Week 139

• Torah (T): Devarim (Deuteronomy) 17:1-20
• Prophets (P): 1 Samuel 8:1-22
• Apostolic (A): Matthew 18:15-20; 1 Corinthians 6:1-11
• Additional (ADD): Wisdom of Solomon 9:1-18

RELATED SCRIPTURES

• Leviticus 22:17-25; Deuteronomy 15:19-21 (T)
• Deuteronomy 13:6-11 (T)
• 1 Corinthians 5:9-13 (T)
• Exodus 22:20 (T)
• Acts 25:1-27 (T)
• Numbers 35:30; Deuteronomy 19:15-21; Matthew 18:15-20; John 8:12-19; 2 Corinthians 13:1; 1 Timothy 5:19-21; Hebrews 10:26-29 (T)
• 2 Chronicles 19:4-11; Malachi 2:1-8 (T)
• John 7:37-53 (T)
• Matthew 23:1-12 (T)
• Acts 23:1-3 (T)
• 1 Kings 11:1-14 (T)
• Proverbs 31:1-4 (T)
• 1 Kings 2:1-4 (T)
• Psalms 1:1-2 (T)
• Acts 13:19-23 (P)

RELATED ADDITIONAL REA.D.INGS

• Ordinances, 4Q159 (T)
• Damascus Document, CD 5:2 (T)
• Deuteronomy 17:1-20 from the Jerusalem Targum aka Targum Pseudo-Jonathan (T)
• Antiquities of the Jews by Flavius Josephus, 4.8.12-15 (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)

Devarim (Deuteronomy) 17:1-20

17:1 You will not slaughter to YHWH your Elohim an ox or a sheep in which is a defect or anything evil; for that is an abomination to YHWH your Elohim. 2 If there is found among you, within any of your gates which YHWH your Elohim gives you, a man or woman who does that which is evil in YHWH your Elohim’s sight to cross over his covenant, 3 and has gone and served other elohim and did bow down to them, or the sun, or the moon, or any of the stars of the heavens, which I have not commanded, 4 and you are told, and you have heard of it, then you will inquire diligently. Behold, if it is true, and the thing certain, that such abomination is done in Israel, 5 then you will bring out that man or that woman who has done this evil thing to your gates, even that same man or woman; and you will stone them to death with stones. 6 At the mouth of two witnesses, or three witnesses, he who is to die will be put to death. At the mouth of one witness he will not be put to death. 7 The hands of the witnesses will be first on him to put him to death, and afterward the hands of all the people. So you will remove the evil from among you. 8 If there arises a word too hard for you in judgment, between blood and blood, between plea and plea, and between stroke and stroke, being words of controversy within your gates, then you will arise, and go up to the place which YHWH your Elohim chooses [for his name to be called there].^(LXX) 9 You will come to the priests who are Levites and to the judge who will be in those days. You will inquire, and they will give you the judgement. 10 You will do according to the decisions of the judgement which they will give you from that place which YHWH [your Elohim]^(LXX)(SP) chooses. You will observe to do according to all that they will teach you. 11 According to the decisions of the Torah which they will teach you, and according to the judgment which they will tell you, you will do. You will not turn away from the sentence which they announce to you, to the right hand, nor to the left. 12 The man who acts in arrogance by not listening to the priest who stands to minister there before YHWH your Elohim, or to the judge, even that man will die. You will put away the evil from Israel. 13 All the people will hear and fear, and do no more arrogantly. 14 When you have come to the land which YHWH your Elohim gives you, and possess it and dwell in it, and say, “I will set a king over me, like all the nations that are around me,” 15 you will surely set him whom YHWH your Elohim chooses as king over yourselves. You will set as king over you one from among your brothers. You may not put a foreigner over you, who is not your brother. 16 Only he will not multiply horses to himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt, to the end that he may multiply horses; because YHWH has said to you, “You will not go back that way again.” 17 He will not multiply wives to himself, that his heart not turn away. He will not greatly multiply to himself silver and gold. 18 It will be, when he sits on the throne of his reign, that he will write himself a copy of this Torah in a book, out of that which is before the priests, the Levites,. 19 [She]^(DSS) will be with him, and he will [call out]^(MTT) in [her]^(DSS) all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear YHWH his Elohim, to guard all the words of this Torah and these statutes, to do them; 20 that his heart not be lifted up above his brothers, and that he not turn away from the commandment to the right hand, or to the left, to the end that he may prolong his days in his reign, he and his sons, in the middle of Israel.

Prophets Portion (P)

1 Samuel 8:1-22

8:1 When Samuel was old, he made his sons judges over Israel. 2 Now the name of his firstborn was Joel, and the name of his second, Abijah. They were judges in Be’ersheba. 3 His sons didn’t walk in his ways, but turned away after dishonest gain, took bribes, and perverted justice. 4 Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together and came to Samuel to Ramah. 5 They said to him, “Behold, you are old, and your sons don’t walk in your ways. Now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.” 6 But the thing displeased Samuel when they said, “Give us a king to judge us.” Samuel prayed to YHWH. 7 YHWH said to Samuel, “Listen to the voice of the people in all that they tell you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me as the king over them. 8 According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt even to this day, in that they have forsaken me and served other elohim, so they also do to you. 9 Now therefore, listen to their voice. However, you will protest solemnly to them, and will show them the way of the king who will reign over them.” 10 Samuel told all the word of YHWHs to the people who asked him for a king. 11 He said, “This will be the way of the king who will reign over you: he will take your sons and appoint them as his servants, for his chariots and to be his horsemen; and they will run before his chariots. 12 He will appoint them to him for captains of thousands and captains of fifties; and he will assign some to plow his ground and to reap his harvest; and to make his instruments of war and the instruments of his chariots. 13 He will take your daughters to be perfumers, to be cooks, and to be bakers. 14 He will take your fields, your vineyards, and your olive groves, even your best, and give them to his servants. 15 He will take one tenth of your seed and of your vineyards, and give it to his officers and to his servants. 16 He will take your male servants, your maids, your best young men, and your donkeys, and assign them to his own work. 17 He will take one tenth of your flocks; and you will be his servants. 18 You will cry out in that day because of your king whom you will have chosen for yourselves; and YHWH will not answer you in that day.” 19 But the people refused to listen to the voice of Samuel; and they said, “No, but we will have a king over us, 20 that we also may be like all the nations; and that our king may judge us, and go out before us, and fight our battles.” 21 Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he rehearsed them in the ears of YHWH. 22 YHWH said to Samuel, “Listen to their voice, and make them a king.” Samuel said to the men of Israel, “Everyone go to your own city.”

Apostolic Portion (A)

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

1 Corinthians 6:1 Dare any of you, having a matter against his neighbor, go to law before the unrighteous, and not before the holy ones? 2 Don’t you know that the holy ones will judge the world? And if the world is judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the smallest matters? 3 Don’t you know that we will judge angels? How much more, things that pertain to this life? 4 If then you have to judge things pertaining to this life, do you set them to judge who are of no account in the assembly? 5 I say this to move you to shame. Isn’t there even one wise man among you who would be able to decide between [a brother and his brother]?^(mss) 6 But brother goes to law with brother, and that before unbelievers! 7 Therefore it is already altogether a defect in you that you have lawsuits one with another. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be defrauded? 8 No, but you yourselves do wrong and defraud, and that against your brothers. 9 Or don’t you know that the unrighteous will not inherit the Kingdom of Elohim? Don’t be deceived. Neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor male prostitutes, nor homosexuals, 10 nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor slanderers, nor extortionists, will inherit the Kingdom of Elohim. 11 Some of you were such, but you were washed. You were sanctified. You were justified in the name of the Lord Yeshua, and in the Spirit of our Elohim.

Additional Portion (ADD)

The Wisdom of Solomon or Book of Wisdom is a Jewish work, written in Greek, and most likely composed in Alexandria, Egypt. Generally dated to the mid first century B.C. It is uncertain whether the book has a single author or comes from a school of writers, but recent scholarship has favored regarding it as a unified work. Fragments of the Wisdom of Solomon were found among the Dead Sea Scrolls in the first discovered and excavated cave at Qumran in 1949.

Wisdom of Solomon 9:1-18

9:1 “O Elohim of the fathers, and Lord of mercy, who made all things by your word; 2 and by your wisdom you formed man, that he should have dominion over the creatures that were made by you, 3 and rule the world in holiness and righteousness, and execute judgment in uprightness of soul, 4 give me wisdom, her who sits by you on your thrones. Don’t reject me from among your servants, 5 because I am your servant and the son of your handmaid, a weak and short-lived man, with little power to understand judgment and laws. 6 For even if a man is perfect among the sons of men, if the wisdom that comes from you is not with him, he will count for nothing. 7 You chose me to be king of your people, and a judge for your sons and daughters. 8 You gave a command to build a sanctuary on your holy mountain, and an altar in the city where you pitch your tent, a copy of the holy tent which you prepared from the beginning. 9 Wisdom is with you and knows your works, and was present when you were making the world, and understands what is pleasing in your eyes, and what is right according to your commandments. 10 Send her from the holy the heavens, and ask her to come from the throne of your glory, that being present with me she may work, and I may learn what pleases you well. 11 For she knows all things and understands, and she will guide me soberly in my actions. She will guard me in her glory. 12 So my works will be acceptable. I will judge your people righteously, and I will be worthy of my father’s throne. 13 For what man will know the counsel of Elohim? Or who will conceive what the Lord wills? 14 For the thoughts of mortals are unstable, and our plans are prone to fail. 15 For a corruptible body weighs down the soul. The earthy frame lies heavy on a mind that is full of cares. 16 We can hardly guess the things that are on land, and we find the things that are close at hand with labor; but who has traced out the things that are in the heavens? 17 Who gained knowledge of your counsel, unless you gave wisdom, and sent your holy spirit from the highest? 18 It was thus that the ways of those who are on land were corrected, and men were taught the things that are pleasing to you. They were saved through wisdom.”

Related Scriptures

Leviticus 22:17-25; Deuteronomy 15:19-21 (T)

Leviticus 22:17 YHWH spoke to Moses, saying, 18 “Speak to Aaron, and to his sons, and to all the sons of Israel, and say to them, ‘Whoever is of the house of Israel, or of the strangers [sojourning]^(DSS) in Israel, who brings his offering, whether it is any of their vows or their freewill offerings, which they bring to YHWH for a burnt offering: 19 that you may be accepted, you will offer a male, a perfect one, of the bulls, of the sheep, or of the goats. 20 But you will not bring whatever has a blemish, for it will not be acceptable for you. 21 When a man brings a slaughter of peace offerings to YHWH to accomplish a vow, or in the way of a freewill offering of the herd or of the flock, it will be a perfect one to be accepted. It will have no blemish. 22 Do not bring what is blind, is cracked, is cut sharply, has an ulcer, an irritation, or has a skin sore to YHWH, nor give an offering by fire of them on the altar to YHWH. 23 Either a bull or a lamb that has any deformity or lacking in his parts, that you may offer for a freewill offering; but for a vow it will not be accepted. 24 You must not offer to YHWH that which is pressed firmly, smashed, drawn away, or cut. You must not do this in your land. 25 You must not bring any of these as the bread of your Elohim from the hand of a stranger, because they are corrupt. There is a blemish in them. They will not be accepted for you.’ ”

Deuteronomy 15:19 You will dedicate all the firstborn males that are born of your herd and of your flock to YHWH your Elohim. You will do no work with the firstborn of your herd, nor shear the firstborn of your flock. 20 You will eat it before YHWH your Elohim year by year in the place which YHWH will choose, you and your household. 21 If it has any defect—is lame or blind, or has any defect whatever, do not slaughter it to YHWH your Elohim.

Deuteronomy 13:6-11 (T)

13:6 If your brother, [the son of your father or]^(DSS) the son of your mother, [or your son],^(DSS) or the woman of your bosom, or your friend who is as your own soul, entices you secretly, saying, “Let’s go and serve other elohim”—which you have not known, you, nor your fathers; 7 of the elohim of the peoples who are around you, near to you, or far off from you, from the [ends]^(DSS) of the land even to the other end of the land— 8 you will not consent to him nor listen to him; neither will your eye pity him, neither will you spare [him],^(DSS) neither will you conceal him; 9 but you will surely kill him. Your hand will be first on him to put him to death, and afterwards the hands of all the people. 10 You will stone him to death with stones, because he has sought to draw you away from YHWH your Elohim, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. 11 All Israel will hear, and fear, and will not do any more wickedness like this among you.

1 Corinthians 5:9-13 (T)

5:9 I wrote to you in my letter to have no company with sexual sinners; 10 yet not at all meaning with the sexual sinners of this world, or with the covetous and extortionists, or with idolaters, for then you would have to leave the world. 11 But as it is, I wrote to you not to associate with anyone who is called a brother who is a sexual sinner, or covetous, or an idolater, or a slanderer, or a drunkard, or an extortionist. Don’t even eat with such a person. 12 For what do I have to do with also judging those who are outside? Don’t you judge those who are within? 13 But those who are outside, Elohim judges. “Put away the wicked man from among yourselves.” (cf. Deuteronomy 17:7; Deuteronomy 19:19; Deuteronomy 21:21; Deuteronomy 22:21; Deuteronomy 24:7)

Exodus 22:20 (T)

22:20 He who slaughters to [any]^(LXX) elohim, except to YHWH only, will be utterly destroyed.

Acts 25:1-27 (T)

25:1 Festus therefore, having come into the province, after three days went up to Jerusalem from Caesarea. 2 Then the high priest and the principal men of the Judeans informed him against Paul, and they begged him, 3 asking a favor against him, that he would summon him to Jerusalem, plotting to kill him on the way. 4 However Festus answered that Paul should be kept in custody at Caesarea, and that he himself was about to depart shortly. 5 “Let them therefore”, he said, “that are in power among you go down with me, and if there is anything wrong in the man, let them accuse him.” 6 When he had stayed among them more than ten days, he went down to Caesarea, and on the next day he sat on the judgment seat, and commanded Paul to be brought. 7 When he had come, the Judeans who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him, bringing against him many and grievous charges which they could not prove, 8 while he said in his defense, “Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar, have I sinned at all.” 9 But Festus, desiring to gain favor with the Judeans, answered Paul and said, “Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem and be judged by me there concerning these things?” 10 But Paul said, “I am standing before Caesar’s judgment seat, where I ought to be tried. I have done no wrong to the Judeans, as you also know very well. 11 For if I have done wrong and have committed anything worthy of death, I don’t refuse to die; but if none of those things is true that they accuse me of, no one can give me up to them. I appeal to Caesar!” 12 Then Festus, when he had conferred with the council, answered, “You have appealed to Caesar. To Caesar you will go.” 13 Now when some days had passed, King Agrippa and Bernice arrived at Caesarea and greeted Festus. 14 As he stayed there many days, Festus laid Paul’s case before the king, saying, “There is a certain man left a prisoner by Felix; 15 about whom, when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the Jewish elders informed me, asking for a sentence against him. 16 I answered them that it is not the custom of the Romans to give up any man to destruction before the accused has met the accusers face to face and has had opportunity to make his defense concerning the matter laid against him. 17 When therefore they had come together here, I didn’t delay, but on the next day sat on the judgment seat and commanded the man to be brought. 18 When the accusers stood up, they brought no charges against him of such things as I supposed; 19 but had certain questions against him about their own religion and about one Yeshua, who was dead, whom Paul affirmed to be alive. 20 Being perplexed how to inquire concerning these things, I asked whether he was willing to go to Jerusalem and there be judged concerning these matters. 21 But when Paul had appealed to be kept for the decision of the emperor, I commanded him to be kept until I could send him to Caesar.” 22 Agrippa said to Festus, “I also would like to hear the man myself.” “Tomorrow,” he said, “you will hear him.” 23 So on the next day, when Agrippa and Bernice had come with great pomp, and they had entered into the place of hearing with the commanding officers and the principal men of the city, at the command of Festus, Paul was brought in. 24 Festus said, “King Agrippa, and all men who are here present with us, you see this man about whom all the multitude of the Judeans petitioned me, both at Jerusalem and here, crying that he ought not to live any longer. 25 But when I found that he had committed nothing worthy of death, and as he himself appealed to the emperor, I determined to send him, 26 of whom I have no certain thing to write to my lord. Therefore I have brought him out before you, and especially before you, King Agrippa, that, after examination I may have something to write. 27 For it seems to me unreasonable, in sending a prisoner, not to also specify the charges against him.”

Numbers 35:30; Deuteronomy 19:15-21; Matthew 18:15-20; John 8:12-19; 2 Corinthians 13:1; 1 Timothy 5:19-21; Hebrews 10:26-29 (T)

Numbers 35:30 Whoever kills any person, the murderer will be slain based on the mouth of witnesses; but one witness will not testify alone against any person so that he dies.

Deuteronomy 19:15 One witness will not rise up against a man for any iniquity, or for any sin that he sins. At the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, will a word be established. 16 If an unrighteous witness rises up against any man to testify against him of wrongdoing, 17 then both the men, between whom the controversy is, will stand before YHWH, before the priests and the judges who will be in those days; 18 and the judges will make diligent inquisition; and behold, if the witness is a false witness, and has witnessed falsely against his brother, 19 then you will do to him as he had thought to do to his brother. So you will remove the evil from among you. 20 Those who remain will hear, and fear, and will never again commit any such evil among you. 21 Your eyes will not pity: life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.

Matthew 18:15 “If your brother sins, go, show him his fault between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained back your brother. 16 But if he doesn’t listen, take one or two more with you, that at the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. (cf. Deuteronomy 17:6; Deuteronomy 19:15) 17 If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the assembly. If he refuses to hear the assembly also, let him be to you as a Gentile or a tax collector. 18 Amen, amen, I tell you, whatever things you bind on the land will have been bound in the heavens, and whatever things you release on the land will have been released in the heavens. 19 Again, assuredly I tell you, that if two of you will agree on the land concerning anything that they will ask, it will be done for them by my Father who is in the heavens. 20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there I am in the middle of them.”

John 8:12 Again, therefore, Yeshua spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the light of life.” 13 The Pharisees therefore said to him, “You testify about yourself. Your witness is not valid.” 14 Yeshua answered them, “Even if I testify about myself, my witness is true, for I know where I came from, and where I am going; but you don’t know where I came from, or where I am going. 15 You judge according to the flesh. I judge no one. 16 Even if I do judge, my judgment is true, for I am not alone, but I am with the Father who sent me. 17 It’s also written in your Torah that the witness of two people is valid. (cf. Deuteronomy 17:6; Deuteronomy 19:15) 18 I am one who testifies about myself, and the Father who sent me testifies about me.” 19 They said therefore to him, “Where is your Father?” Yeshua answered, “You know neither me nor my Father. If you knew me, you would know my Father also.”

2 Corinthians 13:1 This is the third time I am coming to you. “At the mouth of two or three witnesses will every word be established.”

1 Timothy 5:19 Don’t receive an accusation against an elder except at the word of two or three witnesses. 20 Those who sin, reprove in the sight of all, that the rest also may be in fear. 21 I command you in the sight of Elohim, and the Lord Yeshua the Messiah, and the chosen angels, that you observe these things without prejudice, doing nothing by partiality.

Hebrews 10:26 For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remains no more a slaughter for sins, 27 but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and a fierceness of fire which will devour the adversaries. 28 A man who disregards Moses’ law dies without compassion on the word of two or three witnesses. 29 How much worse punishment do you think he will be judged worthy of who has trodden under foot the Son of Elohim, and has counted the blood of the covenant with which he was sanctified an unholy, and has insulted the Spirit of grace?

2 Chronicles 19:4-11; Malachi 2:1-8 (T)

2 Chronicles 19:4 Jehoshaphat lived at Jerusalem; and he went out again among the people from Be’ersheba to the hill country of Ephraim, and brought them back to YHWH, the Elohim of their fathers. 5 He set judges in the land throughout all the fortified cities of Judah, city by city, 6 and said to the judges, “Consider what you do, for you don’t judge for man, but for YHWH; and he is with you in the judgment. 7 Now therefore let the fear of YHWH be on you. Take heed and do it; for there is no iniquity with YHWH our Elohim, nor respect of persons, nor taking of bribes.” 8 Moreover in Jerusalem Jehoshaphat appointed certain Levites, priests, and heads of the fathers’ households of Israel to give judgment for YHWH and for controversies. They returned to Jerusalem. 9 He commanded them, saying, “You will do this in the fear of YHWH, faithfully, and with a perfect heart. 10 Whenever any controversy comes to you from your brothers who dwell in their cities, between blood and blood, between Torah and commandment, statutes and ordinances, you must warn them, that they not be guilty toward YHWH, and so wrath come on you and on your brothers. Do this, and you will not be guilty. 11 Behold, Amariah the chief priest is over you in all words of YHWH; and Zebadiah the son of Ishmael, the ruler of the house of Judah, in all the king’s words. Also the Levites will be officers before you. Deal courageously, and may YHWH be with the good.”

Malachi 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.

John 7:37-53 (T)

7:37 Now on the last and greatest day of the feast, Yeshua stood and cried out, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink! 38 He who believes in me, as the Scripture has said, from within him will flow rivers of living water.” 39 But he said this about the Spirit, which those believing in him were to receive. For the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Yeshua wasn’t yet glorified. 40 Many of the multitude therefore, when they heard these words, said, “This is truly the Prophet.” 41 Others said, “This is the Messiah.” But some said, “What, does the Messiah come out of Galilee? 42 Hasn’t the Scripture said that the Messiah comes of the seed of David, (cf. 2 Samuel 7:12) and from Bethlehem, (cf. Micah 5:2) the village where David was?” 43 So a division arose in the multitude because of him. 44 Some of them would have arrested him, but no one laid hands on him. 45 The officers therefore came to the chief priests and Pharisees; and they said to them, “Why didn’t you bring him?” 46 The officers answered, “No man ever spoke like this man!” 47 The Pharisees therefore answered them, “You aren’t also led astray, are you? 48 Have any of the rulers or any of the Pharisees believed in him? 49 But this multitude that doesn’t know the Torah is cursed.” 50 Nicodemus, he who came to him by night, being one of them, said to them, 51 “Does our Torah judge a man unless it first hears from him personally and knows what he does?” 52 They answered him, “Are you also from Galilee? Search and see that no prophet has arisen out of Galilee.” (cf. Isaiah 9:1) 53 Everyone went to his own house

Matthew 23:1-12 (T)

23:1 Then Yeshua spoke to the multitudes and to his disciples, 2 saying, “The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat. 3 All things therefore whatever they tell you to observe, observe and do (cf. Deuteronomy 17:9-12), but don’t do their works; for they say, and don’t do. 4 For they bind heavy burdens that are grievous to be borne,^(mss) and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not lift a finger to help them. 5 But they do all their works to be seen by men. They make their phylacteries broad and enlarge the fringes of their garments, 6 and love the place of honor at feasts, the best seats in the synagogues, 7 the salutations in the marketplaces, and to be called ‘Rabbi, Rabbi by men. 8 But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi’, for one is your Rabbi, the Messiah, and all of you are brothers. 9 Call no man on the land your father, for one is your Father, he who is in the heavens. 10 Neither be called masters, for one is your master, the Messiah. 11 But he who is greatest among you will be your servant. 12 Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

Acts 23:1-3 (T)

23:1 Paul, looking steadfastly at the council, said, “Brothers, I have lived before Elohim in all good conscience until today.” 2 The high priest, Ananias, commanded those who stood by him to strike him on the mouth. 3 Then Paul said to him, “Elohim will strike you, you whitewashed wall! Do you sit to judge me according to the law, and command me to be struck contrary to the law?”

1 Kings 11:1-14 (T)

11:1 Now King Solomon loved many foreign women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh: women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonians, and Hittites, 2 of the nations concerning which YHWH said to the sons of Israel, “You will not go among them, neither will they come among you, for surely they will turn away your heart after their elohim.” Solomon joined to these in love. 3 He had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines. His wives turned his heart away. 4 When Solomon was old, his wives turned away his heart after other elohim; and his heart was not perfect with YHWH his Elohim, as the heart of David his father was. 5 For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites. 6 Solomon did that which was evil in the sight of YHWH, and didn’t go fully after YHWH, as David his father did. 7 Then Solomon built a high place for Chemosh the abomination of Moab, on the mountain that is before Jerusalem, and for Molech the abomination of the children of Ammon. 8 So he did for all his foreign wives, who burned incense and slaughtered to their elohim. 9 YHWH was angry with Solomon, because his heart was turned away from YHWH, the Elohim of Israel, who had appeared to him twice, 10 and had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other elohim; but he didn’t guard that which YHWH commanded. 11 Therefore YHWH said to Solomon, “Because this is done by you, and you have not kept my covenant and my statutes, which I have commanded you, I will surely tear the reign from you, and will give it to your servant. 12 Nevertheless, I will not do it in your days, for David your father’s sake; but I will tear it out of your son’s hand. 13 However, I will not tear away all the reign; but I will give one tribe to your son, for David my servant’s sake, and for Jerusalem’s sake which I have chosen.” 14 YHWH raised up an adversary to Solomon: Hadad the Edomite. He was one of the king’s seed in Edom.

Proverbs 31:1-4 (T)

31:1 The words of King Lemuel—the revelation which his mother taught him: 2 “Oh, my son! Oh, son of my womb! Oh, son of my vows! 3 Don’t give your strength to women, nor your ways to that which destroys kings. 4 It is not for kings, Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine, nor for princes to say, ‘Where is strong drink?’

1 Kings 2:1-4 (T)

2:1 Now the days of David came near that he should die; and he commanded Solomon his son, saying, 2 “I am going the way of all the land. You be strong therefore, and show yourself a man; 3 and guard the instruction of YHWH your Elohim, to walk in his ways, to guard his statutes, his commandments, his ordinances, and his testimonies, according to that which is written in the Torah of Moses, that you may prosper in all that you do and wherever you turn yourself. 4 Then YHWH may establish his word which he spoke concerning me, saying, ‘If your children are careful of their way, to walk before me in truth with all their heart and with all their soul, there will not fail you,’ he said, ‘a man on the throne of Israel.’

Psalms 1:1-2 (T)

1:1 Blessed is the man who doesn’t walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand on the path of sinners, nor sit in the seat of scoffers; 2 but his delight is in the Torah of YHWH. On his Torah he meditates day and night.

Acts 13:19-23 (P)

13:19 When he had destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan, he gave them their land for an inheritance for about four hundred fifty years. 20 After these things, he gave them judges until Samuel the prophet. 21 Afterward they asked for a king, and Elohim gave to them Shaul the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, for forty years. 22 When he had removed him, he raised up David to be their king, to whom he also witnessed, ‘I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after my heart, who will do all my will.’ 23 From this man’s seed, Elohim has brought [a Savior, Yeshua].^(NU-Text) to Israel according to his promise.

Related Additional Readings​

Ordinances, 4Q159 (T)

“…the legislation contained in 4Q159 was not intended as a simple repetition of already known biblical law, but as an affirmation of specific biblical laws being interpreted in a new way. Despite the fact that STRUGNELL objects to ALLEGRO’s title, “Ordinances”, as being too modern, ALLEGRO has correctly perceived that the legislative material in 4Q159 was intended for practical observance by the authors’ audience. Even the more traditional title, “halakhah”), would have its drawbacks, and would be applied to 4Q159 only if one were to understand that the regulations in this text antedate the more codified rabbinic “halakhah” and that, however much the legislation in 4Q159 may have essentially had the force of halakhah it is still not, technically speaking, a collection of halakhot.” – 4Q159: Legislation For an Essene Community Outside of Qumran? by Francis D. Weinert

And […te]n laymen and two priests. And they will be judged before these twelve [… and for every] matter in Israel concerning a capital offense, they will consult them and whoever rebels […] he who has acted with a high hand will be put to death.

Damascus Document, CD 5:2 (T)

The Damascus Document, also called the Damascus Covenant or the Book of the Covenant of Damascus, Cairo Damascus document (CD) or Damascus Rule, is an ancient Jewish document that some scholars suggest serves as a “bridge” document, connecting Judaism’s post-exilic ‘Enochian’-Essene majority to the asserted leadership of its radical minority Qumran-Essene community that was established in isolation near the shores of the Dead Sea. It forms part of the Dead Sea Scrolls, found after 1947 near Qumran, but two fragments had already been discovered in 1897 in the Cairo Geniza.

The Shoddy-Wall-Builders who went after “Precept” —Precept is a Raver of whom it says, “they will surely rave” (Mic. 2:6)—they are caught in two traps: fornication, by taking two their lifetimes although the principle of creation is “male and female He created them” (Gen. 1:27) 5 and those who went into the ark “went into the ark two by two” (Gen. 7:9). Concerning the Leader it is written he will not multiply wives to himself (Deut. 17:17); but David had not read the sealed book of the Law in the Ark; for it was not opened in Israel from the day of the death of Eleazar and Joshua and the elders who served the goddess Ashtoret. It lay buried &ltland was not> revealed until the appearance of Zadok. Nevertheless the deeds of David were all excellent, except the murder of Uriah and Elohim forgave him for that.

Deuteronomy 17:1-20 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 You shall not slaughter before the. Lord your Elohim a bullock or lamb which hath any blemish or evil in it, or which is torn or rent; for that is abominable before the Lord your God.

If there be found among you in one of your cities that the Lord your Elohim will give you a man or woman who doth what is evil before the Lord your Elohim in transgressing His covenant, and, following after evil desire, shall serve the idols of the Gentiles, and worship them, or the sun, or the moon, or all the host of the heavens, which I have not commanded; and it be told you, and you hear and make inquiry by witnesses fairly; and, behold, if this word be true and certain, that such abomination is wrought among you, then you shall bring forth that man or woman who hath done this evil thing, [p. 611] unto the gate of your house of judgment, the man or the woman, and you shall stone them that they die. Upon the word of two witnesses or of three he shall die who is guilty of death ; they shall not be put to death on the word of one witness. The bands of the witnesses shall be first upon him to kill him, and afterward the hands of all (any of) the people; and so shall you bring down the evil doer among you.

If there be with you an extraordinary matter for judgment between unclean and clean blood, cases of life or of money, or between a plague of leprosy or of the scall, with words of controversy in your beth din, then you shall arise and go up to the place which the Lord your Elohim will choose; and you shall come to the priests of the tribe of Levi, and to the judge who will be in those days, and inquire of them, and they will show you the process of judgment. Then shall you do according to the word of the custom of the law that they will show you at the place the Lord will choose, and observe to do whatsoever they teach you. [JERUSA.LEM. When a matter is too occult for you, in setting judgment in order between the blood of murder and innocent blood, between leprosy and the scall, with words of contention in your cities, then shall you arise and go up to the place which the Lord your Elohim will choose.] According to the word of the law that they will teach you, and the manner of judgment they pronounce, you shall do. You shall not turn aside from the sentence they will show you, to the right or to the left. And the man who will act with presumption, and not obey the judge or the priest who standeth there to minister before the Lord your God, that man shall be put to death; so shalt you put down the doer of evil from Israel, and all the people will hear, and be afraid, and not do wickedly again.

When you enter the land which the Lord your Elohim [p. 612] giveth you, and possess, and dwell in it, and you say, Let us appoint a king over us, like all the nations about me, you shall inquire for instruction before the Lord and afterward appoint the king over you: but it will not be lawful to set over you a foreign man who is not of your brethren. Only let him not increase to him more than two horses, lest his princes ride upon them, and become proud, neglect the words of the law, and commit the sin of the captivity of Mizraim; for the Lord hath told you, By that way ye shall return no more. Neither shall he multiply to him wives above eighteen, lest they pervert his heart; nor shall he increase to him silver or gold, lest his heart be greatly lifted up, and he rebel against the Elohim of heaven. And it shall be that if he be steadfast in the commandments of the law he shall sit upon the throne of his kingdom in security. And let the elders write for him the section (pharasha) of this law in a book before the priests of the tribe of Levi ; and let it be at his side, and he shall read it all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the Lord his God, to keep all the words of this law, and all these statutes to perform them: that his heart may not be arrogant toward his brethren, nor decline from the precepts to the right or the left, and that his days may be prolonged over his kingdom, his and his sons’ among Israel.

Antiquities of the Jews by Flavius Josephus, 4.8.12-15 (T)

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.).

4.8.12. When the multitude are assembled together unto the holy city for slaughtering every seventh year, at the feast of tabernacles, let the high priest stand upon a high desk, whence he may be heard, and let him read the laws to all the people; and let neither the women nor the children be hindered from hearing, no, nor the servants neither; for it is a good thing that those laws should be engraven in their souls, and preserved in their memories, that so it may not be possible to blot them out; for by this means they will not be guilty of sin, when they cannot plead ignorance of what the laws have enjoined them. The laws also will have a greater authority among them, as foretelling what they will suffer if they break them; and imprinting in their souls by this hearing what they command them to do, that so there may always be within their minds that intention of the laws which they have despised and broken, and have thereby been the causes of their own mischief. Let the children also learn the laws, as the first thing they are taught, which will be the best thing they can be taught, and will be the cause of their future felicity.

4.8.13. Let every one commemorate before Elohim the benefits which he bestowed upon them at their deliverance out of the land of Egypt, and this twice every day, both when the day begins and when the hour of sleep comes on, gratitude being in its own nature a just thing, and serving not only by way of return for past, but also by way of invitation of future favors. They are also to inscribe the principal blessings they have received from Elohim upon their doors, and show the same remembrance of them upon their arms; as also they are to bear on their forehead and their arm those wonders which declare the power of Elohim, and his good-will towards them, that Elohim’s readiness to bless them may appear every where conspicuous about them.

4.8.14. Let there be seven men to judge in every city, and these such as have been before most zealous in the exercise of virtue and righteousness. Let every judge have two officers allotted him out of the tribe of Levi. Let those that are chosen to judge in the several cities be had in great honor; and let none be permitted to revile any others when these are present, nor to carry themselves in an insolent manner to them; it being natural that reverence towards those in high offices among men should procure men’s fear and reverence towards Elohim. Let those that judge be permitted to determine according as they think to be right, unless any one can show that they have taken bribes, to the perversion of justice, or can allege any other accusation against them, whereby it may appear that they have passed an unjust sentence; for it is not fit that causes should be openly determined out of regard to gain, or to the dignity of the suitors, but that the judges should esteem what is right before all other things, otherwise Elohim will by that means be despised, and esteemed inferior to those, the dread of whose power has occasioned the unjust sentence; for justice is the power of Elohim. He therefore that gratifies those in great dignity, supposes them more potent than Elohim himself. But if these judges be unable to give a just sentence about the causes that come before them, (which case is not infrequent in human affairs,) let them send the cause undetermined to the holy city, and there let the high priest, the prophet, and the sanhedrim, determine as it will seem good to them.

4.8.15. But let not a single witness be credited, but three, or two at the least, and those such whose witness is confirmed by their good lives. But let not the witness of women be admitted, on account of the levity and boldness of their sex. Nor let servants be admitted to give witness, on account of the ignobility of their soul; since it is probable that they may not speak truth, either out of hope of gain, or fear of punishment. But if any one be believed to have borne false witness, let him, when he is convicted, suffer all the very same punishments which he against whom he bore witness was to have suffered.