YASHAR 63 (Jasher 63)

1 And in the ninety-third year, Lĕwi son of Ya’aqoḇ died in Mitsrayim. And Lĕwi was a hundred and thirty-seven years old when he died, and they put him into a coffin and he was given into the hands of his children.

2 And it came to be after the death of Lĕwi, when all Mitsrayim saw that the sons of Ya’aqoḇ the brothers of Yosĕph were dead, all the Mitsrites began to afflict the children of Ya’aqoḇ, and to embitter their lives from that day to the day of their going out from Mitsrayim. And they took from their hands all the vineyards and fields which Yosĕph had given to them, and all the fine houses in which the people of Yisra’ĕl lived. And all the fatness of Mitsrayim, the Mitsrites took all from the sons of Ya’aqoḇ in those days.

3 And the hand of all Mitsrayim became more grievous in those days against the children of Yisra’ĕl, and the Mitsrites provoked the Yisra’ĕlites until the children of Yisra’ĕl were wearied of their lives because of the Mitsrites.

4 And it came to be in those days, in the hundred and second year of Yisra’ĕl’s going down to Mitsrayim, that Pharaoh sovereign of Mitsrayim died, and Mĕlol his son reigned in his place. And all the mighty men of Mitsrayim and all that generation which knew Yosĕph and his brothers died in those days.

5 And another generation rose up in their place, which had not known the sons of Ya’aqoḇ and all the good which they had done to them, and all their might in Mitsrayim.

6 Therefore all Mitsrayim began from that day onward to embitter the lives of the sons of Ya’aqoḇ, and to afflict them with all manner of hard labour, because they had not known their ancestors who had delivered them in the days of the scarcity of food.

7 And this was also from 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄, for the children of Yisra’ĕl, to benefit them in their latter days, in order that all the children of Yisra’ĕl might know 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 their Elohim,

8 and in order to know the signs and mighty wonders which 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 would do in Mitsrayim because of His people Yisra’ĕl, in order that the children of Yisra’ĕl might fear 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 Elohim of their ancestors, and walk in all His Ways, they and their seed after them all the days.

9 Mĕlol was twenty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned ninety-four years. And all Mitsrayim called his name Pharaoh after the name of his father, as it was their custom to do to every sovereign who reigned over them in Mitsrayim.

10 At that time all the companies of Angĕas sovereign of Aphrika went out to spread along the land of the Ḥittites as usual for plunder.

11 And Tsepho son of Eliphaz son of Ĕsaw heard their report, and he went forth to meet them with his army, and he fought them there on the way.

12 And Tsepho smote the companies of the sovereign of Aphrika with the edge of the sword, and left none remaining of them, and not even one returned to his master in Aphrika.

13 And Angĕas heard of this which Tsepho son of Eliphaz had done to all his companies, that he had destroyed them, and Angĕas assembled all his companies, all the men of the land of Aphrika, a people as numerous as the sand by the sea shore.

14 And Angĕas sent to Luqas his brother, saying, “Come to me with all your men and help me to smite Tsepho and all the children of the Ḥittites who have destroyed my men.” And Luqas came with his whole army, a very great company, to assist Angĕas his brother to fight against Tsepho and the children of the Ḥittites.

15 And Tsepho and the children of the Ḥittites heard this matter, and they were greatly afraid and a great fear fell upon their hearts.

16 And Tsepho also sent a letter to the land of Eḏom to Haḏaḏ son of Beḏaḏ sovereign of Eḏom and to all the children of Ĕsaw, saying,

17 “I have heard that Angĕas sovereign of Aphrika is coming to us with his brother for battle against us, and we are greatly afraid of him, for his army is very great, particularly as he comes against us with his brother and his army also.

18 “Now therefore, you also come up with me and help me, and we will fight together against Angĕas and his brother Luqas, and you will save us out of their hands, but if not, know that we shall all die.”

19 And the children of Ĕsaw sent a letter to the children of the Ḥittites and to Tsepho their sovereign, saying, “We cannot fight against Angĕas and his people, for a covenant of peace has been between us these many years, from the days of Bela the first sovereign, and from the days of Yosĕph son of Ya’aqoḇ sovereign of Mitsrayim, with whom we fought on the other side of Yardĕn when he buried his father.”

20 And when Tsepho heard the words of his brothers, the children of Ĕsaw he refrained from them, and Tsepho was greatly afraid of Angĕas.

21 And Angĕas and Luqas his brother arrayed all their companies, about eight hundred thousand men, against the children of the Ḥittites.

22 And all the children of the Ḥittites said to Tsepho, “Pray for us to the Elohim of your ancestors. Maybe He will deliver us from the hand of Angĕas and his army, for we have heard that He is a great Elohim and that He delivers all who trust in Him!”

23 And Tsepho heard their words, and Tsepho sought 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 and he said,

24 “O 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 Elohim of Aḇraham and Yitsḥaq my ancestors, this day I know that You are a true Elohim, and all the mighty ones of the nations are vain and useless.

25 “Remember now today Your covenant to me with Aḇraham our father, which our ancestors related to us, and deal favourably with me today for the sake of Aḇraham and Yitsḥaq our fathers, and save me and the children of the Ḥittites from the hand of the sovereign of Aphrika who comes against us for battle.”

26 And 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 listened to the voice of Tsepho, and He had regard for him because of Aḇraham and Yitsḥaq, and 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 delivered Tsepho and the children of the Ḥittites from the hand of Angĕas and his people.

27 And Tsepho fought Angĕas sovereign of Aphrika and all his people on that day, and 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 gave all the people of Angĕas into the hands of the children of the Ḥittites.

28 And the battle was fierce upon Angĕas, and Tsepho smote all the men of Angĕas and Luqas his brother with the edge of the sword, and there fell from them about four hundred thousand men till the evening of that day.

29 And when Angĕas saw that all his men perished, he sent a letter to all the inhabitants of Aphrika to come to him, to assist him in the battle, and he wrote in the letter, saying, “All who are found in Aphrika let them come to me, from ten years old and upward. Let them all come to me, and see, if he does not come he shall die, and all that he has, with his whole household, the sovereign will take.”

30 And all the rest of the inhabitants of Aphrika were afraid at the words of Angĕas, and there went out of the city about three hundred thousand men and boys, from ten years upward, and they came to Angĕas.

31 And at the end of ten days Angĕas renewed the battle against Tsepho and the children of the Ḥittites, and the battle was very great and strong between them.

32 And from the army of Angĕas and Luqas, Tsepho sent many of the wounded to his hand – about two thousand men – and Sosiphtar the captain of the army of Angĕas fell in that battle.

33 And when Sosiphtar had fallen, the companies of Aphrika turned their backs to flee, and they fled, and Angĕas and Luqas his brother were with them.

34 And Tsepho and the children of the Ḥittites pursued them, and they continued to smite them heavily on the way – about two hundred men – and they pursued Azdruḇal son of Angĕas who had fled with his father, and they smote twenty of his men on the way. But Azdruḇal escaped from the children of the Ḥittites, and they did not slay him.

35 And Angĕas and Luqas his brother fled with the rest of their men, and they escaped and came to Aphrika with fear and dread, and Angĕas feared all the days lest Tsepho son of Eliphaz should go to battle against him.