- And it came to pass at that time Pharaoh king of Egypt commanded all his people to make
for him a strong palace in Egypt.
- And he also commanded the sons of Jacob to assist the Egyptians in the building, and the
Egyptians made a beautiful and elegant palace for a royal habitation, and he dwelt therein
and he renewed his government and he reigned securely.
- And Zebulun the son of Jacob died in that year, that is the seventy-second year of the going
down of the Israelites to Egypt, and Zebulun died a hundred and fourteen years old, and was
put into a coffin and given into the hands of his children.
- And in the seventy-fifth year died his brother Simeon, he was a hundred and twenty years
old at his death, and he was also put into a coffin and given into the hands of his children.
- And Zepho the son of Eliphaz the son of Esau, captain of the host to Angeas king of
Dinhabah, was still daily enticing Angeas to prepare for battle to fight with the sons of Jacob
in Egypt, and Angeas was unwilling to do this thing, for his servants had related to him all the
might of the sons of Jacob, what they had done unto them in their battle with the children of
Esau.
- And Zepho was in those days daily enticing Angeas to fight with the sons of Jacob in those
days.
- And after some time Angeas hearkened to the words of Zepho and consented to him to
fight with the sons of Jacob in Egypt, and Angeas got all his people in order, a people
numerous as the sand which is upon the sea shore, and he formed his resolution to go to
Egypt to battle.
- And amongst the servants of Angeas was a youth fifteen years old, Balaam the son of Beor
was his name and the youth was very wise and understood the art of witchcraft.
- And Angeas said unto Balaam, Conjure for us, I pray thee, with the witchcraft, that we may
know who will prevail in this battle to which we are now proceeding.
- And Balaam ordered that they should bring him wax, and he made thereof the likeness of
chariots and horsemen representing the army of Angeas and the army of Egypt, and he put
them in the cunningly prepared waters that he had for that purpose, and he took in his hand
the boughs of myrtle trees, and he exercised his cunning, and he joined them over the water,
and there appeared unto him in the water the resembling images of the hosts of Angeas
falling before the resembling images of the Egyptians and the sons of Jacob.
- And Balaam told this thing to Angeas, and Angeas despaired and did not arm himself to
go down to Egypt to battle, and he remained in his city.
- And when Zepho the son of Eliphaz saw that Angeas despaired of going forth to battle
with the Egyptians, Zepho fled from Angeas from Africa, and he went and came unto Chittim.
- And all the people of Chittim received him with great honor, and they hired him to fight
their battles all the days, and Zepho became exceedingly rich in those days, and the troops of
the king of Africa still spread themselves in those days, and the children of Chittim assembled
and went to Mount Cuptizia on account of the troops of Angeas king of Africa, who were
advancing upon them.
- And it was one day that Zepho lost a young heifer, and he went to seek it, and he heard it
lowing round about the mountain.
- And Zepho went and he saw and behold there was a large cave at the bottom of the
mountain, and there was a great stone there at the entrance of the cave, and Zepho split the
stone and he came into the cave and he looked and behold, a large animal was devouring
the ox; from the middle upward it resembled a man, and from the middle downward it
resembled an animal, and Zepho rose up against the animal and slew it with his swords.
- And the inhabitants of Chittim heard of this thing, and they rejoiced exceedingly, and they
said, What shall we do unto this man who has slain this animal that devoured our cattle?
- And they all assembled to consecrate one day in the year to him, and they called the name
thereof Zepho after his name, and they brought unto him drink offerings year after year on
that day, and they brought unto him gifts.
- At that time Jania the daughter of Uzu wife of king Angeas became ill, and her illness was
heavily felt by Angeas and his officers, and Angeas said unto his wise men, What shall I do to
Jania and how shall I heal her from her illness? And his wise men said unto him, Because the air of our country is not like the air of the land of Chittim, and our water is
not like their water, therefore from this has the queen become ill.
- For through the change of air and water she became ill, and also because in her country
she drank only the water which came from Purmah, which her ancestors had brought up with
bridges.
- And Angeas commanded his servants, and they brought unto him in vessels of the waters
of Purmah belonging to Chittim, and they weighed those waters with all the waters of the land
of Africa, and they found those waters lighter than the waters of Africa.
- And Angeas saw this thing, and he commanded all his officers to assemble the hewers of
stone in thousands and tens of thousands, and they hewed stone without number, and the
builders came and they built an exceedingly strong bridge, and they conveyed the spring of
water from the land of Chittim unto Africa, and those waters were for Jania the queen and for
all her concerns, to drink from and to bake, wash and bathe therewith, and also to water
therewith all seed from which food can be obtained, and all fruit of the ground.
- And the king commanded that they should bring of the soil of Chittim in large ships, and
they also brought stones to build therewith, and the builders built palaces for Jania the queen,
and the queen became healed of her illness.
- And at the revolution of the year the troops of Africa continued coming to the land of
Chittim to plunder as usual, and Zepho son of Eliphaz heard their report, and he gave orders
concerning them and he fought with them, and they fled before him, and he delivered the land
of Chittim from them.
- And the children of Chittim saw the valor of Zepho, and the children of Chittim resolved
and they made Zepho king over them, and he became king over them, and whilst he reigned
they went to subdue the children of Tubal, and all the surrounding islands.
- And their king Zepho went at their head and they made war with Tubal and the islands,
and they subdued them, and when they returned from the battle they renewed his
government for him, and they built for him a very large palace for his royal habitation and
seat, and they made a large throne for him, and Zepho reigned over the whole land of Chittim
and over the land of Italia fifty years.
[Book of Jasher
Referred to in Joshua and Second Samuel.
faithfully translated (1840)
from the Original Hebrew into English.
A Reprint of Photo Lithographic Reprint of Exact Edition
Published by J.H. Parry & Co., Salt Lake City: 1887]