Book of Jasher,
Chapter 69
1 And the king of Edom died in those days,
in the eighteenth year of his reign, and was buried in his temple which he had built for himself as his royal residence in
the land of Edom.
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,
multiplied 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 performs daily, whether in mortar or in bricks, then his youngest son shall be put in their place.
7 And the labor of Egypt strengthened upon
the children of Israel in those days, and behold if one brick was deficient in any man's daily labor, 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 Israelites.
Book of Jasher,
Chapter 70
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 Balaam the son of Beor with his two sons, and all the princes of the kingdom 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 terrified, 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 the 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, Remember 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 youngster 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 and their nobles, to do all these things cunningly, in order to make the kings of the earth and their men
tremble.
9 Surely thou knowest that Abraham their
father acted thus, who deceived 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.
11 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 Philistines.
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 treacherously with his
brother, and took from his hand his birthright and his blessing.
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 Pharaoh 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 famine throughout
the land he sent for and brought his father and all his brothers, and the whole of his father'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 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 before 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 before 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 refrained 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 children of the king.
33 And when Moses grew up in the king's
house, Bathia the daughter of Pharaoh considered him as a son, and all the household of Pharaoh 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 his brethren the children of Israel were, and Moses saw them daily in shortness of breath and hard
labor.
35 And Moses asked them, saying, 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 Cush.
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 labor, 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 Pharaoh, 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 Moses and said,
Behold I have lifted up thy face in this thing to grant thy request.
46 And Pharaoh ordered a proclamation 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 labor, but on the seventh day you shall rest, and shall not preform
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 Moses 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 regarding them to the king.
Book of Jasher,
Chapter 71
1 And when Moses was eighteen years old,
he desired to see his father and mother and he went to them to Goshen, and when Moses had come near Goshen, he came to the
place where the children of Israel were engaged 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 beaten 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 returned 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 brothers 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 affair, and
he ordered Moses to be slain, so God sent his angel, and he appeared unto Pharaoh in the likeness 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 borders of Egypt, a distance of
forty days' journey.
12 And Aaron his brother alone remained
in the land of Egypt, and he prophesied to the children of Israel, 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 rebelled and
would not hearken to Aaron at that time.
15 And the Lord thought to destroy 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.
Book of Jasher,
Chapter 72
1 And it was in those days that there was
a great war between the children of Cush and the children of 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 before Kikianus and his people.
5 And he took many of them captives and
he brought them under subjection 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 surrounded the whole land of Cush, and they made the waters of the river
burst forth there.
10 At the fourth corner they collected numerous
serpents by their incantations and enchantments, and they fortified the city and dwelt therein, and no one went out or in
before them.
11 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 delayed, in 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 approached
the city door and they looked 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 suffered 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 at Kikianus fell on that day.
17 And on the next day they continued 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.
19 And when they came to the place of the
ditches, the waters revolved 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 serpents were, but they could not approach there, for 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 Kikianus, which at that time was besieging
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.
27 And they built over him an elegant strong
and high building, and they placed great stones below.
28 And the king's scribes engraved upon
those stones all the might of their king Kikianus, and all his battles which he had fought, behold they are written there
at this day.
29 Now after the death of Kikianus 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 wounded 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 remain in the siege until the city is delivered 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!
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 Cush issued a proclamation
on that day, saying, Every man must give something to Moses of what is in his possession.
39 And they spread out a sheet upon the
heap, and every man cast into it something of what he had, one a gold earring 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 abundance.
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.
Book of Jasher,
Chapter 73
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 Egypt, 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 Moses was favored by the Lord
and by men.
4 And in the seventh day of his reign, all
the children of Cush assembled and came before Moses and bowed down to him to the ground.
5 And all the children spoke together 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 children and our wives.
7 So the king answered them, saying, 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 Kikianus, 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.
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 armor 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 inhabited 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 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 alliance
with any of the children of Ham.
35 For the Lord our God gave Ham the son
of Noah, and his children 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 himself 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 Kikianus 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 subjection 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 himself in the
kingdom of the children of Cush, and the Lord was with him, and all the children of Cush were afraid of him.
Book of Jasher,
Chapter 74
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 against the
power of Edom, having been under Edom since the days of 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, all 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 Latinus reigned in his stead.
7 In the twenty-second year of the reign
of Moses over the children of Cush, 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 residence, 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.
10 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 Azdrubal the aqueduct which his father 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 Azdrubal 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 upon 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 Azdrubal, 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.
17 And it was after the death of Azdrubal
son of Angeas, when Latinus 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 instead at his brother over the whole land at
Africa.
18 And when he reigned, he resolved to go
to Chittim to fight with the children of Chittim, to avenge the cause of Azdrubal his brother, and the cause of the inhabitants
of Africa, and he did so.
19 And he made many ships, and he came therein
with his whole army, and he went to Chittim.
20 So Anibal fought with the children of
Chittim, and the children of Chittim fell wounded before Anibal and his army, and Anibal avenged his brother's cause.
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.
Book of Jasher,
Chapter 75
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 appointed to the children of Israel in the times of old, which he had spoken to Abraham.
3 And these men girded themselves, and they
put each man his sword at his side, and every man his armor 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 together
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 children 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 approached to take them by force.
9 And the shepherds of Gath shouted 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 assembled the men of Gath, and they put on each man his armor, and
came forth to the children of Ephraim for battle.
11 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 cities of the Philistines to the assistance 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 children of Ephraim,
all who had gone forth from Egypt, none were remaining 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, before the period had arrived
which the Lord in the days of old had appointed to Israel.
18 And of the Philistines also there fell
a great many, about twenty 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.
Book of Jasher,
Chapter 76
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 integrity.
2 And all the children of Cush loved Moses
all the days that he reigned over them, and all the inhabitants 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 children 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, 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 preparing 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 was with Moses, and the children of Cush remembered the oath which
they swore unto Moses, therefore they did no harm to him.
11 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 Moses 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 appointed 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 Moses 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 daughters, 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, Zipporah 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 serving the Egyptians in all manner of hard work, and the hand of Egypt continued in severity over the
children of Israel in those days.
25 At that time the Lord smote Pharaoh king
of Egypt, and he afflicted with the plague of leprosy 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 children of Israel, and their cry reached him 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 hardened his neck before the Lord,
and he increased his yoke over the children of Israel, and embittered their lives with all manner of hard work.
28 And when the Lord had inflicted the plague
upon Pharaoh king of Egypt, he asked his wise men and sorcerers to cure him.
29 And his wise men and sorcerers 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 Goshen 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 children 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 increasing 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 ministers 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 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, and 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 harnessed
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 the horsemen who were with him came also back to Egypt.
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 servants 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
counselors 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 concubines.
51 And these were their names, the firstborn
Othri, the second Adikam, 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 wise man
and knowing in all the wisdom of Egypt, but of unseemly aspect, thick in flesh, and very short in stature; his height was
one cubit.
54 And when the king saw Adikam 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 prevailed over
the king, and his flesh stank like the flesh of a carcass 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 sepulcher of the kings of Egypt
in Zoan Mizraim.
60 But they embalmed him not as was usual
with kings, for his flesh was putrid, and they could not approach 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 requited 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.<
Book of Jasher,
Chapter 77
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 continued
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 the name of his fathers, as was their custom to do in Egypt.
5 And all the wise men of Pharaoh 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 father's throne
to reign over Egypt, and he conducted the government of Egypt in his wisdom.
8 And whilst he reigned he exceeded his
father and all the preceding kings in wickedness, and he increased 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.
11 And he placed over them a measure of
bricks for them to do according to that number, day by day, and he turned back and went to Egypt.
12 At that time the task-masters 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 anything.
14 And it shall come to pass that if you
are deficient in your daily bricks, I will put your young children in their stead.
15 And the task-masters of Egypt did so
in those days as Pharaoh 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 deficient, they would take them by force from
their mother's laps, and put them in the building instead of the bricks;
17 Whilst their fathers and mothers were
crying over them and weeping when they heard the weeping voices of their infants in the wall of the building.
18 And the task-masters prevailed 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 compassion 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 deficient
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.
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
Jacob.
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 Amram 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 supported him.
31 And Reuel her father answered and said
to her, Has ever such a thing happened that a man should be 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 father, 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 deliver
him from famine and make him live.
35 And the thing seemed good in the sight
of Reuel, and he did according 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 dungeon, standing upon his feet, praising and praying to the God of his ancestors.
37 And Reuel commanded Moses 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 into the garden
of Reuel which was behind the house, and he there prayed to the Lord his God, who had done mighty 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.
40 And he approached the stick and he looked,
and behold the name of the Lord God of hosts was engraved thereon, written and developed 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 is the stick with which all
the works 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.
48 And after the death of Joseph, 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 unsuccessful.
50 So that stick remained planted 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 wondered at it, and he gave him his daughter Zipporah for a wife.
Book of Jasher,
Chapter 78
1 At that time died Baal Channan 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 Baal Channan, their king.
3 And Hadad reigned over the children of
Edom forty-eight years.
4 And when he reigned he resolved 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 hastened 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 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 fighting against them.
7 In those days Moses, the son of Amram,
in Midian, took Zipporah, the daughter of Reuel the Midianite, for a wife.
8 And Zipporah walked in the ways of the
daughters of Jacob, she was nothing short of the righteousness 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 stranger in a foreign land; but he circumcised not his foreskin, at the
command of Reuel his father-in-law.
10 And she conceived again and bare a son,
but circumcised his foreskin, 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.
11 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 proclamation 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 which 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 Canaan for a possession.
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