“At that time Chedorlaomer king of Elam sent to all the neighboring kings, to Nimrod,
king of Shinar who was then under
his power, and to Tidal, king of Goyim, and to Arioch, king of Elasar, with
whom he made a covenant, saying, 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 thirteen years”.
Book of Jasher, 13:1
While the Book of Jasher, which is indeed referred to in the Bible,
may be handy as a reference, it does not have the authority of the Scriptures.
The Book of Jasher - What is it?
Should the Book of Jasher be in the Bible?
….
The first place this writing is mentioned can be found in Joshua 10:13. There we read, "Is this not written in the Book of Jashar? The sun stopped in the midst of heaven and did not hurry to set for about a whole day." In this account, God had supernaturally caused the sun to be "stopped in the midst of heaven" to allow Joshua and the Israelites the light they needed to win a military victory. Joshua notes that this event was also recorded accurately in the Book of Jasher. He did not state whether all of the Book of Jasher is accurate, its origin, or whether it should be in the Bible.
The second place the Book of Jasher is mentioned is in 2 Samuel 1:18-27. The text contains a lament written by David concerning the deaths of Saul and Saul's son Jonathan. Again, no mention is made of the background of the Book of Jasher. Further, the quote simply notes that this account was also included in another source.
In the 1700s a Book of Jasher was published that alleged to be a translation of the Book of Jasher by Alcuin, an eighth-century British writer. Another work named Pseudo-Jasher and written in Hebrew is dated to the 1600s but is also not connected with the version mentioned in the Old Testament. Though its claim to be the original is inaccurate, its introduction notes other attempts at a Book of Jasher "by Zerahiah Ha-Yevani of the 13th century. There is also known to have been one written by Rabbi Jacob ben Mier of the 12th century, and one by Rabbi Jonah ben Abraham of Gerona of the 14th century. We are told of a work by that title from the Amoraim period (3rd to 6th centuries) that is characterized as containing 'for the most part sayings of the sages of the first and second centuries.'" Again, however, the original work of the Book of Jasher is apparently lost and is now only known through its two references in the Bible.
Because the Book of Jasher no longer exists, it clearly cannot be part of the Bible. Yet even if it did exist today, there is no reason to believe it would need to be added to the Bible. The Old Testament writings were already affirmed and had been translated into Greek before the time of Christ. No biblical writer claimed the Book of Jasher was divine; only that it served as another source to confirm for two biblical references. ….
[End
of quote]
According to chapters 13 and 16 of the Book of Jasher, Nimrod himself
was the Shinarian king who formed a coalition with Chedorlaomer of Elam against
the rebellious kings of Pentapolis. If this be correct, then Nimrod was the biblical Amraphel (Genesis 14:1-2): “In those days Amraphel
king of Shinar,
Arioch
king of Ellasar,
Chedorlaomer
king of Elam,
and Tidal
king of Goiim
went to war against Bera king of Sodom, Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab
king of Admah, Shemeber king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar)”.
The Book of Jasher, which describes this event somewhat similarly, tells
that Nimrod had formerly been subdued by Chedorlaomer of Elam, but was now his
ally:
Book of Jasher
chapter 13
….
11 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
Chedorlaomer, king of Elam; for all the kings of the cities of the plain had
served Chedorlaomer 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 Canaan there was war between
Nimrod king of Shinar and Chedorlaomer king 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 scattered upon the face of the earth, Chedorlaomer went to the land of
Elam and reigned over it and rebelled against his lord.
14 And in
those days when Nimrod saw that the cities of the plain had 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
Chedorlaomer, 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 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 returned in shame and disgrace to his land, and he was under
subjection to Chedorlaomer for a long time, and Chedorlaomer returned to his
land and sent princes of his host to the kings that dwelt 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. ….
Book of Jasher
chapter 16
1 At that
time Chedorlaomer king of Elam sent to all the neighboring kings, to Nimrod,
king of Shinar who was then under his power, and to Tidal, king of Goyim, and
to Arioch, king of Elasar, with whom he made a covenant, saying, 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 thirteen 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 Admah, Shemeber king of
Zeboyim, Bera king of Sodom, Bersha king of Gomorrah, and Bela king of Zoar,
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 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. ….
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