Presented at
2025 Abraham and His Family Conference
Saturday, May 3 and Saturday, May 10, 2025
Sponsored by The Interpreter Foundation, Brigham Young University Religious Education,
Scripture Central, and FAIR Latter-day Saints
As Hugh Nibley briefly discussed the Book of Jasher in 1967, he stated, “The time is ripe … for a fresh investigation of such genuine sources of Scripture.” Despite this high appraisal, relatively little has been done to better examine the Book of Jasher as a “genuine source” of ancient traditions and Scripture. The most extensive review of the Book of Jasher from a Latter-day Saint perspective appeared in 1976, and less than two dozen other works have appeared regarding this apocryphal book in following years. We believe that the time is still ripe for a fresh investigation of the Book of Jasher. The value of Jasher is not in its supposed antiquity but in its author’s perceptive sensitivity as an artist and reworker of traditional material. Jasher is a wonderful legacy of the late medieval mind with deep roots in the past. In the case of Abraham, it is especially a poignant case of how Jews in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries viewed Abraham in their own times of crisis: he was a hero and champion of faith. When confronted with trials of faith from the earliest days of his life, Abraham consistently sought the blessings of his fathers and communion with God. This is a timeless message that all members of the Abrahamic faiths can recognize and unite behind as they likewise strive to emulate that faith and approach God.
Download audio recording
Spencer Kraus
Spencer Kraus graduated from Brigham Young University with a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, modern Hebrew, and Ancient Near Eastern Studies. When this was written, he worked with Scripture Central as a researcher. He is currently working with Lincoln Blumell on topics relating to early Christianity and the New Testament.
Allen Hansen
Allen Hansen is an independent researcher born and raised in northern Israel. He served a mission in Russia, and married Kateryna from Ukraine. They are parents to a daughter. His research interests include the Bible, ancient, medieval and early modern Jewish literature, Book of Mormon translation, and the meeting points between the Church, Judaism, and the history of Israel.
