The Book of Jasher

Referred to in Joshua and Second Samuel

Faithfully Translated

FROM THE ORIGINAL HEBREW INTO ENGLISH

Chapter 75

Thirty Thousand Ephraimites think it Time to get
out of Egypt, Rise up to go to Canaan, but are Slain by the Philistines.

1 At that time, in the hundred and eightieth year
of the Israelites going down into Egypt, there went forth from Egypt valiant men,
thirty thousand on foot, from the children of Israel, who were all of the tribe
of Joseph, of the children of Ephraim the son of Joseph.

2 For they said the period was completed which the
Lord had appointed to the children of Israel in the times of old, which he had spoken
to Abraham.

3 And these men girded themselves, and they put each
man his sword at his side, and every man his armor upon him, and they trusted to
their strength, and they went out together from Egypt with a mighty hand.

4 But they brought no provision for the road, only
silver and gold, not even bread for that day did they bring in their hands, for
they thought of getting their provision for pay from the Philistines, and if not
they would take it by force.

5 And these men were very mighty and valiant men,
one man could pursue a thousand and two could rout ten thousand, so they trusted
to their strength and went together as they were.

6 And they directed their course toward the land of
Gath, and they went down and found the shepherds of Gath feeding the cattle of the
children of Gath.

7 And they said to the shepherds, Give us some of
the sheep for pay, that we may eat, for we are hungry, for we have eaten no bread
this day.

8 And the shepherds said, Are they our sheep or cattle
that we should give them to you even for pay? so the children of Ephraim approached
to take them by force.

9 And the shepherds of Gath shouted over them that
their cry was heard at a distance, so all the children of Gath went out to them.

10 And when the children of Gath saw the evil doings
of the children of Ephraim, they returned and assembled the men of Gath, and they
put on each man his armor, and came forth to the children of Ephraim for battle.

11 And they engaged with them in the valley of Gath,
and the battle was severe, and they smote from each other a great many on that day.

12 And on the second day the children of Gath sent
to all the cities of the Philistines that they should come to their help, saying,

13 Come up unto us and help us, that we may smite
the children of Ephraim who have come forth from Egypt to take our cattle, and to
fight against us without cause.

14 Now the souls of the children of Ephraim were exhausted
with hunger and thirst, for they had eaten no bread for three days. And forty thousand
men went forth from the cities of the Philistines to the assistance of the men of
Gath.

15 And these men were engaged in battle with the children
of Ephraim, and the Lord delivered the children of Ephraim into the hands of the
Philistines.

16 And they smote all the children of Ephraim, all
who had gone forth from Egypt, none were remaining but ten men who had run away
from the engagement.

17 For this evil was from the Lord against the children
of Ephraim, for they transgressed the word of the Lord in going forth from Egypt,
before the period had arrived which the Lord in the days of old had appointed to
Israel.

18 And of the Philistines also there fell a great
many, about twenty thousand men, and their brethren carried them and buried them
in their cities.

19 And the slain of the children of Ephraim remained
forsaken in the valley of Gath for many days and years, and were not brought to
burial, and the valley was filled with men’s bones.

20 And the men who had escaped from the battle came
to Egypt, and told all the children of Israel all that had befallen them.

21 And their father Ephraim mourned over them for
many days, and his brethren came to console him.

22 And he came unto his wife and she bare a son, and
he called his name Beriah, for she was unfortunate in his house.