Sefer haYashar, New York, 1840

Sefer haYashar, New York, 1840
Sefer haYashar, New York: A. S. Gould & M. M. Noah, 1840. The book relates to the Book of Joshua and the Book of Samuel 2. It was translated from Hebrew to English by Shmuel Moshe (1795-1860). Hardcover, 6 empty pages, (verified), III, XXX, 267, pp. Title page and pages I-II are missing. Dedication on endpaper from 1841. Old library marks, worn binding, worn edges, corners beaten and cracked. Spine is almost missing, but the book is still well-bound, foxing throughout the book: on some pages more than others. This is probably the first edition published in the United States. Introduction by M. M. Noah. This is a translation of Chazal's Sefer haYashar, which contains texts collected from the Babylonian Talmud and other Jewish sources, as well as Arab legends and transitions of the Bible. Three-quarters of the book are devoted to the pre-mosaic period, one fifth to the mosaic period, and only three pages to later history. The original edition appeared in Naples in 1552. A Latin version by Johann G. Abicht appeared in Leipzig in 1732, entitled: Dissertatio de libro recti. In 1750, the London Thomas Ilive's printing house published an English translation of the work, claiming that he had published Sefer haYashar, which mentioned in the Bible. The current edition was presumably the first edition in the United States.