The Bible gives us glimpses, but the Book of Jasher, an ancient Hebrew text referenced in the Bible itself (Joshua 10:13, (2 Samuel 1:1)8), offers a more detailed narrative..
The chapter begins by tracing the family lines. We learn that Reuben, after Joseph's sale into Egypt, marries Eliuram, a Canaanite woman, and they have four sons: Hanoch, Palu, Chetzron, and Carmi. Interestingly, Simeon marries his own sister, Dinah (yes, that Dinah), and they have five sons: Memuel, Yamin, Ohad, Jachin, and Zochar. He also has a son, Saul, with Bunah, a Canaanite woman who was previously Dinah's attendant – a woman Simeon took captive from Shechem. These early unions with Canaanite women, though mentioned matter-of-factly, highlight the complex interactions between Jacob's family and the surrounding cultures.
Then there's Judah. He marries Aliyath, the daughter of Shua, a Canaanite, and they have three sons: Er, Onan, and Shiloh. Levi and Issachar venture east and marry the daughters of Jobab, who is the son of Yoktan, who is the son of Eber (a significant genealogical link, as Eber is often associated with the Hebrews). Levi marries Adinah, and they have Gershon, Kehath, and Merari. Issachar marries Aridah, and they have Tola, Puvah, Job, and Shomron. These names might sound familiar. They are the names of important families within the Israelite tribes.
Dan travels to Moab and marries Aphlaleth, who is initially barren. But, as the Book of Jasher tells us, God remembers her, and she gives birth to Chushim. Gad and Naphtali go to Haran and marry the daughters of Amuram, the son of Uz, who is the son of Nahor. Naphtali marries Merimah, and they have Yachzeel, Guni, Jazer, and Shalem. Gad marries Uzith, and they have Zephion, Chagi, Shuni, Ezbon, Eri, Arodi, and Arali – quite the brood!
Asher's story is particularly poignant. He first marries Adon, the daughter of Aphlal, who dies childless. After her death, Asher marries Hadurah, the daughter of Abimael, who was previously married to Malkiel and had a daughter named Serach. This Serach is brought into Jacob's household and is described as a wise and beautiful girl who walks in the ways of Jacob's children. The text emphasizes that "the Lord gave her wisdom and understanding." Asher and Hadurah then have four sons: Yimnah, Yishvah, Yishvi, and Beriah (the World of Creation).
We continue with Zebulun, who marries Merishah from Midian and has three sons: Sered, Elon, and Yachleel. Jacob arranges for his youngest son, Benjamin, to marry Mechalia, the daughter of Aram. Benjamin later takes a second wife, Aribath.
Now, let's turn back to Judah. He arranges for his firstborn, Er, to marry Tamar, the daughter of Elam, who is a descendant of Shem. But Er, we're told, "outwardly destroyed his seed," a euphemism for what the Bible calls "spilling his seed on the ground" (Genesis 38:9) and his actions were evil in the sight of the Lord, so God slew him. According to both Jasher and the biblical account in Genesis, Judah then instructs his second son, Onan, to perform yibbum (levirate marriage) – to marry Tamar and produce offspring for his deceased brother. Onan, however, also refuses to father children with Tamar, and meets the same fate as his brother.
Judah, fearing for his remaining son, Shiloh, tells Tamar to remain in her father's house until Shiloh is grown. However, Judah doesn't intend to give Shiloh to her. After the death of Judah's wife, Aliyath, Tamar hears that Shiloh is now grown and that Judah isn't planning on fulfilling his promise. She then disguises herself as a prostitute and waits on the road to Timnah. Judah, unaware that it's Tamar, sleeps with her, and she conceives twins: Perez and Zarah.
The story of Tamar is a powerful one, isn't it? It speaks of resilience, determination, and a woman taking control of her own destiny within a patriarchal society. As we see in the biblical account, these twins, Perez and Zarah, go on to become ancestors of King David, linking Tamar directly to the Davidic line. ((uth 4:18-2)2).
Chapter 45 of the Book of Jasher isn't just a dry genealogy. It's a glimpse into the lives of the early Israelites, their interactions with other cultures, and the complex relationships that shaped their families. It underscores themes of lineage, legacy, and the unexpected ways in which fate – or divine intervention – can alter the course of history. It reminds us that even in ancient texts, we can find human stories that resonate with us today.
Sacred-texts Apocrypha Index Previous Next Book of Jasher, Chapter 45 1 And it was at that time in that year, which is the year of Joseph's going down to Egypt after his brothers had sold him, that Reuben the son of Jacob went to Timnah and took unto him for a wife Eliuram, the daughter of Avi the Canaanite, and he came to her. 2 And Eliuram the wife of Reuben conceived and bare him Hanoch, Palu, Chetzron and Carmi, four sons; and Simeon his brother took his sister Dinah for a wife, and she bare unto him Memuel, Yamin, Ohad, Jachin and Zochar, five sons. 3 And he afterward came to Bunah the Canaanitish woman, the same is Bunah whom Simeon took captive from the city of Shechem, and Bunah was before Dinah and attended upon her, and Simeon came to her, and she bare unto him Saul. 4 And Judah went at that time to Adulam, and he came to a man of Adulam, and his name was Hirah, and Judah saw there the daughter of a man from Canaan, and her name was Aliyath, the daughter of Shua, and he took her, and came to her, and Aliyath bare unto Judah, Er, Onan and Shiloh; three sons. 5 And Levi and Issachar went to the land of the east, and they took unto themselves for wives the daughters of Jobab the son of Yoktan, the son of Eber; and Jobab the son of Yoktan had two daughters; the name of the elder was Adinah, and the name of the younger was Aridah. 6 And Levi took Adinah, and Issachar took Aridah, and they came to the land of Canaan, to their father's house, and Adinah bare unto Levi, Gershon, Kehath and Merari; three sons. 7 And Aridah bare unto Issachar Tola, Puvah, Job and Shomron, four sons; and Dan went to the land of Moab and took for a wife Aphlaleth, the daughter of Chamudan the Moabite, and he brought her to the land of Canaan. 8 And Aphlaleth was barren, she had no offspring, and God afterward remembered Aphlaleth the wife of Dan, and she conceived and bare a son, and she called his name Chushim. 9 And Gad and Naphtali went to Haran and took from thence the daughters of Amuram the son of Uz, the son of Nahor, for wives. 10 And these are the names of the daughters of Amuram; the name of the elder was Merimah, and the name of the younger Uzith; and Naphtali took Merimah, and Gad took Uzith; and brought them to the land of Canaan, to their father's house. 11 And Merimah bare unto Naphtali Yachzeel, Guni, Jazer and Shalem, four sons; and Uzith bare unto Gad Zephion, Chagi, Shuni, Ezbon, Eri, Arodi and Arali, seven sons. 12 And Asher went forth and took Adon the daughter of Aphlal, the son of Hadad, the son of Ishmael, for a wife, and he brought her to the land of Canaan. 13 And Adon the wife of Asher died in those days: she had no offspring; and it was after the death of Adon that Asher went to the other side of the river and took for a wife Hadurah the daughter of Abimael, the son of Eber, the son of Shem. 14 And the young woman was of a comely appearance, and a woman of sense, and she had been the wife of Malkiel the son of Elam, the son of Shem. 15 And Hadurah bare a daughter unto Malkiel, and he called her name Serach, and Malkiel died after this, and Hadurah went and remained in her father's house. 16 And after the death of the wife at Asher he went and took Hadurah for a wife, and brought her to the land of Canaan, and Serach her daughter he also brought with them, and she was three years old, and the damsel was brought up in Jacob's house. 17 And the damsel was of a comely appearance, and she went in the sanctified ways of the children of Jacob; she lacked nothing, and the Lord gave her wisdom and understanding. 18 And Hadurah the wife of Asher conceived and bare unto him Yimnah, Yishvah, Yishvi and Beriah; four sons. 19 And Zebulun went to Midian, and took for a wife Merishah the daughter of Molad, the son of Abida, the son of Midian, and brought her to the land of Canaan. 20 And Merushah bare unto Zebulun Sered, Elon and Yachleel; three sons. 21 And Jacob sent to Aram, the son of Zoba, the son of Terah, and he took for his son Benjamin Mechalia the daughter of Aram, and she came to the land of Canaan to the house of Jacob; and Benjamin was ten years old when he took Mechalia the daughter of Aram for a wife. 22 And Mechalia conceived and bare unto Benjamin Bela, Becher, Ashbel, Gera and Naaman, five sons; and Benjamin went afterward and took for a wife Aribath, the daughter of Shomron, the son of Abraham, in addition to his first wife, and he was eighteen years old; and Aribath bare unto Benjamin Achi, Vosh, Mupim, Chupim, and Ord; five sons. 23 And in those days Judah went to the house of Shem and took Tamar the daughter of Elam, the son of Shem, for a wife for his first born Er. 24 And Er came to his wife Tamar, and she became his wife, and when he came to her he outwardly destroyed his seed, and his work was evil in the sight of the Lord, and the Lord slew him. 25 And it was after the death of Er, Judah's first born, that Judah said unto Onan, go to thy brother's wife and marry her as the next of kin, and raise up seed to thy brother. 26 And Onan took Tamar for a wife and he came to her, and Onan also did like unto the work of his brother, and his work was evil in the sight of the Lord, and he slew him also. 27 And when Onan died, Judah said unto Tamar, Remain in thy father's house until my son Shiloh shall have grown up, and Judah did no more delight in Tamar, to give her unto Shiloh, for he said, Peradventure he will also die like his brothers. 28 And Tamar rose up and went and remained in her father's house, and Tamar was in her father's house for some time. 29 And at the revolution of the year, Aliyath the wife of Judah died; and Judah was comforted for his wife, and after the death of Aliyath, Judah went up with his friend Hirah to Timnah to shear their sheep. 30 And Tamar heard that Judah had gone up to Timnah to shear the sheep, and that Shiloh was grown up, and Judah did not delight in her. 31 And Tamar rose up and put off the garments of her widowhood, and she put a vail upon her, and she entirely covered herself, and she went and sat in the public thoroughfare, which is upon the road to Timnah. 32 And Judah passed and saw her and took her and he came to her, and she conceived by him, and at the time of being delivered, behold, there were twins in her womb, and he called the name of the first Perez, and the name of the second Zarah. Next: Chapter 46 Sacred Texts | Christianity « Previous: Book of Jasher, Chapter 44 Index Next: Book of Jasher, Chapter 46 »
