• Torah (T): Bemidbar (Numbers) 15:1-41
• Prophets (P): Isaiah 56:1-8
• Apostolic (A): Luke 8:40-48
• Additional (ADD): Wisdom of Solomon 12:1-27

RELATED SCRIPTURES

• Exodus 12:48-49; Numbers 9:14 (T)
• Leviticus 4:1-14, 27-35 (T)
• Matthew 12:22-37 (T)
• Hebrews 6:1-20 (T)
• 2 Peter 2:1-20 (T)
• Hebrews 10:1-29 (T)
• Matthew 18:15-20 (T)
• 1 John 5:16-21 (T)
• Exodus 16:21-24 (T)
• Exodus 35:1-3 (T)
• Nehemiah 13:14-21 (T)
• Luke 23:54-56 (T)
• Leviticus 24:10-16 (T)
• Psalms 119:118 (T)
• Proverbs 19:27 (T)
• Deuteronomy 22:12 (T)
• Zechariah 8:20-23 (T)
• Malachi 4:1-6 (T)
• Matthew 9:20-22; Matthew 14:34-36; Mark 6:53-56; Luke 8:40-48 (T)
• Matthew 23:1-12 (T)
• Matthew 21:12-13; Mark 11:15-17; Luke 19:45-46 (P)

RELATED ADDITIONAL REA.D.INGS

• Numbers 15:1-41 from the Jerusalem Targum aka Targum Pseudo-Jonathan (T)
• Antiquities of the Jews by Flavius Josephus 4.2.1. (T)

Note: (T) means the verse relates to that week’s Torah portion. (P) means the verse relates to that week’s Prophets portion. (A) means the verse relates to that week’s Apostolic portion. (ADD) means the verse relates to that week’s Additional portion.

Torah Portion (T)

15:1 YHWH spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Speak to the sons of Israel, and tell them, ‘When you have come into the land of your habitations, which I give to you, 3 and will do an offering by fire to YHWH—a burnt offering, or a slaughter, to perform a vow, or as a freewill offering, or in your appointed times, to do a pleasant aroma to YHWH, of the herd, or of the flock— 4 then he who brings his offering will bring to YHWH a grain offering of one tenth of an ephah of fine flour mixed with one fourth of a hin of oil. 5 You will do wine for the libation offering, one fourth of a hin, with the burnt offering or for the slaughter, for each lamb. 6 For a ram, you will prepare for a grain offering two tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with the third part of a hin of oil; 7 and for the libation offering you will bring the third part of a hin of wine, of a pleasant aroma to YHWH. 8 When you prepare a bull for a burnt offering or for a slaughter, to perform a vow, or for peace offerings to YHWH, 9 then he will bring with the bull a grain offering of three tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with half a hin of oil; 10 and you will bring for the libation offering half a hin of wine, for an offering made by fire, of a pleasant aroma to YHWH. 11 Thus it will be done for each bull, for each ram, for each of the male lambs, or of the young goats. 12 According to the number that you will prepare, so you will do to everyone according to their number. 13 All who are native will do these things in this way, in bringing an offering made by fire, of a pleasant aroma to YHWH. 14 If a sojourner sojourns with you, or whoever may be among you throughout your generations, and will do an offering made by fire, of a pleasant aroma to YHWH, as you do, so he will do. 15 For the assembly, there will be one statute for you and for the sojourner who sojourns with you, a statute forever throughout your generations. As you are, so the foreigner will be before YHWH. 16 One Torah and one judgment will be for you and for the sojourner who sojourns with you.’ ” 17 YHWH spoke to Moses, saying, 18 “Speak to the sons of Israel, and tell them, ‘When you come into the land where I bring you, 19 then it will be that when you eat of the bread of the land, you will rise up a wave offering to YHWH. 20 Of the beginning of your dough you will rise up a cake for a wave offering. As the wave offering of the floor, so you will heave it. 21 Of the beginning of your dough, you will give to YHWH a wave offering throughout your generations. 22 When you stray, and don’t do all these commandments which YHWH has spoken to Moses— 23 even all that YHWH has commanded you by Moses, from the day that YHWH gave commandment and onward throughout your generations— 24 then it will be, if it was done to error [unintentionally],^(LXX) from the eye of the congregation, that all the congregation will do one young bull for a burnt offering, for a pleasant aroma to YHWH, with its grain offering and its libation offering, according to the judgment, and one male goat for a sin offering. 25 The priest will make atonement for all the congregation of the sons of Israel, and they will be forgiven; for it was an error, and they have brought their offering, an offering made by fire to YHWH, and their sin offering before YHWH, for their error. 26 All the congregation of the sons of Israel will be forgiven, as well as the sojourner who sojourns among them; for with regard to all the people, it was done in error. 27 If a person sins in error [unintentionally],^(LXX) then he will do a female goat, a daughter of her year, for a sin offering. 28 The priest will make atonement for the soul who errs when he sins in error [unintentionally]^(LXX) before YHWH. He will make atonement for him; and he will be forgiven. 29 You will have one Torah for him who does anything in error [unintentionally],^(LXX) for him who is native among the sons of Israel, and for the sojourner who sojourns among them. 30 But the soul who does anything with a high hand, whether he is native or a sojourner, he taunts [Elohim].^(LXX) That soul will be cut off from among her people. 31 Because he has devalued the word of YHWH, and has broken his commandment, that soul will be utterly cut off. Her iniquity will be on her.’ ” 32 While the sons of Israel were in the wilderness, they found a man gathering wood on the Sabbath day. 33 Those who found him gathering wood brought him to Moses and Aaron, and to all the congregation. 34 They put him in custody, because it had not been declared what should be done to him. 35 YHWH said to Moses, “The man will surely be put to death. All the congregation will stone him with stones outside of the camp.” 36 All the congregation brought him outside of the camp, and stoned him to death with stones, as YHWH commanded Moses. 37 YHWH spoke to Moses, saying, 38 “Speak to the sons of Israel, and tell them that they should make themselves fringes on the wings of their garments throughout their generations, and that they put on the fringe of the wing a cord of blue. 39 It will be to you for a fringe, that you may see it, and remember all the commandments of YHWH, and do them; and that you don’t follow your own heart and your own eyes, after which you used to whore; 40 so that you may remember and do all my commandments, and be holy to your Elohim. 41 I am YHWH your Elohim, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, to be your Elohim: I am YHWH your Elohim.”

Prophets Portion (P)

56:1 YHWH says: “Maintain justice and do what is right, for my salvation is near and my righteousness will soon be revealed. 2 Blessed is the man who does this, and the son of man who holds it fast; who guards the Sabbath without profaning it and guards his hand from doing any evil.” 3 Let no son of the foreigner who has joined himself to YHWH speak, saying, “YHWH will surely separate me from his people.” Do not let the eunuch say, “Behold, I am a dry tree.” 4 For YHWH says, “To the eunuchs who guard my Sabbaths, choose the things that please me, and hold fast to my covenant, 5 I will give them in my house and within my walls a memorial and a name better than of sons and of daughters. I will give [them]^(DSS)(LXX) an everlasting name that will not be cut off. 6 Also the sons of the foreigner who join themselves to YHWH to serve him, and to love the name of YHWH, to be his servants, everyone who guards the Sabbath from profaning it, and holds fast my covenant, 7 I will bring these to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and their slaughters will [go up and]^(DSS)(mss) be accepted on my altar; for my house will be called a house of prayer for all peoples.” (cf. Matthew 21:13; Luke 19:46; Mark 11:17) 8 [YHWH],^(LXX) who gathers the outcasts of Israel, says, “I will yet gather others to him, in addition to his own who are gathered.”

Apostolic Portion (A)

8:40 When Yeshua returned, the multitude welcomed him, for they were all waiting for him. 41 Behold, a man named Jairus came. He was a ruler of the synagogue. He fell down at Yeshua’s feet and begged him to come into his house, 42 for he had an only daughter, about twelve years of age, and she was dying. But as he went, the multitudes pressed against him. 43 A woman who had a flow of blood for twelve years, who had spent all her living on physicians and could not be healed by any, 44 came behind him and touched the fringe of his garment. Immediately the flow of her blood stopped. 45 Yeshua said, “Who touched me?” When all denied it, Peter and those with him said, “Master, the multitudes press and jostle you, and you say, ‘Who touched me?’” 46 But Yeshua said, “Someone did touch me, for I perceived that power has gone out of me.” 47 When the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling; and falling down before him declared to him in the face of all the people the reason why she had touched him, and how she was healed immediately. 48 He said to her, “Daughter, cheer up. Your faith has made you well. Go in peace.”

Additional Portion (ADD)

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.

12:1 For your incorruptible spirit is in all things. 2 Therefore you convict little by little those who fall from the right way, and, putting them in remembrance by the things wherein they sin, you admonish them, that escaping from their wickedness they may believe in you, O Lord. 3 For truly the old inhabitants of your holy land, 4 hating them because they practiced detestable works of enchantments and unholy rites—5 merciless slaughters of children and sacrificial banquets of men’s flesh and of blood— 6 allies in an impious fellowship, and murderers of their own helpless babes, it was your counsel to destroy by the hands of our fathers; 7 that the land which in your sight is most precious of all might receive a worthy colony of Elohim’s children. 8 Nevertheless you even spared these as men, and you sent wasps as forerunners of your army, to cause them to perish little by little; 9 Not that you were unable to subdue the impious under the hand of the righteous in battle, or by terrible beasts or by a stern word to make away with them at once; 10 but judging them little by little you gave them a chance to repent, not being ignorant that their nature by birth was evil, their wickedness inborn, and that their manner of thought would never be changed. 11 For they were a cursed seed from the beginning. It wasn’t through fear of any that you left them unpunished for their sins. 12 For who will say, “What have you done?” Or “Who will withstand your judgment?” Who will accuse you for the perishing of nations which you caused? Or who will come and stand before you as an avenger for unrighteous men? 13 For there isn’t any Elohim beside you that cares for all, that you might show that you didn’t judge unrighteously. 14 No king or prince will be able to look you in the face for those whom you have punished. 15 But being righteous, you rule all things righteously, deeming it a thing alien from your power to condemn one who doesn’t deserve to be punished. 16 For your strength is the beginning of righteousness, and your sovereignty over all makes you to forbear all. 17 For when men don’t believe that you are perfect in power, you show your strength, and in dealing with those who think this, you confuse their boldness. 18 But you, being sovereign over strength, judge in gentleness, and with great forbearance you govern us; for the power is yours whenever you desire it. 19 But you taught your people by such works as these, how the righteous must be a lover of men. You made your sons to have good hope, because you give repentance when men have sinned. 20 For if on those who were enemies of your children and due to death you took vengeance with so great deliberation and indulgence, giving them times and opportunities when they might escape from their wickedness; 21 with how great carefulness you judged your sons, to whose fathers you gave oaths and covenants of good promises! 22 Therefore while you chasten us, you scourge our enemies ten thousand times more, to the intent that we may ponder your goodness when we judge, and when we are judged may look for mercy. 23 Wherefore also the unrighteous that lived in folly of life, you tormented through their own abominations. 24 For truly they went astray very far in the ways of error, Taking as elohim those living creatures which even among their enemies were held in dishonor, deceived like foolish babes. 25 Therefore, as to unreasoning children, you sent your judgment to mock them. 26 But those who would not be admonished by a mocking correction as of children will experience a judgment worthy of Elohim. 27 For through the sufferings they were indignant of, being punished in these creatures which they supposed to be elohim, they saw and recognized as the true Elohim him whom they refused to know. Therefore also the result of condemnation came upon them.

Related Scriptures

Exodus 12:48 When a sojourner sojourns with you, and would like to do the Pesach to YHWH, let all his males be circumcised, and then let him come near and do it. He will be as one who is born in the land; but no uncircumcised person will eat of it. 49 One Torah will be to him who is born at home, and to the sojourner who sojourns among you.

Numbers 9:14 If a stranger lives among you and desires to do the Pesach to YHWH, then he will do so according to the statute of the Pesach, and according to its statute. You will have one statute, both for the stranger and for him who is born in the land.’ ”

4:1 YHWH spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Speak to the sons of Israel, saying, When a soul will sin in error from all the commands of YHWH which will not be done, and he will do from one of them. 3 If the anointed priest sins so as to bring guilt on the people, then let him bring for his sin which he has sinned a young bull [of the herd]^(LXX), a perfect one, to YHWH for a sin offering. 4 He will [lead in]^(LXX) the bull to the door of the Appointed Tent before YHWH; and he will lay his hand on the head of the bull [before YHWH]^(LXX), and kill the bull before YHWH. 5 The anointed priest will take some of the blood of the bull, and bring it to the Appointed Tent. 6 The priest will dip his finger in the blood, and sprinkle some of the blood seven times [with his finger]^(LXX) before YHWH, before the veil of the sanctuary. 7 The priest will put some of the blood [of the bull]^(LXX) on the horns of the altar of sweet incense before YHWH, which is in the Appointed Tent; and he will pour out the rest of the blood of the bull at the base of the altar of  [offering]^(LXX), which is at the door of the Appointed Tent. 8 He will take all the fat of the bull of the sin offering from it: the fat that covers the innards, and all the fat that is on the innards, 9 and the two kidneys, and the fat that is on them, which is by the hips, and the cover on the liver, with the kidneys, he will remove, 10 as it is removed from the bull of the slaughter of peace offerings. The priest will burn them on the altar of burnt offering. 11 He will carry the bull’s skin, all its flesh, with its head, and with its legs, its innards, and its dung 12 —all the rest of the bull—outside of the camp to a clean place where the ashes are poured out, and burn it on wood with fire. It will be burned where the ashes are poured out. 13 If the congregation of Israel strays, and the thing is hidden from the eyes of the assembly, and they have done any of the things which YHWH has commanded not to be done, and are guilty; 14 when the sin in which they have sinned is known, then the assembly will bring a young bull for a sin offering, and bring [her]^(LXX) before the Appointed Tent.

4:27 And if a soul will sin from the people of the land in error, in doing one from the commands of YHWH which will not be done, then he is guilty. 28 If his sin which he has sinned is made known to him, then he will bring for his offering a goat, a female, a perfect one, for his sin which he has sinned. 29 He will lay his hand on the head of the sin offering, and kill the sin offering in the place of burnt offering. 30 The priest will take some of its blood with his finger, and put it on the horns of the altar of burnt offering; and the rest of its blood he will pour out at the base of the altar. 31 All its fat he will take away, like the fat is taken away from the slaughter of peace offerings; and the priest will burn it on the altar for a pleasant aroma to YHWH; and the priest will make atonement for him, and he will be forgiven. 32 If he brings a lamb as his offering for a sin offering, he will bring a female, a perfect one. 33 He will lay his hand on the head of the sin offering, and kill it for a sin offering in the place where they kill the burnt offering. 34 The priest will take some of the blood of the sin offering with his finger, and put it on the horns of the altar of burnt offering; and all the rest of its blood he will pour out at the base of the altar. 35 He will remove all its fat, like the fat of the lamb is removed from the slaughter of peace offerings. The priest will burn them on the altar, on the offerings of YHWH made by fire. The priest will make atonement for him concerning his sin that he has sinned, and he will be forgiven.'”

12:22 Then one possessed by a demon, blind and mute, was brought to him; and he healed him, so that the blind and mute man both spoke and saw. 23 All the multitudes were amazed, and said, “Can this be the son of David?” 24 But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, “This man does not cast out demons except by Beelzebul, the prince of the demons.” 25 Knowing their thoughts, Yeshua said to them, “Every reign divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand. 26 If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his reign stand? 27 If I by Beelzebul cast out demons, by whom do your children cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges. 28 But if I by the Spirit of Elohim cast out demons, then the reign of Elohim has come upon you. 29 Or how can one enter into the house of the strong man and plunder his goods, unless he first bind the strong man? Then he will plunder his house. 30 “He who is not with me is against me, and he who doesn’t gather with me, scatters. 31 Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men. 32 Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age, or in that which is to come. 33 “Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree corrupt and its fruit corrupt; for the tree is known by its fruit. 34 You seed of vipers, how can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks. 35 The good man out of his good treasure brings out good things, and the evil man out of his evil treasure brings out evil things. 36 I tell you that every idle word that men speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. 37 For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”

6:1 Therefore leaving the teaching of the first principles of Messiah, let’s press on to perfection—not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works, of faith toward Elohim, 2 of the teaching of immersions, of laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. 3 This will we do, if Elohim permits. 4 For concerning those who were once enlightened and tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Spirit, 5 and tasted the good, spoken word of Elohim and the powers of the age to come, 6 and then fell away, it is impossible to renew them again to repentance; seeing they crucify the Son of Elohim for themselves again, and put him to open shame. 7 For the land which has drunk the rain that comes often on it and produces a crop suitable for them for whose sake it is also tilled, receives blessing from Elohim; 8 but if it bears thorns and thistles, it is rejected and near being cursed, whose end is to be burned. 9 But, beloved, we are persuaded of better things for you, and things that accompany salvation, even though we speak like this. 10 For Elohim is not unrighteous, so as to forget your work and the labor of love which you showed toward his name, in that you served the holy ones, and still do serve them. 11 We desire that each one of you may show the same diligence to the fullness of hope even to the end, 12 that you won’t be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and perseverance inherited the promises. 13 For when Elohim made a promise to Abraham, since he could swear by no one greater, he swore by himself, 14 saying, “Surely blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply you.” 15 Thus, having patiently endured, he obtained the promise. 16 For men indeed swear by a greater one, and in every dispute of theirs the oath is final for confirmation. 17 In this way Elohim, being determined to show more abundantly to the heirs of the promise the immutability of his counsel, interposed with an oath, 18 that by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for Elohim to lie, we may have a strong encouragement, who have fled for refuge to take hold of the hope set before us. 19 This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and entering into that which is within the veil, 20 where as a forerunner Yeshua entered for us, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.

2:1 But false prophets also arose among the people, as false teachers will also be among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, denying even the Master who bought them, bringing on themselves swift destruction. 2 Many will follow their immoral ways, and as a result, the way of the truth will be maligned. 3 In covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words: whose sentence now from of old doesn’t linger, and their destruction [is not asleep]. 4 For if Elohim didn’t spare angels when they sinned, but cast them down to Tartaros, and committed them to pits of darkness to be reserved for judgment; 5 and didn’t spare the ancient world, but preserved Noaḥ with seven others, a proclaimer of righteousness, when he brought a flood on the world of the impious, 6 and turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemned them to destruction, having made them an example to those who would live in an impious way; 7 and delivered righteous Lot, being harassed by the unlawful ones in lewdness of behavior, 8 for that righteous man dwelling among them was tormented in his righteous soul from day to day with seeing and hearing lawless deeds: 9 YHWH knows how to deliver the pious out of trial and to guard the unrighteous under punishment for the day of judgment, 10 but chiefly those who walk after the flesh in the coveting of defilement and despise authority. Daring, self-willed, they are not afraid to speak evil of glories. 11 whereas angels, though greater in might and power, don’t bring a slanderous judgment against them before YHWH. 12 But these, as unreasoning creatures, born natural animals to be taken and destroyed, speaking evil in matters about which they are ignorant, will in their destroying surely be destroyed, 13 receiving the wages of unrighteousness; people who count it pleasure to revel in the daytime, spots and defects, reveling in their deceit while they feast with you; 14 having eyes full of adultery, and who can’t cease from sin, enticing unsettled souls, having a heart trained in greed, accursed children! 15 Forsaking the right way, they went astray, having followed the way of Balaam the son of Beor, who loved the wages of wrongdoing; 16 but he was rebuked for his own disobedience. A speechless donkey spoke with a man’s voice and stopped the madness of the prophet. 17 These are wells without water, clouds driven by a storm, for whom the blackness of darkness has been reserved. 18 For, uttering great swelling words of emptiness, they entice in the coveting of the flesh, by lewdness, those who are indeed escaping from those who live in error; 19 promising them liberty, while they themselves are bondservants of corruption; for a man is brought into bondage by whoever overcomes him. 20 For if, after they have escaped the defilement of the world through the knowledge of [our] Lord and Savior Yeshua the Messiah, they are again entangled in it and overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first. 21 It would be better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than after knowing it, to turn back from the holy commandment delivered to them. 22 But it has happened to them according to the true proverb, “The dog turns to his own vomit again,” (cf. Proverbs 26:11) and “a bathed pig to wallowing in the mire.”

10:1 For the law, having a shadow of the good to come, not the very image of the things, can never with the same slaughters year by year, which they offer continually, make perfect those who draw near. 2 Or else wouldn’t they have ceased to be offered, because the worshipers, having been once cleansed, would have had no more consciousness of sins? 3 But in those slaughters there is a yearly reminder of sins. 4 For it is impossible that the blood of bulls and goats should take away sins. 5 Therefore when he comes into the world, he says, “You didn’t desire slaughter and offering, but you prepared a body for me. 6 You had no pleasure in whole burnt offerings and slaughters for sin. 7 Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come, in the scroll of the book it is written of me, to do your will, O Elohim.’ ” 8 Previously saying, “slaughters and offerings and whole burnt offerings and slaughters for sin you didn’t desire, neither had pleasure in them,” those which are offered according to the law, 9 then he has said, “Behold, I have come to do your will.” He takes away the first, that he may establish the second, 10 by which will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Yeshua the Messiah once for all. 11 Every priest indeed stands day by day serving and offering often the same slaughters, which can never take away sins, 12 but he, when he had offered one slaughter for sins forever, sat down on the right hand of Elohim, 13 from that time waiting until his enemies are made the footstool of his feet. 14 For by one offering he has perfected forever those who are being sanctified. 15 The Holy Spirit also testifies to us, for after saying, 16 “This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days,” says YHWH, “I will put my Torot on their heart, I will also write them on their mind;” then he says, 17 “I will remember their sins and their iniquities no more.” 18 Now where forgiveness of these is, there is no more offering for sin. 19 Having therefore, brothers, boldness to enter into the holy place by the blood of Yeshua, 20 by the way which he dedicated for us, a new and living way, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh, 21 and having a great priest over Elohim’s house, 22 let’s draw near with a true heart in fullness of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and having our body washed with pure water, 23 let’s hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering; for he who promised is faithful. 24 Let’s consider how to provoke one another to love and good works, 25 not forsaking our own assembling together, as the custom of some is, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching. 26 For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remains no more a slaughter for sins, 27 but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and a fierceness of fire which will devour the adversaries. 28 A man who disregards the Torah of Moses dies without compassion on the word of two or three witnesses. 29 How much worse punishment do you think he will be judged worthy of who has trodden under foot the Son of Elohim, and has counted the blood of the covenant with which he was sanctified an unholy, and has insulted the Spirit of grace?

Matthew 18:15-20 (T)

18:15 If your brother sins against you,^(mss) go, show him his fault between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. 16 But if he doesn’t listen, take one or two more with you, that at the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established (cf. Deuteronomy 19:15). 17 If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the assembly. If he refuses to hear the assembly also, let him be to you as a Gentile or a tax collector. Amen, amen, I tell you, whatever things you bind on land will have been bound in the heavens, and whatever things you release on land will have been released in the heavens. 19 Again, assuredly I tell you, that if two of you will agree on land concerning anything that they will ask, it will be done for them by my Father who is in the heavens. 20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there I am in the middle of them.”

5:16 If anyone sees his brother sinning a sin not leading to death, he will ask, and Elohim will give him life for those who sin not leading to death. There is sin leading to death. I don’t say that he should make a request concerning this. 17 All unrighteousness is sin, and there is sin not leading to death. 18 We know that whoever is born of Elohim doesn’t sin, but he who was born of Elohim keeps himself, and the evil one doesn’t touch him. 19 We know that we are of Elohim, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one. 20 We know that the Son of Elohim has come and has given us an understanding, that we know him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Yeshua the Messiah. This is the true Elohim and eternal life. 21 Little children, keep yourselves from idols.

16:21 They gathered it morning by morning, everyone according to his eating. When the sun grew hot, it melted. 22 On the sixth day, they gathered twice as much bread, two omers for each one; and all the rulers of the congregation came and told Moses. 23 He said to them, “This is that which YHWH has spoken, ‘Tomorrow is a rest, a Sabbath holy to YHWH. Bake that which you want to bake, and boil that which you want to boil; and all that remains over lay up for yourselves to be kept until the morning.’ ” 24 They laid it up until the morning, as Moses ordered, and it didn’t become foul, and there were no worms in it.

35:1 Moses assembled all the congregation of the sons of Israel, and said to them, “These are the words which YHWH has commanded, that you should do them. 2 ‘Six days will work be done, but on the seventh day there will be a holy day for you, a Sabbath of rest to YHWH: whoever does any work in it will be put to death. 3 You will burn no fire throughout your habitations on the Sabbath day.’ ”

13:14 Remember me (Nehemiah), my Elohim, concerning this, and don’t wipe out my good deeds that I have done for the house of my Elohim, and for its guard-watches. 15 In those days I saw some men treading wine presses on the Sabbath in Judah, bringing in sheaves, and loading donkeys with wine, grapes, figs, and all kinds of burdens which they brought into Jerusalem on the Sabbath day; and I witnessed against them in the day in which they sold food. 16 Some men of Tyre also lived there, who brought in fish and all kinds of wares, and sold on the Sabbath to the children of Judah, and in Jerusalem. 17 Then I contended with the nobles of Judah, and said to them, “What evil thing is this that you do, and profane the Sabbath day? 18 Didn’t your fathers do this, and didn’t our Elohim bring all this evil on us and on this city? Yet you bring more wrath on Israel by profaning the Sabbath.” 19 It came to pass that when the gates of Jerusalem began to be dark before the Sabbath, I commanded that the doors should be shut, and commanded that they should not be opened until after the Sabbath. I set some of my servants over the gates, so that no burden should be brought in on the Sabbath day. 20 So the merchants and sellers of all kinds of wares camped outside of Jerusalem once or twice. 21 Then I witnessed against them, and said to them, “Why do you stay around the wall? If you do so again, I will lay hands on you.” From that time on, they didn’t come on the Sabbath.

23:54 It was the day of the Preparation, and the Sabbath was drawing near. 55 The women who had come with him out of Galilee followed after, and saw the tomb and how his body was laid. 56 They returned and prepared spices and ointments. On the Sabbath they rested according to the commandment.

24:10 The son of a woman, an Israelite, went out in the midst of the sons of Israel, and he is a son of a man, one of Egypt; and the son of the Israelite woman and a man of Israel strove together in the camp. 11 The son of the Israelite woman [pierced through] the Name, and belittled it; and they brought him to Moses. His mother’s name was Shelomith, the daughter of Divri, of the tribe of Dan. 12 They made him rest in custody until YHWH’s mouth should be distinctly declared to them. 13 YHWH spoke to Moses, saying, 14 “Bring him who belittled out of the camp; and let all who heard him lay their hands on his head, and let all the congregation stone him. 15 You will speak to the sons of Israel, saying, ‘Whoever belittles his Elohim will bear his sin. 16 He who [pierces through] the name of YHWH, he will surely be put to death. All the congregation will certainly stone him. The stranger as well as the native will be put to death when he [pierces through] the Name.

119:18 You reject all those who stray from your statutes, for their deceit is in vain.

19:27 If you stop listening to instruction, my son, you will stray from the words of knowledge.

22:12 You will make yourselves tassels on the four wings of your cloak with which you cover yourself.

8:20 YHWH of Armies says: “Many peoples and the inhabitants of many cities will yet come. 21 The inhabitants of one will go to another, saying, ‘Let’s go speedily to entreat the favor of YHWH, and to seek YHWH of Armies. I will go also.’ 22 Yes, many peoples and strong nations will come to seek YHWH of Armies in Jerusalem and to entreat the favor of YHWH.” 23 YHWH of Armies says: “In those days, ten men out of all the languages of the nations will take hold of the wing of a Jewish man, saying, ‘We will go with you, for we have heard that Elohim is with you.’ ”

Malachi 4:1-6 (T)

4:1 “For behold, the day comes, burning like a furnace, when all the proud and all who work wickedness will be stubble. The day that comes will burn them up,” says the LORD of Hosts, “so that it will leave them neither root nor branch. 2 But to you who fear my name will the sun of righteousness arise with healing in its wings. You will go out and leap like calves of the stall. 3 You will tread down the wicked; for they will be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I make,” says the LORD of Hosts. 4 “Remember the Torah of Moses my servant, which I commanded to him in Horeb for all Israel, statutes and judgments. 5 Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and terrible day of the LORD comes. 6 He will turn the hearts of the fathers to the children and the hearts of the children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the earth with a curse.”

Matthew 9:20 Yeshua got up and followed him, as did his disciples. 20 Behold, a woman who had a discharge of blood for twelve years came behind him, and touched the fringe of his garment; 21 for she said within herself, “If I just touch his garment, I will be made well.” 22 But Yeshua, turning around and seeing her, said, “Daughter, cheer up! Your faith has made you well.” And the woman was made well from that hour.

Matthew 14:34 When they had crossed over, they came to the land of Gennesaret. 35 When the people of that place recognized him, they sent into all that surrounding region and brought to him all who were sick; 36 and they begged him that they might just touch the fringe of his garment. As many as touched it were made whole.

Mark 6:53 When they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret and moored to the shore. 54 When they had come out of the boat, immediately the people recognized him, 55 and ran around that whole region, and began to bring those who were sick on their mats to where they heard he was. 56 Wherever he entered—into villages, or into cities, or into the country—they laid the sick in the marketplaces and begged him that they might just touch the fringe of his garment; and as many as touched him were made well.

Luke 8:40 When Yeshua returned, the multitude welcomed him, for they were all waiting for him. 41 Behold, a man named Jairus came. He was a ruler of the synagogue. He fell down at Yeshua’s feet and begged him to come into his house, 42 for he had an only daughter, about twelve years of age, and she was dying. But as he went, the multitudes pressed against him. 43 A woman who had a flow of blood for twelve years, who had spent all her living on physicians and could not be healed by any, 44 came behind him and touched the fringe of his garment. Immediately the flow of her blood stopped. 45 Yeshua said, “Who touched me?” When all denied it, Peter and those with him said, “Master, the multitudes press and jostle you, and you say, ‘Who touched me?’” 46 But Yeshua said, “Someone did touch me, for I perceived that power has gone out of me.” 47 When the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling; and falling down before him declared to him in the face of all the people the reason why she had touched him, and how she was healed immediately. 48 He said to her, “Daughter, cheer up. Your faith has made you well. Go in peace.”

23:12 Then Yeshua spoke to the multitudes and to his disciples, 2 saying, “The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat. 3 All things therefore whatever they tell you to observe, observe and do, but don’t do their works; for they say, and don’t do. 4 For they bind heavy burdens that are grievous to be borne, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not lift a finger to help them. 5 But they do all their works to be seen by men. They make their phylacteries broad and enlarge the fringes of their garments, 6 and love the place of honor at feasts, the best seats in the synagogues, 7 the salutations in the marketplaces, and to be called ‘Rabbi, Rabbi by men. 8 But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi’, for one is your Rabbi, the Messiah, and all of you are brothers. 9 Call no man on the land your father, for one is your Father, he who is in the heavens. 10 Neither be called masters, for one is your master, the Messiah. 11 But he who is greatest among you will be your servant. 12 Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

Matthew 21:12 Yeshua entered into the temple of Elohim and drove out all of those who sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the money changers’ tables and the seats of those who sold the doves. 13 He said to them, “It is written, ‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’ (cf. Isaiah 56:7) but you have made it a den of robbers!” (cf. Jeremiah 7:11)

Mark 11:15 They came to Jerusalem, and Yeshua entered into the temple and began to throw out those who sold and those who bought in the temple, and overthrew the money changers’ tables and the seats of those who sold the doves. 16 He would not allow anyone to carry a container through the temple. 17 He taught, saying to them, “Isn’t it written, ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all the nations?’ (cf. Isaiah 56:7) But you have made it a den of robbers!” (cf. Jeremiah 7:11)

Luke 19:45 He entered into the temple and began to drive out those who bought and sold in it, 46 saying to them, “It is written, ‘My house is a house of prayer,’ (cf. Isaiah 56:7) but you have made it a ‘den of robbers’!” (cf. Jeremiah 7:11)

Related Additional Readings​

Numbers 15:1-41 from the Jerusalem Targum aka Targum Pseudo-Jonathan (T)

Composed in Talmudic Israel (c.150 – c.250 AD). Targum Pseudo-Jonathan is a western targum (translation) of the Torah (Pentateuch) from the land of Israel (as opposed to the eastern Babylonian Targum Onkelos). Its correct title was originally Targum Yerushalmi (Jerusalem Targum), which is how it was known in medieval times. But because of a printer’s mistake it was later labeled Targum Jonathan, in reference to Jonathan ben Uzziel. Some editions of the Pentateuch continue to call it Targum Jonathan to this day. Most scholars refer to the text as Targum Pseudo-Jonathan. This targum is more than a mere translation. It includes much Aggadic material collected from various sources as late as the Midrash Rabbah as well as earlier material from the Talmud. It is effectively a combination of a commentary and a translation. In the portions where it is pure translation, it often agrees with the Targum Onkelos. The date of its composition is disputed. It cannot have been completed before the Arabic conquest as it refers to Mohammad’s wife Fatimah, but might have been initially composed in the 4th Century AD. However, some scholars date it in the 14th Century.

Chapter 15 And the Lord spake with Mosheh, saying: Speak with the sons of Israel, and say to them: When you have entered into the land of your habitation which I will give you, and you may make an oblation upon the altar before the Lord, burnt offering or consecrated slaughter for release of a vow, or by free‑will offering; or at the time of your feasts you offer what is acceptable to the Lord of the world, to be received with approval before the Lord from the herd or from the flock: let the man who offers his oblation before the Lord bring a mincha of a tenth of flour mingled with the fourth of a hina of olive oil; and wine of grapes for a libation, the fourth of a hina, to be made upon the burnt offering or hallowed slaughter‑for one lamb. Or for a ram, let him perform a mincha of two tenths of flour mingled with the third of a hin of olive oil, and wine of grapes let him offer in a vase for the libation, the third of a hin, to be received with acceptance before the Lord. But when he maketh a bullock a burnt offering, or a slaughter for release from a vow, or a hallowed slaughter before the Lord, let him bring for the bullock a mincha of three tenths of flour mixed with half of a hin of olive oil, and wine of grapes half a hin, for a libation to be received with acceptance before the Lord. So let him do with each bullock, with each ram, and each lamb, whether it be from the lambs or the kids: according to the number of the bullocks or lambs or goats with which the oblation is made so will you do, each according to their number. All who are native born in Israel, and not of the sons of the Gentiles, will so make these libations in offering an oblation to be received with acceptance before the Lord. And when a sojourner who sojourneth with you, or whoever is among you now, or in your generations, will bring an oblation to be received with favour before the Lord, as you do so will he. For the whole congregation there is one statute, for you and the sojourner who sojourneth; it is an everlasting statute for your generations; as with you, so will it be with the sojourner before the Lord. One law and one judgment will be for you and for the sojourner who sojourneth with you.

And the Lord spake with Mosheh, saying: Speak with the sons of Israel, and say to them: When you have entered the land into which I will bring you, and you eat the bread of the produce of it, (not rice, nor millet, nor pulse,) you will set apart a separation before the Lord. Of the first of your dough one cake of twenty‑four you will set apart as a separation for the priest; as with the separation from the threshing floor, so will you set it apart. Of the first of your dough you will give a separation before the Lord in your generations. [JERUSALEM. Of the first of your dough you will give a separation unto the Name of the Lord.]

And should you have erred, and not performed some one of all these commandments which the Lord hath spoken with Mosheh; whatsoever the Lord hath commanded you by Mosheh from the day He commanded it, and thenceforth unto your generations‑if without the knowledge of the congregation sin hath been committed through ignorance, let all the congregation make one young bullock a burnt offering to be received with acceptance before the Lord, with his mincha and libation. as are proper; and one kid of the goats without mixture for a sin offering; and let the priest make atonement for all the congregation of the sons of Israel, and it will be forgiven them; for it was an error, and they have brought their oblation, an offering before the Lord, even an offering for their sin have they presented before the Lord for their error; and all the congregation of Israel will be forgiven before the Lord, and the sojourners who sojourn among them; for an error hath occurred to the people.

And if any one man sin through ignorance, let him bring one goat of the year without mixture for a sin offering, and let the priest make atonement for the man who hath erred in sinning through ignorance before the Lord to atone for him, that it may be forgiven him; as well for the native‑born of the sons of Israel, and for the strangers who sojourn among you, there will be one law for him who transgresseth through ignorance: but a man who transgresseth. with presumption, whether of the native‑born or strangers, and who turneth. not away from his sin before the Lord,‑he causeth anger, and that man will perish from among his people; for, the primal word which the Lord commanded on Sinai he hath despised, and hath made the commandment of circumcision vain; with destruction in this world will that man be destroyed; in the world that cometh will he give account of his sin at the great day of judgment. [JERUSALEM. Because he hath despised the Word of the Lord, and broken His commandments, that soul will perish, and will bear his sin.]

And while the sons of Israel were dwelling in the wilderness, the decree of the Sabbath was known to them, but the punishment (for the profanation) of the Sabbath was not known. And there arose a man of the house of Joseph, and said with himself: I will go and pull up wood on the Sabbath day; and witnesses saw it, and told Mosheh; and Mosheh sought instructtion from the presence of the Lord, that he might teach me judgment, and make known the discipline of all the house of Israel. And the witnesses of the man who pulled up and collected wood came, and, after they had monished him, and he had wounded the witnesses who had found him pulling up wood, [JERUSALEM. Steal­ing wood,] brought him to Mosheh and Aharon, and all the congregation. This is one of four judgments which were brought before Mosheh the prophet, which he adjudged according to the Word of the Holy. Of these judgments some related to money, and some to life. In the judgments regarding money Mosheh was prompt, but in those affecting life he was deliberate, and in each he said, I have not heard,‑to teach the princes of the future Sanhedrin to be prompt in decisions on mammon, and deliberate in those that involved life, nor to be ashamed to inquire for counsel in what may be difficult, forasmuch as Mosheh the Rabbi of Israel himself had need to say, I have not heard. Therefore put they him in confinement, because they had not yet heard the explanation of the judgment they should execute upon him. [JERUSALEM. This is one of four cases which are written above, on that of the blasphemer, and they who were defiled by the dead. And they put him in ward till the time when it should be plainly showed to them from before the Lord, with what judgment they were to deal with him.]

And the Lord said to Mosheh: The man will be surely put to death; the whole congregation will stone him with stones without the camp; and the congregation led him forth without the camp, and stoned him with stones that he died, as the Lord had commanded Mosheh.

And the Lord said unto Mosheh: Speak with the sons of Israel, and bid them make for themselves fringes, not of threads, nor of yarns, nor of fibres, but after a manner of their own (lesumhon) will they make them, and will cut off the heads of their filaments, and suspend by five ligatures, four in the midst of three, upon the four corners of their garment in which they enwrap themselves, unto their generations; and they will put upon the edge of their robes an embroidery of hyacinth (shezir de‑thikela). [JERUSALEM. And let them make to themselves fringes for the edges of their robes, throughout their generations, and put upon the fringes of their robes an embroidery of hyacinth.] And this will be to you a precept for fringes, that you may look upon them at the time when you dress yourselves daily, and remember all My commandments to do them, and not go aside to wander after the imaginations of your heart and the sight of your eyes, after which you have gone astray. To the end that you may remember and perform all My precepts, and be holy, like the angels who minister before the Lord your God. I am the Lord your Elohim who have delivered and brought you free out of the land of Mizraim, to be to you Eloha. I am the Lord your God.

Josephus was born Joseph ben Mattathias in 37 AD in Jerusalem of a priestly and royal family. He excelled in his studies of Jewish law and studied with the Sadducees, Pharisees, and the Essenes, eventually aligning himself with the Pharisees. In 62 AD he went to Rome to free some imprisoned priests. After accomplishing this mission through the intercession of Nero’s wife, Poppaea, he returned to Jerusalem in 65 AD to find the country in revolt against Rome. Josephus shrewdly reinterpreted the Messianic prophecies. He predicted that Vespasian would become the ruler of the ‘entire world’. His prophecy became true in 68 AD when Nero committed suicide and Vespasian became Ceasar. As a result, Josephus was freed; he moved to Rome and became a Roman citizen, taking the Vespasian family name Flavius. Vespasian commissioned Josephus to write a history of the war, which he finished in 78 AD, the Jewish War. His second major work, the Antiquities of the Jews, was completed in 93 AD. The extant manuscripts of the book Antiquities of the Jews contain two references to Yeshua of Nazareth (18.3.3. and 20.9.1.) and one reference to the imprisonment and death of John the Baptist (18.5.2.).

4.2.1. That which is usually the case of great armies, and especially upon ill success, to be hard to be pleased, and governed with difficulty, did now befall the Jews; for they being in number six hundred thousand, and by reason of their great multitude not readily subject to their governors, even in prosperity, they at this time were more than usually angry, both against one another and against their leader, because of the distress they were in, and the calamities they then endured. Such a sedition overtook them, as we have not the like example either among the Greeks or the Barbarians, by which they were in danger of being all destroyed, but were notwithstanding saved by Moses, who would not remember that he had been almost stoned to death by them. Nor did Elohim neglect to prevent their ruin; but, notwithstanding the indignities they had offered their legislator and the laws, and disobedience to the commandments which he had sent them by Moses, he delivered them from those terrible calamities which, without his providential care, had been brought upon them by this sedition. So I will first explain the cause whence this sedition arose, and then will give an account of the sedition itself; as also of what settlements made for their government after it was over.