Book of Jasher, Chapter 11 — Nimrod Renews His Reign; Abram Destroys His Father's Idols and Testifies before the King
1And Nimrod son of Cush was still in the land of Shinar, and he reigned over it and dwelt there, and he built cities in the land of Shinar.
2And these are the names of the four cities that he built; and he called their names after the things that happened to them in the building of the tower.
3And he called the first Babel, saying, Because there the Lord confounded the language of the whole earth; and the name of the second he called Erech, because from there God dispersed them.
4And the third he called Eched, saying, There was a great battle at that place; and the fourth he called Calnah, because his princes and mighty men were consumed there, and they vexed the Lord — they rebelled and transgressed against him.
5And when Nimrod had built these cities in the land of Shinar, he placed in them the remainder of his people, his princes, and his mighty men who were left in his kingdom.
6And Nimrod dwelt in Babel, and there he renewed his reign over the rest of his subjects, and he reigned securely; and the subjects and princes of Nimrod called his name Amraphel, saying that at the tower his princes and men had fallen through his doing.
7And in spite of this, Nimrod did not return to the Lord; and he continued in wickedness, and in teaching wickedness to the sons of men; and Mardon his son was worse than his father, and continued to add to the abominations of his father.
8And he caused the sons of men to sin; therefore it is said, From the wicked goes forth wickedness.
9At that time there was war between the families of the children of Ham, as they were dwelling in the cities they had built.
10And Chedorlaomer, king of Elam, went out from the families of the children of Ham, and he fought with them and subdued them; and he went to the five cities of the plain, and he fought against them and subdued them, and they came under his control.
11And they served him twelve years, and they gave him a yearly tribute.
12At that time died Nahor, son of Serug, in the forty-ninth year of the life of Abram son of Terah.
13And in the fiftieth year of the life of Abram son of Terah, Abram came out from the house of Noah and went to his father's house.
14And Abram knew the Lord, and he walked in his ways and his instructions, and the Lord his God was with him.
15And Terah his father was in those days still captain of the host of king Nimrod, and he still followed strange gods.
16And Abram came to his father's house and saw twelve gods standing there in their temples; and the anger of Abram was kindled when he saw these images in his father's house.
17And Abram said, As the Lord lives, these images shall not remain in my father's house; so may the Lord who created me do to me if within three days' time I do not break them all.
18And Abram went from them, and his anger burned within him. And Abram hurried and went from the chamber to his father's outer court, and he found his father sitting in the court with all his servants; and Abram came and sat before him.
19And Abram asked his father, saying, Father, tell me — where is God, who created heaven and earth, and all the sons of men upon the earth, and who created you and me? And Terah answered his son Abram and said, Behold, those who created us are all with us in the house.
20And Abram said to his father, My lord, show them to me, I pray you. And Terah brought Abram into the chamber of the inner court, and Abram looked, and behold, the whole room was full of gods of wood and stone — twelve great images, and others smaller than they, without number.
21And Terah said to his son, Behold, these are they who made all that you see upon the earth, and who created me and you and all mankind.
22And Terah bowed down to his gods, and then went away from them; and Abram his son went away with him.
23And when Abram had gone from them, he went to his mother and sat before her, and he said to his mother, Behold, my father has shown me those who made heaven and earth, and all the sons of men.
24Now therefore hurry and fetch a kid from the flock, and make of it savory meat, that I may bring it to my father's gods as an offering for them to eat; perhaps by this I may become acceptable to them.
25And his mother did so: she fetched a kid and made savory meat of it, and brought it to Abram; and Abram took the savory meat from his mother and brought it before his father's gods, and he drew near to them so that they might eat; and Terah his father did not know of it.
26And Abram saw, on the day when he sat among them, that they had no voice, no hearing, no motion — and not one of them could stretch out his hand to eat.
27And Abram mocked them and said, Surely the savory meat I prepared has not pleased them; or perhaps it was too little for them, and for that reason they would not eat. Therefore tomorrow I will prepare fresh savory meat, better and more plentiful than this, so that I may see what comes of it.
28And on the next day Abram directed his mother concerning the savory meat; and his mother rose and fetched three fine kids from the flock, and made of them excellent savory meat, such as her son loved, and she gave it to her son Abram; and Terah his father did not know of it.
29And Abram took the savory meat from his mother and brought it before his father's gods, into the chamber; and he came near to them so that they might eat, and he set it before them; and Abram sat before them all day, thinking that perhaps they might eat.
30And Abram watched them, and behold, they had neither voice nor hearing, nor did one of them stretch out his hand to the meat to eat.
31And in the evening of that day, in that house, Abram was clothed with the spirit of God.
32And he called out and said, Woe to my father and to this wicked generation, whose hearts are all inclined to vanity, who serve these idols of wood and stone, which can neither eat, nor smell, nor hear, nor speak — which have mouths without speech, eyes without sight, ears without hearing, hands without feeling, and legs that cannot move! Like them are those who made them, and all who trust in them.
33And when Abram saw all these things, his anger was kindled against his father; and he hurried and took a hatchet in his hand, and came to the chamber of the gods, and he broke all his father's gods.
34And when he had finished breaking the images, he placed the hatchet in the hand of the great god that stood there before them, and he went out. And Terah his father came home, for he had heard at the door the sound of the striking of the hatchet; and Terah came into the house to find out what this was.
35And Terah, hearing the noise of the hatchet in the room of the images, ran to the room of the images, and he met Abram going out.
36And Terah entered the room and found all the idols fallen down and broken, and the hatchet in the hand of the largest one, which was not broken; and the savory meat that Abram his son had made was still before them.
37And when Terah saw this, his anger was greatly kindled, and he hurried and went from the room to Abram.
38And he found Abram his son still sitting in the house, and he said to him, What is this that you have done to my gods?
39And Abram answered Terah his father and said, Not so, my lord — for I brought savory meat before them, and when I came near to them with the meat so that they might eat, they all at once stretched out their hands to eat, before the great one had put out his hand to eat.
40And the large one saw what they were doing before him, and his anger was violently kindled against them; and he went and took the hatchet that was in the house, and came to them and broke them all — and behold, the hatchet is still in his hand, as you see.
41And Terah's anger was kindled against his son Abram when he said this; and Terah said to Abram his son in his anger, What is this tale you have told? You are speaking lies to me!
42Is there in these gods spirit, soul, or power to do all you have told me? Are they not wood and stone? Did I not make them myself? How can you speak such lies, saying that the large god that was with them struck them? It was you who placed the hatchet in his hand, and then you say he struck them all!
43And Abram answered his father and said to him, Then how can you serve these idols in whom there is no power to do anything? Can these idols in which you trust deliver you? Can they hear your prayers when you call upon them? Can they deliver you from the hands of your enemies, or fight your battles for you against your enemies — that you should serve wood and stone, which can neither speak nor hear?
44And now, surely it is not good for you, nor for the sons of men connected with you, to do these things. Are you so silly, so foolish, or so short of understanding, that you serve wood and stone, and act in this way,
45forgetting the Lord God, who made heaven and earth, and who created you in the earth — and thereby bring a great evil upon your souls in this matter, by serving stone and wood?
46Did not our fathers in days of old sin in this matter, and the Lord God of the universe brought the waters of the flood upon them, and destroyed the whole earth?
47How then can you continue to do this, and serve gods of wood and stone, which cannot hear, or speak, or deliver you from oppression — and so bring down upon yourselves the anger of the God of the universe?
48Now therefore, my father, refrain from this, and do not bring evil upon your soul and the souls of your household.
49And Abram hurried and sprang from before his father, and took the hatchet from his father's largest idol, and with it Abram broke it — and ran away.
50And Terah, seeing all that Abram had done, hurried out of his house and went to the king; and he came before Nimrod and stood before him, and bowed down to the king; and the king said, What do you want?
51And he said, I beg you, my lord, to hear me. Fifty years ago a child was born to me, and thus has he done to my gods, and thus has he spoken. And now, my lord and king, send for him, that he may come before you, and judge him according to the law, that we may be delivered from his evil.
52And the king sent three of his servants, and they went and brought Abram before the king; and Nimrod and all his princes and servants were sitting before him that day, and Terah also sat before them.
53And the king said to Abram, What is this that you have done to your father and to his gods? And Abram answered the king with the same words he had spoken to his father, and he said, The large god that was with them in the house did to them what you have heard.
54And the king said to Abram, Did they have power to speak and eat and do as you have said? And Abram answered the king, saying, And if there is no power in them, why do you serve them, and cause the sons of men to err through your follies?
55Do you imagine that they can deliver you, or do anything small or great, that you should serve them? And why will you not perceive the God of the whole universe, who created you, and in whose power it is to kill and to keep alive?
56O foolish, simple, and ignorant king — woe to you forever!
57I thought you would teach your servants the upright way; but you have not done this — you have filled the whole earth with your sins and the sins of your people, who have followed your ways.
58Do you not know, or have you not heard, that this evil you are doing, our ancestors sinned in it in days of old, and the eternal God brought the waters of the flood upon them and destroyed them all, and destroyed the whole earth on their account? And will you and your people rise up now and do the like, so as to bring down the anger of the Lord God of the universe, and bring evil upon you and upon the whole earth?
59Now therefore put away this evil deed you are doing, and serve the God of the universe, for your soul is in his hands — and then it will be well with you.
60But if your wicked heart will not listen to my words, to make you forsake your evil ways and serve the eternal God, then you will die in shame in the latter days — you, your people, and all who are connected with you, who hear your words or walk in your evil ways.
61And when Abram had finished speaking before the king and the princes, Abram lifted up his eyes to the heavens, and he said, The Lord sees all the wicked, and he will judge them.