• Torah (T): Shemot (Exodus) 11:1-10
• Prophets (P): Jeremiah 31:1-9
• Apostolic (A): Luke 2:4-7; Hebrews 1:1-6; Colossians 1:9-20
• Additional (ADD): Jubilees 48:4-12

RELATED SCRIPTURES

• Mark 6:47-52; Mark 8:13-21 (T)
• Revelation 9:1-12 (T)
• Zephaniah 1:14-18 (T)
• Psalms 78:32-51 (T)
• Psalms 105:26-38 (T)
• Psalms 135:1-9 (T)
• Hebrews 11:24-28 (T)
• Genesis 15:14; Exodus 3:19-22 (T)
• Deuteronomy 16:1-2 (T)
• 1 Peter 1:13-21 (T)
• 1 Corinthians 5:1-8 (T)
• Psalms 34:19-20; Exodus 12:43-46 (T, A)
• Isaiah 53:1-12 (A)
• 1 John 3:1-10 (A)

RELATED ADDITIONAL READINGS

• Enoch 76:1-13; Enoch 77:1-3 (T)
• A Paraphrase of Genesis and Exodus 4Q422 Column 3 (T)
• Assorted Manuscripts 4Q471 (P)
• Exodus 10:1 – 12:12 from the Jerusalem Targum aka Targum Pseudo-Jonathan (T)
• Antiquities of the Jews by Flavius Josephus 2.14.5-6 (T)

Note: (T) means the verse relates to that week’s Torah portion. (P) means the verse relates to that week’s Haftarah 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)

11:1 YHWH said to Moses, “I will bring yet one more plague on Pharaoh, and on Egypt; afterwards he will let you go. When he lets you go, he will surely thrust you out altogether. 2 Speak now in the ears of the people, and let every man ask of his neighbor, and every woman of her neighbor, jewels of silver, and jewels of gold [and clothing].”^(LXX)(SP) 3 YHWH gave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians. Moreover, the man Moses was very great in the land of Egypt, in the sight of Pharaoh's servants, and in the sight of the people. 4 Moses said [to Pharaoh],^(DSS)(LXX) “This is what YHWH says: ‘About midnight I will go out into the middle of Egypt, 5 and all the firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sits on his throne, even to the firstborn of the maid who is behind the mill, and all the firstborn of livestock. 6 There will be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt, such as there has not been, nor will be any more. 7 But against any of the sons of Israel a dog won't even bark or move its tongue, against man or animal, that you may know that YHWH makes a distinction between the Egyptians and Israel. 8 All these servants of yours will come down to me, and bow down themselves to me, saying, “Get out, with all the people who follow you;” and after that I will go out.' ” He went out from Pharaoh in hot anger. 9 YHWH said to Moses, “Pharaoh won't listen to you, that my [signs and]^(LXX) wonders may be multiplied in the land of Egypt.” 10 Moses and Aaron did all these [signs and]^(LXX) wonders before Pharaoh, but YHWH strengthened Pharaoh's heart, and he didn't let the sons of Israel go out of his land.

Prophets Portion (P)

31:1 “At that time,” says YHWH, “I will be the Elohim of all the families of Israel, and they will be my people.” 2 YHWH says, “The people who survive the sword found favor in the wilderness; even Israel, when I went to cause him to rest.” 3 YHWH appeared of old to me, saying, “Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love. Therefore I have drawn you with loving kindness. 4 I will build you again, and you will be built, O virgin of Israel. You will again be adorned with your tambourines, and will go out in the dances of those who make merry. 5 Again you will plant vineyards on the mountains of Samaria. The planters will plant, and will enjoy its fruit. 6 For there will be a day that the watchmen on the hills of Ephraim cry, ‘Arise! Let’s go up to Zion to YHWH our Elohim.’ ” 7 For YHWH says, “Sing with gladness for Jacob, and shout for the chief of the nations. Publish, praise, and say, ‘YHWH, save your people, the remnant of Israel!’ 8 Behold, I will bring them from the north country, and gather them from the uttermost parts of the land, along with the blind and the lame, the woman with child and her who travails with child together. They will return as a great company. 9 They will come with weeping. I will lead them with petitions. I will cause them to walk by rivers of waters, in a straight way in which they won’t stumble; for I am a father to Israel. Ephraim is my firstborn.

Apostolic Portion (A)

Luke 2:4-7 Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to David’s city, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David, 5 to enroll himself with Miriam, who was pledged to be married to him as wife, being pregnant. 6 While they were there, the day had come for her to give birth. 7 She gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him in bands of cloth and laid him in a feeding trough, because there was no room for them in the inn.

Hebrews 1:1-6 Elohim, having in the past spoken to the fathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, 2 has at the end of these days spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom also he made the worlds. 3 His Son is the radiance of his glory, the very image of his substance, and upholding all things by the word of his power, who, when he had by himself purified us of our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high, 4 having become as much better than the angels as the more excellent name he has inherited is better than theirs. 5 For to which of the angels did he say at any time, “You are my Son. Today I have become your father?” (cf. Psalms 2:7) and again, “I will be to him a Father, and he will be to me a Son?” (cf. 2 Samuel 7:14; 1 Chronicles 17:13) 6 When he again brings in the firstborn into the world he says, “Let all the angels of Elohim worship him.” (cf. Deuteronomy 32:43 LXX)

Colossians 1:9-20 For this cause, we also, since the day we heard this, don’t cease praying and making requests for you, that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, 10 that you may walk worthily of [Elohim],^(mss) to please him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of Elohim, 11 strengthened with all power, according to the might of his glory, for all endurance and perseverance with joy, 12 giving thanks to the Father, who made [you]^(mss) fit to be partakers of the inheritance of the holy ones in light, 13 who delivered us out of the power of darkness, and translated us into the Kingdom of the Son of his love, 14 in whom we have our redemption,^(mss) the forgiveness of our sins. 15 He is the image of the invisible Elohim, the firstborn of all creation. 16 For by him all things were created in the heavens and on the land, visible things and invisible things, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things have been created through him and for him. 17 He is before all things, and in him all things are held together. 18 He is the head of the body, the assembly, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things he might have the preeminence. 19 For all the fullness was pleased to dwell in him, 20 and through him to reconcile all things to himself by him, whether things on the land or things in the heavens, having made peace through the blood of his cross [through him].^(mss)

Additional Portion (ADD)

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.

48:4 And I delivered thee out of his hand, and thou didst perform the signs and wonders which thou wast sent to perform in Egypt against Pharaoh, and against all his house, and against his servants and his people. 5. And the Lord executed a great vengeance on them for Israel’s sake, and smote them through (the plagues of) blood and frogs, lice and dog-flies, and malignant boils breaking forth in blains; and their cattle by death; and by hail-stones, thereby He destroyed everything that grew for them; and by locusts which devoured the residue which had been left by the hail, and by darkness; and (by the death) of the first-born of men and animals, and on all their idols the Lord took vengeance and burned them with fire. 6. And everything was sent through thy hand, that thou shouldst declare (these things) before they were done, and thou didst speak with the king of Egypt before all his servants and before his people. 7. And everything took place according to thy words; ten great and terrible judgments came on the land of Egypt that thou mightest execute vengeance on it for Israel. 8. And the Lord did everything for Israel’s sake, and according to His covenant, which He had ordained with Abraham that He would take vengeance on them as they had brought them by force into bondage. 9. And the prince of the Mastema stood up against thee, and sought to cast thee into the hands of Pharaoh, and he helped the Egyptian sorcerers, and they stood up and wrought before thee. 10. The evils indeed we permitted them to work, but the remedies we did not allow to be wrought by their hands. 11. And the Lord smote them with malignant ulcers, and they were not able to stand for we destroyed them so that they could not perform a single sign. 12. And notwithstanding all (these) signs and wonders the prince of the Mastema was not put to shame because he took courage and cried to the Egyptians to pursue after thee with all the powers of the Egyptians, with their chariots, and with their horses, and with all the hosts of the peoples of Egypt.

Related Scriptures

Mark 6:47-52; Mark 8:13-21 (T)

Mark 6:47 When evening had come, the boat was in the middle of the sea, and he was alone on the land. 48 Seeing them distressed in rowing, for the wind was contrary to them, about the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea; and he would have passed by them, 49 but they, when they saw him walking on the sea, supposed that it was a ghost, and cried out; 50 for they all saw him and were troubled. But he immediately spoke with them and said to them, “Cheer up! It is I! Don’t be afraid.” 51 He got into the boat with them; and the wind ceased, and they were very amazed among themselves; 52 because they hadn’t understood about the loaves, because their hearts were hardened.

Mark 8:13 He left them, and again entering into the boat, departed to the other side. 14 They forgot to take bread; and they didn’t have more than one loaf in the boat with them. 15 He warned them, saying, “Take heed: beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and the yeast of Herod.” 16 They reasoned with one another, “It’s because we have no bread.” 17 He, perceiving it, said to them, “Why do you reason that it’s because you have no bread? Don’t you perceive yet or understand? Is your heart hardened? 18 Having eyes, don’t you see? Having ears, don’t you hear? Don’t you remember? 19 When I broke the five loaves among the five thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you take up?” They told him, “Twelve.” 20 “When the seven loaves fed the four thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you take up?” They told him, “Seven.” 21 He asked them, “Do you not yet understand?”

9:1 The fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star from the heavens which had fallen to the land. The key to the pit of the abyss was given to him. 2 He opened the pit of the abyss, and smoke went up out of the pit, like the smoke from a burning furnace. The sun and the air were darkened because of the smoke from the pit. 3 Then out of the smoke came locusts on the land, and power was given to them, as the scorpions of the land have power. 4 They were told that they should not hurt the grass of the land, neither any green thing, neither any tree, but only those people who don’t have Elohim’s seal on their foreheads. 5 They were given power, not to kill them, but to torment them for five months. Their torment was like the torment of a scorpion when it strikes a person. 6 In those days people will seek death, and will in no way find it. They will desire to die, and death will flee from them. 7 The shapes of the locusts were like horses prepared for war. On their heads were something like golden crowns, and their faces were like people’s faces. 8 They had hair like women’s hair, and their teeth were like those of lions. 9 They had breastplates like breastplates of iron. The sound of their wings was like the sound of many chariots and horses rushing to war. 10 They have tails like those of scorpions, with stingers. In their tails they have power to harm men for five months. 11 They have over them as king the angel of the abyss. His name in Hebrew is “Abaddon”, but in Greek, he has the name “Apollyon”. 12 The first woe is past. Behold, there are still two woes coming after this.

1:14 The great day of YHWH is near. It is near and hurries greatly, the voice of the day of YHWH. The mighty man cries there bitterly. 15 That day is a day of wrath, a day of distress and anguish, a day of trouble and ruin, a day of darkness and gloom*, a day of clouds and blackness, 16 a day of the trumpet and alarm against the fortified cities and against the high battlements. 17 I will bring such distress on men that they will walk like blind men because they have sinned against YHWH, and their blood will be poured out like dust and their flesh like dung. 18 Neither their silver nor their gold will be able to deliver them in the day of the wrath of YHWH, but the whole land will be devoured by the fire of his zeal; for he will make an end, yes, a terrible end, of all those who dwell in the land.

*Hebrew אֲפֵלָה aphelah (H653) – darkness, gloominess, calamity; a very dark (thick) darkness brought about as a punishment of judgement.

78:32 For all this they still sinned, and didn’t believe in his wondrous works. 33 Therefore he consumed their days in vanity, and their years in terror. 34 When he killed them, then they inquired after him. They returned and sought Elohim earnestly. 35 They remembered that Elohim was their rock, the Most High Elohim, their redeemer. 36 But they flattered him with their mouth, and lied to him with their tongue. 37 For their heart was not right with him, neither were they faithful in his covenant. 38 But he, being merciful, forgave iniquity, and didn’t destroy them. Yes, many times he turned his anger away, and didn’t stir up all his wrath. 39 He remembered that they were but flesh, a wind that passes away, and doesn’t come again. 40 How often they rebelled against him in the wilderness, and grieved him in the desert! 41 They turned again and tested Elohim, and provoked the Holy One of Israel. 42 They didn’t remember his hand, nor the day when he redeemed them from the adversary; 43 how he set his signs in Egypt, his wonders in the field of Zoan, 44 he turned their rivers into blood, and their streams, so that they could not drink. 45 He sent among them swarms of flies, which devoured them; and frogs, which destroyed them. 46 He also gave their increase to the caterpillar, and their labor to the locust. 47 He destroyed their vines with hail, their sycamore fig trees with frost. 48 He also gave over their livestock to the hail, and their flocks to hot thunderbolts. 49 He threw on them the fierceness of his anger, wrath, indignation, and trouble, and a band of angels of evil. 50 He made a path for his anger. He didn’t spare their soul from death, but gave their life over to the pestilence, 51 and struck all the firstborn in Egypt, the chief of their strength in the tents of Ham.

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. 28 He sent darkness, and made it dark. They didn’t rebel against his words. 29 He turned their waters into blood, and killed their fish. 30 Their land swarmed with frogs, even in the rooms of their kings. 31 He spoke, and swarms of flies came, and lice in all their borders. 32 He gave them hail for rain, with lightning in their land. 33 He struck their vines and also their fig trees, and shattered the trees of their country. 34 He spoke, and the locusts came with the grasshoppers, without number. 35 They ate up every plant in their land, and ate up the fruit of their ground. 36 He struck also all the firstborn in their land, the first fruits of all their manhood. 37 He brought them out with silver and gold. There was not one feeble person among his tribes. 38 Egypt was glad when they departed, for the fear of them had fallen on them.

135:1 Halleluyah! Praise Yah’s name! Praise him, you servants of YHWH, 2 you who stand in the house of YHWH, in the courts of our Elohim’s house. 3 Praise Yah, for YHWH is good. Sing praises to his name, for that is pleasant. 4 For Yah has chosen Jacob for himself, Israel for his own possession. 5 For I know that YHWH is great, that our Lord is above all elohim. 6 Whatever YHWH pleased, that he has done, in the heavens and in land, in the seas and in all deeps. 7 He causes the clouds to rise from the ends of the land. He makes lightnings with the rain. He brings the wind out of his treasuries. 8 He struck the firstborn of Egypt, both of man and animal. 9 He sent signs and wonders into the middle of you, Egypt, on Pharaoh, and on all his servants.

11:24 In faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, 25 choosing rather to share ill treatment with Elohim’s people than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a time, 26 considering the reproach of the Messiah greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he looked to the reward. 27 In faith he left Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible. 28 In faith he kept the Pesach and the sprinkling of the blood, that the destroyer of the firstborn should not touch them.

Genesis 15:12 When the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell on Abram. Now terror and great darkness fell on him. 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.”

Exodus 3:19 I know that the king of Egypt won’t give you permission to go, no, not by a mighty hand. 20 I will reach out my hand and strike Egypt with all my wonders which I will do among them, and after that he will let you go. 21 I will give this people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, and it will happen that when you go, you will not go empty-handed. 22 But every woman will ask of her neighbor, and of her who visits her house, jewels of silver, jewels of gold, and clothing. You will put them on your sons, and on your daughters. You will plunder the Egyptians.

16:1 Observe the month of Aviv, and guard the Pesach to YHWH your Elohim; for in the month of Aviv YHWH your Elohim brought you out of Egypt by night. 2 You will slaughter the Pesach to YHWH your Elohim, of the flock and the herd, in the place which YHWH will choose to cause his name to dwell there.

1:13 Therefore, having girded up the hips of your mind, being sober, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Yeshua the Messiah— 14 as children of obedience, not conforming yourselves according to your former coveting as in your ignorance, 15 but just as he who called you is holy, you yourselves also be holy in all of your behavior, 16 because it is written, “You will be holy, for I am holy.” 17 If you call on him as Father, who without respect of persons judges according to each man’s work, pass the time of your living as foreigners here in reverent fear, 18 knowing that you were redeemed, not with corruptible things like silver or gold, from the useless way of life handed down from your fathers, 19 but with precious blood, as of a lamb without blemish or spot, the blood of Messiah, 20 who was foreknown indeed before the foundation of the world, but was revealed in this last age for your sake, 21 who through him are believers in Elohim, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope might be in Elohim.

5:1 It is actually reported that there is whoring among you, and such whoring as is not even named among the Nations, that one has his father’s wife. 2 You are arrogant, and didn’t mourn instead, that he who had done this deed might be removed from among you. 3 For I most certainly, as being absent in body but present in spirit, have already, as though I were present, judged him who has done this thing. 4 In the name of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah, when you are gathered together with my spirit with the power of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah, 5 you are to deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Yeshua. 6 Your boasting is not good. Don’t you know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? 7 Purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, even as you are unleavened. For indeed Messiah, our Pesach, has been slaughtered in our place. 8 Therefore let’s guard the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

Psalms 34:19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but YHWH delivers him out of them all. 20 He protects all of his bones. Not one of them is broken.

Exodus 12:43 YHWH said to Moses and Aaron, “This is the statute of the Pesach. No foreigner will eat of it, 44 but every man’s servant who is bought for money, when you have circumcised him, then will he eat of it. 45 A foreigner and a hired-servant will not eat of it. 46 It must be eaten in one house. You will not carry any of the meat outside of the house. Do not break any of its bones.

53:1 Who has believed our message? To whom has YHWH’s arm been revealed? 2 For he grew up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of dry ground. He has no good looks or majesty. When we see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. 3 He was despised and rejected by men, a man of suffering and acquainted with disease. He was despised as one from whom men hide their face; and we didn’t respect him. 4 Surely he has borne our sickness and carried our suffering; yet we considered him plagued, struck by Elohim, and afflicted. 5 But he was pierced for our transgressions. He was crushed for our iniquities. The punishment that brought our peace was on him; and by his wounds we are healed. 6 All we like sheep have gone astray. Everyone has turned to his own way; and YHWH has laid on him the iniquity of us all. 7 He was oppressed, yet when he was afflicted he didn’t open his mouth. As a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and as a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he didn’t open his mouth. 8 He was taken away by oppression and judgment. As for his generation, who considered that he was cut off out of the land of the living and stricken for the disobedience of my people? 9 They made his grave with the wicked, and with a rich man in his death, although he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth. 10 Yet it pleased YHWH to bruise him. He has caused him to suffer. When you make his soul an offering for sin, he will see his seed. He will prolong his days and YHWH’s pleasure will prosper in his hand. 11 After the suffering of his soul, he will see the light and be satisfied. My righteous servant will justify many by the knowledge of himself; and he will bear their iniquities. 12 Therefore I will give him a portion with the great. He will divide the plunder with the strong, because he poured out his soul to death and was counted with the transgressors; yet he bore the sins of many and made intercession for the transgressors.

3:1 See how great a love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of Elohim! For this cause the world doesn’t know us, because it didn’t know him. 2 Beloved, now we are children of Elohim. It is not yet revealed what we will be; but we know that when he is revealed, we will be like him, for we will see him just as he is. 3 Everyone who has this hope set on him purifies himself, even as he is pure. 4 Everyone who sins also commits lawlessness. Sin is lawlessness. 5 You know that he was revealed to carry sins, and no sin is in him. 6 Whoever remains in him doesn’t sin. Whoever sins hasn’t seen him and doesn’t know him. 7 Little children, let no one lead you astray. He who does righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. 8 He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. To this end the Son of Elohim was revealed: that he might destroy the works of the devil. 9 Whoever is born of Elohim doesn’t commit sin, because his seed remains in him, and he can’t sin, because he is born of Elohim. 10 In this the children of Elohim are revealed, and the children of the devil. Whoever doesn’t do righteousness is not of Elohim, neither is he who doesn’t love his brother.

Additional Readings​

Enoch 76:1 And at the ends of the land I saw twelve portals open to all the quarters (of the heavens), from which the winds go forth and blow over the land. 2. Three of them are open on the face (i.e. the east) of the heavens, and three in the west, and three on the right (i.e. the south) of the heavens, and three on the left (i.e. the north). 3. And the three first are those of the east, and three are of †the north, and three [after those on the left] of the south†, and three of the west. 4. Through four of these come winds of blessing and prosperity, and from those eight come hurtful winds: when they are sent, they bring destruction on all the land and on the water upon it, and on all who dwell thereon, and on everything which is in the water and on the land. 5. And the first wind from those portals, called the east wind, comes forth through the first portal which is in the east, inclining towards the south: from it come forth desolation, drought, heat, and destruction. 6. And through the second portal in the middle comes what is fitting, and from it there come rain and fruitfulness and prosperity and dew; and through the third portal which lies toward the north come cold and drought. 7. And after these come forth the south winds through three portals: through the first portal of them inclining to the east comes forth a hot wind. 8. And through the middle portal next to it there come forth fragrant smells, and dew and rain, and prosperity and health. 9. And through the third portal lying to the west come forth dew and rain, locusts and desolation. 10. And after these the north winds: from the seventh portal in the east come dew and rain, locusts and desolation. 11. And from the middle portal come in a direct direction health and rain and dew and prosperity; and through the third portal in the west come cloud and hoar-frost, and snow and rain, and dew and locusts. 12. And after these [four] are the west winds: through the first portal adjoining the north come forth dew and hoar-frost, and cold and snow and frost. And from the middle portal come forth dew and rain, and prosperity and blessing; and through the last portal which adjoins the south come forth drought and desolation, and burning and destruction. 14. And the twelve portals of the four quarters of the heavens are therewith completed, and all their laws and all their plagues and all their benefactions have I shown to thee, my son Methuselah.

Enoch 77:1 And the first quarter is called the east, because it is the first: and the second, the south, because the Most High will descend there, yea, there in quite a special sense will He who is blessed for ever descend. 2. And the west quarter is named the diminished, because there all the luminaries of the heavens wane and go down. 3. And the fourth quarter, named the north, is divided into three parts: the first of them is for the dwelling of men: and the second contains seas of water, and the abysses and forests and rivers, and darkness and clouds; and the third part contains the garden of righteousness.

Column 3 … their [s]ons into the rive[r] … [And] He sent to them Moses … in the vision … in the signs and marvels … And He sent them to Pharaoh … plagues … marvels for Egypt … and they carried His word to Pharaoh to send away [their people]. But He hardened [his] (Pharaoh’s) heart [to] sin so that the m[en of Isra]el might know for eternal gene[rations]. And He changed their [wate]rs to blood. Frogs were in all their land and lice in all their territories, gnats in their houses and they struck all their … And He smote with pestile[nce all] their flock and their beasts He delivered to de[at]h. He put darkness into their land and obscurity into their [hou]ses so that they could not see one another. [And He smote] their land with hail and [their] soil [with] frost to cause [al]l the fruit of nourishment [to perish]. And He brought locust to cover the face of the ea[rth], heavy locust in all their territory to eat everything green in [their] la[nd] … And Elohim hardened Ph[araoh’s] heart so that he should not [dis]miss [them] … and in order to increase wonders. [And He smote their first-born], the beginning of al[l their strength] …

Fragment 2 […] from the time You command them not to [engage in war….] you have proved false to his covenant […and yo]u said, “Let us fight His battles, for He has redeemed us [from the hand of our enemy…” …] your [mighty me]n will be humiliated for they do not know that [the Lord] has rejected [you…] you presume to make war. And as for you, you are regarded [with the men of injustice. “You have staggered as a drunkard] in his vomit” (cf. Isaiah 19:14)

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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.).

2.14.5. One would think the forementioned calamities might have been sufficient for one that was only foolish, without wickedness, to make him wise, and to make him Sensible what was for his advantage. But Pharaoh, led not so much by his folly as by his wickedness, even when he saw the cause of his miseries, he still contested with Elohim, and willfully deserted the cause of virtue; so he bid Moses take the Hebrews away, with their wives and children, to leave their cattle behind, since their own cattle were destroyed. But when Moses said that what he desired was unjust, since they were obliged to offer slaughters to Elohim of those cattle, and the time being prolonged on this account, a thick darkness, without the least light, spread itself over the Egyptians, whereby their sight being obstructed, and their breathing hindered by the thickness of the air, they died miserably, and under a terror lest they should be swallowed up by the dark cloud. Besides this, when the darkness, after three days and as many nights, was dissipated, and when Pharaoh did not still repent and let the Hebrews go, Moses came to him and said, “How long wilt thou be disobedient to the command of Elohim? for he enjoins thee to let the Hebrews go; nor is there any other way of being freed from the calamities are under, unless you do so.” But the king angry at what he said, and threatened to cut off his head if he came any more to trouble him these matters. Hereupon Moses said he not speak to him any more about them, for he himself, together with the principal men among the Egyptians, should desire the Hebrews away. So when Moses had said this, he his way.

2.14.6. But when Elohim had signified, that with one plague he would compel the Egyptians to let Hebrews go, he commanded Moses to tell the people that they should have a slaughter ready, and they should prepare themselves on the tenth day of the month Xanthicus, against the fourteenth, [which month is called by the Egyptians Pharmuth, Nisan by the Hebrews; but the Macedonians call it Xanthicus,] and that he should carry the Hebrews with all they had. Accordingly, he having got the Hebrews ready for their departure, and having sorted the people into tribes, he kept them together in one place: but when the fourteenth day was come, and all were ready to depart they offered the slaughter, and purified their houses with the blood, using bunches of hyssop for that purpose; and when they had supped, they burnt the remainder of the flesh, as just ready to depart. Whence it is that we do still offer this slaughter in like manner to this day, and call this festival Pascha which signifies the feast of the passover; because on that day Elohim passed us over, and sent the plague upon the Egyptians; for the destruction of the first-born came upon the Egyptians that night, so that many of the Egyptians who lived near the king’s palace, persuaded Pharaoh to let the Hebrews go. Accordingly he called for Moses, and bid them be gone; as supposing, that if once the Hebrews were gone out of the country, Egypt should be freed from its miseries. They also honored the Hebrews with gifts; some, in order to get them to depart quickly, and others on account of their neighborhood, and the friendship they had with them.