Rutland herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1823-1847, 1840-05-26
THE BOOK OF JASHER-THE SA.
MARIAN PENTATEUCH.

ANY thihg winch relatc9 10 te authenucny,
or connected with tho history Of the Scrip.
lures, is at all times exceedingly interesting
to the general reader; and peculiarly so at
this time of unheard-of religious excitement
all over the country. Major Noah of the New
York Star-a Jew by birth and education,
and we believe, in practice-and withal
some,vha. distinguished bibliographer--we
had almost said biblomaniac-has promised
shortly to put forth literary curiosity for all
who take pleasure in scriptural lore. II is
nothing less than the Book of Jasher, referred
to in the Bible in Joshua, and in the second
Book of Samuel, which has been in the pro-
gress offranslation from the Hebrew for sew
eral years in England, and is now completed,
and will be published in few days in n.
York in very elegant siereotyped edition.
There have been several simulated Books Of
Jasher, notice of which We find in the Rev.
Mr.. Horns Commentaries on the Study OF
the Scriptures; but they bear no analogy to
the present work, which is written in the pur-
est Hebrew, and translated with an elegance
and fidelity highly credita BILE to the eminent
scholar who has been SO long engaged in the
work. The preface TO the Hebrew .ition
speaks of il as having been brought from Je-
rusaem with other sacred rolls and manu-
scripts, at the destruction OF that city, and
carried into Spain. where the Jews had their
most celebrated colleges up to the eleventh
century. On the discovery Of printing the
manuscript was copied. and carried TO We
nice, where it was printed by order Of the
Jewish Consisiory OF Rabbns in 1919, and is
now for the first time translated iBio The En-
/ glisl language and published. II is full Of
/ Interest, and written with a .rmih of piety
and sacred devotion worthy of taxing an equal
rank with any of the missing books, not strict
La, 4 xuffn ne
BILE in a single instance. but amplihes the
events recorded in Scripture, with the single
difference in chronology OF some so years, by
making Noah and Abraham cotemporary-
commencing with the creation OF Adam, and
ending with the death of Joshua. Juscp!Ius
refers to this Book, asd the great Menlelson
extracts copiously from IL. Recently the
BOOK Of Enoch has been discovcred, transa.
ted from the Ethiopic and published in En-
gland. Professor Stewart has lately review
ed u. The discovery of missing books refer
red TO in Scripture, aud The many yet To he
discovered, joined to the singular signs of the
times in relation 10 the chosen people, give
great interest TO llis AMI similar works. This
Book, which makes nearly three hundrea
pages, clears up some points somewhat OBJ
scure in the Bible, and Is very full II detail
ing the events Of the reign OF Nimr0t, tbf
building Of the Tower of BABEL and confn
sion OF tongues; the causes preceding the de-
s'ructionof the doomed cities; the sacrifice o.
Isaac. and the life Of Joseph; and has some
cnrions facts aLou, th9 deuee.
In connection with this subject, we would
mca'ion that the last Chrisiiln Examiner has
a valuable article in the shape OF an inquiry
into the authenticity OF the samaritan Pes,a-
teueh. II may not be generally known en-
cepi among iheologians thai comparatively II
modern tirnes,-iD the 18th century We I've
lieye. a new copy Of the Christian Pentaieuci
has been discovered, which is written in tn
Samaritan language and appears 10 be who'll,
, independent Of the Hebrew, which il adop
ted in the common version Of the Scripture,
, Mr. Stephens in his "Incidehis OF Travels
, mentions having seen the original copy Of thii
coolest manuscript in the world" at the Sa
, marian Synagogue IA the town Of NaDloSa
where u Is preserved IN tin case and accor
: ding 10 the tradition Of the Samaritan-, abou
, sixty families. residing there was written by
, Alishua, the grandson of Aaron, three year
, after the death OF Moses We caI.no, O
course follow tie writer through the detail
OF This curious enquiry; further than may en-
able US 10 stale the conclusion 10 which h
, arrives. that copies Of the Mosaic Law ha'
, doufsless beon IN eHis'snre among the Tei