• Torah (T): Wayiqra (Leviticus) 8:1-36
• Prophets (P): Ezekiel 43:27 – 44:8
• Apostolic (A): Hebrews 7:11-28
• Additional (ADD): Sirach 50:1-24

RELATED SCRIPTURES

• Numbers 10:1-8 (T, ADD)
• Exodus 28:1-4; Exodus 28:15-30; Exodus 29:1-37; Exodus 30:22-33; Exodus 39:21 (T)
• Deuteronomy 33:8-11 (T)
• Numbers 27:18-21; 1 Samuel 28:4-7 (T)
• Ezra 2:59-63; Nehemiah 7:61-65 (T)
• Psalms 133:1-3 (T)
• 1 John 2:18-29 (T)
• 2 Chronicles 29:1-36 (T)

RELATED ADDITIONAL REA.D.INGS

• Sirach 45:6-16 (T)
• Leviticus 8:1-36 from the Jerusalem Targum aka Targum Pseudo-Jonathan (T)
• Antiquities of the Jews by Flavius Josephus 3.7.5; 3.8.3-10; 3.12.6 (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)

8:1 YHWH spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Take Aaron and his sons with him, and the garments, and the anointing oil, and the bull of the sin offering, and the two rams, and the basket of unleavened bread; 3 and assemble all the congregation at the door of the Appointed Tent.” 4 Moses did as YHWH commanded him; and the congregation was assembled at the door of the Appointed Tent. 5 Moses said to the congregation, “This is the thing which YHWH has commanded to be done.” 6 Moses brought Aaron and his sons, and washed them with water. 7 He put the tunic on him, tied the sash on him, clothed him with the robe, put the ephod on him, and he tied the skillfully woven band of the ephod on him and fastened it to him with it. 8 He placed the breastplate on him. He put the Urim and Tummim in the breastplate. 9 He set the turban on his head. He set the golden plate, the holy crown, on the front of the turban, as YHWH commanded Moses. 10 Moses took the anointing oil, and anointed the tabernacle and all that was in it, and sanctified them. 11 He sprinkled it on the altar seven times, and anointed the altar and all its vessels, and the basin and its base, to sanctify them. 12 He poured some of the anointing oil on Aaron’s head, and anointed him, to sanctify him. 13 Moses brought Aaron’s sons, and clothed them with tunics, and tied sashes on them, and put headbands on them, as YHWH commanded Moses. 14 He brought the bull of the sin offering, and Aaron and his sons laid their hands on the head of the bull of the sin offering. 15 He killed it; and Moses took the blood, and put it around on the horns of the altar with his finger, and purified the altar, and poured out the blood at the base of the altar, and sanctified it, to make atonement for it. 16 He took all the fat that was on the innards, and the cover of the liver, and the two kidneys, and their fat; and Moses burned it on the altar. 17 But the bull, and its skin, and its flesh, and its dung, he burned with fire outside the camp, as YHWH commanded Moses. 18 He presented the ram of the burnt offering. Aaron and his sons laid their hands on the head of the ram. 19 He killed it; and Moses sprinkled the blood around on the altar. 20 He cut the ram into its pieces; and Moses burned the head, and the pieces, and the fat. 21 He washed the innards and the legs with water; and Moses burned the whole ram on the altar. It was a burnt offering for a pleasant aroma. It was an offering made by fire to YHWH, as YHWH commanded Moses. 22 He presented the other ram, the ram of installation. Aaron and his sons laid their hands on the head of the ram. 23 He killed it; and Moses took some of its blood, and put it on the tip of Aaron’s right ear, and on the thumb of his right hand, and on the great toe of his right foot. 24 He brought Aaron’s sons; and Moses put some of the blood on the tip of their right ear, and on the thumb of their right hand, and on the great toe of their right foot; and Moses sprinkled the blood around on the altar. 25 He took the fat, the fat tail, all the fat that was on the innards, the cover of the liver, the two kidneys and their fat, and the right thigh; 26 and out of the basket of unleavened bread that was before YHWH, he took one unleavened cake, one cake of oiled bread, and one wafer, and placed them on the fat and on the right thigh. 27 He put all these in Aaron’s hands and in his sons’ hands, and waved them for a wave offering before YHWH. 28 Moses took them from their hands, and burned them on the altar on the burnt offering. They were an installation offering for a pleasant aroma. It was an offering made by fire to YHWH. 29 Moses took the breast, and waved it for a wave offering before YHWH. It was Moses’ portion of the ram of installation, as YHWH commanded Moses. 30 Moses took some of the anointing oil, and some of the blood which was on the altar, and sprinkled it on Aaron, on his garments, and on his sons, and on his sons’ garments with him, and sanctified Aaron, his garments, and his sons, and his sons’ garments with him. 31 Moses said to Aaron and to his sons, “Boil the flesh at the [courtyard]^(LXX) of the Appointed Tent, and there eat it and the bread that is in the basket of installation, as I commanded, saying, ‘Aaron and his sons will eat it.’ 32 What remains of the flesh and of the bread you will burn with fire. 33 You will not go out from the door of the Appointed Tent for seven days, until the days of your installation are fulfilled: for he will fill your hand seven days. 34 What has been done today, so YHWH has commanded to do, to make atonement for you. 35 You will stay at the door of the Appointed Tent day and night seven days, and guard the command of YHWH, that you don’t die: for so [has YHWH Elohim]^(LXX) commanded.” 36 Aaron and his sons did all the things which YHWH commanded by Moses.

Prophets Portion (P)

43:27 When they have accomplished the days, it will be that on the eighth day and onward, the priests will make your burnt offerings on the altar and your peace offerings. Then I will accept you,’ says the Lord YHWH.” 44:1 Then he brought me back by the way of the outer gate of the sanctuary, which looks toward the east; and it was shut. 2 YHWH said to me, “This gate will be shut. It will not be opened, no man will enter in by it; for YHWH, the Elohim of Israel, has entered in by it. Therefore it will be shut. 3 As for the prince, he will sit in it as prince to eat bread before YHWH. He will enter by the way of the porch of the gate, and will go out the same way.” 4 Then he brought me by the way of the north gate before the house; and I looked, and behold, the glory of YHWH filled the house of YHWH; so I fell on my face. 5 YHWH said to me, “Son of man, mark well, and see with your eyes, and hear with your ears all that I tell you concerning all the ordinances of the house of YHWH and all its Torot; and mark well the entrance of the house, with every exit of the sanctuary. 6 You will tell the rebellious [house],^(LXX) even the house of Israel, ‘The Lord YHWH says: “You house of Israel, let that be enough of all your abominations, 7 in that you have brought in foreigners, uncircumcised in heart and uncircumcised in flesh, to be in my sanctuary, to profane it, when you bring my bread, the fat and the blood; and [you]^(LXX) have broken my covenant, to add to all your abominations. 8 You have not performed the duty of my holy; but you have set performers of my duty in my sanctuary for yourselves.”

Apostolic Portion (A)

7:11 Now if perfection was through the Levitical priesthood, for under it the people have received the law, what further need was there for another priest to arise after the order of Melchizedek, and not be called after the order of Aaron? 12 For the priesthood being changed, there is of necessity a change made also in the law. 13 For he of whom these things are said belongs to another tribe, from which no one has officiated at the altar. 14 For it is evident that our Lord has sprung out of Judah, about which tribe Moses spoke nothing concerning [priests].^(mss) 15 This is yet more abundantly evident, if after the likeness of Melchizedek there arises another priest, 16 who has been made, not after the law of a fleshly commandment, but after the power of an endless life; 17 for it is witnessed, “You are a priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek.” (cf. Psalms 110:4) 18 For there is an annulling of a foregoing commandment because of its weakness and unprofitableness, 19 for the law made nothing perfect, but a bringing in of a better hope, through which we draw near to Elohim. 20 Inasmuch as he was not made priest without the taking of an oath, 21 for they indeed have been made priests without an oath, but he with an oath by him that says of him, “YHWH swore and will not change his mind, ‘You are a priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek.’ ” (cf. Psalms 110:4) 22 By so much, Yeshua has become the guarantee of a better covenant. 23 Many, indeed, have been made priests, because they are hindered from continuing by death. 24 But he, because he lives forever, has his priesthood unchangeable. 25 Therefore he is also able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to Elohim through him, seeing that he lives forever to make intercession for them. 26 For such a high priest was fitting for us: holy, guiltless, undefiled, separated from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; 27 who doesn’t need, like those high priests, to offer up slaughters daily, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. For he did this once for all, when he offered up himself. 28 For the law appoints men as high priests who have weakness, but the word of the oath, which came after the law, appoints a Son forever who has been perfected.

Additional Portion (ADD)

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

50:1 It was Shimon, the son of Onias, the high priest, Who in his life repaired the house, And in his days strengthened the temple: 2 And by him was built from the foundation the height of the double wall, The lofty underworks of the enclosure of the temple: 3 In his days the cistern of waters was diminished, The brazen vessel in compass as the sea. 4 It was he that took thought for his people that they should not fall, And fortified the city against besieging: 5 How glorious was he when the people gathered round him At his coming forth out of the sanctuary! 6 As the morning star in the midst of a cloud, As the moon at the full: 7 As the sun shining forth upon the temple of the Most High, And as the rainbow giving light in clouds of glory: 8 As the flower of roses in the days of new fruits, As lilies at the water spring, As the shoot of the frankincense tree in the time of summer: 9 As fire and incense in the censer, As a vessel all of beaten gold Adorned with all manner of precious stones: 10 As an olive tree budding forth fruits, And as a cypress growing high among the clouds. 11 When he took up the robe of glory, And put on the perfection of exultation, In the ascent of the holy altar, He made glorious the precinct of the sanctuary. 12 And when he received the portions out of the priests’ hands, Himself also standing by the hearth of the altar, His kindred as a garland round about him, He was as a young cedar in Libanus; And as stems of palm trees compassed they him round about, 13 And all the sons of Aaron in their glory, And the Lord’s offering in their hands, before all the congregation of Israel. 14 And finishing the service at the altars, That he might adorn the offering of the Most High, the Almighty, 15 He stretched out his hand to the cup, And poured out the cup of the grape; He poured out at the foot of the altar A sweet smelling savor to the Most High, the King of all. 16 Then shouted the sons of Aaron, They sounded the trumpets of beaten work, They made a great noise to be heard, For a remembrance before the Most High. 17 Then all the people together hurried, And fell down upon the land on their faces To worship their Lord, the Almighty, Elohim Most High. 18 The singers also praised him with their voices; In the whole house was there made sweet melody. 19 And the people implored the Lord Most High, In prayer before him that is merciful. Till the adornment of the Lord should be ended; And so they accomplished his service. 20 Then he went down, and lifted up his hands Over the whole congregation of the sons of Israel, To give blessing to the Lord with his lips, And to glory in his name. 21 And he bowed himself down in worship the second time, To declare the blessing from the Most High. 22 And now bless the Elohim of all, who everywhere does great things, who exalts our days from the womb, and deals with us according to his mercy. 23 May he grant us joyfulness of heart, And that peace may be in our days in Israel for the days of eternity: 24 To entrust his mercy with us; And let him deliver us in his time!

Related Scriptures

10:1 YHWH spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Make two trumpets of silver. You will make them of beaten work. You will use them for the calling of the congregation and for the journeying of the camps. 3 When they blow them, all the congregation will gather themselves to you at the door of the Appointed Tent. 4 If they blow just one, then the princes, the heads of the thousands of Israel, will meet together to you. 5 When you blow an alarm, the camps that lie on the east side will go forward. 6 When you blow an alarm the second time, the camps that lie on the south side will go forward. They will blow an alarm for their journeys. 7 But when the assembly is to be gathered together, you will blow, but you will not sound an alarm. 8 “The sons of Aaron, the priests, will blow the trumpets. This will be to you for a statute forever throughout your generations. 9 When you go to war in your land against the adversary who oppresses you, then you will sound an alarm with the trumpets. Then you will be remembered before YHWH your Elohim, and you will be saved from your enemies.

Exodus 28:1 “Bring Aaron your brother, and his sons with him, near to you from among the sons of Israel, to adorn him for me: Aaron, with Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar, Aaron’s sons. 2 You will make holy garments for Aaron your brother, for glory and for decoration. 3 You will speak to all who are wise-hearted, whom I have filled with the spirit of wisdom, that they make Aaron’s garments to sanctify him, to adorn him for me. 4 These are the garments which they will make: a breastplate, an ephod, a robe, a woven tunic, a turban, and a sash. They will make holy garments for Aaron your brother and his sons, to adorn him for me…”

Exodus 28:15 “…You will make a breastplate of judgment, the work of the skillful workman; like the work of the ephod you will make it; of gold, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen, you will make it. 16 It will be square and folded double; a span will be its length, and a span its width. 17 You will set in it settings of stones, four rows of stones: a row of ruby, topaz, and beryl will be the first row; 18 and the second row a turquoise, a sapphire, and an emerald; 19 and the third row a jacinth, an agate, and an amethyst; 20 and the fourth row a chrysolite, an onyx, and a jasper. They will be enclosed in gold in their settings. 21 The stones will be according to the names of the sons of Israel, twelve, according to their names; like the engravings of a signet, everyone according to his name, they will be for the twelve tribes. 22 You will make on the breastplate chains like cords, of braided work of pure gold. 23 You will make on the breastplate two rings of gold, and will put the two rings on the two ends of the breastplate. 24 You will put the two braided chains of gold in the two rings at the ends of the breastplate. 25 The other two ends of the two braided chains you will put on the two settings, and put them on the shoulder straps of the ephod in its forepart. 26 You will make two rings of gold, and you will put them on the two ends of the breastplate, on its edge, which is toward the side of the ephod inward. 27 You will make two rings of gold, and will put them on the two shoulder straps of the ephod underneath, in its forepart, close by its coupling, above the skillfully woven band of the ephod. 28 They will bind the breastplate by its rings to the rings of the ephod with a cord of blue, that it may be on the skillfully woven band of the ephod, and that the breastplate may not swing out from the ephod. 29 Aaron will bear the names of the sons of Israel in the breastplate of judgment on his heart, when he goes in to the holy place, for a memorial before YHWH continually. 30 You will put in the breastplate of judgment the Urim and the Tummim; and they will be on Aaron’s heart, when he goes in before YHWH. Aaron will bear the judgment of the sons of Israel on his heart before YHWH continually…”

Exodus 29:1 “This is the thing that you will do to them to make them holy, to be adorned for me: take one young bull and two rams, perfect ones, 2 unleavened bread, unleavened cakes mixed with oil, and unleavened wafers anointed with oil. You will make them of fine wheat flour. 3 You will put them into one basket, and bring them in the basket, with the bull and the two rams. 4 You will bring Aaron and his sons to the door of the Appointed Tent, and will wash them with water. 5 You will take the garments, and put on Aaron the tunic, the robe of the ephod, the ephod, and the breastplate, and clothe him with the skillfully woven band of the ephod. 6 You will set the turban on his head, and put the holy crown on the turban. 7 Then you will take the anointing oil, and pour it on his head, and anoint him. 8 You will bring his sons, and put tunics on them. 9 You will clothem with sashes, Aaron and his sons, and bind headbands on them. They will have the priesthood by a perpetual statute. You will fill the hand of Aaron and his sons. 10 “You will bring the bull before the Appointed Tent; and Aaron and his sons will lay their hands on the head of the bull. 11 You will kill the bull before YHWH at the door of the Appointed Tent. 12 You will take of the blood of the bull, and put it on the horns of the altar with your finger; and you will pour out all the blood at the base of the altar. 13 You will take all the fat that covers the innards, the cover of the liver, the two kidneys, and the fat that is on them, and burn them on the altar. 14 But the flesh of the bull, and its skin, and its dung, you will burn with fire outside of the camp. It is a sin offering. 15 “You will also take the one ram, and Aaron and his sons will lay their hands on the head of the ram. 16 You will kill the ram, and you will take its blood, and sprinkle it around on the altar. 17 You will cut the ram into its pieces, and wash its innards, and its legs, and put them with its pieces, and with its head. 18 You will burn the whole ram on the altar: it is a burnt offering to YHWH; it is a pleasant aroma, an offering made by fire to YHWH. 19 “You will take the other ram, and Aaron and his sons will lay their hands on the head of the ram. 20 Then you will kill the ram, and take some of its blood, and put it on the tip of the right ear of Aaron, and on the tip of the right ear of his sons, and on the thumb of their right hand, and on the big toe of their right foot; and sprinkle the blood around on the altar. 21 You will take of the blood that is on the altar, and of the anointing oil, and sprinkle it on Aaron, and on his garments, and on his sons, and on the garments of his sons with him: and he will be made holy, and his garments, and his sons, and his sons’ garments with him. 22 Also you will take some of the ram’s fat, the fat tail, the fat that covers the innards, the cover of the liver, the two kidneys, the fat that is on them, and the right thigh (for it is a ram of installation), 23 and one loaf of bread, one cake of oiled bread, and one wafer out of the basket of unleavened bread that is before YHWH. 24 You will put all of this in Aaron’s hands, and in his sons’ hands, and will wave them for a wave offering before YHWH. 25 You will take them from their hands, and burn them on the altar on the burnt offering, for a pleasant aroma before YHWH: it is an offering made by fire to YHWH. 26 “You will take the breast of Aaron’s ram of installation, and wave it for a wave offering before YHWH. It will be your portion. 27 You will sanctify the breast of the wave offering and the thigh of the wave offering, which is waved, and which is raised up, of the ram of installation, even of that which is for Aaron, and of that which is for his sons. 28 It will be for Aaron and his sons as their portion forever from the sons of Israel; for it is a wave offering. It will be a wave offering from the sons of Israel of the slaughters of their peace offerings, even their wave offering to YHWH. 29 “The holy garments of Aaron will be for his sons after him, to be anointed in them, and their hand to be filled in them. 30 Seven days will the son who is priest in his place put them on, when he comes into the Appointed Tent to minister in the holy place. 31 “You will take the ram of installation and boil its flesh in a holy place. 32 Aaron and his sons will eat the flesh of the ram, and the bread that is in the basket, at the door of the Appointed Tent. 33 They will eat those things with which atonement was made, to fill their hand and sanctify them; but a stranger will not eat of it, because they are holy. 34 If anything of the flesh of the installation, or of the bread, remains to the morning, then you will burn the remainder with fire. It will not be eaten, because it is holy. 35 “You will do so to Aaron and to his sons, according to all that I have commanded you. You will fill their hand seven days. 36 Every day you will do the bull of sin offering for atonements. You will cleanse the altar when you make atonement for it. You will anoint it, to sanctify it. 37 Seven days you will make atonement for the altar, and sanctify it; and the altar will be most holy. Whatever touches the altar will be holy.

Exodus 30:22 Moreover YHWH spoke to Moses, saying, 23 “Also take fine spices: of liquid myrrh, five hundred shekels; and of fragrant cinnamon half as much, even two hundred and fifty; and of fragrant cane, two hundred and fifty; 24 and of cassia five hundred, according to the shekel of the sanctuary; and a hin of olive oil. 25 You will make it into a holy anointing oil, a perfume compounded after the art of the perfumer: it will be a holy anointing oil. 26 You will use it to anoint the Appointed Tent, the ark of the witness, 27 the table and all its articles, the lampstand and its accessories, the altar of incense, 28 the altar of burnt offering with all its utensils, and the basin with its base. 29 You will sanctify them, that they may be most holy. Whatever touches them will be holy. 30 You will anoint Aaron and his sons, and sanctify them to be adorned for me. 31 You will speak to the sons of Israel, saying, ‘This will be a holy anointing oil to me throughout your generations. 32 It will not be poured on man’s flesh, and do not make any like it, according to its composition. It is holy. It will be holy to you. 33 Whoever compounds any like it, or whoever puts any of it on a stranger, he will be cut off from his people.’ ”

Exodus 39:21 They bound the breastplate by its rings to the rings of the ephod [as YHWH had commanded Moses]^(4Q17), with a cord of blue, that it might be on the skillfully woven band on the inside of the ephod, and that the breastplate might not come loose from the ephod, as YHWH commanded Moses, [and he made the Urim and the Tummim as YHWH had commanded Moses]^(4Q17)

33:8 About Levi he said, “Your Tummim and your Urim are for each of your kind ones, whom you proved at Massah, with whom you contended at the waters of Meribah. 9 He said of his father, and of his mother, ‘I have not seen him.’ He didn’t acknowledge his brothers, nor did he know his own sons for they have observed your word, and guard your covenant. 10 They will teach Jacob your judgments, and Israel your Torah. They will put incense before you, and whole burnt offering on your altar. 11 YHWH, bless his skills. Accept the work of his hands. Strike through the hips of those who rise up against him, of those who hate him, that they not rise again.”

Numbers 27:18 YHWH said to Moses, “Take Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the Spirit, and lay your hand on him. 19 Set him before Eleazar the priest, and before all the congregation; and command him in their sight. 20 You will give authority to him, that all the congregation of the sons of Israel may obey. 21 He will stand before Eleazar the priest, who will inquire for him by the judgment of the Urim before YHWH. At his word they will go out, and at his word they will come in, both he and all the sons of Israel with him, even all the congregation.”

1 Samuel 28:4 The Philistines gathered themselves together, and came and encamped in Shunem; and Shaul gathered all Israel together, and they encamped in Gilboa. 5 When Shaul saw the army of the Philistines, he was afraid, and his heart trembled greatly. 6 When Shaul inquired of YHWH, YHWH didn’t answer him by dreams, by Urim, or by prophets. 7 Then Shaul said to his servants, “Seek for me a woman who has a familiar spirit, that I may go to her and inquire of her.” His servants said to him, “Behold, there is a woman who has a familiar spirit at Endor.”

Ezra 2:59 These were those who went up from Tel Melah, Tel Harsha, Cherub, Addan, and Immer; but they could not show their fathers’ houses and their seed, whether they were of Israel: 60 the sons of Delaiah, the sons of Tobiah, the sons of Nekoda, six hundred fifty-two. 61 Of the sons of the priests: the sons of Habaiah, the sons of Hakkoz, and the sons of Barzillai, who took a woman of the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite, and was called after their name. 62 These sought their place among those who were registered by genealogy, but they were not found; therefore they were deemed disqualified and removed from the priesthood. 63 The governor told them that they should not eat of the holy of holies until a priest stood up to serve with Urim and with Tummim.

Nehemiah 7:61 These were those who went up from Tel Melah, Tel Harsha, Cherub, Addon, and Immer; but they could not show their fathers’ houses, nor their seed, whether they were of Israel: 62 The sons of Delaiah, the sons of Tobiah, the sons of Nekoda: six hundred forty-two. 63 Of the priests: the sons of Hobaiah, the sons of Hakkoz, the sons of Barzillai, who took a woman of the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite, and was called after their name. 64 These searched for their genealogical records, but couldn’t find them. Therefore they were deemed disqualified and removed from the priesthood. 65 The governor told them not to eat of the holy of holies until a priest stood up to minister with Urim and Tummim.

A Song of Ascents. By David.

133:1 See how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to live together in unity! 2 It is like the precious oil on the head, that ran down on the beard, even Aaron’s beard, that came down on the edge of his robes, 3 like the dew of Hermon, that comes down on the hills of Zion; for there YHWH gives the blessing, even life forever more.

2:18 Little children, these are the end times, and as you heard that the Anti-messiah is coming, even now many anti-messiahs have arisen. By this we know that it is the final hour. 19 They went out from us, but they didn’t belong to us; for if they had belonged to us, they would have continued with us. But they left, that they might be revealed that none of them belong to us. 20 You have an anointing from the Holy One, and you all have knowledge. 21 I have not written to you because you don’t know the truth, but because you know it, and because no lie is of the truth. 22 Who is the liar but he who denies that Yeshua is the Messiah? This is the Anti-messiah, he who denies the Father and the Son. 23 Whoever denies the Son doesn’t have the Father. He who confesses the Son has the Father also. 24 Therefore, as for you, let that remain in you which you heard from the beginning. If that which you heard from the beginning remains in you, you also will remain in the Son, and in the Father. 25 This is the promise which he promised us, the eternal life. 26 These things I have written to you concerning those who would lead you astray. 27 As for you, the anointing which you received from him remains in you, and you don’t need for anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is no lie, and even as it taught you, you will remain in him. 28 Now, little children, remain in him, that when he appears, we may have boldness and not be ashamed before him at his coming. 29 If you know that he is righteous, you know that everyone who practices righteousness has been born of him.

29:1 Hezekiah began to reign when he was twenty-five years old, and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Abijah, the daughter of Zechariah. 2 He did that which was right in the eyes of YHWH, according to all that David his father had done. 3 In the first year of his reign, in the first new moon, he opened the doors of the house of YHWH and repaired them. 4 He brought in the priests and the Levites and gathered them together into the wide place on the east, 5 and said to them, “Listen to me, you Levites! Now sanctify yourselves, and sanctify the house of YHWH, the Elohim of your fathers, and carry the filthiness out of the holy place. 6 For our fathers were unfaithful, and have done that which was evil in YHWH our Elohim’s sight, and have forsaken him, and have turned away their faces from the habitation of YHWH, and turned their backs. 7 Also they have shut up the doors of the porch, and put out the lamps, and have not burned incense nor offered burnt offerings in the holy place to the Elohim of Israel. 8 Therefore the wrath of YHWH was on Judah and Jerusalem, and he has delivered them to be tossed back and forth, to be an astonishment and a hissing, as you see with your eyes. 9 For behold, our fathers have fallen by the sword, and our sons and our daughters and our wives are in captivity for this. 10 Now it is in my heart to cut a covenant with YHWH, the Elohim of Israel, that his fierce anger may turn away from us. 11 My sons, don’t be negligent now; for YHWH has chosen you to stand before him, to minister to him, and that you should be his ministers and burn incense.” 12 Then the Levites arose: Mahath, the son of Amasai, and Joel the son of Azariah, of the sons of the Qohathites; and of the sons of Merari, Kish the son of Abdi, and Azariah the son of Jehallelel; and of the Gershonites, Joah the son of Zimmah, and Eden the son of Joah; 13 and of the sons of Elizaphan, Shimri and Jeuel; and of the sons of Asaph, Zechariah and Mattaniah; 14 and of the sons of Heman, Jehuel and Shimei; and of the sons of Jeduthun, Shemayah and Uzziel. 15 They gathered their brothers, sanctified themselves, and went in, according to the commandment of the king by the word of YHWHs, to cleanse the house of YHWH. 16 The priests went into the inner part of the house of YHWH to cleanse it, and brought out all the uncleanness that they found in the temple of YHWH into the court of the house of YHWH. The Levites took it from there to carry it out to the brook Kidron. 17 Now they began on the first day of the first new moon to sanctify, and on the eighth day of the new moon they came to YHWH’s porch. They sanctified the house of YHWH in eight days, and on the sixteenth day of the first new moon they finished. 18 Then they went in to Hezekiah the king within the palace and said, “We have cleansed all the house of YHWH, including the altar of burnt offering with all its vessels, and the table of bread of the presence with all its vessels. 19 Moreover, we have prepared and sanctified all the vessels which king Ahaz threw away in his reign when he was unfaithful. Behold, they are before the altar of YHWH.” 20 Then Hezekiah the king arose early, gathered the princes of the city, and went up to the house of YHWH. 21 They brought seven bulls, seven rams, seven lambs, and seven male goats, for a sin offering for the reign, for the sanctuary, and for Judah. He commanded the priests the sons of Aaron to cause them to ascend on the altar of YHWH. 22 So they killed the bulls, and the priests received the blood and sprinkled it on the altar. They killed the rams and sprinkled the blood on the altar. They also killed the lambs and sprinkled the blood on the altar. 23 They brought near the male goats for the sin offering before the king and the assembly; and they laid their hands on them. 24 Then the priests killed them, and they made a sin offering with their blood on the altar, to make atonement for all Israel; for the king commanded that the burnt offering and the sin offering should be made for all Israel. 25 He set the Levites in the house of YHWH with cymbals, with stringed instruments, and with harps, according to the commandment of David, of Gad the king’s seer, and Nathan the prophet; for the commandment was from YHWH by his prophets. 26 The Levites stood with David’s instruments, and the priests with the trumpets. 27 Hezekiah commanded them to cause the burnt offering to ascend on the altar. When the burnt offering began, YHWH’s song also began, along with the trumpets and instruments of David king of Israel. 28 All the assembly worshiped, the singers sang, and the trumpeters sounded. All this continued until the burnt offering was finished. 29 When they had finished offering, the king and all who were present with him bowed themselves and did bow down. 30 Moreover Hezekiah the king and the princes commanded the Levites to sing praises to YHWH with the words of David, and of Asaph the seer. They sang praises with gladness, and they bowed their heads and did bow down. 31 Then Hezekiah answered, “Now you have consecrated yourselves to YHWH. Come near and bring slaughters and thank offerings into the house of YHWH.” The assembly brought in slaughters and thank offerings, and as many as were of a willing heart brought burnt offerings. 32 The number of the burnt offerings which the assembly brought was seventy bulls, one hundred rams, and two hundred lambs. All these were for a burnt offering to YHWH. 33 The consecrated things were six hundred head of cattle and three thousand sheep. 34 But the priests were too few, so that they could not skin all the burnt offerings. Therefore their brothers the Levites helped them until the work was ended, and until the priests had sanctified themselves, for the Levites were more upright in heart to sanctify themselves than the priests. 35 Also the burnt offerings were in abundance, with the fat of the peace offerings and with the libation offerings for every burnt offering. So the service of the house of YHWH was set in order. 36 Hezekiah and all the people rejoiced because of that which Elohim had prepared for the people; for the thing was done suddenly.

Related Additional Readings​

45:6 He exalted Aaron, a holy man like to him, Even his brother, of the tribe of Levi. 7 He established for him an everlasting covenant, And gave him the priesthood of the people; He blessed him with comely ornaments, And girded him about with a robe of glory. 8 He clothed him with the perfection of exultation; And strengthened him with apparel of strength, The linen trousers, the tunic, and the ephod. 9 And he compassed him with pomegranates of gold, And with many bells roundabout, To send forth a sound as he went, To make a sound that might be heard in the temple, For a memorial to the children of his people; 10 With a holy garment, with gold and blue and purple, the work of the embroiderer, With an oracle of judgment, even with the Urim and Tummim; 11 With twisted scarlet, the work of the craftsman; With precious stones graven like a signet, in a setting of gold, the work of the jeweler, For a memorial engraved in writing, after the number of the tribes of Israel; 12 With a crown of gold upon the mitre, having graven on it, as on a signet, HOLINESS, An ornament of honor, a work of might, The desires of the eyes, goodly and beautiful. 13 Before him there never have been any such; No stranger put them on, but his sons only, and his seed perpetually. 14 His slaughters will be wholly consumed Every day twice continually. 15 Moses filled his hands, And anointed him with holy oil: It was to him for an everlasting covenant, And to his seed, all the days of the heavens, To minister to him, and to execute also the priest’s office, And bless his people in his name. 16 He chose him out of all living To offer slaughter to the Lord, Incense, and a sweet savor, for a memorial, To make reconciliation for your people. 17 He gave to him in his commandments, Yes, authority in the covenants of judgments, To teach Jacob the testimonies, And to enlighten Israel in his law. 18 Strangers gathered themselves together against him, And envied him in the wilderness, Even Dathan and Abiram with their company, And the congregation of Qorach, with wrath and anger. 19 The Lord saw it, and it displeased him; And in the wrath of his anger they were destroyed: He did wonders upon them, To consume them with flaming fire. 20 And he added glory to Aaron, And gave him a heritage: He divided to him the first fruits of the increase; And first did he prepare bread in abundance: 21 For they will eat the slaughters of the Lord, Which he gave to him and to his seed. 22 However in the land of the people he will have no inheritance, And he has no portion among the people: For he himself is your portion and inheritance.

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.).

3.7.5. Besides these, the high priest put on a third garment, which was called the Ephod, which resembles the Epomis of the Greeks. Its make was after this manner: it was woven to the depth of a cubit, of several colors, with gold intermixed, and embroidered, but it left the middle of the breast uncovered: it was made with sleeves also; nor did it appear to be at all differently made from a short coat. But in the void place of this garment there was inserted a piece of the bigness of a span, embroidered with gold, and the other colors of the ephod, and was called Essen, [the breastplate,] which in the Greek language signifies the Oracle. This piece exactly filled up the void space in the ephod. It was united to it by golden rings at every corner, the like rings being annexed to the ephod, and a blue riband was made use of to tie them together by those rings; and that the space between the rings might not appear empty, they contrived to fill it up with stitches of blue ribands. There were also two sardonyxes upon the ephod, at the shoulders, to fasten it in the nature of buttons, having each end running to the sardonyxes of gold, that they might be buttoned by them. On these were engraven the names of the sons of Jacob, in our own country letters, and in our own tongue, six on each of the stones, on either side; and the elder sons’ names were on the right shoulder. Twelve stones also there were upon the breast-plate, extraordinary in largeness and beauty; and they were an ornament not to be purchased by men, because of their immense value. These stones, however, stood in three rows, by four in a row, and were inserted into the breastplate itself, and they were set in ouches of gold, that were themselves inserted in the breastplate, and were so made that they might not fall out low the first three stones were a sardonyx, a topaz, and an emerald. The second row contained a carbuncle, a jasper, and a sapphire. The first of the third row was a ligure, then an amethyst, and the third an agate, being the ninth of the whole number. The first of the fourth row was a chrysolite, the next was an onyx, and then a beryl, which was the last of all. Now the names of all those sons of Jacob were engraven in these stones, whom we esteem the heads of our tribes, each stone having the honor of a name, in the order according to which they were born. And whereas the rings were too weak of themselves to bear the weight of the stones, they made two other rings of a larger size, at the edge of that part of the breastplate which reached to the neck, and inserted into the very texture of the breastplate, to receive chains finely wrought, which connected them with golden bands to the tops of the shoulders, whose extremity turned backwards, and went into the ring, on the prominent back part of the ephod; and this was for the security of the breastplate, that it might not fall out of its place. There was also a girdle sewed to the breastplate, which was of the forementioned colors, with gold intermixed, which, when it had gone once round, was tied again upon the seam, and hung down. There were also golden loops that admitted its fringes at each extremity of the girdle, and included them entirely.

3.8.3. Moses now purified the tabernacle and the priests; which purification was performed after the following manner:—He commanded them to take five hundred shekels of choice myrrh, an equal quantity of cassia, and half the foregoing weight of cinnamon and calamus [this last is a sort of sweet spice]; to beat them small, and wet them with an bin of oil of olives [an hin is our own country measure, and contains two Athenian choas, or congiuses]; then mix them together, and boil them, and prepare them after the art of the apothecary, and make them into a very sweet ointment; and afterward to take it to anoint and to purify the priests themselves, and all the tabernacle, as also the slaughters. There were also many, and those of various kinds, of sweet spices, that belonged to the tabernacle, and such as were of very great price, and were brought to the golden altar of incense; the nature of which I do not now describe, lest it should be troublesome to my readers; but incense was to be offered twice a-day, both before sun-rising and at sun-setting. They were also to keep oil already purified for the lamps; three of which were to give light all day long, upon the sacred candlestick, before Elohim, and the rest were to be lighted at the evening.

3.8.4. Now all was finished. Besaleel and Aholiab appeared to be the most skillful of the workmen; for they invented finer works than what others had done before them, and were of great abilities to gain notions of what they were formerly ignorant of; and of these, Besaleel was judged to be the best. Now the whole time they were about this work was the interval of seven new moons; and after this it was that was ended the first year since their departure out of Egypt. But at the beginning of the second year, on the new moon Xanthicus, as the Macedonians call it, but on the new moon Nisan, as the Hebrews call it, on the new moon, they consecrated the tabernacle, and all its vessels, which I have already described.

3.8.5. Now Elohim showed himself pleased with the work of the Hebrews, and did not permit their labors to be in vain; nor did he disdain to make use of what they had made, but he came and sojourned with them, and pitched his tabernacle in the holy house. And in the following manner did he come to it:—The heavens was clear, but there was a mist over the tabernacle only, encompassing it, but not with such a very deep and thick cloud as is seen in the winter season, nor yet in so thin a one as men might be able to discern any thing through it, but from it there dropped a sweet dew, and such a one as showed the face of Elohim to those that desired and believed it.

3.8.6. Now when Moses had bestowed such honorary presents on the workmen, as it was fit they should receive, who had wrought so well, he offered slaughters in the open court of the tabernacle, as Elohim commanded him; a bull, a ram, and a kid of the goats, for a sin-offering. Now I will speak of what we do in our sacred offices in my discourse about slaughters; and therein will inform men in what cases Moses bid us offer a whole burnt offering, and in what cases the law permits us to partake of them as of food. And when Moses had sprinkled Aaron’s vestments, himself, and his sons, with the blood of the beasts that were slain, and had purified them with spring waters and ointment, they became Elohim’s priests. After this manner did he consecrate them and their garments for seven days together. The same he did to the tabernacle, and the vessels thereto belonging, both with oil first incensed, as I said, and with the blood of bulls and of rams, slain day by day one, according to its kind. But on the eighth day he appointed a feast for the people, and commanded them to offer slaughter according to their ability. Accordingly they contended one with another, and were ambitious to exceed each other in the slaughters which they brought, and so fulfilled Moses’s injunctions. But as the slaughters lay upon the altar, a sudden fire was kindled from among them of its own accord, and appeared to the sight like fire from a flash of lightning, and consumed whatsoever was upon the altar.

3.8.7. Hereupon an affliction befell Aaron, considered as a man and a father, but was undergone by him with true fortitude; for he had indeed a firmness of soul in such accidents, and he thought this calamity came upon him according to Elohim’s will: for whereas he had four sons, as I said before, the two elder of them, Nadab and Abihu, did not bring those slaughters which Moses bade them bring, but which they used to offer formerly, and were burnt to death. Now when the fire rushed upon them, and began to burn them, nobody could quench it. Accordingly they died in this manner. And Moses bid their father and their brethren to take up their bodies, to carry them out of the camp, and to bury them magnificently. Now the multitude lamented them, and were deeply affected at this their death, which so unexpectedly befell them. But Moses entreated their brethren and their father not to be troubled for them, and to prefer the honor of Elohim before their grief about them; for Aaron had already put on his sacred garments.

3.8.8. But Moses refused all that honor which he saw the multitude ready to bestow upon him, and attended to nothing else but the service of Elohim. He went no more up to Mount Sinai; but he went into the tabernacle, and brought back answers from Elohim for what he prayed for. His habit was also that of a private man, and in all other circumstances he behaved himself like one of the common people, and was desirous to appear without distinguishing himself from the multitude, but would have it known that he did nothing else but take care of them. He also set down in writing the form of their government, and those laws by obedience whereto they would lead their lives so as to please Elohim, and so as to have no quarrels one among another. However, the laws he ordained were such as Elohim suggested to him; so I will now discourse concerning that form of government, and those laws.

3.8.9. I will now treat of what I before omitted, the garment of the high priest: for he [Moses] left no room for the evil practices of [false] prophets; but if some of that sort should attry to abuse the Divine authority, he left it to Elohim to be present at his slaughters when he pleased, and when he pleased to be absent. And he was willing this should be known, not to the Hebrews only, but to those foreigners also who were there. For as to those stones, which we told you before, the high priest bare on his shoulders, which were sardonyxes, [and I think it needless to describe their nature, they being known to every body,] the one of them shined out when Elohim was present at their slaughters; I mean that which was in the nature of a button on his right shoulder, bright rays darting out thence, and being seen even by those that were most remote; which splendor yet was not before natural to the stone. This has appeared a wonderful thing to such as have not so far indulged themselves in philosophy, as to despise Divine revelation. Yet will I mention what is still more wonderful than this: for Elohim declared beforehand, by those twelve stones which the high priest bare on his breast, and which were inserted into his breastplate, when they should be victorious in battle; for so great a splendor shone forth from them before the army began to march, that all the people were sensible of Elohim’s being present for their assistance. Whence it came to pass that those Greeks, who had a veneration for our laws, because they could not possibly contradict this, called that breastplate the Oracle. Now this breastplate, and this sardonyx, left off shining two hundred years before I composed this book, Elohim having been displeased at the transgressions of his laws. Of which things we will further discourse on a fitter opportunity; but I will now go on with my proposed narration.

3.8.10. The tabernacle being now consecrated, and a regular order being settled for the priests, the multitude judged that Elohim now dwelt among them, and betook themselves to slaughters and praises to Elohim as being now delivered from all expectation of evils and as entertaining a hopeful prospect of better times hereafter. They offered also gifts to Elohim some as common to the whole nation, and others as peculiar to themselves, and these tribe by tribe; for the heads of the tribes combined together, two by two, and brought a wagon and a yoke of oxen. These amounted to six, and they carried the tabernacle when they journeyed. Besides which, each head of a tribe brought a bowl, and a charger, and a spoon, of ten darics, full of incense. Now the charger and the bowl were of silver, and together they weighed two hundred shekels, but the bowl cost no more than seventy shekels; and these were full of fine flour mingled with oil, such as they used on the altar about the slaughters. They brought also a young bullock, and a ram, with a lamb of a year old, for a whole burnt offering, as also a goat for the forgiveness of sins. Every one of the heads of the tribes brought also other slaughters, called peace-offerings, for every day two bulls, and five rams, with lambs of a year old, and kids of the goats. These heads of tribes were twelve days in slaughtering, one slaughtering every day. Now Moses went no longer up to Mount Sinai, but went into the tabernacle, and learned of Elohim what they were to do, and what laws should be made; which laws were preferable to what have been devised by human understanding, and proved to be firmly observed for all time to come, as being believed to be the gift of Elohim, insomuch that the Hebrews did not transgress any of those laws, either as tested in times of peace by luxury, or in times of war by distress of affairs. But I say no more here concerning them, because I have resolved to compose another work concerning our laws.

3.12.6. Moreover, Moses was the inventor of the form of their trumpet, which was made of silver. Its description is this:—In length it was little less than a cubit. It was composed of a narrow tube, somewhat thicker than a flute, but with so much breadth as was sufficient for admission of the breath of a man’s mouth: it ended in the form of a bell, like common trumpets. Its sound was called in the Hebrew tongue Asosra. Two of these being made, one of them was sounded when they required the multitude to come together to congregations. When the first of them gave a signal, the heads of the tribes were to assemble, and consult about the affairs to them properly belonging; but when they gave the signal by both of them, they called the multitude together. Whenever the tabernacle was removed, it was done in this solemn order:—At the first alarm of the trumpet, those whose tents were on the east quarter prepared to remove; when the second signal was given, those that were on the south quarter did the like; in the next place, the tabernacle was taken to pieces, and was carried in the midst of six tribes that went before, and of six that followed, all the Levites assisting about the tabernacle; when the third signal was given, that part which had their tents towards the west put themselves in motion; and at the fourth signal those on the north did so likewise. They also made use of these trumpets in their sacred ministrations, when they were bringing their slaughters to the altar as well on the Sabbaths as on the rest of the [festival] days; and now it was that Moses offered that slaughter which was called the Pesach in the Wilderness, as the first he had offered after the departure out of Egypt.