There are so many fascinating texts that offer different perspectives and details on familiar narratives. Today, we're diving into a chapter from one of these books: the Book of Jasher. Specifically, we'll be looking at Chapter 67, which gives us its own take on the events leading up to the birth of Moses.
The chapter begins by setting the stage with Amram, a man from the tribe of Levi, marrying Jochebed. Now, here's a detail you don't often hear: Jasher tells us Jochebed was 126 years old when they married! From this union, Miriam is born, her name a reflection of the bitterness (maror) the Israelites were experiencing under Egyptian rule. Then comes Aaron, born at a time when Pharaoh's cruelty was reaching new heights, with the spilling of Israelite children's blood.
But before we get to Moses, the Book of Jasher takes a detour, introducing us to some other players. We hear of the death of Zepho, king of Chittim, and the ascension of Janeas to the throne. And then – get this – Balaam, yes, that Balaam, the one with the talking donkey in the Book of Numbers, enters the scene. According to Jasher, Balaam flees from Chittim to Egypt and becomes a highly honored counselor to Pharaoh. Imagine that: Balaam, advisor to Pharaoh!
It’s in Pharaoh's 130th year that he has a disturbing dream. He sees an old man with merchant's scales. In one scale, the old man places all the elders and nobles of Egypt, bound together. In the other? A milk kid. And the kid outweighs them all! Can you picture the shock?
Naturally, Pharaoh is deeply troubled. He summons his wise men, including Balaam, to interpret the dream. Balaam, never one to miss an opportunity for doom and gloom, tells Pharaoh the dream signifies a great evil that will befall Egypt: a son will be born to Israel who will destroy Egypt and lead the Israelites to freedom.
So, what's a Pharaoh to do? He asks Balaam for advice on how to prevent this prophecy from coming true. Balaam suggests consulting Pharaoh's other counselors, Reuel the Midianite (who some identify with Jethro, Moses' future father-in-law!) and Job the Uzite (yes, that Job!).
Reuel, surprisingly, advises Pharaoh to leave the Hebrews alone, reminding him of the consequences faced by those who harmed Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He argues that the God of Israel fiercely protects his chosen people. He even brings up Pharaoh's own ancestor who took Sarah, Abraham's wife, and was afflicted with plagues as a result! It's a powerful speech, urging caution and respect.
But Pharaoh is unmoved. He turns to Job, who simply says, "Do as you see fit." Talk about unhelpful advice!
Finally, Pharaoh asks Balaam again. Balaam acknowledges that the Israelites have been protected from every previous attempt to harm them. Fire? Think of Abraham surviving the fiery furnace. Swords? Remember Isaac and the ram. Hard labor? Jacob prospered despite Laban's oppression.
Balaam then proposes a truly horrific solution: infanticide. He suggests that Pharaoh order all newborn Hebrew male children to be thrown into the river. This, he argues, is something their ancestors never faced, and therefore the only way to wipe out the Israelites.
And tragically, Pharaoh agrees. He issues a decree that every male Hebrew child born from that day forward must be thrown into the Nile, while the female children are allowed to live.
The chapter then describes the heartbreaking reality of this decree. Some Israelite men separate from their wives to avoid bringing more children into the world. Others remain with their wives, and when the time comes to give birth, the women go to the fields, deliver their babies alone, and leave them there.
But here's where the story takes a turn towards the miraculous. The Book of Jasher tells us that God sends angels to care for these abandoned infants. The angels wash, anoint, and clothe them. They even provide them with two smooth stones, one yielding milk and the other honey! The babies grow miraculously, hidden by their own rapidly growing hair.
When God decides the time is right, the earth opens up and swallows the children, protecting them until they are grown. Then, the earth spits them back out, and they return to their families, flourishing like plants in a field.
The Egyptians, witnessing this miracle, attempt to plow the fields to harm the children, but they are unable to. The Israelites continue to multiply, despite Pharaoh's cruel decree. Yet, Pharaoh's officers continue their gruesome task, snatching babies from their mothers and throwing them into the river.
What a powerful, if unsettling, chapter! It’s a reminder that even in the darkest of times, hope, resilience, and the possibility of divine intervention can persist. The Book of Jasher’s telling of these events adds layers of complexity and wonder to a story we think we know, prompting us to consider the many untold narratives woven into the fabric of our history. How does this version of the story change your understanding of the Exodus narrative? What does it tell us about the nature of evil, and the enduring strength of the human spirit?