The Bible refers to several books of scripture as references to verify some of its stories. One book is the Book of Jasher. The Old Testament refers to it twice.

John Taylor

A New York publisher published Mr. Samuel’s translation of the Book of Jasher in 1840.

John Taylor wrote in the Times and Seasons “Let us introduce a few paragraphs from the Book of Jasher, not allowing it to be revelation, but history sustained by other history.”

Also in the Times and Seasons, Joseph Smith taught of the Chaldees’ sacrifice of Abraham and corroborated with the story in the Book of Jasher saying, “…and the book of Jasher, which has not been disproved as a bad author….”

The Book of Jasher Stories of Genesis

The Book of Jasher shares additional stories, particularly for Abraham and others in the Book of Genesis. Several chapters cover the life and rise to power of Nimrod, son of Cush, son of Ham.  The Old Testament simply refers to him as a “mighty hunter,” but the Book of Jasher indicates that he was the idolatrous king in power during the attempted sacrifice of Abraham.

Jasher doesn’t indicate that Nimrod was “always” idolatrous, but the story isn’t clear.  “God gave him might and strength.”  But I wonder if the might and strength came by virtue of wearing the Edenic garment or from righteousness that merited God’s strength.

What do you think?

Story of Adam’s Garment and Nimrod’s Rise to Power

Adam and Eve

And the garments of skin which God made for Adam and his wife, when they went out of the garden, were given to Cush. For after the death of Adam and his wife, the garments were given to Enoch, the son of Jared, and when Enoch was taken up to God, he gave them to Methuselah, his son. And at the death of Methuselah, Noah took them and brought them to the ark, and they were with him until he went out of the ark.

 

And in their going out, Ham stole those garments from Noah his father, and he took them and hid them from his brothers.

 

And when Ham begat his first born Cush, he gave him the garments in secret, and they were with Cush many days. And Cush also concealed them from his sons and brothers, and when Cush had begotten Nimrod, he gave him those garments through his love for him, and Nimrod grew up, and when he was twenty years old he put on those garments.

 

And Nimrod became strong when he put on the garments, and God gave him might and strength, and he was a mighty hunter in the earth, yea, he was a mighty hunter in the field, and he hunted the animals and he built altars, and he offered upon them the animals before the Lord.

 

And Nimrod strengthened himself, and he rose up from amongst his brethren, and he fought the battles of his brethren against all their enemies round about.

 

Therefore it became current in those days, when a man ushered forth those that he had trained up for battle, he would say to them, “Like God did to Nimrod, who was a mighty hunter in the earth, and who succeeded in the battles that prevailed against his brethren, that he delivered them from the hands of their enemies, so may God strengthen us and deliver us this day.”

 

And when Nimrod was forty years old, at that time there was a war between his brethren and the children of Japheth, so that they were in the power of their enemies.

 

And Nimrod went forth at that time, and he assembled all the sons of Cush and their families, about four hundred and sixty men, and he hired also from some of his friends and acquaintances about eighty men, and be gave them their hire, and he went with them to battle, and when he was on the road, Nimrod strengthened the hearts of the people that went with him.

 

Nimrod

And he said to them, Do not fear, neither be alarmed, for all our enemies will be delivered into our hands, and you may do with them as you please.

 

And all the men that went were about five hundred, and they fought against their enemies, and they destroyed them, and subdued them, and Nimrod placed standing officers over them in their respective places. And he took some of their children as security, and they were all servants to Nimrod and to his brethren, and Nimrod and all the people that were with him turned homeward.

 

And when Nimrod had joyfully returned from battle, after having conquered his enemies, all his brethren, together with those who knew him before, assembled to make him king over them, and they placed the regal crown upon his head.  And he set over his subjects and people, princes, judges, and rulers, as is the custom amongst kings.

 

And he placed Terah the son of Nahor the prince of his host, and he dignified him and elevated him above all his princes.

 

And whilst he was reigning according to his heart’s desire, after having conquered all his enemies around, he advised with his counselors to build a city for his palace, and they did so. And they found a large valley opposite to the east, and they built him a large and extensive city, and Nimrod called the name of the city that he built Shinar, for the Lord had vehemently shaken his enemies and destroyed them.

 

And Nimrod dwelt in Shinar, and he reigned securely, and he fought with his enemies and he subdued them, and he prospered in all his battles, and his kingdom became very great. And all nations and tongues heard of his fame, and they gathered themselves to him, and they bowed down to the earth, and they brought him offerings, and he became their lord and king, and they all dwelt with him in the city at Shinar, and Nimrod reigned in the earth over all the sons of Noah, and they were all under his power and counsel.

 

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And all the earth was of one tongue and words of union, but Nimrod did not go in the ways of the Lord, and he was more wicked than all the men that were before him, from the days of the flood until those days.

 

And he made gods of wood and stone, and he bowed down to them, and he rebelled against the Lord, and taught all his subjects and the people of the earth his wicked ways; and Mardon his son was more wicked than his father.

 

And every one that heard of the acts of Mardon the son of Nimrod would say, concerning him, “From the wicked goeth forth wickedness;” therefore it became a proverb in the whole earth, saying, From the wicked goeth forth wickedness, and it was current in the words of men from that time to this.

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