• Torah (T): Shemot (Exodus) 1:1-22
• Prophets (P): Jeremiah 23:16-27
• Apostolic (A): Acts 7:17-19; 1 Peter 4:1-19
• Additional (ADD): Jubilees 46:9 – 47:12

RELATED SCRIPTURES

• Exodus 2:11-12; Targum Jerusalem and Targum Jonathan (T)
• Deuteronomy 26:5-7 (T)
• Psalms 105:23-26 (T)
• Acts 7:14-29 (T)
• Exodus 6:16-20 (T)
• Numbers 26:58-59 (T)
• 1 Chronicles 23:12-17 (T)
• Exodus 18:1-7 (T)
• Numbers 20:14-16 (T)
• Deuteronomy 26:1-7 (T)
• 1 Samuel 12:6-8 (T)
• Genesis 15:13-16 (T)
• Genesis 23:1-20 (ADD)

RELATED ADDITIONAL READINGS

• Testament of Shimon 8:1-4 (T, ADD)
• The Damascus Document 4Q266, Col 2-3 (T)
• Testament of Qahat 4Q542 (T)
• The Testament of Amram 4Q543-9 (T)
• Sirach 44:19 – 45:5 (T)
• Exodus 1:1 – 2:25 from the Jerusalem Targum aka Targum Pseudo-Jonathan (T)
• Antiquities of the Jews by Flavius Josephus 2.9.1 – 2.11.2 (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)

Shemot (Exodus) 1:1-22

1:1 Now these are the names of the sons of Israel, who came into Egypt, every man and his household came with Jacob [their father]:^(LXX) 2 Reuben, Shimon, Levi, and Judah, 3 Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin, 4 Dan and Naphtali, Gad and Asher. 5 All the souls who came out of Jacob's body were seventy[-five]^(LXX) souls, and Joseph was in Egypt already. 6 Joseph died, as did all his brothers, and all that generation. 7 The sons of Israel were fruitful, and increased abundantly, and multiplied, and grew exceedingly mighty; and the land was filled with them. 8 Now there arose a new king over Egypt, who didn't know Joseph. 9 He said to his people, “Behold, the people of the sons of Israel are more and mightier than we. 10 Come, let us deal wisely with them, lest they multiply, and it happen that when any war breaks out, they also join themselves to our enemies and fight against us, and escape out of the land.” 11 Therefore they set taskmasters over them to afflict them with their burdens. They built storage cities for Pharaoh: Pithom and Rameses. 12 And as they afflicted them, so they increased and so they broke out [exceedingly, exceedingly].^(LXX) [And the Egyptians]^(LXX) loathed the sons of Israel. 13 The Egyptians ruthlessly made the sons of Israel serve, 14 and they made their lives bitter with hard service in mortar and in brick, and in all kinds of service in the field, all their service, in which they ruthlessly made them serve. 15 The king of Egypt spoke to the Hebrew midwives, of whom the name of the one was Shiphrah, and the name of the other Puah, 16 and he said, “When you perform the duty of a midwife to the Hebrew women, and see them on the birth stool, if it is a son, then you shall kill him; but if it is a daughter, then she shall live.” 17 But the midwives feared Elohim, and didn't do what the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the baby boys alive. 18 The king of Egypt called for the midwives, and said to them, “Why have you done this thing and saved the boys alive?” 19 The midwives said to Pharaoh, “Because the Hebrew women aren't like the Egyptian women; for they are vigorous and give birth before the midwife comes to them.” 20 Elohim dealt well with the midwives, and the people multiplied, and grew very mighty. 21 Because the midwives feared Elohim, he gave them families. 22 Pharaoh commanded all his people, saying, “You shall cast every son who is born [to the Hebrews]^(LXX) into the river, and every daughter you shall keep alive.”

Prophets Portion (P)

Jeremiah 23:16-27

23:16 Thus says YHWH of hosts, “Do not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you; they teach you vanity; they speak a vision of their own heart, and not out of the mouth of YHWH.” 17 They say continually to those who despise Me, “YHWH has said, ‘You shall have peace,’” and to everyone who walks in the stubbornness of his own heart they say, “No evil shall come on you.” 18 For who has stood in the council of YHWH, that he should perceive and hear His word? Who has marked My word, and heard it? 19 Look, the storm of YHWH, His wrath, has gone forth—yes, a whirling storm—it shall burst on the head of the wicked. 20 The anger of YHWH shall not return, until He has executed, and until He has performed the intents of His heart. In the latter days you shall understand it perfectly. 21 I did not send these prophets, yet they ran; I did not speak to them, yet they prophesied. 22 But if they had stood in My council, then they would have caused My people to hear My words, and they would have turned them from their evil way, and from the evil of their doings. 23 “Am I an Elohim at hand,” says YHWH, “and not an Elohim far off?” 24 “Can any hide himself in secret places so that I shall not see him?” says YHWH. “Do I not fill the heavens and the earth?” says YHWH. 25 “I have heard what the prophets have said, who prophesy lies in My name, saying, ‘I have dreamed, I have dreamed.’ 26 How long shall this be in the heart of the prophets who prophesy lies—even the prophets of the deceit of their own heart— 27 who think to cause My people to forget My name by their dreams which they tell each man to his neighbor, as their fathers forgot My name for Baʿal.”

Apostolic Portion (A)

Acts 7:17-19; 1 Peter 4:1-19

Acts 7:17 And as the time of the promise drew near—which Elohim had promised to Abraham—the people grew and multiplied in Egypt, 18 until there arose another king over Egyptwho did not know Joseph. 19 He dealt craftily with our people and mistreated our fathers, making their infants to be exposed, so that they would not live.

1 Peter 4:1Therefore, since Messiah suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind; for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, 2 that you no longer should live the rest of your time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of Elohim. 3 For we have spent enough of our past time doing the desire of the Nations, and having walked in lewdness, lusts, drunken binges, orgies, carousings, and abominable idolatries. 4 They think it is strange that you don’t run with them into the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you. 5 They will give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. 6 For to this end the Good News was preached even to the dead, that they might be judged indeed as men in the flesh, but live as to Elohim in the spirit. 7 But the end of all things is near. Therefore be of sound mind, self-controlled, and sober in prayer. 8 And above all things be earnest in your love among yourselves, for love covers a multitude of sins. 9 Be hospitable to one another without grumbling. 10 As each has received a gift, employ it in serving one another, as good managers of the grace of Elohim in its various forms. 11 If anyone speaks, let it be as it were the very words of Elohim. If anyone serves, let it be as of the strength which Elohim supplies, that in all things Elohim may be glorified through Yeshua the Messiah, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen. 12 Beloved, don’t be astonished at the fiery trial which has come upon you to test you, as though a strange thing happened to you. 13 But because you are partakers of Messiah’s sufferings, rejoice, that at the revelation of his glory you also may rejoice with exceeding joy. 14 If you are insulted for the name of Messiah, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of Elohim rests on you. On their part he is blasphemed, but on your part he is glorified. 15 But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or a thief, or an evil doer, or a meddler in other men’s matters. 16 But if one of you suffers for being a Messianic, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify Elohim in this matter. 17 For the time has come for judgment to begin with the household of Elohim . If it begins first with us, what will happen to those who don’t obey the Good News of Elohim? 18 “If it is hard for the righteous to be saved, what will happen to the impious and the sinner?” (cf. Proverbs 11:31) 19 Therefore let them also who suffer according to the will of Elohim in doing good entrust their souls to him, as to a faithful Creator.

Additional Portion (ADD)

Jubilees 46:9 – 47:12

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.

46:9 And the king of Egypt went forth to war with the king of Canaan in the forty-seventh jubilee, in the second week in the second year [2263 A.M.], and the sons of Israel brought forth all the bones of the sons of Jacob save the bones of Joseph, and they buried them in the field in the double cave in the mountain. 10. And the most (of them) returned to Egypt, but a few of them remained in the mountains of Hebron, and Amram thy father remained with them. 11. And the king of Canaan was victorious over the king of Egypt, and he closed the gates of Egypt. 12. And he devised an evil device against the sons of Israel of afflicting them and he said unto the people of Egypt: ‘Behold the people of the sons of Israel have increased and multiplied more than we. 13. Come and let us deal wisely with them before they become too many, and let us afflict them with slavery before war come upon us and before they too fight against us; else they will join themselves unto our enemies and get them up out of our land, for their hearts and faces are towards the land of Canaan.’ 14. And he set over them taskmasters to afflict them with slavery; and they built strong cities for Pharaoh, Pithom, and Raamses and they built all the walls and all the fortifications which had fallen in the cities of Egypt. 15. And they made them serve with rigour, and the more they dealt evilly with them, the more they increased and multiplied. 16. And the people of Egypt abominated the sons of Israel.

47:1 And in the seventh week, in the seventh year, in the forty-seventh jubilee [2303 A.M.], thy father went forth from the land of Canaan, and thou wast born in the fourth week, in the sixth year thereof, in the forty-eighth jubilee [2330 A.M.]; this was the time of tribulation on the sons of Israel. 2. And Pharaoh, king of Egypt, issued a command regarding them that they should cast all their male children which were born into the river. 3. And they cast them in for seven months until the day that thou wast born 4. And thy mother hid thee for three months, and they told regarding her. And she made an ark for thee, and covered it with pitch and asphalt, and placed it in the flags on the bank of the river, and she placed thee in it seven days, and thy mother came by night and suckled thee, and by day Miriam, thy sister, guarded thee from the birds. 5. And in those days Tharmuth, the daughter of Pharaoh, came to bathe in the river, and she heard thy voice crying, and she told her maidens to bring thee forth, and they brought thee unto her. 6. And she took thee out of the ark, and she had compassion on thee. 7. And thy sister said unto her: ‘Will I go and call unto thee one of the Hebrew women to nurse and suckle this babe for thee?’ 8. And she said <unto her>: ‘Go.’ And she went and called thy mother Jochebed, and she gave her wages, and she nursed thee. 9. And afterwards, when thou wast grown up, they brought thee unto the daughter of Pharaoh, and thou didst become her son, and Amram thy father taught thee writing, and after thou hadst completed three weeks they brought thee into the royal court. 10. And thou wast three weeks of years at court until the time [2351 – 2372 A.M.] when thou didst go forth from the royal court and didst see an Egyptian smiting thy friend who was of the sons of Israel, and thou didst slay him and hide him in the sand. 11. And on the second day thou didst and two of the sons of Israel striving together, and thou didst say to him who was doing the wrong: ‘Why dost thou smite thy brother?’ 12. And he was angry and indignant, and said: ‘Who made thee a prince and a judge over us? Thinkest thou to kill me as thou killedst the Egyptian yesterday?’ And thou didst fear and flee on account of these words.

Related Scriptures

Exodus 2:11-12; Targum Jerusalem and Targum Jonathan (T)

Exodus 2:11-12 In those days, when Moses [became great],^(LXX) he went out to his brothers and saw their burdens. He saw an Egyptian striking a Hebrew, one of his brothers. 12 He looked this way and that way, and when he saw that there was no one, he killed the Egyptian, and hid him in the sand.

Jerusalem Targum: And Mosheh, by the Holy Spirit, considering both the young men, saw that, behold, no proselyte would ever spring from that Mizraite; and he killed him, and hid him in the sand.

Targum Jonathan: and Mosheh turned, and considered in the wisdom of his mind, and understood that in no generation would there arise a proselyte from that Mizraite man, and that none of his children’s children would ever be converted; and he smote the Mizraite, and buried him in the sand.

26:5 You will answer and say before YHWH your Elohim, “My father was a Syrian ready to perish. He went down into Egypt, and lived there, few in number. There he became a great, mighty, and populous nation. 6 The Egyptians mistreated us, afflicted us, and imposed hard labor on us. 7 Then we cried to YHWH, the Elohim of our fathers. YHWH heard our voice, and saw our affliction, our toil, and our oppression.

105:23 Israel also came into Egypt. Jacob lived in the land of Ham. 24 He increased his people greatly, and made them stronger than their adversaries. 25 He turned their heart to hate his people, to conspire against his servants. 26 He sent Moses, his servant, and Aaron, whom he had chosen.

7:14 Joseph sent and summoned Jacob, his father, and all his relatives, seventy-five souls. 15 Jacob went down into Egypt and he died, himself and our fathers, 16 and they were brought back to Shechem, and laid in the tomb that Abraham bought for a price in silver from the sons of Hamor of Shechem. 17 But as the time of the promise came close which Elohim had sworn to Abraham, the people grew and multiplied in Egypt, 18 until there arose a different king [over Egypt],^(mss) who didn’t know Joseph. 19 The same took advantage of our kindred, and mistreated our fathers, and forced them to throw out their babies, so that they wouldn’t stay alive. 20 At that time Moses was born, and was fair to Elohim. He was nourished three months in his father’s house. 21 When he was exposed, Pharaoh’s daughter took him up and reared him as her own son. 22 Moses was instructed in all the wisdom of the Egyptians. He was mighty in words and works. 23 But when he was forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brothers, the sons of Israel. 24 Seeing one of them suffer wrong, he defended him, and avenged him who was oppressed, striking the Egyptian. 25 He supposed that his brothers understood that Elohim, by his hand, was giving them deliverance; but they didn’t understand. 26 “The day following, he appeared to them as they fought, and urged them to be at peace again, saying, ‘Sirs, you are brothers. Why do you wrong one another?’ 27 But he who did his neighbor wrong pushed him away, saying, ‘Who made you a ruler and a judge over us? 28 Do you want to kill me, as you killed the Egyptian yesterday?’ 29 Moses fled at this saying, and became a stranger in the land of Midian, where he became the father of two sons.

6:16 These are the names of the sons of Levi according to their generations: Gershon, and Qohath, and Merari; and the years of the life of Levi were one hundred thirty-seven years. 17 The sons of Gershon: Libni and Shimei, according to their families. 18 The sons of Qohath: Amram, and Izhar, and Hebron, and Uzziel; and the years of the life of Qohath were one hundred thirty-three years. 19 The sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi. These are the families of the Levites according to their generations. 20 Amram took Jochebed his father’s sister to himself as wife; and she bore him Aaron and Moses. The years of the life of Amram were one hundred thirty-seven years.

26:58 These are the families of Levi: the family of the Libnites, the family of the Hebronites, the family of the Mahlites, the family of the Mushites, and the family of the Qorachites. Qohath became the father of Amram. 59 The name of Amram’s wife was Jochebed, the daughter of Levi, who was born to Levi in Egypt. She bore to Amram Aaron and Moses, and Miriam their sister.

23:12 The sons of Qohath: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel, four. 13 The sons of Amram: Aaron and Moses; and Aaron was separated that he should sanctify the holy of holies, he and his sons forever, to burn incense before YHWH, to minister to him, and to bless in his name forever. 14 But as for Moses the man of Elohim, his sons were named among the tribe of Levi. 15 The sons of Moses: Gershom and Eliezer. 16 The sons of Gershom: Shebuel the chief. 17 The son of Eliezer was Rehabiah the chief; and Eliezer had no other sons, but the sons of Rehabiah were very many.

18:1 Now Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses’ father-in-law, heard of all that Elohim had done for Moses and for Israel his people, how YHWH had brought Israel out of Egypt. 2 Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, received Zipporah, Moses’ wife, after he had sent her away, 3 and her two sons. The name of one son was Gershom, for Moses said, “I have lived as a foreigner in a foreign land”. 4 The name of the other was Eliezer, for he said, “My father’s Elohim was my help and delivered me from Pharaoh’s sword.” 5 Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, came with Moses’ sons and his wife to Moses into the wilderness where he was encamped, at the Mountain of Elohim. 6 He said to Moses, “I, your father-in-law Jethro, have come to you with your wife, and her two sons with her.” 7 Moses went out to meet his father-in-law, and bowed and kissed him. They asked each other of their peace, and they came into the tent.

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.

26:1 It will be, when you have come in to the land which YHWH your Elohim gives you for an inheritance, possess it, and dwell in it, 2 that you will take some of the first of all the fruit of the ground, which you will bring in from your land that YHWH your Elohim gives you. You will put it in a basket, and will go to the place which YHWH your Elohim will choose to cause his name to dwell there. 3 You will come to the priest who will be in those days, and tell him, “I profess today to YHWH your Elohim, that I have come to the land which YHWH swore to our fathers to give us.” 4 The priest will take the basket out of your hand, and set it down before YHWH your Elohim’s altar. 5 You will answer and say before YHWH your Elohim, “My father was a Syrian ready to perish. He went down into Egypt, and lived there, few in number. There he became a great, mighty, and populous nation. 6 The Egyptians mistreated us, afflicted us, and imposed hard labor on us. 7 Then we cried to YHWH, the Elohim of our fathers. YHWH heard our voice, and saw our affliction, our toil, and our oppression.

12:6 Samuel said to the people, “It is YHWH who appointed Moses and Aaron, and that brought your fathers up out of the land of Egypt. 7 Now therefore stand still, that I may plead with you before YHWH concerning all the righteous acts of YHWH, which he did to you and to your fathers. 8 “When Jacob had come into Egypt, and your fathers cried to YHWH, then YHWH sent Moses and Aaron, who brought your fathers out of Egypt, and made them to dwell in this place.

15:13 He said to Abram, “Know for sure that your seed will live as foreigners in a land that is not theirs, and will serve them. They will afflict them four hundred years. 14 I will also judge that nation, whom they will serve. Afterward they will come out with great wealth; 15 but you will go to your fathers in peace. You will be buried at a good old age. 16 In the fourth generation they will come here again, for the iniquity of the Amorite is not yet full.”

23:1 Sarah lived one hundred twenty-seven years. This was the length of Sarah’s life. 2 Sarah died in Kiriath Arba, also called Hebron, in the land of Canaan. Abraham came to mourn for Sarah, and to weep for her. 3 Abraham rose up from before his dead and spoke to the sons of Heth, saying, 4 “I am a stranger and a foreigner living with you. Give me a possession of a burying-place with you, that I may bury my dead out of my sight.” 5 The sons of Heth answered Abraham, saying to him, 6 “Hear us, my lord. You are a prince of Elohim among us. Bury your dead in the best of our tombs. None of us will withhold from you his tomb. Bury your dead.” 7 Abraham rose up, and bowed himself to the people of the land, to the sons of Heth. 8 He talked with them, saying, “If you agree that I should bury my dead out of my sight, hear me, and entreat for me to Ephron the son of Zohar, 9 that he may sell me the cave of Machpelah, which he has, which is in the end of his field. For the full price let him sell it to me among you as a possession for a burial place.” 10 Now Ephron was sitting in the middle of the sons of Heth. Ephron the Hittite answered Abraham in the hearing of the sons of Heth, even of all who went in at the gate of his city, saying, 11 “No, my lord, hear me. I give you the field, and I give you the cave that is in it. In the face of the sons of my people I give it to you. Bury your dead.” 12 Abraham bowed himself down before the people of the land. 13 He spoke to Ephron in the audience of the people of the land, saying, “But if you will, please hear me. I will give the price of the field. Take it from me, and I will bury my dead there.” 14 Ephron answered Abraham, saying to him, 15 “My lord, listen to me. What is a piece of land worth four hundred shekels of silver between me and you? Therefore bury your dead.” 16 Abraham listened to Ephron. Abraham weighed to Ephron the silver which he had named in the hearing of the sons of Heth, four hundred shekels of silver, according to the current merchants’ standard. 17 So the field of Ephron, which was in Machpelah, which was before Mamre, the field, the cave which was in it, and all the trees that were in the field, that were in all of its borders, were deeded 18 to Abraham for a possession in the face of the sons of Heth, before all who went in at the gate of his city. 19 After this, Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field of Machpelah before Mamre, that is, Hebron, in the land of Canaan. 20 The field, and the cave that is in it, were deeded to Abraham by the sons of Heth as a possession for a burial place.

Additional Readings​

The Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs is  comprised of the dying commands of the twelve sons of Jacob. It is part of the Oskan Armenian Orthodox Bible of 1666. Fragments of similar writings were found at Qumran, but opinions are divided as to whether these are the same texts.

8:1 And when Shimon had made an end of commanding his sons, he slept with his fathers, being an hundred and twenty years old. 2 And they laid him in a wooden coffin, to take up his bones to Hebron. 3 And they took them up secretly during a war of the Egyptians. For the bones of Joseph the Egyptians guarded in the tombs of the kings. 4 For the sorcerers told them; that on the departure of the bones of Joseph there should be throughout all the land darkness and gloom, and an exceeding great plague to the Egyptians, so that even with a lamp a man should not recognize his brother.

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

Col. 2 …Hear now, my sons, and I will uncover your eyes that you may see and understand the works of Elohim, that you may choose that which pleases Him and reject that which He hates, that you may walk perfectly in all His ways and not follow after thoughts of the guilty inclination and after eyes of coveting. For through them, great men have gone astray and mighty heroes have stumbled from former times till now. Because they walked in the stubbornness of their heart the Heavenly Watchers fell; they were caught because they did not guard the commandments of Elohim. And their sons also fell who were tall as cedar trees and whose bodies were like mountains. All flesh on dry land perished; they were as though they had never been because they did their own will and did not guard the commandment of their Maker so that His wrath was kindled against them. Col. 3 Through it, the sons of Noaḥ went astray, together with their kin, and were cut off. Abraham did not walk in it, and he was accounted a friend of Elohim because he kept the commandments of Elohim and did not choose his own will. And he handed them down to Isaac and Jacob, who kept them, and were recorded as friends of Elohim and party to the Covenant for ever. The sons of Jacob strayed through them and were punished in accordance with their error. And their sons in Egypt walked in the stubbornness of their hearts, conspiring against the commandments of Elohim and each of them doing that which seemed right in his own eyes. They ate blood, and He cut off their males in the wilderness.

*The Complete Dead Sea Scrolls in English 7th Edition by Geza Vermes.

The Testament of Qahat is an Aramaic work of which two columns, one complete and one damaged, have survived. It is a typical example of moralizing death-bed literature, similar to the Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs, but characterized, like the Testaments of Levi and Amram, by its priestly perspective. The script has been palaeographically dated to the end of the second century B.C., but the carbon 14 test, performed in 1990, places it considerably earlier, possibly to 388–353 B.C., or more probably to 303–235 B.C. It is not a sectarian composition. Only the undamaged part of the text is translated here. Two further small fragments have survived without providing anything continuous and meaningful.

Col 1. … I and the Elohim of Elohim for all eternity. And He will shine light on you and will let you know His great Name. And you will know Him, that He is the Elohim of eternity, and the Lord of all the deeds, and the Ruler of all, dealing with them according to His good pleasure. And He will make for you rejoicing and for your sons joy for the generations of truth, for ever. Now, my sons, be careful with the heritage that is handed over to you, which your fathers have given you. Do not give your heritage to strangers, and your inheritance to knaves so that you become humiliated and foolish in their eyes and they despise you, for, although sojourners among you, they will be your chiefs. So hold to the word of Jacob, your father, and seize the laws of Abraham and the righteousness of Levi and mine. And be holy and pure of all fornication in the community. And hold the truth and walk straight, and not with a double heart, but with a pure heart and a true and good spirit. And you will give me a good name among you, and a rejoicing to Levi, and joy to Jacob, delight to Isaac, and glory to Abraham, because you will keep and walk (in) the herit[age] which your fathers will have left you: truth and righteousness and uprightness and perfection and pur[ity and ho]liness and the priesthood according to all that you have been commanded (?), and according to all that Col. 2 I will have taught you in truth from now until all [the age] … every word of truth will come upon yo[u …] eternal blessing will reside on you and will be[come for you] … stay for all the eternal generations and will no more … from your correction and you will establish yourselves to pronounce judgement ov[er … ] and to see the faults of all the sinners of the ages … [to be cast] into the fire and the oceans and into all the cavities for … in the generations of truth. And all the sons of wickedne[ss … ] And now Amram, my son, [I] instruct you … and your sons to their sons. I instruct [you … ] and they have given to Levi my father, and Levi my father g[ave (it/them)] to me … all my books in witness that through them you should beware … [and that there should be] for you through them much merit when you walk in conformity with them. [vacat]

*The Complete Dead Sea Scrolls in English 7th Edition by Geza Vermes.

The Testament of Amram is an Aramaic document surviving in five or six fragmentary copies from Cave 4 contains an admonition by Amram, the father of Moses, to his children. The dating of the script varies between the second half of the second century B.C. (4Q543, 544, 547), the first half of the first century B.C. (4Q545, 546 ) and the second half of the first century B.C. (4Q548, 549) In the gravely damaged text of a vision, Amram sees the chief Angel of Darkness, Melkiresha‘. He also addresses the leader of the Army of Light, whose name has disappeared in one of the many lacunae. But is is highly probable that one of his ‘three names’ is Melchizedek.

Fragment 1 (4Q545, 546)

Column 1 Copy of the book of the words of the vision of Amram, son of Kehat, son of Levi, al[l that] he explained to his sons and enjoined on them on the day of [his] death, in his one-hundred-and-thirty-seventh year, which was the year of his death, [in] the one-hundred-and-fifty-second year of Israel’s exile in Egypt … to call Uzziel, his youngest brother, and he ma[rried] to him Miriam, [his] daughter, and said (to her), ‘You are thirty years old.’ And he gave a banquet lasting seven days. And he ate and drank and made merry during the banquet. Then, when the days of the banquet were completed, he sent to call Aaron, his son, and he was about twenty years old and said to him, ‘Call, my son, the messengers, your brothers from the house of … ‘

4Q544, Fragment 1 (4Q543, 545–7)

Qahat (went) there to stay and dwell and build … many of the sons of my uncle together … a man as our work was very great until the dead would be buried. [vacat] In the year of my beginning, when the news of a war became worrying, with my consent our company returned to the land of Egypt and I went to bury them and they did not build the tombs of our fathers. And my father Qahat and my wife Jochebed left me to stand and build and provide them with all their needs from the land of Canaan. And we stayed in Hebron while we were building. [vacat] A war broke out between the Philistines and the Egyptians and the Philistines and Canaanites defeated the Egyptians and they closed the fr[ontiers] of Egypt. And it was impossible [for Jochebed, my wife, to go from Egypt to Canaan] for forty-one years. And we could not return to Egypt. Therefore [we could] not … [the war] between Egypt and Canaan and the Philistines. And during all this, [Jochebed] my wi[fe, was away from me in the land of Egypt … my post … for] she was [not] with me. And I did [not] take ano[ther] wife. [vacat] Women … all, that I would return to Egypt in peace and would see the face of my wife. [I saw Watchers] in my vision, a dream vision [vacat] And behold two (of them) argued about me and said … and they were engaged in a great quarrel concerning me. I asked them: ‘You, what are you … thus … [about me?’] They answered and [said to me: ‘We have been made m]asters and rule over all the sons of men.’ And they said to me: ‘Which of us do you [choose …’] I raised my eyes and saw one of them. His looks were frightening [like those of a vi]per, and his [ga]rm[en]ts were multi-coloured and he was extremely dark … And afterwards I looked and behold … by his appearance and his face was like that of an adder, and he was covered with … together, and over his eyes …

4Q544, Fragment 2 (4Q543, 545–7)

… this [Watcher]: ‘Who is he?’ He said to me: ‘This Wa[tcher] … [and his three names are Belial, Prince of Darkness] and Melkiresha‘.’ [vacat] And I said: ‘My Lord, what ru[le] …’ [And he said to me] … [and all his paths are dark]ness, and all his work is darkness, and he is … in darkness … you see. And he rules over all darkness … and I rule over all light and al[l] …

4Q545 (4Q543A, 546D) Fragment 1a i

Column 1 Cop[ y of the writing of the words of visio]n of Amram, son of Qahat, son of Levi, al[l] that [he has explained to his] sons … on the day of [his] death in the year one hundred and thirty-six – this is the year of his death – in the year one hundred and fifty-two of the exile of [I]srael in Egypt. Also it came to him … and call Uzziel, his younger brother, [and gav]e him Mir[i]am, his thirty-year-old daughter for wife. He made her wedding feast last seven [day]s and he ate and drank at her wedding feast and rejoiced. Then, when the days of the wedding feast came to an end, he sent out to call Aaron, his about t[wenty]-year-old son, [and said] to him, ‘My son, call to me the messengers, your brothers, from the house of … ‘

4Q545 (4Q543A, 546D) Fragment 4

Column 6 … and I will explain to you your name[s] … [that] he wrote for Moses. And also about A[aron] … I will explain to you the mystery of his worshipping. He is a holy priest [to the Most High Elohim. Also] all his seed will be holy in all the generations of e[ternity] … The seventh of the men of (Elohim’s) good will [he will be] called and he will be said … and will be chosen as a priest for ever … [vacat] … I an[nou]nce to you [the] firm [pat]h. I will indeed inform y[ou … For all the Sons of Light] will shine, [and all the Sons] of Darkness will be dark. [For all the Sons of Light] … and by all their knowledge they will … and the Sons of Darkness will be … And the Sons of Darkness will be removed … For every fool and wick[ed will be dar]k and every [sag]e and upright will shine. [For all the Sons of Light will g]o to the light, to … and all the Sons of Dar[kness go towards death] and perdition … The people will have brightness … and they will explain to th[em] …

*The Complete Dead Sea Scrolls in English 7th Edition by Geza Vermes.

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).

44:19 Abraham was a great father of a multitude of nations; And there was none found like him in glory; 20 Who kept the Torah of the Most High, And was taken into covenant with him: In his flesh he established the covenant; And when he was proved, he was found faithful. 21 Therefore he assured him by an oath, That the nations should be blessed in his seed; That he would multiply him as the dust of the land, And exalt his seed as the stars, And cause them to inherit from sea to sea, And from the River to the utmost part of the land. 22 In Isaac also did he establish likewise, for Abraham his father’s sake, The blessing of all men, and the covenant: 23 And he made it rest upon the head of Jacob; He acknowledged him in his blessings, And gave to him by inheritance, And divided his portions; Among twelve tribes did he part them.

45:1 And he brought out of him a man of mercy, Which found favor in the sight of all flesh; A man beloved of Elohim and men, even Moses, Whose memorial is blessed. 2 He made him like to the glory of the saints, And magnified him in the fears of his enemies. 3 By his words he caused the wonders to cease; He glorified him in the sight of kings; He gave him commandment for his people, And showed him part of his glory. 4 He sanctified him in his faithfulness and meekness; He chose him out of all flesh. 5 He made him to hear his voice, And led him into the thick darkness, And gave him commandments face to face, Even the law of life and knowledge, That he might teach Jacob the covenant, And Israel his judgments.

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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.).

2.9.1. Now it happened that the Egyptians grew delicate and lazy, as to pains-taking, and gave themselves up to other pleasures, and in particular to the love of gain. They also became very ill-affected towards the Hebrews, as touched with envy at their prosperity; for when they saw how the nation of the Israelites flourished, and were become eminent already in plenty of wealth, which they had acquired by their virtue and natural love of labor, they thought their increase was to their own detriment. And having, in length of time, forgotten the benefits they had received from Joseph, particularly the crown being now come into another family, they became very abusive to the Israelites, and contrived many ways of afflicting them; for they enjoined them to cut a great number of channels for the river, and to build walls for their cities and ramparts, that they might restrain the river, and hinder its waters from stagnating, upon its running over its own banks: they set them also to build pyramids, and by all this wore them out; and forced them to learn all sorts of mechanical arts, and to accustom themselves to hard labor. And four hundred years did they spend under these afflictions; for they strove one against the other which should get the mastery, the Egyptians desiring to destroy the Israelites by these labors, and the Israelites desiring to hold out to the end under them.

2.9.2. While the affairs of the Hebrews were in this condition, there was this occasion offered itself to the Egyptians, which made them more solicitous for the extinction of our nation. One of those sacred scribes, who are very sagacious in foretelling future events truly, told the king, that about this time there would a child be born to the Israelites, who, if he were reared, would bring the Egyptian dominion low, and would raise the Israelites; that he would excel all men in virtue, and obtain a glory that would be remembered through all ages. Which thing was so feared by the king, that, according to this man’s opinion, he commanded that they should cast every male child, which was born to the Israelites, into the river, and destroy it; that besides this, the Egyptian midwives  should watch the labors of the Hebrew women, and observe what is born, for those were the women who were enjoined to do the office of midwives to them; and by reason of their relation to the king, would not transgress his commands. He enjoined also, that if any parents should disobey him, and venture to save their male children alive, they and their families should be destroyed. This was a severe affliction indeed to those that suffered it, not only as they were deprived of their sons, and while they were the parents themselves, they were obliged to be subservient to the destruction of their own children, but as it was to be supposed to tend to the extirpation of their nation, while upon the destruction of their children, and their own gradual dissolution, the calamity would become very hard and inconsolable to them. And this was the ill state they were in. But no one can be too hard for the purpose of Elohim, though he contrive ten thousand subtle devices for that end; for this child, whom the sacred scribe foretold, was brought up and concealed from the observers appointed by the king; and he that foretold him did not mistake in the consequences of his preservation, which were brought to pass after the manner following:—

2.9.3. A man whose name was Amram, one of the nobler sort of the Hebrews, was afraid for his whole nation, lest it should fail, by the want of young men to be brought up hereafter, and was very uneasy at it, his wife being then with child, and he knew not what to do. Hereupon he betook himself to prayer to Elohim; and entreated him to have compassion on those men who had nowise transgressed the laws of his worship, and to afford them deliverance from the miseries they at that time endured, and to render abortive their enemies’ hopes of the destruction of their nation. Accordingly Elohim had mercy on him, and was moved by his supplication. He stood by him in his sleep, and exhorted him not to despair of his future favors. He said further, that he did not forget their piety towards him, and would always reward them for it, as he had formerly granted his favor to their forefathers, and made them increase from a few to so great a multitude. He put him in mind, that when Abraham was come alone out of Mesopotamia into Canaan, he had been made happy, not only in other respects, but that when his wife was at first barren, she was afterwards by him enabled to conceive seed, and bare him sons. That he left to Ismael and to his posterity the country of Arabia; as also to his sons by Ketura, Troglodytis; and to Isaac, Canaan. That by my assistance, said he, he did great exploits in war, which, unless you be yourselves impious, you must still remember. As for Jacob, he became well known to strangers also, by the greatness of that prosperity in which he lived, and left to his sons, who came into Egypt with no more than seventy souls, while you are now become above six hundred thousand. Know therefore that I will provide for you all in common what is for your good, and particularly for thyself what will make thee famous; for that child, out of dread of whose nativity the Egyptians have doomed the Israelite children to destruction, will be this child of thine, and will be concealed from those who watch to destroy him: and when he is brought up in a surprising way, he will deliver the Hebrew nation from the distress they are under from the Egyptians. His memory will be famous while the world lasts; and this not only among the Hebrews, but foreigners also:—all which will be the effect of my favor to thee, and to thy posterity. He will also have such a brother, that he will himself obtain my priesthood, and his posterity will have it after him to the end of the world.

2.9.4. When the vision had informed him of these things, Amram awaked and told it to Jochebed who was his wife. And now the fear increased upon them on account of the prediction in Amram’s dream; for they were under concern, not only for the child, but on account of the great happiness that was to come to him also. However, the mother’s labor was such as afforded a confirmation to what was foretold by Elohim; for it was not known to those that watched her, by the easiness of her pains, and because the throes of her delivery did not fall upon her with violence. And now they nourished the child at home privately for three months; but after that time Amram, fearing he should be discovered, and, by falling under the king’s displeasure, both he and his child should perish, and so he should make the promise of Elohim of none effect, he determined rather to trust the safety and care of the child to Elohim, than to depend on his own concealment of him, which he looked upon as a thing uncertain, and whereby both the child, so privately to be nourished, and himself should be in imminent danger; but he believed that Elohim would some way for certain procure the safety of the child, in order to secure the truth of his own predictions. When they had thus determined, they made an ark of bulrushes, after the manner of a cradle, and of a bigness sufficient for an infant to be laid in, without being too straitened: they then daubed it over with slime, which would naturally keep out the water from entering between the bulrushes, and put the infant into it, and setting it afloat upon the river, they left its preservation to Elohim; so the river received the child, and carried him along. But Miriam, the child’s sister, passed along upon the bank over against him, as her mother had bid her, to see whither the ark would be carried, where Elohim demonstrated that human wisdom was nothing, but that the Supreme Being is able to do whatsoever he pleases: that those who, in order to their own security, condemn others to destruction, and use great endeavors about it, fail of their purpose; but that others are in a surprising manner preserved, and obtain a prosperous condition almost from the very midst of their calamities; those, I mean, whose dangers arise by the appointment of Elohim. And, indeed, such a providence was exercised in the case of this child, as showed the power of Elohim.

2.9.5. Thermuthis was the king’s daughter. She was now diverting herself by the banks of the river; and seeing a cradle borne along by the current, she sent some that could swim, and bid them bring the cradle to her. When those that were sent on this errand came to her with the cradle, and she saw the little child, she was greatly in love with it, on account of its largeness and beauty; for Elohim had taken such great care in the formation of Moses, that he caused him to be thought worthy of bringing up, and providing for, by all those that had taken the most fatal resolutions, on account of the dread of his nativity, for the destruction of the rest of the Hebrew nation. Thermuthis bid them bring her a woman that might afford her breast to the child; yet would not the child admit of her breast, but turned away from it, and did the like to many other women. Now Miriam was by when this happened, not to appear to be there on purpose, but only as staying to see the child; and she said, “It is in vain that thou, O queen, callest for these women for the nourishing of the child, who are no way of kin to it; but still, if thou wilt order one of the Hebrew women to be brought, perhaps it may admit the breast of one of its own nation.” Now since she seemed to speak well, Thermuthis bid her procure such a one, and to bring one of those Hebrew women that gave suck. So when she had such authority given her, she came back and brought the mother, who was known to nobody there. And now the child gladly admitted the breast, and seemed to stick close to it; and so it was, that, at the queen’s desire, the nursing of the child was entirely entrusted to the mother.

2.9.6. Hereupon it was that Thermuthis imposed this name Mouses upon him, from what had happened when he was put into the river; for the Egyptians call water by the name of Mo, and such as are saved out of it, by the name of Uses: so by putting these two words together, they imposed this name upon him. And he was, by the confession of all, according to Elohim’s prediction, as well for his greatness of mind as for his contempt of difficulties, the best of all the Hebrews, for Abraham was his ancestor of the seventh generation. For Moses was the son of Amram, who was the son of Caath, whose father Levi was the son of Jacob, who was the son of Isaac, who was the son of Abraham. Now Moses’s understanding became superior to his age, nay, far beyond that standard; and when he was taught, he discovered greater quickness of apprehension than was usual at his age, and his actions at that time promised greater, when he should come to the age of a man. Elohim did also give him that tallness, when he was but three years old, as was wonderful. And as for his beauty, there was nobody so unpolite as, when they saw Moses, they were not greatly surprised at the beauty of his countenance; nay, it happened frequently, that those that met him as he was carried along the road, were obliged to turn again upon seeing the child; that they left what they were about, and stood still a great while to look on him; for the beauty of the child was so remarkable and natural to him on many accounts, that it detained the spectators, and made them stay longer to look upon him.

2.9.7. Thermuthis therefore perceiving him to be so remarkable a child, adopted him for her son, having no child of her own. And when one time had carried Moses to her father, she showed him to him, and said she thought to make him her successor, if it should please Elohim she should have no legitimate child of her own; and to him, “I have brought up a child who is of a divine form, and of a generous mind; and as I have received him from the bounty of the river, in, I thought proper to adopt him my son, and the heir of thy reign.” And she had said this, she put the infant into her father’s hands: so he took him, and hugged him to his breast; and on his daughter’s account, in a pleasant way, put his diadem upon his head; but Moses threw it down to the ground, and, in a puerile mood, he wreathed it round, and trod upon his feet, which seemed to bring along with evil presage concerning the reign of Egypt. But when the sacred scribe saw this, [he was the person who foretold that his nativity would the dominion of that reign low,] he made a violent attry to kill him; and crying out in a frightful manner, he said, “This, O king! this child is he of whom elohim foretold, that if we kill him we will be in no danger; he himself affords an attestation to the prediction of the same thing, by his trampling upon thy government, and treading upon thy diadem. Take him, therefore, out of the way, and deliver the Egyptians from the fear they are in about him; and deprive the Hebrews of the hope they have of being encouraged by him.” But Thermuthis prevented him, and snatched the child away. And the king was not hasty to slay him, Elohim himself, whose providence protected Moses, inclining the king to spare him. He was, therefore, educated with great care. So the Hebrews depended on him, and were of good hopes great things would be done by him; but the Egyptians were suspicious of what would follow such his education. Yet because, if Moses had been slain, there was no one, either akin or adopted, that had any oracle on his side for pretending to the crown of Egypt, and likely to be of greater advantage to them, they abstained from killing him.

2.10.1. Moses, therefore, when he was born, and brought up in the foregoing manner, and came to the age of maturity, made his virtue manifest to the Egyptians; and showed that he was born for the bringing them down, and raising the Israelites. And the occasion he laid hold of was this:—The Ethiopians, who are next neighbors to the Egyptians, made an inroad into their country, which they seized upon, and carried off the effects of the Egyptians, who, in their rage, fought against them, and revenged the affronts they had received from them; but being overcome in battle, some of them were slain, and the rest ran away in a shameful manner, and by that means saved themselves; whereupon the Ethiopians followed after them in the pursuit, and thinking that it would be a mark of cowardice if they did not subdue all Egypt, they went on to subdue the rest with greater vehemence; and when they had tasted the sweets of the country, they never left off the prosecution of the war: and as the nearest parts had not courage enough at first to fight with them, they proceeded as far as Memphis, and the sea itself, while not one of the cities was able to oppose them. The Egyptians, under this sad oppression, betook themselves to their oracles and prophecies; and when Elohim had given them this counsel, to make use of Moses the Hebrew, and take his assistance, the king commanded his daughter to produce him, that he might be the general of their army. Upon which, when she had made him swear he would do him no harm, she delivered him to the king, and supposed his assistance would be of great advantage to them. She withal reproached the priest, who, when they had before admonished the Egyptians to kill him, was not ashamed now to own their want of his help.

2.10.2. So Moses, at the persuasion both of Thermuthis and the king himself, cheerfully undertook the business: and the sacred scribes of both nations were glad; those of the Egyptians, that they should at once overcome their enemies by his valor, and that by the same piece of management Moses would be slain; but those of the Hebrews, that they should escape from the Egyptians, because Moses was to be their general. But Moses prevented the enemies, and took and led his army before those enemies were apprized of his attacking them; for he did not march by the river, but by land, where he gave a wonderful demonstration of his sagacity; for when the ground was difficult to be passed over, because of the multitude of nachashim, [which it produces in vast numbers, and, indeed, is singular in some of those productions, which other countries do not breed, and yet such as are worse than others in power and mischief, and an unusual fierceness of sight, some of which ascend out of the ground unseen, and also fly in the air, and so come upon men at unawares, and do them a mischief,] Moses invented a wonderful stratagem to preserve the army safe, and without hurt; for he made baskets, like unto arks, of sedge, and filled them with ibes, and carried them along with them; which animal is the greatest enemy to nachashim imaginable, for they fly from them when they come near them; and as they fly they are caught and devoured by them, as if it were done by the harts; but the ibes are tame creatures, and only enemies to the nachashine kind: but about these ibes I say no more at present, since the Greeks themselves are not unacquainted with this sort of bird. As soon, therefore, as Moses was come to the land which was the breeder of these nachashim, he let loose the ibes, and by their means repelled the nachashine kind, and used them for his assistants before the army came upon that ground. When he had therefore proceeded thus on his journey, he came upon the Ethiopians before they expected him; and, joining battle with them, he beat them, and deprived them of the hopes they had of success against the Egyptians, and went on in overthrowing their cities, and indeed made a great slaughter of these Ethiopians. Now when the Egyptian army had once tasted of this prosperous success, by the means of Moses, they did not slacken their diligence, insomuch that the Ethiopians were in danger of being reduced to slavery, and all sorts of destruction; and at length they retired to Saba, which was a royal city of Ethiopia, which Cambyses afterwards named Mero, after the name of his own sister. The place was to be besieged with very great difficulty, since it was both encompassed by the Nile quite round, and the other rivers, Astapus and Astaboras, made it a very difficult thing for such as attested to pass over them; for the city was situate in a retired place, and was inhabited after the manner of an island, being encompassed with a strong wall, and having the rivers to guard them from their enemies, and having great ramparts between the wall and the rivers, insomuch, that when the waters come with the greatest violence, it can never be drowned; which ramparts make it next to impossible for even such as are gotten over the rivers to take the city. However, while Moses was uneasy at the army’s lying idle, [for the enemies durst not come to a battle,] this accident happened:—Tharbis was the daughter of the king of the Ethiopians: she happened to see Moses as he led the army near the walls, and fought with great courage; and admiring the subtilty of his undertakings, and believing him to be the author of the Egyptians’ success, when they had before despaired of recovering their liberty, and to be the occasion of the great danger the Ethiopians were in, when they had before boasted of their great achievements, she fell deeply in love with him; and upon the prevalancy of that passion, sent to him the most faithful of all her servants to discourse with him about their marriage. He thereupon accepted the offer, on condition she would procure the delivering up of the city; and gave her the assurance of an oath to take her to his wife; and that when he had once taken possession of the city, he would not break his oath to her. No sooner was the agreement made, but it took effect immediately; and when Moses had cut off the Ethiopians, he gave thanks to Elohim, and consummated his marriage, and led the Egyptians back to their own land.

2.11.1. Now the Egyptians, after they had been preserved by Moses, entertained a hatred to him, and were very eager in compassing their designs against him, as suspecting that he would take occasion, from his good success, to raise a sedition, and bring innovations into Egypt; and told the king he ought to be slain. The king had also some intentions of himself to the same purpose, and this as well out of envy at his glorious expedition at the head of his army, as out of fear of being brought low by him and being instigated by the sacred scribes, he was ready to undertake to kill Moses: but when he had learned beforehand what plots there were against him, he went away privately; and because the public roads were watched, he took his flight through the deserts, and where his enemies could not suspect he would travel; and, though he was destitute of food, he went on, and despised that difficulty courageously; and when he came to the city Midian, which lay upon the Sea of Reeds, and was so denominated from one of Abraham’s sons by Keturah, he sat upon a certain well, and rested himself there after his laborious journey, and the affliction he had been in. It was not far from the city, and the time of the day was noon, where he had an occasion offered him by the custom of the country of doing what recommended his virtue, and afforded him an opportunity of bettering his circumstances.

2.11.2. For that country having but little water, the shepherds used to seize on the wells before others came, lest their flocks should want water, and lest it should be spent by others before they came. There were now come, therefore, to this well seven sisters that were virgins, the daughters of Raguel, a priest, and one thought worthy by the people of the country of great honor. These virgins, who took care of their father’s flocks, which sort of work it was customary and very familiar for women to do in the country of the Troglodytes, they came first of all, and drew water out of the well in a quantity sufficient for their flocks, into troughs, which were made for the reception of that water; but when the shepherds came upon the maidens, and drove them away, that they might have the command of the water themselves, Moses, thinking it would be a terrible reproach upon him if he overlooked the young women under unjust oppression, and should suffer the violence of the men to prevail over the right of the maidens, he drove away the men, who had a mind to more than their share, and afforded a proper assistance to the women; who, when they had received such a benefit from him, came to their father, and told him how they had been affronted by the shepherds, and assisted by a stranger, and entreated that he would not let this generous action be done in vain, nor go without a reward. Now the father took it well from his daughters that they were so desirous to reward their benefactor; and bid them bring Moses into his face, that he might be rewarded as he deserved. And when Moses came, he told him what witness his daughters bare to him, that he had assisted them; and that, as he admired him for his virtue, he said that Moses had bestowed such his assistance on persons not insensible of benefits, but where they were both able and willing to return the kindness, and even to exceed the measure of his generosity. So he made him his son, and gave him one of his daughters in marriage; and appointed him to be the guardian and superintendent over his cattle; for of old, all the wealth of the barbarians was in those cattle.