Page:Sefer ha-Yashar or the book of Jasher (1840).djvu/52

18 themselves According to Jasher, (and, I believe, Dr. Clarke gives the same opinion of some Christian commentators,) an inference can be drawn that there was a partial separation of mankind long before the affair at Babel, as the confusion of languages did not take place till about 340 years after the flood, being the end of Peleg's life, or the 48th year of the life of Abraham; and having shown that the date of Abraham’s birth should be A. M. 1948 instead of 2008, it will follow that the confusion of Babel took place A. M. 1996. I have no doubt that a separation took place before then, until they were reunited under the dominion of Nimrod. Owing to this separation, and their numerous increase, their having no regular form of government, and particularly their petty wars among each other, their first language would branch out into many variations, but still near enough to the original to be understood by each other, and sufficiently altered to be called different tongues; and as a number of families might, by co-operating together, be called a petty nation, so would some alteration in their speech, or tongue, be sufficient to distinguish them. Jasher tells us, that when Nimrod was 40 years old, there was war between his brethren and the children of Japheth; (see verse 34;) and that they were under the power of their enemies; that with a few people, (of the children of Cush only,) he made war, and subdued them; and that they all came to dwell with him in Shinar. I have frequently had to remark that the word all must not in the Hebrew be taken in that latitude, as it would in the modern languages. When a united number is intended to be expressed, the word all is used as in verse 35, when “Nimrod assembled all the sons of Cush, and their families, about four hundred and sixty men,” by this is meant that all those assembled of the families of Cush were four hundred and sixty men. Sufficient examples will be found in Jasher as well as in scripture, where must be understood in this sense. I therefore understand in this verse, not that all mankind came to live in Shinar, but that all those that did come, resided in Shinar. And if, owing to their former separation into petty nations, they must have adopted various dialects sufficient to distinguish them, as Jasher tells us that “all nations and tongues heard his fame,” so when they were reunited, and become under one government, not from choice, but from compulsion, then they became again of one lip and words of union; for thus would I translate, commonly translated, and one speech, which is the literal translation, meaning that after their cessation from war and petty broils, they again spoke in one lip and words of union, in opposition to separate dialects and words of strife. This inference of a former separation will explain that part of the speech of the builders of Babel, “we will build a tower, &c., &c., lest we be scattered upon the face of the earth,” alluding to their former dissensions, by which means they had originally separated, and become scattered, but wishing to unite in idolatry, and raise an amazing tower, they hoped it would be the means of uniting the whole race of mankind under their impious standard. It seems that the families of Cush, Mitzraim, Phut and Canaan were the chief instigators to this impious act, and that out of all the families then existing, not of Ham only, but the impious of all the families that assembled to the task, were 600,000 men; and they chose a valley at two days’ distance from Shinar, say twenty miles. I have no doubt the numbers of the human race were very considerable at that time, as it was 340 years after the flood, and there was plenty of time for the propagation of men to three or four millions of inhabitants. to him, and they bowed down to the earth, and they brought him offerings, and he became their lord and king, and they all dwelt with him in the city at Shinar, and Nimrod reigned in the earth over all the sons of Noah, and they were all under his power and counsel.

And all the earth was of one tongue and words of union, but Nimrod did not go in the ways of the Lord, and he was more wicked than all the men that were before him, from the days of the flood until those days.

And he made gods of wood and stone, and he bowed down to them, and he rebelled against the Lord, and taught all his subjects and the people of the earth his wicked ways; and Mardon his son was more wicked than his father.

And every one that heard of the acts of Mardon the son of Nimrod would say, concerning him, From the wicked goeth forth wickedness; therefore it became a proverb in the whole earth, saying, From the wicked goeth forth wickedness, and it was current in the words of men from that time to this.