Week 143

• Torah (T): Devarim (Deuteronomy) 22:8 – 23:25
• Prophets (P): Isaiah 1:16-26
• Apostolic (A): 1 Corinthians 5:9-13; Matthew 12:1-8
• Additional (ADD): Sirach 9:1-9; Sirach 41:1-23

RELATED SCRIPTURES

• Leviticus 19:19 (T)
• 2 Corinthians 6:14-18 (T)
• Leviticus 19:20-21 (T)
• Numbers 15:37-41 (T)
• Matthew 23:1-5 (T)
• Leviticus 20:10 (T)
• Exodus 22:16-17 (T)
• Leviticus 18:8; Leviticus 20:11 (T)
• Ruth 3:1-9 (T)
• Ezekiel 16:1-8 (T)
• Leviticus 21:16-23; 22:17-25 (T)
• Nehemiah 13:1-3 (T)
• Joshua 24:8-10 (T)
• Numbers 20:14-21 (T)
• Leviticus 22:1-7 (T)
• Exodus 22:25 (T)
• Leviticus 25:35-55 (T)
• Nehemiah 5:1-19 (T)
• Luke 6:30-38 (T)
• Numbers 30:1-16 (T)
• Ecclesiastes 5:1-7 (T)
• Psalms 50:14 (T)
• Matthew 12:1-8, Mark 2:23-28, Luke 6:1-5 (T)
• Isaiah 1:1-31 (P)

RELATED ADDITIONAL REA.D.INGS

• Ordinances 4Q159 (T)
• The Temple Scroll 11Q19 (T)
• A Commentary on the Law of Moses 4Q251 (T)
• A Sectarian Manifesto 4QMMT (T)
• The Damascus Document CD 16:6 (T)
• Ordinances 4Q159 (T)
• Deuteronomy 22:8 – 23:25 from the Jerusalem Targum aka Targum Pseudo-Jonathan (T)
• Antiquities of the Jews by Flavius Josephus 4.8.20, 4.8.23, 4.8.38-40 (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) 22:8 – 23:25

22:8 When you build a new house, then you will make a parapet around your roof, so that you don’t bring blood on your house if anyone falls from there. 9 You will not sow your vineyard with two kinds of seed, lest all the fruit be defiled, the seed which you have sown, and the increase of the vineyard. 10 You will not plow with an ox and a donkey together. 11 You will not wear clothes of wool and linen woven together. 12 You will make yourselves fringes on the four wings of your cloak with which you cover yourself. 13 If any man takes a woman, and goes in to her, hates her, 14 and places on her deeds of words, and will bring out upon her an evil name, and says, “I took this wife, and when I came near to her, I didn’t find her virginity;” 15 then the young lady’s father and mother will take and bring the young lady’s virginity to the elders of the city in the gate. 16 The young lady’s father will tell the elders, “I gave my daughter to this man as his wife, and he hates her. 17 Behold, he placed deeds of words saying, ‘I didn’t find in your daughter the virginity;’ and yet these are my daughter’s virginity.” They will spread the cloth before the elders of the city. 18 The elders of that city will take the man and chastise him. 19 They will fine him one hundred shekels of silver, and give them to the father of the young lady, because he has given a bad name to a virgin of Israel. She will be his wife. He may not put her away all his days. 20 But if this word is true, that the virginity were not found in the young lady, 21 then they will bring out the young lady to the door of her father’s house, and the men of her city will stone her to death with stones, because she has done folly in Israel, to whore in her father’s house. So you will remove the evil from among you. 22 If a man is found lying with a woman married to a husband, then they will both die, the man who lay with the woman and the woman. So you will remove the evil from Israel. 23 If there is a young lady who is a virgin betrothed to a husband, and a man finds her in the city, and lies with her, 24 then you will bring them both out to the gate of that city, and you will stone them to death with stones; the lady, because she didn’t cry, being in the city; and the man, because he has afflicted his neighbor’s wife. So you will remove the evil from among you. 25 But if the man finds the lady who is betrothed in the field, and the man forces her and lies with her, then only the man who lay with her will die; 26 but to the lady you will do no word. There is in the lady no sin worthy of death; for as when a man rises against his neighbor and kills him, even so is this word; 27 for he found her in the field, the betrothed lady cried, and there was no one to save her. 28 If a man finds a lady who is a virgin, who is not betrothed, grabs her and lies with her, and they are found, 29 then the man who lay with her will give to the lady’s father fifty shekels of silver. She will be his wife, because he has had intercourse with her. He may not put her away all his days. 30 A man will not take his father’s wife, and will not uncover his father’s wing.

23:1 He who is wounded by crushing of testicles or whose penis is cut off, will not enter into the assembly of YHWH. 2 A bastard will not enter into the assembly of YHWH; even to the tenth generation will no one of his enter into the assembly of YHWH. 3 An Ammonite or a Moabite will not enter into the assembly of YHWH; even to the tenth generation will no one belonging to them enter into the assembly of YHWH forever, 4 because they didn’t meet you with bread and with water on the way when you came out of Egypt, and because they hired against you Balaam the son of Beor from Pethor of Mesopotamia, to curse you. 5 Nevertheless YHWH your Elohim wouldn’t listen to Balaam, but YHWH your Elohim turned the curse into a blessing to you, because YHWH your Elohim loved you. 6 You will not seek their peace nor their prosperity all your days forever. 7 You will not abhor an Edomite, for he is your brother. You will not abhor an Egyptian, because you lived as a foreigner in his land. 8 The sons of the third generation who are born to them may enter into the assembly of YHWH. 9 When you go out and camp against your enemies, then you will guard yourselves from every evil word. 10 If there is among you any man who is not clean from an event of the night, then will he go outside of the camp. He will not come within the camp; 11 but it will be, when evening comes, he will bathe himself in water. When the sun is down, he will come within the camp. 12 You will have a place also outside of the camp where you go outside. 13 You will have a trowel [upon your belt].^(LXX) It will be, when you sit down outside, you will dig with it, and will turn back and cover your excrement; 14 for YHWH your Elohim walks in the middle of your camp, to deliver you, and to give up your enemies before you. Therefore your camp will be holy, that he may not see nakedness of a word in you, and turn away from you. 15 You will not deliver to his master a servant who has escaped from his master to you. 16 He will dwell with you, among you, in the place which he will choose within one of your gates, where it pleases him best. You will not oppress him. 17 There will be no female prostitute of the daughters of Israel, neither will there be a male prostitute of the sons of Israel. 18 You will not bring the hire of a whore, or the wages of a dog, into the house of YHWH your Elohim for any vow; for both of these are an abomination to YHWH your Elohim. 19 You will not lend on interest to your brother: interest of money, interest of food, interest of any word that is lent on interest. 20 You may charge a foreigner interest; but you will not charge your brother interest, that YHWH your Elohim may bless you in all that you put your hand to, in the land where you go in to possess it. 21 When you vow a vow to YHWH your Elohim, you will not be slack to pay it, for YHWH your Elohim will surely require it of you; and it would be sin in you. 22 But if you refrain from making a vow, it will be no sin in you. 23 You will observe and do that which has gone out of your lips. Whatever you have vowed to YHWH your Elohim as a freewill offering, which you have promised with your mouth, you must do. 24 When you come into your neighbor’s vineyard, then you may eat your fill of grapes at your own pleasure; but you will not put any in your container. 25 When you come into your neighbor’s standing grain, then you may pluck the ears with your hand; but you will not use a sickle on your neighbor’s standing grain (Matthew 12:1; Mark 2:23; Luke 6:1).

Prophets Portion (P)

Isaiah 1:16-26

1:16 Wash yourselves [and]^(DSS) and make yourself clean. Put away the evil of your doings from before my eyes. Cease to do evil. 17 Learn to do well. Seek justice. Relieve the oppressed. Defend the fatherless. Plead for the widow.” 18 “Come now, and let’s reason together,” says YHWH: “Though your sins are as scarlet, they will be as white as snow. Though they are red like crimson, they will be as wool. 19 If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the good of the land; 20 but if you refuse and rebel, you will be devoured with the sword; for YHWH’s mouth has spoken it.” 21 How the faithful city has become a prostitute! She was full of justice. Righteousness lodged in her, but now there are murderers. 22 Your silver has become dross, your wine mixed with water. 23 Your princes are rebellious and companions of thieves. Everyone loves bribes and [chasing after recompense].^(DSS)(LXX) They don’t defend the fatherless, neither does the cause of the widow come to them. 24 Therefore, [YHWH]^(mss) of Armies, the Mighty One of Israel, says: “Ah, I will get relief from my adversaries, and avenge myself on my enemies. 25 I will turn my hand on you, thoroughly purge away your dross, and will take away all your tin. 26 I will restore your judges as at the first, and your counselors as at the beginning. Afterward you will be called ‘The city of righteousness, a faithful town.’

Apostolic Portion (A)

1 Corinthians 5:9-13; Matthew 12:1-8

1 Corinthians 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)

Matthew 12:1 At that time, Yeshua went on the Sabbath day through the grain fields. His disciples were hungry and began to pluck heads of grain and to eat. (cf. Deuteronomy 23:25) 2 But the Pharisees, when they saw it, said to him, “Behold, your disciples do what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath.” 3 But he said to them, “Haven’t you read what David did when he was hungry, and those who were with him: 4 how he entered into Elohim’s house and ate the bread of the presence, which was not lawful for him to eat, nor for those who were with him, but only for the priests? (cf. 1 Samuel 21:3-6) 5 Or have you not read in the law that on the Sabbath day the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath and are guiltless? (cf. Numbers 28:9) 6 But I tell you that one greater than the temple is here. 7 But if you had known what this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not slaughter,’ (cf. Hosea 6:6) you wouldn’t have condemned the guiltless. 8 For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”

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 4th Century 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).

Sirach 9:1-9

9:1 Don’t be zealous over the woman of your bosom, and don’t teach her an evil lesson against yourself. 2 Don’t give your soul to a woman and let her trample down your strength. 3 Don’t go to meet a woman who whores, lest perhaps you fall into her snares. 4 Don’t associate with a woman who is a singer, lest perhaps you be caught by her tricks. 5 Don’t gaze at a virgin, lest perhaps you stumble and incur penalties for her. 6 Don’t give your soul to prostitutes, that you not lose your inheritance. 7 Don’t look around in the streets of the city. Don’t wander in its deserted places. 8 Turn your eye away from a beautiful woman, and don’t gaze at another’s beauty. Many have been led astray by the beauty of a woman; and with this, passion is kindled like a fire. 9 Don’t dine at all with a woman who has a husband, or revel with her at wine, lest perhaps your soul turn away to her, and with your spirit you slide into destruction.

Sirach 41:1-23

41:1 O death, how bitter is the remembrance of you to a man that is at peace in his possessions, To the man that has nothing to distract him, and has prosperity in all things, And that still has strength to receive meat! 2 O death, acceptable is your sentence to a man that is needy, and that fails in strength, That is in extreme old age, and is distracted about all things, And is perverse, and has lost patience! 3 Don’t be afraid of the sentence of death; Remember those who have been before you, and that come after: This is the sentence from the Lord over all flesh. 4 And why do you refuse, when it is the good pleasure of the Most High? Whether it be ten, or a hundred, or a thousand years, There is no inquisition of life in Hades. 5 The children of sinners are abominable children, And they frequent the dwellings of the impious. 6 The inheritance of sinners’ children will perish, And with their posterity will be a perpetual reproach. 7 Children will complain of an impious father, Because they will be reproached for his sake. 8 Woe to you, impious men, Which have forsaken the Torah of the Most High Elohim! [… …] 9 If you be born, you will be born to a curse; If you die, a curse will be your portion. 10 All things that are of the land will go back to the land: So the impious will go from a curse to perdition. 11 The mourning of men is about their bodies: But the name of sinners being evil will be blotted out. 12 Have regard to your name; For it continues with you longer than a thousand great treasures of gold. 13 A good life has its number of days; And a good name continues forever. 14 My children, keep instruction in peace: But wisdom that is hid, and a treasure that is not seen, What profit is in them both? 15 Better is a man that hides his foolishness Than a man that hides his wisdom. 16 Wherefore show reverence to my word: For it is not good to retain every kind of shame; And not all things are approved by all in good faith. 17 Be ashamed of whoredom before father and mother: And of a lie before a prince and a mighty man; 18 Of an offense before a judge and ruler; Of iniquity before the congregation and the people; Of unjust dealing before a partner and friend; 19 And of theft in regard of the place where you sojourn, And in regard of the truth of Elohim and his covenant; And of leaning with your elbow at meat; And of scurrility in the matter of giving and taking; 20 And of silence before those who salute you; And of looking upon a woman that is a prostitute; 21 And of turning away the face of a kinsman; Of taking away a portion or a gift; And of gazing upon a woman that has a husband; 22 Of being over busy with his maid; and come not near her bed; Of upbraiding speeches before friends; And after you have given, upbraid not; 23 Of repeating and speaking what you have heard; And of revealing of secrets. 24 So will you be truly shamefast, And find favor in the sight of every man.

Related Scriptures

Leviticus 19:19 (T)

19:19 You will guard my statutes. Do not square your beasts with different kinds. Do not sow your field with two kinds of seed; a garment made of different kinds of linen and woolen will not go up upon you.

2 Corinthians 6:14-18 (T)

6:14 Don’t be unequally yoked with unbelievers, for what fellowship do righteousness and iniquity have? Or what fellowship does light have with darkness? 15 What agreement does Messiah have with Belial? Or what portion does a believer have with an unbeliever? 16 What agreement does a temple of Elohim have with idols? For you are a temple of the living Elohim. Even as Elohim said, “I will dwell in them and walk in them. I will be their Elohim and they will be my people.” 17 Therefore Come out from among them, and be separate,’ says the Lord. ‘Touch nothing unclean. I will receive you. 18 I will be to you a Father. You will be to me sons and daughters,’ says YHWH Almighty.” (cf. Isaiah 52:11; Ezekiel 20:34,41)

Leviticus 19:20-21 (T)

19:20 A man that lies down with a woman with seed of copulation, and she is a maid, betrothed to another man, and not ransomed or given her freedom; they will be punished. They will not be put to death, because she was not free. 21 He will bring his trespass offering to YHWH, to the door of the Appointed Tent, a ram for a trespass offering.

Numbers 15:37-41 (T)

15:37 YHWH spoke to Moses, saying, 38 “Speak to the sons of Israel, and tell them that they should make themselves fringes on the wings of their garments throughout their generations, and that they put on the fringe of the wing a cord of blue. 39 It will be to you for a fringe, that you may see it, and remember all the commandments of YHWH, and do them; and that you don’t follow your own heart and your own eyes, after which you used to whore; 40 so that you may remember and do all my commandments, and be holy to your Elohim. 41 I am YHWH your Elohim, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, to be your Elohim: I am YHWH your Elohim.”

Matthew 23:1-5 (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

Leviticus 20:10 (T)

20:10 The man who commits adultery with a man’s wife, even he who commits adultery with his neighbor’s wife, the adulterer and the adulteress will surely be put to death.

Exodus 22:16-17 (T)

22:16 If a man entices a virgin who isn’t betrothed, and lies with her, he will surely pay a dowry for her to be his wife. 17 If her father utterly refuses to give her to him, he will pay money according to the dowry of virgins.

Leviticus 18:8; Leviticus 20:11 (T)

Leviticus 18:8 Do not uncover the nakedness of your father’s wife. It is your father’s nakedness.

Leviticus 20:11 The man who lies with his father’s wife has uncovered his father’s nakedness. Both of them will surely be put to death. Their blood will be upon themselves.

Ruth 3:1-9 (T)

3:1 Naomi her mother-in-law said to her, “My daughter, will I not seek rest for you, that it may be well with you? 2 Now isn’t Boaz our kinsman, with whose maidens you were? Behold, he will be winnowing barley tonight on the threshing floor. 3 Therefore wash yourself, anoint yourself, get dressed, and go down to the threshing floor; but don’t make yourself known to the man until he has finished eating and drinking. 4 It will be, when he lies down, that you will note the place where he is lying. Then you will go in, uncover his feet, and lie down. Then he will tell you what to do.” 5 She said to her, “All that you say, I will do.” 6 She went down to the threshing floor, and did everything that her mother-in-law told her. 7 When Boaz had eaten and drunk, and his heart was merry, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of grain. She came softly, uncovered his feet, and lay down. 8 At midnight, the man was startled and turned himself; and behold, a woman lay at his feet. 9 He said, “Who are you?” She answered, “I am Ruth your servant. Therefore spread the wing of your garment over your servant; for you are a near kinsman.”

Ezekiel 16:1-8 (T)

16:1 Again the word of YHWH came to me, saying, 2 “Son of man, cause Jerusalem to know her abominations; 3 and say, ‘The Lord YHWH says to Jerusalem: “Your origin and your birth is of the land of the Canaanite. An Amorite was your father, and your mother was a Hittite. 4 As for your birth, in the day you were born your navel was not cut. You weren’t washed in water to cleanse you. You weren’t salted at all, nor wrapped in blankets at all. 5 No eye pitied you, to do any of these things to you, to have compassion on you; but you were cast out in the open field, because you were abhorred in the day that you were born. 6 When I passed by you, and saw you wallowing in your blood, I said to you, ‘Though you are in your blood, live!’ Yes, I said to you, ‘Though you are in your blood, live!’ 7 I caused you to multiply as that which grows in the field, and you increased and grew great, and you attained to excellent beauty. Your breasts were formed, and your hair grew; yet you were naked and bare. 8 Now when I passed by you, and looked at you, behold, your time was the time of love; and I spread my wing over you and covered your nakedness. Yes, I pledged myself to you and entered into a covenant with you,” says the Lord YHWH, “and you became mine.

Leviticus 21:16 YHWH spoke to Moses, saying, 17 “Say to Aaron, ‘None of your seed throughout their generations who has a defect may approach to bring the bread of his Elohim. 18 For whatever man he is that has a defect, he will not draw near: a blind man, or a lame, or he who has a flat nose, or any deformity, 19 or a man who has an injured foot, or an injured hand, 20 or hunchbacked, or a dwarf, or one who has a defect in his eye, or an itching disease, or scabs, or who has damaged testicles. 21 No man of the seed of Aaron the priest who has a defect will come near to bring the offerings of YHWH made by fire. Since he has a defect, he will not come near to bring the bread of his Elohim. 22 He will eat the bread of his Elohim, both of the most holy, and of the holy. 23 He will not come near to the veil, nor come near to the altar, because he has a defect; that he may not profane my sanctuaries, for I am YHWH who sanctifies them.’ ”

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 foreigners in Israel, who offers his offering, whether it is any of their vows or any of their freewill offerings, which they bring to YHWH for a burnt offering: 19 that you may be accepted, a male, a perfect one, of the bulls, of the sheep, or of the goats. 20 But you will not bring whatever has a defect, for it will not be acceptable for you. 21 Whoever offers a slaughter of peace offerings to YHWH to accomplish a vow, or for a freewill offering of the herd or of the flock, it will be perfect to be accepted. It will have no defect. 22 You will not bring what is blind, is injured, is maimed, has a wart, is festering, or has a running sore to YHWH, nor make 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 make for a freewill offering; but for a vow it will not be accepted. 24 You must not bring to YHWH that which has its testicles bruised, crushed, broken, 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 foreigner, because their corruption is in them. There is a defect in them. They will not be accepted for you.’ ”

Nehemiah 13:1-3 (T)

13:1 On that day they read in the book of Moses in the hearing of the people; and it was found written in it that an Ammonite and a Moabite should not enter into the assembly of Elohim forever, 2 because they didn’t meet the sons of Israel with bread and with water, but hired Balaam against them to curse them; however, our Elohim turned the curse into a blessing. 3 It came to pass, when they had heard the Torah, that they separated all the mixed multitude from Israel.

Joshua 24:8-10 (T)

24:8 “ ‘I brought you into the land of the Amorites, that lived beyond the Jordan. They fought with you, and I gave them into your hand. You possessed their land, and I destroyed them from before you. 9 Then Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, arose and fought against Israel. He sent and called Balaam the son of Beor to curse you, 10 but I would not listen to Balaam; therefore he blessed you still. So I delivered you out of his hand.

Numbers 20:14-21 (T)

20:14 Moses sent messengers from Kadesh to the king of Edom, saying: “Your brother Israel says: You know all the travail that has happened to us; 15 how our fathers went down into Egypt, and we lived in Egypt a long time. The Egyptians mistreated us and our fathers. 16 When we cried to YHWH, he heard our voice, sent an angel, and brought us out of Egypt. Behold, we are in Kadesh, a city in the edge of your border. 17 Please let us pass through your land. We will not pass through field or through vineyard, neither will we drink from the water of the wells. We will go along the king’s highway. We will not turn away to the right hand nor to the left, until we have passed your border.” 18 Edom said to him, “Do not pass through me, lest I come out with the sword against you.” 19 The sons of Israel said to him, “We will go up by the highway; and if we drink your water, I and my livestock, then I will give its price. Only let me, without doing anything else, pass through on my feet.” 20 He said, “Do not pass through [or I will come out against you with a sword].”^(DSS) Edom came out against him with many people, and with a strong hand. 21 Thus Edom refused to give Israel passage through his border, so Israel turned away from him.

Leviticus 22:1-7 (T)

22:1 YHWH spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Tell Aaron and his sons to dedicate themselves from the holy of the sons of Israel, and that they not profane my holy name, which they make holy to me. I am YHWH. 3 “Tell them, ‘Any man of all your seed throughout your generations that approaches the holy which the sons of Israel make holy to YHWH, having his uncleanness on him, that soul will be cut off from before me. I am YHWH. 4 Any man of the seed of Aaron infected or has a discharge will not eat of the holy until he is clean. Whoever touches anything that is unclean by the dead, or a man whose seed of copulation goes from him, 5 or any man that touches any [unclean] creeping thing by which he may be made unclean, or a man from whom he may become unclean, whatever uncleanness he has— 6 [and]^(DSS) the soul that touches any such will be unclean until the evening, and will not eat of the holy unless he bathes his body in water. 7 When the sun is down, he will be clean; and afterward he will eat of the holy, because it is his bread.

Exodus 22:25 (T)

22:25 “If you lend silver to any of my people with you who is afflicted, you shall not be to him [like a deceiver].^(MTT)

Leviticus 25:35-55 (T)

25:35 If your brother has become low, and his hand totters among you, then you will uphold him. He will live with you like a sojourner and a settler. 36 Take no interest from him or profit; but fear your Elohim, that your brother may live among you. 37 Do not lend him your money at interest, nor give him your food for profit. 38 I am YHWH your Elohim, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, to give you the land of Canaan, and to be your Elohim. 39 If your brother becomes low with you, and will be sold to you, do not make him to serve [as service of a house-servant].^(LXX) 40 As a hired-servant, and as a settler, he will be with you; he will serve with you until the Year of Yovel. 41 Then he will go out from you, he and his sons with him, and will return to his own family, and to the possession of his fathers. 42 For they are my servants, whom I brought out of the land of Egypt. They will not be sold [in a sale of a house-servant].^(LXX) 43 Do not [oppress him with labor],^(LXX) but will fear your Elohim. 44 As for your servant and your maid, whom will be to you from the nations that are around you, from them you may buy servants and maids. 45 Moreover, of the sons of the sojourning settlers among you, of them you may buy, and of their families who are with you, which they bear in your land; and they will be your possession. 46 You may [divide them to]^{(DSS, LXX)} your sons after you, to inherit for a possession. Of them you may take your servants [to the age],^(LXX) but over your brothers the sons of Israel [one will not oppress his brother with labors].^(LXX) 47 If the hand of a sojourner or settler with you will attain, and your brother with him becomes low and will be sold to the sojourner settling with you, or to a member of the sojourners family, 48 after he is sold he may be redeemed. One of his brothers may redeem him; 49 or his uncle, or his uncle’s son, may redeem him, or from a near kin of his flesh from his family may redeem him; or if his hand attains, he may redeem himself. 50 He will reckon with him who bought him from the year of his being sold to him to the Year of Yovel. The price of his sale will be according to the number of years; he will be with him according to the days of a hired-servant. 51 If there are yet many years, according to them he will give back the price of his redemption out of the money that he was bought for. 52 If there remain but a few years to the Year of Yovel, then he will reckon with him; according to his years he will give back the price of his redemption. 53 As a hired-servant year by year will he be with him. He will not [oppress him with labor]^(LXX) in your sight. 54 If he isn’t redeemed by these means, then he will be released in the Year of Yovel: he and his sons with him. 55 For to me the sons of Israel are servants; they are my servants whom I brought out of the land of Egypt. I am YHWH your Elohim.

Nehemiah 5:1-19 (T)

5:1 Then there arose a great cry of the people and of their wives against their brothers the Jews. 2 For there were some who said, “We, our sons and our daughters, are many. Let us get grain, that we may eat and live.” 3 There were also some who said, “We are mortgaging our fields, our vineyards, and our houses. Let us get grain, because of the famine.” 4 There were also some who said, “We have borrowed money for the king’s tribute using our fields and our vineyards as collateral. 5 Yet now our flesh is as the flesh of our brothers, our children as their children. Behold, we bring our sons and our daughters into bondage to be servants, and some of our daughters have been brought into bondage. It is also not in our power to help it, because other men have our fields and our vineyards.” 6 I was very angry when I heard their cry and these words. 7 Then I consulted with myself, and contended with the nobles and the rulers, and said to them, “You exact usury, everyone of his brother.” I held a great assembly against them. 8 I said to them, “We, after our ability, have redeemed our brothers the Jews that were sold to the nations; and would you even sell your brothers, and should they be sold to us?” Then they held their peace, and found not a word to say. 9 Also I said, “The thing that you do is not good. Shouldn’t you walk in the fear of our Elohim because of the reproach of the nations, our enemies? 10 I likewise, my brothers and my servants, lend them money and grain. Please let us stop this usury. 11 Please restore to them, even today, their fields, their vineyards, their olive groves, and their houses, also the hundredth part of the money, and of the grain, the new wine, and the oil, that you are charging them.” 12 Then they said, “We will restore them, and will require nothing of them. We will do so, even as you say.” Then I called the priests, and took an oath of them, that they would do according to this promise. 13 Also I shook out my lap, and said, “So may Elohim shake out every man from his house, and from his labor, that doesn’t perform this promise; even may he be shaken out and emptied like this.” All the assembly said, “Amen,” and praised YHWH. The people did according to this promise. 14 Moreover from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year even to the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes the king, that is, twelve years, I and my brothers have not eaten the bread of the governor. 15 But the former governors who were before me were supported by the people, and took bread and wine from them, plus forty shekels† of silver; yes, even their servants ruled over the people, but I didn’t do so, because of the fear of Elohim. 16 Yes, I also continued in the work of this wall. We didn’t buy any land. All my servants were gathered there to the work. 17 Moreover there were at my table, of the Jews and the rulers, one hundred fifty men, in addition to those who came to us from among the nations that were around us. 18 Now that which was prepared for one day was one ox and six choice sheep. Also fowls were prepared for me, and once in ten days a store of all sorts of wine. Yet for all this, I didn’t demand the governor’s pay, because the bondage was heavy on this people. 19 Remember me, my Elohim, for all the good that I have done for this people.

Luke 6:30-38 (T)

6:30 Give to everyone who asks you, and don’t ask him who takes away your goods to give them back again. 31 “As you would like people to do to you, do exactly so to them. 32 “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. 33 If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. 34 If you lend to those from whom you hope to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to receive back as much. 35 But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing back; and your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High; for he is kind toward the unthankful and evil. 36 “Therefore be merciful, even as your Father is also merciful. 37 Don’t judge, and you won’t be judged. Don’t condemn, and you won’t be condemned. Set free, and you will be set free. 38 “Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over, will be given to you. For with the same measure you measure it will be measured back to you.”

Numbers 30:1-16 (T)

30:1 Moses spoke to the heads of the tribes of the sons of Israel, saying, “This is the word which YHWH has commanded. 2 When a man vows a vow to YHWH, or swears a swearing to [tie up a bond]^(MTT) upon his soul, he will not profane his word. He will do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth. 3 Also, when a woman vows a vow to YHWH and she will [tie up a bond]^(MTT) in her father’s house, in her youth, 4 and her father hears her vow and her bond, which she [tied up upon her soul],^(MTT) and her father says nothing to her, then all her vows will stand, and every bond with which she [tied up upon her soul];^(MTT) [he will establish it].^(DSS) 5 But if her father forbids her in the day that he hears, none of her vows or of her bonds, which she [tied up upon her soul],^(MTT) will stand. YHWH will forgive her, because her father has forbidden her. 6 If she has a husband, while her vows are on her, or the rash utterance of her lips with which she has [tied up upon her soul],^(MTT) 7 and her husband hears it, and says nothing to her in the day that he hears it; then her vows will stand, and her bonds, which she [tied up upon her soul]^(MTT) will stand. 8 But if her husband [forbid her sign]^(MTT) in the day that he hears it, then he makes void [all]^(DSS) her [vows and her bonds]^(DSS) which are on her and the rash utterance of her lips, with which she has [tied up upon her soul].^(MTT) YHWH will forgive her. 9 But the vow of a widow, or of her who is divorced, everything with which she has [tied up upon her soul],^(MTT) will stand against her. 10 If she vowed in her husband’s house or [tied up upon her soul],^(MTT) by a bond with an oath, 11 and her husband heard it, and held his peace at her and didn’t disallow her, then all her vows will stand, and every bond, which she [tied up upon her soul],^(MTT) will stand. 12 But if her husband made them null and void in the day that he heard them, then whatever proceeded out of her lips concerning her vows, or concerning the bond of her soul, will not stand. Her husband has made them void. YHWH will forgive her. 13 Every vow, and every binding oath to afflict the soul, her husband may establish it, or her husband may make it void. 14 But if her husband says nothing to her from day to day, then he establishes all her vows or all her bonds which are on her. He has established them, because he said nothing to her in the day that he heard them. 15 But if he makes them null and void after he has heard them, then he will bear her iniquity.” 16 These are the statutes which YHWH commanded Moses, between a man and his wife, between a father and his daughter, being in her youth, in her father’s house.

Ecclesiastes 5:1-7 (T)

5:1 Guard your steps when you go to Elohim’s house; for to draw near to listen is better than to give the slaughter of fools, for they don’t know that they do evil. 2 Don’t be rash with your mouth, and don’t let your heart be hasty to utter anything before Elohim; for Elohim is in the heavens, and you on land. Therefore let your words be few. 3 For as a dream comes with a multitude of cares, so a fool’s speech with a multitude of words. 4 When you vow a vow to Elohim, don’t defer to pay it; for he has no pleasure in fools. Pay that which you vow. 5 It is better that you should not vow, than that you should vow and not pay. 6 Don’t allow your mouth to lead you into sin. Don’t protest before the angel that this was a mistake. Why should Elohim be angry at your voice, and destroy the work of your hands? 7 For in the multitude of dreams there are vanities, as well as in many words; but you must fear Elohim.

Psalms 50:14 (T)

50:14 Offer to Elohim the slaughter of thanksgiving. Pay your vows to the Most High.

Matthew 12:1 At that time, Yeshua went on the Sabbath day through the grain fields. His disciples were hungry and began to pluck heads of grain and to eat. (cf. Deuteronomy 23:25) 2 But the Pharisees, when they saw it, said to him, “Behold, your disciples do what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath.” 3 But he said to them, “Haven’t you read what David did when he was hungry, and those who were with him: 4 how he entered into Elohim’s house and ate the bread of the presence, which was not lawful for him to eat, nor for those who were with him, but only for the priests? (cf. 1 Samuel 21:3-6) 5 Or have you not read in the law that on the Sabbath day the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath and are guiltless? (cf. Numbers 28:9) 6 But I tell you that one greater than the temple is here. 7 But if you had known what this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not slaughter,’ (cf. Hosea 6:6) you wouldn’t have condemned the guiltless. 8 For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”

Mark 2:23 He was going on the Sabbath day through the grain fields; and his disciples began, as they went, to pluck the ears of grain. (cf. Deuteronomy 23:25) 24 The Pharisees said to him, “Behold, why do they do that which is not lawful on the Sabbath day?” 25 He said to them, “Did you never read what David did when he had need and was hungry—he, and those who were with him? 26 How he entered into Elohim’s house at the time of Abiathar the high priest, and ate the bread of the presence, which is not lawful to eat except for the priests, and gave also to those who were with him?” 27 He said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. 28 Therefore the Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath.”

Luke 6:1 Now on the second Sabbath after the first, he was going through the grain fields. His disciples plucked the heads of grain and ate, rubbing them in their hands. (cf. Deuteronomy 23:25) 2 But some of the Pharisees said to them, “Why do you do that which is not lawful to do on the Sabbath day?” 3 Yeshua, answering them, said, “Haven’t you read what David did when he was hungry, he and those who were with him, 4 how he entered into Elohim’s house, and took and ate the bread of the presence, and gave also to those who were with him, which is not lawful to eat except for the priests alone?” 5 He said to them, “The Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath.”

Isaiah 1:1-31 (P)

1:1 The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem, in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah. 2 Hear, the heavens, and listen, land; for YHWH has spoken: “I have nourished and brought up children and they have rebelled against me. 3 The ox knows his owner, and the donkey his master’s crib; but Israel doesn’t know. My people don’t consider.” 4 Ah sinful nation, a people loaded with iniquity, seed† of evildoers, children who deal corruptly! They have forsaken YHWH. They have despised the Holy One of Israel. They are estranged and backward. 5 Why should you be beaten more, that you revolt more and more? The whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint. 6 From the sole of the foot even to the head there is no soundness in it, but wounds, welts, and open sores. They haven’t been closed, bandaged, or soothed with oil. 7 Your country is desolate. Your cities are burned with fire. Strangers devour your land in your face and it is desolate, as overthrown by strangers. 8 The daughter of Zion is left like a shelter in a vineyard, like a hut in a field of melons, like a besieged city. 9 Unless YHWH of Armies had left to us a very small remnant, we would have been as Sodom. We would have been like Gomorrah. 10 Hear the word of YHWH, you rulers of Sodom! Listen to the Torah of our Elohim, you people of Gomorrah! 11 “What are the multitude of your slaughters to me?”, says YHWH. “I have had enough of the burnt offerings of rams and the fat of fed animals. I don’t delight in the blood of bulls, or of lambs, or of male goats. 12 When you come to appear before me, who has required this at your hand, to trample my courts? 13 Bring no more vain offerings. Incense is an abomination to me. New moons, Sabbaths, and convocations— I can’t stand evil assemblies. 14 My soul hates your New Moons and your appointed feasts. They are a burden to me. I am weary of bearing them. 15 When you spread out your hands, I will hide my eyes from you. Yes, when you make many prayers, I will not hear. Your hands are full of blood. 16 Wash yourselves. Make yourself clean. Put away the evil of your doings from before my eyes. Cease to do evil. 17 Learn to do well. Seek justice. Relieve the oppressed. Defend the fatherless. Plead for the widow.” 18 “Come now, and let’s reason together,” says YHWH: “Though your sins are as scarlet, they will be as white as snow. Though they are red like crimson, they will be as wool. 19 If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the good of the land; 20 but if you refuse and rebel, you will be devoured with the sword; for YHWH’s mouth has spoken it.” 21 How the faithful city has become a whore! She was full of justice. Righteousness lodged in her, but now there are murderers. 22 Your silver has become dross, your wine mixed with water. 23 Your princes are rebellious and companions of thieves. Everyone loves bribes and follows after rewards. They don’t defend the fatherless, neither does the cause of the widow come to them. 24 Therefore the Lord, YHWH of Armies, the Mighty One of Israel, says: “Ah, I will get relief from my adversaries, and avenge myself on my enemies. 25 I will turn my hand on you, thoroughly purge away your dross, and will take away all your tin. 26 I will restore your judges as at the first, and your counselors as at the beginning. Afterward you will be called ‘The city of righteousness, a faithful town.’ 27 Zion will be redeemed with justice, and her converts with righteousness. 28 But the destruction of transgressors and sinners will be together, and those who forsake YHWH will be consumed. 29 For they will be ashamed of the oaks which you have desired, and you will be confounded for the gardens that you have chosen. 30 For you will be as an oak whose leaf fades, and as a garden that has no water. 31 The strong will be like tinder, and his work like a spark. They will both burn together, and no one will quench them.”

Related Additional Readings​

Ordinances 4Q159 (T)

If a man brings an accusation against a virgin of Israel, if [it is at the time] he marries her, let him speak and they will investigate her trustworthiness. If he has not lied about her, she will be put to death, but if he has witnessed f[alse]ly against her, he will be fined two minas [and] he may [not] divorce her all of his life. Every [girl] who […]

The Temple Scroll 11Q19 (T)

When you build a new house, you must build a parapet on the roof, so that you do not bring bloodguilt upon your house if someone should fall from the roof.

If any man takes a woman and consummates the marriage, but then spurns the woman and makes charges against her, so giving her a bad reputation, saying “I married this wife, but when I had intercourse with her I did not find her a virgin,” then the young woman’s father or mother will bring the evidence of her virginity to the elders at the will gate. The young woman’s father say to the elders, “I gave my daughter to this man as a woman, but now he spurns her, and he has made charges against her, claiming ‘I did not find your daughter a virgin.’ Yet this is the evidence of my daughter’s virginity. Then the sheet will be spread before the elders of that city.

Afterward the elders of that city are to take that man and discipline him, as well as fining him one hundred shekels of silver, which will be given to the young woman’s father. For the man brought a bad reputation upon a virgin of Israel; and […]

A Commentary on the Law of Moses 4Q251 (T)

Concerning nakedness: […] Let no man take the w[ife of his father, let him not uncover the skirt of his father. Let no one take] his brother’s daughter or the daughter of [his] si[ster… Let no] man [uncover] the nakedness of [his] mo[ther’s] sister [… no woman will be the woman of the brother of] her father or the brother of her mother […] Let no man uncover the nakedness of [his mother…] Let no man take his daughter […]

A Sectarian Manifesto 4QMMT (T)

[Concerning the Ammonlite, the Moabite, the bastard, the one whose testicles are cru]shed, [or whose] penis is [cut off who enter the congregation […and] take [wives], that they might become one flesh [and entering the sanctuary …] […] unclean. We have also determined [that there is not … one must not have intercour]se with them [… one] must not unite with them so as to make them [one bone … one must not brin]g them [into the sanctuary. And you know that some of the people [and … are uni]ting. [For all the sons of Israel are responsible to guard themselves] against any defiling union and to show reverence for the sanctuary.

The Damascus Document CD 16:6 (T)

As for the passage “observe what comes out of your lips” (Deut. 23:24), it means to abide by every binding oath in which a man promises to do anything from the Law: he may not break it, even at the price of death. Any promise a man makes to depart from the Law he will not keep, even at the price of death.

Concerning a woman’s oath: The passage that speaks of her husband annulling her oath (Num. 30:9) means he should not annul an oath if he does not know whether it should be allowed to stand or be annulled. If it violates the covenant he should annul it and not allow it to stand. The rule also applies to her father.

Ordinances 4Q159 (T)

[… and if] one makes from it a threshing floor or a winepress, whoever comes to the threshing flo[or or winepress…] the Israelite who has nothing may eat of it and gather for himself but for [his] househ[old he will not (?) gather … Whoever enters the grain of] the field may himself eat but he may not take anything to his house so as to store it. […]

Deuteronomy 22:8 – 23:25 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 22 …Neither fringed robes nor tephillin which are the ornaments of a man will be upon a woman; neither will a man shave himself so as to appear like a woman; for every one who doeth so is an abomination before the Lord thy Elohim. If thou find the nest of a clean bird before thee in the way, in a tree, or upon the ground, in which there are young ones or eggs, and the mother sitting upon the young ones or eggs, thou shalt be sure to send the mother away, but thou mayest take the young for thyself that it may be well with thee in this world, and that thou mayest prolong thy days in the world to come. When thou buildest a new house, thou shalt make a surrounding fence to thy roof, that it may not be the occasion of blood guilt by the loss of life at thy house, by any one through heedlessness falling therefrom. [JERUSALEM. Then thou shalt make a parapet to thy roof, that the guilt of innocent blood shedding may not be set upon thy house.] You will not sow your vineyard with seeds of different kinds, lest thou be chargeable with burning the mixed seed that you have sown and the produce of the vine. You will not plough with an ox and an ass nor with any animals of two species bound together. You will not clothe nor warm yourselves with a garment combed (carded) or netted, or interwoven with woollen and linen mixed together. Nevertheless on a robe of linen thread you may be permitted to make fringes of woollen upon the four extremities of your vestments with which you dress in the day. [JERUSALEM. Fringes of threads will you make upon the four edges of your vestments with which you dress.] If a man take a woman or virgin and go unto her, but afterwards dislike her, and bring upon her words of calumny in an evil report against her, and say, I took this wife, and lay with her, but found not the witnesses for her; then the father and mother of the damsel may have license from the court of judgment to produce the linen with the witnesses of her virginity, before the sages of the city, at the door of the beth din. And the father of the damsel will say to the sages, I wedded my daughter to this man to be his wife; but after lying with her he hath hated her; and, behold, he hath thrown upon her occasion of words, saying: I have not found the witnesses of thy daughter’s (virginity) but these are my daughter’s witnesses; and they will spread the linen before the sages of the city; and the sages will take that man, scourge him, and fine him a hundred shekels of silver, and give to the father of the damsel, because he had brought out an evil report against an upright virgin of Israel; and she will be his wife, nor will he have power to put her away all his days. But if that word be true, and the witnesses of virginity were not found with the damsel then will they bring her forth to the door of her father’s house, and the men of that city will stone her with stones that she die; for she had wrought dishonour in Israel in bringing the ill fame of whoredom against her father’s house; and so will they put away the evil doer from Israel. [JERUSALEM. But if this word be true, and the damsel’s witnesses are not found, they will bring that damsel from the door of her father’s house, and the people will stone her.] If a man be found lying with another’s wife, both of them will be put to death; the mail who hath lain with the woman, and the woman. Even if she be with child, they will not wait till she is delivered, but in the same hour they will put them to death by strangulation with the napkin, and cast away the evil doer from Israel. If a damsel a virgin is betrothed to a man, and another man find her in the city, and lie with her, they will bring forth both of them to the door of the beth din of that city, and stone them with stones that they die; the damsel because she did not cry out in the city, and the man because he lay with his neighbour’s wife; and you will put away the evil doer from among you. But if a man find a damsel in the wilderness, and do violence to her and lie with her, the man only will die who lay with her, for the damsel is not guilty of death; but her husband may put her away from him by a bill of divorcement; for as when a man lieth in wait for his neighbour and taketh his life, so is this matter: he found her upon the face of the field; the betrothed damsel cried out for help, but there was no one to deliver her. If a man find a damsel who is not betrothed, and seize and lie with her, and they be found, then the man who lay with her will give to her father, as a fine for her dishonour, fifty shekels of silver, and she will be his wife, because he humbled her, nor will be have power to put her away by divorcement all his days.

Chapter 23 A man should not take a woman who is bowed down (or violated), or who hath had intercourse with his father, much less his father’s wife, nor disclose the skirt that covereth his father. He who is castrated is not fit to take a woman from the congregation of the Lord’s people. He who is born of fornication, or who hath upon him the evil mark which is set upon the unclean Nations, is not fit to take an upright woman from the congregation of the people of the Lord; nor unto the tenth generation will it be fit for him to enter into the congregation of the Lord. Neither an Ammonite nor a Moabite man is fit to take a woman from the congregation of the Lord’s people, nor unto the tenth generation will they take a woman from the congregation of the people of the Lord, because they met you not with bread and water in the way when you came from Mizraim, but hired against you Bileam bar Beor from Petho Chelmaya, which is built in the land of Aram upon the Phrat, to curse you; but the Lord your Elohim would not hearken unto Bileam, but turned in his mouth curses into blessings, because the Lord your Elohim loveth you. Ye will not seek their peace or, their prosperity all your days, because, if even they become proselytes, they will entertain enmity in their hearts for ever. You will not abhor an Edomite when he cometh to be a proselyte, for he is your brother; nor will you abhor a Mizraite, because you were dwellers in their land. The children who are born to them in the third generation shalt be fit to take wives from the people of the congregation of the Lord. When you go forth in hosts against your enemies, beware of every evil thing, of strange worship, the, exposure of the shame, and the shedding of innocent blood. Should there be a man among you who is unclean from accidents of the night, let him go without the camp, and come not among the tents. But at evening time let him wash with water, and on the going down of the sun he may come within the camp. [JERUSALEM. And at evening let him bathe with water.] Let a place be prepared for thee without the camp where thou mayest shed the water of thy feet, and insert a blade with your weapon in the place oil which you bind your swords, and in thy sitting without thou shalt dig with it, and do what thou needest there, and turn and cover it. For the Shekinah of the Lord thy Elohim walketh in the midst of thy camp to save you, and to deliver your enemies into your hands ; therefore will the place of your camps be holy, and nothing impure be seen in it, that His Shekinah go not up from you. Thou shalt not deliver up a stranger into the hand of the worshipper of idols; (the sojourner) who hath escaped to be among you will be under the protection of My Shekinah ; for therefore he hath fled from,his idolatry. Let him dwell with you, and observe the commandments among you; teach him the law, and put him in a school in the place that he chooseth in one of your cities: employ (or, have business. with) him, that he may do well, and trouble him not by words. You will not profane your daughters to make them harlots; nor will any man of Israel debase himself by fornication. You will not bring a gift of the hire of an harlot, nor the price of a dog to offer it in the sanctuary of the Lord your Elohim for any vow, much less as any of the oblations; for they are abominable, both of them, before the Lord your Elohim. [JERUSALEM. There will not be a harlot among the daughters of the house of Israel, nor a whoremonger among the sons of Israel. You will not bring the hire of an harlot, nor the price of a dog.] Thou shalt not make usury of that which is thine from thy neighbour upon the loan which thou lendest, either of money, or food, or any thing by which thou mayest make usury. To a son of the Nations thou mayest lend for usury, but to thy brother thou shalt not lend for usury; that the Lord thy Elohim may bless thee in all that thou puttest thine hand un to, in the land into which thou art entering to possess it. When you vow a vow before the Lord your Elohim, delay not to fulfil it in (one of) the three festivals; for the Lord your Elohim requiring will require it. And in the oblation there will not be any fault or blemish, for in the prescription of the Lord of the world it is so ordained. And thou shalt not be guilty of keeping back (delaying) thy vow: though, if you refrain from vowing, it will not be sin in you, the oath which goeth from your lips you will confirm. The precepts of integrity you will verily perform, but that which is not right to do ye will not do; and according as you have vowed will you fulfil; sin offerings, trespass offerings, burnt slaughters, and consecrated victims will you present before the Lord your Elohim, and bring the libations and the gifts of the sanctuary of which you have spoken (in promises), and alms for the poor which your lips have declared. When thou hast come for hire into thy neighbour’s vineyard, thou mayest eat there as thou wilt, till thou art satisfied; but thou mayest not put any into thy basket. When you go to work for hire in the field of thy neighbour, thou mayest gather with thy hands, but thou art nolt to put forth the sickle upon thy neighbour’s corn (for thyself).

Antiquities of the Jews by Flavius Josephus 4.8.20, 4.8.23, 4.8.38-40 (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.).

4.8.20. You are not to sow with seed a piece of land which is planted with vines, for it is enough that it supply nourishment to that plant, and be not harassed by ploughing also. You are to plough your land with oxen, and not to oblige other animals to come under the same yoke with them; but to till your land with those beasts that are of the same kind with each other. The seeds are also to be pure, and without mixture, and not to be compounded of two or three sorts, since nature does not rejoice in the union of things that are not in their own nature alike; nor are you to permit beasts of different kinds to gender together, for there is reason to fear that this unnatural abuse may extend from beasts of different kinds to men, though it takes its first rise from evil practices about such smaller things. Nor is any thing to be allowed, by imitation whereof any degree of subversion may creep into the constitution. Nor do the laws neglect small matters, but provide that even those may be managed after an unblameable manner.

4.8.23. Let the Hebrews marry, at the age fit for it, virgins that are free, and born of good parents. And he that does not marry a virgin, let him not corrupt another man’s wife, and marry her, nor grieve her former husband. Nor let free men marry slaves, although their affections should strongly bias any of them so to do; for it is decent, and for the dignity of the persons themselves, to govern those their affections. And further, no one ought to marry a harlot, whose matrimonial oblations, arising from the prostitution of her body, Elohim will not receive; for by these means the dispositions of the children will be liberal and virtuous; I mean, when they are not born of base parents, and of the covetous conjunction of such as marry women that are not free. If any one has been espoused to a woman as to a virgin, and does not afterward find her so to be, let him bring his action, and accuse her, and let him make use of such indications to prove his accusation as he is furnished withal; and let the father or the brother of the damsel, or some one that is after them nearest of kin to her, defend her If the damsel obtain a sentence in her favor, that she had not been guilty, let her live with her husband that accused her; and let him not have any further power at all to put her away, unless she give him very great occasions of suspicion, and such as can be no way contradicted. But for him that brings an accusation and calumny against his wife in an impudent and rash manner, let him be punished by receiving forty stripes save one, and let him pay fifty shekels to her father: but if the damsel be convicted, as having been corrupted, and is one of the common people, let her be stoned, because she did not preserve her virginity till she were lawfully married; but if she were the daughter of a priest, let her be burnt alive. If any one has two wives, and if he greatly respect and be kind to one of them, either out of his affection to her, or for her beauty, or for some other reason, while the other is of less esteem with him; and if the son of her that is beloved be the younger by birth than another born of the other woman, but endeavors to obtain the right of primogeniture from his father’s kindness to his mother, and would thereby obtain a double portion of his father’s substance, for that double portion is what I have allotted him in the laws, – let not this be permitted; for it is unjust that he who is the elder by birth should be deprived of what is due to him, on the father’s disposition of his estate, because his mother was not equally regarded by him. He that hath corrupted a damsel espoused to another man, in case he had her consent, let both him and her be put to death, for they are both equally guilty; the man, because he persuaded the woman willingly to submit to a most impure action, and to prefer it to lawful wedlock; the woman, because she was persuaded to yield herself to be corrupted, either for pleasure or for gain. However, if a man light on a woman when she is alone, and forces her, where nobody was present to come to her assistance, let him only be put to death. Let him that hath corrupted a virgin not yet espoused marry her; but if the father of the damsel be not willing that she should be his wife, let him pay fifty shekels as the price of her prostitution. He that desires to be divorced from his wife for any cause whatsoever, (and many such causes happen among men,) let him in writing give assurance that he will never use her as his wife any more; for by this means she may be at liberty to marry another husband, although before this bill of divorce be given, she is not to be permitted so to do: but if she be misused by him also, or if, when he is dead, her first husband would marry her again, it will not be lawful for her to return to him. If a woman’s husband die, and leave her without children, let his brother marry her, and let him call the son that is born to him by his brother’s name, and educate him as the heir of his inheritance, for this procedure will be for the benefit of the public, because thereby families will not fail, and the estate will continue among the kindred; and this will be for the solace of wives under their affliction, that they are to be married to the next relation of their former husbands. But if the brother will not marry her, let the woman come before the senate, and protest openly that this brother will not admit her for his wife, but will injure the memory of his deceased brother, while she is willing to continue in the family, and to hear him children. And when the senate have inquired of him for what reason it is that he is averse to this marriage, whether he gives a bad or a good reason, the matter must come to this issue, That the woman will loose the sandals of the brother, and will spit in his face, and say, He deserves this reproachful treatment from her, as having injured the memory of the deceased. And then let him go away out of the senate, and bear this reproach upon him all his life long; and let her marry to whom she pleases, of such as seek her in marriage. But now, if any man take captive, either a virgin, or one that hath been married, and has a mind to marry her, let him not be allowed to bring her to bed to him, or to live with her as his wife, before she hath her head shaven, and hath put on her mourning habit, and lamented her relations and friends that were slain in the battle, that by this means she may give vent to her sorrow for them, and after that may betake herself to feasting and matrimony; for it is good for him that takes a woman, in order to have children by her, to be complaisant to her inclinations, and not merely to pursue his own pleasure, while he hath no regard to what is agreeable to her. But when thirty days are past, as the time of mourning, for so many are sufficient to prudent persons for lamenting the dearest friends, then let them proceed to the marriage; but in case when he hath satisfied his coveting, he be too proud to retain her for his wife, let him not have it in his power to make her a slave, but let her go away whither she pleases, and have that privilege of a free woman.

4.8.38. Let him that has received any thing in trust for another, take care to keep it as a sacred and divine thing; and let no one invent any contrivance whereby to deprive him that hath entrusted it with him of the same, and this whether he be a man or a woman; no, not although he or she were to gain an immense sum of gold, and this where he cannot be convicted of it by any body; for it is fit that a man’s own conscience, which knows what he hath, should in all cases oblige him to do well. Let this conscience be his witness, and make him always act so as may procure him commendation from others; but let him chiefly have regard to Elohim, from whom no wicked man can lie concealed: but if he in whom the trust was reposed, without any deceit of his own, lose what he was entrusted withal, let him come before the seven judges, and swear by Elohim that nothing hath been lost willingly, or with a wicked intention, and that he hath not made use of any part thereof, and so let him depart without blame; but if he hath made use of the least part of what was committed to him, and it be lost, let him be condemned to repay all that he had received. After the same manner as in these trusts it is to be, if any one defraud those that undergo bodily labor for him. And let it be always remembered, that we are not to defraud a poor man of his wages, as being sensible that Elohim has allotted these wages to him instead of land and other possessions; nay, this payment is not at all to be delayed, but to be made that very day, since Elohim is not willing to deprive the laborer of the immediate use of what he hath labored for.

4.8.39. You are not to punish children for the faults of their parents, but on account of their own virtue rather to vouchsafe them commiseration, because they were born of wicked parents, than hatred, because they were born of bad ones. Nor indeed ought we to impute the sin of children to their fathers, while young persons indulge themselves in many practices different from what they have been instructed in, and this by their proud refusal of such instruction.

4.8.40. Let those that have made themselves eunuchs be had in detestation; and do you avoid any conversation with them who have deprived themselves of their manhood, and of that fruit of generation which Elohim has given to men for the increase of their kind: let such be driven away, as if they had killed their children, since they beforehand have lost what should procure them; for evident it is, that while their soul is become effeminate, they have withal transfused that effeminacy to their body also. In like manner do you treat all that is of a monstrous nature when it is looked on; nor is it lawful to geld (i.e. castrate) men or any other animals.