• Torah (T): Bemidbar (Numbers) 17:1 – 18:32 (17:16 – 18:32)
• Prophets (P): Ezekiel 44:15-28
• Apostolic (A): Hebrews 5:1-14
• Additional (ADD): Sirach 45:5-22

RELATED SCRIPTURES

• Exodus 25:16-22 (T)
• Malachi 2:1 – 4:6 (T)
• Hebrews 7:1-28 (T)
• Hebrews 9:1-5 (T)
• 1 Chronicles 6:1-49 (T)
• Numbers 3:1-13; Numbers 3:40-51 (T)
• 2 Chronicles 29:1-36 (T)
• Numbers 31:1-54 (T)
• Leviticus 10:1-15 (T)
• Leviticus 7:28-36 (T)
• Ezekiel 44:1-31 (T)
• Nehemiah 10:1-39 (T)
• Exodus 30:11-16 (T)
• Leviticus 27:25-34 (T)
• Deuteronomy 10:8-9; Deuteronomy 12:1-12; Deuteronomy 14:22-29; Deuteronomy 18:1-8; Joshua 13:32-33 (T)
• John 4:20-26; Hebrews 7:1-28 (T)
• Deuteronomy 26:1-19 (T)
• Matthew 23:23, Luke 11:37-42 (T)
• Luke 18:9-14 (T)

RELATED ADDITIONAL REA.D.INGS

• Jubilees 32:1-15 (T)
• Judith 11:10-14 (T)
• Tobit 1:1-8, 5:1-22 (T)
• Sirach 35:1-12 (T)
• 1 Maccabees 3:42-54; 11:20-37 (T)
• Numbers 17:1 – 18:32 from the Jerusalem Targum aka Targum Pseudo-Jonathan (T)
• Antiquities of the Jews by Flavius Josephus 4.4.1-4; 4.8.19 & 22 (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)

17:1 YHWH spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Speak to the sons of Israel, and take from them a staff, a staff to a father’s house, from all their lifted up ones according to their fathers’ houses, twelve staffs. Write each man’s name on his staff. 3 You will write Aaron’s name on Levi’s staff. There will be one staff for each head of their fathers’ houses. 4 You will lay them up in the Appointed Tent before the covenant, where I meet with you. 5 It will happen that the staff of the man whom I will choose will burst into bloom. I will make the murmurings of the sons of Israel, which they murmur against you, cease from me.” 6 Moses spoke to the sons of Israel; and all their lifted up ones gave him staffs, for each lifted up one, according to their fathers’ houses, a total of twelve staffs. Aaron’s staff was among their staffs. 7 Moses laid up the staffs before YHWH in the Tent of the Witness. 8 On the next day, Moses went into the Tent of the Witness; and behold, Aaron’s staff for the house of Levi had burst into bloom! It sprouted buds, and the blossom bloomed, and yielded almonds. 9 Moses brought out all the staffs from before YHWH to all the sons of Israel. They looked, and each man took his staff. 10 YHWH said to Moses, “Put back the staff of Aaron before the covenant, to be kept for a sign against the sons of rebellion; that you may make an end of their complaining against me, that they not die.” 11 Moses did so. As YHWH commanded him, so he did. 12 The sons of Israel spoke to Moses, saying, “they are dead, we are all lost, we are all lost. 13 [The ones inside, the ones inside]^(MTT) the tabernacle of YHWH, will die, [will we die completely?]”^(LXX)

18:1 YHWH said to Aaron, “You and your sons and your fathers’ house with you will bear the iniquity of the sanctuary; and you and your sons with you will bear the iniquity of your priesthood. 2 Bring your brothers also, the tribe of Levi, the tribe of your father, near with you, that they may be joined to you, and minister to you; but you and your sons with you will be before the Tent of the Witness. 3 They will guard your commands and the watch duty of the whole Tent; only they will not come near to the vessels of the sanctuary and to the altar, that they not die, neither they nor you. 4 They will be joined to you and guard your watch duty of the Appointed Tent, for all the service of the Tent. A stranger will not come near to you. 5 “You will perform the watch duty of the sanctuary and the watch duty of the altar, that there be no more wrath on the sons of Israel. 6 Behold, I myself have taken your brothers the Levites from among the sons of Israel. They are a gift to you,^(LXX)(SP) dedicated to YHWH, to do the service of the Appointed Tent. 7 You and your sons with you will keep your priesthood for everything of the altar, and for that within the veil. You will serve. I give you the service of the priesthood as a gift. The stranger inside will be put to death.” 8 YHWH spoke to Aaron, “Behold, I myself have given you the command of my wave offerings, all the holy of the sons of Israel. I have given them to you by reason of the anointing, and to your sons, as a portion forever. 9 This will be yours of the holy of holies from the fire: every offering of theirs, even every grain offering of theirs, and every sin offering of theirs, and every trespass offering of theirs, which they will render to me, will be holy of holies for you and for your sons. 10 You will eat of it like the holy of holies. Every male will eat of it. It will be holy to you. 11 “This is yours, too: the wave offering of their gift, even all the wave offerings of the sons of Israel. I have given them to you, and to your sons and to your daughters with you, as a portion forever. Everyone who is clean in your house will eat of it. 12 “I have given to you all the best of the oil, all the best of the vintage, and of the grain, the first fruits of them which they give to YHWH. 13 The first-ripe fruits of all that is in their land, which they bring to YHWH, will be yours. Everyone who is clean in your house will eat of it. 14 “Everything devoted in Israel will be yours. 15 Everything that opens the womb, of all flesh which they offer to YHWH, both of man and animal, will be yours. Nevertheless, you will surely redeem the firstborn of man, and you will redeem the firstborn of unclean animals. 16 You will redeem those who are to be redeemed of them from a new moon old, according to your estimation, for five shekels of money, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, which weighs twenty gerahs. 17 “But you will not redeem the firstborn of a cow, or the firstborn of a sheep, or the firstborn of a goat. They are holy. You will sprinkle their blood on the altar, and will burn their fat for an offering made by fire, for a pleasant aroma to YHWH. 18 Their flesh will be yours, as the wave offering breast and as the right thigh, it will be yours. 19 All the wave offerings of the holy which the sons of Israel offer to YHWH, I have given you and your sons and your daughters with you, as a portion forever. It is a covenant of salt forever before YHWH to you and to your seed with you.” 20 YHWH said to Aaron, “You will have no inheritance in their land, neither will you have any portion among them. I am your portion and your inheritance among the sons of Israel. 21 “To the sons of Levi, behold, I have given all the tithe in Israel for an inheritance, in return for their service which they serve, even the service of the Appointed Tent. 22 Henceforth the sons of Israel will not come near the Appointed Tent, lest they bear sin, and die. 23 But the Levites will do the service of the Appointed Tent, and they will bear their iniquity. It will be a statute forever throughout your generations. Among the sons of Israel, they will have no inheritance. 24 For the tithe of the sons of Israel, which they offer as a wave offering to YHWH, I have given to the Levites for an inheritance. Therefore I have said to them, ‘Among the sons of Israel they will have no inheritance.’ ” 25 YHWH spoke to Moses, saying, 26 “Moreover you will speak to the Levites, and tell them, ‘When you take of the sons of Israel the tithe which I have given you from them for your inheritance, then you will offer up a wave offering of it for YHWH, [a tithe offering from the tithe].^(DSS) 27 Your wave offering will be considered to you, as though it were the grain of the threshing floor, and as the fullness of the wine press. 28 Thus you also will offer a wave offering to YHWH of all your tithes, which you receive of the sons of Israel; and of it you will give YHWH’s wave offering to Aaron the priest. 29 Out of all your gifts, you will offer every wave offering to YHWH, of all its best parts, even the holy part of it.’ 30 “Therefore you will tell them, ‘When you heave its best from it, then it will be considered to [you]^(DSS) as [your offering],^(DSS) as the increase of the floor, and as the increase [from]^(DSS) the wine press. 31 You may eat [them]^(DSS) anywhere, you and your households, for it is your reward in return for your service in the Appointed Tent. 32 You will bear no sin by reason of it, when you have heaved from it its best. You will not profane the holy of the sons of Israel, that you not die.’ ”

Prophets Portion (P)

44:15 “But the priests, the Levites, the sons of Zadok, who performed the watch duty of my sanctuary when the sons of Israel went astray from me, will come near to me to minister to me. They will stand before me to offer to me the fat and the blood,” says the Lord YHWH. 16 “They will enter into my sanctuary, and they will come near to my table, to minister to me, and they will guard my instruction. 17 It will be that when they enter in at the gates of the inner court, they will be clothed with linen garments. No wool will come on them while they minister in the gates of the inner court, and within. 18 They will have linen turbans on their heads, and will have linen trousers on their waists. They will not clothe themselves with anything that makes them sweat. 19 When they go out into the outer court, even into the outer court to the people, they will put off their garments in which they minister and lay them in the holy rooms. They will put on other garments, that they not sanctify the people with their garments. 20 They will not shave their heads, or allow their locks to grow long. They will only cut off the hair of their heads. 21 None of the priests will drink wine when they enter into the inner court. 22 They will not take for their wives a widow, or her who is put away; but they will take virgins of the seed of the house of Israel, or a widow who is the widow of a priest. 23 They will teach my people the difference between the holy and the common, and cause them to discern between the unclean and the clean. 24 In a controversy they will stand to judge. They will judge it according to my judgments. They will guard my Torot and my statutes in all my appointed feasts. They will make my Sabbaths holy. 25 They will go in to no dead person to defile themselves; but for father, or for mother, or for son, or for daughter, for brother, or for sister who has had no husband, they may defile themselves. 26 After he is cleansed, they will reckon to him seven days. 27 In the day that he goes into the sanctuary, into the inner court, to minister in the sanctuary, he will offer his sin offering,” says the Lord YHWH. 28 They will have an inheritance: I am their inheritance; and you will give them no possession in Israel. I am their possession.”

Apostolic Portion (A)

5:1 For every high priest, being taken from among men, is appointed for men in things pertaining to Elohim, that he may offer both gifts and slaughters for sins. 2 The high priest can deal gently with those who are ignorant and going astray, because he himself is also surrounded with weakness. 3 Because of this, he must offer slaughters for sins for the people, as well as for himself. 4 Nobody takes this honor on himself, but he is called by Elohim, just like Aaron was. 5 So also Messiah didn’t glorify himself to be made a high priest, but it was he who said to him, “You are my Son. Today I have become your father.” (cf. Psalms 2:7) 6 As he says also in another place, “You are a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek.” (cf. Psalms 110:4) 7 He, in the days of his flesh, having offered up prayers and petitions with strong crying and tears to him who was able to save him from death, and having been heard for his pious fear, 8 though he was a Son, yet learned obedience by the things which he suffered. 9 Having been made perfect, he became to all of those who obey him the author of eternal salvation, 10 named by Elohim a high priest after the order of Melchizedek. 11 About him we have many words to say, and hard to interpret, seeing you have become dull of hearing. 12 For although by this time you should be teachers, you again need to have someone teach you the rudiments of the first principles of the revelations of Elohim. You have come to need milk, and not solid food. 13 For everyone who lives on milk is not experienced in the word of righteousness, for he is a baby. 14 But solid food is for those who are perfect, who, by reason of use, have their senses exercised to discern good and evil.

Additional Portion (ADD)

45:5 He made him to hear his voice, And led him into the thick darkness, And gave him commandments face to face, Even the law of life and knowledge, That he might teach Jacob the covenant, And Israel his judgments. 6 He exalted Aaron, a holy man like to him, Even his brother, of the tribe of Levi. 7 He established for him an everlasting covenant, And gave him the priesthood of the people; He blessed him with comely ornaments, And girded him about with a robe of glory. 8 He clothed him with the perfection of exultation; And strengthened him with apparel of strength, The linen trousers, the tunic, and the ephod. 9 And he compassed him with pomegranates of gold, And with many bells roundabout, To send forth a sound as he went, To make a sound that might be heard in the temple, For a memorial to the children of his people; 10 With a holy garment, with gold and blue and purple, the work of the embroiderer, With an oracle of judgment, even with the Urim and Tummim; 11 With twisted scarlet, the work of the craftsman; With precious stones graven like a signet, in a setting of gold, the work of the jeweler, For a memorial engraved in writing, after the number of the tribes of Israel; 12 With a crown of gold upon the mitre, having graven on it, as on a signet, HOLINESS, An ornament of honor, a work of might, The desires of the eyes, goodly and beautiful. 13 Before him there never have been any such; No stranger put them on, but his sons only, and his seed perpetually. 14 His slaughters will be wholly consumed Every day twice continually. 15 Moses filled his hands, And anointed him with holy oil: It was to him for an everlasting covenant, And to his seed, all the days of the heavens, To minister to him, and to execute also the priest’s office, And bless his people in his name. 16 He chose him out of all living To offer slaughter to the Lord, Incense, and a sweet savor, for a memorial, To make reconciliation for your people. 17 He gave to him in his commandments, Yes, authority in the covenants of judgments, To teach Jacob the testimonies, And to enlighten Israel in his law. 18 Strangers gathered themselves together against him, And envied him in the wilderness, Even Dathan and Abiram with their company, And the congregation of Qorach, with wrath and anger. 19 The Lord saw it, and it displeased him; And in the wrath of his anger they were destroyed: He did wonders upon them, To consume them with flaming fire. 20 And he added glory to Aaron, And gave him a heritage: He divided to him the first fruits of the increase; And first did he prepare bread in abundance: 21 For they will eat the slaughters of the Lord, Which he gave to him and to his seed. 22 However in the land of the people he will have no inheritance, And he has no portion among the people: For he himself is your portion and inheritance.

Related Scriptures

25:16 You will put the witness which I will give you into the ark. 17 You will make a lid of pure gold. Two and a half cubits will be its length, and a cubit and a half its width. 18 You will make two keruvim of hammered gold. You will make them at the two ends of the lid. 19 Make one keruv at the one end, and one keruv at the other end. You will make the keruvim on its two ends of one piece with the lid. 20 The keruvim will spread out their wings upward, covering the lid with their wings, and their faces [each to his brother].^(MTT) The faces of the keruvim will be toward the lid. 21 You will put the lid on top of the ark, and in the ark you will put the witness that I will give you. 22 There I will meet with you, and I will tell you from above the lid, from between the two keruvim which are on the ark of the witness, all that I command you for the sons of Israel.

Malachi 2:1 – 4:6 (T)

2:1 “Now, you priests, this commandment is for you. 2 If you will not listen, and if you will not take it to heart, to give glory to my name,” says YHWH of Armies, “then I will send the curse on you, and I will curse your blessings. Indeed, I have cursed them already, because you do not take it to heart. 3 Behold, I will rebuke your seed, and will spread dung on your faces, even the dung of your feasts; and you will be taken away with it. 4 You will know that I have sent this commandment to you, that my covenant may be with Levi,” says YHWH of Armies. 5 “My covenant was with him of life and peace; and I gave them to him that he might be reverent toward me; and he was reverent toward me, and stood in awe of my name. 6 The Torah of truth was in his mouth, and unrighteousness was not found in his lips. He walked with me in peace and uprightness, and turned many away from iniquity. 7 For the priest’s lips should guard knowledge, and they should seek the Torah at his mouth; for he is the messenger of YHWH of Armies. 8 But you have turned away from the path. You have caused many to stumble in the Torah. You have corrupted the covenant of Levi,” says YHWH of Armies. 9 “Therefore I have also made you contemptible and wicked before all the people, according to the way you have not guarded my ways, but have had respect for persons in the Torah. 10 Don’t we all have one father? Hasn’t one Elohim created us? Why do we deal treacherously every man against his brother, profaning the covenant of our fathers? 11 Judah has dealt treacherously, and an abomination is committed in Israel and in Jerusalem; for Judah has profaned the holiness of YHWH which he loves, and has married the daughter of a foreign el. 12 YHWH will cut off the man who does this, him who wakes and him who answers, out of the tents of Jacob and him who offers an offering to YHWH of Armies. 13 “This again you do: you cover YHWH’s altar with tears, with weeping, and with sighing, because he doesn’t regard the offering any more, neither receives it with good will at your hand. 14 Yet you say, ‘Why?’ Because YHWH has been witness between you and the woman of your youth, against whom you have dealt treacherously, though she is your companion and the woman of your covenant. 15 Did he not make you one, although he had the residue of the Spirit? Why one? He sought a seed of God. Therefore take heed to your spirit, and let no one deal treacherously against the woman of his youth. 16 [But if you hate and send away],”^(DSS)(LXX) says YHWH, the Elohim of Israel, “[then ungodliness will cover your thoughts,]”^(LXX) says YHWH of Armies. “Therefore pay attention to your spirit, that you don’t be unfaithful. 17 You have wearied [Elohim]^(DSS)(LXX) with your words. Yet you say, ‘How have we wearied him?’ In that you say, ‘Everyone who does evil is good in YHWH’s sight, and he delights in them;’ or ‘Where is the Elohim of justice?’

3:1 “Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me! [YHWH],^(LXX) whom you seek, will suddenly come to his temple. Behold, the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, is coming!” says YHWH of Armies. 2 “But who can endure the day of his coming? And who will stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner’s fire, and like launderers’ soap; 3 and he will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi, and refine them as gold and silver; and they will offer to YHWH offerings in righteousness. 4 Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasant to YHWH as in the days of old and as in ancient years. 5 I will come near to you to judgment. I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, against the adulterers, against the perjurers, and against those who oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and who deprive the foreigner of justice, and don’t fear me,” says YHWH of Armies. 6 “For I, YHWH, don’t change; therefore you, sons of Jacob, are not consumed. 7 From the days of your fathers you have turned away from my ordinances and have not guarded them. Return to me, and I will return to you,” says YHWH of Armies. “But you say, ‘How will we return?’ 8 Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me! But you say, ‘How have we robbed you?’ In tithes and offerings. 9 You are cursed with the curse; for you rob me, even this whole nation. 10 Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house, and test me now in this,” says YHWH of Armies, “if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there will not be enough room for. 11 I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he will not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither will your vine cast its fruit before its time in the field,” says YHWH of Armies. 12 “All nations will call you blessed, for you will be a delightful land,” says YHWH of Armies. 13 “Your words have been harsh against me,” says YHWH. “Yet you say, ‘What have we spoken against you?’ 14 You have said, ‘It is vain to serve God,’ and ‘What profit is it that we have followed his instructions and that we have walked mournfully before YHWH of Armies? 15 Now we call the proud happy; yes, those who work wickedness are built up; yes, they tempt God, and escape.’ 16 Then those who feared YHWH spoke one with another; and YHWH listened and heard, and a book of memory was written before him for those who feared YHWH and who honored his name. 17 They will be mine,” says YHWH of Armies, “my own possession in the day that I make. I will spare them, as a man spares his own son who serves him. 18 Then you will return and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him who serves Elohim and him who doesn’t serve him.

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 YHWH of Armies, “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 YHWH of Armies. 4 “Remember the law of Moses my servant, which I commanded to him in Horeb for all Israel, even statutes and ordinances. 5 Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and terrible day of YHWH 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.”

Hebrews 7:1-28 (T)

7:1 For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of Elohim Most High, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him, 2 to whom also Abraham divided a tenth part of all, being first, by interpretation, “king of righteousness”, and then also “king of Salem”, which means “king of peace”, 3 without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, and taking an exact image to the Son of Elohim, remains a priest continually. 4 Now consider how great this man was, to whom even Abraham, the patriarch, gave a tenth out of the best plunder. 5 They indeed of the sons of Levi who receive the priest’s office have a commandment to take tithes of the people according to the Torah, that is, of their brothers, though these have come out of the body of Abraham, 6 but he whose genealogy is not counted from them has accepted tithes from Abraham, and has blessed him who has the promises. 7 But without any dispute the lesser is blessed by the greater. 8 Here people who die receive tithes, but there one receives tithes of whom it is witnessed that he lives. 9 We can say that through Abraham even Levi, who receives tithes, has paid tithes, 10 for he was yet in the body of his father when Melchizedek met him. 11 Now if perfection was through the Levitical priesthood, for under it the people have received the law, what further need was there for another priest to arise after the order of Melchizedek, and not be called after the order of Aaron? 12 For the priesthood being changed, there is of necessity a change made also in the law. 13 For he of whom these things are said belongs to another tribe, from which no one has officiated at the altar. 14 For it is evident that our Lord has sprung out of Judah, about which tribe Moses spoke nothing concerning [priests].^(mss) 15 This is yet more abundantly evident, if after the likeness of Melchizedek there arises another priest, 16 who has been made, not after the law of a fleshly commandment, but after the power of an endless life; 17 for it is witnessed, “You are a priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek.” (cf. Psalms 110:4) 18 For there is an annulling of a foregoing commandment because of its weakness and unprofitableness, 19 for the law made nothing perfect, but a bringing in of a better hope, through which we draw near to Elohim. 20 Inasmuch as he was not made priest without the taking of an oath, 21 for they indeed have been made priests without an oath, but he with an oath by him that says of him, “YHWH swore and will not change his mind, ‘You are a priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek.’ ” (cf. Psalms 110:4) 22 By so much, Yeshua has become the guarantee of a better covenant. 23 Many, indeed, have been made priests, because they are hindered from continuing by death. 24 But he, because he lives forever, has his priesthood unchangeable. 25 Therefore he is also able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to Elohim through him, seeing that he lives forever to make intercession for them. 26 For such a high priest was fitting for us: holy, guiltless, undefiled, separated from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; 27 who doesn’t need, like those high priests, to offer up slaughters daily, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. For he did this once for all, when he offered up himself. 28 For the law appoints men as high priests who have weakness, but the word of the oath, which came after the law, appoints a Son forever who has been perfected.

9:1 Now indeed even the first [tabernacle] had ordinances of divine service and an earthly sanctuary. 2 For a tabernacle was prepared. In the first part were the lampstand, the table, and the bread of the presence, which is called the Holy Place. 3 After the second veil was the tabernacle which is called the Holy of Holies, 4 having a golden altar of incense and the ark of the witness overlaid on all sides with gold, in which was a golden pot holding the manna, Aaron’s rod that budded, and the tablets of the covenant; 5 and above it keruvim of glory overshadowing the lid, of which things we can’t speak now in detail.

6:1 The sons of Levi: Gershon, Qohath, and Merari. 2 The sons of Qohath: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel. 3 The sons of Amram: Aaron, Moses, and Miriam. The sons of Aaron: Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. 4 Eleazar became the father of Phinehas, Phinehas became the father of Abishua, 5 Abishua became the father of Bukki. Bukki became the father of Uzzi. 6 Uzzi became the father of Zerahiah. Zerahiah became the father of Meraioth. 7 Meraioth became the father of Amariah. Amariah became the father of Ahitub. 8 Ahitub became the father of Zadok. Zadok became the father of Ahimaaz. 9 Ahimaaz became the father of Azariah. Azariah became the father of Johanan. 10 Johanan became the father of Azariah, who executed the priest’s office in the house that Solomon built in Jerusalem. 11 Azariah became the father of Amariah. Amariah became the father of Ahitub. 12 Ahitub became the father of Zadok. Zadok became the father of Shallum. 13 Shallum became the father of Hilkiah. Hilkiah became the father of Azariah. 14 Azariah became the father of Seraiah. Seraiah became the father of Jehozadak. 15 Jehozadak went into captivity when YHWH carried Judah and Jerusalem away by the hand of Nebuchadnezzar. 16 The sons of Levi: Gershom, Qohath, and Merari. 17 These are the names of the sons of Gershom: Libni and Shimei. 18 The sons of Qohath were Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel. 19 The sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi. These are the families of the Levites according to their fathers’ households. 20 Of Gershom: Libni his son, Jahath his son, Zimmah his son, 21 Joah his son, Iddo his son, Zerah his son, and Jeatherai his son. 22 The sons of Qohath: Amminadab his son, Qorach his son, Assir his son, 23 Elkanah his son, Ebiasaph his son, Assir his son, 24 Tahath his son, Uriel his son, Uzziah his son, and Shaul his son. 25 The sons of Elkanah: Amasai and Ahimoth. 26 As for Elkanah, the sons of Elkanah: Zophai his son, Nahath his son, 27 Eliab his son, Jeroham his son, and Elkanah his son. 28 The sons of Samuel: the firstborn, Joel, and the second, Abijah. 29 The sons of Merari: Mahli, Libni his son, Shimei his son, Uzzah his son, 30 Shimea his son, Haggiah his son, Asaiah his son. 31 These are they whom David set over the service of song in YHWH’s house after the ark came to rest there. 32 They ministered with song before the tabernacle of the Appointed Tent until Solomon had built YHWH’s house in Jerusalem. They performed the duties of their office according to their order. 33 These are those who served, and their sons. Of the sons of the Qohathites: Heman the singer, the son of Joel, the son of Samuel, 34 the son of Elkanah, the son of Jeroham, the son of Eliel, the son of Toah, 35 the son of Zuph, the son of Elkanah, the son of Mahath, the son of Amasai, 36 the son of Elkanah, the son of Joel, the son of Azariah, the son of Zephaniah, 37 the son of Tahath, the son of Assir, the son of Ebiasaph, the son of Qorach, 38 the son of Izhar, the son of Qohath, the son of Levi, the son of Israel. 39 His brother Asaph, who stood on his right hand, even Asaph the son of Berechiah, the son of Shimea, 40 the son of Michael, the son of Baaseiah, the son of Malchijah, 41 the son of Ethni, the son of Zerah, the son of Adaiah, 42 the son of Ethan, the son of Zimmah, the son of Shimei, 43 the son of Jahath, the son of Gershom, the son of Levi. 44 On the left hand their brothers the sons of Merari: Ethan the son of Kishi, the son of Abdi, the son of Malluch, 45 the son of Hashabiah, the son of Amaziah, the son of Hilkiah, 46 the son of Amzi, the son of Bani, the son of Shemer, 47 the son of Mahli, the son of Mushi, the son of Merari, the son of Levi. 48 Their brothers the Levites were appointed for all the service of the tabernacle of Elohim’s house. 49 But Aaron and his sons offered on the altar of burnt offering, and on the altar of incense, for all the work of the holy of holies, and to make atonement for Israel, according to all that Moses the servant of Elohim had commanded.

Numbers 3:1 These are the birthings of Aaron and Moses in the day that YHWH spoke with Moses in Mount Sinai. 2 These are the names of the sons of Aaron: Nadab the firstborn, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. 3 These are the names of the sons of Aaron, the priests who were anointed, who filled his hand to be adorned. 4 Nadab and Abihu died before YHWH when they offered strange fire to the face of YHWH in the wilderness of Sinai, and they had no sons. Eleazar and Ithamar were adorned in the face of Aaron their father. 5 YHWH spoke to Moses, saying, 6 “Bring the tribe of Levi near, and set them before Aaron the priest, that they may minister to him. 7 They will guard his charges, and the charges of the whole congregation to the face of the Appointed Tent, to do the service of the tabernacle. 8 They will guard all the furnishings of the Appointed Tent, and the charges of the sons of Israel, to do the service of the tabernacle. 9 You will give the Levites to Aaron and to his sons. They are wholly given to him on the behalf of the sons of Israel. 10 You will register Aaron and his sons, and they will guard their priesthood, but the stranger who comes near will be put to death.” 11 YHWH spoke to Moses, saying, 12 “Behold, I have taken the Levites from among the sons of Israel instead of all the firstborn who open the womb among the sons of Israel; and the Levites will be mine, 13 for all the firstborn are mine. On the day that I struck down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt I made holy to me all the firstborn in Israel, both man and animal. They will be mine. I am YHWH.”

Numbers 3:40 YHWH said to Moses, “Register all the firstborn males of the sons of Israel from a son of a new moon and upward, and take the number of their names. 41 You will take the Levites for me—I am YHWH—instead of all the firstborn among the sons of Israel; and the livestock of the Levites instead of all the firstborn among the livestock of the sons of Israel.” 42 Moses registered, as YHWH commanded him, all the firstborn among the sons of Israel. 43 All the firstborn males according to the number of names from a son of a new moon and upward, of those who were registered of them, were twenty-two thousand two hundred seventy-three. 44 YHWH spoke to Moses, saying, 45 “Take the Levites instead of all the firstborn among the sons of Israel, and the livestock of the Levites instead of their livestock; and the Levites will be mine. I am YHWH. 46 For the redemption of the two hundred seventy-three of the firstborn of the sons of Israel who exceed the number of the Levites, 47 you will take five shekels apiece for each one; according to the shekel of the holy you will take them, the shekel is twenty gerahs; 48 and you will give the silver to Aaron and to his sons, the redeemed ones exceeding them.” 49 Moses took the redemption silver from those who exceeded the number of those who were redeemed by the Levites; 50 from the firstborn of the sons of Israel he took the silver, one thousand three hundred sixty-five shekels, according to the shekel of the holy; 51 and Moses gave the redemption silver to Aaron and to his sons, according to the word of YHWH, as YHWH commanded Moses.

29:1 Hezekiah began to reign when he was twenty-five years old, and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Abijah, the daughter of Zechariah. 2 He did that which was right in the eyes of YHWH, according to all that David his father had done. 3 In the first year of his reign, in the first new moon, he opened the doors of YHWH’s house and repaired them. 4 He brought in the priests and the Levites and gathered them together into the wide place on the east, 5 and said to them, “Listen to me, you Levites! Now sanctify yourselves, and sanctify the house of YHWH, the Elohim of your fathers, and carry the filthiness out of the holy place. 6 For our fathers were unfaithful, and have done that which was evil in YHWH our Elohim’s sight, and have forsaken him, and have turned away their faces from the habitation of YHWH, and turned their backs. 7 Also they have shut up the doors of the porch, and put out the lamps, and have not burned incense nor offered burnt offerings in the holy place to the Elohim of Israel. 8 Therefore the wrath of YHWH was on Judah and Jerusalem, and he has delivered them to be tossed back and forth, to be an astonishment and a hissing, as you see with your eyes. 9 For behold, our fathers have fallen by the sword, and our sons and our daughters and our wives are in captivity for this. 10 Now it is in my heart to cut a covenant with YHWH, the Elohim of Israel, that his fierce anger may turn away from us. 11 My sons, don’t be negligent now; for YHWH has chosen you to stand before him, to minister to him, and that you should be his ministers and burn incense.” 12 Then the Levites arose: Mahath, the son of Amasai, and Joel the son of Azariah, of the sons of the Qohathites; and of the sons of Merari, Kish the son of Abdi, and Azariah the son of Jehallelel; and of the Gershonites, Joah the son of Zimmah, and Eden the son of Joah; 13 and of the sons of Elizaphan, Shimri and Jeuel; and of the sons of Asaph, Zechariah and Mattaniah; 14 and of the sons of Heman, Jehuel and Shimei; and of the sons of Jeduthun, Shemayah and Uzziel. 15 They gathered their brothers, sanctified themselves, and went in, according to the commandment of the king by the word of YHWHs, to cleanse YHWH’s house. 16 The priests went into the inner part of YHWH’s house to cleanse it, and brought out all the uncleanness that they found in the temple of YHWH into the court of YHWH’s house. The Levites took it from there to carry it out to the brook Kidron. 17 Now they began on the first day of the first new moon to sanctify, and on the eighth day of the new moon they came to YHWH’s porch. They sanctified YHWH’s house in eight days, and on the sixteenth day of the first new moon they finished. 18 Then they went in to Hezekiah the king within the palace and said, “We have cleansed all YHWH’s house, including the altar of burnt offering with all its vessels, and the table of bread of the presence with all its vessels. 19 Moreover, we have prepared and sanctified all the vessels which King Ahaz threw away in his reign when he was unfaithful. Behold, they are before the altar of YHWH.” 20 Then Hezekiah the king arose early, gathered the princes of the city, and went up to YHWH’s house. 21 They brought seven bulls, seven rams, seven lambs, and seven male goats, for a sin offering for the reign, for the sanctuary, and for Judah. He commanded the priests the sons of Aaron to offer them on the altar of YHWH. 22 So they killed the bulls, and the priests received the blood and sprinkled it on the altar. They killed the rams and sprinkled the blood on the altar. They also killed the lambs and sprinkled the blood on the altar. 23 They brought near the male goats for the sin offering before the king and the assembly; and they laid their hands on them. 24 Then the priests killed them, and they made a sin offering with their blood on the altar, to make atonement for all Israel; for the king commanded that the burnt offering and the sin offering should be made for all Israel. 25 He set the Levites in YHWH’s house with cymbals, with stringed instruments, and with harps, according to the commandment of David, of Gad the king’s seer, and Nathan the prophet; for the commandment was from YHWH by his prophets. 26 The Levites stood with David’s instruments, and the priests with the trumpets. 27 Hezekiah commanded them to offer the burnt offering on the altar. When the burnt offering began, YHWH’s song also began, along with the trumpets and instruments of David king of Israel. 28 All the assembly worshiped, the singers sang, and the trumpeters sounded. All this continued until the burnt offering was finished. 29 When they had finished offering, the king and all who were present with him bowed themselves and did bow down.

31:1 YHWH spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Avenge the sons of Israel on the Midianites. Afterward you will be gathered to your people.” 3 Moses spoke to the people, saying, “Arm men from among you for war, that they may go against Midian, to execute YHWH’s vengeance on Midian. 4 You will send one thousand out of every tribe, throughout all the tribes of Israel, to the war.” 5 So there were delivered, out of the thousands of Israel, a thousand from every tribe, twelve thousand armed for war. 6 Moses sent them, one thousand of every tribe, to the war with Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, to the war, with the vessels of the sanctuary and the trumpets for the alarm in his hand. 7 They fought against Midian, as YHWH commanded Moses. They killed every male. 8 They killed the kings of Midian with the rest of their slain: Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba, the five kings of Midian. They also killed Balaam the son of Beor with the sword. 9 The sons of Israel took the women of Midian captive with their little ones; and all their livestock, all their flocks, and all their goods, they took as plunder. 10 All their cities in the places in which they lived, and all their encampments, they burned with fire. 11 They took all the captives, and all the plunder, both of man and of animal. 12 They brought the captives with the prey and the plunder, to Moses, and to Eleazar the priest, and to the congregation of the sons of Israel, to the camp at the plains of Moab, which are by the Jordan at Jericho. 13 Moses and Eleazar the priest, with all the princes of the congregation, went out to meet them outside of the camp. 14 Moses was angry with the officers of the army, the captains of thousands and the captains of hundreds, who came from the service of the war. 15 Moses said to them, “Have you saved all the women alive? 16 Behold, these caused the sons of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to commit trespass against YHWH in the word of Peor, and so the plague was among the congregation of YHWH. 17 Now therefore kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman who has known man by lying with him. 18 But all the girls, who have not known man by lying with him, keep alive for yourselves. 19 “Encamp outside of the camp for seven days. Whoever has killed any person, and whoever has touched any slain, purify yourselves on the third day and on the seventh day, you and your captives. 20 You will purify every garment, and all that is made of skin, and all work of goats’ hair, and all things made of wood.” 21 Eleazar the priest said to the men of war who went to the battle, “This is the statute of the Torah which YHWH has commanded Moses. 22 However the gold, and the silver, the bronze, the iron, the tin, and the lead, 23 everything that may withstand the fire, you will make to go through the fire, and it will be clean; nevertheless it will be purified with the water for impurity. All that doesn’t withstand the fire you will make to go through the water. 24 You will wash your clothes on the seventh day, and you will be clean. Afterward you will come into the camp.” 25 YHWH spoke to Moses, saying, 26 “Count the plunder that was taken, both of man and of animal, you, and Eleazar the priest, and the heads of the fathers’ households of the congregation; 27 and divide the plunder into two parts: between the men skilled in war, who went out to battle, and all the congregation. 28 Levy a tribute to YHWH of the men of war who went out to battle: one soul of five hundred; of the persons, of the cattle, of the donkeys, and of the flocks. 29 Take it from their half, and give it to Eleazar the priest, for YHWH’s wave offering. 30 Of the sons of Israel’s half, you will take one drawn out of every fifty, of the persons, of the cattle, of the donkeys, and of the flocks, of all the livestock, and give them to the Levites, who perform the watch duty of the tabernacle of YHWH.” 31 Moses and Eleazar the priest did as YHWH commanded Moses. 32 Now the plunder, over and above the booty which the men of war took, was six hundred seventy-five thousand sheep, 33 seventy-two thousand head of cattle, 34 sixty-one thousand donkeys, 35 and thirty-two thousand persons in all, of the women who had not known man by lying with him. 36 The half, which was the portion of those who went out to war, was in number three hundred thirty-seven thousand five hundred sheep; 37 and YHWH’s tribute of the sheep was six hundred seventy-five. 38 The cattle were thirty-six thousand, of which YHWH’s tribute was seventy-two. 39 The asses were thirty thousand five hundred, of which YHWH’s tribute was sixty-one. 40 The persons were sixteen thousand, of whom YHWH’s tribute was thirty-two persons. 41 Moses gave the tribute, which was YHWH’s wave offering, to Eleazar the priest, as YHWH commanded Moses. 42 Of the sons of Israel’s half, which Moses divided off from the men who fought 43 (now the congregation’s half was three hundred thirty-seven thousand five hundred sheep, 44 thirty-six thousand head of cattle, 45 thirty thousand five hundred donkeys, 46 and sixteen thousand persons), 47 even of the sons of Israel’s half, Moses took one drawn out of every fifty, both of man and of animal, and gave them to the Levites, who performed the watch duty of the tabernacle of YHWH, as YHWH commanded Moses. 48 The officers who were over the thousands of the army, the captains of thousands, and the captains of hundreds, came near to Moses. 49 They said to Moses, “Your servants have taken the sum of the men of war who are under our command, and there lacks not one man of us. 50 We have brought YHWH’s offering, what every man found: gold ornaments, armlets, bracelets, signet rings, earrings, and necklaces, to make atonement for our souls before YHWH.” 51 Moses and Eleazar the priest took their gold, even all worked jewels. 52 All the gold of the wave offering that they offered up to YHWH, of the captains of thousands, and of the captains of hundreds, was sixteen thousand seven hundred fifty shekels. 53 The men of war had taken booty, every man for himself. 54 Moses and Eleazar the priest took the gold of the captains of thousands and of hundreds, and brought it into the Appointed Tent for a memorial for the sons of Israel before YHWH.

10:1 Nadab and Abihu, the [two] sons of Aaron, each took his censer, and put fire in it, and laid incense on it, and offered [foreign] fire before YHWH, which [YHWH] had not commanded them. 2 Fire came out from before YHWH, and devoured them, and they died before YHWH. 3 Then Moses said to Aaron, “This is what YHWH spoke of, saying, ‘I will show myself holy to those who come near me, and before all the people I will be glorified.’ ” Aaron held his peace. 4 Moses called Mishael and Elzaphan, the sons of Uzziel the uncle of Aaron, and said to them, “Draw near, carry your brothers from before the sanctuary out of the camp.” 5 So they came near, and carried them in their tunics out of the camp, as Moses had said. 6 Moses said to Aaron, and to Eleazar and to Ithamar, his sons, “Don’t let the hair of your heads go loose, and don’t tear your clothes, so that you don’t die, and so that he will not be angry with all the congregation; but let your brothers, the whole house of Israel, bewail the burning which YHWH has kindled. 7 Do not go out the door of the Appointed Tent, lest you die; for the anointing oil of YHWH is on you.” They did according to the word of Moses. 8 Then YHWH said to Aaron, 9 “You and your sons are not to drink wine or strong drink whenever you go into the Appointed Tent, or you will die. This will be a statute forever throughout your generations. 10 You are to make a distinction between the holy and the profane, and between the unclean and the clean. 11 You are to teach the sons of Israel all the statutes which YHWH has spoken to them by Moses.” 12 Moses spoke to Aaron, and to Eleazar and to Ithamar, his sons who were left, “Take the grain offering that remains of the offerings of YHWH made by fire, and eat it without leaven beside the altar; for it is holy of holies; 13 and you will eat it in a holy place, because it is your portion, and your sons’ portion, of the offerings of YHWH made by fire; for so I am commanded. 14 The waved breast and the heaved thigh you will eat in a clean place, you, and your sons, and your daughters with you: for they are given as your portion, and your sons’ portion, out of the slaughters of the peace offerings of the sons of Israel. 15 They will bring the heaved thigh and the waved breast with the offerings made by fire of the fat, to wave it for a wave offering before YHWH. It will be yours, and your sons’ with you, as a portion forever, as YHWH has commanded.”

7:28 YHWH spoke to Moses, saying, 29 “Speak to the sons of Israel, saying, ‘He who brings the slaughter of his peace offerings to YHWH will bring his offering to YHWH out of the slaughter of his peace offerings. 30 With his own hands he will bring the offerings of YHWH made by fire. He will bring the fat with the breast, that the breast may be waved for a wave offering before YHWH. 31 The priest will burn the fat on the altar, but the breast will be Aaron’s and his sons’. 32 The right thigh you will give to the priest for a heave offering out of the slaughters of your peace offerings. 33 He among the sons of Aaron who brings the blood of the peace offerings, and the fat, will have the right thigh for a portion. 34 For the waved breast and the heaved thigh I have taken from the sons of Israel out of the slaughters of their peace offerings, and have given them to Aaron the priest and to his sons as their portion forever from the sons of Israel.’ ” 35 This is the anointing of Aaron and the anointing of his sons from the offerings of YHWH made by fire, in the day when he brought them near to be adorned for YHWH; 36 which YHWH commanded to be given them of the sons of Israel, in the day that he anointed them. It is their portion forever throughout their generations.

44:1 Then he brought me back by the way of the outer gate of the sanctuary, which looks toward the east; and it was shut. 2 YHWH said to me, “This gate will be shut. It will not be opened, no man will enter in by it; for YHWH, the Elohim of Israel, has entered in by it. Therefore it will be shut. 3 As for the prince, he will sit in it as prince to eat bread before YHWH. He will enter by the way of the porch of the gate, and will go out the same way.” 4 Then he brought me by the way of the north gate before the house; and I looked, and behold, the glory of YHWH filled YHWH’s house; so I fell on my face. 5 YHWH said to me, “Son of man, mark well, and see with your eyes, and hear with your ears all that I tell you concerning all the judgments of YHWH’s house and all its Torot; and mark well the entrance of the house, with every exit of the sanctuary. 6 You will tell the rebellious, even the house of Israel, ‘The Lord YHWH says: “You house of Israel, let that be enough of all your abominations, 7 in that you have brought in foreigners, uncircumcised in heart and uncircumcised in flesh, to be in my sanctuary, to profane it, even my house, when you offer my bread, the fat and the blood; and they have broken my covenant, to add to all your abominations. 8 You have not performed the watch duty of my holy; but you have set performers of my watch duty in my sanctuary for yourselves.” 9 The Lord YHWH says, “No foreigner, uncircumcised in heart and uncircumcised in flesh, will enter into my sanctuary, of any foreigners who are among the sons of Israel. 10 “But the Levites who went far from me when Israel went astray, who went astray from me after their idols, they will bear their iniquity. 11 Yet they will be ministers in my sanctuary, having oversight at the gates of the house, and ministering in the house. They will kill the burnt offering and the slaughter for the people, and they will stand before them to minister to them. 12 Because they ministered to them before their idols, and became a stumbling block of iniquity to the house of Israel, therefore I have lifted up my hand against them,” says the Lord YHWH, “and they will bear their iniquity. 13 They will not come near to me, to execute the office of priest to me, nor to come near to any of my holy, to the things that are holy of holies; but they will bear their shame and their abominations which they have committed. 14 Yet I will make them performers of the watch duty of the house, for all its service and for all that will be done therein. 15 “But the priests, the Levites, the sons of Zadok, who performed the watch duty of my sanctuary when the sons of Israel went astray from me, will come near to me to minister to me. They will stand before me to offer to me the fat and the blood,” says the Lord YHWH. 16 “They will enter into my sanctuary, and they will come near to my table, to minister to me, and they will guard my instruction. 17 “It will be that when they enter in at the gates of the inner court, they will be clothed with linen garments. No wool will come on them while they minister in the gates of the inner court, and within. 18 They will have linen turbans on their heads, and will have linen trousers on their waists. They will not clothe themselves with anything that makes them sweat. 19 When they go out into the outer court, even into the outer court to the people, they will put off their garments in which they minister and lay them in the holy rooms. They will put on other garments, that they not sanctify the people with their garments. 20 “They will not shave their heads, or allow their locks to grow long. They will only cut off the hair of their heads. 21 None of the priests will drink wine when they enter into the inner court. 22 They will not take for their wives a widow, or her who is put away; but they will take virgins of the seed of the house of Israel, or a widow who is the widow of a priest. 23 They will teach my people the difference between the holy and the common, and cause them to discern between the unclean and the clean. 24 “In a controversy they will stand to judge. They will judge it according to my judgments. They will guard my Torot and my statutes in all my appointed feasts. They will make my Sabbaths holy. 25 “They will go in to no dead person to defile themselves; but for father, or for mother, or for son, or for daughter, for brother, or for sister who has had no husband, they may defile themselves. 26 After he is cleansed, they will reckon to him seven days. 27 In the day that he goes into the sanctuary, into the inner court, to minister in the sanctuary, he will offer his sin offering,” says the Lord YHWH. 28 They will have an inheritance: I am their inheritance; and you will give them no possession in Israel. I am their possession. 29 They will eat the grain offering, and the sin offering, and the trespass offering; and every devoted thing in Israel will be theirs. 30 The first of all the first fruits of every thing, and every offering of everything, of all your offerings, will be for the priest. You will also give to the priests the first of your dough, to cause a blessing to rest on your house. 31 The priests will not eat of anything that dies of itself or is torn, whether it is bird or animal.

10:1 Now those who sealed were: Nehemiah the governor, the son of Hacaliah, and Zedekiah, 2 Seraiah, Azariah, Jeremiah, 3 Pashhur, Amariah, Malchijah, 4 Hattush, Shebaniah, Malluch, 5 Harim, Meremoth, Obadiah, 6 Daniel, Ginnethon, Baruch, 7 Meshullam, Abijah, Mijamin, 8 Maaziah, Bilgai, and Shemayah. These were the priests. 9 The Levites: Yeshua the son of Azaniah, Binnui of the sons of Henadad, Kadmiel; 10 and their brothers, Shebaniah, Hodiah, Kelita, Pelaiah, Hanan, 11 Mica, Rehob, Hashabiah, 12 Zaccur, Sherebiah, Shebaniah, 13 Hodiah, Bani, and Beninu. 14 The chiefs of the people: Parosh, Pahathmoab, Elam, Zattu, Bani, 15 Bunni, Azgad, Bebai, 16 Adonijah, Bigvai, Adin, 17 Ater, Hezekiah, Azzur, 18 Hodiah, Hashum, Bezai, 19 Hariph, Anathoth, Nobai, 20 Magpiash, Meshullam, Hezir, 21 Meshezabel, Zadok, Jaddua, 22 Pelatiah, Hanan, Anaiah, 23 Hoshea, Hananiah, Hasshub, 24 Hallohesh, Pilha, Shobek, 25 Rehum, Hashabnah, Maaseiah, 26 Ahiah, Hanan, Anan, 27 Malluch, Harim, and Baanah. 28 The rest of the people, the priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers, the temple servants, and all those who had separated themselves from the peoples of the lands to the Torah of Elohim, their wives, their sons, and their daughters—everyone who had knowledge and understanding— 29 joined with their brothers, their nobles, and entered into an oath and into a vow, to walk in Elohim’s Torah, which was given by Moses the servant of Elohim, and to observe and do all the commandments of YHWH our Lord, and his judgments and his statutes; 30 and that we would not give our daughters to the peoples of the land, nor take their daughters for our sons; 31 and if the peoples of the land bring wares or any grain on the Sabbath day to sell, that we would not buy from them on the Sabbath, or on a holy day; and that we would forego the seventh year crops and the exaction of every debt. 32 Also we made commandments for ourselves, to charge ourselves yearly with the third part of a shekel for the service of the house of our Elohim: 33 for the bread of the presence, for the continual grain offering, for the continual burnt offering, for the Sabbaths, for the new moons, for the set feasts, for the holy, for the sin offerings to make atonement for Israel, and for all the work of the house of our Elohim. 34 We, the priests, the Levites, and the people, cast lots for the wood offering, to bring it into the house of our Elohim, according to our fathers’ houses, at times appointed year by year, to burn on YHWH our Elohim’s altar, as it is written in the Torah; 35 and to bring the first fruits of our ground and the first fruits of all fruit of all kinds of trees, year by year, to YHWH’s house; 36 also the firstborn of our sons and of our livestock, as it is written in the Torah, and the firstborn of our herds and of our flocks, to bring to the house of our Elohim, to the priests who minister in the house of our Elohim; 37 and that we should bring the first fruits of our dough, our wave offerings, the fruit of all kinds of trees, and the new wine and the oil, to the priests, to the rooms of the house of our Elohim; and the tithes of our ground to the Levites; for they, the Levites, take the tithes in all our farming villages. 38 The priest, the son of Aaron, will be with the Levites when the Levites take tithes. The Levites will bring up the tithe of the tithes to the house of our Elohim, to the rooms, into the treasure house. 39 For the sons of Israel and the sons of Levi will bring the wave offering of the grain, of the new wine, and of the oil, to the rooms where the vessels of the sanctuary are, and the priests who minister, with the gatekeepers and the singers. We will not forsake the house of our Elohim.

30:11 YHWH spoke to Moses, saying, 12 “When you lift up the heads of the sons of Israel, according to those who are counted among them, then each man will give an atonement for his soul to YHWH when you count them, that there be no plague among them when you count them. 13 They will give this, everyone who passes over to those who are counted, half a shekel according to the shekel of the sanctuary (the shekel is twenty gerahs); half a shekel for an offering to YHWH. 14 Everyone who passes over to those who are counted, from twenty years old and upward, will give the offering to YHWH. 15 The rich will not give more, and the helpless will not give less, than the half shekel, when they give the offering of YHWH, to make atonement for your souls. 16 You will take the atonement money from the sons of Israel, and will appoint it for the service of the Appointed Tent; that it may be a memorial for the sons of Israel before YHWH, to make atonement for your souls.”

27:25 All your valuations will be according to the shekel of the sanctuary: twenty gerahs to the shekel. 26 However the firstborn among animals, which belongs to YHWH as a firstborn, no man may set apart, whether an ox or a sheep. It is YHWH’s. 27 If it is an unclean animal, then he will buy it back according to your valuation, and will add to it the fifth part of it; or if it isn’t redeemed, then it will be sold according to your valuation. 28 No devoted thing that a man devotes to YHWH of all that he has, whether of man or animal, or of the field of his possession, will be sold or redeemed. Everything that is permanently devoted is holy of holies to YHWH. 29 No one devoted to destruction, who will be devoted from among men, will be ransomed. He will surely be put to death. 30 All the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land or of the fruit of the trees, is YHWH’s. It is holy to YHWH. 31 If a man redeems anything of his tithe, he will add a fifth part to it. 32 All the tithe of the herds or the flocks, whatever passes under the rod, the tenth will be holy to YHWH. 33 He will not examine whether it is good or bad, neither will he exchange it. If he exchanges it at all, then both it and that for which it is exchanged will be holy. It will not be redeemed.’ ” 34 These are the commandments which YHWH commanded Moses for the sons of Israel on Mount Sinai.

Deuteronomy 10:8 At that time YHWH set apart the tribe of Levi to bear the ark of the covenant of YHWH, to stand before YHWH to minister to him, and to bless in his name, to this day. 9 Therefore Levi has no portion nor inheritance with his brothers; YHWH is his inheritance, according as YHWH your Elohim spoke to him.

Deuteronomy 12:1 These are the statutes and the judgments which you will observe to do in the land which YHWH, the Elohim of your fathers, has given you to possess all the days that you live on the land. 2 You will surely destroy all the places in which the nations that you will dispossess served their elohim: on the high mountains, and on the hills, and under every green tree. 3 You will break down their altars, dash their pillars in pieces, and burn their Asherah poles with fire. You will cut down the engraved images of their elohim. You will destroy their name out of that place. 4 You will not do so to YHWH your Elohim. 5 But to the place which YHWH your Elohim will choose out of all your tribes, to put his name there, you will seek his habitation, and you will come there. 6 You will bring your burnt offerings, your slaughters, your tithes, the wave offering of your hand, your vows, your freewill offerings, and the firstborn of your herd and of your flock there. 7 There you will eat before YHWH your Elohim, and you will rejoice in all that you put your hand to, you and your households, in which YHWH your Elohim has blessed you. 8 You will not do all the things that we do here today, every man whatever is right in his own eyes; 9 for you haven’t yet come to the rest and to the inheritance which YHWH your Elohim gives you. 10 But when you go over the Jordan and dwell in the land which YHWH your Elohim causes you to inherit, and he gives you rest from all your enemies around you, so that you dwell in safety, 11 then it will happen that to the place which YHWH your Elohim will choose, to cause his name to dwell there, there you will bring all that I command you: your burnt offerings, your slaughters, your tithes, the wave offering of your hand, and all your choice vows which you vow to YHWH. 12 You will rejoice before YHWH your Elohim—you, and your sons, your daughters, your male servants, your maids, and the Levite who is within your gates, because he has no portion nor inheritance with you. 13 Be careful that you don’t offer your burnt offerings in every place that you see; 14 but in the place which YHWH chooses in one of your tribes, there you will offer your burnt offerings, and there you will do all that I command you. 15 Yet you may kill and eat flesh within all your gates, after all the desire of your soul, according to YHWH your Elohim’s blessing which he has given you. The unclean and the clean may eat of it, as of the gazelle and the deer. 16 Only you will not eat the blood. You will pour it out on the land like water. 17 You may not eat within your gates the tithe of your grain, or of your new wine, or of your oil, or the firstborn of your herd or of your flock, nor any of your vows which you vow, nor your freewill offerings, nor the wave offering of your hand; 18 but you will eat them before YHWH your Elohim in the place which YHWH your Elohim will choose: you, your son, your daughter, your male servant, your maid, and the Levite who is within your gates. You will rejoice before YHWH your Elohim in all that you put your hand to. 19 Be careful that you don’t forsake the Levite as long as you live in your land.

Deuteronomy 14:22 You will surely tithe all the increase of your seed, that which comes out of the field year by year. 23 You will eat before YHWH your Elohim, in the place which he chooses to cause his name to dwell, the tithe of your grain, of your new wine, and of your oil, and the firstborn of your herd and of your flock; that you may learn to fear YHWH your Elohim always. 24 If the way is too long for you, so that you are not able to carry it because the place which YHWH your Elohim will choose to set his name there is too far from you, when YHWH your Elohim blesses you, 25 then you will turn it into money, bind up the money in your hand, and will go to the place which YHWH your Elohim will choose. 26 You will trade the money for whatever your soul desires: for cattle, or for sheep, or for wine, or for strong drink, or for whatever your soul asks of you. You will eat there before YHWH your Elohim, and you will rejoice, you and your household. 27 You will not forsake the Levite who is within your gates, for he has no portion nor inheritance with you. 28 At the end of every three years you will bring all the tithe of your increase in the same year, and will store it within your gates. 29 The Levite, because he has no portion nor inheritance with you, as well as the foreigner living among you, the fatherless, and the widow who are within your gates will come, and will eat and be satisfied; that YHWH your Elohim may bless you in all the work of your hand which you do.

Deuteronomy 18:1 The priests and the Levites—all the tribe of Levi—will have no portion nor inheritance with Israel. They will eat the offerings of YHWH made by fire and his portion. 2 They will have no inheritance among their brothers. YHWH is their inheritance, as he has spoken to them. 3 This will be the priests’ due from the people, from those who offer a slaughter, whether it be ox or sheep, that they will give to the priest: the shoulder, the two cheeks, and the inner parts. 4 You will give him the first fruits of your grain, of your new wine, and of your oil, and the first of the fleece of your sheep. 5 For YHWH your Elohim has chosen him out of all your tribes to stand to minister in the name of YHWH, him and his sons forever. 6 If a Levite comes from any of your gates out of all Israel where he lives, and comes with all the desire of his soul to the place which YHWH will choose, 7 then he will minister in the name of YHWH his Elohim, as all his brothers the Levites do, who stand there before YHWH. 8 They will have like portions to eat, in addition to that which comes from the sale of his family possessions.

Joshua 13:32 These are the inheritances which Moses distributed in the plains of Moab, beyond the Jordan at Jericho, eastward. 33 But Moses gave no inheritance to the tribe of Levi. YHWH, the Elohim of Israel, is their inheritance, as he spoke to them.

John 4:20 Our fathers worshiped in this mountain, and you Jews say that in Jerusalem is the place where people ought to worship.” 21 Yeshua said to her, “Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither in this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. 22 You worship that which you don’t know. We worship that which we know; for salvation is from the Jews. 23 But the hour comes, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father seeks such to be his worshipers. 24 Elohim is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” 25 The woman said to him, “I know that Messiah is coming, he who is called Messiah.† When he has come, he will declare to us all things.” 26 Yeshua said to her, “I am he, the one who speaks to you.”

Hebrews 7:1 For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of Elohim Most High, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him, 2 to whom also Abraham divided a tenth part of all, being first, by interpretation, “king of righteousness”, and then also “king of Salem”, which means “king of peace”, 3 without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, and taking an exact image to the Son of Elohim, remains a priest continually. 4 Now consider how great this man was, to whom even Abraham the patriarch gave a tenth out of the best plunder. 5 They indeed of the sons of Levi who receive the priest’s office have a commandment to take tithes from the people according to the Torah, that is, of their brothers, though these have come out of the body of Abraham, 6 but he whose genealogy is not counted from them has accepted tithes from Abraham, and has blessed him who has the promises. 7 But without any dispute the lesser is blessed by the greater. 8 Here people who die receive tithes, but there one receives tithes of whom it is witnessed that he lives. 9 We can say that through Abraham even Levi, who receives tithes, has paid tithes, 10 for he was yet in the body of his father when Melchizedek met him. 11 Now if perfection was through the Levitical priesthood, for under it the people have received the law, what further need was there for another priest to arise after the order of Melchizedek, and not be called after the order of Aaron? 12 For the priesthood being changed, there is of necessity a change made also in the law. 13 For he of whom these things are said belongs to another tribe, from which no one has officiated at the altar. 14 For it is evident that our Lord has sprung out of Judah, about which tribe Moses spoke nothing concerning priesthood. 15 This is yet more abundantly evident, if after the likeness of Melchizedek there arises another priest, 16 who has been made, not after the law of a fleshly commandment, but after the power of an endless life; 17 for it is witnessed, “You are a priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek.” 18 For there is an annulling of a foregoing commandment because of its weakness and uselessness, 19 for the law made nothing perfect, and a bringing in of a better hope, through which we draw near to Elohim. 20 Inasmuch as he was not made priest without the taking of an oath, 21 for they indeed have been made priests without an oath, but he with an oath by him that says of him, “The Lord swore and will not change his mind, ‘You are a priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek.’ ” 22 By so much, Yeshua has become the guarantee of a better covenant. 23 Many, indeed, have been made priests, because they are hindered from continuing by death. 24 But he, because he lives forever, has his priesthood unchangeable. 25 Therefore he is also able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to Elohim through him, seeing that he lives forever to make intercession for them. 26 For such a high priest was fitting for us: holy, guiltless, undefiled, separated from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; 27 who doesn’t need, like those high priests, to offer up slaughters daily, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. For he did this once for all, when he offered up himself. 28 For the Torah appoints men as high priests who have weakness, but the word of the oath, which came after the law, appoints a Son forever who has been perfected.

26:1 It will be, when you have come in to the land which YHWH your Elohim gives you for an inheritance, possess it, and dwell in it, 2 that you will take some of the first of all the fruit of the ground, which you will bring in from your land that YHWH your Elohim gives you. You will put it in a basket, and will go to the place which YHWH your Elohim will choose to cause his name to dwell there. 3 You will come to the priest who will be in those days, and tell him, “I profess today to YHWH your Elohim, that I have come to the land which YHWH swore to our fathers to give us.” 4 The priest will take the basket out of your hand, and set it down before YHWH your Elohim’s altar. 5 You will answer and say before YHWH your Elohim, “My father was a Syrian ready to perish. He went down into Egypt, and lived there, few in number. There he became a great, mighty, and populous nation. 6 The Egyptians mistreated us, afflicted us, and imposed hard labor on us. 7 Then we cried to YHWH, the Elohim of our fathers. YHWH heard our voice, and saw our affliction, our toil, and our oppression. 8 YHWH brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand, with an outstretched arm, with great terror, with signs, and with wonders; 9 and he has brought us into this place, and has given us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey. 10 Now, behold, I have brought the first of the fruit of the ground, which you, YHWH, have given me.” You will set it down before YHWH your Elohim, and worship before YHWH your Elohim. 11 You will rejoice in all the good which YHWH your Elohim has given to you, and to your house, you, and the Levite, and the foreigner who is among you. 12 When you have finished tithing all the tithe of your increase in the third year, which is the year of tithing, then you will give it to the Levite, to the foreigner, to the fatherless, and to the widow, that they may eat within your gates and be filled. 13 You will say before YHWH your Elohim, “I have put away the holy out of my house, and also have given them to the Levite, to the foreigner, to the fatherless, and to the widow, according to all your commandment which you have commanded me. I have not transgressed any of your commandments, neither have I forgotten them. 14 I have not eaten of it in my mourning, neither have I removed any of it while I was unclean, nor given of it for the dead. I have listened to YHWH my Elohim’s voice. I have done according to all that you have commanded me. 15 Look down from your holy habitation, from the heavens, and bless your people Israel, and the ground which you have given us, as you swore to our fathers, a land flowing with milk and honey.” 16 Today YHWH your Elohim commands you to do these statutes and judgments. You will therefore keep and do them with all your heart and with all your soul. 17 You have declared today that YHWH is your Elohim, and that you would walk in his ways, guard his statutes, his commandments, and his judgments, and listen to his voice. 18 YHWH has declared today that you are a people for his own possession, as he has promised you, and that you should keep all his commandments. 19 He will make you high above all nations that he has made, in praise, in name, and in honor, and that you may be a holy people to YHWH your Elohim, as he has spoken.

Matthew 23:23 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint, dill, and cumin, and have left undone the weightier matters of the Torah: justice, mercy, and faith. But you ought to have done these, and not to have left the other undone.

Luke 11:37 Now as he spoke, a certain Pharisee asked him to dine with him. He went in and sat at the table. 38 When the Pharisee saw it, he marveled that he had not first washed himself before dinner. 39 The Lord said to him, “Now you Pharisees cleanse the outside of the cup and of the platter, but your inward part is full of extortion and wickedness. 40  You foolish ones, didn’t he who made the outside make the inside also? 41  But give for gifts to the needy those things which are within, and behold, all things will be clean to you. 42  But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and every herb, but you bypass justice and Elohim’s love. You ought to have done these, and not to have left the other undone.

18:9 He also spoke this parable to certain people who were convinced of their own righteousness, and who despised all others: 10  “Two men went up into the temple to pray; one was a Pharisee, and the other was a tax collector. 11  The Pharisee stood and prayed by himself like this: ‘Elohim, I thank you that I am not like the rest of men: extortionists, unrighteous, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. 12  I fast twice a week. I give tithes of all that I get.’ 13  But the tax collector, standing far away, wouldn’t even lift up his eyes to the heavens, but beat his breast, saying, ‘Elohim, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ 14  I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Related Additional Readings​

Between 1947 and 1956 approximately 15 Jubilees scrolls were found in five caves at Qumran, all written in Hebrew. The large number of manuscripts (more than for any biblical books except for Psalms, Deuteronomy, Isaiah, Exodus, and Genesis, in descending order) indicates that Jubilees was widely used at Qumran. A comparison of the Qumran texts with the Ethiopic version, performed by James VanderKam, found that the Ethiopic was in most respects an accurate and literalistic translation. Scholars have dated Jubilees to have been written sometime around 160-150 B.C.

32:1 And he abode that night at Bethel, and Levi dreamed that they had ordained and made him the priest of the Most High Elohim, him and his sons for ever; and he awoke from his sleep and blessed the Lord. 2. And Jacob rose early in the morning, on the fourteenth of this new moon, and he gave a tithe of all that came with him, both of men and cattle, both of gold and every vessel and garment, yea, he gave tithes of all. 3. And in those days Rachel became pregnant with her son Benjamin. And Jacob counted his sons from him upwards and Levi fell to the portion of the Lord, and his father clothed him in the garments of the priesthood and filled his hands. 4. And on the fifteenth of this new moon, he brought to the altar fourteen oxen from amongst the cattle, and twenty-eight rams, and forty-nine sheep, and seven lambs, and twenty-one kids of the goats as a burnt offering on the altar of slaughter, well pleasing for a sweet savour before Elohim. 5. This was his offering, in consequence of the vow which he had vowed that he would give a tenth, with their fruit-offerings and their drink-offerings. 6. And when the fire had consumed it, he burnt incense on the fire over the fire, and for a thank offering two oxen and four rams and four sheep, four he-goats, and two sheep of a year old, and two kids of the goats; and thus he did daily for seven days. 7. And he and all his sons and his men were eating (this) with joy there during seven days and blessing and thanking the Lord, who had delivered him out of all his tribulation and had given him his vow. 8. And he tithed all the clean animals, and made a burnt slaughter, but the unclean animals he gave (not) to Levi his son, and he gave him all the souls of the men. 9. And Levi discharged the priestly office at Bethel before Jacob his father in preference to his ten brothers, and he was a priest there, and Jacob gave his vow: thus he tithed again the tithe to the Lord and sanctified it, and it became holy unto Him. 10. And for this reason it is ordained on the heavenly tables as a law for the tithing again the tithe to eat before the Lord from year to year, in the place where it is chosen that His name should dwell, and to this law there is no limit of days for ever. 11. This ordinance is written that it may be fulfilled from year to year in eating the second tithe before the Lord in the place where it hath been chosen, and nothing will remain over from it from this year to the year following. 12. For in its year will the seed be eaten till the days of the gathering of the seed of the year, and the wine till the days of the wine, and the oil till the days of its season. 13. And all that is left thereof and becometh old, let it be regarded as polluted: let it be burnt with fire, for it is unclean. 14. And thus let them eat it together in the sanctuary, and let them not suffer it to become old. 15. And all the tithes of the oxen and sheep will be holy unto the Lord, and will belong to His priests, which they will eat before Him from year to year; for thus is it ordained and engraven regarding the tithe on the heavenly tables.

The Book of Judith relates the story of God’s deliverance of the Jewish people. This was accomplished “by the hand of a female”—a constant motif meant to recall the “hand” of Elohim in the Exodus narrative. The work may have been written around 100 B.C., but its historical range is extraordinary.

11:10 Therefore, O lord and master, don’t neglect his word, but lay it up in your heart, for it is true; for our race will not be punished, neither will the sword prevail against them, unless they sin against their Elohim. 11 And now, that my lord may not be defeated and frustrated in his purpose, and that death may fall upon them, their sin has overtaken them, wherewith they will provoke their Elohim to anger, whenever they do wickedness. 12 Since their food failed them, and all their water was scant, they took counsel to kill their livestock, and determined to consume all those things which Elohim charged them by his laws that they should not eat. 13 They are resolved to spend the first fruits of the grain and the tithes of the wine and the oil, which they had sanctified and reserved for the priests who stand before the face of our Elohim in Jerusalem, which it is not fitting for any of the people so much as to touch with their hands. 14 They have sent some to Jerusalem, because they also that dwell there have done this thing, to bring them permission from the council of elders.

Tobit, also called The Book of Tobias, found its way into the Roman Catholic canon via the Septuagint. Before the 1952 discovery of Aramaic and Hebrew fragments of Tobit among the Dead Sea Scrolls in a cave at Qumran, scholars believed Tobit was not included in the Jewish canon because of late authorship, estimated to 100 A.D.. Qumran fragments of the text, which were copied between 100 B.C. to 25 A.D., evidence a much earlier origin than previously thought. These fragments evidence authorship no later than the 2nd century B.C. and, likely, contemporary with the date ascribed, by modern scholars, to the final compilation of the Book of Daniel, which did attain canonical status.

Tobit 1:1 The book of the words of Tobit, the son of Tobiel, the son of Ananiel, the son of Aduel, the son of Gabael, of the seed of Asiel, of the tribe of Naphtali; 2 who in the days of Enemessar king of the Assyrians was carried away captive out of Thisbe, which is on the right hand of Kedesh Naphtali in Galilee above Asher. 3 I, Tobit walked in the ways of truth and righteousness all the days of my life, and I did many alms deeds to my kindred and my nation, who went with me into the land of the Assyrians, to Nineveh. 4 When I was in my own country, in the land of Israel, while I was yet young, all the tribe of Naphtali my father fell away from the house of Jerusalem, which was chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, that all the tribes should slaughter there, and the temple of the habitation of the Most High was hallowed and built therein for all ages. 5 All the tribes which fell away together slaughtered to the heifer Baal, and so did the house of Naphtali my father. 6 I alone went often to Jerusalem at the feasts, as it has been ordained to all Israel by an everlasting decree, having the first fruits and the tenths of my increase, and that which was first shorn; and I gave them at the altar to the priests the sons of Aaron. 7 I gave a tenth part of all my increase to the sons of Levi, who ministered at Jerusalem. A second tenth part I sold away, and went, and spent it each year at Jerusalem. 8 A third tenth I gave to them to whom it was appropriate, as Deborah my father’s mother had commanded me, because I was left an orphan by my father.

Tobit 5:1 Then Tobias answered and said to him, “Father, I will do all things, whatever you have commanded me. 2 But how could I receive the money, since I don’t know him?” 3 He gave him the handwriting, and said to him, “Seek a man who will go with you, and I will give him wages, whiles I yet live; and go and receive the money.” 4 He went to seek a man, and found Raphael who was an angel; 5 and he didn’t know it. He said to him, “Can I go with you to Rages of Media? Do you know those places well?” 6 The angel said to him, “I will go with you. I know the way well. I have lodged with our brother Gabael.” 7 Tobias said to him, “Wait for me, and I will tell my father.” 8 He said to him, “Go, and don’t wait. And he went in and said to his father, “Behold, I have found someone who will go with me.” But he said, “Call him to me, that I may know of what tribe he is, and whether he be a trustworthy man to go with you.” 9 So he called him, and he came in, and they saluted one another. 10 And Tobit said to him, “Brother, of what tribe and of what family are you? Tell me.” 11 He said to him, “Do you seek a tribe and a family, or a hired man which will go with your son?” And Tobit said to him, “I want to know, brother, your kindred and your name.” 12 And he said, “I am Azarias, the son of Ananias the great, of your kindred.” 13 And he said to him, “Welcome, brother. Don’t be angry with me, because I sought to know your tribe and family. You are my brother, of an honest and good lineage; for I knew Ananias and Jathan, the sons of Shemayah the great, when we went together to Jerusalem to worship, and offered the firstborn, and the tenths of our increase; and they didn’t go astray in the error of our kindred. My brother, you are of a great stock. 14 But tell me, what wages will I give you? A drachma a day, and those things that be necessary for you, as to my son? 15 And moreover, if you both return safe and sound, I will add something to your wages.” 16 And so they agreed. And he said to Tobias, “Prepare yourself for the journey. May Elohim prosper you.” So his son prepared what was needful for the journey, and his father said to him, “Go with this man; but Elohim, who dwells in the heavens, will prosper your journey. May his angel go with you.” Then they both departed, and the young man’s dog went with them. 17 But Anna his mother wept, and said to Tobit, “Why have you sent away our child? Isn’t he the staff of our hand, in going in and out before us? 18 Don’t be greedy to add money to money; but let it be as refuse compared to our child. 19 For what the Lord has given us to live is enough for us.” 20 Tobit said to her, “Don’t worry, my sister. He will return safe and sound, and your eyes will see him. 21 For a good angel will go with him. His journey will be prospered, and he will return safe and sound.” 22 So she stopped weeping.

Sirach, or Wisdom of Sirach, and also known as the Book of Ecclesiasticus (abbreviated Ecclus.) or Ben Sira, is a work of ethical teachings, from approximately 200 to 175 B.C., written by the Jewish scribe Ben Sira of Jerusalem, on the inspiration of his father Joshua son of Sirach, sometimes called Jesus son of Sirach or Yeshua ben Eliezer ben Sira. The Sirach was almost completely uncovered in Hebrew in the Dead Sea Scrolls, at Masada, and the Cairo Geniza. The multiplicity of manuscript fragments uncovered in the Cairo Genizah evidence its authoritative status among Egyptian Jewry until the Middle Ages. Quotes from Sirach can be found in Rabbinic literature in multiple places  including the Talmud in Bava Kamma 92b:13 and Hagigah 13a:2. Additionally, the Gospels and other Apostolic Scriptures quote from the Book of Sirach including the Song of Miriam in Luke 1:52 (cf. Sirach 10:14); the description of the seed in Mark 4:5, 16–17 (cf. Sirach 40:15); the statement by Yeshua in Matthew 7:16,20 (cf. Sirach 27:6); and Ya’aqov (James) 1:19 (cf. Sirach 5:11).

35:1 He who guards the Torah multiplies offerings. He who heeds the commandments slaughters a peace offering. 2 He who returns a kindness offers fine flour. He who gives alms slaughters a thank offering. 3 To depart from wickedness pleases the Lord. To depart from unrighteousness is an atoning slaughter. 4 See that you don’t appear in the face of the Lord empty. 5 For all these things are done because of the commandment. 6 The offering of the righteous enriches the altar. The sweet fragrance of it is before the Most High. 7 The slaughter of a righteous man is acceptable. It won’t be forgotten. 8 Glorify the Lord with generosity. Don’t reduce the first fruits of your hands. 9 In every gift show a cheerful countenance, And dedicate your tithe with gladness. 10 Give to the Most High according as he has given. As your hand has found, give generously. 11 For the Lord repays, and he will repay you sevenfold. 12 Don’t plan to bribe him with gifts, for he will not receive them. Don’t set your mind on an unrighteous slaughter, For the Lord is the judge, and with him is no respect of persons.

1 Maccabees 3:42 Judas and his kindred saw that evils were multiplied, and that the forces were encamping in their borders. They learned about the king’s words which he had commanded, to destroy the people and make an end of them. 43 Then they each said to his neighbor, “Let’s raise up the ruins of our people. Let’s fight for our people and the holy place.” 44 The congregation was gathered together, that they might be ready for battle, and that they might pray, and ask for mercy and compassion. 45 Jerusalem was without inhabitant like a wilderness. There was none of her seed who went in or went out. The sanctuary was trampled down. Children of foreigners were in the citadel. The Nations lived there. Joy was taken away from Jacob, and the pipe and the harp ceased. 46 They gathered themselves together, and came to Mizpeh, near Jerusalem; for in Mizpeh there used to be a place of prayer for Israel. 47 They fasted that day, put on sackcloth, put ashes on their heads, tore their clothes, 48 and laid open the book of the law, to learn about the things for which the Nations consulted the images of their idols. 49 They brought the priests’ garments, the first fruits, and the tithes. They stirred up the Nazarites, who had accomplished their days. 50 They cried aloud toward the heavens, saying, “What should we do with these men? Where should we carry them away? 51 Your holy place is trampled down and profaned. Your priests mourn in humiliation. 52 Behold, the Nations are assembled together against us to destroy us. You know what things they imagine against us. 53 How will we be able to stand before them, unless you help us?” 54 They sounded with the trumpets, and gave a loud shout.

1 Maccabees 11:20 In those days Jonathan gathered together the Judeans to take the citadel that was at Jerusalem. He made many engines of war to use against it. 21 Some who hated their own nation, men who transgressed the law, went to the king and reported to him that Jonathan was besieging the citadel. 22 He heard, and was angry, but when he heard it, he set out immediately, and came to Ptolemais, and wrote to Jonathan, that he should not besiege it, and that he should meet him and speak with him at Ptolemais with all speed. 23 But when Jonathan heard this, he gave orders to continue the siege. He chose some of the elders of Israel and of the priests, and put himself in peril 24 by taking silver, gold, clothing, and various other presents, and went to Ptolemais to the king. Then he found favor in his sight. 25 Some lawless men of those who were of the nation made complaints against him, 26 and the king did to him even as his predecessors had done to him, and exalted him in the sight of all his† Friends, 27 and confirmed to him the high priesthood, and all the other honors that he had before, and gave him preeminence among his Chief Friends. 28 And Jonathan requested of the king that he would make Judea free from tribute, along with the three§ provinces and the country of Samaria, and promised him three hundred talents. 29 The king consented, and wrote letters to Jonathan concerning all these things as follows: 30 “King Demetrius to his brother Jonathan, and to the nation of the Jews, greetings. 31 The copy of the letter which we wrote to Lasthenes our kinsman concerning you, we have written also to you, that you may see it. 32 ‘King Demetrius to Lasthenes his father, greetings. 33 We have determined to do good to the nation of the Jews, who are our friends, and observe what is just toward us, because of their good will toward us. 34 We have confirmed therefore to them the borders of Judea, and also the three governments of Aphaerema, Lydda, and Ramathaim (these were added to Judea from the country of Samaria), and all their territory to them, for all who do slaughter in Jerusalem, instead of the king’s dues which the king received of them yearly before from the produce of the land and the fruits of trees. 35 As for the other payments to us from henceforth, of the tithes and the taxes that pertain to us, and the salt pits, and the crown taxes due to us, all these we will give back to them. 36 Not one of these things will be annulled from this time forth and forever. 37 Now therefore be careful to make a copy of these things, and let it be given to Jonathan, and let it be set up on the holy mountain in a suitable and conspicuous place.’ ”

Numbers 17:1 – 18:32 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 17 And the Lord spake with Mosheh, saying: Speak with the sons of Israel, and take of them severally a rod, according to the house of their fathers; twelve rods; and upon each rod thou shalt inscribe its (tribe) name. But on the rod of Levi thou shalt write the name of Aharon: for there is but one rod for each head of their father’s house. And thou shalt lay them up in the tabernacle before the testimony, where My Word is appointed to meet you. And the man whose rod germinateth will be he whom I approve to minister before Me; and I will make the murmurings of the sons of Israel with which they have murmured against you to cease from Me. Mosheh spake, therefore, with the sons of Israel, and the chiefs of them gave him severally their rods, according to the house of their fathers, twelve rods; and Aharon’s rod was among theirs. And Mosheh laid up the rods before the Lord in the tabernacle of ordinance. And it came to pass, the day after, when Mosheh went into the tabernacle of the testimony, that, behold, the rod of Aharon had germinated; it had shot forth branches, blossomed with flowers, and, in the same night, produced and ripened almonds. [JERUSALEM. And the day following Mosheh went into the tabernacle of testimony, and, behold, the rod of Aharon, of his house of Levi, had germinated, put forth buds, bloomed with flowers, and ripened almonds, the fruit of the almond.] And Mosheh brought out all the rods from before the Lord to all the sons of Israel, who recognised and took severally their rods. And the Lord said to Mosheh, Take back the rod of Aharon, before the testimony, to be kept for a sign for the rebellious children, that their murmurings may cease from before Me, lest they die. And Mosheh did so; as the Lord commanded so did he. And the sons of Israel spake with Mosheh, saying: Behold, some of us have been consumed with the flaming fire; some of us have been swallowed up by the earth, and have perished! Behold, we are accounted as if all of us are to be destroyed. Any one who approaches the tabernacle must die: are we not doomed to destruction? [JERUSALEM. And the sons of Israel spake, saying: Behold, we are consumed, and are all of us as if destroyed. Some of us have died of the plague, and some of us the earth, opening her mouth, hath swallowed up.]

Chapter 18 And the Lord said unto Aharon, Thou, and thy sons, and the house of thy fathers with thee, will bear the iniquity of the consecrated things, when you have not been heedful in offering them; and thou and thy sons with thee will bear the iniquity of your priesthood, when you have not been heedful of their separations. And thy brethren also of the tribe of Levi, who are called by the name of Amram thy father, shalt thou bring near to thee, that they may consociate with and minister to thee. But thou, and thy sons with thee, (only) will stand before the tabernacle of the testimony And they will keep thy charge, and have charge of all the tabernacle; yet to the vessels of the sanctuary and to the altar they are not to come near, lest both they and you die. And they will have appointment from thee without, and keep charge of the tabernacle of ordinance for all its service; and a stranger will not come near you. And you will guard the charge of the sanctuary and of the altar, that there may be no more the wrath that hath been upon the sons of Israel. And, behold, I have taken your brethren the Levites from among the sons of Israel; to you they are given, a gift before the Lord, to perform the work of the tabernacle of ordinance. But thou, and thy sons with thee, will guard the charge of your priesthood in all things that pertain to the altar, and (those) within the veil, and will minister by lots, according to the service. So, provision of food have I given you, on account of the anointing of your priesthood; and the stranger who cometh near will die.And the Lord said to Aharon, And I have been pleased to give you the charge of My separated offerings; the cakes of the firstfruits, and all the consecrated things of the sons of Israel, to thee have I given them, on account of the anointing, and to thy sons, by an everlasting statute. They will be to thee most sacred; whatsoever remaineth of the sheep offered by fire, all their oblations, of all their minchas, of all their sin offerings, and of all their trespass offerings which they present before Me, they are most sacred for thee and for thy sons. Thou mayest eat it in the sanctuary; every male may eat thereof; on account of the holy anointing it will be thine. And this is what I have set apart to thee of their separated minchas, and of all the uplifted things of the sons of Israel, to thee have I given them, and to thy sons and thy daughters with thee by an everlasting statute. Whoever is clean in thy house may eat of it. All the best of the olive oil, of the grape wine, and of the wheat of their firstfruits which they present before the Lord, I have given unto thee. [JERUSALEM. All the best of the wheat, of the wine, and of the oil of their firstfruits.] The firsts of all the trees of their ground which they present before the Lord will be thine; every one who is clean in thy house may eat them. Every devoted thin, in Israel will be thine. Whatever openeth the womb, of all flesh among animals which they offer before the Lord, as the regulation concerning men, so the regulation concerning cattle, it is to be thine: only thou art to redeem the firstborn of man by the five shekels, and the firstlings of the unclean animal thou shalt redeem with lambs. And the redemption of a man child of a month old thou shalt make, according to thy estimation of him, by five shekels of silver in the shekel of the sanctuary, which is twenty meahs. But the firstlings of oxen, of sheep, or of goats thou mayest not redeem, for they are sacred; but thou shalt sprinkle their blood upon the altar, and burn their fat for an oblation to be accepted before, the Lord. And their flesh will be thine, for food; as the breast of the elevation, and as the right shoulder, it will be thine. Every thing set apart of the sacred things which the sons of Israel consecrate to the Lord have I given to thee, to thy sons and thy daughters with thee, by a perpetual statute not to be abolished; as the salt which seasoneth the flesh of the oblation, because it is an everlasting statute before the Lord, so will it be for thee and for thy children.And the Lord said to Aharon, Thou wilt not receive a possession in their land as the rest of the tribes, nor wilt thou have a portion among them: I am thy Portion and thy Inheritance in the midst of the sons of Israel. And, behold, I have given to the sons of Levi all the tenths in Israel for a possession, on account of their service with which they serve in the work of the tabernacle of ordinance. And the sons of Israel will no more come near the tabernacle to incur the sin unto death; but the Levites will minister in the work of the tabernacle, and will bear their sin if they be not diligent in their work. It is an everlasting statute for your generations; but among the sons of Israel they will have no possession. Therefore the tenths of the sons of Israel, which they set apart for a separation before the Lord, have I given to the Levites for a possession, because I have said to them that among the sons of Israel they will possess no inheritance.And the Lord spake with Mosheh, saying: Speak to the Levites, and bid them take from the sons of Israel the tenth which I have given them for their possession; and (then) will you separate from it a separation before the Lord, a tenth from the tenth; and your separation will be reckoned to you as the corn from the threshing floor, and as the wine from the fulness of the winepress: so will you set apart your separation before the Lord from all your tenths, which you may receive from the sons of Israel, and give thereof a separation before the Lord unto Aharon the priest. Of all your gifts you will set apart a separation before the Lord, of all the finest and the best therein. And say thou to the priests, When you have set apart the finest and the best of it and in it, then will it be reckoned to the Levites as the setting apart of corn from the threshing‑floor, and of wine from the wine‑press. And you may eat it, you, the priests, in any place, you and the men of your house; for it is your remuneration for your service in the tabernacle of ordinance. And you will not contract guilt by it, at what time you set apart the finest and best of it, by any one eating of it who is unclean; neither will you profane the consecrated things of the sons of Israel, lest you die.

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.).

4.4.1. However, this sedition was so far from ceasing upon this destruction, that it grew much stronger, and became more intolerable. And the occasion of its growing worse was of that nature, as made it likely the calamity would never cease, but last for a long time; for the men, believing already that nothing is done without the providence of Elohim, would have it that these things came thus to pass not without Elohim’s favor to Moses; they therefore laid the blame upon him that Elohim was so angry, and that this happened not so much because of the wickedness of those that were punished, as because Moses procured the punishment; and that these men had been destroyed without any sin of theirs, only because they were zealous about the Divine worship; as also, that he who had been the cause of this diminution of the people, by destroying so many men, and those the most excellent of them all, besides his escaping any punishment himself, had now given the priesthood to his brother so firmly, that nobody could any longer dispute it with him; for no one else, to be sure, could now put in for it, since he must have seen those that first did so to have miserably perished. Nay, besides this, the kindred of those that were destroyed made great entreaties to the multitude to abate the arrogance of Moses, because it would be safest for them so to do.

4.4.2. Now Moses, upon his hearing for a good while that the people were tumultuous, was afraid that they would attry some other innovation, and that some great and sad calamity would be the consequence. He called the multitude to a congregation, and patiently heard what apology they had to make for themselves, without opposing them, and this lest he should embitter the multitude: he only desired the heads of the tribes to bring their rods, with the names of their tribes inscribed upon them, and that he should receive the priesthood in whose rod Elohim should give a sign. This was agreed to. So the rest brought their rods, as did Aaron also, who had written the tribe of Levi on his rod. These rods Moses laid up in the tabernacle of Elohim. On the next day he brought out the rods, which were known from one another by those who brought them, they having distinctly noted them, as had the multitude also; and as to the rest, in the same form Moses had received them, in that they saw them still; but they also saw buds and branches grown out of Aaron’s rod, with ripe fruits upon them; they were almonds, the rod having been cut out of that tree. The people were so amazed at this strange sight, that though Moses and Aaron were before under some degree of hatred, they now laid that hatred aside, and began to admire the judgment of Elohim concerning them; so that hereafter they applauded what Elohim had decreed, and permitted Aaron to enjoy the priesthood peaceably. And thus Elohim ordained him priest three several times, and he retained that honor without further disturbance. And hereby this sedition of the Hebrews, which had been a great one, and had lasted a great while, was at last composed.

4.4.3. And now Moses, because the tribe of Levi was made free from war and warlike expeditions, and was set apart for the Divine worship, lest they should want and seek after the necessaries of life, and so neglect the temple, commanded the Hebrews, according to the will of Elohim, that when they should gain the possession of the land of Canaan, they should assign forty-eight good and fair cities to the Levites; and permit them to enjoy their suburbs, as far as the limit of two thousand cubits would extend from the walls of the city. And besides this, he appointed that the people should pay the tithe of their annual fruits of the land, both to the Levites and to the priests. And this is what that tribe receives of the multitude; but I think it necessary to set down what is paid by all, peculiarly to the priests.

4.4.4. Accordingly he commanded the Levites to yield up to the priests thirteen of their forty-eight cities, and to set apart for them the tenth part of the tithes which they every year receive of the people; as also, that it was but just to offer to Elohim the first fruits of the entire product of the ground; and that they should offer the first-born of those four-footed beasts that are appointed for slaughters, if it be a male, to the priests, to be slain, that they and their entire families may eat them in the holy city; but that the owners of those first-born which are not appointed for slaughters in the laws of our country, should bring a shekel and a half in their stead: but for the first-born of a man, five shekels: that they should also have the first fruits out of the shearing of the sheep; and that when any baked bread corn, and made loaves of it, they should give somewhat of what they had baked to them. Moreover, when any have made a sacred vow, I mean those that are called Nazarites, that suffer their hair to grow long, and use no wine, when they consecrate their hair, 4 and offer it for a slaughter, they are to allot that hair for the priests [to be thrown into the fire]. Such also as dedicate themselves to Elohim, as a corban, which denotes what the Greeks call a gift, when they are desirous of being freed from that ministration, are to lay down money for the priests; thirty shekels if it be a woman, and fifty if it be a man; but if any be too poor to pay the appointed sum, it will be lawful for the priests to determine that sum as they think fit. And if any slay beasts at home for a private festival, but not for a religious one, they are obliged to bring the maw and the cheek, [or breast,] and the right shoulder of the slaughter, to the priests. With these Moses contrived that the priests should be plentifully maintained, besides what they had out of those offerings for sins which the people gave them, as I have set it down in the foregoing book. He also ordered, that out of every thing allotted for the priests, their servants, [their sons,] their daughters, and their wives, should partake, as well as themselves, excepting what came to them out of the slaughters that were offered for sins; for of those none but the males of the family of the priests might eat, and this in the temple also, and that the same day they were offered.

4.8.19. He that plants a piece of land, the trees of which produce fruits before the fourth year, is not to bring thence any first fruits to Elohim, nor is he to make use of that fruit himself, for it is not produced in its proper season; for when nature has a force put upon her at an unseasonable time, the fruit is not proper for Elohim, nor for the master’s use; but let the owner gather all that is grown on the fourth year, for then it is in its proper season. And let him that has gathered it carry it to the holy city, and spend that, together with the tithe of his other fruits, in feasting with his friends, with the orphans, and the widows. But on the fifth year the fruit is his own, and he may use it as he pleases.

4.8.22. Besides those two tithes, which I have already said you are to pay every year, the one for the Levites, the other for the festivals, you are to bring every third year a third tithe to be distributed to those that want; 23 to women also that are widows, and to children that are orphans. But as to the ripe fruits, let them carry that which is ripe first of all into the temple; and when they have blessed Elohim for that land which bare them, and which he had given them for a possession, when they have also offered those slaughters which the law has commanded them to bring, let them give the first fruits to the priests. But when any one hath done this, and hath brought the tithe of all that he hath, together with those first fruits that are for the Levites, and for the festivals, and when he is about to go home, let him stand before the holy house, and return thanks to Elohim, that he hath delivered them from the injurious treatment they had in Egypt, and hath given them a good land, and a large, and lets them enjoy the fruits thereof; and when he hath openly witnessed that he hath fully paid the tithes [and other dues] according to the laws of Moses, let him entreat Elohim that he will be ever merciful and gracious to him, and continue so to be to all the Hebrews, both by preserving the good things which he hath already given them, and by adding what it is still in his power to bestow upon them.