• Torah (T): Bemidbar (Numbers) 28:1 – 29:40
• Prophets (P): Ezekiel 45:13-20
• Apostolic (A): Hebrews 9:11-17
• Additional (ADD): Sirach 35:1-20

RELATED SCRIPTURES

• 2 Chronicles 31:1-3 (T)
• Exodus 29:38-43 (T)
• Ezra 3:1-6 (T)
• Leviticus 2:1-16 (T)
• 2 Chronicles 2:4 (T)
• Matthew 12:1-8 (T)
• Exodus 12:1-28 (T)
• Exodus 23:14-17 (T)
• Leviticus 23:1-44 (T)
• Deuteronomy 16:1-17 (T)
• Nehemiah 10:28-34 (T)
• Leviticus 16:1-34 (T)
• 1 Corinthians 5:1-8 (T)
• Acts 2:1-8 (T)
• Job 38:1-7 (T)
• 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 (T)
• Acts 27:7-12 (T)
• John 7:1-4 (T)
• Colossians 2:6-22 (T)
• Ezekiel 45:1-25 (P)
• Hebrews 9:1-28 (A)

RELATED ADDITIONAL REA.D.INGS

• The Temple Scroll 11QT Column 17 (T)
• Jubilees 17:15-18; Jubilees 18:1-19 (T)
• Jubilees 5:27-31 (T)
• Jubilees 6:1-23, 24-38 (T)
• Jubilees 12:16-27 (T)
• Jubilees 16:16-31 (T)
• Jubilees 34:10-19 (T)
• Numbers 28:1 – 29:40 from the Jerusalem Targum aka Targum Pseudo-Jonathan (T)
• Antiquities of the Jews by Flavius Josephus 3.10.1-7 (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)

28:1 YHWH spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Command the sons of Israel, and tell them, ‘You will guard my offering, my bread for my offerings made by fire, as a pleasant aroma to me, in his appointed time.’ 3 You will tell them, ‘This is the offering made by fire which you will bring to YHWH: male lambs a year old, perfect ones, two day by day, for a continual burnt offering. 4 You will do the one lamb in the morning, and you will do the other lamb at evening, 5 with one tenth of an ephah of fine flour for a grain offering, mixed with the fourth part of a hin of beaten oil. 6 It is a continual burnt offering which was done in Mount Sinai for a pleasant aroma, an offering made by fire to YHWH. 7 Its libation offering will be the fourth part of a hin for each lamb. You will pour out a libation offering of strong wine to YHWH in the holy. 8 The other lamb you will do at evening. As the grain offering of the morning, and as its libation offering, you will do it, an offering made by fire, for a pleasant aroma to YHWH. 9 On the Sabbath day, two male lambs a year old, perfect ones, and two tenths of an ephah of fine flour for a grain offering mixed with oil, and its libation offering: 10 this is the burnt offering of every Sabbath, in addition to the continual burnt offering and its libation offering. 11 In the head of your new moons, you will bring a burnt offering to YHWH: two young bulls, one ram, seven male lambs a year old, perfect ones, 12 and three tenths of an ephah of fine flour for a grain offering mixed with oil, for each bull; and two tenth parts of fine flour for a grain offering mixed with oil, for the one ram; 13 and one tenth part of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering to every lamb, as a burnt offering of a pleasant aroma, an offering made by fire to YHWH. 14 Their libation offerings will be half a hin of wine for a bull, the third part of a hin for the ram, and the fourth part of a hin [of wine]^(DSS) for [each]^(DSS) lamb. This is the burnt offering of every new moon throughout the new moons of the year. 15 Also, one male goat for a sin offering to YHWH will be offered in addition to the continual burnt offering and its libation offering. 16 In the first new moon, on the fourteenth day of the new moon, is the Pesach of YHWH. 17 On the fifteenth day of this new moon will be a festival. Unleavened bread will be eaten for seven days. 18 In the first day will be a holy convocation. You will do no work of service, 19 but you will bring an offering made by fire, a burnt offering to YHWH: two young bulls, one ram, and seven male lambs a year old. They will be perfect ones, 20 with their grain offering, fine flour mixed with oil. You will do three tenths for a bull, and two tenths for the ram. 21 You will do one tenth for every lamb of the seven lambs; 22 and one male goat for a sin offering, to make atonement for you. 23 You will do these in addition to the burnt offering of the morning, which is for a continual burnt offering. 24 Like these you will do daily, for seven days, the bread of the offering made by fire, of a pleasant aroma to YHWH. It will be offered in addition to the continual burnt offering and its libation offering. 25 On the seventh day you will have a holy convocation. You will do no work of service. 26 Also in the day of the first fruits, when you bring a new grain offering to YHWH in your Weeks, you will have a holy convocation. You will do no work of service; 27 but you will bring a burnt offering for a pleasant aroma to YHWH: two young bulls, one ram, seven male lambs a year old; 28 and their grain offering, fine flour mixed with oil, three tenths for each bull, two tenths for the one ram, 29 one tenth for every lamb of the seven lambs; 30 and one male goat, to make atonement for you. 31 Besides the continual burnt offering and its grain offering, you will do them and their libation offerings. See that they are perfect ones.

29:1 In the seventh new moon, on the first day of the new moon, you will have a holy convocation; you will do no work of service. It is a Day of a Shout to you. 2 You will do a burnt offering for a pleasant aroma to YHWH: one young bull, one ram, seven male lambs a year old, perfect ones; 3 and their grain offering, fine flour mixed with oil: three tenths for the bull, two tenths for the ram, 4 and one tenth for every lamb of the seven lambs; 5 and one male goat for a sin offering, to make atonement for you; 6 in addition to the burnt offering of the new moon with its grain offering, and the continual burnt offering with its grain offering, and their libation offerings, according to their judgments, for a pleasant aroma, an offering made by fire to YHWH. 7 On the tenth day of this seventh new moon you will have a holy convocation. You will afflict your souls. You will do no kind of work; 8 but you will bring a burnt offering to YHWH for a pleasant aroma: one young bull, one ram, seven male lambs a year old, all perfect ones; 9 and their grain offering, fine flour mixed with oil: three tenths for the bull, two tenths for the one ram, 10 one tenth for every lamb of the seven lambs; 11 one male goat for a sin offering, in addition to the sin offering of atonement, and the continual burnt offering, and their grain offering, and their libation offerings. 12 On the fifteenth day of the seventh new moon you will have a holy convocation. You will do no work of service. You will hold a festival to YHWH seven days. 13 You will bring a burnt offering, an offering made by fire, of a pleasant aroma to YHWH: thirteen young bulls, two rams, fourteen male lambs a year old, all perfect ones; 14 and their grain offering, fine flour mixed with oil: three tenths for every bull of the thirteen bulls, two tenths for each ram of the two rams, 15 and one tenth for every lamb of the fourteen lambs; 16 and one male goat for a sin offering, in addition to the continual burnt offering, its grain offering, and its libation offering. 17 On the second day, twelve young bulls, two rams, and fourteen male lambs a year old, perfect ones; 18 and their grain offering and their libation offerings for the bulls, for the rams, and for the lambs, according to their number, after the judgment; 19 and one male goat for a sin offering, in addition to the continual burnt offering, with its grain offering and their libation offerings. 20 On the third day: eleven bulls, two rams, fourteen male lambs a year old, perfect ones; 21 and their grain offering and their libation offerings for the bulls, for the rams, and for the lambs, according to their number, after the judgment; 22 and one male goat for a sin offering, in addition to the continual burnt offering, and its grain offering, and its libation offering. 23 On the fourth day ten bulls, two rams, fourteen male lambs a year old, perfect ones; 24 their grain offering and their libation offerings for the bulls, for the rams, and for the lambs, according to their number, after the judgment; 25 and one male goat for a sin offering; in addition to the continual burnt offering, its grain offering, and its libation offering. 26 On the fifth day: nine bulls, two rams, fourteen male lambs a year old, perfect ones; 27 and their grain offering and their libation offerings for the bulls, for the rams, and for the lambs, according to their number, after the judgment, 28 and one male goat for a sin offering [to make atonement for you],^(DSS) in addition to the continual burnt offering, and its grain offering, and its libation offering. 29 On the sixth day: eight bulls, two rams, fourteen male lambs a year old, perfect ones; 30 and their grain offering and their libation offerings for the bulls, for the rams, and for the lambs, according to their number, after the judgment, 31 and one male goat for a sin offering; in addition to the continual burnt offering, its grain offering, and the libation offerings of it. 32 On the seventh day: seven bulls, two rams, fourteen male lambs a year old, perfect ones; 33 and their grain offering and their libation offerings for the bulls, for the rams, and for the lambs, according to their number, after the judgment, 34 and one male goat for a sin offering; in addition to the continual burnt offering, its grain offering, and its libation offering. 35 On the eighth day you will have a closing assembly. You will do no work of service; 36 but you will bring a burnt offering, an offering made by fire, a pleasant aroma to YHWH: one bull, one ram, seven male lambs a year old, perfect ones; 37 their grain offering and their libation offerings for the bull, for the ram, and for the lambs, will be according to their number, after the judgment, 38 and one male goat for a sin offering, in addition to the continual burnt offering, with its grain offering, and its libation offering. 39 You will do these to YHWH in your appointed times—in addition to your vows and your freewill offerings—for your burnt offerings, your grain offerings, your libation offerings, and your peace offerings.’ ” 40 Moses told the sons of Israel according to all that YHWH commanded Moses.

Prophets Portion (P)

45:13 This is the offering that you will offer: the sixth part of an ephah from a homer of wheat, and you will give the sixth part of an ephah from a homer of barley, 14 and the set portion of oil, of the bath of oil, one tenth of a bath out of the kor, which is ten baths, even a homer, for ten baths are a homer, 15 and one lamb of the flock out of two hundred, from the well-watered pastures of Israel—for a grain offering, for a burnt offering, and for peace offerings, to make atonement for them,” says the Lord YHWH. 16 “All the people of the land will give to this offering for the lifted up one in Israel. 17 It will be the lifted up one’s part to give the burnt offerings, the grain offerings, and the libation offerings, in the festivals, and on the new moons, and on the Sabbaths, in all the appointed times of the house of Israel. He will prepare the sin offering, the grain offering, the burnt offering, and the peace offerings, to make atonement for the house of Israel.” 18 The Lord YHWH says: “In the first new moon, on the first day of the new moon, you will take a young bull, a perfect one, and you will cleanse the sanctuary. 19 The priest will take of the blood of the sin offering and put it on the door posts of the house, and on the four corners of the ledge of the altar, and on the posts of the gate of the inner court. 20 So you will do on the seventh day of the new moon for everyone who strays, and for him who is simple. So you will make atonement for the house.

Apostolic Portion (A)

9:11 But Messiah having come as a high priest of the coming good things, through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation, 12 nor yet through the blood of goats and calves, but through his own blood, entered in once for all into the Holy Place, having obtained eternal redemption. 13 For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling those who have been defiled, sanctify to the cleanness of the flesh, 14 how much more will the blood of Messiah, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to Elohim, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living Elohim? 15 For this reason he is the mediator of a renewed covenant, since a death has occurred for the redemption of the transgressions that were on the first covenant, that those who have been called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance. 16 For where a covenant is, there must of necessity be the death of him who made it. 17 For a covenant is in force where there has been death, for it is never in force while he who made it lives.

Additional Portion (ADD)

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 that guards the Torah multiplies offerings; He that takes heed to the commandments slaughters a peace offering. 2 He that returns a favor to kindness offers fine flour; And he that gives alms slaughters a thank offering. 3 To depart from wickedness is a thing pleasing to YHWH; And to depart from unrighteousness is an atoning slaughter. 4 See that you appear not in the face of YHWH empty. 5 For all these things are to be done because of the commandment. 6 The offering of the righteous makes the altar fat; And the sweet savor thereof is before the Most High. 7 The slaughter of a righteous man is acceptable; And the memorial thereof will not be forgotten. 8 Glorify YHWH with a good eye, And stint not 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; And as your hand has found, give with a good eye. 11 For YHWH recompenses, And he will recompense you sevenfold. 12 Think not to corrupt with gifts; for he will not receive them: And set not your mind on an unrighteous slaughter; For YHWH is judge, And with him is no respect of persons. 13 He will not accept any person against a poor man; And he will listen to the prayer of him that is wronged. 14 He will in no wise despise the supplication of the fatherless; Nor the widow, if she pours out her tale. 15 Do not the tears of the widow run down her cheek? And is not her cry against him that has caused them to fall? 16 He that serves Elohim according to his good pleasure will be accepted, And his supplication will reach to the clouds. 17 The prayer of the humble pierces the clouds; And till it come near, he will not be comforted; And he will not depart, till the Most High will visit; And he does justice for the righteous, and executes judgment. 18 And YHWH will not be slack, neither will he be patient toward them, Till he have crushed the hips of the unmerciful; And he will repay vengeance to the heathen; Till he have taken away the multitude of the arrogant, And broken in pieces the sceptres of the unrighteous; 19 Till he have rendered to every man according to his doings, And to the works of men according to their plans; Till he have judged the cause of his people; And he will make them to rejoice in his mercy. 20 Mercy is seasonable in the time of his afflicting them, As clouds of rain in the time of drought.

Related Scriptures

45:1 “Moreover, when you divide by lot the land for inheritance, you will offer an offering to YHWH, a holy portion of the land. The length will be the length of twenty-five thousand reeds, and the width will be ten thousand. It will be holy in all its border all around. 2 Of this there will be a five hundred by five hundred square for the holy place, and fifty cubits for its pasture lands all around. 3 Of this measure you will measure a length of twenty-five thousand, and a width of ten thousand. In it will be the sanctuary, which is most holy. 4 It is a holy portion of the land; it will be for the priests, the ministers of the sanctuary, who come near to minister to YHWH. It will be a place for their houses and a holy place for the sanctuary. 5 Twenty-five thousand cubits in length and ten thousand in width will be for the Levites, the ministers of the house, as a possession for themselves, for twenty rooms. 6 You will appoint the possession of the city five thousand cubits wide and twenty-five thousand long, side by side with the offering of the holy portion. It will be for the whole house of Israel. 7 What is for the prince will be on the one side and on the other side of the holy allotment and of the possession of the city, in front of the holy allotment and in front of the possession of the city, on the west side westward, and on the east side eastward, and in length corresponding to one of the portions, from the west border to the east border. 8 In the land it will be to him for a possession in Israel. My princes will no more oppress my people, but they will give the land to the house of Israel according to their tribes.” 9 The Lord YHWH says: “Enough you, princes of Israel! Remove violence and plunder, and execute justice and righteousness! Stop dispossessing my people!” says the Lord YHWH. 10 “You will have just balances, a just ephah, and a just bath. 11 The ephah and the bath will be of one measure, that the bath may contain one tenth of a homer, and the ephah one tenth of a homer. Its measure will be the same as the homer. 12 The shekel will be twenty gerahs. Twenty shekels plus twenty-five shekels plus fifteen shekels will be your mina. 13 This is the offering that you will offer: the sixth part of an ephah from a homer of wheat, and you will give the sixth part of an ephah from a homer of barley, 14 and the set portion of oil, of the bath of oil, one tenth of a bath out of the kor, which is ten baths, even a homer, for ten baths are a homer, 15 and one lamb of the flock out of two hundred, from the well-watered pastures of Israel—for a grain offering, for a burnt offering, and for peace offerings, to make atonement for them,” says the Lord YHWH. 16 “All the people of the land will give to this offering for the prince in Israel. 17 It will be the prince’s part to give the burnt offerings, the grain offerings, and the libation offerings, in the feasts, and on the new moons, and on the Sabbaths, in all the appointed feasts of the house of Israel. He will prepare the sin offering, the grain offering, the burnt offering, and the peace offerings, to make atonement for the house of Israel.” 18 The Lord YHWH says: “In the first new moon, on the first day of the new moon, you will take a young bull, a perfect one, and you will cleanse the sanctuary. 19 The priest will take of the blood of the sin offering and put it on the door posts of the house, and on the four corners of the ledge of the altar, and on the posts of the gate of the inner court. 20 So you will do on the seventh day of the new moon for everyone who strays, and for him who is simple. So you will make atonement for the house. 21 In the first new moon, on the fourteenth day of the new moon, you will have the Pesach, a festival of seven days; unleavened bread will be eaten. 22 On that day the prince will prepare for himself and for all the people of the land a bull for a sin offering. 23 The seven days of the feast he will prepare a burnt offering to YHWH, seven bulls and seven rams, perfect ones daily the seven days; and a male goat daily for a sin offering. 24 He will prepare a grain offering, an ephah for a bull, an ephah for a ram, and a hin of oil to an ephah. 25 In the seventh new moon, on the fifteenth day of the new moon, during the feast, he will do like that for seven days. He will make the same provision for sin offering, the burnt offering, the grain offering, and the oil.”

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 Now these things having been thus prepared, the priests go in continually into the first tabernacle, accomplishing the services, 7 but into the second the high priest alone, once in the year, not without blood, which he offers for himself and for the errors of the people. 8 The Holy Spirit is indicating this, that the way into the Holy Place wasn’t yet revealed while the first tabernacle was still standing. 9 This is a symbol of the present age, where gifts and slaughters are offered that are incapable, concerning the conscience, of making the worshiper perfect, 10 being only, with foods and drinks and various washings, fleshly ordinances, imposed until a time of reformation. 11 But Messiah having come as a high priest of the coming good things, through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation, 12 nor yet through the blood of goats and calves, but through his own blood, entered in once for all into the Holy Place, having obtained eternal redemption. 13 For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling those who have been defiled, sanctify to the cleanness of the flesh, 14 how much more will the blood of Messiah, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to Elohim, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living Elohim? 15 For this reason he is the mediator of a renewed covenant, since a death has occurred for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first covenant, that those who have been called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance. 16 For where a covenant is, there must of necessity be the death of him who made it. 17 For a covenant is in force where there has been death, for it is never in force while he who made it lives. 18 Therefore even the first has not been dedicated without blood. 19 For when every commandment had been spoken by Moses to all the people according to the Torah, he took the blood of the calves and the goats, with water and scarlet wool and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people, 20 saying, “This is the blood of the covenant which Elohim has commanded you.” 21 He sprinkled the tabernacle and all the vessels of the service in the same way with the blood. 22 According to the Torah, nearly everything is cleansed with blood, and apart from shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. 23 It was necessary therefore that the copies of the things in the heavens should be cleansed with these, but the heavenly things themselves with better slaughters than these. 24 For Messiah hasn’t entered into holy places made with hands, which are representations of the true, but into the heavens itself, now to appear in the face of Elohim for us; 25 nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest enters into the holy place year by year with blood not his own, 26 or else he must have suffered often since the foundation of the world. But now once at the end of the ages, he has been revealed to put away sin by the slaughter of himself. 27 Inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once, and after this, judgment, 28 so Messiah also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin, but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.

Related Additional Readings​

The Temple Scroll is the longest of the Dead Sea Scrolls. Among the discoveries at Qumran it is designated: 11QTemple Scroll. It describes a Jewish temple which was never built, along with extensive detailed regulations about slaughters and temple practices. There is no scholarly consensus regarding the date, origin, author or authors, or its relationship to the Qumran community.[4] Some scholars attribute the Temple Scroll to the isolated Qumran community, while others see no connection with the Qumran community; instead they see the work as a priestly (possible Zadokite) document that was hidden in a cave by Zealots during their flight from Jerusalem in 70 A.D. before the Roman destruction of the Temple.

XVII … They will rejoice because expiation has been made for them … This day [shall] be a holy gathering for them, [an eternal rule for all their generations] wherever they dwell. They will rejoice and … [Let] them [prepare on the fourtee]nth day of the first new moon [between dusk and dark the Pesach of YHWH]. They will slaughter (it) before the evening offering and will slaughter … men from twenty years of age and over will prepare it. They will eat it at night in the holy courts. They will rise early and each will go to his tent … On the fifteenth day of this new moon (there will be) a ho[ly] gathering. You will do no work of labour on it. (It will be) a seven-day feast of unleavened bread for YHWH. You will offer on each of the[se] seven days a holocaust to YHWH: two young bulls, a ram, and seven ram lambs without blemish and a he-goat for a sin-offering and the corresponding grain-offering and drink-offering [according to the sta]tute for the young bulls, rams, l[am]bs and the he-goat. On the seventh day [(there will be) an assembly] for [YHWH]. You will do no work on it.

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.

Jubilees 17:15 And it came to pass in the seventh week, in the first year thereof, in the first new moon in this jubilee [2003 A.M.]*, on the twelfth of this new moon, there were voices in the heavens regarding Abraham, that he was faithful in all that He told him, and that he loved the Lord, and that in every affliction he was faithful. 16. And the prince Mastema came and said before Elohim, “Behold, Abraham loveth Isaac his son, and he delighteth in him above all things else; bid him offer him as a burnt offering on the altar, and Thou wilt see if he will do this command, and Thou wilt know if he is faithful in everything wherein Thou dost try him.” 17. And the Lord knew that Abraham was faithful in all his afflictions; for He had tried him through his country and with famine, and had tried him with the wealth of kings, and had tried him again through his wife, when she was torn (from him), and with circumcision, and had tried him through Ishmael and Hagar, his maid-servant, when he sent them away. 18. And in everything wherein He had tried him, he was found faithful, and his soul was not impatient, and he was not slow to act; for he was faithful and a lover of the Lord.

*According to the chronology of Jubilees (cf. Jubilees 16:13 with this passage) Isaac was twenty-three years old when he was offered up; born in 1980 A.M., offered in 2003 A.M.

Jubilees 18:1 And Elohim said to him, “Abraham, Abraham”; and he said, “Behold, (here) am I.” 2. And He said, “Take thy beloved son whom thou lovest, (even) Isaac, and go unto the high country, and offer him on one of the mountains which I will point out unto thee.” 3. And he rose early in the morning and saddled his donkey, and took his two young men with him, and Isaac his son, and clave the wood of the burnt offering, and he went to the place on the third day, and he saw the place afar off. 4. And he came to a well of water, and he said to his young men, “Abide ye here with the donkey, and I and the lad will go (yonder), and when we have worshipped we will come again to you.” 5. And he took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son, and he took in his hand the fire and the knife, and they went both of them together to that place. 6. And Isaac said to his father, “Father”; and he said, “Here am I, my son.” And he said unto him, “Behold the fire, and the knife, and the wood; but where is the sheep for the burnt offering, father?” 7. And he said, “Elohim will provide for himself a sheep for a burnt offering, my son.” And he drew near to the place of the mount of Elohim. 8. And he built an altar, and he placed the wood on the altar, and bound Isaac his son, and placed him on the wood which was upon the altar, and stretched forth his hand to take the knife to slay Isaac his son. 9. And I stood before him, and before the prince of the Mastema, and the Lord said, “Bid him not to lay his hand on the lad, nor to do anything to him, for I have shown that he feareth the Lord.” 10. And I called to him from the heavens, and said unto him: “Abraham, Abraham”; and he was terrified and said: “Behold, (here) am I.” 11. And I said unto him: “Lay not thy hand upon the lad, neither do thou anything to him; for now I have shown that thou fearest the Lord, and hast not withheld thy son, thy first-born son, from me.” 12. And the prince of the Mastema was put to shame; and Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold, a single ram caught … by his horns, and Abraham went and took the ram and offered it for a burnt offering in the stead of his son. 13. And Abraham called that place “The Lord hath seen,” so that it is said “(in the mount) the Lord hath seen”: that is Mount Zion. 14. And the Lord called Abraham by his name a second time from the heavens, as he caused us to appear to speak to him in the name of the Lord. 15. And He said: “By Myself have I sworn, saith the Lord, Because thou hast done this thing, And hast not withheld thy son, thy beloved son, from Me, That in blessing I will bless thee And in multiplying I will multiply thy seed As the stars of the heavens, And as the sand which is on the seashore. And thy seed will inherit the cities of its enemies, 16. And in thy seed will all nations of the land be blessed; Because thou hast obeyed My voice, And I have shown to all that thou art faithful unto Me in all that I have said unto thee: Go in peace.” 17. And Abraham went to his young men, and they arose and went together to Be’ersheba, and Abraham dwelt by the Well of the Oath. 18. And he celebrated this festival every year, seven days with joy, and he called it the festival of the Lord according to the seven days during which he went and returned in peace. 19. And accordingly hath it been ordained and written on the heavenly tables regarding Israel and its seed that they should observe this festival seven days with the joy of festival.

5:27 And the water prevailed on the face of the land five new moons-one hundred and fifty days. 28. And the ark went and rested on the top of Lûbâr, one of the mountains of Ararat. 29. And (on the new moon) in the fourth new moon the fountains of the great deep were closed and the flood-gates of the heavens were restrained; and on the new moon of the seventh new moon all the mouths of the abysses of the land were opened, and the water began to descend into the deep below. 30. And on the new moon of the tenth new moon [1309 A.M.] the tops of the mountains were seen, and on the new moon of the first new moon the land became visible. 31. And the waters disappeared from above the land in the fifth week in the seventh year thereof, and on the seventeenth day in the second new moon the land was dry.

Jubilees 6:1 And on the new moon of the third new moon he went forth from the ark, and built an altar on that mountain. 2. And he made atonement for the land, and took a kid and made atonement by its blood for all the guilt of the land; for everything that had been on it had been destroyed, save those that were in the ark with Noaḥ. 3. And he placed the fat thereof on the altar, and he took an ox, and a goat, and a sheep and kids, and salt, and a turtle-dove, and the young of a dove, and placed a burnt slaughter on the altar, and poured thereon an offering mingled with oil, and sprinkled wine and strewed frankincense over everything, and caused a goodly savour to arise, acceptable before the Lord. 4. And the Lord smelt the goodly savour, and He cut a covenant with him that there should not be any more a flood to destroy the land; that all the days of the land seed-time and harvest should never cease; cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night should not change their order, nor cease for ever. 5. “And you, increase ye and multiply upon the land, and become many upon it, and be a blessing upon it. The fear of you and the dread of you I will inspire in everything that is on land and in the sea. 6. And behold I have given unto you all beasts, and all winged things, and everything that moveth on the land, and the fish in the waters, and all things for food; as the green herbs, I have given you all things to eat. 7. But flesh, with the life thereof, with the blood, ye will not eat; for the life of all flesh is in the blood, lest your blood of your lives be required. At the hand of every man, at the hand of every (beast), will I require the blood of man. 8. Whoso sheddeth man’s blood by man will his blood be shed; for in the image of Elohim made He man. 9. And you, increase ye, and multiply on the land.” 10. And Noaḥ and his sons swore that they would not eat any blood that was in any flesh, and he cut a covenant before the Lord Elohim for ever throughout all the generations of the land in this new moon. 11. On this account He spake to thee that thou shouldst cut a covenant with the sons of Israel in this new moon upon the mountain with an oath, and that thou shouldst sprinkle blood upon them because of all the words of the covenant, which the Lord made with them for ever. 12. And this witness is written concerning you that you should observe it continually, so that you should not eat on any day any blood of beasts or birds or cattle during all the days of the land, and the man who eateth the blood of beast or of cattle or of birds during all the days of the land, he and his seed will be rooted out of the land. 13. And do thou command the sons of Israel to eat no blood, so that their names and their seed may be before the Lord our Elohim continually. 14. And for this law there is no limit of days, for it is for ever. They will observe it throughout their generations, so that they may continue supplicating on your behalf with blood before the altar; every day and at the time of morning and evening they will seek forgiveness on your behalf perpetually before the Lord that they may keep it and not be rooted out. 15. And He gave to Noaḥ and his sons a sign that there should not again be a flood on the land. 16. He set His bow in the cloud for a sign of the eternal covenant that there should not again be a flood on the land to destroy it all the days of the land. 17. For this reason it is ordained and written on the heavenly tables, that they should celebrate the feast of weeks in this new moon once a year, to renew the covenant every year. 18. And this whole festival was celebrated in the heavens from the day of creation till the days of Noaḥ-twenty-six jubilees and five weeks of years [1309-1659 A.M.]: and Noaḥ and his sons observed it for seven jubilees and one week of years, till the day of Noaḥ’s death, and from the day of Noaḥ’s death his sons did away with (it) until the days of Abraham, and they ate blood. 19. But Abraham observed it, and Isaac and Jacob and his children observed it up to thy days, and in thy days the sons of Israel forgot it until ye celebrated it anew on this mountain. 20. And do thou command the sons of Israel to observe this festival in all their generations for a commandment unto them: one day in the year in this new moon they will celebrate the festival. 21. For it is the feast of weeks and the feast of first fruits: this feast is twofold and of a double nature: according to what is written and engraven concerning it celebrate it. 22. For I have written in the book of the first law, in that which I have written for thee, that thou shouldst celebrate it in its season, one day in the year, and I explained to thee its slaughters that the sons of Israel should remember and should celebrate it throughout their generations in this new moon, one day in every year.

Jubilees 6:23 And on the new moon of the first new moon, and on the new moon of the fourth new moon, and on the new moon of the seventh new moon, and on the new moon of the tenth new moon are the days of remembrance, and the days of the seasons in the four divisions of the year. These are written and ordained as a witness for ever. 24. And Noaḥ ordained them for himself as feasts for the generations for ever, so that they have become thereby a memorial unto him. 25. And on the new moon of the first new moon he was bidden to make for himself an ark, and on that (day) the land became dry and he opened (the ark) and saw the land. 26. And on the new moon of the fourth new moon the mouths of the depths of the abysses beneath were closed. And on the new moon of the seventh new moon all the mouths of the abysses of the land were opened, and the waters began to descend into them. 27. And on the new moon of the tenth new moon the tops of the mountains were seen, and Noaḥ was glad. 28. And on this account he ordained them for himself as feasts for a memorial for ever, and thus are they ordained. 29. And they placed them on the heavenly tables, each had thirteen weeks; from one to another (passed) their memorial, from the first to the second, and from the second to the third, and from the third to the fourth. 30. And all the days of the commandment will be two and fifty weeks of days, and (these will make) the entire year complete. 31. Thus it is engraven and ordained on the heavenly tables. And there is no neglecting (this commandment) for a single-year or from year to year. 32. And command thou the sons of Israel that they observe the years according to this reckoning-three hundred and sixty-four days, and (these) will constitute a complete year, and they will not disturb its time from its days and from its feasts; for everything will fall out in them according to their witness, and they will not leave out any day nor disturb any feasts. 33. But if they do neglect and do not observe them according to His commandment, then they will disturb all their seasons, and the years will be dislodged from this (order), [and they will disturb the seasons and the years will be dislodged] and they will neglect their ordinances. 34. And all the sons of Israel will forget, and will not find the path of the years, and will forget the new moons, and seasons, and sabbaths, and they will go wrong as to all the order of the years. 35. For I know and from henceforth will I declare it unto thee, and it is not of my own devising; for the book (lieth) written before me, and on the heavenly tables the division of days is ordained, lest they forget the feasts of the covenant and walk according to the feasts of the Nations after their error and after their ignorance. 36. For there will be those who will assuredly make observations of the moon–now (it) disturbeth the seasons and cometh in from year to year ten days too soon. 37. For this reason the years will come upon them when they will disturb (the order), and make an abominable (day) the day of witness, and an unclean day a feast day, and they will confound all the days, the holy with the unclean, and the unclean day with the holy; for they will go wrong as to the new moons and sabbaths and feasts and jubilees. 38. For this reason I command and testify to thee that thou mayest testify to them; for after thy death thy children will disturb (them), so that they will not make the year three hundred and sixty-four days only, and for this reason they will go wrong as to the new moons and seasons and sabbaths and festivals, and they will eat all kinds of blood with all kinds of flesh.

12:16 And in the sixth week, in the fifth year thereof, Abram sat up throughout the night on the new moon of the seventh new moon to observe the stars from the evening to the morning, in order to see what would be the character of the year with regard to the rains, and he was alone as he sat and observed. 17. And a word came into his heart and he said: “All the signs of the stars, and the signs of the moon and of the sun are all in the hand of the Lord. Why do I search (them) out? If He desireth, He causeth it to rain, morning and evening; And if He desireth, He withholdeth it, And all things are in His hand.” And he prayed that night and said “My Elohim, Elohim Most High, Thou alone art my Elohim, And Thee and Thy dominion have I chosen. And Thou hast created all things, And all things that are the work of Thy hands. Deliver me from the hands of evil spirits who have sway over the thoughts of men’s hearts, And let them not lead me astray from Thee, my Elohim. And stablish Thou me and my seed for ever That we go not astray from henceforth and for evermore.” 21. And he said Shall I return unto Ur of the Chaldees who seek my face that I may return to them, or am I to remain here in this place? The right path before Thee prosper it in the hands of Thy servant that he may fulfil (it) and that I may not walk in the deceitfulness of my heart, O my Elohim.” 22. And he made an end of speaking and praying, and behold the word of the Lord was sent to him through me, saying: “Get thee up from thy country, and from thy kindred and from the house of thy father unto a land which I will show thee, and I will make thee a great and numerous nation. And I will bless thee And I will make thy name great, And thou wilt be blessed in the land, And in thee will all families of the land be blessed, And I will bless them that bless thee, And curse them that curse thee. 24. And I will be an Elohim to thee and thy son, and to thy son’s son, and to all thy seed: fear not, from henceforth and unto all generations of the land I am thy Elohim.” 25. And the Lord Elohim said: “Open his mouth and his ears, that he may hear and speak with his mouth, with the language which hath been revealed”; for it had ceased from the mouths of all the children of men from the day of the overthrow (of Babel). 26. And I opened his mouth, and his ears and his lips, and I began to speak with him in Hebrew in the tongue of the creation. 27. And he took the books of his fathers, and these were written in Hebrew and he transcribed them, and he began from henceforth to study them, and I made known to him that which he could not (understand), and he studied them during the six rainy new moons [the winter].*

*Israel’s winter season is from late October to mid-March

16:16 And we returned in the seventh new moon, and found Sarah with child before us] and we blessed him, and we announced to him all the things which had been decreed concerning him, that he should not die till he should beget six sons more, and should see (them) before he died; but (that) in Isaac should his name and seed be called: 17. And (that) all the seed of his sons should be Nations, and be reckoned with the Nations; but from the sons of Isaac one should become a holy seed, and should not be reckoned among the Nations. 18. For he should become the portion of the Most High, and all his seed had fallen into the possession of Elohim, that it should be unto the Lord a people for (His) possession above all nations and that it should become a reign and priests and a holy nation. 19. And we went our way, and we announced to Sarah all that we had told him, and they both rejoiced with exceeding great joy. 20. And he built there an altar to the Lord who had delivered him, and who was making him rejoice in the land of his sojourning, and he celebrated a festival of joy in this new moon seven days, near the altar which he had built at the Well of the Oath. 21. And he built booths for himself and for his servants on this festival, and he was the first to celebrate the feast of tabernacles on the land. 22. And during these seven days he brought each day to the altar a burnt-offering to the Lord, two oxen, two rams, seven sheep, one he-goat, for a sin-offering, that he might atone thereby for himself and for his seed. 23. And, as a thank-offering, seven rams, seven kids, seven sheep, and seven he-goats, and their fruit-offerings and their drink-offerings; and he burnt all the fat thereof on the altar, a chosen offering unto the Lord for a sweet smelling savour. 24. And morning and evening he burnt fragrant substances, frankincense and galbanum, and stacte, and nard, and myrrh, and spice, and costum; all these seven he offered, crushed, mixed together in equal parts (and) pure. 25. And he celebrated this feast during seven days, rejoicing with all his heart and with all his soul, he and all those who were in his house; and there was no stranger with him, nor any that was uncircumcised. 26. And he blessed his Creator who had created him in his generation, for He had created him according to His good pleasure; for He knew and perceived that from him would arise the plant of righteousness for the eternal generations, and from him a holy seed, so that it should become like Him who had made all things. 27. And he blessed and rejoiced, and he called the name of this festival the festival of the Lord, a joy acceptable to the Most High Elohim. 28. And we blessed him for ever, and all his seed after him throughout all the generations of the land, because he celebrated this festival in its season, according to the witness of the heavenly tables. 29. For this reason it is ordained on the heavenly tables concerning Israel, that they will celebrate the feast of tabernacles seven days with joy, in the seventh new moon, acceptable before the Lord–a statute for ever throughout their generations every year. 30. And to this there is no limit of days; for it is ordained for ever regarding Israel that they should celebrate it and dwell in booths, and set wreaths upon their heads, and take leafy boughs, and willows from the brook. 31. And Abraham took branches of palm trees, and the fruit of goodly trees, and every day going round the altar with the branches seven times [a day] in the morning, he praised and gave thanks to his Elohim for all things in joy.

34:10 And in the seventh year of this week [2149 A.M.] he sent Joseph to learn about the welfare of his brothers from his house to the land of Shechem, and he found them in the land of Dothan. 11. And they dealt treacherously with him, and formed a plot against him to slay him, but changing their minds, they sold him to Ishmaelite merchants, and they brought him down into Egypt, and they sold him to Potiphar, the eunuch of Pharaoh, the chief of the cooks, priest of the city of ‘Êlêw. 12. And the sons of Jacob slaughtered a kid, and dipped the coat of Joseph in the blood, and sent (it) to Jacob their father on the tenth of the seventh new moon. 13. And he mourned all that night, for they had brought it to him in the evening, and he became feverish with mourning for his death, and he said: “An evil beast hath devoured Joseph”; and all the members of his house [mourned with him that day, and they] were grieving and mourning with him all that day. 14. And his sons and his daughter rose up to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted for his son. 15. And on that day Bilhah heard that Joseph had perished, and she died mourning him, and she was living in †Qafrâtêf† and Dinah also, his daughter, died after Joseph had perished. And there came these three mournings upon Israel in one new moon. 16. And they buried Bilhah over against the tomb of Rachel, and Dinah also, his daughter, they buried there. 17. And he mourned for Joseph one year, and did not cease, for he said “Let me go down to the grave mourning for my son.” 18. For this reason it is ordained for the sons of Israel that they should afflict themselves on the tenth of the seventh new moon–on the day that the news which made him weep for Joseph came to Jacob his father–that they should make atonement for themselves thereon with a young goat on the tenth of the seventh new moon, once a year, for their sins; for they had grieved the affection of their father regarding Joseph his son. 19. And this day hath been ordained that they should grieve thereon for their sins, and for all their transgressions and for all their errors, so that they might cleanse themselves on that day once a year.

Numbers 28:1 – 29:40 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 28 And the Lord spake with Mosheh, saying: Instruct the sons of Israel, and say to them: The priests may eat of My oblation the bread of the order of My table; but that which you offer upon My altar may no man eat. Is there not a fire that will consume it? And it will be accepted before Me as a pleasant smell. Sons of Israel, My people, be admonished to offer it from the firstlings on the Sabbath, an oblation before Me in its time. [JERUSALEM. Instruct the sons of Israel, and say to them, My oblation, the bread of the order of My table. That which you offer upon the altar. Is there not a fire that will consume it? To be received from you before Me for a pleasant smell. Sons of Israel, My people, be admonished to offer it before Me in its season.]

And say to them: This is the order of the oblations you will offer before the Lord; two lambs of the year, unblemished, daily, a perpetual burnt offering. The one lamb thou shalt perform in the morning to make atonement for the sins of the night; and the second lamb thou shalt perform between the suns to atone for the sins of the day; and the tenth of three seahs of wheaten flour as a mincha mingled with beaten olive oil, the fourth of a hin. It is a perpetual burnt offering, such as was (ordained to be) offered at Mount Sinai, to be received with favour as an oblation before the Lord. And its libation will be the fourth of a hin for one lamb; from the vessels of the house of the sanctuary will it be outpoured, a libation of old wine. [JERUSALEM. From the vessels of the house of holiness, it will be poured out a libation of choice wine unto the Name of the Lord.] But if old wine may not be found, bring wine of forty days to pour out before the Lord. And the second lamb thou shalt perform between the suns, according to the presentation of the morning, and according to its oblation shalt thou make the offering, that it may be accepted with favour before the Lord but on the day of Shabbatha two lambs of the year without blemish, and two‑tenths of flour mixed with olive oil for the mincha and its libation. On the Sabbath thou shalt make a Sabbath burnt slaughter in addition to the perpetual burnt slaughter and its libation.

And at the beginning of your months you will offer a burnt slaughter before the Lord; two young bullocks, without mixture, one ram, lambs of the year seven, unblemished; and three tenths of flour mingled with oil for the mincha for one bullock; two tenths of flour with olive oil for the mincha of the one ram; and one tenth of flour with olive oil for the mincha for each lamb of the burnt offering, an oblation to be received with favour before the Lord. And for their libation to be offered with them, the half of a bin for a bullock, the third of a bin for the ram, and the fourth of a hin for a lamb, of the wine of grapes. This burnt slaughter will be offered at the beginning of every month in the time of the removal of the beginning of every month in the year; and one kid of the goats, for a sin offering before the Lord at the disappearing (failure) of the moon, with the perpetual burnt slaughter shalt thou perform with its libation.

And in the month of Nisan, on the fourteenth day of the month, is the slaughter of the Pascha before the Lord. On the fifteenth day of this month is a festival; seven days will unleavened be eaten. On the first day of the festival a holy convocation; no servile work will ye do; but offer an oblation of a burnt slaughter before the Lord, two young bullocks, one ram, and seven lambs of the year, unblemished, will you have. And their minchas of wheat flour, mingled with olive oil, three tenths for each bullock, two tenths for the ram, and for a single lamb a tenth, so for the seven; and one kid of the goats, to make an atonement for you: beside the burnt slaughter of the morning, the perpetual burnt slaughter, you will make these offerings. According to these oblations of the first day you will do daily through the seven days of the festival. It is the bread of the oblation which is received with favour before the Lord; it will be made beside the perpetual burnt offering, with its libation. And on the seventh day you will have a holy convocation; no servile work will you do.

Likewise on the day of your firstlings, when you offer the gift from the new produce before the Lord in your ingatherings, after the seven weeks are completed, you will have a holy convocation, no servile work will you do; but offer a burnt slaughter to be received with favour before the Lord, two young bullocks, one ram, seven lambs of the year; also their mincha of wheaten flour mingled with olive oil, three tenths for each bullock, two tenths for the ram, a tenth to a lamb; so for the seven lambs one kid of the goats to make an atonement for you; beside the perpetual burnt offering you will make these; they will be unblemished, with their libation of wine.

Chapter 29 And in the seventh month, the month of Tishri, on the first of the month you will have a holy convocation, you may not do any servile work; it will be to you a day for the sounding of the trumpet, that by the voice of your trumpets you may disturb Satana who cometh to accuse you. And you will make a burnt slaughter to be received with favour before the Lord; one young bullock, one ram, lambs of the year seven, unblemished; and their mincha of wheaten flour mingled with olive oil, three tenths for the bullock, two tenths for the ram, and one tenth for each of the seven lambs; and one kid of the goats for a sin offering to make an atonement for you; besides the slaughter for the beginning of the month and its mincha, and the perpetual slaughter and its mincha; and their libations according to the order of their appointments, an oblation to be received with favour before the Lord.

And on the tenth of the seventh month, the month of Tishri, you will have a holy convocation, and chasten your souls (by abstaining) from food and drink, the bath, friction, sandals, and the marriage bed; and you will do no servile labour, but offer a slaughter before the Lord to be received with favour; one young bullock, one ram, lambs of the year seven, unblemished, will you have; and their mincha of wheat flour mingled with olive oil, three tenths for the bullock, two tenths for one ram, a singIe tenth for a lamb, so for the seven lambs one kid of the goats for a sin offering; beside the sin offering of the expiations, (Lev. xvi.,) and the perpetual slaughter and their minchas, and the wine of their libations.

And on the fifth day of the seventh month you will have a holy convocation, no servile work will you do; but will celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles before the Lord seven days, and offer a slaughter, an oblation to be received with favour before the Lord: thirteen young bullocks proceeding daily and diminishing their number, (in all) seventy for the seventy nations, and offering them by thirteen orders;[4] two rams, which you will offer by two orders; lambs of the year fourteen, unblemished, to be offered by eight orders, offering six of them, by two and two, and two of them one by one, they will be perfect. Their mincha also of wheat flour, with olive oil, three tenths for each bullock of the thirteen, two tenths for each ram, a single tenth for each of the fourteen lambs, and one kid of the goats for a sin offering, which will be offered by one order, beside the perpetual slaughter, the wheat flour for the mincha, and the wine of the libation.

On the second day of the Feast of Tabernacles you will offer twelve young bullocks, by twelve orders; two rams, by two orders; fourteen lambs of the year unblemished by nine orders, five of them will offer two by two, and four of them one by one. And their mincha of wheat flour, and the wine of their libation which will be offered with the bullocks, rams, and lambs, by their number according to the order of their appointment; and one ram by one order, a sin offering, beside the perpetual slaughter, and the wheat flour of their minchas, and their libations of wine.

On the third day of the Feast of Tabernacles you will offer twelve bullocks by twelve orders; two rams by two orders, fourteen unblemished lambs of the year, by ten orders; four of them will offer two and two, and six of them one by one; and their mincha of wheat flour, and their libations of wine, you will offer with the bullocks, rams, and lambs, by the number in their appointed order; and one kid of the goats for a sin offering by one order; beside the perpetual slaughter the wheat flour for the mincha, and its libation of wine.

On the fourth day of the Feast of Tabernacles, ten young bullocks by ten orders; two rams by two orders; fourteen unblemished lambs of the year by twelve orders; three of them will be offered at two times, and eight of them singly; their mincha of wheaten flour, and their libations of wine, which you will offer with the the bullocks, rams, and lambs by their number, after their appointed order, and one kid for a sin offering, by one order; beside the perpetual slaughter, the wheat flour for the mincha, and its libation of wine.

On the fifth day of the Feast of Tabernacles, nine young bullocks by nine orders; two rams by two orders lambs of the year fourteen, perfect by twelve orders two of them in a pair, twelve singly; and the wheat flour for their mincha, and the libation wine for the bullocks, the rams, and lambs by their number after the order of their appointment; and one kid for a sin offering by one order; beside the perpetual slaughter and the wheat flour for the mincha, and the wine of its libation.

On the sixth day of the Feast of Tabernacles, eight young bullocks by eight orders; two rams by two orders; fourteen unblemished lambs of the year by thirteen orders; a pair of them together, and twelve of them singly. Their mincha of wheat flour, and their libation of wine you will offer with the bullocks, rams, and lambs, by their number in the order appointed; Land one kid for a sin offering by one order, besides the perpetual slaughter, the wheat flour for the mincha, the wine of its libation, and a vase of water to be outpoured on the day of the Feast of Tabernacles in grateful acknowledgment (for a good memorial) of the showers of rain.

On the seventh day of the Feast of Tabernacles you will offer seven bullocks by seven orders; two rams by two orders; fourteen unblemished lambs of the year by fourteen orders: the number of all these lambs ninety‑eight, to make atonement against the ninety‑eight male dictions. And their mincha of wheat flour and libations of wine you will offer with the bullocks, rains, and lambs, by their number, according to the order appointed one kid by one order, beside the perpetual slaughter, the wheat flour for the mincha, and its libation of wine.

And on the eighth day you will gather together joyfully from your tabernacles, in your houses, a gladsome company, a festal day, and a holy convocation will you have, no servile work will you do but offer a slaughter an oblation to be received with favour before the Lord; light oblations; one bullock before the one God, one ram for the one people, lambs of the year unblemished, seven, for the joy of the seven days. Their mincha of wheat flour, and their libations of wine which you will offer with the bullocks, rams, and Iambs, by their number, After the order of their appointment; land one kid for a sin offering, beside the perpetual slaughter, the flour for its mincha, and the wine for its libation. These you will offer before the Lord in the time of your festivals, beside your vows which you vow at the festival, and which you will bring on the day of the feast, with your free‑will oblation for your burnt slaughter, your mincha, libations, and consecrated victims.

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.).

3.10.1. The law requires, that out of the public expenses a lamb of the first year be killed every day, at the beginning and at the ending of the day; but on the seventh day, which is called the Sabbath, they kill two, and slaughter them in the same manner. At the new moon, they both perform the daily slaughters, and slay two bulls, with seven lambs of the first year, and a kid of the goats also, for the expiation of sins; that is, if they have sinned through ignorance.

3.10.2. But on the seventh new moon, which the Macedonians call Hyperberetaeus, they make an addition to those already mentioned, and slaughter a bull, a ram, and seven lambs, and a kid of the goats, for sins.

3.10.3. On the tenth day of the same lunar new moon, they fast till the evening; and this day they slaughter a bull, and two rams, and seven lambs, and a kid of the goats, for sins. And, besides these, they bring two kids of the goats; the one of which is sent alive out of the limits of the camp into the wilderness for the scapegoat, and to be an expiation for the sins of the whole multitude; but the other is brought into a place of great cleanness, within the limits of the camp, and is there burnt, with its skin, without any sort of cleansing. With this goat was burnt a bull, not brought by the people, but by the high priest, at his own charges; which, when it was slain, he brought of the blood into the holy place, together with the blood of the kid of the goats, and sprinkled the ceiling with his finger seven times, as also its pavement, and again as often toward the holy of holies, and about the golden altar: he also at last brings it into the open court, and sprinkles it about the great altar. Besides this, they set the extremities, and the kidneys, and the fat, with the lobe of the liver, upon the altar. The high priest likewise presents a ram to Elohim as a burnt-offering.

3.10.4. Upon the fifteenth day of the same new moon, when the season of the year is changing for winter, the law enjoins us to pitch tabernacles in every one of our houses, so that we preserve ourselves from the cold of that time of the year; as also that when we should arrive at our own country, and come to that city which we should have then for our metropolis, because of the temple therein to be built, and keep a festival for eight days, and offer burnt-offerings, and slaughter thank-offerings, that we should then carry in our hands a branch of myrtle, and willow, and a bough of the palm-tree, with the addition of the pome citron: That the burnt-offering on the first of those days was to be a slaughter of thirteen bulls, and fourteen lambs, and fifteen rams, with the addition of a kid of the goats, as an expiation for sins; and on the following days the same number of lambs, and of rams, with the kids of the goats; but abating one of the bulls every day till they amounted to seven only. On the eighth day all work was laid aside, and then, as we said before, they slaughtered to Elohim a bullock, a ram, and seven lambs, with a kid of the goats, for an expiation of sins. And this is the accustomed solemnity of the Hebrews, when they pitch their tabernacles.24

3.10.5. In the new moon of Xanthicus, which is by us called Nisan, and is the beginning of our year, on the fourteenth day of the lunar new moon, when the sun is in Aries, [for in this new moon it was that we were delivered from bondage under the Egyptians,] the law ordained that we should every year slay that slaughter which I before told you we slew when we came out of Egypt, and which was called the Pesach; and so we do celebrate this passover in companies, leaving nothing of what we slaughter till the day following. The feast of unleavened bread succeeds that of the passover, and falls on the fifteenth day of the new moon, and continues seven days, wherein they feed on unleavened bread; on every one of which days two bulls are killed, and one ram, and seven lambs. Now these lambs are entirely burnt, besides the kid of the goats which is added to all the rest, for sins; for it is intended as a feast for the priest on every one of those days. But on the second day of unleavened bread, which is the sixteenth day of the new moon, they first partake of the fruits of the land, for before that day they do not touch them. And while they suppose it proper to honor Elohim, from whom they obtain this plentiful provision, in the first place, they offer the first fruits of their barley, and that in the manner following: They take a handful of the ears, and dry them, then beat them small, and purge the barley from the bran; they then bring one tenth deal to the altar, to Elohim; and, casting one handful of it upon the fire, they leave the rest for the use of the priest. And after this it is that they may publicly or privately reap their harvest. They also at this participation of the first fruits of the land, slaughter a lamb, as a burnt-offering to Elohim.

3.10.6. When a week of weeks has passed over after this slaughter, [which weeks contain forty and nine days,] on the fiftieth day, which is Pentecost, but is called by the Hebrews Asartha, which signifies Pentecost, they bring to Elohim a loaf, made of wheat flour, of two tenth deals, with leaven; and for slaughters they bring two lambs; and when they have only presented them to Elohim, they are made ready for supper for the priests; nor is it permitted to leave any thing of them till the day following. They also slay three bullocks for a burnt-offering, and two rams; and fourteen lambs, with two kids of the goats, for sins; nor is there anyone of the festivals but in it they offer burnt-offerings; they also allow themselves to rest on every one of them. Accordingly, the law prescribes in them all what kinds they are to slaughter, and how they are to rest entirely, and must slay slaughters, in order to feast upon them.

3.10.7. However, out of the common charges, baked bread [was set on the table of shew-bread], without leaven, of twenty-four tenth deals of flour, for so much is spent upon this bread; two heaps of these were baked, they were baked the day before the sabbath, but were brought into the holy place on the morning of the sabbath, and set upon the holy table, six on a heap, one loaf still standing over against another; where two golden cups full of frankincense were also set upon them, and there they remained till another sabbath, and then other loaves were brought in their stead, while the loaves were given to the priests for their food, and the frankincense was burnt in that sacred fire wherein all their offerings were burnt also; and so other frankincense was set upon the loaves instead of what was there before. The high priest also, of his own charges, offered a slaughter, and that twice every day. It was made of flour mingled with oil, and gently baked by the fire; the quantity was one tenth deal of flour; he brought the half of it to the fire in the morning, and the other half at night. The account of these slaughters I will give more accurately hereafter; but I think I have premised what for the present may be sufficient concerning them.