The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1840-06-11
TILE BOOK IAsuRR.

IL IS with pleasure that am aoie 10 pre-
sent te the American public the translation
or,he Book of Jasher as referred to in Josh.
ua and Second Samuel, which, after sever.
al wears negotiation with the owner and
translator OF the work in England, have
succeeded 10 obtaining.
There are many books named in the Old
Testament, which are now classed among
the missing books, or books supposed to
have been lost amidst the many revolutions
which have occurred in Judea. These
books IRE no, included in the Jewish Ca.
nons, and il questionable whetherthere are
any missing Of what we're considered as
emanating from inspired writer's for, when
the works enumerated in the Bible could
not be found after the most dllieeut search,
the inference was, that the names applied
F., 10 other books, or that they we're different
versions Of the same work.
Long prior 10 the destruction Of Jerusa
i lem, the Jews had established themselves
in various parts Of Spein and Italy; they
traded 10 the bay Of Gibraltar as historians
affirm 10 the earliest periods Of history and
Basnage mentions that IN Sagun,o, a town
in Spain, tombstone was discovered, bear.
ing the following in The Hebrew language !:
=" THIS is The tomb of Adcnirdm, an Of
fcer Of hing Solomon, rho came 70 collect
tie tribute, and died the dag
/ y There can be no doubt that Spain,
probably France and Italy, were tributary
to Solomon. 1t is however, certain, that
+ the Jews carried with them into Spain, on
their dispersion, an immense number Of
manuscripts and sacred rolls, " here they
remained many years, aud were IN the Gle
sen;h century, placed il their great college
at CoIdosa, and from thence were conveyed
10 Venice en- the first discovery of printing
The printers Hebrew preface TO Jasher,
shows that Il was a painful transcript from
very Old and almost illegibe Hebrew re.
cord, and printed By aud with the consent
of The great consistory Of Rabius at Ven
/ zee, Uha alone had the power Of publishing
such works from the Hebrew records as
they deemed authentic. From the Venice
edition Of Jasher, another edition was many
years subsequently published IN Lemberg,
n Gaiicia. Both editions, in Hebrew, are
aoW il ny possession; and the Royal Asiat
&c Soe.ety, having touud a copy Of Jasher
u Calcutta, gave orders 10 have il translat
I'd when orders was eountermanded when
+ i was Gscedaiued tina; considerable pro
gress bad been made in England 10 THE
translation.
Without giving il 10 the world as work
81 Divine inspiration, or assuming the re
+ sponsIbilIty 10 say that it is not az inspired
book, have no hesitation IN pronouncing
4 It work II great Antiquity and interest,
aud work that is entitled, even regarding
/ az literary curiosity, 10 a great clrcu
ati0n among those Who take pleasure il
studying Tie Scriptures.
NJ Nj. NOAH
New Io7s, Amn Isio
j TIE Book # JaSher.-Translated from
the Hebrew. New York, Noah 4 Gould
lsiJ-Ials remarkable book, which i
taIce referred to in the Old Testament, has
caused much literary disturbance. |, be
+ in- q dgs.ieratun 10 biblical literature, lha
temptations a4Fe beea great TO produce fab
ficat.4as aaIer tho title, and some OF these
have proved successful IN imposing for
tale even upon men q learning and re-
eaFch. lie inpys,t.nus however have
been long detected, and another cory, 10
Hebrew, OF She woik las been d.scoyercd
4 'aau.lahan oil il vas commenced by or
Ger q the A,Ia,ic Society, but upon learn
- iaat tie work We now a0''ce was 10
progress, tali translation vas discontinued
F. This has been most carefully examined By
persons caaYaIslnt wRa TIE original lao
g5a-a and IL has received from them very
A.-4 praise be;h Tor the fidelity and the
-.uF u the Translation. 10 !hose who
as.1 Dbl ia zen 10 ge acquainted with tbe
a4,arc O. lbs b..k se would state tia, ii
is . 0la.e. history from the creation Of The
world 10 tie death Of Joshua; It has never
oeea deemed a canoulcal book, but yet one
Of a4ga authority; ia no instance contra
dieting .Ac Old Testament text, b1l 10 some
PARTICULARS aUplHying where the bible has
abgtay touched. Ii Is therefore an i'm
pofiant adjunct to he biblical library, and
+ no mean assls.au, TO the biblical student
Il removes several apparent discrepancies ~
the sacred text, assists IN enforcing very
early traditions, by showing weighiy CO
temporary eXisionccs, and by coilailng the
bio.e, lhls work, and Josephus, together,
fae latter Iwo Of course being but notes ~
{. @cre t. tie lyrBer, ] service viii be done
10 the religious as well as 10 the antigua
r.aa world, the value Of which cauno, easl
y b. calculated. We earnestly recon-
NEED tie work 10 general perusal, aud ~
.act haze Ltlle doub; HAT tue nature Ut il
. viii commend itself That there are maoy
interpretations aud certain emergencies ~
taIs copy there IS 10 doubt, and as au apo
cryphai work 81 must be considered bat Il
. Il were oaly Cor its Chronological merit 1t
must be always interesting Albion.
JArrs Woop. Of Philadelphia, the muir
5erer d his daughter, Lacqliued upon trial
ION i gtt & T. 4 "a.