The title 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 Hebrew language, to suppose that Jasher was the name of a prophet or one of the judges of Israel.
The important transactions which are narrated with so remarkable a brevity in the Bible, are, in Jasher, more circumstantially detailed. Some examples of this include the following: the murder of Abel by Cain; the conduct of Noah toward the terrified multitude who had assembled about the ark; the offering of Isaac by Abraham and the conduct of Sarah; the meeting of Noah and Abraham; the instruction received by Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob from Shem and Eber; the account of Joseph and Potiphar’s wife; and an account of the Israelites in Egypt.
The translator considers this as being a monument of history rather than a work of inspiration. Like other ancient writings, 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. The book contains a history of the lives and transactions of Biblical characters from Adam down to the time of the elders who immediately succeeded Joshua.
There are two references to this book in the Old Covenant:
Joshua 10:13 – Is not this written in the Book of Jasher?
2 Samuel 1:18 – Behold, it is written in the Book of Jasher.
This is an exact photo lithographic reprint. It was translated into English from the Hebrew in 1840.
