The Book of Jasher (Isaac’s child bride)

Here’s something very interesting. It is well known from the Bible, that many Book are mentioned which are not part of the cannon. One of those books mentioned is the Book of Jasher. You may wonder why are you specifically mentioning this Book? well there is a good reason behind it.  Now the Book of Jasher is mentioned twice in the Old Testament

So the sun stood still, and the moon stopped, Until the nation avenged themselves of their enemies. Is it not written in the book of Jashar? And the sun stopped in the middle of the sky and did not hasten to go down for about a whole day. (Joshua 10:13)

(Also he bade them teach the children of Judah the use of the bow: behold, it is written in the book of Jasher.) (1 Samuel 1:18)

The of Jasher is mentioned by two key figures of the Old Testament, Joshua and King David. Book of Joshua seems clear that the author is asking the readers to verify what really happened. Joshua speaks to the Lord and he orders the “sun stood still and the moon to stand still”. Something as miraculous as that was also recorded in the Book of Joshua. King David instructs Saul and Jonathan to teach the children of Judah “the song of bow” again found in the Book of Jasher.

If the authors are keen for the readers to cross reference those events or teaching from the Book of Jasher, then this book must hold some sort of credibility otherwise they would not have urged readers to check. If the Book of Jasher’s information matches which Joshua and king David’s writing then we can say the Book of Jasher is reliable enough to confirm those events.

The question is does it stop here? If the Book of Jasher is so reliable, that the Bible (supposed word of God believed by millions of Christians and Jews) makes mention of what other information is there that we can check up on? Well would really shock you! As well as finding the Sun and moon stopping as mentioned in the Book of Joshua 10:13 in the Book of Jasher. We also find the story of Isaac and Rebecca, like what we find in the Book of Genesis. Below we read from the Book of Genesis  Isaac weds Rebecca :

Now Isaac had returned from Beer-lahai-roi and was dwelling in the Negeb.  And Isaac went out to meditate in the field toward evening. And he lifted up his eyes and saw, and behold, there were camels coming.  And Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac, she dismounted from the camel and said to the servant, “Who is that man, walking in the field to meet us?” The servant said, “It is my master.” So she took her veil and covered herself.  And the servant told Isaac all the things that he had done.  Then Isaac brought her into the tent of Sarah his mother and took Rebekah, and she became his wife, and he loved her. So Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death. (Genesis 24:62-67)

When Isaac was forty years old, he married Rebekah, the daughter of Bethuel the Aramean from Paddan-aram and the sister of Laban the Aramean. (Genesis 25:20)

notice how it reads Isaac was forty years old when he married Rebecca. There is no mention of Rebecca’s age, one may ask what difference would it make by mentioning Rebecca’s age? the difference would be so big that Christians may have to rethink on how to debate with Muslims on specific issues. Without diverting let’s read what the Book of Jasher say’s on the same event.

37. And the Lord hearkened to the voice of Eliezer, for the sake of his servant Abraham, and he happened to meet with the daughter of Bethuel, the son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, brother to Abraham, and Eliezer came to her house.
38. And Eliezer related to them all his concerns, and that he was Abraham’s servant, and they greatly rejoiced at him.
39. And they all blessed the Lord who brought this about, and they gave him, Rebecca, the daughter of Bethuel, for a wife for Isaac.
40. And the young woman was of very comely appearance, she was a virgin, and Rebecca was ten years old in those days.
41. And Bethuel and Laban and his children made a feast on that night, and Eliezer and his men came and ate and drank and rejoiced there on that night.
42. And Eliezer rose up in the morning, he and the men that were with him, and he called to the whole household of Bethuel, saying, send me away that I may go to my master; and they rose up and sent away Rebecca and her nurse Deborah, the daughter if UZ and they gave her silver and gold , men servants and maid servants, and they blessed her.
43. And they sent Eliezer away with his men; and the servants took Rebecca, and he went and returned to his master to the land of Canaan.
44. And Isaac took Rebecca and she became his wife, and he brought her into the tent.
45. And Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebecca, the daughter of his uncle Bethuel, for a wife. (THE BOOK OF JASHAR 24:37-45)

According to the Book of Jasher which is suggest by Joshua and King David as a reliable book, Rebecca was 10 years old when she Married Isaac. Chapter 24 verse 40 explicitly says Rebecca was 10 years old.. Note the age of Rebecca is not mentioned in the Book of Genesis, which further could support the Book of Jasher as giving an accurate age. had Genesis given us an age different to what Jasher said then one could dismiss it, but since we don’t have no age mentioned he could use Jasher as our source. Notice how the age of Isaac is the same as what Genesis says it seem clear that the author of Genesis deliberately chose not to give Rebecca’s age.

  

Some Christians may object to this saying since this book is not part of the cannon we cannot accept it.

If that’s the case Christians must accept that Joshua and King David where referring to a book which was meaningless and held no credibility at all. Why would they make mention of a book if it held no credibility at all? It’s absurd for the author to tells the readers go check on a book which is unreliable. The Bible which is supposed to be the word of God made mention of a book which trusted at all. Why would the Bible mention a section of the book and not expect us to read the entirety to gain more information?

Others have said the Book of Jasher means “the Book of the Upright,” or “Righteous.” It was in all probability a collection, rhythmical in form and poetical in diction, of various pieces celebrating the heroes of the Hebrew nation and their achievements. The word itself Jasher, or Jashar, is considered to be an appellation of the Elect Nation, nearly equivalent to “Jeshurun”( Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges commentary )

It doesn’t matter what the Book of Jasher means, the contents written inside the book is what matters. Even if it was written by a guy called harry it still doesn’t change the fact that Joshua and king David took it as a reliable book, which not only was used as proof also was taught to the children of Judah.

From all this we can conclude that Isaac married Rebecca when she was 10 years old. In the language Isaac had a child bride.