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Geeeez. Who would have known that all the apocryphal books I spent my money on (and then some) would one day be on the Internet for all to freely read? The other book I like and that the bible mentions is called the book of Jashar and deals with the start of things from Adam onward.
http://www.pseudepigrapha.com/pseudepigrapha/jasher.html#CH1As a matter of fact, the site that this came from also has Jubilees as well like in my other post. If you go to the main menu, there's a lot of apocryphal works on it.I do not notice any severe contradictions between these works and the Bible, as I have been using them for years to clarify various doctrines. It's only when someone has an odd interpretation of the bible do these books seem to contradict, and then the only course of action is to sweep them under the rug and hope the error goes away. I, for one, am a person that likes to interpret things straightforwardly and it would bother me to do that without giving it more consideration, especially since in the case of Jashar the bible itself mentions it.
Although we can not use this as scripture we can certainly use it as a second witness and a better understanding of the times in which these patriarchs lived "Is not this written in the Book of Jasher?" -- Joshua 10:13."Behold, it is written in the Book of Jasher" -- II Samuel 1:18.The Book of Jasher Uncloaked!Virtually ignored since it was discovered, the Book of Jasher holdsvital clues to interpreting and understanding Biblical chronology, fromthe Flood to the Exodus. A mistake made by Archbishop James Ussher,who was unfamiliar with the book of Jasher, led to a 60-year error inplacing the birth of Abraham. But this error is corrected in the chrono-logical keys provided by the book of Jasher. And with these keys, anintriguing, and astounding story emerges. The book of Jasher, mentioned in the Biblical books of Joshua and Second Chronicles, was faithfully translated into English from the Rabbinical Hebrew in approximately A.D. 1840. Says the translator's preface, "the ever memorable 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 particularly distinguishes the genius of the Hebrew language/ and this, together with other numerous internal evidences, 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, chapter x, and 2 Samuel, chap. i. There are not more than seven or eight words in the whole book that by construction can be derived from the Chaldean language" (page iii-iv).The title of the book in Hebrew, Sephir Ha Yasher, literally means "the book of the upright," or "the upright or correct record." Some have thought that "Jasher" was the name of a Hebrew judge in Israel, and a publication that arose in the middle of the eighteenth century (circa 1750 A.D.), purported itself to be a translation into English from a Hebrew manuscript of "Jasher" found at Gazna in Persia. That book appears to have been a fictitious book, a fraud, and most probably the work of some agnostic, cynical English skeptic, written in imitation of the language of Scripture. Its author, in his ignorance, presumed "Jasher" to have been the personal name of an ancient Hebrew figure, the original writer. But the mischievous deed was recognized by true scholars of Hebrew, for the pronoun "the" ("ha" in Hebrew) never precedes or is prefixed to proper names.How is the Book of Jasher important to us, today? It sheds marvelous light on the Biblical story, from the time of Adam and Eve, the time of Enoch, and the account of Noah's Deluge, to the Tower of Babel, the tyrant Nimrod, and the story of Abraham and his descendants. Needless to say, I cannot discuss the details of this remarkable historical record, which completely authenticates and corroborates Scriptural history, filling in many missing details deleted in the Scriptural record, in this article. I highly recommend the book for any who desire to perfect their knowledge of the ancient times, from Adam to the Exodus.The book of Jasher provides a fascinating glimpse into the life of Enoch, who was a righteous ruler over men, continually instructing them in truth and uprightness, and a knowledge of the Most High God YEHOVAH. It also tells us that in the days of "Peleg," not only were the nations at Babel divided and scattered, but the earth itself was also divided. From this book we also learn that Noah and Abraham were contemporaries.Perhaps the most important key found in the Book of Jasher is that it corrects the erroneous chronological date for the birth of Abraham assumed by many Christian commentators, in particular archbishop James Ussher. Says the Translator of the book of Jasher:"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, the other having the promises of the favor and grace of God, not only to himself, but to his seed after him. This fact might be proved from Scripture; but from the 32nd verse in the 11th 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. [after man, i.e., after Adam] 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" (p.vi).How should we view the book of Jasher, today? The translator correctly points out that although it is not divine Scripture, it nevertheless is a mighty historical and ancient work which relates directly to Biblical historical times and events. Thus the translator does not recommend it to people as Scripture, as a work of divine inspiration, but does "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" (p.vii).The translator concludes:"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 illustrious characteres recorded in sacred history, from Adam down to the time of the Elders, who immediately succeeded Joshua" (ibid.).
