(The book of). This is a book which Joshua mentions, and refers to in the following passage: "And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed, until the people had avenged themselves upon their enemies: is not this written in the book of Jasher?"

It is difficult to determine what this book of Jasher, or "the upright," is. St Jerom and the Jews believed it to be Genesis, or some other book of the Pentateuch, wherein God foretold he would do wonderful things in favour of his people. Huetius supposes it was a book of morality, in which it was said that God would subvert the course of nature in favour of those who put their trust in him. Others pretend, it was public annals, or records, which were styled justice or upright, because they contained a faithful account of the history of the Israelites. Grotius believes, that this book was nothing else but a song, made to celebrate this miracle and this victory. This seems the more probable opinion, because the words cited by Joshua as taken from this work, "Sun, stand thou still upon Gibbon, and thou moon in the valley of Ajalon," are such poetical expressions as do not suit with historical memoirs; besides that in the 2d book of Samuel (i. 18.) mention is made of a book under the same title, on account of a song made on the death of Saul and Jonathan.