Week 147

• Torah (T): Devarim (Deuteronomy) 30:1 – 31:13
• Prophets (P): Isaiah 48:17-19
• Apostolic (A): Hebrews 13:1-9; 2 Timothy 3:1-17
• Additional (ADD): Sirach 46:1-10

RELATED SCRIPTURES

• Numbers 27:12-14; Deuteronomy 3:23-28; Deuteronomy 4:21-22 (T)
• Joshua 14:6-11 (T)
• Numbers 27:18-23 (T)
• Deuteronomy 7:1-5 (T)
• Numbers 21:21-35 (T)
• Joshua 1:1-9 (T)
• Jeremiah 1:1-10 (T)
• 1 Chronicles 22:1-13 (T)
• 1 Chronicles 28:1-21 (T)
• Leviticus 25:1-22 (T)
• Deuteronomy 15:7-12 (T)
• Joshua 8:30-35 (T)
• Nehemiah 8:1-18 (T)
• John 7:37-53 (T)

RELATED ADDITIONAL REA.D.INGS

• Jubilees 1:1-15; Jubilees 50:1-5 (T)
• The Coming of Melchizedek 11Q13 Column 2 (T)
• Deuteronomy 30:1 – 31:13 from the Jerusalem Targum aka Targum Pseudo-Jonathan (T)
• Antiquities of the Jews by Flavius Josephus 4.8.12 (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) 30:1 – 31:13

30:1 It will happen, when all these things have come on you, the blessing and the curse, which I have set before you, and you will call them to mind among all the nations where YHWH your Elohim has driven you, 2 and return to YHWH your Elohim and obey his voice according to all that I command you today, you and your sons, with all your heart and with all your soul, 3 that then YHWH your Elohim will release you from captivity, have compassion on you, and will return and gather you from all the peoples where YHWH your Elohim has scattered you. 4 If your outcasts are in the uttermost parts of the heavens, from there YHWH your Elohim will gather you, and from there he will bring you back. 5 YHWH your Elohim will bring you into the land which your fathers possessed, and you will possess it. He will do you good, and increase your numbers more than your fathers. 6 YHWH your Elohim will circumcise your heart, and the heart of your seed, to love YHWH your Elohim with all your heart and with all your soul, that you may live. 7 YHWH your Elohim will put all these curses on your enemies and on those who hate you, who persecuted you. 8 You will return and obey the voice of YHWH, and do all his commandments which I command you today. 9 YHWH your Elohim will make you prosperous in all the work of your hand, in the fruit of your womb, and in the fruit of your ground, in the fruit of your livestock, for good; for YHWH will return the skipping with joy over you for good, as he skipped with joy over your fathers, 10 if you will obey YHWH your Elohim’s voice, to guard his commandments and his statutes which are written in this book of the Torah, if you turn to YHWH your Elohim with all your heart and with all your soul. 11 For this commandment which I command you today, it is not too hard for you, it is not too distant [from you].^(DSS) 12 It is not in the heavens, that you should say, “Who will go up for us to the heavens, bring it to us, and make us hear it, and do it?” 13 Neither is it beyond the sea, that you should say, “Who will go [down into the deep]^{(mss)(cf. Romans 10:7)} for us, bring it to us, and make us hear it, and do it?” 14 But the word is very near to you, in your mouth and in your heart, [and in your hand],^(DSS)(LXX) that you may do it. 15 Behold, I have set before you today life and prosperity, and death and evil. 16 [If you obey the commandments of YHWH your Elohim]^(LXX) that I command you today to love YHWH your Elohim, to walk in his ways and to guard his commandments, his statutes, and his judgments, that you may live and multiply, and that YHWH your Elohim may bless you in the land where you go in to possess it. 17 But if your heart turns away, and you will not hear, but are drawn away and worship other elohim, and serve them, 18 I declare to you today that you will surely perish. You will not prolong your days in the land where you pass over the Jordan to go in to possess it. 19 I call the heavens and the land to witness against you today that I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. Therefore choose life, that you may live, you and your descendants, 20 to love YHWH your Elohim, to obey his voice, and to cling to him; for he is your life, and the length of your days, that you may dwell in the land which YHWH swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.

31:1 Moses [finished speaking all]^(DSS)(LXX) these words to all Israel. 2 He said to them, “I am one hundred twenty years old today. I can no more go out and come in. YHWH has said to me, ‘You will not go over this Jordan.’ 3 YHWH your Elohim himself will go over before you. He will destroy these nations from before you, and you will dispossess them. Joshua will go over before you, as YHWH has spoken. 4 YHWH will do to them as he did to Sihon and to Og, the kings of the Amorites, and to their land, when he destroyed them. 5 YHWH will deliver them up before you, and you will do to them according to all the commandment which I have commanded you. 6 Be strong and courageous. Don’t be afraid or scared of them, for YHWH your Elohim himself is who goes with you. He will not fail you nor forsake you.” 7 Moses called to Joshua, and said to him in the sight of all Israel, “Be strong and courageous, for you will go with this people into the land which YHWH has sworn to their fathers to give them; and you will cause them to inherit it. 8 YHWH himself is who goes before you. He will be with you. He will not fail you nor forsake you. Don’t be afraid. Don’t be discouraged.” 9 Moses wrote this Torah [in a book]^(DSS)(LXX) and delivered it to the priests the sons of Levi, who bore the ark of the covenant of YHWH, and to all the elders of Israel. 10 Moses commanded them, saying, “At the end of every seven years, in the appointed time of the year of release, in the feast of booths, 11 when all Israel has come to appear before YHWH your Elohim in the place which he will choose, [you]^(DSS) will read this Torah before all Israel in their hearing. 12 Assemble the people, the men and the women and the little ones, and the sojourner who are within your gates, that they may hear, learn, fear YHWH [their]^(DSS) Elohim, and guard to do all the words of this Torah, 13 and their sons, who have not known, may hear and learn to fear YHWH your Elohim, as long as you live in the land where you go over the Jordan to possess it.”

Prophets Portion (P)

Isaiah 48:17-19

48:17 YHWH, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel, says: “I am YHWH your Elohim, who teaches you to profit, who leads you by the way that you should go. 18 [But]^(DSS)(LXX) that you had listened to my commandments! Then your peace would have been like a river and your righteousness like the waves of the sea. 19 Your seed also would have been as the sand and the issue of your bowels like its grains. His name would not be cut off nor destroyed from before me.”

Apostolic Portion (A)

Hebrews 13:1-9; 2 Timothy 3:1-17

Hebrews 13:1 Let brotherly love continue. 2 Don’t forget to show hospitality to strangers, for in doing so, some have entertained angels without knowing it. 3 Remember those who are in bonds, as bound with them, and those who are ill-treated, since you are also in the body. 4 Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the bed be undefiled; [for]^(mss) Elohim will judge the sexually immoral and adulterers. 5 Be free from the love of money, content with such things as you have, for he has said, “I will in no way leave you, neither will I in any way forsake you.” (cf. Deuteronomy 31:6) 6 So that with good courage we say, “The Lord is my helper. I will not fear. What can man do to me?” (cf. Psalms 118:6-7) 7 Remember your leaders, men who spoke to you the word of Elohim, and considering the results of their conduct, imitate their faith. 8 Yeshua the Messiah is the same yesterday, today, and forever. 9 Don’t be carried away by various and strange teachings, for it is good that the heart be established by grace, not by foods, through which those who were so occupied were not benefited.

2 Timothy 3:1 But know this: that in the last days, grievous times will come. 2 For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 without natural affection, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, fierce, not lovers of good, 4 traitors, headstrong, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of Elohim, 5 holding a form of godliness but having denied its power. Turn away from these, also. 6 For some of these are people who creep into houses and take captive gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various coveting, 7 always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. 8 Even as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these also oppose the truth, men corrupted in mind, who concerning the faith are rejected. 9 But they will proceed no further. For their folly will be evident to all men, as theirs also came to be. 10 But you followed my teaching, conduct, purpose, faith, patience, love, steadfastness, 11 persecutions, and sufferings—those things that happened to me at Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra. I endured those persecutions. The Lord delivered me out of them all. 12 Yes, and all who desire to live pious in Messiah Yeshua will suffer persecution. 13 But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. 14 But you remain in the things which you have learned and have been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them. 15 From infancy, you have known the holy Scriptures which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Messiah Yeshua. 16 Every Scripture is inspired by Elohim and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in righteousness, 17 that each person who belongs to Elohim may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

Additional Portion (ADD)

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

46:1 Joshua the son of Nun was valiant in war, And was the successor of Moses in prophecies: Who according to his name was made great For the saving of his elect, To take vengeance of the enemies that rose up against them, That he might give Israel their inheritance. 2 How was he glorified in the lifting up his hands, And in stretching out his sword against the cities! 3 Who before him so stood fast? For the Lord himself brought his enemies to him. 4 Did not the sun go back by his hand? And didn’t one day become as two? 5 He called upon the Most High and Mighty One, When his foes pressed him round about; And the great Lord heard him. 6 With hailstones of mighty power He caused war to break violently upon the nation, And in the going down he destroyed those who resisted; That the nations might know his armor, How that he fought in the sight of the Lord; For he followed after the Mighty One. 7 Also in the time of Moses he did a work of mercy, He and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, In that they withstood the adversary, Hindered the people from sin, And stilled the murmuring of wickedness. 8 And of six hundred thousand people on foot, they two alone were preserved To bring them into the heritage, into a land flowing with milk and honey 9 Also the Lord gave strength to Caleb, And it remained with him to his old age; So that he entered upon the height of the land, And his seed obtained it for a heritage: 10 That all the sons of Israel might see That it is good to walk after the Lord.

Related Scriptures

Numbers 27:12-14; Deuteronomy 3:23-28; Deuteronomy 4:21-22 (T)

Numbers 27:12 YHWH said to Moses, “Go up into this mountain of Abarim, and see the land which I have given to the sons of Israel. 13 When you have seen it, you also will be gathered to your people, as Aaron your brother was gathered; 14 because in the strife of the congregation, you rebelled against my word in the wilderness of Zin, to honor me as holy at the waters before their eyes.” These are the waters of Meribah of Kadesh in the wilderness of Zin.

Deuteronomy 3:23 I begged YHWH at that time, saying, 24 “Lord YHWH, you have begun to show your servant your greatness, and your strong hand. For what elohim is there in the heavens or in land that can do works like yours, and mighty acts like yours? 25 Please let me go over and see the good land that is beyond the Jordan, that fine mountain, and Lebanon.” 26 But YHWH was angry with me because of you, and didn’t listen to me. YHWH said to me, “That is enough! Speak no more to me of this word. 27 Go up [on]^(DSS) the top of Pisgah, and lift up your eyes westward, and northward, and southward, and eastward, and see with your eyes; for do not go over this Jordan. 28 But command Joshua, and encourage him, and strengthen him; for he will go over before this people, and he will cause them to inherit the land which you will see.”

Deuteronomy 4:21 Furthermore YHWH was angry with me for your sakes, and swore that I should not go over the Jordan, and that I should not go in to that good land which YHWH your Elohim gives you for an inheritance; 22 but I must die in this land. I must not go over the Jordan, but you will go over and possess that good land.

Joshua 14:6-11 (T)

14:6 Then the sons of Judah came near to Joshua in Gilgal. Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite said to him, “You know the thing that YHWH spoke to Moses the man of Elohim concerning me and concerning you in Kadesh Barnea. 7 I was forty years old when Moses the servant of YHWH sent me from Kadesh Barnea to spy out the land. I brought him word again as it was in my heart. 8 Nevertheless, my brothers who went up with me made the heart of the people melt; but I wholly followed YHWH my Elohim. 9 Moses swore on that day, saying, ‘Surely the land where you walked will be an inheritance to you and to your sons forever, because you have wholly followed YHWH my Elohim.’ 10 “Now, behold, YHWH has kept me alive, as he spoke, these forty-five years, from the time that YHWH spoke this word to Moses, while Israel walked in the wilderness. Now, behold, I am eighty-five years old, today. 11 As yet I am as strong today as I was in the day that Moses sent me. As my strength was then, even so is my strength now for war, to go out and to come in.

Numbers 27:18-23 (T)

27:18 YHWH said to Moses, “Take Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the Spirit, and lay your hand on him. 19 Set him before Eleazar the priest, and before all the congregation; and command him in their sight. 20 You will give from your splendor upon him, that all the congregation of the sons of Israel may obey. 21 He will stand before Eleazar the priest, who will inquire for him by the judgment of the Urim before YHWH. At his word they will go out, and at his word they will come in, both he and all the sons of Israel with him, even all the congregation [with him].”^(DSS) 22 Moses did as YHWH commanded him. He took Joshua [son of Nun],^(DSS) and set him before Eleazar the priest and before all the congregation. 23 He laid his hands on him and commissioned him, as YHWH spoke by Moses. [And Moses said to him, “Your eyes have seen all that YHWH your Elohim has done to these two kings. So will YHWH do to all the reigns where you go over. Do not fear them; for YHWH your Elohim himself fights for you.”]^(DSS)

Deuteronomy 7:1-5 (T)

7:1 When YHWH your Elohim brings you into the land where you go to possess it, and casts out many nations before you—the Hittite, the Girgashite, the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite—seven nations greater and mightier than you; 2 and when YHWH your Elohim delivers them up before you, and you strike them, then you will utterly destroy them. You will make no covenant with them, nor show mercy to them. 3 Do not make marriages with them. Do not give your daughter to his son, nor will you take his daughter for your son. 4 For that would turn away your sons from following me, that [he]^(DSS) may serve other elohim. So the anger of YHWH would be kindled against you, and he would destroy you quickly. 5 But you will deal with them like this: you will break down their altars, dash their pillars in pieces, cut down their Asherah poles, and burn their engraved images with fire.

Numbers 21:21-35 (T)

21 [Then YHWH spoke to Moses, “Rise up, take your journey, and pass over the valley of the Arnon. Behold, I have given into your hand Sihon the Amorite, king of Heshbon, and his land; begin to possess it, and contend with him in battle. Today I will begin to put the dread of you and the fear of you on the peoples who are under all the heavens, who will hear the report of you, and will tremble and be in anguish because of you.”]^(DSS) Israel sent messengers to Sihon king of the Amorites, saying, 22 “Let me pass through your land. We will not turn away into field or vineyard. We will not drink of the water of the wells. We will go by the king’s highway, until we have passed your border.” 23 Sihon would not allow Israel to pass through his border, but Sihon gathered all his people together, and went out against Israel into the wilderness, and came to Jahaz. He fought against Israel. 24 Israel struck him with the edge of the sword, and possessed his land from the Arnon to the Jabbok, even to the sons of Ammon; for the border of the sons of Ammon was fortified. 25 Israel took all these cities. Israel lived in all the cities of the Amorites, in Heshbon, and in all its villages. 26 For Heshbon was the city of Sihon the king of the Amorites, who had fought against the former king of Moab, and taken all his land out of his hand, even to the Arnon. 27 Therefore those who speak in proverbs say, “Come to Heshbon. Let the city of Sihon be built and established; 28 for a fire has gone out of Heshbon, a flame from the city of Sihon. It has devoured Ar of Moab, The lords of the high places of the Arnon. 29 Woe to you, Moab! You are undone, people of Chemosh! He has given his sons as fugitives, and his daughters into captivity, to Sihon king of the Amorites. 30 We have shot at them. Heshbon has perished even to Dibon. We have laid waste even to Nophah, Which reaches to Medeba.” 31 Thus Israel lived in the land of the Amorites. 32 Moses sent to spy out Jazer. They took its villages, and drove out the Amorites who were there. 33 They turned and went up by the way of Bashan. Og the king of Bashan went out against them, he and all his people, to battle at Edrei. 34 YHWH said to Moses, “Don’t fear him, for I have delivered him into your hand, with all his people, and his land. You will do to him as you did to Sihon king of the Amorites, who lived at Heshbon.” 35 So they struck him, with his sons and all his people, until there were no survivors; and they possessed his land.

Joshua 1:1-9 (T)

1:1 Now after the death of Moses the servant of YHWH, YHWH spoke to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ servant, saying, 2 “Moses my servant is dead. Now therefore arise, go across this Jordan, you and all these people, to the land which I am giving to them, even to the sons of Israel. 3 I have given you every place that the sole of your foot will tread on, as I told Moses. 4 From the wilderness and this Lebanon even to the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and to the great sea toward the going down of the sun, will be your border. 5 No man will be able to stand before you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not fail you nor forsake you. 6 “Be strong and courageous; for you will cause this people to inherit the land which I swore to their fathers to give them. 7 Only be strong and very courageous. Be careful to observe to do according to all the Torah which Moses my servant commanded you. Don’t turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go. 8 This book of the Torah will not depart from your mouth, but you will meditate on it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. 9 Haven’t I commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Don’t be afraid. Don’t be dismayed, for YHWH your Elohim is with you wherever you go.”

Jeremiah 1:1-10 (T)

1:1 The words of Jeremiah the son of Hilkiah, one of the priests who were in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin. 2 the word of YHWH came to him in the days of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah, in the thirteenth year of his reign. 3 It came also in the days of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, to the end of the eleventh year of Zedekiah, the son of Josiah, king of Judah, to the carrying away of Jerusalem captive in the fifth new moon. 4 Now the word of YHWH came to me, saying, 5 “Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you. Before you were born, I sanctified you. I have appointed you a prophet to the nations.” 6 Then I said, “Ah, Lord YHWH! Behold, I don’t know how to speak; for I am a child.” 7 But YHWH said to me, “Don’t say, ‘I am a child;’ for you must go to whomever I send you, and you must say whatever I command you. 8 Don’t be afraid because of them, for I am with you to rescue you,” says YHWH. 9 Then YHWH stretched out his hand and touched my mouth. Then YHWH said to me, “Behold, I have put my words in your mouth. 10 Behold, I have today set you over the nations and over the reigns, to uproot and to tear down, to destroy and to overthrow, to build and to plant.”

1 Chronicles 22:1-13 (T)

22:1 Then David said, “This is the house of YHWH Elohim, and this is the altar of burnt offering for Israel.” 2 David gave orders to gather together the foreigners who were in the land of Israel; and he set masons to cut dressed stones to build Elohim’s house. 3 David prepared iron in abundance for the nails for the doors of the gates and for the couplings, and bronze in abundance without weight, 4 and cedar trees without number, for the Sidonians and the people of Tyre brought cedar trees in abundance to David. 5 David said, “Solomon my son is young and tender, and the house that is to be built for YHWH must be exceedingly magnificent, of fame and of glory throughout all countries. I will therefore make preparation for it.” So David prepared abundantly before his death. 6 Then he called for Solomon his son, and commanded him to build a house for YHWH, the Elohim of Israel. 7 David said to Solomon his son, “As for me, it was in my heart to build a house to the name of YHWH my Elohim. 8 But the word of YHWH came to me, saying, ‘You have shed blood abundantly and have made great wars. You will not build a house to my name, because you have shed much blood on the land in my sight. 9 Behold, a son will be born to you, who will be a man of peace. I will give him rest from all his enemies all around; for his name will be Solomon, and I will give peace and quietness to Israel in his days. 10 He will build a house for my name; and he will be my son, and I will be his father; and I will establish the throne of his reign over Israel forever.’ 11 Now, my son, may YHWH be with you and prosper you, and build the house of YHWH your Elohim, as he has spoken concerning you. 12 May YHWH give you discretion and understanding, and put you in charge of Israel, so that you may guard the Torah of YHWH your Elohim. 13 Then you will prosper, if you observe to do the statutes and the ordinances which YHWH gave Moses concerning Israel. Be strong and courageous. Don’t be afraid and don’t be dismayed.

1 Chronicles 28:1-21 (T)

28:1 David assembled all the princes of Israel, the princes of the tribes, the captains of the companies who served the king by division, the captains of thousands, the captains of hundreds, and the rulers over all the substance and possessions of the king and of his sons, with the officers and the mighty men, even all the mighty men of valor, to Jerusalem. 2 Then David the king stood up on his feet and said, “Hear me, my brothers and my people! As for me, it was in my heart to build a house of rest for the ark of the covenant of YHWH, and for the footstool of our Elohim; and I had prepared for the building. 3 But Elohim said to me, ‘You will not build a house for my name, because you are a man of war and have shed blood.’ 4 However YHWH, the Elohim of Israel, chose me out of all the house of my father to be king over Israel forever. For he has chosen Judah to be prince; and in the house of Judah, the house of my father; and among the sons of my father he took pleasure in me to make me king over all Israel. 5 Of all my sons, for YHWH has given me many sons, he has chosen Solomon my son to sit on the throne of YHWH’s reign over Israel. 6 He said to me, ‘Solomon, your son, will build my house and my courts; for I have chosen him to be my son, and I will be his father. 7 I will establish his reign forever if he continues to do my commandments and my ordinances, as it is today.’ 8 Now therefore, in the sight of all Israel, the assembly of YHWH, and in the audience of our Elohim, observe and seek out all the commandments of YHWH your Elohim, that you may possess this good land, and leave it for an inheritance to your sons after you forever. 9 You, Solomon my son, know the Elohim of your father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind; for YHWH searches all hearts, and understands all the imaginations of the thoughts. If you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will cast you off forever. 10 Take heed now, for YHWH has chosen you to build a house for the sanctuary. Be strong, and do it.” 11 Then David gave to Solomon his son the plans for the porch of the temple, for its houses, for its treasuries, for its upper rooms, for its inner rooms, for the place of the mercy seat; 12 and the plans of all that he had by the Spirit, for the courts of the house of YHWH, for all the surrounding rooms, for the treasuries of Elohim’s house, and for the treasuries of the dedicated things; 13 also for the divisions of the priests and the Levites, for all the work of the service of the house of YHWH, and for all the vessels of service in the house of YHWH— 14 of gold by weight for the gold for all vessels of every kind of service, for all the vessels of silver by weight, for all vessels of every kind of service; 15 by weight also for the lampstands of gold, and for its lamps, of gold, by weight for every lampstand and for its lamps; and for the lampstands of silver, by weight for every lampstand and for its lamps, according to the use of every lampstand; 16 and the gold by weight for the tables of bread of the presence, for every table; and silver for the tables of silver; 17 and the forks, the basins, and the cups, of pure gold; and for the golden bowls by weight for every bowl; and for the silver bowls by weight for every bowl; 18 and for the altar of incense, refined gold by weight; and gold for the plans for the chariot, and the keruvim that spread out and cover the ark of the covenant of YHWH. 19 “All this”, David said, “I have been made to understand in writing from the hand of YHWH, even all the works of this pattern.” 20 David said to Solomon his son, “Be strong and courageous, and do it. Don’t be afraid, nor be dismayed, for YHWH Elohim, even my Elohim, is with you. He will not fail you nor forsake you, until all the work for the service of the house of YHWH is finished. 21 Behold, there are the divisions of the priests and the Levites for all the service of Elohim’s house. Every willing man who has skill for any kind of service will be with you in all kinds of work. Also the captains and all the people will be entirely at your command.”

Leviticus 25:1-22 (T)

25:1 YHWH said to Moses on Mount Sinai, 2 “Speak to the sons of Israel, and tell them, ‘When you come into the land which I give you, then the land will cease a Sabbath to YHWH. 3 You will sow your field six years, and you will prune your vineyard six years, and gather in its fruits; 4 but in the seventh year there will be a Sabbath of rest for the land, a Sabbath to YHWH. Do not sow your field or prune your vineyard. 5 Do not reap the spontaneous growth of your harvest, and do not gather the grapes of your separated thing. It will be a year of rest for the land. 6 The Sabbath of the land will be for food for you; for yourself, for your servant, for your maid, for your hired-servant, and for your stranger, who lives as a stranger with you. 7 For your livestock also, and for the animals that are in your land, will all its increase be for food. 8 You will count off seven Sabbaths of years, seven times seven years; and there will be to you the days of seven Sabbaths of years, forty-nine years. 9 Then you will make the shofar shout to cross over in the tenth day of the seventh new moon. On the Day of Atonements you will make the shofar cross over in all your land. 10 You will make the fiftieth year holy, and proclaim liberty throughout the land to all its inhabitants. It will be a yovel to you; and every man will return to his own property, and every man will return to his family. 11 That fiftieth year will be a yovel to you. In it do not sow, neither reap that which grows of itself, nor gather from the undressed vines. 12 For it is a yovel; it will be holy to you. You will eat of its increase out of the field. 13 In this Year of Yovel every man will return to his property. 14 If you sell anything to your fellow, or buy from your fellow, let not a man suppress his brother. 15 According to the number of years after the Yovel you will buy from your fellow. According to the number of years of the crops he will sell to you. 16 According to the length of the years you will increase its price, and according to the shortness of the years you will diminish its price; for he is selling the number of the crops to you. 17 Let not a man suppress his fellow, but you will fear your Elohim; for I am YHWH your Elohim. 18 Therefore you will do my statutes, and guard my judgments and do them; and you will dwell in the land in safety. 19 The land will yield its fruit, and you will eat your fill, and dwell therein in safety. 20 If you said, “What will we eat the seventh year? Behold, we will not sow, nor gather in our increase;” 21 then I will command my blessing on you in the sixth year, and it will bear fruit for the three years. 22 You will sow the eighth year, and eat of the fruits from the old store until the ninth year. Until its fruits come in, you will eat the old store.

Deuteronomy 15:7-12 (T)

15:7 If a needy man, one of your brothers, is with you within any of your gates in your land which YHWH your Elohim gives you, do not make your heart obstinate, nor shut your hand from your needy brother; 8 but you will surely open your hand to him, and will surely lend him sufficient for his need, which he lacks. 9 Beware that there not be a wicked thought in your heart, saying, “The seventh year, the year of release, is at hand,” and your eye be evil against your needy brother and you give him nothing; and he cry to YHWH against you, and it be sin to you. 10 You will surely give, and your heart will not be grieved when you give to him, because it is for this word YHWH your Elohim will bless you in all your work and in all that you put your hand to. 11 For the needy will never cease out of the land. Therefore I command you to surely open your hand to your brother, to your afflicted, and to your needy, in your land.

Joshua 8:30-35 (T)

8:30 Then Joshua built an altar to YHWH, the Elohim of Israel, on Mount Ebal, 31 as Moses the servant of YHWH commanded the sons of Israel, as it is written in the book of the Torah of Moses: an altar of uncut stones, on which no one had lifted up any iron. They offered burnt offerings on it to YHWH and slaughtered peace offerings. 32 He wrote there on the stones a copy of Moses’ Torah, which he wrote in the face of the sons of Israel. 33 All Israel, with their elders, officers, and judges, stood on both sides of the ark before the priests of Levi, who carried the ark of the covenant of YHWH, the foreigner as well as the native; half of them in front of Mount Gerizim, and half of them in front of Mount Ebal, as Moses the servant of YHWH had commanded at the first, that they should bless the people of Israel. 34 Afterward he read all the words of the Torah, the blessing and the curse, according to all that is written in the book of the Torah. 35 There was not a word of all that Moses commanded which Joshua didn’t read before all the assembly of Israel, with the women, the little ones, and the foreigners who were among them.

Nehemiah 8:1-18 (T)

8:1 All the people gathered themselves together as one man into the wide place that was in front of the water gate; and they spoke to Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the Torah of Moses, which YHWH had commanded to Israel. 2 Ezra the priest brought the Torah before the assembly, both men and women, and all who could hear with understanding, on the first day of the seventh new moon. 3 He read from it before the wide place that was in front of the water gate from early morning until the middle of the day, in the face of the men and the women, and of those who could understand. The ears of all the people were attentive to the book of the Torah. 4 Ezra the scribe stood on a pulpit of wood, which they had made for the purpose; and beside him stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah, on his right hand; and on his left hand, Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam. 5 Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people, for he was above all the people, and when he opened it, all the people stood up. 6 Then Ezra blessed YHWH, the great Elohim. All the people answered, “Amen, Amen,” with the lifting up of their hands. They bowed their heads, and did bow down to YHWH with their faces to the ground. 7 Also Yeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites, caused the people to understand the Torah; and the people stayed in their place. 8 They read in the book, in the Torah of Elohim, distinctly; and they gave the sense, so that they understood the convocation. 9 Nehemiah, who was the governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, “Today is holy to YHWH your Elohim. Don’t mourn, nor weep.” For all the people wept when they heard the words of the Torah. 10 Then he said to them, “Go your way. Eat the fat, drink the sweet, and send portions to him for whom nothing is prepared, for today is holy to our Lord. Don’t be grieved, for the joy of YHWH is your strength.” 11 So the Levites calmed all the people, saying, “Hold your peace, for the day is holy. Don’t be grieved.” 12 All the people went their way to eat, to drink, to send portions, and to celebrate, because they had understood the words that were declared to them. 13 On the second day, the heads of fathers’ households of all the people, the priests, and the Levites were gathered together to Ezra the scribe, to study the words of the Torah. 14 They found written in the Torah how YHWH had commanded by Moses that the sons of Israel should dwell in booths in the feast of the seventh new moon; 15 and that they should publish and proclaim in all their cities and in Jerusalem, saying, “Go out to the mountain, and get olive branches, branches of wild olive, myrtle branches, palm branches, and branches of thick trees, to make booths, as it is written.” 16 So the people went out and brought them, and made themselves booths, everyone on the roof of his house, in their courts, in the courts of Elohim’s house, in the wide place of the water gate, and in the wide place of Ephraim’s gate. 17 All the assembly of those who had come back out of the captivity made booths and lived in the booths, for since the days of Joshua the son of Nun to that day the sons of Israel had not done so. There was very great gladness. 18 Also day by day, from the first day to the last day, he read in the book of the Torah of Elohim. They kept the feast seven days; and on the eighth day was a closing assembly, according to the judgment.

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

Related Additional Readings​

Jubilees 1:1-15; Jubilees 50:1-5 (T)

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

Jubilees 1:1 And it came to pass in the first year of the exodus of the sons of Israel out of Egypt, in the third new moon, on the sixteenth day of the new moon [2450 A.M.], that Elohim spake to Moses, saying: “Come up to Me on the Mount, and I will give thee two tables of stone of the law and of the commandment, which I have written, that thou mayst teach them.” 2. And Moses went up into the mount of Elohim, and the glory of YHWH abode on Mount Sinai, and a cloud overshadowed it six days. 3. And He called to Moses on the seventh day out of the midst of the cloud, and the appearance of the glory of YHWH was like a flaming fire on the top of the Mount. 4. And Moses was on the Mount forty days and forty nights, and Elohim taught him the earlier and the later history of the division of all the days of the law and of the witness. 5. And He said: “Incline thine heart to every word which I will speak to thee on this Mount, and write them in a book in order that their generations may see how I have not forsaken them for all the evil which they have wrought in transgressing the covenant which I establish between Me and thee for their generations this day on Mount Sinai. 6. And thus it will come to pass when all these things come upon them, that they will recognize that I am more righteous than they in all their judgments and in all their actions, and they will recognize that I have been truly with them. 7. And do thou write for thyself all these words which I declare unto thee this day, for I know their rebellion and their stiff neck, before I bring them into the land of which I sware to their fathers, to Abraham and to Isaac and to Jacob, saying: “Unto your seed will I give a land flowing with milk and honey. 8. And they will eat and be satisfied, and they will turn to strange elohim, to (elohim) which cannot deliver them from aught of their tribulation: “and this witness will be heard for a witness against them. 9. For they will forget all My commandments, (even) all that I command them, and they will walk after the Nations, and after their uncleanness, and after their shame, and will serve their elohim, and these will prove unto them an offence and a tribulation and an affliction and a snare. 10. And many will perish and they will be taken captive, and will fall into the hands of the enemy, because they have forsaken My judgments and My commandments, and the festivals of My covenant, and My sabbaths, and My holy place which I have hallowed for Myself in their midst, and My tabernacle, and My sanctuary, which I have hallowed for Myself in the midst of the land, that I should set My name upon it, and that it should dwell (there). 11. And they will make to themselves high places and groves and graven images, and they will worship, each his own (graven image), so as to go astray, and they will slaughter their children to demons, and to all the works of the error of their hearts. 12. And I will send witnesses unto them, that I may witness against them, but they will not hear, and will slay the witnesses also, and they will persecute those who seek the law, and they will abrogate and change everything so as to work evil before My eyes. 13. And I will hide My face from them, and I will deliver them into the hand of the Nations for captivity, and for a prey, and for devouring, and I will remove them from the midst of the land, and I will scatter them amongst the Nations. 14. And they will forget all My law and all My commandments and all My judgments, and will go astray as to new moons, and sabbaths, and festivals, and jubilees, and ordinances. 15. And after this they will turn to Me from amongst the Nations with all their heart and with all their soul and with all their strength, and I will gather them from amongst all the Nations, and they will seek Me, so that I will be found of them, when they seek Me with all their heart and with all their soul.

Jubilees 50:1 And after this law I made known to thee the days of the Sabbaths in the desert of Sin[ai], which is between Elim and Sinai. 2. And I told thee of the Sabbaths of the land on Mount Sinai, and I told thee of the jubilee years in the sabbaths of years: but the year thereof have I not told thee till ye enter the land which ye are to possess. 3. And the land also will keep its sabbaths while they dwell upon it, and they will know the jubilee year. 4. Wherefore I have ordained for thee the year-weeks and the years and the jubilees: there are forty-nine jubilees from the days of Adam until this day, [2410 A.M.] and one week and two years: and there are yet forty years to come for learning the commandments of the Lord [2450 A.M.], until they pass over into the land of Canaan, crossing the Jordan to the west. 5. And the jubilees will pass by, until Israel is cleansed from all guilt of fornication, and uncleanness, and pollution, and sin, and error, and dwells with confidence in all the land, and there will be no more a Satan or any evil one, and the land will be clean from that time for evermore.

11Q13, also 11QMelch or the Melchizedek document, is a fragmentary manuscript among the Dead Sea Scrolls (from Cave 11) which mentions Melchizedek as leader of Elohim’s angels in a war in Heaven against the angels of darkness instead of the more familiar Archangel Michael. The text is an apocalyptic commentary on the Jubilee year of Leviticus 25. The Dead Sea Scrolls contain texts in Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek, the language of 11Q13 is Hebrew, date of composition is circa 100 B.C. The below section is from The complete Dead Sea scrolls in English Géza Vermès 2003.

And concerning that which He said, In [this] year of Jubilee [each of you will return to his property (Lev. 25:13); and likewise, And this is the manner of release:] every creditor will release that which he has lent [to his neighbour. He will not exact it of his neighbour and his brother], for Elohim’s release [has been proclaimed] (Deut. 25:2). [And it will be proclaimed at] the end of days concerning the captives as [He said, To proclaim liberty to the captives (Isa. 61:1). Its interpretation is that He] will assign them to the Sons of Heaven and to the inheritance of Melchizedek; f[or He will cast] their [lot] amid the po[rtions of Melchize]dek, who will return them there and will proclaim to them liberty, forgiving them [the wrong-doings] of all their iniquities. And this thing will [occur] in the first week of the Jubilee that follows the nine Jubilees. And the Day of Atonement is the e[nd of the] tenth [Ju]bilee, when all the Sons of [Light] and the men of the lot of Mel[chi]zedek will be atoned for. [And] a statute concerns them [to prov]ide them with their rewards. For this is the moment of the Year of Grace for Melchizedek. [And h]e will, by his strength, judge the holy ones of Elohim, executing judgement as it is written concerning him in the Songs of David, who said, ELOHIM has taken his place in the divine council; in the midst of the elohim he holds judgement (Psalms 82:1). And it was concerning him that he said, (Let the assembly of the peoples) return to the height above them; EL (god) will judge the peoples (Psalms 7:7-8). As for that which he s[aid, How long will you] judge unjustly and show partiality to the wicked? Selah (Psalms 82:2), its interpretation concerns Belial and the spirits of his lot [who] rebelled by turning away from the precepts of Elohim to … And Melchizedek will avenge the vengeance of the judgements of Elohim… and he will drag [them from the hand of] Belial and from the hand of all the sp[irits of] his [lot].And all the ‘elohim [of Justice’] will come to his aid [to] attend to the de[struction] of Belial. And the height is … all the sons of Elohim… this … This is the day of [Peace/Salvation] concerning which [Elohim] spoke [through Isa]iah the prophet, who said, [How] beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of the messenger who proclaims peace, who brings good news, who proclaims salvation, who says to Zion: Your ELOHIM [reigns] (Isa. 52:7). Its interpretation; the mountains are the prophets… and the messenger is the Anointed one of the spirit, concerning whom Dan[iel] said, [Until an anointed one, a prince (Dan. 9:25)] … [And he who brings] good [news], who proclaims [salvation]: it is concerning him that it is written… [To comfort all who mourn, to grant to those who mourn in Zion] (Isa. 61:2-3). To comfort [those who mourn: its interpretation], to make them understand all the ages of t[ime] … In truth … will turn away from Belial… by the judgement[s] of Elohim, as it is written concerning him, [who says to Zion]; your ELOHIM reigns. Zion is …, those who uphold the Covenant, who turn from walking [in] the way of the people. And your ELOHIM is [Melchizedek, who will save them from] the hand of Belial. As for that which He said, Then you will send abroad the trump[et in] all the land (Lev. 25:9) …

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.

Deuteronomy 30:1 – 31:13 from the Jerusalem Targum aka Targum Pseudo-Jonathan (T)

Chapter 30 And it will be, when all these words of blessings, or their contraries, which I have set in order before you shall have come upon you, you will be converted in your hearts to return unto My fear, in all the dispersions (among) the nations where the Lord will have scattered you. The upright of you will be favoured with a blessed repentance; and though you have sinned, yet shall your repentance come up unto the glorious throne of the Lord your God, if you will hearken to His Word according to all that I have commanded you this day, you, and your children, with all your heart and with all your soul. And His Word will accept your repentance with favour, and will have mercy upon you, and He will gather you again from all the nations whither the Lord your Elohim had scattered you. Though you may be dispersed unto the ends of the heavens, from thence will the Word of the Lord gather you together by the hand of Elijah the great priest, and from thence will He bring you by the hand of the King Meshiha. And the Word of the Lord your Elohim will bring you into the land which your fathers possessed by inheritance, and you shall possess it, and He will bless you and increase you more than your fathers. And the Lord your Elohim will take away the foolishness of your heart, and of your children’s heart; for He will abolish evil desire from the world, and create good desire, which will give you the dictate to love the Lord your Elohim with all your heart and soul, that your lives may flow on for evermore. And the Word of the Lord your Elohim will send these curses upon your enemies who have oppressed you in your captivities, and such as have hated and persecuted, to destroy you. But you shall return, and be obedient to the Word of the Lord, and do all His commandments that I command you this day. And the Lord your Elohim will make you to abound in good; for you shall prosper in all the works of your hands, in the seed of thy womb, the increase of thy cattle, and the produce of your land, for good; for the Word of the Lord will return, to rejoice over you, to bless you, as He rejoiced over your fathers, if you will hearken to the Word of the Lord your Elohim in keeping His commandments and statutes which are written in the book of this law, when you have returned to the fear of the Lord your Elohim with all your heart and with all your soul.

For this commandment which I command you today is not hidden from you, nor afar off. It is not in the heavens, that thou shouldst say, Who will ascend for us into heaven, and bring it to us to make us hear, that we may do it? Neither is it beyond the great sea, that thou shouldst say, Who will go beyond the sea for us, and fetch it for us to make us hear, that we may do it? For the Word is nigh you, in your schools; open your mouth, that you may meditate on it; purify your hearts, that you may perform it. Behold, I have set before you this day the way of life, wherein is the recompense of the reward of good unto the righteous, and the way of death, wherein is the retribution of the wages of evil unto the wicked. [JERUSALEM. The law is not in the heavens, that thou shouldst say, O that we had one like Mosheh the prophet to ascend into heaven, and bring it to us, and make us hear its commands, that we may do them! Neither is the law beyond the great sea, that thou shouldst say, O that we had one like Jonah the prophet, who could descend into the depths of the sea, and bring it to us, and make us hear its commands, that we may do them! For the word is very nigh you, in your mouth, that you may meditate upon it, and in your hearts, that you may perform it. See, behold, I have set before you this day the way of life, which is the path of the good, and the way of death, which is the path of the evil.] For I teach you today to love the Lord your God, and to walk in the ways that are right before Him, and to keep His commandments, statutes, and judgments, and live and multiply; that the Lord your Elohim may bless you in the land into which you are entering to possess it. But if you think in your heart that you will not obey, but will go astray to worship the idols of the nations, and serve them, I proclaim to you this day, that you will perish, and will not prolong your days on the land to which you are to pass over the Jordan to possess it. I attest this day, not only you, who are to pass away from this world, but the heavens and the earth, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and its reverse. Choose therefore the way of life, even the law, that you and your children may live the life of the world to come; that you may love the Lord thy God, to obey His Word, and keep close unto His fear; for the law in which you occupy yourselves will be your life in this world, and the prolongment of your days in the world that cometh; and you shall be gathered together at the end of the scattering, and dwell upon the land which the Lord sware to your fathers, to Abraham, Izhak, and Jakob, to give it unto them.

Chapter 30 And Mosheh went into the tabernacle of the house of instruction, and spake these words unto all Israel, and said to them: I am the son of a hundred and twenty years this day. I am no more able to go out and come in, and the Word of the Lord hath said to me: Thou shalt not go over this Jordan. The Lord your God, and His Shekinah, will go over before you. He will destroy those nations, and you shall possess them. Jehoshua also will go before you, as the Lord hath said. And the Lord will execute judgment on them, as He did on Sihon and Og kings of the Amoraee, and the people of their land, whom He destroyed. And the Word of the Lord will deliver them up before you, and you shall do to them according to all the commandment that I have commanded you. Be strong, then, and of good courage, fear not, nor be dismayed before them; for the Shekinah of the Lord your Elohim will be the Leader of you, He will not forsake nor be far from you.

And Mosheh called Jehoshua from among the people, and said to him: Be thou strong, and of good courage; for thou art appointed to go with this people to the land which the Word of the Lord sware to your fathers to give them, and thou art to divide it among them. And the Shekinah of the Word of the Lord will go before thee, and His Word will be thy helper; He will not forsake nor be far from thee; fear not, nor be dismayed.

And Mosheh wrote this law, and delivered it to the priests the sons of Levi, who bare the ark of the Lord’s covenant, and to all the sages of Israel. And Mosheh commanded them, saying: At the end of seven years in the time of the year of remission at the feast of Tabernacles, when all Israel cometh to appear before the Lord your God, in the place that He will choose, you shall read this law before all Israel while they listen. Assemble the people, the men, that they may learn, the women, that they may hear instruction, the children, that they may partake the benefit (reward) of those who bring them, and your sojourners who are in your cities, that they may behold the majesty of the law, and be reverent all of them before the Word of the Lord your God, and observe to do all the words of this law. Let their children also, who know not, hear, and learn to fear the Lord your Elohim all the days that you live in the land to inherit which you pass over Jordan.

Antiquities of the Jews by Flavius Josephus 4.8.12 (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.