Study Notes Week 64

Torah Study Notes for Week 64 of the Torah Reading Cycle

• Torah (T): Shemot (Exodus) 14:1-31
• Prophets (P): Nehemiah 9:1-12
• Apostolic (A): Matthew 10:24-42
• Additional (ADD): Jubilees 48:12-19

Torah Summary
Context and coherence (Nehemiah 8:8)

14:1 YHWH spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Speak to the sons of Israel, that they turn back and encamp before Pi Hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, before Baal Zephon. You shall encamp opposite it by the sea. 3 Pharaoh will say [to] of the sons of Israel, ‘They are entangled in the land. The wilderness has shut them in.' 4 I will strengthen Pharaoh's heart, and he will follow after them; and I will get honor over Pharaoh, and over all his armies; and the Egyptians shall know that I am YHWH.” They did so. 5 The king of Egypt was told that the people had fled; and the heart of Pharaoh and of his servants was changed toward the people, and they said, “What is this we have done, that we have let Israel go from serving us?” 6 He prepared his chariot, and took his army with him; 7 and he took six hundred chosen chariots, and all the chariots of Egypt, with captains over all of them. 8 YHWH strengthened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursued the sons of Israel; for the sons of Israel went out with a high hand. 9 The Egyptians pursued them. All the horses and chariots of Pharaoh, his horsemen, and his army overtook them encamping by the sea, beside Pi Hahiroth, before Baal Zephon. 10 When Pharaoh came near, the sons of Israel lifted up their eyes, and behold, the Egyptians were marching after them; and they were very afraid. The sons of Israel cried out to YHWH. 11 They said to Moses, “Because there were no graves in Egypt, have you taken us away to die in the wilderness? Why have you treated us this way, to bring us out of Egypt? 12 Isn't this the word that we spoke to you in Egypt, saying, ‘Leave us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians?' For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness.” 13 Moses said to the people, “Don't be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of [Elohim],^(LXX) which he will work for you today; for you will never again see the Egyptians whom you have seen today. 14 YHWH will fight for you, and you shall be still.” 15 YHWH said to Moses, “Why do you cry to me? Speak to the sons of Israel, that they go forward. 16 Lift up your rod, and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it. Then the sons of Israel shall go into the middle of the sea on dry ground. 17 Behold, I myself will strengthen the hearts of the Egyptians, and they will go in after them. I will get myself honor over Pharaoh, and over all his armies, over his chariots, and over his horsemen. 18 The Egyptians shall know that I am YHWH when I have gotten myself honor over Pharaoh, over his chariots, and over his horsemen.” 19 The angel of Elohim, who went before the camp of Israel, moved and went behind them; and the pillar of cloud moved from before them, and stood behind them. 20 It came between the camp of Egypt and the camp of Israel. There was the cloud and the darkness, yet it gave light by night. One didn't come near the other all night. 21 Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and YHWH caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided. 22 The sons of Israel went into the middle of the sea on the dry ground; and the waters were a wall to them on their right hand and on their left. 23 The Egyptians pursued, and went in after them into the middle of the sea: all of Pharaoh's horses, his chariots, and his horsemen. 24 In the morning watch, YHWH looked out on the Egyptian army through the pillar of fire and of cloud, and confused the Egyptian army. 25 He [bound]^(LXX)(SP) their chariot wheels, and they drove them heavily; so that the Egyptians said, “Let's flee from the face of Israel, for YHWH fights for them against the Egyptians!” 26 YHWH said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the sea, that the waters may return on the Egyptians, on their chariots, and on their horsemen.” 27 Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to its strength when the morning appeared; and the Egyptians fled against it. YHWH overthrew the Egyptians in the middle of the sea. 28 The waters returned, and covered the chariots and the horsemen, even all Pharaoh's army that went in after them into the sea. There remained not so much as one of them. 29 But the sons of Israel walked on dry ground in the middle of the sea, and the waters were a wall to them on their right hand and on their left. 30 Thus YHWH saved Israel that day out of the hand of the Egyptians; and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore. 31 Israel saw the great work which [Elohim]^(LXX) did to the Egyptians, and the people feared YHWH; and they believed in YHWH and in his servant Moses.

Review

1. 13:11 “It shall be, when YHWH [your Elohim]^(DSS)(LXX) brings you into the land of the Canaanite, as he swore to you and to your fathers, and will give it you, 12 that you shall cross over to YHWH all that opens the womb, and every firstborn that comes from an animal which you have. The males shall be YHWH’s. 13 Every firstborn of a donkey you shall redeem with a lamb; and if you will not redeem it, then you shall break its neck; and you shall redeem all the firstborn of man among your sons. 14 It shall be, when your son asks you in time to come, saying, ‘What is this?’ that you shall tell him, ‘By strength of hand YHWH brought us out from Egypt, from the house of bondage. 15 When Pharaoh made it hard to send us, YHWH killed all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both the firstborn of man, and the firstborn of livestock. Therefore I slaughter to YHWH all that opens the womb, being males; but all the firstborn of my sons I redeem.’ 16 It shall be for a sign on your hand, and for symbols between your eyes; for by strength of hand YHWH brought us out of Egypt.”
   1. Redeem = פָּדָה padah (H6299) literally means “to open the door” because when one is redeemed, they gird their cloths for leaving through the open door. The word also means to bring back to an original state as the place the redeem returns to “opens the door” for them to re-enter.
2. 13:17 When Pharaoh had let the people go, Elohim didn’t lead them by the way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near; for Elohim said, “Lest perhaps the people change their minds when they see war, and they return to Egypt”; 18 but Elohim led the people around by the way of the wilderness by the Sea at the End; and the sons of Israel went up [armed for battle]^(MTT) in fifties out of the land of Egypt.
   1. Sea at the End = יַּם־סוּף Yam Suph (H3220 + H5488) means “Reed Sea,” but is commonly mistranslated as “Red Sea.” יָם yam (H3220) means “sea” or other large body of water and סוּף suph (H5488), though most often translated as “reed, rush or seaweed,” the word סוּף suph can also mean “edge or end” (cf. 1 Kings 9:26)…However, in the Genesis Apocryphon (1Q20) discovered amongst the Dead Sea Scrolls, Abraham describes the Reed Sea as an inlet of the Red Sea which may help readers understand how the “Sea of Reeds” became synonymous with the “Red Sea”: “I traveled along the side of the Euphrates until I reached the Red Sea toward the east. I continued going along the side of the Red Sea until I reached the inlet (lit. ‘tongue’) of the Sea of Reeds which emerges from the Red Sea. From there I completed the circuit, moving southward to arrive at Gihon River. Then I returned home safely and found all is well with my men.” https://thecord.life/glossary/sea-at-the-end/
3. 13:20 They took their journey from Sukkot, and encamped in Etham, in the edge of the wilderness. 21 [Elohim]^(LXX) went before them by day in a pillar of cloud, to lead them on their way, and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light, that they might go by day and by night: 22 the pillar of cloud by day, and the pillar of fire by night, didn’t depart from before the people.
   1. Most often translated as “cloud,” עָנָן anan (H6051) comes from the root עַן an which means “to watch or observe” because clouds are watched and observed to tell the weather as in the state of the atmosphere at a place and time as regards heat, dryness, sunshine, wind, rain, etc. In Leviticus 19:26, sorcery, fortune-telling, soothsaying, augury, or practicing magic is forbidden where the phrase תְעוֹנֵֽנוּ te’onenu (from H6049) literally means to “observe the clouds” as translated in Young’s Literal Translation of 1898. עָנָן anan is equivalent to the feminine Greek noun νεφέλη nephelē (G3507) which is simply defined as a cloud (as covering the sky), i.e. the nimbus or thunder-cloud. In Greek mythology, Nephele was a cloud nymph who figured prominently in the story of Phrixus and Helle. Greek myth has it that Nephele is the cloud whom Zeus created in the image of Hera to trick Ixion to test his integrity after he displayed his lust for Hera during a feast as a guest of Zeus. Ixion’s restraint failed him, and he assaulted Nephele, eventually fathering the Centaurs (through Imbros or Centauros).

1. 14:1 YHWH spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Speak to the sons of Israel, that they turn back and encamp before Pi Hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, before Baal Zephon. You shall encamp opposite it by the sea. 3 Pharaoh will say [to] of the sons of Israel, ‘They are entangled in the land. The wilderness has shut them in.’
   1. פִּי הַחִרֹת pi hachirot (H6367) is a place in Egypt (cf. Exodus 14:2; Numbers 33:7-38) and means “mouth of the cisterns or gorges.” פִּי הַחִרֹת pi hachirot is a combination of פֶּה pe (H6310) which means mouth and the feminine plural of the noun חוֹר chor (H2356) which means hole of cave, with the article הַ ha interpolated.
   2. בַּעַל צְפוֹן Baal Zephon (H1189) means “lord or master of the north” and was a place in Egypt near the Sea of Reeds where the Egyptian army was destroyed during the Exodus. Baal Zephon was claimed to be a god who was lord over the sea.
   3. Targum Pseudo-Jonathan, Exodus 14 And the Lord spake to Mosheh, saying, Speak to the sons of Israel, that they return back, and encamp before the Mouths of Hiratha, as they lie, created after the manner (likeness) of the children of men, male and female, and their eyes open to them: it is the place of Tanes, which is between Migdol and the sea, before the idol Zephon (Typhon), that is left of all the idols of Mizraim. For the Mizraee will say, More excellent is Baal Zephon than all idols, because it is left, and not smitten; and therefore will they come to worship it, and will find that you are encamped nigh unto it, on the border of the sea.
   4. …And Pharaoh said to Dathan and Abiram, sons of Israel, who had remained in Mizraim, The people of the house of Israel are bewildered in the land: the idol Zephon hath shut them in close upon the desert. [JERUSALEM. 2. And they will return and encamp before the caravansaries of Hiratha, between Migdol and the sea, before the idol of Zephon, ye will encamp over against it. And Pharaoh will say concerning the people of the sons of Israel, They are losing themselves in the wilderness: the idol of Peor hath shut them in before the desert.] And I will strengthen the design of Pharaoh’s heart to pursue after them, and I will be glorified upon Pharaoh and upon his hosts, and the Mizraee will know that I am the Lord. And they did so.
2. 14:4 I will strengthen Pharaoh’s heart, and he will follow after them; and I will get honor over Pharaoh, and over all his armies; and the Egyptians shall know that I am YHWH.” They did so. 5 The king of Egypt was told that the people had fled; and the heart of Pharaoh and of his servants was changed toward the people, and they said, “What is this we have done, that we have let Israel go from serving us?” 6 He prepared his chariot, and took his army with him; 7 and he took six hundred chosen chariots, and all the chariots of Egypt, with captains over all of them.
   1. Josephus Antiquities 2.15.3 …Now when the Egyptians had overtaken the Hebrews, they prepared to fight them, and by their multitude they drove them into a narrow place; for the number that pursued after them was six hundred chariots, with fifty thousand horsemen, and two hundred thousand foot-men, all armed. They also seized on the passages by which they imagined the Hebrews might fly, shutting them up between inaccessible precipices and the sea; for there was [on each side] a [ridge of] mountains that terminated at the sea, which were impassable by reason of their roughness, and obstructed their flight; wherefore they there pressed upon the Hebrews with their army, where [the ridges of] the mountains were closed with the sea; which army they placed at the chops of the mountains, that so they might deprive them of any passage into the plain.
3. 14:8 YHWH strengthened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursued the sons of Israel; for the sons of Israel went out with a high hand.
   1. בְּיָד רָמָה beyad ramah (H3027 + H7311) literally means “with a raised hand” where יָד yad means “hand” and רָמָה ramah means, “Lifted up in position or in exaltation.” (cf. Exodus 14:8; Numbers 15:30; Numbers 33:3)
4. 14:9 The Egyptians pursued them. All the horses and chariots of Pharaoh, his horsemen, and his army overtook them encamping by the sea, beside Pi Hahiroth, before Baal Zephon.
   1. Jubilees 48:12-19; And notwithstanding all (these) signs and wonders the prince of the Mastema was not put to shame because he took courage and cried to the Egyptians to pursue after you with all the powers of the Egyptians, with their chariots, and with their horses, and with all the hosts of the peoples of Egypt. 13. And I stood between the Egyptians and Israel, and we delivered Israel out of his hand, and out of the hand of his people, and YHWH brought them through the midst of the sea as if it were dry land. 14. And all the peoples whom he brought to pursue after Israel, YHWH our Elohim cast them into the midst of the sea, into the depths of the abyss beneath the sons of Israel, even as the people of Egypt had cast their children into the river. 4 He took vengeance on 1,000,000 of them, and one thousand strong and energetic men were destroyed on account of one suckling of the children of your people which they had thrown into the river. 15. And on the fourteenth day and on the fifteenth and on the sixteenth and on the seventeenth and on the eighteenth the prince of the Mastema was bound and imprisoned behind the sons of Israel that he might not accuse them. 16. And on the nineteenth we let them loose that they might help the Egyptians and pursue the sons of Israel. 17. And he hardened their hearts and made them stubborn, and the device was devised by YHWH our Elohim that He might smite the Egyptians and cast them into the sea. 18. And on the fourteenth we bound him that he might not accuse the sons of Israel on the day when they asked the Egyptians for vessels and garments, vessels of silver, and vessels of gold, and vessels of bronze, in order to despoil the Egyptians in return for the bondage in which they had forced them to serve. 19. And we did not lead forth the sons of Israel from Egypt empty handed.
5. 14:10 When Pharaoh came near, the sons of Israel lifted up their eyes, and behold, the Egyptians were marching after them; and they were very afraid. The sons of Israel cried out to YHWH. 11 They said to Moses, “Because there were no graves in Egypt, have you taken us away to die in the wilderness? Why have you treated us this way, to bring us out of Egypt? 12 Isn’t this the word that we spoke to you in Egypt, saying, ‘Leave us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians?’ For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness.” 13 Moses said to the people, “Don’t be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of [Elohim],^(LXX) which he will work for you today; for you will never again see the Egyptians whom you have seen today. 14 YHWH will fight for you, and you shall be still.”
   1. Targum Pseudo-Jonathan, Exodus 14 Four parties were made (among) the sons of Israel on the shore of the Weedy Sea: one said, Let us go down into the sea; another said, Let us return into Mizraim; another said Let us set against them the line of battle; and another said Let us raise a cry against them, and confound them. Unto the company which said, Let us go down to the sea, spake Mosheh, Fear not, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which will be wrought for you today. To the company which said, Let us return into Mizraim Mosheh said, You will not return; for, though you see the Mizraee today, you will see them no more for ever. To the company who said, Let us set against them the line of battle, said Mosheh, Contend not; for the victory will be wrought among you from the presence of the Lord. And to the company who said. Let us raise a cry against them, Mosheh said, Be silent; and give the glory, and praise, and exaltation to your God.
   2. Targum [JERUSALEM. 13. Four companies made the sons of Israel, standing by the Weedy Sea. One said, Let us fall upon the sea; another said, Let us return to Mizraim; another said, Let us array battle against them; and another said, Let us shout against them to confuse them. To that company who said, Let us fall upon the sea, Mosheh said, Fear not; stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord which will be wrought for you this day. To the company who said, We will return unto Mizraim, Mosheh said, Fear not; for as you have seen the Mizraee today, you will see them no more in bondage for ever. To the company who said, We will array battle against them, Mosheh said, Fear not; the Lord, in the glory of His Shekinah, will work the victory for your hosts. To the company who had said, Let us shout against them to confound them, Mosheh said, Fear not; stand and be silent; and give the glory, and praise, and exaltation unto Eloha. 15. And the Word of the Lord said to Mosheh, How long standest thou praying before Me ? Heard before Me are thy prayers; but the prayers of My people have preceded thine. Speak to the sons of Israel that they go forward; and thou, lift, up thy rod and stretch forth thy hand.]
6. 14:15 YHWH said to Moses, “Why do you cry to me? Speak to the sons of Israel, that they go forward. 16 Lift up your rod, and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it. Then the sons of Israel shall go into the middle of the sea on dry ground. 17 Behold, I myself will strengthen the hearts of the Egyptians, and they will go in after them. I will get myself honor over Pharaoh, and over all his armies, over his chariots, and over his horsemen. 18 The Egyptians shall know that I am YHWH when I have gotten myself honor over Pharaoh, over his chariots, and over his horsemen.”
7. 14:19 The angel of Elohim, who went before the camp of Israel, moved and went behind them; and the pillar of cloud moved from before them, and stood behind them. 20 It came between the camp of Egypt and the camp of Israel. There was the cloud and the darkness, yet it gave light by night. One didn’t come near the other all night.
8. 14:21 Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and YHWH caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided.
   1. The Book of Enoch 76:1-13 describes the twelve portals of the winds that proceed from the quarters of the heavens and their purpose as taught to Methuselah who was the son of Enoch (cf. Genesis 5:21), the father of Lamech, and the grandfather of Noaḥ and the oldest person who ever lived at 969 years old (cf. Genesis 5:27). Enoch 76:1 “And at the ends of the land I saw twelve portals open to all the quarters (of the heavens), from which the winds go forth and blow over the land. 2. Three of them are open on the face (i.e. the east) of the heavens, and three in the west, and three on the right (i.e. the south) of the heavens, and three on the left (i.e. the north)… 4. Through four of these come winds of blessing and prosperity, and from those eight come hurtful winds: when they are sent, they bring destruction on all the land and on the water upon it, and on all who dwell thereon, and on everything which is in the water and on the land…13. And the twelve portals of the four quarters of the heavens are therewith completed, and all their laws and all their plagues and all their benefactions have I shown to thee, my son Methuselah.”
      1. The East Winds (cf. Exodus 10:13; Job 38:24; Psalm 48:7; Hosea 13:15; Jonah 4:8)
   2. Enoch 76:5-6 And the first wind from those portals, called the east wind, comes forth through the first portal which is in the east, inclining towards the south: from it come forth desolation, drought, heat, and destruction. 6. And through the second portal in the middle comes what is fitting, and from it there come rain and fruitfulness and prosperity and dew; and through the third portal which lies toward the north come cold and drought.
9. 14:22 The sons of Israel went into the middle of the sea on the dry ground; and the waters were a wall to them on their right hand and on their left. 23 The Egyptians pursued, and went in after them into the middle of the sea: all of Pharaoh’s horses, his chariots, and his horsemen.
   1. Targum Pseudo-Jonathan, Exodus 14 And Mosheh stretched out his hand over the sea, with the great and glorious rod which was created at the beginning, and on which were engraven and set forth the Great and Glorious Name, and the ten signs which had smitten the Mizraee, and the three fathers of the world, and the six mothers, and the twelve tribes of Jakob: and straightway the Lord brought a vehement east wind upon the sea all night, and made the sea dry; and divided the waters into twelve divisions according to the twelve tribes of Jacob. [JERUSALEM. 20. And the cloud was half light and half darkness: light, it enlightened upon Israel; and darkness, it darkened upon Mizraim. And those came not against these, to set battle in order, all the night. 21. And he stretched forth.] And the sons of Israel went through the midst of the sea upon the ground, and the waters were congealed like a wall, three hundred miles on their right hand and on their left.
10. 14:24 In the morning watch, YHWH looked out on the Egyptian army through the pillar of fire and of cloud, and confused the Egyptian army. 25 He [bound]^(LXX)(SP) their chariot wheels, and they drove them heavily; so that the Egyptians said, “Let’s flee from the face of Israel, for YHWH fights for them against the Egyptians!”
    1. Targum Pseudo-Jonathan, Exodus 14 And the Mizraee followed and went in after them, all the horses of Pharaoh, and his chariots and horsemen, into the midst of the sea. And it was that in the morning watch, at the time that the powers on high come to offer praise, the Lord looked forth with anger upon the hosts of the Mizraee from the column of fire, to hurl upon them flakes of fire and hail, and from the column of cloud, and confounded the host of the Mizraee and He brake (or, made rough) the wheels of Pharaoh’s carriages, so that they drave them with hardship, and that they went on and left them behind. And the Mizraee said one to another, Let us flee from the people of the house of Israel; for this is the Word of the Lord who fought for them in Mizraim.
    2. Targum [JERUSALEM. 24. And it was in the time of the morning that the Word of the Lord looked upon the host of the Mizraee, and hurled upon them bitumen (naphtha), and fire, and stones of hail, and conturbed the host of the Mizraee. And he unloosed the wheels of their carriages, so that they went, dragging them after them: the mules, going after their way before the wheels, were turned, so as that the wheels went before the mules, and they were cast into the sea. The Mizraee answered and said on to another, Let us flee from before the people of the sons of Israel; for this is the Word of the Lord who worketh victory for them in their battles; so that they set the back against Mizraim.
11. 14:26 YHWH said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the sea, that the waters may return on the Egyptians, on their chariots, and on their horsemen.” 27 Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to its strength when the morning appeared; and the Egyptians fled against it. YHWH overthrew the Egyptians in the middle of the sea. 28 The waters returned, and covered the chariots and the horsemen, even all Pharaoh’s army that went in after them into the sea. There remained not so much as one of them. 29 But the sons of Israel walked on dry ground in the middle of the sea, and the waters were a wall to them on their right hand and on their left. 30 Thus YHWH saved Israel that day out of the hand of the Egyptians; and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore. 31 Israel saw the great work which [Elohim]^(LXX) did to the Egyptians, and the people feared YHWH; and they believed in YHWH and in his servant Moses.
    1. Targum Pseudo-Jonathan, Exodus 14 And Israel saw the power of the mighty hand by which the Lord had wrought the miracles in Mizraim; and the people feared before the Lord, and believed in the Name of the Word of the Lord, and in the prophecies of Mosheh His servant.
    2. 1 Corinthians 10:1-5 Now I would not have you ignorant, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; 2 and were all immersed into Moses in the cloud and in the sea; 3 and all ate the same spiritual food; 4 and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of a spiritual rock that followed them, and the rock was Messiah. 5 However with most of them, Elohim was not well pleased, for they were overthrown in the wilderness.
    3. Wisdom of Solomon 10:15-21; Wisdom of Solomon 19:1-10
       The Wisdom of Solomon or Book of Wisdom is a Jewish work, written in Greek, and most likely composed in Alexandria, Egypt. Generally dated to the mid first century B.C. It is uncertain whether the book has a single author or comes from a school of writers, but recent scholarship has favored regarding it as a unified work. Fragments of the Wisdom of Solomon were found among the Dead Sea Scrolls in the first discovered and excavated cave at Qumran in 1949.
       1. Wisdom 10:15-21 Wisdom delivered a holy people and a blameless seed from a nation of oppressors. 16 She entered into the soul of a servant of the Lord, and withstood terrible kings in wonders and signs. 17 She rendered to holy men a reward of their toils. She guided them along a marvelous way, and became to them a covering in the day-time, and a starry flame through the night. 18 She brought them over the Sea of Reeds, and led them through much water; 19 but she drowned their enemies, and she cast them up from the bottom of the deep. 20 Therefore the righteous plundered the impious, and they sang praise to your holy name, O Lord, and extolled with one accord your hand that fought for them, 21 because wisdom opened the mouth of the mute, and made the tongues of babes to speak clearly.
       2. Wisdom 19:1-10 But indignation without mercy came upon the impious to the end; for Elohim also foreknew their future, 2 how, having changed their minds to let your people go, and having sped them eagerly on their way, they would change their minds and pursue them. 3 For while they were yet in the midst of their mourning, and lamenting at the graves of the dead, they made another foolish decision, and pursued as fugitives those whom they had begged to leave and driven out. 4 For the doom which they deserved was drawing them to this end, and it made them forget the things that had happened to them, that they might fill up the punishment which was yet lacking from their torments, 5 and that your people might journey on by a marvelous road, but they themselves might find a strange death. 6 For the whole creation, each part in its diverse kind, was made new again, complying with your commandments, that your servants might be kept unharmed. 7 Then the cloud that overshadowed the camp was seen, and dry land rising up out of what had been water, out of the Sea of Reeds an unhindered highway, and a grassy plain out of the violent surge, 8 by which they passed over with all their army, these who were covered with your hand, having seen strange marvels. 9 For like horses they roamed at large, and they skipped about like lambs, praising you, O Lord, who was their deliverer. 10 For they still remembered the things that happened in the time of their sojourning, how instead of bearing cattle, the land brought forth lice, and instead of fish, the river spewed out a multitude of frogs.
          1. Highway = מְסִלָּה mesilah (H4546) from the Hebrew root which means “to lift” and is a highway, raised way, or public road.
    4. 1 Maccabees 4:5-11 Gorgias came into the camp of Judas by night and found no man. He sought them in the mountains; for he said, “These men are running away from us.” 6 As soon as it was day, Judas appeared in the plain with three thousand men. However they didn’t have the armor and swords they desired. 7 They saw the camp of the Nations strong and fortified, with cavalry all around it; and these were expert in war. 8 Judas said to the men who were with him, “Don’t be afraid of their multitude, or when they charge. 9 Remember how our fathers were saved in the Sea of Reeds, when Pharaoh pursued them with an army. 10 Now let’s cry to the heavens, if he will have us, and will remember the covenant of our fathers, and destroy this army before our face today. 11 Then all the Nations will know that there is one who redeems and saves Israel.
    5. Josephus Antiquities 2.16.2 …When Moses had thus addressed himself to Elohim, he smote the sea with his rod, which parted asunder at the plague, and receiving those waters into itself, left the ground dry, as a road and a place of flight the Hebrews. Now when Moses saw this appearance of Elohim, and that the sea went out of its own place, and left dry land, he went first of all into it, and bid the Hebrews to follow him along that divine road, and to rejoice at the danger their enemies that followed them were in; and gave thanks to Elohim for this so surprising a deliverance which appeared from him.
    6. Isaiah 11:1-16 A shoot will come out of the stock of Jesse, and a branch out of his roots will bear fruit. 2 The spirit of YHWH will rest on him: the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of YHWH. 3 His delight will be in the fear of YHWH. He will not judge by the sight of his eyes, neither decide by the hearing of his ears; 4 but he will judge the poor with righteousness, and decide with equity for the humble of the land. He will strike the land with the rod of his mouth; and with the breath of his lips he will kill the wicked. 5 Righteousness will be the belt around his waist, and faithfulness the belt around his waist. 6 The wolf will live with the lamb, and the leopard will lie down with the young goat, the calf, the young lion, and the fattened calf together; and a little child will lead them. 7 The cow and the bear will graze. Their young ones will lie down together. The lion will eat straw like the ox. 8 The nursing child will play near a cobra’s hole, and the weaned child will put his hand on the viper’s den. 9 They will not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain; for the land will be full of the knowledge of YHWH, as the waters cover the sea. 10 It will happen in that day that the nations will seek the root of Jesse, who stands as a banner of the peoples; and his resting place will be glorious. 11 It will happen in that day that the Lord will set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant that is left of his people from Assyria, from Egypt, from Pathros, from Cush, from Elam, from Shinar, from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea. 12 He will set up a banner for the nations, and will assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the land. 13 The envy also of Ephraim will depart, and those who persecute Judah will be cut off. Ephraim won’t envy Judah, and Judah won’t persecute Ephraim. 14 They will fly down on the shoulders of the Philistines on the west. Together they will plunder the sons of the east. They will extend their power over Edom and Moab, and the sons of Ammon will obey them. 15 YHWH will utterly destroy the tongue of the Egyptian sea; and with his scorching wind he will wave his hand over the River, and will split it into seven streams, and cause men to march over in sandals. 16 There will be a highway for the remnant that is left of his people from Assyria, like there was for Israel in the day that he came up out of the land of Egypt.
       1. Highway = מְסִלָּה mesilah (H4546) from the Hebrew root which means “to lift” and is a highway, raised way, or public road.
    7. Isaiah 35:1-10 The wilderness and the dry land will be glad. The desert will rejoice and blossom like a rose. 2 It will blossom abundantly, and rejoice even with joy and singing. Lebanon’s glory will be given to it, the excellence of Carmel and Sharon. They will see YHWH’s glory, the excellence of our Elohim. 3 Strengthen the weak hands, and make the feeble knees firm. 4 Tell those who have a fearful heart, “Be strong! Don’t be afraid! Behold, your Elohim will come with vengeance, the retribution of Elohim. He will come and save you. 5 Then the eyes of the blind will be opened, and the ears of the deaf will be unstopped. 6 Then the lame man will leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute will sing; for waters will break out in the wilderness, and streams in the desert. 7 The burning sand will become a pool, and the thirsty ground springs of water. Grass with reeds and rushes will be in the habitation of jackals, where they lay. 8 A highway will be there, a road, and it will be called “The Holy Way”. The unclean shall not pass over it, but it will be for those who walk in the Way. Wicked fools shall not go there. 9 No lion will be there, nor will any ravenous animal go up on it. They will not be found there; but the redeemed will walk there. 10 Then YHWH’s ransomed ones will return, and come with singing to Zion; and everlasting joy will be on their heads. They will obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing will flee away.”

Apostolic Summary
Context and coherence (Nehemiah 8:8)

1. Chapter 10 of the Matthew’s gospel describes the commissioning of the twelve disciples.

   1. “Yeshua summoned His twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every kind of disease and every kind of sickness” (Mat. 10:1).

      1. Commission (n.) – from Latin, com- “with, together” + –mittere “to release, let go; send, throw” (see “mission”).

         1. mid-14c., “authority entrusted to someone, delegated authority or power.”

   2. If Matthew 28 gives us the “great” commission, this chapter might be called the “First Commissioning.”

      1. We could also say that this is the tactical commission and chapter 28 is the strategic commission.

2. Today we’re going to look in more detail at the tactics that Yeshua conveyed to His disciples.

   1. “How do you turn fishermen into missionaries?”

      1. The Master is teaching them what they need to know.

         1. This includes practical information but also wisdom that will produce in them courage, resolve, and perseverance amidst suffering and persecution.

   2. As always, this study should be more than a nice talk about some Bible verses.

      1. It should also inform us of our commission.

         1. What do you and I need to be commissioned – i.e. entrusted with Messiah’s authority and sent out to fulfill His mission in our generation?

Apostolic Summary
Counsel, comfort, and encouragement (Acts 13:14-15)

1. First, let’s discuss tactics.

   1. Who does Yeshua commission?

      1. “Now the names of the twelve apostles are these: the first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; and James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, the one who betrayed Him” (vs. 2-4).

   2. What does He ask them to do and how are they to do it?

      1. ““And as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. Freely you received, freely give” (Mat. 10:7-8).

         1. Their mission was straightforward.

            1. Announce the message that Elohim’s kingdom has arrived and bear witness that it is the truth through signs and wonders.

KEY POINT:

The foundation and underpinning of commission is authority.

2. The kingdom (#932) of God is the reign of God – e.g. the establishment of His rule and authority.

   1. G932. basileia – “rule; realm”.

      1. Strong’s Greek 932, βασιλεία, speaks primarily of “kingdom” in the sense of active rule or reign rather than territory alone.

   2. Yeshua clearly declares that signs and wonders will characterize the coming of the kingdom, but how are they connected?

3. Miracles do not define the kingdom of God; rather, they are external indicators of a change of legal framework within the spiritual realm.

   1. Each of the synoptic Gospels display the First Commissioning as demonic or evil spirits surrendering to a higher authority.

      1. “And he appointed twelve (whom he also named apostles) so that they might be with him and he might send them out to preach and have authority to cast out demons” (Mar. 3:14).

      2. “And he called the twelve and began to send them out two by two and gave them authority over the unclean spirits” (Mar. 6:7).

      3. “And he called the twelve together and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases” (Luk. 9:1).

   2. Remember the excitement of the apostles when they return from their mission?

      1. “Now the seventy-two returned with joy, saying, ‘Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name!’” (Luk. 10:17).

4. Why is this so important?

   1. Once the question of authority is established, everything else becomes secondary.

      1. All the tips, tricks and tactics don’t amount to a hill of beans if you don’t have authority.

         1. Most of the time we forget this key principle because we operate in the natural world where what we can accomplish depends on how quick, clever or creative we are.

         2. We translate this same mindset into serving God, not realizing that it’s our authority in Messiah – not our gifts and talents — that equips us for our mission.

5. The hallmark of the First (and, the Great) Commission is the expulsion of demons because it demonstrates an authority (i.e. commission) that can only come from YHWH.

   1. “Then a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute was brought to Jesus, and He healed him, so that the mute man spoke and saw. All the crowds were amazed, and were saying, ‘This man cannot be the Son of David, can he?’ But when the Pharisees heard this, they said, ‘This man casts out (#1544) demons only by Beelzebul the ruler of the demons’” (Mat. 12:22-24).

      1. Note that the people and the Pharisees both understood what was going on.

         1. #1 – The lack of sight and hearing was due to demonic possession.

         2. #2 – Only someone with divine authority could cast out demons.

            1. G1544. ekballo – “to eject”.

               1. Strong’s Greek 1544 portrays a forceful removal or an authoritative sending which consistently highlights decisive action that reveals divine sovereignty.

   2. The Pharisees also knew that this is one miracle that provides incontrovertible evidence of Yeshua’s authority.

      1. Across the ancient Near Eastern world—including ancient Judaism—knowing the name of a spiritual being was believed to grant authority over it.

         1. “Adjuration” is something that Yeshua demonstrated, as well.

            1.  “They came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gerasenes. And when Jesus had stepped out of the boat, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit. And crying out with a loud voice, he said, ‘What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God, do not torment me.’ For he was saying to him, ‘Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!’ And Jesus asked him, ‘What is your name?’ He replied, ‘My name is Legion, for we are many’” (Mar. 5:1,7-9).

         2. Because the man in Matthew 12 couldn’t see or hear, the exorcist had no way to gain authority over the demon by learning its name.

   3. “And knowing their thoughts Jesus said to them, ‘Any kingdom (#932) divided against itself is laid waste; and any city or house divided against itself will not stand. If Satan casts out (#1544) Satan, he is divided against himself; how then will his kingdom (#932) stand? If I by Beelzebul cast out (#1544) demons, by whom do your sons cast them out (#1544)? For this reason, they will be your judges. But if I cast out the demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom (#932) of God has come upon you” (Mat. 12:25-28).

KEY POINT:

The question of authority has been settled. Messiah is reigning and His kingdom has no end.

6. While authority is the foundation, it does not equate to superiority.

   1. This principle is very difficult to understand and accept in our natural minds.

      1. Because authority exists within hierarchy, we make value judgments of superior and inferior based on status and position.

         1. Superior(adj.) — from Latin superiorem “higher,” comparative of superus “situated above, upper,” from super “above, over”.

         2. Inferior(adj.) — from Latin inferior “lower, farther down,” comparative of inferus (adj.) “that is below or beneath”.

   2. Value judgments about status and position were even more pronounced in the disciples.

      1. In the 1^st century, society was much more hierarchical than ours is today.

         1. “Roman inequality was extreme by modern standards. A tiny elite—senators, equestrians, and wealthy municipal notables—controlled a disproportionate share of land, political power, and economic output, while most free Romans survived near subsistence” (Copilot).

7. Being one of the chosen twelve of the Rabbi from Nazareth vaulted the disciples into a place of status that would have been very unfamiliar to them.

   1. “An argument started among them as to which of them might be the greatest. But Yeshua, knowing what they were thinking in their heart, took a child and stood him by His side, and said to them, ‘Whoever receives this child in My name receives Me, and whoever receives Me receives Him who sent Me; for the one who is least among all of you, this is the one who is great’ (Luk. 9:46-48).

      1. Because of His disciples’ immaturity and pride, Yeshua had to teach them that position and status in God’s kingdom is measured differently than in the world.

   2. “John answered and said, ‘Master, we saw someone casting out demons in Your name; and we tried to prevent him because he does not follow along with us.’ But Jesus said to him, ‘Do not hinder him; for he who is not against you is for you”” (Luk. 9:49-50).

      1. Here we see that John felt threatened by anything that could challenge or undermine their authority.

   3. “When the days were approaching for His ascension, He was determined to go to Jerusalem; and He sent messengers on ahead of Him, and they went and entered a village of the Samaritans to make arrangements for Him. But they did not receive Him, because He was traveling toward Jerusalem. When His disciples James and John saw this, they said, ‘Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them?’ But He turned and rebuked them, and said, ‘You do not know what kind of spirit you are of; for the Son of Man did not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them.’ And they went on to another village” (Luk. 9:51-56).

8. There are several important principles of application that we can pull from these passages in Luke 9.

   1. #1 – Under God’s rule and reign, there is only One who is great; relative to Him, the rest of us are least (#3398).

      1. G3398. mikros – “small”.

         1. Strong’s Greek 3398 carries the ideas of size (“small”), rank (“least”), and time (“short while”).

      2. We should not view inferiority in terms of worth and value but in terms of rank.

         1. Any desire for superiority is a direct challenge to the Most High God to whom belongs all authority.

            1. “You do not know what kind of spirit you are of.”

      3. Children are small, dependent and innately aware that the adults have all the authority.

   2. #2 – “[H]e who is not against you is for you.”

      1. I believe Yeshua is teaching a key principle about God’s kingdom.

         1. The only person that God considers an adversary is one who actively defies His authority.

            1. Because demons operate with Satan’s authority, only God’s authority can cast them out.

               1. “‘Any kingdom divided against itself is laid waste; and any city or house divided against itself will not stand. If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself; how then will his kingdom stand?’” (Mat. 12:25-26).

      2. Co-operation is any work directed to the same end or outcome.

         1. John’s mistake was that he made an adversary out of someone simply because “he does not follow along with us” (Luk. 9:50).

      3. We would do well to examine our own hearts in this area.

         1. How much do we hinder the advancement of God’s kingdom by defaulting to an adversarial relationship instead of a cooperative one?

   3. #3 – A prideful heart will always bear the fruit of anger in response to any defiance of “our” authority.

      1. “Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them?”

         1. Because they were provoked by their own pride, the sons of thunder were actually operating in the spirit of Satan, not Elohim.

            1. When we realize that we have absolutely no authority apart from that which Messiah delegates to us, it removes the ability to become offended by those who don’t respect “our” authority or who treat us as inferior.

9. Now, let’s take these principles and look again at the week’s Apostolic portion.

   1. “A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a slave above his master. It is enough for the disciple that he become like his teacher, and the slave like his master. If they have called the head of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign the members of his household!” (Mat. 10:24-25).

      1. Even though we are vastly inferior to Yeshua, He willingly took lowest place of scorn, suffering, and rejection on our behalf.

   2. “’Therefore, do not fear them, for there is nothing concealed that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. What I tell you in the darkness, speak in the light; and what you hear whispered in your ear, proclaim upon the housetops. Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in Gehenna. Are not two sparrows sold for a cent? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So do not fear; you are more valuable than many sparrows’” (Mat. 10:26-31).

      1. Yeshua tells His disciples not to fear their enemies. Why?

         1. First, they have been given His authority.

            1. Fear is the surrendering of power to another person or thing by bringing yourself under them/it.

               1. Fear is an act of submission – i.e. the taking of a lower rank.

                  1. In God’s kingdom, this act is forbidden unless it occurs within His designated order and hierarchy.

                     1. This would include wives to their husbands (Eph.5:22), slaves to their masters (Col. 3:22), and us to government (1 Pet. 2:13).

         2. Second, the disciples have the truth.

            1. Truth is the greatest weapon.

               1. It cannot be defeated, concealed, or rendered inoperative.

                  1. “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness hasn’t overcome it” (John 1:5).

            2. The sword of truth is the only offensive weapon of the disciple.

               1. “Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. And take THE HELMET OF SALVATION, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (Eph. 6:11,17).

            3. As with the disciples, our commission is to proclaim the truth and trust God to empower and make it effectual.

               1. “For the word of God is living, and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing even to the dividing of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and quick to discern the thoughts and intents of the heart” (Heb. 4:12).

10. The power of darkness is rooted in a single lie:

    1. “If you fear God and obey Him, it will not go well for you, and you will suffer.”

       1. This lie causes us to (mis)place our trust in something or someone other than God.

          1. Because we believe that God cannot or will not protect and provide for us, we try and hold on to something that will.

       2. Our faith soon becomes mere mental assent to the truth about God, rather than a firm and unshakeable conviction in who He is and what it means for Him to keep us in His covenant through Messiah.

          1. “Who is among you who fears the Lord, who obeys the voice of His servant, who walks in darkness and has no light? Let him trust in the name of the Lord and rely on his God” (Isa. 50:10).

11. Yeshua knows that His disciples will face danger and experience suffering, which is why He prepares them by naming the fears that might threaten to overcome them.

    1. “Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Whoever does not receive you… shake the dust off your feet. [Men] will hand you over to the courts and scourge you in their synagogues. But when they hand you over, do not worry about how or what you are to say. You will be hated by all because of My name. Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell” (Mat. 10:14,16,17,19, 22).

       1. Seeing into the hearts of His little children, Yeshua speaks directly to what they fear.

          1. Rejection, legal punishment, torture, and death.

       2. By showing them that He already knows they fear these things, Yeshua demonstrates His compassion, omniscience and confidence in their success.

    2. In psychology, this would probably be called Decatastrophizing.

       1. “Decatastrophizing is a cognitive restructuring tool used in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). It helps people confront fear by intentionally imagining the worst‑case scenario and then examining how likely it actually is, what would realistically happen, and how they could cope if it did happen. This reduces the emotional power of the fear because the “unknown” becomes a fully examined—and usually manageable—scenario” (Copilot).

KEY POINT:

Fear loses its power in the light of truth.

12. So, how do we apply these truths to our lives?

    1. The Father has also commissioned us to advance His rule and reign through the authority and truth given to His Son.

       1. “And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, ‘All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Mat. 28:18-20).

    2. #1 – Seek the Lord to understand your role and function in His mission.

       1. Any military mission has countless individual soldiers serving a common purpose, each with their own rank and responsibilities.

          1. The typical “Tooth to Tail” ratio – that is the number of support soldiers (“tail”) for every combat soldier (“tooth”) is between five and ten.

             1. This would include logistics, technology, communications, medical, intelligence, and contractor support.

       2. The Body of Messiah is designed to function in the same way, with rank and duties based on God’s ordained order within His Word.

          1. This would include ascending units of organization — i.e. marriages, families, communities, and networks of churches.

          2. It also includes the various ranks and functions within each unit – i.e. husbands/wives, parents/children, elders/laity, chairman and presidents, etc.

       3. The enemy’s chief strategy aim is to sow confusion and disorder within the Body of Messiah around rank and duties especially through feminism.

          1. We need to restore the truth and glory how men and women are created differently with different ranks and functions.

    3. #2 – Pursue maturity in Messiah so that you can effectively wield His authority and truth.

       1. In the military, higher ranks have more authority that has been granted through a process of promotion.

          1. Promotion comes as a result of character, experience, training, and performance.

       2. The principles of promotion in the secular world reflect God’s rule and reign.

          1. If we hope to find our place in God’s mission, we need to order our lives within His established path to promotion.

Does anyone have specific questions or need any clarification from what was said during the Summary or Exhortation?

Application & Discussion
Living the Word and following Yeshua (Acts 2:37; Romans 2:13)
Questions, input, and sharpening (Proverbs 27:17; Luke 2:46)

Romans 2:13 For it isn’t the hearers of the Torah who are righteous before Elohim, but the doers of the Torah will be justified.

James 1:22 But be doers of the word, and not only hearers, deluding your own selves.

1. 1. What questions or comments came up during your family’s discussion of this week’s study?
   2. “What other related Scriptures did you find during your study of this week’s portion?”
   3. Have you ever experienced something from this study or something related to it?
   4. “What changes do you need to make in your life to align with what you learned during this week’s Torah Study?”
   5.  What does it mean to be commissioned?
   6. How are men and women created for different ranks and functions?
   7. How do we identify and overcome our fears?

Additional Notes