Chapter 87
this matter, and He sent a pestilence amongst them, and there died of the Israelites twenty four thousand men.
62. Now there was a man of the children of Simeon whose name was Zimri, the son of Salu, who connected himself with the Midianite Cosbi, the daughter of king Zur of Midian, in the sight of all the children of Israel.
63. And Phineas, the son of Eleazer the son of Aaron the priest, saw this wicked thing Zimri had done, and he took a spear and rose up and went after them, and pierced them both and slew them, and then the pestilence ceased from the children of Israel. C HAPTER
86. The Ancient Book of Jasher
1. AT that time after the pestilence, the Lord said to Moses, and to Eleazer, the son of Aaron the priest, saying:
2. Number the heads of the whole community of the children of Israel, from twenty years old and upward, all that went forth in the army.
3. And Moses and Eleazer numbered the children of Israel after their families, and the number of all Israel was seven hundred thousand, seven hundred and thirty.
4. And the number of all the males of the children of Levi, from one month old and upward, was twenty three thousand, and amongst these there was not a man of those numbered by Moses and Aaron in the wilderness of Sinai,
5. for the Lord had told them that they would die in the wilderness, so they all died, and not one had been left of them excepting Caleb the son of Jephuneh, and Joshua the son of Nun.
6. And it was after this that the Lord said to Moses: Say unto the children of Israel to avenge upon Midian the cause of their brethren, the children of Israel.
7. And Moses did so, and the children of Israel chose from amongs them twelve thousand men, being one thousand to a tribe, and they went to Midian.
8. And the children of Israel warred against Midian and they slew every male, also the five princes of Midian and Balaam, the son of Beor, did they slay with the sword.
9. And the children of Israel took the wives of Midian captive with their little ones and their cattle, and all their belongings.
10. And they took all the spoil and all the prey, and they brought it to Moses and to Eleazer on the plains of Moab.
11. And Moses and Eleazer and all the princes of the congregation went forth to meet them with joy,
12. and they divided all the spoil of Midian. Thus the children of Israel revenged upon Midian for the cause of their brethren, the children of Israel.
1. AT that time the Lord said to Moses: Behold, thy days are approaching to an end, take now Joshua, the son of Nun, thy servant and place him in the tabernacle, and I will command him. And Moses did so.
2. And the Lord appeared in the tabernacle in a pillar of cloud, and the pillar of cloud stood at the entrance of the tabernacle.
3. And the Lord commanded Joshua the son of Nun and said unto him: Be strong and courageous for thou shalt bring the children of Israel to the land which I swore to give them, and I will be with thee.
4. And Moses said to Joshua, be strong and courageous for thou wilt make the children of Israel inherit the land, and the Lord will be with thee, He will not leave thee nor forsake thee, be not afraid nor disheartened.
5. And Moses called to all the children of Israel and said to them: You have seen all the good which the Lord your God has done for you in the wilderness.
6. Now, therefore, observe all the words of this law, and walk in the way of the Lord your God, turn not from the way which the Lord has commanded you, either to the right or to the left.
7. And Moses taught the children of Israel statutes and judgments and laws to do in the land as the Lord had commanded him.
8. And he taught them the way of the Lord and his laws; behold, they are written upon the book of the law of God which He gave to the children of Israel by the hand of Moses.
9. And Moses finished commanding the children of Israel. And the Lord said to him, saying: Go up to the Mount Abarim and die there, and be gathered unto thy people as Aaron