Book of Jasher

Rating:
Summary: It's a fun book
Review: It's about 100% unreliable, nonsense histroy has proven wrong countless times however...I still enjoy reading it. Just think of it as Moses: Behind the Prince.

Rating:
Summary: Curiosity value
Review: Originally published in England in the early 1800s, the book purports to be the story of Jasher; an Israelite leader from the time of Moses and the Judges. Jasher gives a recap of major Biblical events and characters up to his time, then his own account of the Exodus, conquest of Canaan, and Israel's early days. Many details appear that are either not mentioned in the Bible, or are considerably different from the familiar ones.

Most scholarly mention of this work is negative; available articles point out that 1)The King James English of the book is not the English Alcuin knew (900 years before the KJV!) and 2)Nothing anywhere in this work validates the two Bible references to the "book of Jasher." Despite the introductory notes (especially those added in later republishings), the end notes admit that the work itself is not of Biblical grade or intent, and merely serves as a second account of early Bible events. The book does have some value in the study of what makes the cut and what doesn't, and has reappeared several times the last couple centuries. It's best taken with a grain of salt.