Bible Dictionary
JASHAR, BOOK OF
The Book of Jashar, or Book of the Upright, was an ancient Hebrew collection of national or religious songs. The Old Testament quotes it in connection with Joshua’s battle and David’s lament for Saul and Jonathan.
Definition
The Book of Jashar, literally “book of the righteous” or “book of the upright,” was an ancient Hebrew national songbook or collection of religious and national songs. It is now known through quotations rather than as a surviving book.
Biblical Usage
The Old Testament refers to it in connection with Joshua’s command concerning the sun and moon and with David’s lament over Saul and Jonathan. A possible third quotation has been suggested in Solomon’s words about dwelling in thick darkness, but this is uncertain.
Historical Background
The book was evidently well known and may have grown by gradual collection. Suggestions that it included other ancient songs, such as the Song of Deborah, remain conjectural.
Related Figures
Historical Bible Dictionaries
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (ISBE)
<p>ja'-shar, jash'-ar (cepher ha-yashar; the King James Version Book of Jasher, margin "the book of the upright"): The title of an ancient Hebrew national song-book (literally, "book of the righteous one") from which two quotations are made in the Old Testament:</p><p>(1) Jos 10:12-14, the command of Joshua to the sun and moon, "Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon. .... Is not this written in the book of Jashar?" (see BETH-HORON; Septuagint in this place omits the reference to Jashar); and</p><p>(2) 2Sa 1:8 ff, "the song of the bow," or lament of David over Saul and Jonathan.</p><p>(3) Some conjecture a third extract in 1Ki 8:12, "Then spake Solomon, Yahweh hath said that he would dwell in the thick darkness." The words of Yahweh are quoted by Septuagint in 8:53 as "written in the book of the song" (en biblio tes odes), and it is pointed out that the words "the song" (in Hebrew ha-shir) might easily be a corruption of ha-yashar. A similar confusion ("song" for "righteous") may explain the fact that the Peshitta Syriac of Joshua has for a title "the book of praises or hymns." The book evidently was a well-known one, and may have been a gradual collection of religious and national songs. It is conjectured that it may have included the So of Deborah (Jud 5), and older pieces now found in the Pentateuch (e.g. Ge 4:23,14; 9:25-27; 27:27-29); this, however, is uncertain. On the curious theories and speculations of the rabbis and others about the book (that it was the Book of the Law, of Genesis, etc.), with the fantastic reconstructive theory of Dr. Donaldson in his Jasbar, see the full article in HDB.</p><p>James Orr</p>