Table of Contents
The Book of Jasher (Pseudo-Jasher) greatly expands the Genesis account. It adds more story about the corruption of mankind, Noah’s work and God’s warnings. The details below follow the chapters on the time before the Flood.
Corruption of mankind and violence
Chapters 4–6 expand on Genesis 6.
- Sons of God and daughters of men
Jasher 4:18 says the judges and rulers went to the daughters of men and took wives by force from their husbands. It also says the “sons of men” began to teach the mixture of animals of one species with the other. This suggests forbidden knowledge or corruption of the animal kinds. It echoes Genesis 6:2, and it is often read as a reference to the Nephilim (giants or hybrids).
And their judges and rulers went to the daughters of men and took their wives by force from their husbands according to their choice, and the sons of men in those days took from the cattle of the earth, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the air, and taught the mixture of animals of one species with the other, in order therewith to provoke the Lord; and God saw the whole earth and it was corrupt, for all flesh had corrupted its ways upon earth, all men and all animals.
Book of Jasher 4:18
All flesh was corrupt. The rulers took wives by force, and men mixed the animal kinds to provoke the Lord.
That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose.
Genesis 6:2 (KJV)
The sons of God took wives. Genesis gives the same scene in one short verse.
- Bloodshed and theft
Jasher stresses how violent humanity became. People robbed and plundered each other, and “the earth was filled with violence” (Jasher 4:4, 4:17).
Noah and the people of his time
Chapters 5–6 tell how Noah dealt with the people around him.
- Noah preaches for 120 years
In Jasher 5:7–11, God gives the people 120 years to repent. Noah and Methuselah speak to them “day after day”, but the people will not listen and are “stiffnecked”. - The people try to break in
When the rain comes, about seven hundred thousand people gather at the Ark and ask Noah to let them in. Noah reminds them of the 120 years. They try to break into the Ark, and the Lord sends the animals around the Ark to drive them away (Jasher 6:17–25).
And Noah answered them, saying, Behold now that you see the trouble of your souls, you wish to return to the Lord; why did you not return during these hundred and twenty years, which the Lord granted you as the determined period?
Book of Jasher 6:22
Too late to return. Noah tells the crowd they had 120 years to turn back to the Lord.
God’s warnings and Noah’s mission
- The call to warn
In Jasher 5:22–24, God again tells Noah and Methuselah to speak to the people, and the people do not listen. - Instructions for the Ark
In Jasher 5:25–29, God tells Noah to build the Ark of gopher wood, with exact dimensions, and says he will bring the flood of waters upon the earth.
And thus shalt thou make it; three hundred cubits its length, fifty cubits broad and thirty cubits high.
Book of Jasher 5:27
The size of the Ark. Jasher gives the same measurements as Genesis 6:15.
- Family
Noah’s wife Naamah, the daughter of Enoch, is named (Jasher 5:15). Noah takes the three daughters of Eliakim as wives for his sons (Jasher 5:35). - The last seven days
God tells Noah to go into the Ark with his household, and the animals gather around it (Jasher 6:1–10). The rain begins seven days later, and still the people do not turn from their ways (Jasher 6:10–13).
Main differences from Genesis
- Genesis is short. Jasher tells the story at length.
- Jasher adds public preaching, longer dialogues and spiritual warnings.
- It stresses moral corruption, mixed animal kinds and refusal to repent.
See also The Ark and flood stories.
