his blood upon the ground,
lest he grow up and take away the
government from thy hand, and the
hope of Egypt perish after he shall
have reigned.

20. And Balaam said to the king,
let us moreover call for all the judges
of Egypt and the wise men thereof,
and let us know if the judgment of
death is due to this boy as thou didst
say, and then we will slay him.

21. And Pharaoh sent and called
for all the wise men of Egypt and
they came before the king, and an
angel of the Lord came amongst
them, and he was like one of the wise
men of Egypt.

22. And the king said to the wise
men, surely you have heard what this
Hebrew boy who is in the house has
done, and thus has Balaam judged in
the matter.

23. Now judge you also and see
what is due to the boy for the act
which he has committed.

24. And the angel, who seemed
like one of the wise men of Pharaoh,
answered and said as follows, before
all the wise men of Egypt and be
fore the king and the princes.

25. If it please the king let the
king send for men who shall bring
before him an onyx stone and a coal
of fire, and place them before the
child, and if the child shall stretch
forth his hand and take the onyx

stone, then shall we know that with
wisdom has the youth done all that
he has done, and we must slay him.

26. But if he stretch forth his
hand upon the coal, then shall we
know that it was not with knowledge
that he did this thing, and he shall
live.

27. And the thing seemed good
in the eyes of the king and the
princes, so the king did according to
the word of the angel of the Lord.

28. And the king ordered the
onyx stone and coal to be brought
and placed before Moses.

29. And they placed the boy be
fore them, and the lad endeavored to
stretch forth his hand to the onyx
stone, but the angel of the Lord took
his hand and placed it upon the coal,
and the coal became extinguished in
his hand, and he lifted it up and put
it into his mouth, and burned part
of his lips and part of his tongue,
and he became heavy in mouth and
tongue.

30. And when the king and princes
saw this, they knew that Moses had
not acted with wisdom in taking off
the crown from the king s head.

31. So the king and princes re-
frained from slaying the child, so
Moses remained in Pharaoh s house,
growing up, and the Lord was with
him.

32. And whilst the boy was in
the king s house, he was robed in
purple and he grew amongst the chil
dren of the king.

33. And when Moses grew up in
the king s house, Bathia the daugh
ter of Pharaoh considered him as a
son, and all the household of Pha
raoh honored him, and all the men
of Egypt were afraid of him.

34. And he daily went forth and
came into the land of Goshen, where

218

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

his brethren the children of Israel
were, and Moses saw them daily in
shortness of breath and hard labor.

35. And Moses asked them, say
ing, wherefore is this labor meted
out unto you day by day ?

36. And they told him all that had
befallen them, and all the injunctions
which Pharaoh had put upon them
before his birth.

37. And they told him all the
counsels which Balaam the son of
Beor had counselled against them,
and what he had also counselled
against him in order to slay him when
he had taken the king s crown from
off his head.

38. And when Moses heard these
things his anger was kindled against
Balaam, and he sought to kill him,
and he was in ambush for him day
by day.

39. And Balaam was afraid of
Moses, and he and his two sons rose
up and went forth from Egypt, and
they fled and delivered their souls
and betook themselves to the land
of Cush to Kikianus, king of Gush.

40. And Moses was in the king s
house going out and coming in, the
Lord gave him favor in the eyes of
Pharaoh, and in the eyes of all his
servants, and in the eyes of all the
people of Egypt, and they loved
Moses exceedingly.

41. And the day arrived when
Moses went to Goshen to see his
brethren, that he saw the children of
Israel in their burdens and hard la
bor, and Moses was grieved on their
account.

42. And Moses returned to Egypt
and came to the house of Pharaoh,
and came before the king, and Moses
bowed down before the king.

43. And Moses said unto Pha
raoh, I pray thee my lord, I have

come to seek a small request from
thee, turn not away my face empty ;
and Pharaoh said unto him, speak.

44. And Moses said unto Pharaoh,
let there be given unto thy servants
the children of Israel who are in
Goshen, one day to rest therein from
their labor.

45. And the king answered Mo^
ses and said, behold I have lifted up
thy face in this thing to grant thy re
quest.

46. And Pharaoh ordered a pro
clamation to be issued throughout
Egypt and Goshen, saying,

47. To you, all the children of
Israel, thus says the king, for six
days you shall do your work and la
bor but on the seventh day you shall
rest, and shall not perform any work,
thus shall you do all the days, as the
king and Moses the son of Bathia
have commanded.

48. And Moses rejoiced at this
thing which the king had granted to
him, and all the children of Israel
did as Moses ordered them.

49. For this thing was from the
Lord to the children of Israel, for
the Lord had begun to remember the
children of Israel to save them for
the sake of their fathers.

50. And the Lord was with Mo
ses and his fame went throughout
Egypt.

51. And Moses became great in
the eyes of all the Egyptians, and in
the eyes of all the children of Israel,
seeking good for his people Israel
and speaking words of peace regard
ing them to the king.

CHAPTER LXXI.

1 . And when Moses was eighteen
years old, he desired to see his father
and mother and he went to them to

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

219

Goshen, and when Moses had come
near Goshen, he came to the place
where the children of Israel were en
gaged in work, and he observed their
burdens, and he saw an Egyptian
smiting one of his Hebrew brethren.

2. And when the man who was bea
ten saw Moses he ran to him for
help, for the man Moses was greatly
respected in the house of Pharaoh, and
he said to him, my lord attend to me,
this Egyptian came to my house in
the night, bound me, and came to
my wife in my presence, and now he
seeks to take my life away.

3. And when Moses heard this
wicked thing, his anger was kindled
against the Egyptian, and he turned
this way and the other, and when he
saw there was no man there he smote
the Egyptian and hid him in the
sand, and delivered the Hebrew from
the hand of him that smote him.

4. And the Hebrew went to his
house, and Moses returned to his
home, and went forth and came back
to the king s house.

5. And when the man had return
ed home, he thought of repudiating
his wife, for it was not right in the
house of Jacob, for any man to come
to his wife after she had been defiled.

6. And the woman went and told
her brothers, and the woman s bro
thers sought to slay him, and he fled
to his house and escaped.

7. And on the second day Moses
went forth to his brethren, and saw,
and behold two men were quarreling,
and he said to the wicked one, why
dost thou smite thy neighbor ?

8. And he answered him and said
to him, who has set thee for a prince
and judge over us ? dost thou think
to slay me as thou didst slay the
Egyptian ? and Moses was afraid and
he said, surely the thing is known !

9. And Pharaoh heard of this af
fair, and he ordered Moses to be
slain, so God sent his angel, and he
appeared unto Pharaoh in the like
ness of a captain of the guard.

10. And the angel of the Lord
took the sword from the hand of the
captain of the guard, and took his
head off with it, for the likeness of
the captain of the guard was turned
into the likeness of Moses.

11. And the angel of the Lord
took hold of the right hand of Moses,
and brought him forth from Egypt,
and placed him from without the bor
ders of Egypt, a distance of forty
days journey.

12. And Aaron his brother alone
remained in the land of Egypt, and
he prophecied to the children of Is
rael, saying,

13. Thus says the Lord God of
your ancestors, throw* away, each
man, the abominations of his eyes,
and do not defile yourselves with the
idols of Egypt.

14. And the children of Israel re
belled and would not hearken to Aa
ron at that time.

15. And the Lord thought to de
stroy them, were it not that the Lord
remembered the covenant which he
had made with Abraham, Isaac and
Jacob.

16. In those days the hand of
Pharaoh continued to be severe
against the children of Israel, and he
crushed and oppressed them until the
time when God sent forth his word
and took notice of them.

CHAPTER LXXII.

1 . And it was in those days that
there was a great war between the
children of Cush and the children of
*This is demonstrated in Ezekiel, ch. 20, v. 30.

220

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

the east and Aram, and they rebelled
against the king of Cush in whose
hands they were.

2. So Kikianus king of Cush went
forth with all the children of Cush,
a people numerous as the sand, and
he went to fight against Aram and
the children of the east, to bring them
under subjection.

3. And when Kikianus went out,
he left Balaam the magician, with his
two sons, to guard the city, and the
lowest sort of the people of the land.

4. So Kikianus went forth to Aram
and the children of the east, and he
fought against them and smote them,
and they all fell down wounded be
fore Kikianus and his people.

5. And he took many of them cap
tives and he brought them under sub
jection as at first, and he encamped
upon their land to take tribute from
them as usual.

6. And Balaam the son of Beor,
when the king of Cush had left him
to guard the city and the poor of the
city, he rose up and advised with the
people of the land to rebel against
king Kikianus, not to let him enter
the city when he should come home.

7. And the people of the land
hearkened to him, and they swore to
him and made him king over them,
and his two sons for captains of the
army.

8. So they rose up and raised the
walls of the city at the two corners,
and they built an exceeding strong
building.

9. And at the third corner they
dug ditches without number, between
the city and the river which surround
ed the whole land of Cush, and they
made the waters of the river burst
forth there.

10. At the fourth corner they col
lected numerous serpents by their

incantations and enchantments, and
they fortified the city and dwelt there
in, and no one went out or in before
them.

1 1 . And Kikianus fought against
Aram and the children of the east
and he subdued them as before,
and they gave him their usual tribute,
and he went and returned to his land.

12. And when Kikianus the king
of Cush approached his city and all
the captains of the forces with him,
they lifted up their eyes and saw that
the walls of the city were built up
and greatly elevated, so the men were
astonished at this.

13. And they said one to the other,
it is because they saw that we were de
layed, in the battle, and were greatly
afraid of us, therefore have they
done this thing and raised the city
walls and fortified them so that the
kings of Canaan might not come in
battle against them.

14. So the king and the troops ap
proached the city door and they look
ed up and behold, all the gates of the
city were closed, and they called out
to the sentinels, saying, open unto
us, that we may enter the city.

15. But the sentinels refused to
open to them by the order of Balaam
the magician their king, they suffer
ed them not to enter their city.

16. So they raised a battle with
them opposite the city gate, and one
hundred and thirty men of the army
of Kikianus fell on that day.

17. And on the next day they con
tinued to fight and they fought at the
side of the river ; they endeavored
to pass but were not able, so some
of them sank in the pits and died.

18. So the king ordered them to
cut down trees to make rafts, upon
which they might pass to them, and
they did so.

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

221

19. And when they came to the
place of the ditches, the waters re
volved* by mills, and two hundred
men upon ten rafts were drowned.

20. And on the third day they came
to fight at the side where the ser
pents were, but they could not ap
proach there, so the serpents slew of
them one hundred and seventy men,
and they ceased fighting against
Cush, and they besieged Cush for
nine years, no person came out or in.

21. At that time that the war and
the siege were against Cush, Moses
fled from Egypt from Pharaoh who
sought to kill him for having slain the
Egyptian.

22. And Moses was eighteen years
old when he fled from Egypt from
the presence of Pharaoh, and he fled
and escaped to the camp of Kiki-
anus, which at that time was besieg
ing Cush.

23. And Moses was nine years in
the camp of Kikianus king of Cush,
all the time that they were besieging
Cush, and Moses went out and came
in with them.

24. And the king and princes and
all the fighting men loved Moses, for
he was great and worthy, his stature
was like a noble lion, his face was like
the sun, and his strength was like that
of a lion, and he was counsellor to the
king.

25. And at the end of nine years
Kikianus was seized with a mortal
disease, and his illness prevailed over
him, and he died on the seventh day.

26. So his servants embalmed him
and carried him and buried him
opposite the city gate to the north of
the land of Egypt.

* These water mills must have been erected
with a design of setting the water going if the
enemy should attempt a passage, but o^rvi in
scripture is only applied to mill stones for
grinding corn.

27. And they built over him an
elegant strong and high building, and
they placed great stones below.

28. And the king s scribes engrav
ed upon those stones all the might of
their king Kikianus, and all his bat
tles which he had fought, behold they
are written there at this day.

29. Now after the death of Kikian
us king of Cush it grieved his men and
troops greatly on account of the war.

30. So they said one to the other,
give us counsel what we are to do at
this time, as we have resided in the
wilderness nine years away from our
homes.

31. If we say we will fight against
the city many of us will fall wound
ed or killed, and if we remain here
in the siege we shall also die.

32. For now all the kings of Aram
and of the children of the east will
hear that our king is dead, and they
will attack us suddenly in a hostile
manner, and they will fight against
us and leave no remnant of us.

33. Now therefore let us go and
make a king over us, and let us re
main in the siege until the city is de
livered up to us.

34. And they wished to choose on
that day a man for king from the
army of Kikianus, and they found no
object* of their choice like Moses to
reign over them.

35. And they hastened and stripped
off each man his garments and cast
them upon the ground, and they
made a great heap and placed Moses
thereon.

36. And they rose up and blew
with trumpets and called out before
him, and said, may the king live,
may the king live !

* nina besides a young man, denotes also a
choice man, see 1 Samuel, ch. 8, v. 16, and ch,
9, v. 2 ; Proverbs, ch. 20, v. 29.

222

THE BOOK OF JASHER,

37. And all the people and nobles
swore unto him to give him for a
wife Adoniah the queen, the Cushite,
wife of Kikianus, and they made
Moses king over them on that day.

38. And all the people of Gush is
sued a proclamation on that day, say
ing, every man must give something
to Moses of what is in his posses
sion.

39. And they spread out a sheet
upon the heap, and every man cast
into it something of what he had,
one a gold ear ring and the other a
coin.

40. Also of onyx stones, bdellium,
pearls and marble did the children of
Cush cast unto Moses upon the heap,
also silver and gold in great abun
dance.

41. And Moses took all the silver
and gold, all the vessels, and the
bdellium and onyx stones, which all
the children of Cush had given to
him, and he placed them amongst his
treasures.

42. And Moses reigned over the
children of Cush on that day, in the
place of Kikianus king of Cush.

CHAPTER LXXIII.

1. In the fifty fifth year of the
reign of Pharaoh king of Egypt,
that is in the hundred and fifty seventh
year of the Israelites going down into
fegypt, reigned Moses in Cush.

2. Moses was twenty seven years
old when he began to reign over
Cush, and forty years did he reign.

3. And the Lord granted Moses
favor and grace in the eyes of all the
children of Cush, and the children of
Cush loved him exceedingly, so Mo
ses was favored by the Lord and by
men.

4. And in the seventh day of his

reign, all the children of Cush as
sembled and came before Moses and
bowed down to him to the ground.

5. And all the children spoke to
gether in the presence of the king,
saying, give us counsel that we may
see what is to be done to this city.

6. For it is now nine years that
we have been besieging round about
the city, and have not seen our chil
dren and our wives.

7. So the king answered them, say
ing, if you will hearken to my voice
in all that I shall command you, then
will the Lord give the city into our
hands and we shall subdue it.

8. For if we fight with them as in
the former battle which we had with
them before the death of Kikianws,
many of us will fall down wounded
as before.

9. Now therefore behold here is
counsel for you in this matter ; if you
will hearken to my voice, then will
the city be delivered into our hands.

10. So all the forces answered the
king, saying, all that our lord shall
command that will we do.

11. And Moses said unto them,
pass through and proclaim a voice in
the whole camp unto all the people,
saying,

12. Thus says the king, go into
the forest and bring with you of the
young ones of the stork, each man a
young one in his hand.

13. And any person transgressing
the word of the king, who shall not
bring his young one, he shall die, and
the king " will take all belonging to
him.

14. And when you shall bring
them they shall be in your keeping,
you shall rear them until they grow
up, and you shall teach them to dart
upon, as is the way of the young
ones of the hawk.

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

223

15. So all the children of Cush
heard the words of Moses, and they
rose up and caused a proclamation
to be issued throughout the camp,
saying,

16. Unto you, all the children of
Cush, the king s order is, that you go
all together to the forest, and catch
there the young storks each man his
young one in his hand, and you shall
bring them home.

17. And any person violating the
order of the king shall die, and the
king will take all that belongs to
him.

18. And all the people did so, and
they went out to the wood and they
climbed the fir trees and caught, each
man a young one in his hand, all the
young of the storks, and they brought
them into the desert and reared them
by order of the king, and they taught
them to dart upon, similar, to the
young hawks.

19. And after the young storks
were reared, the king ordered them
to be hungered for three days, and
all the people did so.

20. And on the third day, the king
said unto them, strengthen yourselves
and become valiant men, and put on
each man his armour and gird on his
sword upon him, and ride each man
his horse and take each his young
stork in his hand.

21. And we will rise up and fight
against the city at the place where
the serpents are ; and all the people
did as the king had ordered.

22. And they took each man his
young one in his hand, and they
went away, and when they came to
the place of the serpents the king
said to them, send forth each man
his young stork upon the serpents.

23. And they sent forth each man
his young stork at the king s order,

and the young storks ran upon the
serpents and they devoured them all
and destroyed them out of that place,

24. And when the king and people
had seen that all the serpents were
destroyed in that place, all the people
set up a great shout.

25. And they approached and
fought against the city and took it
and subdued it, and they entered the
city.

26. And there died on that day
one thousand and one hundred men
of the people of the city, all that in
habited the city, but of the people
besieging not one died.

27. So all the children of Cush
went each to his home, to his wife
and children and to all belonging to
him.

28. And Balaam the magician,
when he saw that the city was taken,
he opened the gate and he and his
two sons and eight brothers fled and
returned to Egypt to Pharaoh king
of Egypt.

29. They are the sorcerers and
magicians who are mentioned in the
book of the law, standing against
Moses when the Lord brought the
plagues upon Egypt.

30. So Moses took the city by his
wisdom, and the children of Cush
placed him on the throne instead of
Kikianus king of Cush.

31. And they placed the royal
crown upon his head, and they gave
him for a wife Adoniah the Cushite
queen, wife of Kikianus.

32. And Moses feared the Lord
God of his fathers, so that he came
not to her, nor did he turn his eyes
to her.

33. For Moses remembered how
Abraham had made his servant
Eliezer swear, saying unto him, thou
shalt not take a woman from the

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daughters of Canaan for my son
Isaac.

34. Also what Isaac did when
Jacob had fled from his brother,
when he commanded him, saying,
thou shalt not take a wife from the
daughters of Canaan, nor make alli
ance with any of the children of Ham.

35. For the Lord our God gave
Ham the son of Noah, and his child
ren and all his seed, as slaves to the
children of Shem and to the children
of Japheth, and unto their seed after
them for slaves, forever.

36. Therefore Moses turned not
his heart nor his eyes to the wife of
Kikianus all the days that he reigned
over Cush.

37. And Moses feared the Lord his
God all his life, and Moses walked
before the Lord in truth, with all his
heart and soul, he turned not from
the right way all the days of his life ;
he declined not from the way either
to the right or to the left, in which
Abraham, Isaac and Jacob had
walked.

38. And Moses strengthened him
self in the kingdom of the children
of Cush, and he guided the children
of Cush with his usual wisdom, and
Moses prospered in his kingdom.

39. And at that time Aram and the
children of the east heard that Kiki
anus king of Cush had died, so Aram
and the children of the east rebelled
against Cush in those days.

40. And Moses gathered all the
children of Cush, a people very
mighty, about thirty thousand men,
and he went forth to fight with Aram
and the children of the east.

41. And they went at first to the
children of the east, and when the
children of the east heard their report,
they went to meet them, and engaged
in battle with them.

42. And the war was severe
against the children of the east, so
the Lord gave all the children of the
east into the hand of Moses, and
about three hundred men fell down
slain.

43. And all the children of the
east turned back and retreated, so
Moses and the children of Cush
followed them and subdued them and
put a tax upon them, as was their
custom.

44. So Moses and all the people
with him passed from there to the
land of Aram for battle.

45. And the people of Aram also-
went to meet them, and they fought
against them, and the Lord delivered
them into the hand of Moses, and
many of the men of Aram fell down
wounded.

46. And Aram also were subdued
by Moses and the people of Cush,
and also gave their usual tax.

47. And Moses brought Aram and
the children of the east under sub
jection to the children of Cush, and
Moses and all the people who were
with him, turned to the land of Cush.

48. And Moses strengthened him
self in the kingdom of the children
of Cush, and the Lord was with him,
and all the children of Cush were
afraid of him.

CHAPTER LXXIV.

1 . In the end of years died Saul
king of Edom, and Baal Chanan the
son of Achbor reigned in his place.

2. In the sixteenth year of the
reign of Moses over Cush, Baal
Chanan the son of Achbor reigned
in the land of Edom over all the
children of Edom for thirty eight
years.

3. In his days Moab rebelled

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225

against the power of Edom, having
been under Edom since the days o\
Hadad the son of Bedad, who smote
them and Midian, and brought Moab
under subjection to Edom.

4. And when Baal Chanan the son
of Achbor reigned over Edom, al
the children of Moab withdrew their
allegiance from Edom.

5. And Angeas king of Africa died
in those days, and Azdrubal his son
reigned in his stead.

6. And in those days died Janeas
king of the children of Chittim, and
they buried him in his temple which
he had built for himself in the plain
of Canopia for a residence, and Lati-
nus reigned in his stead.

7. In the twenty-second year of
the reign of Moses over the children
of Gush, Latinus reigned over the
children of Chittim forty-five years.

8. And he also built for himself a
great and mighty tower, and he built
therein an elegant temple for his re
sidence, to conduct his government,
as was the custom.

9. In the third year of his reign
he caused a proclamation to be made
to all his skilful men, who made many
ships for him.

1 0. And Latinus assembled all his
forces, and they came in ships, and
went therein to fight with Azdrubal
son of Angeas king of Africa, and
they came to Africa and engaged in
battle with Azdrubal and his army.

11. And Latinus prevailed over
Azdrubal, and Latinus took from Az
drubal the aqueduct which his fa
ther had brought from the children
of Chittim, when he took Janiah the
daughter of Uzi for a wife, so Latinus
overthrew the bridge of the aqueduct,
and smote the whole army of Azdru
bal a severe blow.

12. And the remaining strong men

of Azdrubal strengthened themselves,
and their hearts were filled with envy,
and they courted death, and again
engaged in battle with Latinus king
of Chittim.

13. And the battle was severe up
on all the men of Africa, and they
all fell wounded before Latinus and
his people, and Azdrubal the king
also fell in that battle.

14. And the king Azdrubal had a
very beautiful daughter, whose name
was Ushpezena, and all the men of
Africa embroidered her likeness on
their garments, on account of her
great beauty and comely appearance.

15. And the men of Latinus saw
Ushpezena, the daughter of Azdru
bal, and praised her unto Latinus
their king.

16. And Latinus ordered her to
be brought to him, and Latinus took
Ushpezena for a wife, and he turned
back on his way to Chittim.

1 7. And it was after the death of
Azdrubal son of Angeas, when Lati
nus had turned back to his land from
the battle, that all the inhabitants of
Africa rose up and took Anibal the
son of Angeas, the younger brother
of Azdrubal, and made him king in
stead of his brother over the whole
.and of Africa.

18. And when he reigned, he re
solved to go to Chittim to fight with
the children of Chittim, to avenge the
;ause of Azdrubal his brother, and
he cause of the inhabitants of Africa,

and he did so.

19. And he made many ships, and
ic came therein with his whole army,

nd he went to Chittim.

20. So Anibal fought with the
children of Chittim, and the children

f Chittim fell wounded before Ani-
)al and his army, and Anibal avenged
lis brother s cause.

226

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

21. And Anibal continued the war
for eighteen years with the children
of Chittim, and Anibal dwelt in the
land of Chittim and encamped there
for a long time.

22. And Anibal smote the children
of Chittim very severely, and he slew
their great men and princes, and of
the rest of the people he smote about
eighty thousand men.

23. And at the end of days and
years, Anibal returned to his land of
Africa, and he reigned securely in
the place of Azdrubal his brother.

CHAPTER LXXV.

1. At that time, in the hundred
and eightieth year of the Israelites
going down into Egypt, there went
forth from Egypt valiant men, thirty
thousand on foot, from the children
of Israel, who were all of the tribe
of Joseph, of the children of Ephraim
the son of Joseph.

2. For they said the period was
completed which the Lord had ap
pointed to the children of Israel in
the times of old, which he had spo
ken to Abraham.

3. And these men girded them
selves, and they put each man his
sword at his side, and every man his
armour upon him, and they trusted
to their strength, and they went out
together from Egypt with a mighty
hand.

4. But they brought no provision
for the road, only silver and gold, not
even bread for that day did they bring
in their hands, for they thought of
getting their provision for pay from
the Philistines, and if not they would
take it by force.

5. And these men were very
mighty and valiant men, one man
could pursue a thousand and two

could rout ten thousand, so they
trusted to their strength and went to
gether as they were.

6. And they directed their course
toward the land of Gath, and they
went down and found the shepherds
of Gath feeding the cattle of the chil
dren of Gath.

7. And they said to the shepherds,
give us some of the sheep for pay,
that we may eat, for we are hungry,
for we have eaten no bread this day,

8. And the shepherds said, are
they our sheep or cattle that we
should give them to you even for
pay ? so the children of Ephraim ap
proached to take them by force.

9. And the shepherds of Gath shout
ed over them that their cry was heard
at a distance, so all the children of
Gath went out to them.

10. And when the children of Gath
saw the evil doings of the children
of Ephraim, they returned and as
sembled the men of Gath, and they
put on each man his armour, and
came forth to the children of Ephraim
for battle.

1 1 . And they engaged with them
in the valley of Gath, and the
battle was severe, and they smote
from each other a great many on that
day.

12. And on the second day the
children of Gath sent to all the cities
of the Philistines that they should
come to their help, saying,

13. Come up unto us and help us,
that we may smite the children of
Ephraim who have come forth from
Egypt to take our cattle, and to fight
against us without cause.

14. Now the souls of the children
of Ephraim were exhausted with
hunger and thirst, for they had eaten
no bread for three days. And forty
thousand men went forth from the

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227

cities of the Philistines to the assist
ance of the men of Gath.

15. And these men were engaged
in battle with the children of Ephraim,
and the Lord delivered the children
of Ephraim into the hands of the
Philistines.

16. And they smote all the child
ren of Ephraim, all who had gone
forth from Egypt, none were re
maining but ten men who had run
away from the engagement.

17. For this evil was from the
Lord against the children of Ephraim,
for they transgressed the word of the
Lord in going forth from Egypt, be
fore the period had arrived which
the Lord in the days of old had ap
pointed to Israel.

18. And of the Philistines also
there fell a great many, about twen
ty thousand men, and their brethren
carried them and buried them in
their cities.

19. And the slain of the children
of Ephraim remained forsaken in the
valley of Gath for many days and
years, and were not brought to burial,
and the valley was filled with men s
bones.

20. And the men who had escaped
from the battle came to Egypt, and
told all the children of Israel all that
had befallen them.

21. And their father Ephraim
mourned over them for many days,
and his brethren came to console
him.

22. And he came unto his wife
and she bare a son, and he called his
name Beriah, for she was unfortunate
in his house.

CHAPTER LXXVI.

1 . And Moses the son of Amram
was still king in the land of Cush in

those days, and he prospered in his
kingdom, and he conducted the
government of the children of Cush
in justice, in righteousness and in
tegrity.

2. And all the children of Cush
loved Moses all the days that he
reigned over them, and all the inha
bitants of the land of Cush were
greatly afraid of him.

3. And in the fortieth year of the
reign of Moses over Cush, Moses
was sitting on the royal throne whilst
Adoniah the queen was before him,
and all the nobles were sitting around
him.

4. And Adoniah the queen said
before the king and the princes, what
is this thing which you, the children
of Cush, have done for this long
time?

5. Surely you know that for forty
years that this man has reigned over
Cush he has not approached me,
nor has he served the gods of the
children of Cush.

6. Now therefore hear, O ye child
ren of Cush, and let this man no
more reign over you as he is not of
our flesh.

7. Behold Menacrus my son is
grown up, let him reign over you,
for it is better for you to serve the
son of your lord, than to serve a
stranger, a slave of the king of Egypt.

8. And all the people and nobles
of the children of Cush heard the
words which Adoniah the queen had
spoken in their ears.

9. And all the people were pre
paring until the evening, and in the
morning they rose up early and made
Menacrus son of Kikianus king over
them.

10. And all the children of Cush
were afraid to stretch forth their
hand against Moses, for the Lord

228

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

was with Moses, and the children of
Cush remembered the oath which
they swore unto Moses, therefore
they did no harm to him.

1 1 . But the children of Cush gave
many presents to Moses, and sent
him from them with great honor.

12. So Moses went forth from the
land of Cush, and went home and
ceased to reign over Cush, and Mo
ses was sixty six years old when he
went out of the land of Cush, for
the thing was from the Lord, for the
period had arrived which he had ap
pointed in the days of old, to bring
forth Israel from the affliction of the
children of Ham.

13. So Moses went to Midian, for
he was afraid to return to Egypt on
account of Pharaoh, and he went and
sat at a well of water in Midian.

14. And the seven daughters of
Reuel the Midianite went out to feed
their father s flock.

15. And they came to the well and
drew water to water their father s
flock.

16. So the shepherds of Midian
came and drove them away, and
Moses rose up and helped them and
watered the flock.

17. And they came home to their
father Reuel, and told him what Mo
ses did for them.

18. And they said, an Egyptian
man has delivered us from the hands
of the shepherds, he drew up water
for us and watered the flock.

19. And Reuel said to his daugh
ters, and where is he ? wherefore
have you left the man ?

20. And Reuel sent for him and
fetched him and brought him home,
and he ate bread with him.

21. And Moses related to Reuel
that he had fled from Egypt and that
he reigned forty years over Cush,

and that they afterward had taken
the government from him, and had
sent him away in peace with honor
and with presents.

22. And when Reuel had heard
the words of Moses, Reuel said
within himself, I will put this man
into the prison house, whereby I
shall conciliate the children of Cush,
for he has fled from them.

23. And they took and put him
into the prison house, and Moses
was in prison ten years, and whilst
Moses was in the prison house, Zip-
porah the daughter of Reuel took
pity over him, and supported him
with bread and water all the time.

24. And all the children of Israel
were yet in the land of Egypt serv
ing the Egyptians in all manner of
hard work, and the hand of Egypt
continued in severity over the child
ren of Israel in those days.

25. At that time the Lord smote
Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he af
flicted him with the plague of lepro
sy from the sole of his foot to the
crown of his head; owing to the
cruel treatment of the children of
Israel was this plague at that time
from the Lord upon Pharaoh king of
Egypt.

26. For the Lord had hearkened
to the prayer of his people the child
ren of Israel, and their cry reach
ed them on account of their hard
work.

27. Still his anger did not turn
from them, and the hand of Pharaoh
was still stretched out against the
children of Israel, and Pharaoh har
dened his neck before the Lord, and
he increased his yoke over the child
ren of Israel, and embittered their
lives with all manner of hard work.

28. And when the Lord had in
flicted the plague upon Pharaoh king

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229

of Egypt, he asked his wise men
and sorcerers to cure him.

29. And his wise men and sor
cerers said unto him, that if the
blood of little children were put into
the wounds he would be healed.

30. And Pharaoh hearkened to
them, and sent his ministers to Go-
shen to the children of Israel to take
their little children.

31. And Pharaoh s ministers went
and took the infants of the children
of Israel from the bosoms of their
mothers by force, and they brought
them to Pharaoh daily, a child each
day, and the physicians killed them
and applied them* to the plague ; thus
did they all the days.

32. And the number of the child
ren which Pharaoh slew was three
hundred and seventy five.

33. But the Lord hearkened not
to the physicians of the king of
Egypt, and the plague went on in
creasing mightily.

34. And Pharaoh was ten years
afflicted with that plague, still the
heart of Pharaoh was more hardened
against the children of Israel.

35. And at the end of ten years
the Lord continued to afflict Pharaoh
with destructive plagues.

36. And the Lord smote him with
a bad tumor and sickness at the
stomach, and that plague turned to
a severe boil.

37. At that time the two minis
ters of Pharaoh came from the land
of Goshen where all the children of
Israel were, and went to the house
of Pharaoh and said to him, we have
seen the children of Israel slacken
in their work and negligent in their
labor.

38. And when Pharaoh heard the
words of his ministers, his anger was

* i. e. Their blood.

kindled against the children of Israel
exceedingly, for he was greatly
grieved at his bodily pain.

39. And he answered and said,
now that the children of Israel know
that I am ill, they turn and scoff at
us, now therefore harness my chariot
for me, aad I will betake myself to
Goshen and will see the scoff of the
children of Israel with which they
are deriding me ; so his servants har
nessed the chariot for him.

40. And they took and made him
ride upon a horse, for he was not
able to ride of himself.

41. And he took with him ten
horsemen and ten footmen, and went
to the children of Israel to Goshen.

42. And when they had come to
the border of Egypt, the king s horse
passed into a narrow place, elevated
in the hollow part of the vineyard,
fenced on both sides, the low, plain
country being on the other side.

43. And the horses ran rapidly in
that place and pressed each other,
and the other horses pressed the
king s horse.

44. And the king s horse fell into
the low plain whilst the king was
riding upon it, and when he fell the
chariot turned over the king s face
and the horse lay upon the king, and
the king cried out, for his flesh was
very sore.

45. And the flesh of the king was
torn from him, and his bones were
broken and he could not ride, for this
thing was from the Lord to him, for
the Lord had heard the cries of his
people the children of Israel and
their affliction.

46. And his servants carried him
upon their shoulders, a little at a
time, and they brought him back to
Egypt, and tne horsemen who were
with him came also back to Egypt.

230

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

47. And they placed him in his
bed, and the king knew that his end
was come to die, so Aparanith the
queen his wife came and cried before
the king, and the king wept a great
weeping with her.

48. And all his nobles and ser
vants came on that day and saw the
king in that affliction, and wept a
great weeping with him.

49. And the princes of the king
and all his counsellors advised the
king to cause one to reign in his
stead in the land, whomsoever he
should choose from his sons.

50. And the king had three sons
and two daughters which Aparanith
the queen his wife had borne to him,
besides the king s children of concu
bines.

51. And these were their names,
the first born Othri, the second Adi-
kam and the third Morion, and their
sisters, the name of the elder Bathia
and of the other Acuzi.

52. And Othri the first born of the
king was an idiot, precipitate and
hurried in his words.

53. But Adikam was a cunning
and a wise man and knowing in all
the wisdom of Egypt, but of un
seemly aspect, thick in flesh, and
very short in stature ; his height was
one cubit.

54. And when the king saw Adi
kam his son intelligent and wise in
all things, the king resolved that he
should be king in his stead after his
death.

55. And he took for him a wife
Gedudah daughter of Abilot, and he
was ten years old, and she bare unto
him four sons.

56. And he afterward went and
took three wives and begat eight sons
and three daughters.

57. And the disorder greatly pre

vailed over the king, and his flesh
stank like the flesh of a carcase cast
upon the field in summer time, during
the heat of the sun.

58. And when the king saw that
his sickness had greatly strengthened
itself over him, he ordered his son
Adikam to be brought to him, and
they made him king over the land in
his place.

59. And at the end of three years,
the king died, in shame, disgrace and
disgust, and his servants carried him
and buried him in the sepulchre of
the kings of Egypt in Zoan Miz-
raim.

60. But they embalmed him not
as was usual with kings, for his flesh
was putrid, and they could not ap
proach to embalm him on account of
the stench, so they buried him in
haste.

61. For this evil was from the
Lord to him, for the Lord had re
quited him evil for the evil which in
his days he had done to Israel.

62. And he died with terror and
with shame, and his son Adikam
reigned in his place.

CHAPTER LXXVII.

1 . Adikam was twenty years old
when he reigned over Egypt, he
reigned four years.

2. In the two hundred and sixth
year of Israel s going down to Egypt
did Adikam reign over Egypt, but he
continued not so long in his reign
over Egypt as his fathers had con
tinued in their reigns.

3. For Melol his father reigned
ninety four years in Egypt, but he
was ten years sick and died, for he
had been wicked before the Lord.

4. And all the Egyptians called
the name of Adikam Pharaoh like

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231

the name of his fathers, as was their
custom to do in Egypt.

5. And all the wise men of Pha
raoh called the name of Adikam
Ahuz, for short is called Ahuz in the
Egyptian language.

6. And Adikam was exceedingly
ugly, and he was a cubit and a span
and he had a great beard which
reached to the soles of his feet.

7. And Pharaoh sat upon his fa
ther s throne to reign over Egypt,
and he conducted the government of
Egypt in his wisdom.

8. And whilst he reigned he ex
ceeded his father and all the preced
ing kings in wickedness, and he in
creased his yoke over the children
of Israel.

9. And he went with his servants
to Goshen to the children of Israel,
and he strengthened the labor over
them and he said unto them, complete
your work, each day s task, and let
not your hands slacken from our
work from this day forward as you
did in the days of my father.

10. And he placed officers over
them from amongst the children of
Israel, and over these officers he
placed taskmasters from amongst his
servants.

1 1 . And he placed over them a
measure of bricks for them to do ac
cording to that number, day by day,
and he turned back and went to
Egypt.

12. At that time the taskmasters of
Pharaoh ordered the officers of the
children of Israel according to the
command of Pharaoh, saying,

13. Thus says Pharaoh, do your
work each day, and finish your task,
and observe the daily measure of
bricks ; diminish not any thing.

14. And it shall come to pass that
if you are deficient in your daily

bricks, I will put your young child
ren in their stead.

15. And the task masters of
Egypt did so in those days as Pha
raoh had ordered them.

16. And whenever any deficiency
was found in the children of Israel s
measure of their daily bricks, the
task masters of Pharaoh would go
to the wives of the children of Israel
and take infants of the children of
Israel to the number of bricks de
ficient, they would take them by
force from their mother s laps, arid
put them in the building instead of
the bricks ;

17. Whilst their fathers and mo
thers were crying over them and
weeping when they heard the weep
ing voices of their infants in the wall
of the building.

18. And the task masters prevail
ed over Israel, that the Israelites
should place their children in the
building, so that a man placed his
son in the wall and put mortar over
him, whilst his eyes wept over him,
and his tears ran down upon his
child.

19. And the task masters of Egypt
did so to the babes of Israel for many
days, and no one pitied or had com
passion over the babes of the children
of Israel.

20. And the number of all the
children killed in the building was
two hundred and seventy, some
whom they had built upon instead of
the bricks which had been left de
ficient by their fathers, and some
whom they had drawn out dead from
the building.

21 . And the labor imposed upon
the children of Israel in the days of
Adikam exceeded in hardship that
which they performed in the days of
his father ^

232

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

22. And the children of Israel
sighed every day on account of their
heavy work, for they had said to
themselves, behold when Pharaoh
shall die, his son will rise up and
lighten our work !

23. But they increased the latter
work more than the former, and the
children of Israel sighed at this and
their cry ascended to God on account
of their labor.

24. And God heard the voice of
the children of Israel and their cry,
in those days, and God remembered
to them his covenant which he had
made with Abraham, Isaac and Ja
cob

25. And God saw the burden of
the children of Israel, and their
heavy work in those days, and he
determined to deliver them.

26. And Moses the son of Am-
rarn was still confined in the dungeon
in those days, in the house of Reuel
the Midianite, and Zipporah the
daughter of Reuel did support him
with food secretly day by day.

27. And Moses was confined in
the dungeon in the house of Reuel
for ten years.

28. And at the end of ten years,
which was the first year of the reign
of Pharaoh* over Egypt, in the place
of his father,

29. Zipporah said to her father
Reuel, no person inquires or seeks
after the Hebrew man, whom thou
didst bind in prison now ten years.

30. Now therefore, if it seem good
in thy sight, let us send and see
whether he is living or dead, but her
father knew not that she had support
ed him.

31. And Reuel her father answer
ed and said to her, has ever such a
thing happened that a man should be

* Adikam.

shut up in a prison without food for
ten years, and that he should live ?

32. And Zipporah answered her
father, saying, surely thou hast heard
that the God of the Hebrews is great
and awful, and does wonders for
them at all times.

33. He it was who delivered
Abraham from Ur* of the Chaldeans,
and Isaac from the sword of his fa
ther, and Jacob from the angel of the
Lord who wrestled with him at the
ford of Jabbuk.

34. Also with this man has he
done many things, he delivered him
from the river in Egypt and from the
sword of Pharaoh, and from the
children of Cush, so also can he de
liver him from famine and make him
live.

35. And the thing seemed good
in the sight of Reuel, and he did ac
cording to the word of his daughter,
and sent to the dungeon to ascertain
what became of Moses.

36. And he saw, and behold the
man Moses was living in the dun
geon, standing upon his feet, praising
and praying to the God of his ances
tors.

37. And Reuel commanded Mo
ses to be brought out of the dungeon,
so they shaved him and he changed
his prison garments and ate bread.

38. And afterward Moses went in
to the garden of Reuel which was
behind the house, and he there pray
ed to the Lord his God, who had
done mightv wonders for him.

39. And it was that whilst he
prayed he looked opposite to him,
and behold a sapphire stick was placed
in the ground, which was planted in
the midst of the garden.

* -\!N means also a fire and this alludes (ac
cording to a story in this book) to the oven in
which Abraham was put.

THE BOOK OF JASHER

233

40. And he approached the stick
and he looked, and behold the name
of the Lord God of hosts* was en
graved thereon, written and develop
ed upon the stick.

41. And he read it and stretched
forth his hand and he plucked it like
a forest tree from the thicket, and the
stick was in his hand,

42. And this was the stick with
which all the worksf of our God
were performed, after he had created
heaven and earth, and all the host of
them, seas, rivers and all their fishes.

43. And when God had driven
Adam from the garden of Eden, he
took the stick in his hand and went
and tilled the ground from which he
was taken,

44. And the stick came down to
Noah and ,was given to Shem and
his descendants, until it came into the
hand of Abraham the Hebrew.

45. And when Abraham had given
all he had to his son Isaac, he also
gave to him this stick,

46. And when Jacob had fled to
Padan-aram, he took it into his hand,
and when he returned to his father he
had not left it behind him.

47. Also when he went down to
Egypt he took it into his hand and
gave it to Joseph, one portion above
his brethren, for Jacob had taken it
by force from his brother Esau.J

48. And after the death of Joseph,

* Meaning that the full name, what the He
brews call tne ineffable name of Jehovah, was
written upon the stick. (See Talmud.) In
one edition I find niN3X nSN Q& and in another
nwa* o^nSic 00.

t Meaning the works of man influenced by
God, as he enumerates.

J The author of this book wishes here to
explain that obscure part in the Bible, Genesis,
ch. 48, v. 22, "Moreover I have given to thee
a portion above thy brethren which I took out
of the hands of the Amorite, &c." calling Esau,
from his conduct, an Amorite ; but it never al
luded to this tale.

the nobles of Egypt came into the
house of Joseph, and the stick came
into the hand of Reuel the Midianite,
and when he went out of Egypt, he
took it in his hand and planted it in
his garden.

49. And all the mighty men of the
Kinites tried to pluck it when they
endeavored to get Zipporah his
daughter, but they were unsuccess
ful.

50. So that stick remained plant
ed in the garden of Reuel, until he
came who had a right to it and took
it.

51. And when Reuel saw the
stick in the hand of Moses, he won
dered at it, and he gave him his
daughter Zipporah for a wife.

CHAPTER LXXVIII.

1 . At that time died Balchannan
son of Achbor, king of Edom, and
was buried in his house in the land
of Edom.

2. And after his death the children
of Esau sent to the land of Edom,
and took from there a man who was
in Edom, whose name was Hadad,
and they made him king over them
in the place of Balchannan, their
king.

3. And Hadad reigned over the
children of Edom forty eight years.

4. And when he reigned he re
solved to fight against the children
of Moab, to bring them under the
power of the children of Esau as
they were before, but he was not able,
because the children of Moab heard
this thing, and they rose up and has
tened to elect a king over them from
amongst their brethren.

5. And they afterward gathered
together a great people, and sent to
the children of Ammon their brethren

234

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

for help to fight against Hadad king
of Edom.

6. And Hadad heard the thing
which the children of Moab had done,
and was greatly afraid of them, and
refrained from righting against them.

7. In those days Moses, the son
of Amram, in Midian, took Zipporah,
the daughter of Reuel the Midian-
ite, for a wife.

8. And Zipporah walked in the
ways of the daughters of Jacob, she
was nothing short of the righteous
ness of Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel and
Leah.

9. And Zipporah conceived and
bare a son and he called his name
Gershom, for he said, I was a stran
ger in a foreign land ; but he circum
cised not his foreskin, at the com
mand of Reuel his father-in-law.

10. And she conceived again and
bare a son, but circumcised his fore
skin, and called his name Eliezer, for
Moses said, because the God of my
fathers was my help, and delivered
me from the sword of Pharaoh.

1 1 . And Pharaoh king of Egypt
greatly increased the labor of the
children of Israel in those days, and
continued to make his yoke heavier
upon the children of Israel.

12. And he ordered a proclama
tion to be made in Egypt, saying,
give no more straw to the people to
make bricks with, let them go and
gather themselves straw as they can
find it.

13. Also the tale of bricks whicli
they shall make let them give each
day, and diminish nothing from them,
for they are idle in their work.

14. And the children of Israel
heard this, and they mourned and
sighed, and they cried unto the Lord
on account of the bitterness of their
souls.

15. And the Lord heard the cries
of the children of Israel, and saw the
oppression with which the Egyptians
oppressed them.

16. And the Lord was jealous of
his people and his inheritance,* and
heard their voice, and he resolved to
take them out of the affliction of
Egypt, to give them the land of Ca
naan for a possession.

CHAPTER LXXIX.

1. And in those days Moses was
feeding the flock of Reuel the Midi-
anite his father-in-law, beyond the
wilderness of Sin, and the stick which
he took from his father-in-law was in
his hand.

2. And it came to pass one day
that a kid of goats strayed from the
flock, and Moses pursued it and came
to the mountain of God to Horeb.

3. And when he came to Horeb,
the Lord appeared there unto him in
the bush, and he found the bush burn
ing with fire, but the fire had no
power over the bush to consume it.

4. And Moses was greatly asto
nished at this sight, wherefore the
bush was not consumed, and he ap
proached to see this mighty thing,
and the Lord called unto Moses out
of the fire and commanded him to go
down to Egypt, to Pharaoh king of
Egypt, to send the children of Israel
from his service.

5. And the Lord said unto Moses,
go return to Egypt, for all those men
who sought thy life are dead, and
thou shalt speak unto Pharaoh to send
forth the children of Israel from his
[and.

6. And the Lord showed him to
do signs and wonders in Egypt be
fore the eyes of Pharaoh and the eyes

* Israel was called God s inheritance.

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

235

of his subjects, in order that they
might believe that the Lord had sent
him.

7. And Moses hearkened to all
that the Lord had commanded him,
and he returned to his father-in-law
and told him the thing, and Reuel
said to him, go in peace.

8. And Moses rose up to go to
Egypt, and he took his wife and sons
with him, and he was at an inn in
the road, and an angel of God came
down, and sought an occasion against
.him.

9. And he wished to kill him on
account of his first born son, because
he had not circumcised him, and had
transgressed the covenant which the
Lord had made with Abraham.

10. For Moses had hearkened to
the words of his father-in-law which
he had spoken to him, not to circum
cise his first born son, therefore he
circumcised him not.

1 1 . And Zipporah saw the angel
of the Lord seeking an occasion
against Moses, and she knew that
this thing was owing to his not hav
ing circumcised her son Gershom.

12. And Zipporah hastened and
took of the sharp rock stones that
were there, and she circumcised her
son, and delivered her husband and
her son from the hand of the angel
of the Lord.

13. And Aaron the son of Amram,
the brother of Moses, was in Egypt
walking at the river side on that day.

14. And the Lord appeared to him
in that place, and he said to him, go
now toward Moses in the wilderness,
and he went and met him in the
mountain of God, and he kissed him.

15. And Aaron lifted up his eyes,
and saw Zipporah the wife of Moses
and her children, and he said unto
Moses, who are these unto thee ?

16. And Moses said to him, they
are my wife and sons, which God
gave to me in Midian ; and the thing
grieved Aaron on account of the wo
man and her children.

17. And Aaron said to Moses,
send away the woman and her chil
dren that they may go to her father s
house, and Moses hearkened to the
words of Aaron, and did so.

18. And Zipporah returned with
her children, and they went to the
house of Reuel, and remained there
until the time arrived when the Lord
had visited his people, and brought
them forth from Egypt from the hand
of Pharaoh.

19. And Moses and Aaron came
to Egypt to the community of the
children of Israel, and they spoke to
them all the words of the Lord,
and the people rejoiced an exceed
ing great rejoicing.

20. And Moses and Aaron rose
up early on the next day, and they
went to the house of Pharaoh and
they took in their hands the stick of
God.

21. And when they came to the
king s gate, two young lions were
confined there with iron instruments,
and no person went out or came in
from before them, unless those whom
the king ordered to come, when the
conjurors came and withdrew the
lions by their incantations, and thus
brought them to the king.

22. And Moses hastened and lifted
up the stick upon the lions, and he
loosed them, and Moses and Aaron
came into the king s house.

23. The lions also came with them
in joy, and they followed them and
rejoiced as a dog rejoices over his
master when he comes from the
field.

24. And when Pharaoh saw this

236

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

thing he was astonished at it, and he
was greatly terrified at the report,
for their* appearance was like the
appearance of the children! of God.

25. And Pharaoh said to Moses,
what do you require ? and they an
swered him, saying, the Lord God of
the Hebrews has sent us to thee, to
say, send forth my people that they
may serve me.

26. And when Pharaoh heard their
words he was greatly terrified before
them, and he said to them, go to day
and come back to me to morrow,
and they did according to the word
of the king.

27. And when they had gone Pha
raoh sent for Balaam the magician
and to Jannes arid Jambres his sons,
and to all the magicians and conjurors
and counsellors which belonged to
the king, and they all came and sat
before the king.

28. And the king told them all
the words which Moses and his bro
ther Aaron had spoken to him, and
the magicians said to the king, but
how came the men to thee, on account
of the lions which were confined at
the gate ?

29. And the king said, because
they lifted up their rod against the
lions and loosed them, and came to
me, and the lions also rejoiced at
them as a dog rejoices to meet his
master.

30. And Balaam the son of Beor
the magician answered the king,
saying, these are none else than ma
gicians like ourselves.

31. Now therefore send for them,
and let them come and we will try
them, and the king did so.

32. And in the morning Pharaoh
sent for Moses and Aaron to come
before the king, and they took the

* Moses and Aaron. fAngelic form.

rpd of God, and came to the king
and spoke to him, saying,

33. Thus said the Lord God of
the Hebrews, send my people that
they may serve me.

34. And the king said to them,
but who will believe you that you
are the messengers of God and that
you come to me by his order ?

35. Now therefore give a wonder
or sign in this matter, and then the
words which you speak will be be
lieved.

36. And Aaron hastened and threw
the rod out of his hand before Pha
raoh and before his servants, and the
rod turned into a serpent.

37. And the sorcerers saw this
and they cast each man his rod
upon the ground and they became
serpents.

38. And the serpent of Aaron s
rod lifted up its head and opened its
mouth to swallow the rods of the
magicians.

39. And Balaam the magician an
swered and said, this thing has been
from the days of old, that a serpent
should swallow its fellow, and that
living things devour each other.

40. Now therefore restore it to a
rod as it was at first, and we will
also restore our rods as they were at
first, and if thy rod shall swallow
our rods, then shall we know that the
spirit of God is in thee, and if not,
thou art only an artificer like unto
ourselves.

41. And Aaron hastened and
stretched forth his hand and caught
bold of the serpent s tail and it be
came a rod in his hand, and the sor
cerers did the like with their rods,
and they got hold, each man of the
tail of his serpent, and they became
rods as at first.

42. And when they were restored

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

237

to rods, the rod of Aaron swallowed
up their rods.

43. And when the king saw this
thing, he ordered the book of records
that related to the kings of Egypt,
to be brought, and they brought the
book of records, the chronicles of
the kings of Egypt, in which all
the idols of Egypt were inscribed,
for they thought of finding therein
the name of Jehovah, but they found
it not.

44. And Pharaoh said to Moses
and Aaron, behold I have not found
the name of your God written in this
book, and his name I know not.

45. And the counsellors and wise
men answered the king, we have
heard that the God of the Hebrews
is a son of the wise,* the son of an
cient kings.

46. And Pharaoh turned to Moses
and Aaron and said to them, I know
not the Lord whom you have declar
ed, neither will I send his people.

47. And they answered and said
to the king, the Lord God of Gods
is his name, and he proclaimed his
name over us from the days of our
ancestors, and sent us, saying, go to
Pharaoh and say unto him, send my
people that they may serve me.

48. Now therefore send us, that
we may take a journey for three days
in the wilderness, and there may
sacrifice to him, for from the days
of our going down to Egypt, he has
not taken from our hands, either
burnt offering, oblation or sacrifice,
and if thou wilt not send us, his an
ger will be kindled against thee, and
he will smite Egypt either with
the plague or with the sword.

49. And Pharaoh said to them, tell
me now his power and his might ;
and they said to him, he created the

* See the same, Isaiah, ch. 19, v. 11.

heaven and the earth, the seas and
all their fishes, he formed the light,
created the darkness, caused rain
upon the earth and watered it, and
made the herbage and grass to sprout,
he created man and beast and the
animals of the forest, the birds of
the air and the fish of the sea, and
by his mouth they live and die.

50. Surely he created thee in thy
mother s womb, and put into thee
the breath of life, and reared thee and
placed thee upon the royal throne of
Egypt, and he will take thy breath
and soul from thee, and return thee
to the ground whence thou wast
taken.

51 . And the anger of the king was
kindled at their words, and he said
to them, but who amongst all the
Gods of nations can do this ? my*
river is mine own, and I have made
it for myself.

52. And he drove them from him,
and he ordered the labor upon Israel
to be more severe than it was yester
day! and before.

53. And Moses and Aaron went
out from the king s presence, and
they saw the children of Israel in an
evil condition for the task masters
had made their labor exceedingly
heavy.

54. And Moses returned to the
Lord and said, why hast thou ill treat
ed thy people ? for since I came to
speak to Pharaoh what thou didst
send me for, he has exceedingly ill
used the children of Israel.

55. And the Lord said to Moses,
behold thou wilt see that with an
outstretched hand and heavy plagues,
Pharaoh will send the children of
Israel from his land.

* See Ezekiel, ch. 29, v. 3.
t Literally, from yesterday and the day be
fore, i. e. lately.

238

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

56. And Moses and Aaron dwelt
amongst their brethren the children
of Israel in Egypt.

57. And as for the children of
Israel the Egyptians embittered their
lives, with the heavy work which
they imposed upon them.

CHAPTER LXXX.

1. And at the end of two years,
the Lord again sent Moses to Pha
raoh to bring forth the children of
Israel, and to send them out of the
land of Egypt.

2. And Moses went and came to
the house of Pharaoh, and he spoke
to him the words of the Lord who
had sent him, but Pharaoh would
not hearken to the voice of the Lord,
and God roused his might in Egypt
upon Pharaoh and his subjects, and
God smote Pharaoh and his people
with very great and sore plagues.

3. And the Lord sent by the hand
of Aaron and turned all the waters of
Egypt into blood, with all their
streams and rivers.

4. And when an Egyptian came
to drink and draw water, he looked
into his pitcher, and behold all the
water was turned into blood ; and
when he came to drink from his cup
the water in the cup became blood.

5. And when a woman kneaded
her dough and cooked her victuals,
their appearance was turned to that
of blood.

6. And the Lord sent again and
caused all their waters to bring forth
frogs, and all the frogs came into the
houses of the Egyptians.

7. And when the Egyptians drank,
their bellies were filled with frogs
and they danced in their bellies as
they dance when in the river.

8. And all their drinking water

and cooking water turned to frogs,
also when they lay in their beds
their perspiration bred frogs.

9. Notwithstanding all this the
anger of the Lord did not turn from
them, and his hand was stretched out
against all the Egyptians to smite
them with every heavy plague.

10. And he sent and smote their
dust to lice, and the lice became in
Egypt to the height of two cubits
upon the earth.

11. The lice were also very
numerous, in the flesh of man and
beast, in all the inhabitants of Egypt,
also upon the king and queen the
Lord sent the lice, and it grieved
Egypt exceedingly on account of the
lice.

12. Notwithstanding this, the an
ger of the Lord did not turn away,
and his hand was still stretched out
over Egypt.

13. And the Lord sent all kinds
of beasts of the field into Egypt,
and they came and destroyed all
Egypt, man and beast, and trees,
and all things that were in Egypt.

14. And the Lord sent fiery ser
pents, scorpions, mice, weazles,
toads, together with others creeping
in dust.

15. Flies, hornets, fleas, bugs* and
gnats, each swarmt according to its
kind.

16. And all reptiles and winged
animals according to their kind came
to Egypt and grieved the Egyptians
exceedingly.

17. And^ the fleas and flies came

* B&gt;irv K^C^ fi are not found in the Hebrew
Bible, but in the Mishnah and Talmud mean a
bug and a gnat. See Bux. Rabb. Lex.

t See Parkhurst s Hebrew Lexicon upon
any. In the Bible it is translated swarrn of
flies, but this book explains the swarm to be a
mixture of all sorts of animals, birds and insects,
as any means to mix.

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

239

into the eyes and ears of the Egyp
tians.

18. And the hornet came upon
them and drove them away, and they
removed from it into their inner
rooms, and it pursued them.

19. And when the Egyptians hid
themselves on account of the swarm
of animals, they locked their doors
after them, and God ordered the
Sulanuth* which was in the sea, to
come up and go into Egypt.

20. And she had long arms, ten
cubits in length of the cubit of a man.

21. And she went upon the roofs
and uncovered the rafteringt and
flooring and cut them, and stretched
forth her arm into the house and re
moved the lock and the bolt, and
opened the houses of Egypt.

22. Afterward came the swarm of
animals into the houses of Egypt,
and the swarm of animals destroyed
the Egyptians, and it grieved them
exceedingly.

23. Notwithstanding this the an
ger of the Lord did not turn away
from the Egyptians, and his hand
was yet stretched forth against them.

24. And God sent the pestilence,
and the pestilence pervaded Egypt,
in the horses and asses, and in the
camels, in herds of oxen and sheep
and in man.

25. And when the Egyptians rose
up early in the morning to take their
cattle to pasture they found all their
cattle dead.

* mxSit) the name of a sea monster, I cannot
find it in any of the Hebrew books.

t naMjw mpm n, these two words are not
found in the Bible, but are joined together in
the Talmud, page 116, of Bava Metziah, where
there is a rabbinical dispute what these words
mean ; mpn comes from mp to contigmte, and
n3Mj? comes from o^Wn^ n i3Tp\ Nehemiah,
ch. 3, v. 8, which some Jewish commentators
give, to build up ; see Buxton, Gesenius and
Parkhurst.

26. And there remained of the
cattle of the Egyptians only one in
ten, and of the cattle belonging to
Israel in Goshen not one died.

27. And God sent a burning in
flammation in the flesh of the Egyp
tians, which burst their skins, and it
became a severe itch in all the
Egyptians from the soles of their feet
to the crowns of their heads.

28. And many boils were in their
flesh, that their flesh wasted away
until they became rotten and putrid.

29. Notwithstanding this the an
ger of the Lord did not turn away,
and his hand was still stretched out
over all Egypt.

30. And the Lord sent a very
heavy hail, which smote their vines
and broke their fruit trees and dried
them up that they* fell upon them.

31 . Also every green herb became
dry and perished, for a minglingt
fire descended amidst the hail, there
fore the hail and the fire consumed
all things.

32. Also men and beasts that
were found abroad perished of the
flames of fire and of the hail, and all
the young \ lions were exhausted.

33. And the Lord sent and brought
numerous locusts into Egpyt, the
Chasel, Salom Chargol, and Cha-
gole,$ locusts each of its kind, which
devoured all that the hail had left re
maining.

* The trees became decayed and fell upon
the Egyptians.

t See Exodus, ch. 9, v. 24.

t iK nJ on pDn Soi it is thus in the modern
edition, but in the Venice edition it is onc3n
which -may mean villages, and the verb vr\3
means likewise to extirpate, root up, that all the
villages were destroyed ; see Psalms, ch. 9, v.
7 ; Jeremiah, ch. 31, v. 40 ; but I prefer the
first.

3jn, V.nn, opSo, ^&gt;Dn, four species of locusts
mentioned in scripture and each translated lo
custs ; see Joel, 1, 4, and 2, 25. The oySo is
only found once. Levit. ch. 11, v. 22.

240

THE BOOK OF J^SHER.

34. Then the Egyptians rejoiced
at the locusts, although they consum
ed the produce of the field, and they
caught them in abundance and salted
them for food.*

35. And the Lord turned a mighty
wind of the sea which took away all
the locusts, even those that were
salted, and thrust them into the Red
Sea ; not one locust remained within
the boundaries of Egypt.

36. And God sent darkness upon
Egypt, that the whole land of Egypt
and Pathros became dark for three
days, so that a man could not see his
hand when he lifted it to his mouth.

37. At that time died many of
the people of Israel who had rebelled
against the Lord and who would not
hearken to Moses and Aaron, and
believed not in them that God had
sent them.

38. And who had said, we will
not go forth from Egypt lest we per
ish with hunger in a desolate wil
derness, and who would not hearken
to the voice of Moses.

39. And the Lord plagued them
in the three days of darkness, and
the Israelites buried them in those
days, without the Egyptians know
ing of them or rejoicing over them.

40. And the darkness was very
great in Egypt for three days, and
any person who was standing when
the darkness came, remained stand
ing in his place, and he that was sit
ting, remained sitting, and he that
was lying continued lying in the
same state, and he that was walking
remained sitting upon the ground in
the same spot ; and this thing hap
pened to all the Egyptians, until the
darkness had passed away.

41. And the days of darkness

fl See Parkhurst upon
root nm

locusts under the

passed away, and the Lord sent Mo
ses and Aaron to the children of Is
rael, saying, celebrate your feast and
make your passover, for behold I
come in the midst of the night
amongst all the Egyptians, and I will
smite all their first born, from the first
born of a man to the first born of a
beast, and when I see your passover,
I will pass over you.

42. And the children of Israel did
according to all that the Lord had
commanded Moses and Aaron, thus
did they in that night.

43. And it came to pass in the
middle of the night, that the Lord
went forth in the midst of Egypt, and
smote all the first born of the Egyp
tians, from the first born of man to
the first born of beast.

44. And Pharaoh rose up in the
night, he and all his servants and all
the Egyptians, and there was a great
cry throughout Egypt in that night,
for there was not a house in which
there was not a corpse.

45. Also the likenesses of the first
born of Egypt, which were carved in
the walls of their houses, were de
stroyed and fell to the ground.

46. Even the bones of their first
born who had died before this and
whom they had buried in their houses,
were raked up by the dogs of Egypt
on that night and dragged before the
Egyptians and cast before them.

47. And all the Egyptians saw
this evil which had suddenly come
upon them, and all the Egyptians
cried out with a loud voice.

48. And all the families of Egypt
wept upon that night, each man for
his son, and each man for his daugh
ter, being the first born, and the tu
mult of Egypt was heard at a dis
tance on that night.

49. And Bathia the daughter of

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

241

Pharaoh* went forth with the kin^
on that night to seek Moses anc
Aaron in their houses, and they found
them in their houses, eating and
drinking and rejoicing with all Is
rael.

50. And Bathia said to Moses, is
this the reward for the good which I
have done to thee, who have reared
thee and stretched thee out, and thou
hast brought this evil upon me and
my father s house ?

51. And Moses said to her, surely
ten plagues did the Lord bring upon
Egypt ; did any evil accrue to thee
from any of them ? did one of them
affect thee ? and she said, no.

52. And Moses said to her, al
though thou art the first born to thy
mother, thou shalt not die, and no
evil shall reach thee in the midst of
Egypt.

53. And she said, what advantage
is it to me, when I see the king, my
brother, and all his household and
subjects in this evil, whose first born
perish with all the first born of Egypt?

54. And Moses said to her, surely
thy brother and his household, and
subjects, the families of Egypt, would
not hearken to the words of the
Lord, therefore did this evil come
upon them.

55. And Pharaoh king of Egypt
approached Moses and Aaron, and
some of the children of Israel who
were with them in that place, and he
prayed to them, saying,

56. Rise up and take your bre
thren, all the children of Israel who
are in the land, with their sheep and
oxen, and all belonging to them, they
shall leave nothing remaining, only
pray for me to the Lord your God.

57. And Moses said to Pharaoh,
behold though thou art thy mother s

* The former Pharaoh.

first born,* yet fear not, for thou wilt
not die, for the Lord has command
ed that thou shalt live, in order to
show thee his great might and strong
stretched out arm.

58. And Pharaoh ordered the
children of Israel to be sent away,
and all the Egyptians strengthened
themselves to send them, for they
said, we are all perishing.

59. And all the Egyptians sent
the Israelites forth, with great riches,
sheep and oxen and precious things,
according to the oath of the Lord
between him and our father Abra
ham.

60. And the children of Israel de
layed going forth at night, and when
the Egyptians came to them to bring
them out, they said to them, are we
thieves, that we should go forth at
night ?

61. And the children of Israel
asked of the Egyptians, vessels of
silver, and vessels of gold, and gar
ments, and the children of Israel
stripped the Egyptians.

62. And Moses hastened and rose
up and went to the river of Egypt,
and brought up from thence the cof
fin of Joseph and took it with him.

63. The children of Israel also
brought up, each man his father s
coffin with him, and each man the
coffins t of his tribe.

CHAPTER LXXXI.

1 . And the children of Israel jour
neyed from Raamses to Succoth,
about six hundred thousand men on

* In chapter 75, v. 50, we are told that Othri
was the first born, but an idiot, I suppose there
fore Adikam assumed the birth right with the
crown.

t I cannot understand this, only in the sense
of all the Hebrew bodies being taken with them,
unless it means the ark of his tribe.

242

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

foot, besides the little ones and their
wives.

2. Also a mixed multitude went
up with them, and flocks and herds,
even much cattle.

3. And the sojourning of the child-
dren of Israel, who dwelt in the land
of Egypt in hard labor, was two hun
dred and ten years.

4. And at the end of two hundred
and ten years, the Lord brought forth
the children of Israel from Egypt
with a strong hand.

5. And the children of Israel tra
velled from Egypt and from Goshen
and from Raamses, and encamped in
Succoth on the fifteenth day of the
first month.

6. And the Egyptians buried all
their first born whom the Lord had
smitten, and all the Egyptians buried
their slain for three days.

7. And the children of Israel tra
velled from Succoth and encamped
in Ethom, at the end of the wilder
ness.

8. And on the third day after the
Egyptians had buried their first born,
many men rose up from Egypt and
went after Israel to make them return
to Egypt, for they repented that they
had sent the Israelites away from
their servitude.

9. And one man said to his neigh
bor, surely Moses and Aaron spoke
to Pharaoh, saying, we will go a
three days journey in the wilderness
and sacrifice to the Lord our God.

1 0. Now therefore let us rise up
early in the morning and cause them
to return, and it shall be that if they
return with us to Egypt to their mas
ters, then shall we know that there
is faith in them, but if they will not
return, then will we fight with them,
and make them come back with great
power and a strong hand.

1 1 . And all the nobles of Pharaoh
rose up in the morning, and with
them about seven hundred thousand
men, and they went forth from Egypt
on that day, and came to the place
where the children of Israel were.

12. And all the Egyptians saw
and behold Moses and Aaron and all
the children of Israel were sitting
before Pi-hahiroth, eating and drink
ing and celebrating the feast of the
Lord.

13. And all the Egyptians said to
the children of Israel, surely you said,
we will go a journey for three days
in the wilderness arid sacrifice to our
God, and return.

14. Now therefore this day makes
five days since you went, why do
you not return to your masters ?

15. And Moses and Aaron an
swered them, saying, because the
Lord our God has testified in us, say
ing, you shall no more return to
Egypt, but we will betake ourselves
to a land flowing with milk and ho
ney, as the Lord our God had sworn
to our ancestors to give to us.

16. And when the nobles of Egypt
saw that the children of Israel did
not hearken to them, to return to
Egypt, they girded themselves to
fight with Israel.

17. And the Lord strengthened
the hearts of the children of Israel
over the Egyptians, that they gave
them a severe beating, and the battle
was sore upon the Egyptians, and all
the Egyptians fled from before the
children of Israel, for many of them
perished by the hand of Israel.

18. Ancl the nobles of Pharaoh
went to Egypt and told Pharaoh, say
ing, the children of Israel have fled,
and will no more return to Egypt,
and in this manner did Moses and
Aaron speak to us.

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

243

19. And Pharaoh heard this thing,
and his heart and the hearts of all
his subjects were turned against Is
rael, and they repented that they had
sent Israel; and all the Egyptians
advised Pharaoh to pursue the chil
dren of Israel to make them come
back to their burdens.

20. And they said each man to his
brother, what is this which we have
done, that we have sent Israel from
our servitude ?

21. And the Lord strengthened
the hearts of all the Egyptians to pur
sue the Israelites, for the Lord de
sired to overthrow the Egyptians in
the Red Sea.

22. And Pharaoh rose up and har
nessed his chariot, and he ordered all
the Egyptians to assemble, not one
man was left excepting the little ones
and the women.

23. And all the Egyptians went
forth with Pharaoh to pursue the
children of Israel, and the camp of
Egypt was an exceedingly large and
heavy camp, about ten hundred thou
sand men.

24. And the whole of this camp
went and pursued the children of Is
rael to bring them back to Egypt,
and they reached them encamping
by the Red Sea.

25. And the children of Israel lift
ed up their eyes, and beheld all the
Egyptians pursuing them, and the
children of Israel were greatly terri
fied at them, and the children of Is
rael cried to the Lord.

26. And on account of the Egyp
tians, the children of Israel divided
themselves into four divisions, and
they were divided in their opinions,
for they were afraid of the Egyptians,
and Moses spoke to each of them.

27. The first division was of the
children of Reuben, Simeon and Is-

sachar, and they resolved to cast
themselves into the sea, for they
were exceedingly afraid of the Egyp
tians.

28. And Moses said to them, fear
not, stand still and see the salvation
of the Lord which he will effect this
day for you.

29. The second division was of
the children of Zebulun, Benjamin
and Naphtali, and they resolved to
go back to Egypt with the Egyp
tians.

30. And Moses said to them, fear
not, for as you have seen the Egyp
tians this day, so shall you see them
no more for ever.

31. The third division was of the
children of Judah and Joseph, and
they resolved to go to meet the Egyp
tians to fight with them.

32. And Moses said to them, stand
in your places, for the Lord will fight
for you, and you shall remain silent.

33. And the fourth division was
of the children of Levi, Gad and
Asher, and they resolved to go into
the midst of the Egyptians to con
found them, and Moses said to them,
remain in your stations and fear not,
only call unto the Lord that he may
save you out of their hands.

34. After this Moses rose up from
amidst the people, and he prayed to
the Lord and said,

35. O Lord God of the whole
earth, save now thy people whom
thou didst bring forth from Egypt,
and let not the Egyptians boast that
power and might are theirs.

36. So the Lord said to Moses,
why dost thou cry unto me ? speak
to the children of Israel that they
shall proceed, and do thou stretch
out thy rod upon the sea and divide
it, and the children of Israel shall
pass through it.

244

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

37. And Moses did so, and he
lifted up his rod upon the sea and di
vided it.

38. And the waters of the sea
were divided into twelve parts, and
the children of Israel passed through
on foot, with shoes, as a man would
pass through a prepared road.

39. And the Lord manifested to
the children of Israel his wonders
in Egypt and in the sea by the hand
of Moses and Aaron.

40. And when the children of
Israel had entered the sea, the
Egyptians came after them, and
the waters of the sea returned
upon them, and they all sank in
the water, and not one man was left
excepting Pharoah, who gave thanks
to the Lord and believed in him,
therefore the Lord did not cause him
to perish at that time with the Egyp
tians.

41. And the Lord ordered an an
gel to take him from amongst the
Egyptians, who cast him upon the
land of Ninevah and he reigned over
it for a long time.

42. And on that day the Lord
saved Israel from the hand of Egypt,
and all the children of Israel saw
that the Egyptians had perished, and
they beheld the great hand of the
Lord, in what he had performed in
Egypt and in the sea.

43. Then sang Moses and the chil
dren of Israel this song unto the
Lord, on the day when the Lord
caused the Egyptians to fall before
them.

44. And all Israel sang in concert
saying, I will sing to the Lord for he
is greatly exalted, the horse and his
rider has he cast into the sea ; behold
it is written in the book of the law
of God.

45. After this the children of Is

rael proceeded on their journey, and
encamped in Marah, and the Lord
gave to the children of Israel statutes
and judgments in that place in Marah,
and the Lord commanded the chil
dren of Israel to walk in all his ways
and to serve him.

46. And they journeyed from Ma
rah and came to Elim, and in Elim
were twelve springs of water and
seventy date trees, and the children
encamped there by the waters.

47. And they journeyed from Elim
and came to the wilderness of Sin,
on the fifteenth day of the second
month after their departure from
Egypt.

48. At that time the Lord gave
the manna to the children of Israel
to eat, and the Lord caused food to
rain from heaven for the children of
Israel day by day.

49. And the children of Israel ate
the manna for forty years, all the
days that they were in the wilderness,
until they came to the land of Ca
naan to possess it.

50. And they proceeded from the
wilderness of Sin and encamped in
Alush.

51. And they proceeded from
Alush and encamped inRephidim.

52. And when the children of Is
rael were in Rephidim, Amalek the
son of Eliphaz, the son of Esau, the
brother of Zepho, came to fight with
Israel.

53. And he brought with him eight
hundred and one thousand men, ma
gicians and conjurers, and he prepar
ed for battle with Israel in Rephi
dim.

54. And they carried on a great
and severe battle against Israel, and
the Lord delivered Amalek and his
people into the hands of Moses and
the children of Israel, and into the

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

245

hand of Joshua the son of Nun, the
Ephrathite, the servant of Moses.

55. And the children of Israel
smote Amalek and his people at the
edge of the sword, but the battle was
very sore upon the children of Israel.

56. And the Lord said to Moses,
write this thing as a memorial for thee
in a book, and place it in the hand of
Joshua the son of Nun thy servant,
and thou shalt command the children
of Israel, saying, when thou shalt
come to the land of Canaan, thou
shalt utterly efface the remembrance
of Amalek from under heaven.

57. And Moses did so, and he took
the book and wrote upon it these
words, saying,

58. Remember what Amalek has
done to thee in the road when thou
wentest forth from Egypt.

59. Who met thee in the road and
smote thy rear, even those that were
feeble behind thee when thou wast
faint and weary.

60. Therefore it shall be when the
Lord thy God shall have given thee
rest from all thine enemies round
about in the land which the Lord thy
God giveth thee for an inheritance,
to possess it, that thou shalt blot out
the remembrance of Amalek from un
der heaven, thou shalt not forget it.

61. And the king who shall have
pity on Amalek, or upon his memory
or upon his seed, behold I will re
quire it of him, and I will cut him
off from amongst his people.

62. And Moses wrote all these
things in a book, and he enjoined the
children of Israel respecting all these
matters.

CHAPTER LXXXII.

1 . And the children of Israel pro
ceeded from Rephidim and they en

camped in the wilderness of Sinai,
in the third month from their going
forth from Egypt.

2. At that time came Reuel the
Midianite, the father in law of Mo
ses, with Zipporah his daughter and
her two sons, for he had heard of the
wonders of the Lord which he had
done to Israel, that he had delivered
them from the hand of Egypt.

3. And Reuel came to Moses to
the wilderness where he was en
camped, where was the mountain of
God.

4. And Moses went forth to meet
his father in law with great honor,
and all Israel was with him.

5. And Reuel and his children re
mained amongst the Israelites for
many days, and Reuel knew the
Lord from that day forward.

6. And in the third month from
the children of Israel s departure
from Egypt, on the sixth day thereof,
the Lord gave to Israel the ten com
mandments on mount Sinai.

7. And all Israel heard all these
commandments, and all Israel rejoiced
exceedingly in the Lord on that day.

8. And the glory of the Lord rest
ed upon mount Sinai, and he called
to Moses, and Moses came in the
midst of a cloud and ascended the
mountain.

9. And Moses was upon the
mount forty days and forty nights ;
he ate no bread and drank no water,
and the Lord instructed him in the
statutes and judgments in order to
teach the children of Israel.

10. And the Lord wrote the ten
commandments which he had com
manded the children of Israel upon
two tablets of stone, which he gave
to Moses to command the children of
Israel.

1 1 . And at the end of forty days

246

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

and forty nights, when the Lord had
finished speaking to Moses on
mount Sinai, then the Lord gave to
Moses the tablets of stone, written
with the finger of God.

12. And when the children of Is
rael saw that Moses tarried to come
down from the mount, they gathered
round Aaron, and said, as for this
man Moses we know not what has
become of him.

13. Now therefore rise up, make
unto us a god who shall go before us,
so that thou shalt not die.

14. And Aaron was greatly afraid
of the people, and he ordered them
to bring him gold and he made it in
to a molten calf for the people.

15. And the Lord said to Moses,
before he had come down from the
mount, get thee down for thy people
whom thou didst bring forth from
Egypt have corrupted themselves.

16. They have made to themselves
a molten calf, and have bowed down
to it, now therefore leave me, that I
may consume them from off the
earth, for they are a stifTnecked
people.

17. And Moses besought the
countenance of the Lord, and he
prayed to the Lord for the people on
account of the calf which they had
made, and he afterward descended
from the mount and in his hands
were the two tablets of stone, which
God had given him to command the
Israelites.

18. And when Moses approached
the camp and saw the calf which the
people had made, the anger of Mo
ses was kindled and he broke the
tablets under the mount.

19. And Moses came to the camp
and he took the calf and burned it
with fire, and ground it till it became
fine dust, and strewed it upon the

water and gave it to the Israelites to
drink.

20. And there died of the people
by the swords of each other about
three thousand men who had made
the calf.

21. And on the morrow Moses
said to the people, I will go up to the
Lord, peradventure I may make
atonement for your sins which you
lave sinned to the Lord.

22. And Moses again went up ta
the Lord, and he remained with the
Lord forty days and forty nights.

23. And during the forty days did
Moses intreat the Lord in behalf
of the children of Israel, and the
Lord hearkened to the prayer of
Moses, and the Lord was intreated
of him in behalf of Israel.

24. Then spake the Lord to Mo
ses to hew two stone tablets and to
bring them up to the Lord, who
would write upon them the ten com
mandments.

25. Now Moses did so, and he
came down and hewed the two tab
lets and went up to mount Sinai to
the Lord, and the Lord wrote the ten
commandments upon the tablets.

26. And Moses remained yet with
the Lord forty days and forty nights,
and the Lord instructed him in sta
tutes and judgments to impart to Is
rael.

27. And the Lord commanded him
respecting the children of Israel that
they should make a sanctuary for
the Lord, that his name might rest
therein, and the Lord showed him
the likeness of the sanctuary and the
likeness of all its vessels.

28. And at the end of the forty
days, Moses came down from the
mount and the two tablets were in
his hand.

29. And Moses came to the child-

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

247

ren of Israel and spoke to them all
the words of the Lord, and he taught
them laws, statutes and judgments
which the Lord had taught him.

30. ^nd Moses told the children
of Israel the word of the Lord, that
a sanctuary should be made for him,
to dwell amongst the children of Is
rael.

31. And the people rejoiced great
ly at all the good which the Lord had
spoken to them, through Moses, and
they said, we will do all that the
Lord has spoken to thee.

32. And the people rose up like
one man and they made generous
offerings to the sanctuary of the
Lard, and each man brought the of
fering of the Lord for the work of the
sanctuary, and for all its service.

33. And all the children of Israel
brought each man of all that was
found in his possession for the work
of the sanctuary of the Lord, gold,
silver and brass, and every thing that
was serviceable for the sanctuary.

34. And all the wise men who
were practised in work came and
made the sanctuary of the Lord, ac
cording to all that the Lord had com
manded, every man in the work in
which he had been practised ; and
all the wise men in heart made the
sanctuary, and its furniture and all
the vessels for the holy service, as
the Lord had commanded Moses.

35. And the work of the sanctu
ary of the tabernacle was completed
at the end of five months, and the
children of Israel did all that the
Lord had commanded Moses.

36. And they brought the sanctu
ary and all its furniture to Moses ;
like unto the representation which the
Lord had shown to Moses, so did
the children of Israel.

37. And Moses saw the work, and

behold they did it as the Lord had
commanded him, so Moses blessed
them.

CHAPTER LXXXIII.

1. And in the twelfth month, in the
twenty third day of the month, Mo
ses took Aaron and his sons, and he
dressed them in their garments, and
anointed them and did unto them as
the Lord had commanded him, and
Moses brought up all the offerings
which the Lord had on that day
commanded him.

2. Moses afterward took Aaron
and his sons and said to them, for
seven days shall you remain at the
door of the tabernacle, for thus am I
commanded.

3. And Aaron and his sons did all
that the Lord had commanded them
through Moses, and they remained
for seven days at the door of the ta
bernacle.

4. And on the eighth day, being
the first day of the first month, in the
second year from the Israelites de
parture from Egypt, Moses erected
the sanctuary, and Moses put up all
the furniture of the tabernacle and all
the furniture of the sanctuary, and
he did all that the Lord had com
manded him.

5. And Moses called to Aaron and
his sons, and they brought the burnt
offering and the sin offering for them
selves and the children of Israel, as
the Lord had commanded Moses.

6. On that day the two sons of
Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, took strange
fire and brought it before the Lord
who had not commanded them, and
a fire went forth from before the
Lord, and consumed them, and they
died before the Lord on that day.

7. Then on the day when Moses

248

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

had completed to erect the sanctuary,
the princes of the children of Israel
began to bring their offerings before
the Lord for the dedication of the
altar.

8. And they brought up their of
ferings each prince for one day, a
prince each day for twelve days.

9. And all the offerings which they
brought, each man in his day, one
silver charger weighing one hundred
and thirty shekels, one silver bowl
of seventy shekels after the shekel
of the sanctuary, both of them full
of fine flour, mingled with oil for a
meat offering.

10. One spoon, weighing ten she
kels of gold, full of incense.

11. One young bullock, one ram,
one lamb of the first year for a burnt
offering.

1 2. And one kid of the goats for a
sin offering.

13. And for a sacrifice of peace
offering, two oxen, five rams, five
he-goats, five lambs of a year old.

14. Thus did the twelve princes
of Israel day by day, each man in
his day.

15. And it was after this, in the
thirteenth day of the month, that
Moses commanded the children of
Israel to observe the Passover.

16. And the children of Israel kept
the Passover in its season in the four
teenth day of the month, as the Lord
had commanded Moses, so did the
children of Israel.

17. And in the second month, on
the first day thereof, the Lord spoke
unto Moses, saying,

18. Number the heads of all the
males of the children of Israel from
twenty years old and upward, thou
and thy brother Aaron and the twelve
princes of Israel.

19. And Moses did so, and Aaron

came with the twelve princes of Is
rael, and they numbered the cMldren
of Israel in the wilderness of Sinai.

20. And the numbers of the chil
dren of Israel by the houses ^f their
fathers, from twenty years old and
upward, were six hundred and three
thousand, five hundred and fifty.

21. But the children of Levi were
not numbered amongst their brethren
the children of Israel.

22. A.nd the number of all the
males of the children of Israel from
one month old and upward, was
twenty-two thousand, two hundred
and seventy -three.

23. And the number of the chil
dren of Levi* from one month old
and above, was twenty-two thousand.

24. And Moses placed the priests
and the Levites each man to his ser
vice and to his burden to serve the
sanctuary of the tabernacle, as the
Lord had commanded Moses.

25. And on the twentieth day of
the month, the cloud was taken away
from the tabernacle of testimony.

26. At that time the children of
Israel continued their journey from
the wilderness of Sinai, and they took
a journey of three days, and the cloud
resled upon the wilderness of Paran;
there the anger of the Lord was kin
dled against Israel, for they had pro
voked the Lord in asking him for
meat, that they might eat.

27. And the Lord hearkened to
their voice, and gave them meat which
they ate for one month.

28. But after this the anger of the
Lord was kindled against them, and
he smote them with a great slaugh
ter, and they were buried there in
that place.

29. And the children of Israel
called that place Kebroth Hattaavah,

* See Numbers, ch. 3, v. 39.

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

249

because there they buried the people
that lusted flesh.

30. And they departed from Ke-
broth Hattaavah and pitched in Ha-
zeroth, which is in the wilderness of
Paran.

31. And whilst the children of Is
rael were in Hazeroth, the anger of
the Lord was kindled against Miriam
on account of Moses, and she became
leprous, white as snow.

32. And she was confined without
the camp for seven days, until she had
been received again after her leprosy.

33. The children of Israel after
ward departed from Hazeroth, and
pitched in the end of the wilderness
of Paran.

34. At that time, the Lord spoke
to Moses to send twelve men from
the children of Israel, one man to a
tribe, to go and explore the land of
Canaan.

35. And Moses sent the twelve
men, and they came to the land of
Canaan to search and examine it,
and they explored the whole land
from the wilderness of Sin to Rechob
as thou comest to Chamoth.

36. And at the end of forty days
they came to Moses and Aaron, and
they brought him word as it was in
their hearts, and ten of the men
brought up an evil report to the chil
dren of Israel, of the land which they
had explored, saying, it is better for
us to return to Egypt than to go to
this land, a land that consumes its
inhabitants.

37. But Joshua the son of Nun,
and Caleb the son of Jephuneh, who
were of those that explored the land,
said, the land is exceedingly good.

38. If the Lord delight in us, then
he will bring us to this land and give
it to us, for it is a land flowing with
milk and honey.

39. But the children of Israel
would not hearken to them, and they
hearkened to the words of the ten
men who had brought up an evil
report of the land.

40. And the Lord heard the mur-
murings of the children of Israel
and he was angry and swore, saying,

41. Surely not one man of this
wicked generation shall see the land
from twenty years old and upward
excepting Caleb the son of Jephneh
and Joshua the son of Nun.

42. But surely this wicked genera
tion shall perish in this wilderness,
and their children shall come to the
land and they shall possess it ; so the
anger of the Lord was kindled against
Israel, and he made them wander in
the wilderness for forty years until
the end of that wicked generation,
because they did not follow the Lord.

43. And the people dwelt in the
wilderness of Param a long time,
and they afterward proceeded to the
wilderness by the way of the Red
Sea.

CHAPTER LXXXIV.

1. At that time Korah the son of
Jetzer the son of Kehath the son of
Levi, took many men of the children
of Israel, and they rose up and
quarrelled with Moses and Aaron and
the whole congregation.

2. And the Lord was angry with
them, and the earth opened its mouth,
and swallowed them up, with their
houses and all belonging to them, and
all the men belongind to Korah.

3. And after this God made the
people go round by the way of
Mount Seir for a long time.

4. At that time the Lord said unto
Moses, provoke not a war against the
children of Esau, for I will not give

250

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

to you of any thing belonging to
them, as much as the sole of the
foot could tread upon, for I have
given Mount Seir for an inheritance
to Esau.

5. Therefore did the children of
Esau fight against the children of
Seir in former times, and the Lord
had delivered the children of Seir
into the hands of the children of Esau,
and destroyed them from before
them, and the children of Esau dwelt
in their stead unto this day.

6. Therefore the Lord said to the
children of Israel, fight not against
the children of Esau your brethren,
for nothing in their land belongs to
you, but you may buy food of them
for money and eat it, and you may
buy water of them for money and
drink it.

7. And the children of Israel did
according to the word of the Lord.

8. And the children of Israel went
about the wilderness, going round
by the way of Mount Sinai for a
long time, and touched not the
children of Esau, and they continued
in that district for nineteen years.

9. At that time died Latinus king
of the children of Chittim, in the
forty fifth year of his reign, which
is the fourteenth year of the children
of Israel s departure from Egypt.

10. And they buried him in his
place which he had built for himself
in the land of Chittim, and Abimnas
reigned in his place for thirty eight
years.

11. And the children of Israel
passed the boundary of the children
of Esau in those days, at the end of
nineteen years, and they came and
passed the road of the wilderness of
Moab.

12. And the Lord said to Moses,
besiege not Moab, and do not fight

against them, for I will give you
nothing of their land.

13. And the children of Israel
passed the road of the wilderness of
Moab for nineteen years, and they
did not fight against them.

14. And in the thirty sixth year
of the children of Israel s departure
from Egypt the Lord smote the heart
of Sihon, king of the Amorites, and
he waged war, and went forth to
fight against the children of Moab.

15. And Sihon sent messengers to
Beor the son of Janeas, the son of
Balaam, counsellor to the king of
Egypt, and to Balaam his son, to
curse Moab, in order that it might be
delivered into the hand of Sihon.

16. And the messengers went and
brought Beor the son of Janeas, and
Balaam his son, from Pethor in Meso
potamia, so Beor and Balaam his son
came to the city of Sihon and they
cursed Moab and their king in the pre
sence of Sihon king of the Amorites.

17. So Sihon went out with his
whole army, and he went to Moab
and fought against them, and he sub
dued them, and the Lord delivered
them into his hands, and Sihon slew
the king of Moab.

18. And Sihon took all the cities
of Moab in the battle ; he also took
Heshbon from them, for Heshbon
was one of the cities of Moab, and
Sihon placed his princes and his
nobles in Heshbon, and Heshbon be
longed to Sihon in those days.

19. Therefore the parable speak
ers Beor and Balaam his son uttered
these words, saying, come unto
Heshbon, the city of Sihon will be
built and established.

20. Woe unto thee Moab ! thou art
lost, O people of Kemosh ! behold it
is written upon the book of the law
of God.

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251

21 And when Sihon had conquer
ed Moab, he placed guards in the
cities which he had taken from Moab,
and a considerable number of the
children of Moab fell in battle into the
hand of Sihon, and he made a great
capture of them, sons and daughters,
and he slew their king ; so Sihon
turned back to his own land.

22. And Sihon gave numerous
presents of silver and gold to Beor
and Balaam his son, and he dismissed
them, and they went to Mesopotamia
to their home and country.

23. At that time all the children
of Israel passed from the road of the
wilderness of Moab, and returned
and surrounded the wilderness of
Edom.

24. So the whole congregation
came to the wilderness of Sin in the
first month of the fortieth year from
their departure from Egypt, and the
children of Israel dwelt there in
Kadesh, of the wilderness of Sin, and
Miriam died there and she was buried
there.

25. At that time Moses sent mes
sengers to Hadad king of Edom, say
ing, thus says thy brother Israel, let
me pass I pray thee through thy land,
we will not pass through field or vine
yard, we will not drink the water of
the well ; we will walk in the king s
road.

26. And Edom said to him, thou
shalt not pass through my country,
and Edom went forth to meet the
children of Israel with a mighty
people.

27. And the children of Esau re
fused to let the children of Israel
pass through their land, so the Is
raelites removed from them and
fought not against them.

28. For before this the Lord had
commanded the children of Israel,

saying, you shall not fight against the
children of Esau, therefore the Is
raelites removed from them and did
not fight against them.

29. So the children of Israel de
parted from Kadesh, and all the peo
ple came to mount Hor.

30. At that time the Lord said to
Moses, tell thy brother Aaron that
he shall die there, for he shall not
come to the land which I have given
to the children of Israel.

31. And Aaron went up, at the
command of the Lord, to mount Hor,
in the fortieth year, in the fifth month,
in the first day of the month.

32. And Aaron was one hundred
and twenty three years old when he
died in mount Hor.

CHAPTER LXXXV.

1 . And king Arad the Canaanite,
who dwelt in the south, heard that
the Israelites had come by the way
of the spies, and he arranged his
forces to fight against the Israelites.

2. And the children of Israel
were greatly afraid of him, for he
had a great and heavy army, so the
children of Israel resolved to return
to Egypt.

3. And the children of Israel turn
ed back about the distance of three
days journey unto Maserath Beni
Jaakon, for they were greatly afraid
on account of the king Arad.

4. And the children of Israel would
not get back to their places, so they
remained in Beni Jaakon for thirty
days.

5. And when the children of Levi
saw that the children of Israel would
not turn back, they were jealous for
the sake of the Lord, and they rose
up and fought against the Israelites
their brethren, and slew of them a

252

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

great body, and forced them to turn
back to their place, mount Hor.

6. And when they returned, king
Arad was still arranging his host for
battle against the Israelites.

7. And Israel vowed a vow, say
ing, if thou wilt deliver this people
into my hand, then I will utterly de
stroy their cities.

8. And the Lord hearkened to the
voice of Israel, and he delivered the
Canaanites into their hand, and he
utterly destroyed them and their
cities, and he called the name of the
place Hormah.

9. And the children of Israel jour
neyed from mount Hor and pitched
in Oboth, and they journeyed from
Oboth and they pitched at Ije-aba-
fim, in the border of Moab.

10. And the children of Israel
sent to Moab, saying, let us pass now
through thy land into our place, but
the children of Moab would not suf
fer the children of Israel to pass
through their land, for the children
of Moab were greatly afraid lest the
children of Israel should do unto
them as Sihon king of the Amorites
had done to them, who had taken
their land and had slain many of
them.

11. Therefore Moab would not
suffer the Israelites to pass through
his land, and the Lord commanded
the children of Israel, saying that
they should not fight against Moab,
so the Israelites removed from Moab.

12. And the children of Israel
journeyed from the border of Moab
and they came to the other side of
Arnon, the border of Moab, between
Moab and the Amorites, and they
pitched in the border of Sihon, king
of the Amorites, in the wilderness of
Kedemoth.

13. And the children of Israel sent

messengers to Sihon, king of the
Amorites, saying,

14. Let us pass through thy land,
we will not turn into the fields or in
to the vineyards, we will go along by
the king s highway until we shall
have passed thy border, but Sihon
would not suffer the Israelites to

15. So Sihon collected all the
people of the Amorites and went
forth into the wilderness to meet the
children of Israel, and he fought
against Israel in Jahaz.

16. And the Lord delivered Sihon
king of the Amorites into the hand
of the children of Israel, and Israel
smote all the people of Sihon with
the edge of the sword and avenged
the cause of Moab.

17. And the children of Israel took
possession of the land of Sihon from
Aram unto Jabuk, unto the children
of Ammon, and they took all the
spoil of the cities.

IS. And Israel took all these cities,
and Israel dwelt in all the cities of
the Amorites.

19. And all the children of Israel
resolved to fight against the children
of Ammon, to take their land also.

20. So the Lord said to the child
ren of Israel, do not besiege the
children of Ammon, neither stir up
battle against them, for I will give
nothing to you of their land, and the
children of Israel hearkened to the
word of the Lord, and did not fight
against the children of Ammon.

21. And the children of Israel
turned and went up by the way of
Bashan to the land of Og, king of
Bashan, and Og the king of Bashan
went out to meet the Israelites in
battle, and he had with him many
valiant men, and a very strong force
from the people of the Amorites.

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

253

22. And Og king of Bashan was a
very powerful man, but Naaron his
son was exceedingly powerful, even
stronger than he was.

23. And Og said in his heart, be
hold now the whole camp of Israel
takes up a space of three parsa,* now
will I smite them at once without
sword or spear.

24. And Og went up mount Ja-
haz and took therefrom one large
stone, the length of which was three
parsa, and he placed it on his head,
and resolved to throw it upon the
camp of the children of Israel, to
smite all the Israelites with that
stone.

25. And the angel of the Lord
came and pierced the stone upon the
head of Og, and the stone fell upon
the neck of Og that Og fell to the
earth on account of the weight of
the stone upon his neck.

26. At that time the Lord said to
the children of Israel, be not afraid
of him, for I have given him and all
his people and all his land into your
hand, and you shall do to him as you
did to Sihon.

27. And Moses went down to him
with a small number of the children
of Israel, and Moses smote Og with
a stick at the ankles of his feet and
smote him.

28. The children of Israel after
ward pursued the children of Og and
all his people, and they beat and de
stroyed them till there was no rem
nant left of them.

29. Moses afterward sent some of
the children of Israel to spy out Jaa-
zer, for Jaazer was a very famous
city.

30. And the spies went to Jaazer
and explored it, and the spies trusted

*Talmudical term for four miles, each mile
consisting of two thousand cubits.

in the Lord, and they fought against
the men of Jaazer.

31. And these men took Jaazer
and its villages, and the Lord deliv
ered them into their hand, and they
drove out the Amorites who had been
there.

32. And the children of Israel took
the land of the two kings of the Am
orites, sixty cities which were on the
other side of Jordan, from the brook
of Arnon unto Mount Hermon.

33. And the children of Israel
journeyed and came into the plain of
Moab, which is on this side of Jor
dan, by Jericho.

34. And the children of Moab
heard all the evil which the children
of Israel had done to the two kings
of the Amorites, to Sihon and Og, so
all the men of Moab were greatly
afraid of the Israelites.

35. And the elders of Moab said,
behold the two kings of the Amorites,
Sihon and Og, who were more pow
erful than all the kings of the earth,
could not stand against the children
of Israel, how then can we stand be
fore them?

36. Surely they sent us a message
before now to pass through our land
on their way, and we would not suffer
them, now they will turn upon us
with their heavy swords and destroy
us ; and Moab was distressed on ac
count of the children of Israel, and
they were greatly afraid of them, and
they counselled together what was to
be done to the children of Israel.

37. And the elders of Moab re
solved and took one of their men,
Balak the son of Zippor the Moab-
ite, and made him king over them
at that time, and Balak was a very
wise man.

38. And the elders of Moab rose
up and sent to the children of Midian

254

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

to make peace with them, for a great
battle and enmity had been in those
days between Moab and Midian, from
the days of Hadad the son of Bedad
king of Edom, who smote Midian in
the field of Moab, unto these days.

39. And the children of Moab
sent to the children of Midian, and
they made peace with them, and the
elders of Midian came to the land of
Moab to make peace in behalf of the
children of Midian.

40. And the elders of Moab coun
selled with the elders of Midian
what to do in order to save their lives
from Israel.

41. And all the children of Moab
said to the elders of Midian, now
therefore the children of Israel lick
up all that are round about us, as the
ox licks up the grass of the field, for
thus did they do to the two kings of
the Amorites who are stronger than
we are.

42. And the elders of Midian said
to Moab, we have heard that at the
time when Sihon king of the Amor
ites fought against you, when he pre
vailed over you and took your land,
he had sent to Beor the son of Janeas
and to Balaam his son from Mesopo
tamia, and they came and cursed you ;
therefore did the hand of Sihon pre
vail over you, that he took your land.

43. Now therefore send you also
to Balaam his son, for he still remains
in his land, and give him his hire,
that he may come and curse all
the people of whom you are afraid ;
so the elders of Moab heard this
thing, and it pleased them to send to
Balaam the son of Beor.

44. So Balak the son of Zippor
king of Moab sent messengers to
Balaam, saying,

45. Behold there is a people come
out from Egypt, behold they cover

the face of the earth, and they abide
over against me.

46. Now therefore come and curse
this people for me, for they are too
mighty for me, peradventure I shall
prevail to fight against them, and
drive them out, for I heard that he
whom thou blesscst is blessed, and
whom thou cursest is cursed.

47. So the messengers of Balak
went to Balaam and brought Balaam
to curse the people to fight against
Moab.

48. And Balaam came to Balak to
curse Israel, and the Lord said to
Balaam, curse not this people for it
is blessed.

49. And Balak urged Balaam day
by day to curse Israel, but Balaam
hearkened not to Balak on account of
the word of the Lord which he had
spoken to Balaam.

50. And when Balak saw that Ba
laam would not accede to his wish,
he rose up and went home, and Ba
laam also returned to his land arid
he went from there to Midian.

51. And the children of Israel
journeyed from the plain of Moab,
and pitched by Jordan from Beth-
jesimoth even unto Abel-shittim,
at the end of the plains of Moab.

52. And when the children of Is
rael abode in the plain of Shittim,
they began to commit whoredom with
the daughters of Moab.

53. And the children of Israel ap
proached Moab, and the children of
Moab pitched their tents opposite to
the camp of the children of Israel.

54. And the children of Moab were
afraid of the children of Israel, and
the children of Moab took all their
daughters and their wives of beauti
ful aspect and comely appearance,
and dressed them in gold and silver
and costly garments.

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

265

55. And the children of Moab
seated those women at the door of
their tents, in order that the children
of Israel might see them and turn to
them, and not fight against Moab.

56. And all the children of Moab
did this thing to the children of Is
rael, and every man placed his wife
and daughter at the door of his tent,
and all the children of Israel saw the
act of the children of Moab, and the
children of Israel turned to the daugh
ters of Moab and coveted them, and
they went to them.

57. And it came to pass that when
a Hebrew came to the door of the
tent of Moab, and saw a daughter of
Moab and desired her in his heart,
and spoke with her at the door of the
tent that which he desired, whilst
they were speaking together the men
of the tent would come out and speak
to the Hebrew like unto these words :

58. Surely you know that we are
brethren, we are all the descendants
of Lot and the descendants of Abra
ham his brother, wherefore then will
you not remain with us, and where
fore will you not eat our bread and
our sacrifice ?

59. And when the children of
Moab had thus overwhelmed him
with their speeches, and enticed him
by their flattering words, they seated
him in the tent and cooked and sacri
ficed for him, and he ate of their sa
crifice and of their bread.

60. They then gave him wine and
he drank and became intoxicated, and
they placed before him a beautiful
damsel, and he did with her as he
liked, for he knew not what he was
doing, as he had drunk plentifully of
wine.

61. Thus did the children of Moab
to Israel in that place, in the plain of
Shittim, and the anger of the Lord

was kindled against Israel on account
of this matter, and he sent a pesti
lence amongst them, and there died
of the Israelites twenty-four thousand
men.

62. Now there was a man of the
children of Simeon whose name was
Zimri, the son of Salu, who connect
ed himself with the Midianite Cosbi,
the daughter of Zur, king of Midian,
in the sight of all the children of Is
rael.

63. And Phineas the son of Ela-
zer, the son of Aaron the priest, saw
this wicked thing which Zimri had
done, and he took a spear and rose
up and went after them, and pierced
them both and slew them, and the
pestilence ceased from the children
of Israel.

CHAPTER LXXXVI.

1 . At that time after the pestilence,
the Lord said to Moses, and to Elazer
the son of Aaron the priest, saying,

2. Number the heads of the whole
community of the children of Israel,
from twenty years old and upward,
all that went forth in the army.

3. And Moses and Elazer num
bered the children of Israel after their
families, and the number of all Israel
was seven hundred thousand, seven
hundred and thirty.

4. And the number of the children
of Levi, from one month old and up
ward, was twenty-three thousand,
and amongst these there was not a
man of those numbered by Moses
and Aaron in the wilderness of Sinai.

5. For the Lord had told them that
they would die in the wilderness, so
they all died, and not one had been
left of them excepting Caleb the son
of Jephuneh, and Joshua the son of
Nun.

256

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

6. And it was after this that th
Lord said to Moses, say unto th
children of Israel to avenge upon
Midian the cause of their brethrei
the children of Israel.

7. And Moses did so, and the chil
dren of Israel chose from amongs
them twelve thousand men, being
one thousand to a tribe, and they
went to Midian.

8. And the children of Israel war
red against Midian, and they slew
every male, also the five princes of
Midian, and Balaam the son of Beor
did they slay with the sword.

9. And the children of Israel took
the wives of Midian captive, with
their little ones and their cattle, and
all belonging to them.

10. And they took all the spoil
and all the prey, and they brought it
to Moses and to Elazer to the plains
of Moab.

11. And Moses and Elazer and all
the princes of the congregation went
forth to meet them with joy.

12. And they divided all the spoil
of Midian, and the children of Israel
had been revenged upon Midian for
the cause of their brethren the chil
dren of Israel.

CHAPTER LXXXVII.

1. At that time the Lord said to
Moses, behold thy days are ap
proaching to an end, take now Joshua
the son of Nun thy servant and place
him in the tabernacle, and I will
command him, and Moses did so.

2. And the Lord appeared in the
tabernacle in a pillar of cloud, and
the pillar of cloud stood at the en
trance of the tabernacle.

3. And the Lord commanded
Joshua the son of Nun and said unto
him, be strong and courageous for thou

shalt bring the children of Israel to
the land which I swore to give them,,
and I will be with thee.

4. And Moses said to Joshua, be
strong and courageous for thou wilt
make the children of Israel inherit
the land, and the Lord will be with
thee, he will not leave thee nor for
sake thee, be not afraid nor dis
heartened.

5. And Moses called to all the
children of Israel and said to them,
you have seen all the good which
the Lord your God has done for you
in the wilderness.

6. Now therefore observe all the
words of this law, and walk in the
way of the Lord your God, turn not
from the way which the Lord has
commanded you, either to the right
or to the left.

7. And Moses taught the child
ren of Israel statutes and judgments
and laws to do in the land as the
Lord had commanded him.

8. And he taught them the way
f the Lord and his laws ; behold they

are written upon the book of the law
of God which he gave to the children
of Israel by the hand of Moses.

9. And Moses finished command-
ng the children of Israel, and the

Lord said to him, saying, go up to
the mount Abarim and die there,
and be gathered unto thy people as
Aaron thy brother was gathered.

10. And Moses went up as the
Lord had commanded him, and he
died there in the land of Moab by
he order of the Lord, in the fortieth
rear from the Israelites going forth
rom the land of Egypt.

11. And the children of Israel
vept for Moses in the plains of
Vtoab for thirty days, and the days of
weeping and mourning for Moses
were completed.

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

257

CHAPTER LXXXVIII.

1. And it was after the death of
Moses that the Lord said to Joshua
the son of Nun, saying,

2. Rise up and pass the Jordan
to the land which I have given to
the children of Israel, and thou shalt
make the children of Israel inherit
the land.

3. Every place upon which the
sole of your feet shall tread shall
belong to you, from the wilderness
of Lebanon unto the great river the
river of Perath shall be your boundary.

4. No man shall stand up against
thee all the days of thy life ; as I
was with Moses, so will I be with
thee, only be strong and of good
courage to observe all the law which
Moses commanded thee, turn not
from the way either to the right or
to the left, in order that thou mayst
prosper in all that thou doest.

5. And Joshua commanded the
officers of Israel, saying, pass through
the camp and command the people,
saying, prepare for yourselves pro
visions, for in three days more you
will pass the Jordan to possess the
land.

6. And the officers of the children
of Israel did so, and they commanded
the people and they did all that
Joshua had commanded.

7. And Joshua sent two men to
spy out the land of Jericho, and the
men went and spied out Jericho.

8. And at the end of seven days
they came to Joshua in the camp and
said to him, the Lord has delivered
the whole land into our hand, and
the inhabitants thereof are melted
with fear because of us.

9. And it came to pass after that,
that Joshua rose up in the morning
and all Israel with him, and they

journeyed from Shittim. and Joshua
and all Israel with him passed the
Jordan ; and Joshua was eighty two
years old when he passed the Jordan
with Israel.

10. And the people went up from
Jordan on the tenth day of the first
month, and they encamped in Gilgal
at the eastern corner of Jericho.

11. And the children of Israel
kept the Passover in Gilgal, in the
plains of Jericho, on the fourteenth
day of the month, as it is written in
the law of Moses.

1 2. And the manna ceased at that
time on the morrow of the Passover,
and there was no more manna for
the children of Israel, and they ate
of the produce of the land of Canaan.

13. And Jericho was entirely
closed against the children of Israel,
no one came out or went in.

14. And it was in the second
month, on the first day of the month,
that the Lord said to Joshua, rise up,
behold I have given Jericho into thy
hand with all the people thereof; and
all your fighting men shall go round
the city, once each day, thus shall
you do for six days.

15. And the priests shall blow
upon trumpets, and when you shall
hear the sound of the trumpet, all the
people shall give a great shouting,
that the walls of the city shall fall
down ; all the people shall go up
every man against his opponent.

16. And Joshua did so according
to all that the Lord had commanded
him.

17. And on the seventh day they
went round the city seven times, and
the priests blew upon trumpets.

18. And at the seventh round,
Joshua said to the people, shout, for
the Lord has delivered the whole
city into our hands.

258

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

19. Only the city and all that
it contains shall be accursed to the
Lord, and keep yourselves from the
accursed thing, lest you make the
camp of Israel accursed and trouble it.

20. But all the silver and gold
and brass and iron shall be conse
crated to the Lord, they shall come
into the treasury of the Lord.

21. And the people blew upon
trumpets and made a great shouting,
and the walls of Jericho fell down,
and all the people went up, every
man straight before him, and they
took the city and utterly destroyed
all that was in it, both man and wo
man, young and old, ox and sheep
and ass, with the edge of the sword.

22. And they burned the whole
city with fire ; only the vessels of
silver and gold, and brass and iron,
they put into the treasury of the
Lord.

23. And Joshua swore at that time,
saying, cursed be the man who builds
Jericho ; he shall lay the foundation
thereof in his first born, and in his
youngest son shall he set up the gates
thereof.

24. And Achan the son of Carmi,
the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah,
son of Judah, dealt treacherously in
the accursed thing, and he took of
the accursed thing and hid it in the
tent, and the anger of the Lord was
kindled against Israel.

25. And it was after this when the
children of Israel had returned from
burning Jericho, Joshua sent men to
spy out also Ai, and to fight against it.

26. And the men went up and spied
out Ai, and they returned and said,
let not all the people go up with thee
to Ai, only let about three thousand
men go up and smite the city, for the
men thereof are but few.

27. And Joshua did so, and there

went up with him of the children of
Israel about three thousand men, and
they fought against the men of Ai.

28. And the battle was severe
against Israel, and the men of Ai
smote thirty six men of Israel, and
the children of Israel fled from before
the men of Ai.

29. And when Joshua saw this
thing, he tore his garments and fell
upon his face to the ground before
the Lord, he, with the elders of Is
rael, and they put dust upon their
heads.

30. And Joshua said, why O Lord
didst thou bring this people over
the Jordan ? what shall I say after
the Israelites have turned their backs
against their enemies ?

31. Now therefore all the Canaan-
ites, inhabitants of the land, will hear
this thing, and surround us and cut
off our name.

32. And the Lord said to Joshua,
why dost thou fall upon thy face ?
rise, get thee off, for the Israelites
have sinned, and taken of the accurs
ed thing ; I will no more be with
them unless they destroy the accurs
ed thing from amongst them.

33. And Joshua rose up and as
sembled the people, and brought the
Urim by the order of the Lord, and
the tribe of Judah was taken, and
Achan the son of Carmi was taken.

34. And Joshua said to Achan, tell
me my son, what hast thou done, and
Achan said, I saw amongst the spoil
a goodly garment of Shinar and two
hundred shekels of silver, and a
wedge of gold of fifty shekels weight ;
I coveted them and took them, and
behold they are all hid in the earth in
the midst of the tent.

35. And Joshua sent men who went
and took them from the tent of Achan,
and they brought them to Joshua.

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

259

36. And Joshua took Achan and
these utensils, and his sons and daugh
ters and all belonging to him, and
they brought them into the valley of
Achor.

37. And Joshua burned them there
with fire, and all the Israelites stoned
Achan with stones, and they raised
over him a heap of stones ; therefore
did he call that place the valley of
Achor, so the Lord s anger was ap
peased, and Joshua afterward came
to the city and fought against it.

38. And the Lord said to Joshua,
fear not, neither be thou dismayed,
behold I have given into thy hand
Ai, her king and her people, and thou
shalt do unto them as thou didst to
Jericho and her king, only the spoil
thereof and the cattle thereof shall
you take for a prey for yourselves ;
lay an ambush for the city behind it.

39. So Joshua did according to the
word of the Lord, and he chose from
amongst the sons of war thirty thou
sand valiant men, and he sent them,
and they lay in ambush for the city.

40. And he commanded them, say
ing, when you shall see us we will
flee before them with cunning, and
they will pursue us, you shall then
rise out of the ambush and take the
city, and they did so.

41. And Joshua fought, and the
men of the city went out toward Is
rael, not knowing that they were ly
ing in ambush for them behind the
city.

42. And Joshua and all the Israel
ites feigned themselves wearied out
before them, and they fled by the
way of the wilderness with cunning.

43. And the men of Ai gathered
all the people who were in the city
to pursue the Israelites, and they
went out and were drawn away from
the city, not one remained, and they

left the city open and pursued the
Israelites.

44. And those who were lying in
ambush rose up out of their places,
and hastened to come to the city and
took it and set it on fire, and the men
of Ai turned back, and behold the
smoke of the city ascended to the
skies, and they had no means of re
treating either one way or the other.

45. And all the men of Ai were in
the midst of Israel, some on this side
and some on that side, and they smote
them so that not one of them re
mained.

46. And the children of Israel took
Melosh king of Ai alive, and they
brought him to Joshua, and Joshua
hanged him on a tree and he died.

47. And the children of Israel re
turned to the city after having burned
it, and they smote all those that were
in it with the edge of the sword.

48. And the number of those that
had fallen of the men of Ai, both man
and woman, was twelve thousand;
only the cattle and the spoil of the
city they took to themselves, accord
ing to the word of the Lord to Joshua.

49. And all the kings on this side
Jordan, all the kings of Canaan,
heard of the evil which the children
of Israel had done to Jericho and to
Ai, and they gathered themselves to
gether to fight against Israel.

50. Only the inhabitants of Gibe-
on were greatly afraid of fighting
against the Israelites lest they should
perish, so they acted cunningly, and
they came to Joshua and to all Is
rael, and said unto them, we have
come from a distant land, now there
fore make a covenant with us.

51 . And the inhabitants of Gibeon
over-reached the children of Israel,
and the children of Israel made a
covenant with them, and they made

260

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

peace with them, and the princes of
the congregation swore unto them,
but afterward the children of Israel
knew that they were neighbors to
them and were dwelling amongst
them.

52. But the children of Israel slew
them not ; for they had sworn to them
by the Lord, and they became hew
ers of wood and drawers of water.

53. And Joshua said to them, why
did you dece.ive me, to do this thing
to us? and they answered him, say
ing, because it was told to thy ser
vants all that you had done to all the
kings of the Amorites, and we were
greatly afraid of our lives, and we did
this thing.

54. And Joshua appointed them
on that day to hew wood and to draw
water, and he divided them for slaves
to all the tribes of Israel.

55. And when Adonizedek king
of Jerusalem heard all that the child
ren of Israel had done to Jericho and
to Ai, he sent to Hoham king of
Hebron and to Piram king of Jar-
muth, and to Japhia king of Lachish
and to Deber king of Eglon, saying,

56. Come up to me and help me,
that we may smite the children of
Israel and the inhabitants of Gibeon
who have made peace with the child
ren of Israel.

57. And they gathered themselves
together and the five kings of the
Amorites went up with all their
camps, a mighty people numerous as
the sand of the sea shore.

58. And all these kings came and
encamped before Gibeon, and they
began to fight against the inhabitants
of Gibeon, and all the men of Gibeon
sent to Joshua, saying, come up
quickly to us and help us, for all the
kings of the Amorites have gathered
together to fight against us.

59. And Joshua and all the fight
ing people went up from Gilgal, and
Joshua came suddenly to them, and
smote these five kings with a great
slaughter.

60. And the Lord confounded them
before the children of Israel, who
smote them with a terrible slaughter
in Gibeon, and pursued them along
the way that goes up to Beth Boron
unto Makkedah, and they fled from
before the children of Israel.

61. And whilst they were fleeing,
the Lord sent upon them hail stones
from heaven, and more of them died
by the hail-stones, than by the slaugh
ter of the children of Israel.

62. And the children of Israel pur
sued them, and they still smote them
in the road, going on and smiting them.

63. And when they were smiting,
the day was declining toward evening,
and Joshua said in the sight of all
the people, sun, stand thou still up
on Gibeon, and thou moon in the
valley of Ajalon, until the nation shall
have revenged itself upon its enemies.

64. And the Lord hearkened to
the voice of Joshua, and the sun
stood still in the midst of the hea
vens, and it stood still six and thirty
moments,* and the moon also stood
still and hastened not to go down a
whole day.

65. And there was no day like that,
before it or after it, that the Lord
hearkened to the voice of a man, for
the Lord fought for Israel.

CHAPTER LXXXIX.

1. Then spoke Joshua this song,
on the day that the Lord had given

* O^nj?, literally times ; what proportion of
time, I cannot understand by this term, never
used in scripture to express any division of time,
so I have translated it "moment."

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

261

the Amorites into the hand of Joshua
and the children of Israel, and he
said in the sight of all Israel,

2. Thou hast done mighty things,
O Lord, thou hast performed great,
deeds ; who is like unto thee ? my
lips shall sing to thy name.

3. My goodness and my fortress,
my high tower, I will sing a new
song unto thee, with thanksgiving
will I sing to thee, thou art the
strength of my salvation.

4. All the kings of the earth shall
praise thee, the princes of the world
shall sing to thee, the children of Is
rael shall rejoice in thy salvation,
they shall sing and praise thy power.

5. To thee, O Lord, did we con
fide ; we said thou art our God, for
thou wast our shelter and strong
tower against our enemies.

6. To thee we cried and were not
ashamed, in thee we trusted and
were delivered ; when we cried unto
thee, thou didst hear our voice, thou
didst deliver our souls from the
sword, thou didst show unto us thy
grace, thou didst give unto us thy
salvation, thou didst rejoice our hearts
with thy strength.

7. Thou didst go forth for our sal
vation, with thine arm thou didst re
deem thy people ; thou didst answer
us from the heavens of thy holiness,
thou didst save us from ten thousands
of people.

8. The sun and moon stood still
in heaven, and thou didst stand in thy
wrath against our oppressors and
didst command thy judgments over
them.

9. All the princes of the earth
stood up, the kings of the nations
had gathered themselves together,
they were not moved at thy pre
sence, they desired thy battles.

10. Thou didst rise against them

1 in thine anger, and didst bring down
thy wrath upon them ; thou didst de-

i stroy them in thine anger, and cut
them off in thine heart.

1 1 . Nations have been consumed
jwith thy fury, kingdoms have de-
i clined because of thy wrath, thou

didst wound kings in the day of thine
j anger.

12. Thou didst pour out thy fury
| upon them, thy wrathful anger took
jhold of them, thou didst turn their
j iniquity upon them, and didst cut

them off in their wickedness.

13. They did spread a trap, they
fell therein, in the net they hid their
foot was caught.

14. Thine hand was ready for all
thine enemies who said, through their
sword they possessed the land,
through their arm they dwelt in the
city ; thou didst fill their faces with
shame, thou didst bring their horns
down to the ground, thou didst terrify
them in thy wrath, and didst destroy
them in thine anger.

15. The earth trembled and shook
at the sound of thy storm over them,
thou didst not withhold their souls
from death, and didst bring down
their lives to the grave.

16. Thou didst pursue them in thy
storm, thou didst consume them in
thy whirlwind, thou didst turn their
rain into hail, they fell in deep pits
so that they could not rise.

1 7. Their carcasses were like rub
bish cast out in the middle of the
streets.

1 8. They were consumed and de
stroyed in thine anger, thou didst
save thy people with thy might.

19. Therefore our hearts rejoice in
thee, our souls exult in thy salvation.

20. Our tongues shall relate thy
might, we will sing and praise thy
wondrous works.

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21. For thou didst save us from
our enemies, thou didst deliver us
from those who rose up against us,
thou didst destroy them from before
us and depress them beneath our feet.

22. Thus shall all thine enemies
perish Lord, and the wicked shall
be like chaff driven by the wind, and
thy beloved shall be like trees plant
ed by the waters.

23. So Joshua and all Israel with
him returned to the camp in Gilgal,
after having smitten all the kings, so
that not a remnant was left of them.

24. And the five kings fled alone
on foot from battle, and hid them
selves in a cave, and Joshua sought
for them in the field of battle, and
did not find them.

25. And it was afterward told to
Joshua, saying, the kings are found
and behold they are hidden in a cave.

26. And Joshua said, appoint men
to be at the mouth of the cave, to
guard them, lest they take them
selves away ; and the children of Is
rael did so.

27. And Joshua called to all Israel
and said to the officers of battle, place
your feet upon the necks of these
kings, and Joshua said, so shall the
Lord do to all your enemies.

28. And Joshua commanded af
terward that they should slay the
kings and cast them into the cave,
and to put great stones at the mouth
of the cave.

29 . And Joshua went afterward with
all the people that were with him on
that day to Makkedah, and he smote
it with the edge of the sword.

30. And he utterly destroyed the
souls and all belonging to the city,
and he did to the king and people
thereof as he had done to Jericho.

31. And he passed from there to
labnah and he fought against it, and

the Lord delivered it into his hand,
and Joshua smote it with the edge of
the sword and all the souls thereof,
and he did to it and to the king there
of as he had done to Jericho.

32. And from there he passed on
to Lachish to fight against it, and
Horam king of Gaza went up to as
sist the men of Lachish, and Joshua
smote him and his people until there
was none left to him.

33. And Joshua took Lachish and
all the people thereof, and he did to
it as he had done to Libnah.

34. And Joshua passed from there
to Eglon, and he took that also, and
he smote it and all the people there
of with the edge of the sword.

35. And from there he passed to
Hebron and fought against it and
took it and utterly destroyed it, and
he returned from there with all Israel
to Debir and fought against it and
smote it with the edge of the sword.

36. And he destroyed every soul
in it, he left none remaining, and he
did to it and the king thereof as he
had done to Jericho.

37. And Joshua smote all the kings
of the Amorites from Kadesh-barnea
to Azah, and he took their country at
once, for the Lord had fought for Is
rael.

38. And Joshua with all Israel
came to the camp to Gilgal.

39. When at that time Jabin king
of Chazor heard all that Joshua had
done to the kings of the Amorites,
Jabin sent to Jobat king of Midian,
and to Laban king of Shimron, to
Jephal king of Achshaph, and to all
the kings of the Amorites, saying,

40. Come quickly to us and help
us, that we may smite the children
of Israel, before they come upon us
and do unto us as they have done to
the other kings of the Amorites.

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

263

41. And all these kings hearkened
to the words of Jabin, king of Cha
zor, and they went forth with all
their camps, seventeen kings, and
their people were as numerous as the
sand on the sea shore, together with
horses and chariots innumerable, and
they came and pitched together at
the waters of Merom, and they were
met together to fight against Israel.

42. And the Lord said to Joshua,
fear them not, for to morrow about
this time I will deliver them up all
slain before you, thou shalt hough their
horses and burn their chariots with fire .

43. And Joshua with all the men of
war came suddenly upon them and
smote them, and they fell into their
hands, for the Lord had delivered them
into the hand of the children of Israel.

44. So the children of Israel pur
sued all these kings with their camps,
and smote them until there was none
left of them, and Joshua did to them
as the Lord had spoken to him.

45. And Joshua returned at that
time to Chazor and smote it with the
sword and destroyed every soul in
it, and burned it with fire, and from
Chazor, Joshua passed to Shimron
and smote it and utterly destroyed it.

46. From there he passed to Ach-
shaph and he did to it as he had done
to Shimron.

47. From there he passed to Adu-
lam and he smote all the people in it,
and he did to Adulam as he had done
to Achshaph and to Shimron.

48. And he passed from them to
all the cities of the kings which he
had smitten, and he smote all the
people that were left of them and he
utterly destroyed them.

49. Only their booty and cattle
the Israelites took to themselves as
a prey, but every human being they
smote, they suffered not a soul to live.

50. As the Lord had commanded
Moses so did Joshua and all Israel,
they failed not in any thing.

51. So Joshua and all the children
of Israel smote the whole land of
Canaan as the Lord had commanded
them, and smote all their kings, being
thirty and one kings, and the child
ren of Israel took their whole country.

52. Besides the kingdoms of
Sihon and Og which are on the other
side Jordan, of which Moses had
smitten many cities, and Moses gave
them to the Reubenites and the
Gadites and to half the tribe of
Manasseh.

53. And Joshua smote all the kings
that were on this side Jordan to the
west, and gave them for an inheri
tance to the nine tribes and to the
half tribe of Israel.

54. For five years did Joshua
carry on the war with these kings,
and he gave their cities to the Israel
ites, and the land became tranquil
from battle throughout the cities of
the Amorites and the Canaanites.

CHAPTER XC.

1. At that time in the fifth year
after the children of Israel had passed
over Jordan, after the children of
Israel had rested from their war with
the Canaanites, at that time great
and severe battles arose between
Edom and the children of Chittim,
and the children of Chittim fought
against Edom.

2. And Abianus king of Chittim
went forth in that year, that is in the
thirty first year of his reign, and a
great force with him of the mighty
men of the children of Chittim, and
he went to Seir to fight against the
children of Esau.

3. And Hadad the king of Edom

264

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

heard of his report, and he went forth
to meet him with a heavy people and
strong force, and engaged in battle
with him in the field of Edom.

4. And the hand of Chittim pre
vailed over the children of Esau, and
the children of Chittim slew of the
children of Esau two and twenty
thousand men, and all the children
of Esau fled from before them.

5. And the children of Chittim
pursued them and they reached Ha-
dad king of Edom, who was running
before them, and they caught him
alive, and brought him to Abianus
king of Chittim.

6. And Abianus ordered him to
be slain, and Hadad king of Edom
died in the forty eighth year of his
reign.

7. And the children of Chittim
continued their pursuit of Edom, and
they smote them with a great slaugh
ter and Edom became subject to the
children of Chittim.

8. And the children of Chittim
ruled over Edom, and Edom became
under the hand of the children of
Chittim and became one kingdom
from that day.

9. And from that time they could
mo more lift up their heads, and their
kingdom became one with the child
ren of Chittim.

10. And Abianus placed officers
in Edom and all the children of Edom
became subject and tributary to
Abianus, and Abianus turned back
to his own land, Chittim.

11. And when he returned he
renewed his government and built
for himself a spacious and fortified
palace for a royal residence, and
reigned securely over the children
of Chittim and over Edom.

12. In those days, after the child
ren of Israel had driven away all the

Canaanites and Amorites, Joshua
was old and advanced in years.

13. And the Lord said to Joshua,
thou art old, advanced in life, and a
great part of the land remains to be

14. Now therefore divide this land
for an inheritance to the nine tribes
and to the half tribe of Manasseh,
and Joshua rose up and did as the
Lord had spoken to him.

15. And he divided the whole land
to the tribes of Israel as an inherit
ance, according to their divisions.

16. But to the tribe of Levi he
gave no inheritance, the offerings of
the Lord are their inheritance as the
Lord had spoken of them by the
hand of Moses.

17. And Joshua gave Mount He
bron to Caleb the son of Jephuneh,
one portion above his brethren, as
the Lord had spoken through Mo
ses.

18. Therefore Hebron became an
inheritance to Caleb and his children
unto this day.

19. And Joshua divided the whole
land by lots to all Israel for an in
heritance, as the Lord had com
manded him.

20. And the children of Israel
gave cities to the Levites from their
own inheritance, and suburbs for
their cattle, and property, as the
Lord had commanded Moses so did
the children of Israel, and they
divided the land by lot whether great
or small.

21. And they went to inherit the
land according to their boundaries,
and the children of Israel gave to
Joshua the son of Nun an inheritance
amongst them.

22. By the word of the Lord did
they give to him the city which he
required, Timnath-serach in mount

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

265

Ephraim, and he built the city and
dwelt therein.

23. These are the inheritances
which Elazer the priest and Joshua
the son of Nun and the heads of the
fathers of the tribes portioned out to
the children of Israel by lot in Shiloh,
before the Lord, at the door of the
tabernacle, and they left off dividing
the land.

24. And the Lord gave the land
to the Israelites, and they possessed
it as the Lord had spoken to them,
and as the Lord had sworn to their
ancestors.

25. And the Lord gave to the
Israelites rest from all their enemies
around them, and no man stood up
against them, and the Lord delivered
all their enemies into their hands,
and not one thing failed of all the
good which the Lord had spoken to
the children of Israel, yea the Lord
performed every thing.

26. And Joshua called to all the
children of Israel and he blessed them,
and commanded them to serve the
Lord, and he afterward sent them
away, and they went each man to
his city, and each man to his inheri
tance.

27. And the children of Israel
served the Lord all the days of Jo
shua, and the Lord gave them rest
from all around them, and they dwelt
securely in their cities.

28. And it came to pass in those
days, that Abianus king of Chittim
died, in the thirty eighth year of his
reign, that is the seventh year of his
reign over Edom, and they buried
him in his place which he had built
for himself, and Latinus reigned in
his stead fifty years.

29. And during his reign he brought
forth an army, and he went and fought
against the inhabitants of Britannia

and Kernania,* the children of Elisha
son of Javan, and he prevailed over
them and made them tributary.

30. He then heard that Edom had
revolted from under the hand of Chit
tim, and Latinus went to them and
smote them and subdued them, and
placed them under the hand of the
children of Chittim, and Edom be
came one kingdom with the children
of Chittim all the days.

31. And for many years there was
no king in Edom, and their govern
ment was with the children of Chit
tim and their king.

32. And it was in the twenty sixth
year after the children of Israel had
passed the Jordan, that is the sixty
sixth year after the children of Israel
had departed from Egypt, that Joshua
was old, advanced in years, being
one hundred and eight years old in
those days.

33. And Joshua called to all Is
rael, to their elders, their judges and
officers, after the Lord had given to
all the Israelites rest from all their
enemies round about, and Joshua
said to the elders of Israel, and to
their judges, behold I am old, ad
vanced in years, and you have seen
what the Lord has done to all the
nations whom he has driven away
from before you, for it is the Lord
who has fought for you.

34. Now therefore strengthen
yourselves to keep and to do all the
words of the law of Moses, not to
deviate from it to the right or to the
left, and not to come amongst those
nations who are left in the land ; nei
ther shall you make mention of the
name of their gods, but you shall
cleave to the Lord your God, as you
have done to this day.

* J03C3) KUDia, probably names of places in
ancient Greece.

266

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

35. And Joshua greatly exhorted
the children of Israel to serve the
Lord all their days.

36. And all the Israelites said, we
will serve the Lord our God all our
days, we and our children, and our chil
dren s children, and our seed for ever.

37. And Joshua made a covenant

place which he had given to his chil
dren.

45. And the bones of Joseph they
buried in Shechem, in the part of the
field which Jacob had purchased from
Hamor, and which became to Joseph
for an inheritance.

46. And they buried Benjamin in

with the people on that day, and he Jerusalem opposite the Jebusite,

sent away the children of Israel, and
they went each man to his inheritance
and to his city.

38. And it was in those days, when
the children of Israel were dwelling
securely in their cities, that they bu
ried the coffins of the tribes of their
ancestors, which they had brought
up from Egypt, each man in the in
heritance of his children, the twelve
sons of Jacob did the children of Is
rael bury, each man in the possession
of his children.

39. And these are the names of
the cities wherein they buried the
twelve sons of Jacob, whom the chil
dren of Israel had brought up from
Egypt.

40. And they buried Reuben and
Gad on this side Jordan, in Romia,
which Moses had given to their chil
dren.

41. And Simeon and Levi they
buried in the city Mauda, which he
had given to the children of Simeon,
and the suburb of the city was for the
children of Levi.

42. And Judah they buried in the
city of Benjamin opposite Bethle
hem.

43. And the bones of Issachar and
Zebulun they buried in Zidon, in
the portion which fell to their chil
dren.

44. And Dan was buried in the
city of his children in Eshtael, and
Naphtali and Asher they buried in
Kadesh-naphtali, each man in his

which was given to the children of
Benjamin ; the children of Israel bu
ried their fathers each man in the
city of his children.

47. And at the end of two years,
Joshua the son of Nun died, one hun
dred and ten years old, and the time
which Joshua judged Israel was
twenty eight years, and Israel served

he Lord all the days of his life.

48. And the other affairs of Joshua
and his battles and his reproofs with
which he reproved Israel, and all
which he had commanded them, and
the names of the cities which the chil
dren of Israel possessed in his days,
behold they are written in the book
of the words of Joshua to the children
of Israel, and in the book of the wars
of the Lord, which Moses and Joshua
and the children of Israel had writ

ten.
49.

And the children of Israel bu

ried Joshua in the border of his in
heritance, in Timnath-serach. which
was given to him in mount Ephraim.
50. And Elazer the son of Aaron
died in those days, and they buried
him in a hill belonging to Phineas
his son, which was given him in
mount Ephraim.

CHAPTER XCI.

1 . At that time, after the death of
Joshua, the children of the Canaan
ites were still in the land, and the
Israelites resolved to drive them out.

THE BOOK OF JASHER.

267

2. And the children of Israel asked
of the Lord, saying, who shall first
go up for us to the Canaanites to fight
against them ? and the Lord said,
Judah shall go up.

3. And the children of Judah said
to Simeon, go up with us into our
lot, and we will fight against the
Canaanites and we likewise will go
up with you, in your lot, so the
children of Simeon went with the
children of Judah.

4. And the children of Judah went
up and fought against the Canaanites,
so the Lord delivered the Canaan
ites into the hands of the children of
Judah, and they smote them in Be-
zek, ten thousand men.

5. And they fought with Adoni-
bezek in Bezek, and he fled from be
fore them, and they pursued him and
caught him, and they took hold of
him and cut off his thumbs arid great
toes.

6. And Adoni-bezek said, three
score and ten kings having their
thumbs and great toes cut off, ga
thered their meat under my table, as
I have done, so God has requited
me, and they brought him to Jeru
salem and he died there.

7. And the children of Simeon
went with the children of Judah, and
they smote the Canaanites with the
edge of the sword.

8. And the Lord was with the
children of Judah, and they possess
ed the mountain, and the children
of Joseph went up to Bethel, the
same is Luz, and the Lord was with
them.

9. And the children of Joseph
spied out Bethel, and the watchmen
saw a man going forth from the city,
and they caught him and said unto
him, show us now the entrance of the

THE

city and we will show kindness to
thee.

10. And that man showed them the
entrance of the city, and the child
ren of Joseph came and smote the
city with the edge of the sword.

1 1 . And the man with his family
they sent away, and he went to the
Hittites and he built a city, and he
called the name thereof Luz, so all
the Israelites dwelt in their cities,
and the children of Israel dwelt in
their cities, and the children of Is
rael served the Lord all the days of
Joshua, and all the days of the elders,
who had lengthened their days after
Joshua, and saw the great work of
the Lord, which he had performed
for Israel.

1 2. And the elders judged Israel
after the death of Joshua for seven
teen years.

13. And all the elders also fought
the battles of Israel against the Ca
naanites, and the Lord drove the Ca
naanites from before the children of
Israel, in order to place the Israelites
in their land.

14. And he accomplished all the
words which he had spoken to Abra
ham, Isaac and Jacob, and the oath
which he had sworn, to give to them
and to their children, the land of the
Canaanites.

15. And the Lord gave to the
children of Israel the whole land of
Canaan, as he had sworn to their
ancestors, and the Lord gave them
rest from those around them, and the
children of Israel dwelt securely in
their cities.

16. Blessed be the Lord for ever,
amen, and amen.

17. Strengthen yourselves, and let
the hearts of all you that trust in the
Lord be of good courage.

END