Books of the Old Testament that are lost
by Ibn Anwar
It is often claimed by Christian missionaries that the Old Testament is completely preserved with little or no error at all. This is supposedly proven by the discovery of the so called Dead Sea Scrolls. However, within the texts of the old Testament themselves we find mention of books that are now all but lost. Could they have once been considered inspired, but no longer survive?
1. The Book of the Wars of the Lord(Sepher Milkhamot Adonai)
“Therefore it is said in the Book of the Wars of the LORD, “Waheb in Suphah, And the wadis of the Arnon,” (Numbers 21:14)
Timothy R. Ashley says:
“14-15 A citation from a source called the Book of Wars of Yahweh supports the claim made in v. 13. The exact nature of this work is “unknown”, since the only fragment of it is the poetry cited in vv. 14-15, unless the poem in vv. 17-18a is also from it. The title of the work suggests that it contained songs celebrating Yahweh’s victories against his enemies.” [1]
Matthew Henry says:
“we are not particularly told, but are referred to the book of the wars of the Lord, perhaps that book which was begun with the history of the war with the Amalekites, Ex. 17:14. Write it (said God) for a memorial in a book” [2] (emphasis added)
Jamieson, Fausset and Brown Commentary says:
“book of the wars of the Lord–A fragment or passage is here quoted from a poem or history of the wars of the Israelites, principally with a view to decide the position of Arnon.” [3]
John Gill’s Exposition on the Bible:
“Wherefore it is said in the book of the wars of the Lord,…. A history of wars in former times” [4]
The author of Izhar Al-Haq quotes the commentators Henry and Scott:
“Presumably this book was written by Moses for the guidance of Joshua and described the demacration of the land of Moab.” [5]
2.The Book of Jasher(Sepher Ha Yashar)
“So the sun stood still, and the moon stopped, Until the nation avenged themselves of their enemies. Is it not written in the book of Jashar? And the sun stopped in the middle of the sky and did not hasten to go down for about a whole day.” (Joshua 10:13)
“and he told them to teach the sons of Judah the song of the bow; behold, it is written in the book of Jashar.”(2 Samuel 1:18)
Gnana Robinson comments on 2 Samuel 1:18,
” “It is written in the Book of Jashar,” literally “the Book of the Upright”. Another poetical piece attributed to the book of this name is Josh. 10:12-14.” Similar literary collections of various sorts seem to have been circulating among the people (e.g. the Book of the Wars of Yahweh, Num. 2:14); this shows that the collection of poems was made well before Samuel was edited and written.” [6]
Rev. Prof. Herbert G. May remarks,
“The Deuteronomist makes the poem the words of Joshua, but the poem itself is non-committal as to the speaker. The Book of Jasher is also quoted in 2 Sam. 1:18, and in the LXX of 1 Kg. 8:53. It was apparently a collection of poems. Compare the Book of the Wars of the Lord (Num. 21:14).” [7]
Concerning Joshua 10:13 Jamieson, Fausset and Brown Commentary says:
“The passage, which is parenthetical, contains a poetical description of the victory which was miraculously gained by the help of God, and forms an extract from “the book of Jasher,” that is, “the upright”–an anthology, or collection of national songs, in honor of renowned and eminently pious heroes.” [8]
John Gill’s Exposition on 2nd Samuel 1:18:
“behold, it is written in book of Jasher); which the Targum calls the book of the law; and Jarchi and Ben Gersom restrain it to the book of Genesis, the book of the upright, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and suppose respect is had to the prophecy concerning Judah, Genesis 49:8, but Kimchi, extending it to all the five books of Moses, adds his blessing, in Deuteronomy 33:7. In the Arabic version it is explained of the book of Samuel, interpreted the book of songs, as if it was a collection of songs; which favours the above sense. Jerom {s} interprets it of the same book, the book of the righteous prophets, Samuel, Gad, and Nathan…” [9] (emphasis added)
Lost proverbs of Solomon
“He also spoke 3,000 proverbs, and his songs were 1,005.”(1 Kings 4:32)
John Gill’s Exposition:
“And he spake three thousand proverbs,…. Wise sayings, short and pithy sentences, instructive in morality and civil life; these were not written as the book of Proverbs, but spoken only, and were taken from his lips, and spread by those that heard them for the use of others, but in process of time were lost…” [10] (emphasis added)
On the verse the Methodist theologian Adam Clarke explains:
“He spake three thousand proverbs] The book of Proverbs, attributed to Solomon, contain only about nine hundred or nine hundred and twenty-three distinct proverbs; and if we grant with some that the first nine chapters are not the work of Solomon, then all that can be attributed to him is only about six hundred and fifty.
Of all his one thousand and five songs or poems we have only one, the book of Canticles, remaining,
unless we include Psalm cxxvii. 1-5, Except the Lord build the house, &c., which in the title is said to be by or for him, though it appears more properly to be a psalm of direction, left him by his father David, relative to the building of the temple. “
He laments in his notes on verse 33:
“O, how must the heart of Tournefort, Ray, Linne, Buffon, Cuvier, Swammerdam, Blosch, and other naturalists, be wrung, to know that
these works of Solomon are all and for ever lost! What light should we have thrown on the animal and vegetable kingdoms,
had these works been preserved! ”
[11] (emphasis added)
The Books of Samuel the Seer, the Prophet Nathan and Gad the Seer
“Now the acts of king David first and last are written in the book of Samuel the seer, and in the book of Nathan the prophet, and in the book of Gad the seer:” (1 Chronicles 29:29)
All of the books mentioned in the verse have all DISAPPEARED.
Adam Clarke says,
” The acts of David-first and last] Those which concerned him in private life, as well as those which grew out of his regal government. All these were written by three eminent men, personally acquainted with him through the principal part of his life; these were Samuel and Gad the seers, and Nathan the prophet. These writings are all lost, except the particulars interspersed in the books of Samuel, Kings, and Chronicles, none of which are the records mentioned here.” [12]
The Book of Isaiah the Prophet
This is yet another book which is totally LOST. It so happens that it was written by the major Old Testament prophet, Isaiah.
“Now the rest of the acts of Uzziah, first to last, the prophet Isaiah, the son of Amoz, has written.” (2 Chronicles 26:22)
Adam Clark says,
“The rest of the acts of Uzziah, first and last, did Isaiah the prophet-write.] This work, however, is totally lost; for we have not any history of this king in the writings of Isaiah. He is barely mentioned, Isa. i. 1; vi. 1. ” [13] (emphasis added)
John Gill says,
“Now the rest of the acts of Uzziah, first and last,…. What were done by him, both in the beginning and latter end of his reign:
did Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, write: not in his own prophecy, but in the history of his own times, which was usual for every prophet to write, though now lost, see 2 Kings 15:6.” [14] (emphasis added)
**More missing books to come, insha’Allah**
