• Torah (T): Shemot (Exodus) 3:1-22
• Prophets (P): Isaiah 40:11-19
• Apostolic (A): Acts 7:23-35; 1 Corinthians 2:1-16
• Additional (ADD): Jubilees 48:1-2

RELATED SCRIPTURES

• Joshua 5:13-15 (T)
• Nehemiah 9:6-10 (T)
• Genesis 4:25-26; Jubilees 4:11-12 (T)
• John 8:52-59 (T)
• Matthew 22:23-33; Mark 12:18-27; Luke 20:27-40 (T)
• Leviticus 20:22-24 (T)
• Numbers 13:25-33 (T)
• Ezekiel 20:1-12 (T)
• Psalms 105:26-27 (T)
• Hosea 12:12-13 (T)
• 1 Samuel 12:6-8 (T)
• Genesis 15:13-14 (T)
• Exodus 6:1-13, 20-30 (T)
• Matthew 10:16-20; Mark 13:9-11; Luke 12:8-12 (T)
• Proverbs 30:1-6 (T, P)
• Romans 11:33-36 (P)
• Leviticus 11:1-45 (A)

RELATED ADDITIONAL READINGS

• The Damascus Document 4Q266, Col 2-3 (T)
• 2 Esdras 14:1-9 (T)
• Jubilees 8:8-21 (T)
• Jubilees 10:28-36 (T)
• Genesis Apocryphon 1Q20 Column 21 (T)
• Exodus 3:1 – 4:13 from the Jerusalem Targum aka Targum Pseudo-Jonathan (T)
• Antiquities of the Jews by Flavius Josephus 2.12.1-4 (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) 3:1-22

1 Now Mosheh was keeping the flock of Yitro, his father-in-law, the priest of Midyan, and he led the flock to the back of the wilderness, and came to Elohim's mountain, to Ḥorev. 2 The messenger of יהוה appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush. He looked, and look, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed. 3 Mosheh said, “I will turn aside now, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt.” 4 When יהוה saw that he turned aside to see, Elohim called to him out of the midst of the bush, and said, “Mosheh. Mosheh.” He said, “Here I am.” 5 He said, “Do not come close. Take your sandals off of your feet, for the place you are standing on is set-apart ground.” (cf. Acts 7:33) 6 Moreover he said, “I am the Elohim of your fathers,^{*^} (cf. Acts 7:32) the Elohim of Aḇraham, and^* the Elohim of Yitsḥaq, and the Elohim of Yaʿaqoḇ.” (cf. Matthew 22:32; Mark 12:26; Luke 20:37; Acts 7:32) Mosheh hid his face; for he was afraid to look at Elohim. 7 יהוה said, “I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Mitsrayemah, and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters, for I know their sorrows. 8 I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Mitsrayim, and to bring them up out of that land to a good and large land, to a land flowing with milk and honey; to the place of the Kena'ani, and the Ḥethi, and the Amori, and the Perizzi, and the Hivi, and the Girgashi,^{*#^} and the Yevusi. 9 Now, look, the cry of the sons of Yisra'el has come to me. Moreover I have seen the oppression with which the Mitsrayim oppress them. 10 Come now therefore, and I will send you to Pharaoh, that you may bring forth my people, the sons of Yisra'el, out of Mitsrayemah.” 11 And Mosheh said to Elohim, “Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the sons of Yisra'el out of Mitsrayemah?” 12 And Elohim spoke to Mosheh, saying,^* “Certainly I will be with you. This will be the token to you, that I have sent you: when you have brought forth the people out of Mitsrayemah, you shall serve Elohim on this mountain.” 13 And Mosheh said to Elohim, “Look, when I come to the sons of Yisra'el, and tell them,' The Elohim of your fathers has sent me to you; 'and they ask me,' What is his name? 'What should I tell them?” 14 And Elohim said to Mosheh, “אֶהְיֶה אֲשֶׁר אֶהְיֶה Ehayeh Asher Ehayeh,” and he said, “You shall tell the sons of Yisra'el this: 'אֶהְיֶה Ehayeh (cf. Hosea 1:9) has sent me to you.'” 15 And Elohim said moreover to Mosheh, “You shall tell the sons of Yisra'el this,' יהוה, the Elohim of your fathers, the Elohim of Aḇraham,^* the Elohim of Yitsḥaq, and the Elohim of Yaʿaqoḇ, has sent me to you. 'This is my name to the age, and this is my memorial to all generations. 16 Go, and gather the elders of the people of^*# Yisra'el together, and tell them,' יהוה, the Elohim of your fathers, the Elohim of Aḇraham, of Yitsḥaq, and of Yaʿaqoḇ, has appeared to me, saying, “I have surely visited you, and seen that which is done to you in Mitsrayemah; 17 and I have said, I will bring you up out of the affliction of Mitsrayemah to the land of the Kena'ani, and the Ḥethi, and the Amori, and the Perizzi, and the Hivi, and the Girgashi,^*# and the Yevusi, to a land flowing with milk and honey.”' 18 They will listen to your voice, and you shall come, you and the elders of Yisra'el, to the king of Mitsrayemah, and you shall tell him,' The^* Elohim of the Hebrews has met with us. Now please let us go three days' journey into the wilderness, that we may slaughter to^* our Elohim.' 19 I know that the king of Mitsrayemah won't give you permission to go, except by a mighty hand. 20 I will put forth my hand and strike Mitsrayemah with all my wonders which I will do in its midst, and after that he will let you go. 21 I will give this people favor in the sight of the Mitsrayim, and it will happen that when you go, you shall not go empty-handed. 22 But every woman shall ask of her neighbor, and of her who visits her house, articles of silver and articles of gold, and clothing; and you shall put them on your sons, and on your daughters. So you shall plunder the Mitsrayim.

Prophets Portion (P)

Isaiah 40:11-19

40:11 He will feed his flock like a shepherd. He will gather the lambs in his arm, and carry them in his bosom. He will gently lead those who have their young. 12 Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, and marked off the heavens with his span, and calculated the dust of the land in a measure, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance? 13 Who has known the mind^* of יהוה, or who^{*^} has instructed him as his counselor? (cf. Romans 11:34; 1 Corinthians 2:16) 14 From whom did he take counsel with, and who instructed him, and taught him in the path of justice, and taught him knowledge, and showed him the way of understanding? Or who has first given to him, and it will be repaid to him again?^{*^} (cf. Romans 11:35) 15 Look, the nations are like a drop in a bucket, and are regarded as a speck of dust on a balance. Look, he lifts up the islands like a very little thing. 16 Lebanon is not sufficient to burn, nor its animals sufficient for a burnt offering. 17 All the nations are like nothing before him. They are regarded by him as less than nothing, and vanity. 18 To whom then will you liken Elohim? Or what likeness will you compare to him? 19 A workman has cast an image, and the goldsmith overlays it with gold, and casts silver chains for it.

Apostolic Portion (A)

Acts 7:23-35; 1 Corinthians 2:1-16

Acts 7:23-35 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?’ (cf. Exodus 2:14) 29 Moses fled at this saying, and became a stranger in the land of Midian, where he became the father of two sons. 30 “When forty years were fulfilled, an [angel]^(mss) appeared to him in the wilderness of Mount Sinai, in a flame of fire in a bush. 31 When Moses saw it, he wondered at the sight. As he came close to see, a voice of the YHWH [came],^(mss) 32 ‘I am the Elohim of your fathers, the Elohim of Abraham, and [of Isaac, and of Jacob].’^(mss) (cf. Exodus 3:6) Moses trembled, and dared not look. 33 YHWH said to him, ‘Take off your sandals, for the place where you stand is holy ground. 34 I have surely seen the affliction of my people that is in Egypt, and have heard their groaning. I have come down to deliver them. Now come, I will send you into Egypt.’ (cf. Exodus 3:5, 7-8, 10) 35 “This Moses, whom they refused, saying, ‘Who made you a ruler and a judge?’—Elohim has sent him as both a ruler and a deliverer by the hand of the angel who appeared to him in the bush.

1 Corinthians 2:1-16 When I came to you, brothers, I didn’t come with excellence of speech or of wisdom, proclaiming to you the [mystery]^(mss) of Elohim. 2 For I determined not to know anything among you except Yeshua the Messiah and him crucified. 3 I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. 4 My speech and my proclaiming were not in persuasive words of [wisdom],^(mss) but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, 5 that your faith wouldn’t stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of Elohim. 6 We speak wisdom, however, among those who are full grown, yet a wisdom not of this world nor of the rulers of this world who are coming to nothing. 7 But we speak the wisdom of Elohim in a mystery, the wisdom that has been hidden, which Elohim foreordained before the worlds for our glory, 8 which none of the rulers of this world has known. For had they known it, they wouldn’t have crucified the Lord of glory. 9 But as it is written, “Things which an eye didn’t see, and an ear didn’t hear, which didn’t enter into the heart of man, these Elohim has prepared for those who love him.” (cf. Isaiah 64:4; James 1:12) 10 But to us, Elohim revealed them through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of Elohim. 11 For who among men knows the things of a man, except the spirit of the man, which is in him? Even so, no one knows the things of Elohim, except thes spirit of Elohim. 12 But we received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is from Elohim, that we might know the things that were freely given to us by Elohim. 13 We also speak these things, not in words which the wisdom of man teaches, but which the [Spirit]^(mss) teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual things. 14 Now the natural man doesn’t receive the things of the spirit of Elohim, for they are foolishness to him, and he can’t know them, because they are spiritually discerned. 15 But he who is spiritual discerns all things, and he himself is judged by no one. 16 “For who has known the mind of the Lord, that he should instruct him?” (cf. Isaiah 40:13) But we have Messiah’s mind.

Additional Portion (ADD)

Jubilees 48:1-2

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.

48:1 And in the sixth year of the third week of the forty-ninth jubilee [2372 A.M.] thou didst depart and dwell in the land of Midian five weeks and one year. And thou didst return into Egypt in the second week in the second year in the fiftieth jubilee. [2410 A.M.] 2. And thou thyself knowest what He spake unto thee on Mount Sinai, and what prince Mastema desired to do with thee when thou wast returning into Egypt on the way when thou didst meet him at the lodging-place.

Related Scriptures

9:6 You are YHWH, even you alone. You have made the heavens, the heavens of the heavens, with all their army, the land and all things that are on it, the seas and all that is in them, and you preserve them all. The army of the heavens worships you. 7 You are YHWH, the Elohim who chose Abram, brought him out of Ur of the Chaldees, gave him the name of Abraham, 8 found his heart faithful before you, and cut a covenant with him to give the land of the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Amorite, the Perizzite, the Jebusite, and the Girgashite, to give it to his seed, and have performed your words, for you are righteous. 9 “You saw the affliction of our fathers in Egypt, and heard their cry by the Sea of Reeds, 10 and showed signs and wonders against Pharaoh, against all his servants, and against all the people of his land, for you knew that they dealt proudly against them, and made a name for yourself, as it is today.

4:25 Adam knew his wife again. She gave birth to a son, and named him Seth, saying, “for Elohim has given me another child instead of Abel, for Cain killed him.” 26 A son was also born to Seth, and he named him Enosh. At that time men began to call on the name of YHWH.

4:26 (Septuagint, LXX) And Seth had a son, and he called his name Enos: he hoped to call on the name of the Lord Elohim.

Jubilees 4:11 And in the fifth week of the fifth Jubilee Seth took Azura his sister to be his wife, and in the fourth (year of this sixth week) she bare him Enosh. 12. He began to call on the name of the Lord on the land.

8:52 Then the Judeans said to him, “Now we know that you have a demon. Abraham died, as did the prophets; and you say, ‘If a man keeps my word, he will never taste of death.’ 53 Are you greater than our father, Abraham, who died? The prophets died. Who do you make yourself out to be?” 54 Yeshua answered, “If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say that he is our Elohim. 55 You have not known him, but I know him. If I said, ‘I don’t know him,’ I would be like you, a liar. But I know him and guard his word. 56 Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day. He saw it, and was glad.” 57 The Judeans therefore said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old! Have you seen Abraham?” 58 Yeshua said to them, “Amen, amen, I tell you, before Abraham came into existence, I existed” 59 Therefore they took up stones to throw at him, but Yeshua was hidden, and went out of the temple, having gone through the middle of them, and so passed by.

Matthew 22:23 On that day Sadducees (those who say that there is no resurrection) came to him. They asked him, 24 saying, “Rabbi, Moses said, ‘If a man dies, having no children, his brother will marry his wife and raise up seed for his brother.’ 25 Now there were with us seven brothers. The first married and died, and having no seed left his wife to his brother. 26 In the same way, the second also, and the third, to the seventh. 27 After them all, the woman died. 28 In the resurrection therefore, whose wife will she be of the seven? For they all had her.” 29 But Yeshua answered them, “You are mistaken, not knowing the Scriptures, nor the power of Elohim. 30 For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels of Elohim in the heavens. 31 But concerning the resurrection of the dead, haven’t you read that which was spoken to you by Elohim, saying, 32 ‘I am the Elohim of Abraham, and the Elohim of Isaac, and the Elohim of Jacob?’ Elohim is not the Elohim of the dead, but of the living.” 33 When the multitudes heard it, they were astonished at his teaching.

Mark 12:18 Some Sadducees, who say that there is no resurrection, came to him. They asked him, saying, 19 “Rabbi, Moses wrote to us, ‘If a man’s brother dies, and leaves a wife behind him, and leaves no children, that his brother should take his wife, and raise up seed for his brother.’ 20 There were seven brothers. The first took a wife, and dying left no seed. 21 The second took her, and died, leaving no children behind him. The third likewise; 22 and the seven took her and left no children. Last of all the woman also died. 23 In the resurrection, when they rise, whose wife will she be of them? For the seven had her as a wife.” 24 Yeshua answered them, “Isn’t this because you are mistaken, not knowing the Scriptures, nor the power of Elohim? 25 For when they will rise from the dead, they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in the heavens. 26 But about the dead, that they are raised; haven’t you read in the book of Moses, about the Bush, how Elohim spoke to him, saying, ‘I am the Elohim of Abraham, the Elohim of Isaac, and the Elohim of Jacob’? 27 He is not the Elohim of the dead, but of the living. You are therefore badly mistaken.”

Luke 20:27 Some of the Sadducees came to him, those who deny that there is a resurrection. 28 They asked him, “Rabbi, Moses wrote to us that if a man’s brother dies having a wife, and he is childless, his brother should take the wife and raise up children for his brother. 29 There were therefore seven brothers. The first took a wife, and died childless. 30 The second took her as wife, and he died childless. 31 The third took her, and likewise the seven all left no children, and died. 32 Afterward the woman also died. 33 Therefore in the resurrection whose wife of them will she be? For the seven had her as a wife.” 34 Yeshua said to them, “The children of this age marry, and are given in marriage. 35 But those who are considered worthy to attain to that age and the resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage. 36 For they can’t die any more, for they are like the angels, and are children of Elohim, being children of the resurrection. 37 But that the dead are raised, even Moses showed at the bush, when he called the Lord ‘The Elohim of Abraham, the Elohim of Isaac, and the Elohim of Jacob.’ 38 Now he is not the Elohim of the dead, but of the living, for all are alive to him.” 39 Some of the scribes answered, “Rabbi, you speak well.” 40 They didn’t dare to ask him any more questions.

20:22 You will therefore keep all my statutes and all my ordinances, and do them, that the land where I am bringing you to dwell may not vomit you out. 23 You will not walk in the customs of the nation which I am casting out before you; for they did all these things, and therefore I abhorred them. 24 But I have said to you, “You will inherit their land, and I will give it to you to possess it, a land flowing with milk and honey.” I am YHWH your Elohim, who has separated you from the peoples.

13:25 They returned from spying out the land at the end of forty days. 26 They went and came to Moses, to Aaron, and to all the congregation of the sons of Israel, to the wilderness of Paran, to Kadesh; and brought back word to them and to all the congregation. They showed them the fruit of the land. 27 They told him, and said, “We came to the land where you sent us. Surely it flows with milk and honey, and this is its fruit. 28 However, the people who dwell in the land are strong, and the cities are fortified and very large. Moreover, we saw the children of Anak there. 29 Amalek dwells in the land of the South. The Hittite, the Jebusite, and the Amorite dwell in the hill country. The Canaanite dwells by the sea, and along the side of the Jordan.” 30 Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, “Let’s go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it!” 31 But the men who went up with him said, “We aren’t able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we.” 32 They brought up an evil report of the land which they had spied out to the sons of Israel, saying, “The land, through which we have gone to spy it out, is a land that eats up its inhabitants; and all the people who we saw in it are men of great stature. 33 There we saw the Nephilim, the sons of Anak, who come from the Nephilim.

20:1 In the seventh year, in the fifth month, the tenth day of the month, some of the elders of Israel came to inquire of YHWH, and sat before me. 2 The word of YHWH came to me, saying, 3 “Son of man, speak to the elders of Israel, and tell them, ‘The Lord YHWH says: “Is it to inquire of me that you have come? As I live,” says the Lord YHWH, “I will not be inquired of by you.” ‘ 4 “Will you judge them, son of man? Will you judge them? Cause them to know the abominations of their fathers. 5 Tell them, ‘The Lord YHWH says: “In the day when I chose Israel, and swore to the seed of the house of Jacob, and made myself known to them in the land of Egypt, when I swore to them, saying, ‘I am YHWH your Elohim;’ 6 in that day I swore to them to bring them out of the land of Egypt into a land that I had searched out for them, flowing with milk and honey, which is the glory of all lands. 7 I said to them, ‘Each of you throw away the abominations of his eyes. Don’t defile yourselves with the idols of Egypt. I am YHWH your Elohim.’ 8 “But they rebelled against me and wouldn’t listen to me. They didn’t all throw away the abominations of their eyes. They also didn’t forsake the idols of Egypt. Then I said I would pour out my wrath on them, to accomplish my anger against them in the middle of the land of Egypt. 9 But I worked for my name’s sake, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations among which they were, in whose sight I made myself known to them in bringing them out of the land of Egypt. 10 So I caused them to go out of the land of Egypt and brought them into the wilderness. 11 I gave them my statutes and showed them my ordinances, which if a man does, he will live in them. 12 Moreover also I gave them my Sabbaths, to be a sign between me and them, that they might know that I am YHWH who sanctifies them.

105:26 He sent Moses, his servant, and Aaron, whom he had chosen. 27 They performed miracles among them, and wonders in the land of Ham.

12:12 Jacob fled into the country of Aram. Israel served to get a wife. For a wife he tended flocks and herds. 13 By a prophet YHWH brought Israel up out of Egypt, and by a prophet he was preserved.

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

6:1 YHWH said to Moses, “Now you will see what I will do to Pharaoh, for by a strong hand he will let them go, and by a strong hand he will drive them out of his land.” 2 Elohim spoke to Moses, and said to him, “I am YHWH. 3 I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, as El Shaddai; but by my name YHWH I was not known to them. 4 I have also established my covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land of their travels, in which they lived as strangers. 5 Moreover I have heard the groaning of the sons of Israel, whom the Egyptians keep in bondage, and I have remembered my covenant. 6 Therefore tell the sons of Israel, ‘I am YHWH, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will rid you out of their bondage, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm, and with great judgments. 7 I will take you to myself for a people. I will be your Elohim; and you will know that I am YHWH your Elohim, who brings you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians. 8 I will bring you into the land which I swore to give to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob; and I will give it to you for a heritage: I am YHWH.’ ” 9 Moses spoke so to the sons of Israel, but they didn’t listen to Moses for anguish of spirit, and for cruel bondage. 10 YHWH spoke to Moses, saying, 11 “Go in, speak to Pharaoh king of Egypt, that he let the sons of Israel go out of his land.” 12 Moses spoke before YHWH, saying, “Behold, the sons of Israel haven’t listened to me. How then will Pharaoh listen to me, when I have uncircumcised lips?” 13 YHWH spoke to Moses and to Aaron, and gave them a command to the sons of Israel, and to Pharaoh king of Egypt, to bring the sons of Israel out of the land of Egypt.

6:20 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. 21 The sons of Izhar: Qorach, and Nepheg, and Zichri. 22 The sons of Uzziel: Mishael, Elzaphan, and Sithri. 23 Aaron took Elisheba, the daughter of Amminadab, the sister of Nahshon, as his wife; and she bore him Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar. 24 The sons of Qorach: Assir, Elkanah, and Abiasaph; these are the families of the Qorachites. 25 Eleazar Aaron’s son took one of the daughters of Putiel as his wife; and she bore him Phinehas. These are the heads of the fathers’ houses of the Levites according to their families. 26 These are that Aaron and Moses to whom YHWH said, “Bring out the sons of Israel from the land of Egypt according to their armies.” 27 These are those who spoke to Pharaoh king of Egypt, to bring out the sons of Israel from Egypt. These are that Moses and Aaron. 28 On the day when YHWH spoke to Moses in the land of Egypt, 29 YHWH said to Moses, “I am YHWH. Tell Pharaoh king of Egypt all that I tell you.” 30 Moses said before YHWH, “Behold, I am of uncircumcised lips, and how will Pharaoh listen to me?”

Matthew 10:16 “Behold, I send you out as sheep among wolves. Therefore be skilled as nachashim (cf. Genesis 3:1) and harmless as doves. 17  But beware of men, for they will deliver you up to councils, and in their synagogues they will scourge you. 18  Yes, and you will be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a witness to them and to the nations. 19  But when they deliver you up, don’t be anxious how or what you will say, for it will be given you in that hour what you will say. 20  For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you.

Mark 13:9 But watch yourselves, for they will deliver you up to councils. You will be beaten in synagogues. You will stand before rulers and kings for my sake, for a witness to them. 10  The Good News must first be preached to all the nations. 11  When they lead you away and deliver you up, don’t be anxious beforehand, or premeditate what you will say, but say whatever will be given you in that hour. For it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit.

Luke 12:8 “I tell you, everyone who confesses me before men, the Son of Man will also confess before the angels of Elohim; 9  but he who denies me in the face of men will be denied in the face of the angels of Elohim. 10  Everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but those who blaspheme against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. 11  When they bring you before the synagogues, the rulers, and the authorities, don’t be anxious how or what you will answer, or what you will say; 12  for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that same hour what you must say.”

11:33 Oh the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and the knowledge of Elohim! How unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past tracing out! 34 “For who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?” 35 “Or who has first given to him, and it will be repaid to him again?” 36 For of him, and through him, and to him are all things. To him be the glory for ever! Amen.

Additional Readings​

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 children 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 children 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.

2 Esdras, consisting of chapters 3-14, (also called 4 Esdras, Latin Esdras, or Latin Ezra) is the name of a book in many English versions of the Bible. Its authorship is ascribed to Ezra, a scribe and priest of the 5th century B.C., although modern scholarship places its composition between 70 and 218 A.D. It is reckoned among the apocrypha by Roman Catholics, Protestants, and most Eastern Orthodox Christians. The Ethiopian Church considers 4 Ezra to be canonical, written during the Babylonian captivity, and calls it “Izra Sutuel” (ዕዝራ ሱቱኤል). It was also often cited by the Fathers of the Church. In the Eastern Armenian tradition it is called 3 Ezra.

14:9 And it came to pass upon the third day, I sat under an oak, and, behold, there came a voice out of a bush near me, and said, Esdras, Esdras. 2 And I said, Here am I, Lord. And I stood up upon my feet. 3 Then said he to me, In the bush I did manifestly reveal myself, and talked with Moses, when my people were in bondage in Egypt: 4 and I sent him, and he led my people out of Egypt; and I brought him up to the mount of Sinai, where I held him by me for many days; 5 and told him many wondrous things, and showed him the secrets of the times, and the end of the seasons; and commanded him, saying, 6 These words will you publish openly, and these will you hide. 7 And now I say to you, 8 Lay up in your heart the signs that I have showed, and the dreams that you have seen, and the interpretations which you have heard: 9 for you will be taken away from men, and from henceforth you will remain with my Son, and with such as be like you, until the times be ended.

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.

8:8. And in the sixth year thereof, she bare him a son, and he called his name Peleg; for in the days when he was born the children of Noaḥ began to divide the land amongst themselves: for this reason he called his name Peleg. 9. And they divided (it) secretly amongst themselves, and told it to Noaḥ. 10. And it came to pass in the beginning of the thirty-third jubilee that they divided the land into three parts, for Shem and Ham and Japheth, according to the inheritance of each, in the first year in the first week, when one of us, who had been sent, was with them. 11. And he called his sons, and they drew nigh to him, they and their children, and he divided the land into the lots, which his three sons were to take in possession, and they reached forth their hands, and took the writing out of the bosom of Noaḥ, their father. 12. And there came forth on the writing as Shem’s lot the middle of the land which he should take as an inheritance for himself and for his sons for the generations of eternity, from the middle of the mountain range of Râfâ, from the mouth of the water from the river Tînâ. and his portion goeth towards the west through the midst of this river, and it extendeth till it reacheth the water of the abysses, out of which this river goeth forth and poureth its waters into the sea Mê’at, and this river floweth into the great sea. And all that is towards the north is Japheth’s, and all that is towards the south belongeth to Shem. 13. And it extendeth till it reacheth Kârâsô: this is in the bosom of the tongue which looketh towards the south. 14. And his portion extendeth along the great sea, and it extendeth in a straight line till it reacheth the west of the tongue which looketh towards the south; for this sea is named the tongue of the Egyptian Sea. 15. And it turneth from here towards the south towards the mouth of the great sea on the shore of (its) waters, and it extendeth to the west to ‘Afrâ [Africa] and it extendeth till it reacheth the waters of the river Gihon, and to the south of the waters of Gihon, to the banks of this river. 16. And it extendeth towards the east, till it reacheth the Garden of Eden, to the south thereof, [to the south] and from the east of the whole land of Eden and of the whole cast, it turneth to the east, and proceedeth till it reacheth the east of the mountain named Râfâ, and it descendeth to the bank of the mouth of the river Tînâ. 17. This portion came forth by lot for Shem and his sons, that they should possess it for ever unto his generations for evermore. 18. And Noaḥ rejoiced that this portion came forth for Shem and for his sons, and he remembered all that he had spoken with his mouth in prophecy; for he had said: Blessed be the Lord Elohim of Shem, And may the Lord dwell in the dwelling of Shem.” 19. And he knew that the Garden of Eden is the holy of holies, and the dwelling of the Lord, and Mount Sinai the centre of the desert, and Mount Zion–the centre of the navel of the land: these three were created as holy places facing each other. 20. And he blessed the Elohim of Elohim, who had put the word of the Lord into his mouth, and the Lord for evermore. 21. And he knew that a blessed portion and a blessing had come to Shem and his sons unto the generations for ever–the whole land of Eden and the whole land of the Red Sea, and the whole land of the east, and India, and on the Red Sea and the mountains thereof, and all the land of Bashan, and all the land of Lebanon and the islands of Kaftûr, and all the mountains of Sanîr and ‘Amânâ, and the mountains of Asshur in the north, and all the land of Elam, Asshur, and Bâbêl, and Sûsân and Mâ‘ĕdâi and all the mountains of Ararat, and all the region beyond the sea, which is beyond the mountains of Asshur towards the north, a blessed and spacious land, and all that is in it is very good.

10:28 And Ham and his sons went into the land which he was to occupy, which he acquired as his portion in the land of the south. 29. And Canaan saw the land of Lebanon to the river of Egypt that it was very good, and he went not into the land of his inheritance to the west (that is to) the sea, and he dwelt in the land of Lebanon, eastward and westward from the border of Jordan and from the border of the sea. 30. And Ham, his father, and Cush and Mizraim, his brothers, said unto him: “Thou hast settled in a land which is not thine, and which did not fall to us by lot: do not do so; for if thou dost do so, thou and thy sons will fall in the land and (be) accursed through sedition; for by sedition ye have settled, and by sedition will thy children fall, and thou shalt be rooted out for ever. 31. Dwell not in the dwelling of Shem; for to Shem and to his sons did it come by their lot. 32. Cursed art thou, and cursed shalt thou be beyond all the sons of Noaḥ, by the curse by which we bound ourselves by an oath in the face of the holy judge, and in the face of Noaḥ our father.” 33. But he did not hearken unto them, and dwelt in the land of Lebanon from Hamath to the entering of Egypt, he and his sons until this day. 34. And for this reason that land is named Canaan. 35. And Japheth and his sons went towards the sea and dwelt in the land of their portion, and Madai saw the land of the sea and it did not please him, and he begged a (portion) from Elam and Asshur and Arpachshad, his wife’s brother, and he dwelt in the land of Media, near to his wife’s brother until this day. 36. And he called his dwelling-place, and the dwelling-place of his sons, Media, after the name of their father Madai.

Column 21 I went to all my old campsites until I reached Bethel, the place where I once built an altar, and then I built another one and offered up burnt offerings and a grain offerings to the Elohim of Most High, and invoked the name of the Lord of the Universe there. I praised Elohim’s name and blessed Elohim and gave thanks to Him there for all the flocks and goods and wealth which he has given me, for the good he has done for me, and because He had returned me to this land safely. After this day, Lot left me on the account of our shepherd’s behavior. He went to live in the Valley of Jordan taking all his flocks with him. And I also added greatly to what he had. he pastured his flock and kept moving until he reached Sodom and bought a house there, while I still lived in the mountain of Bethel. It bothered me that Lot and I had separated. Elohim came to me in a dream and said to me: Go up to Ramat Hazor which is north of Bethel, the place you are living now, and look to the east, west, south and to the north. Look at the land which I am giving you and your descendants forever. The next morning I went up to Ramat Hazor and looked at the land from that height, from the river of Egypt up to Lebanon and Senir, and from the Great Sea up to Hauran, and all the land of Gebel to Qadesh, and all the Great Desert, as far as the Euphrates and he said to me: I will give all this land to your descendants; and they will inherit it forever. I will multiply your descendants like the dust of the land that none can count. Your descendants will be numberless. Arise, walk about, go see how long and how wide it is, for I will give it to you and to your descendants after you, forever. Then I, Abraham, went out traveling in a circuit to survey the land. I began the circuit at the Gihon River, I went along the Mediterranean Sea until I reached the Mountain of the Bull (Taurus). I circled from the coast of this great river saltwater sea, skirting the Mount of the Bull, and continued eastward through the breadth of the and until I came to the Euphrates river. I traveled along the side of the Euphrates until I reached the Red Sea toward the east. I continued going along the side of the Red Sea until I reached the inlet (lit. ‘tongue’) of the Sea of Reeds which emerges from the Red Sea. From there I completed the circuit, moving southward to arrive at Gihon River. Then I returned home safely and found all is well with my men. Then I went and settled next to the oaks of Mamre, which is northeast of Hebron. There I built an altar and offered up burnt offering and a grain offering to the Elohim Most High. I ate and drank there, I and all the men of my household, and invited Mamre, Arnem, and Eshkol, three Amorite brothers and my friends. They ate and drank together with me.

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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.).

2.12.1 Now Moses, when he had obtained the favor of Jethro, for that was one of the names of Raguel, staid there and fed his flock; but some time afterward, taking his station at the mountain called Sinai, he drove his flocks thither to feed them. Now this is the highest of all the mountains thereabout, and the best for pasturage, the herbage being there good; and it had not been before fed upon, because of the opinion men had that Elohim dwelt there, the shepherds not daring to ascend up to it; and here it was that a wonderful prodigy happened to Moses; for a fire fed upon a thorn bush, yet did the green leaves and the flowers continue untouched, and the fire did not at all consume the fruit branches, although the flame was great and fierce. Moses was aftrighted at this strange sight, as it was to him; but he was still more astonished when the fire uttered a voice, and called to him by name, and spake words to him, by which it signified how bold he had been in venturing to come into a place whither no man had ever come before, because the place was divine; and advised him to remove a great way off from the flame, and to be contented with what he had seen; and though he were himself a good man, and the seed of great men, yet that he should not pry any further; and he foretold to him, that he should have glory and honor among men, by the blessing of Elohim upon him. He also commanded him to go away thence with confidence to Egypt, in order to his being the commander and conductor of the body of the Hebrews, and to his delivering his own people from the injuries they suffered there: “For,” said Elohim, “they will inhabit this happy land which your forefather Abraham inhabited, and will have the enjoyment of all good things.” But still he enjoined them, when he brought the Hebrews out of the land of Egypt, to come to that place, and to offer slaughters of thanksgiving there, Such were the divine oracles which were delivered out of the fire.

2.12.2 But Moses was astonished at what he saw, and much more at what he heard; and he said, “I think it would be an instance of too great madness, O Lord, for one of that regard I bear to thee, to distrust thy power, since I myself adore it, and know that it has been made manifest to my progenitors: but I am still in doubt how I, who am a private man, and one of no abilities, should either persuade my own countrymen to leave the country they now inhabit, and to follow me to a land whither I lead them; or, if they should be persuaded, how can I force Pharaoh to permit them to depart, since they augment their own wealth and prosperity by the labors and works they put upon them?”

2.12.3 But Elohim persuaded him to be courageous on all occasions, and promised to be with him, and to assist him in his words, when he was to persuade men; and in his deeds, when he was to perform wonders. He bid him also to take a signal of the truth of what he said, by throwing his rod upon the ground, which, when he had done, it crept along, and was become a nachash, and rolled itself round in its folds, and erected its head, as ready to revenge itself on such as should assault it; after which it become a rod again as it was before. After this Elohim bid Moses to put his right hand into his bosom: he obeyed, and when he took it out it was white, and in color like to chalk, but afterward it returned to its wonted color again. He also, upon Elohim’s command, took some of the water that was near him, and poured it upon the ground, and saw the color was that of blood. Upon the wonder that Moses showed at these signs, Elohim exhorted him to be of good courage, and to be assured that he would be the greatest support to him; and bid him make use of those signs, in order to obtain belief among all men, that “thou art sent by me, and dost all things according to my commands. Accordingly I enjoin thee to make no more delays, but to make haste to Egypt, and to travel night and day, and not to draw out the time, and so make the slavery of the Hebrews and their sufferings to last the longer.”

2.12.4 Moses having now seen and heard these wonders that assured him of the truth of these promises of Elohim, had no room left him to disbelieve them: he entreated him to grant him that power when he should be in Egypt; and besought him to vouchsafe him the knowledge of his own name; and since he had heard and seen him, that he would also tell him his name, that when he offered slaughter he might invoke him by such his name in his oblations. Whereupon Elohim declared to him his holy name, which had never been discovered to men before; concerning which it is not lawful for me to say any more 24 Now these signs accompanied Moses, not then only, but always when he prayed for them: of all which signs he attributed the firmest assent to the fire in the bush; and believing that Elohim would be a gracious supporter to him, he hoped he should be able to deliver his own nation, and bring calamities on the Egyptians.