Enoch and the Origin of the World’s Oldest Texts
by Jason M. Breshears
Memories of Enoch
In a remote period during the world’s infancy a holy man by virtue of his faith was taken physically from Earth by the creator to rule with Him in heaven. In the Genesis account this man is named Enoch.
From the Book of Jubilees:– “He was the first among the children of men. . . to learn writing and knowledge and wisdom. . . he was the first to write a testimony, and he testified to the children of men concerning the future generations of the world. . . and what was and what will be he saw in a vision of the night in a dream as it will happen to the children of men in their generations until the Day of Judgment.”
Even older than the Sirach and Jubilees writings is an historical tome from extreme antiquity so old that even in the days of the renowned Jewish historian Flavius Josephus two thousand years ago the book was largely unknown and forgotten outside of the Temple in Jerusalem. This book is more extensive than any of the biblical writings and is itself mentioned by name in the biblical books of Joshua and 2 Samuel, both references reading:–
“. . .is this not written in the Book of Jasher?”
Josephus wrote “. . .that by this book are to be understood certain records kept in some place on purpose, giving an account of what happened among the Hebrews from year to year, and called Jasher, or the Upright, on account of the fidelity of the annals.”
A copy of this book was found in rabbinical Hebrew, discovered in Jerusalem when the Roman General Titus destroyed the city and looted the Temple before destroying it as well. The Book of Jasher is said to be one of the few
manuscripts secreted out of the Alexandrian Library in Egypt just prior to its ruin by Islamic armies. In 800 AD the book was rediscovered by the Anglo-Saxon scholar Albinus Alcuin who translated it from the Hebrew into Latin.
The Alcuin translation of the book of Yasher (800 AD) reads:– “And the soul of Enoch was wrapped up in the instruction of the Lord, in knowledge and in understanding; and he wisely retired from the sons of men, and secreted himself from them for many days . . .
“And all the kings of the sons of men, both first and last, together with their princes and judges, came to Enoch when they heard of his fame, and they bowed down to him, and they also required of Enoch to reign over them, to which he consented. And they assembled all, one hundred and thirty kings and princes, and they were all under his power and command.
“And Enoch taught them wisdom and knowledge, and the ways of the Lord; and he made peace amongst them, and peace was throughout the earth during the life of Enoch. And Enoch reigned over the sons of men two hundred and forty-three years, and he did righteousness and justice with all his people.”
The BOOK OF JASHER
Faithfully translated (1840) FROM THE ORIGINAL HEBREW INTO ENGLISH
SALT LAKE CITY: PUBLISHED BY J.H. PARRY & COMPANY 1887.
Medicine Tribe 