• Torah (T): Wayiqra (Leviticus) 25:39 – 26:2
• Prophets (P): Isaiah 24:1-6
• Apostolic (A): John 13:12-20; Ephesians 6:5-9
• Additional (ADD): Sirach 7:15-28

RELATED SCRIPTURES

• Exodus 21:1-11 (T)
• 2 Kings 4:1-7 (T)
• Colossians 4:1 (T)
• Exodus 23:9-12 (T)
• Deuteronomy 15:1-18 (T)
• Jeremiah 34:12-19 (T)
• Matthew 18:21-35 (T)
• Ezekiel 18:1-18 (T)
• John 8:27-59 (T)
• Psalms 97:1-9 (T)

RELATED ADDITIONAL REA.D.INGS

• Jubilees 50:1-5 (T)
• A Joshua Apocryphon or Psalms of Joshua (4Q378–9)
• Apocryphon of Jeremiah (4Q383, 385a, 387, 387a, 388a, 389–90)
• The Coming of Melchizedek 11Q13 Column 2 (T)
• Testament of Levi 1Q21 Column 17-18 (T)
• The Damascus Document 4Q271 Fragment 1 Column 1 (T)
• Leviticus 25:39 – 26:2 from the Jerusalem Targum aka Targum Pseudo-Jonathan (T)
• Antiquities of the Jews by Flavius Josephus 3.12.3; 4.8.28 (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)

25:39 If your brother becomes low with you, and will be sold to you, you will not make him to serve [as service of a house-servant].^(LXX) 40 As a hired-servant, and as a settler, he will be with you; he will serve with you until the Year of Yovel. 41 Then he will go out from you, he and his sons with him, and will return to his own family, and to the possession of his fathers. 42 For they are my servants, whom I brought out of the land of Egypt. They will not be sold [in a sale of a house-servant].^(LXX) 43 You will not [oppress him with labor],^(LXX) but will fear [YHWH]^(LXX) your Elohim. 44 As for your servant and your maid, whom will be to you from the nations that are around you, from them you may buy servants and maids. 45 Moreover, of the sons of the sojourning settlers among you, of them you may buy, and of their families who are with you, which they bear in your land; and they will be your possession. 46 You may [divide them to]^(DSS)(LXX) your sons after you, to inherit for a possession. Of them you may take your servants [to the age],^(LXX) but over your brothers the sons of Israel [one will not oppress his brother with labors].^(LXX) 47 If the hand of a sojourner or settler with you will attain, and your brother with him becomes low and will be sold to the sojourner settling with you, or to a member of the sojourners family, 48 after he is sold he may be redeemed. One of his brothers may redeem him; 49 or his uncle, or his uncle’s son, may redeem him, or from a near kin of his flesh from his family may redeem him; or if his hand attains, he may redeem himself. 50 He will reckon with him who bought him from the year of his being sold to him to the Year of Yovel. The price of his sale will be according to the number of years; he will be with him according to the days of a hired-servant. 51 If there are yet many years, according to them he will give back the price of his redemption out of the money that he was bought for. 52 If there remain but a few years to the Year of Yovel, then he will reckon with him; according to his years he will give back the price of his redemption. 53 As a hired-servant year by year will he be with him. He will not [oppress him with labor]^(LXX) in your sight. 54 If he isn’t redeemed by these means, then he will be released in the Year of Yovel: he and his sons with him. 55 For to me the sons of Israel are servants; they are my servants whom I brought out of the land of Egypt. I am YHWH your Elohim.

26:1 You will make for yourselves no worthless ones, and you will not raise up a carved image or a pillar, and you will not place any figured stone in your land, to bow down to it; for I am YHWH your Elohim. 2 You will guard my Sabbaths, and fear for my sanctuary. I am YHWH.

Prophets Portion (P)

24:1 Behold, YHWH makes the land empty, makes it waste, turns it upside down, and scatters its inhabitants. 2 It will be as with the people, so with the priest; as with the servant, so with his master; as with the maid, so with her mistress; as with the buyer, so with the seller; as with the creditor, so with the debtor; as with the taker of interest, so with the giver of interest. 3 The land will be utterly emptied and utterly laid waste; for YHWH has spoken this word. 4 The land mourns and fades away. The world languishes and fades away. The lofty people of the land languish. 5 The land also is polluted under its inhabitants, because they have transgressed the [Torah],^(DSS)(LXX) changed the statutes, and broken the everlasting covenant. 6 Therefore the curse has devoured the land, and those who dwell therein are found guilty. Therefore the inhabitants of the land are burned, and few men are left.

Apostolic Portion (A)

John 13:12 So when he had washed their feet, put his outer garment back on, and sat down again, he said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you? 13 You call me, ‘Rabbi’ and ‘Lord.’ You say so correctly, for so I am. 14 If I then, the Lord and the Rabbi, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15 For I have given you an example, that you should also do as I have done to you. 16 Amen, amen, I tell you, a servant is not greater than his lord, neither is one who is sent greater than he who sent him. 17 If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them. 18 I don’t speak concerning all of you. I know whom I have chosen; but that the Scripture may be fulfilled, ‘He who eats bread with me has lifted up his heel against me.’ (cf. Psalms 41:9) 19 From now on, I tell you before it happens, that when it happens, you may believe that I am. 20 Amen, amen, I tell you, he who receives whomever I send, receives me; and he who receives me, receives him who sent me.”

Ephesians 6:5 Servants, be obedient to those who according to the flesh are your masters, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as to Messiah, 6 not in the way of service only when eyes are on you, as men-pleasers, but as servants of Messiah, doing the will of Elohim from the heart, 7 with good will doing service as to the Lord and not to men, 8 knowing that whatever good thing each one does, he will receive the same good again from the Lord, whether he is bound or free. 9 You masters, do the same things to them, and give up threatening, knowing that he who is both their Master and yours is in the heavens, and there is no partiality with him.

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).

7:15 Don’t hate hard labor or farm work, which the Most High has created. 16 Don’t number yourself among the multitude of sinners. Remember that wrath will not wait. 17 Humble your soul greatly, for the punishment of the impious man is fire and the worm. 18 Don’t exchange a friend for something, neither a true brother for the gold of Ophir. 19 Don’t deprive yourself of a wise and good woman, for her grace is worth more than gold. 20 Don’t abuse a servant who works faithfully, or a hireling who gives you his life. 21 Let your soul love a wise servant. Don’t defraud him of liberty. 22 Do you have cattle? Look after them If they are profitable to you, let them stay by you. 23 Do you have children? Correct them, and bow down their necks from their youth. 24 Do you have daughters? Take care of their bodies, and don’t be overly indulgent toward them. 25 Give your daughter in marriage, and you will have accomplished a great matter. Give her to a man of understanding. 26 Do you have a woman? Don’t cast her out. 27 Give glory to your father with your whole heart, and don’t forget the birth pangs of your mother. 28 Remember that you were born of them. What will you repay them for the things that they have done for you?

Related Scriptures

21:1 “Now these are the judgments which you will set before them: 2 “If you acquire a Hebrew servant, he shall serve six years, and in the seventh he will go out free without paying anything. 3 If he comes in by himself, he will go out by himself. If he is married, then his woman will go out with him. 4 If his master gives him a woman and she bears him sons or daughters, the woman and her children will be her master’s, and he will go out by himself. 5 But if the servant will plainly say, ‘I love my master, my woman, and my children. I will not go out free;’ 6 then his master will bring him to Elohim, and will bring him to the door or to the doorpost, and his master will bore his ear through with an awl, and he shall serve him [to the age].^(LXX) 7 “If a man sells his daughter to be a maid, she will not go out as the male servants do. 8 If she doesn’t please her master, who has married her to himself, then he will let her be redeemed. He will have no right to sell her to a foreign people, since he has dealt deceitfully with her. 9 If he marries her to his son, he will deal with her as a daughter. 10 If he takes another, he will not diminish her [remains],^(MTT) her clothing, and her habitation. 11 If he doesn’t do these three things for her, she may go free without paying any money.

4:1 Now a certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets cried out to Elisha, saying, “Your servant my husband is dead. You know that your servant feared YHWH. Now [the deceiver]^(MTT) has come to take for himself my two children to be servants.” 2 Elisha said to her, “What should I do for you? Tell me, what do you have in the house?” She said, “Your maidservant has nothing in the house, except a pot of oil.” 3 Then he said, “Go, borrow empty containers from all your neighbors. Don’t borrow just a few containers. 4 Go in and shut the door on you and on your sons, and pour oil into all those containers; and set aside those which are full.” 5 So she went from him, and shut the door on herself and on her sons. They brought the containers to her, and she poured oil. 6 When the containers were full, she said to her son, “Bring me another container.” He said to her, “There isn’t another container.” Then the oil stopped flowing. 7 Then she came and told the man of Elohim. He said, “Go, sell the oil, and pay your lender; and you and your sons live on the rest.”

4:1 Masters, give to your servants that which is just and equal, knowing that you also have a Master in the heavens.

23:9 Do not oppress a sojourner, for you know the heart of a sojourner, since you were sojourners in the land of Egypt. 10 “For six years you will sow your land, and will gather in its increase, 11 but the seventh year you will let it rest and lie fallow, that the needy of your people may eat; and what they leave the beast of the field will eat. In the same way, you will deal with your vineyard and with your olive grove. 12 Six days you will do your work, and on the seventh day you will rest, that your ox and your donkey may have rest, and the son of your servant, and the sojourner may be refreshed.

15:1 At the end of seven years, you will release. 2 This is the word of the release: every master of a loan, his hand which he will lend with his neighbor, he will not press from his neighbor and his brother, because YHWH’s release has been proclaimed. 3 Of a foreigner you may press it; but whatever of yours is with your brother, your hand will release. 4 However there will be no needy with you, for YHWH will surely bless you in the land which YHWH your Elohim gives you for an inheritance to possess. 5 Only if you diligently listen to YHWH your Elohim’s voice, to guard to do all this commandment which I command you today. 6 For YHWH your Elohim will bless you, as he promised you, and you will cause an abundance of nations to make a pledge, but you will not make a pledge, and you will rule in the abundance of nations, but in you they will not rule. 7 If a needy, one of your brothers, is with you within any of your gates in your land which YHWH your Elohim gives you, you will not harden your heart, nor shut your hand from your needy brother; 8 but you will surely open your hand to him, and will surely lend him sufficient for his lacking which will diminish for him. 9 Beware that there not be a wicked thought in your heart, saying, “The seventh year, the year of release, is at hand,” and your eye be evil against your needy brother and you give him nothing; and he cry to YHWH against you, and it be sin to you. 10 You will surely give, and your heart will not be grieved when you give to him, because it is for this thing YHWH your Elohim will bless you in all your work and in all that you put your hand to. 11 For the needy will never cease out of the land. Therefore I command you to surely open your hand to your brother, to your afflicted, and to your needy, in your land. 12 If your brother, a Hebrew, or a Hebrewess, is sold to you and serves you six years, then in the seventh year you will let him go free from you. 13 When you let him go free from you, you will not let him go empty. 14 You will furnish him liberally out of your flock, out of your threshing floor, and out of your wine press. As YHWH your Elohim has blessed you, you will give to him. 15 You will remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and YHWH your Elohim redeemed you. Therefore I command you this thing today. 16 It will be, if he tells you, “I will not go out from you,” because he loves you and your house, because he is well with you, 17 then you will take an awl, and thrust it through his ear to the door, and he will be your servant forever. Also to your maid you will do likewise. 18 It will not seem hard to you when you let him go free from you, for he has been double the value of a hired hand as he served you six years. YHWH your Elohim will bless you in all that you do.

34:12 Therefore the word of YHWH came to Jeremiah from YHWH, saying, 13 “YHWH, the Elohim of Israel, says: ‘I cut a covenant with your fathers in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage, saying: 14 At the end of seven years, every man of you will release his brother who is a Hebrew, who has been sold to you, and has served you six years. You will let him go free from you. But your fathers didn’t listen to me, and didn’t incline their ear. 15 You had now turned, and had done that which is right in my eyes, in every man proclaiming liberty to his neighbor. You had cut a covenant before me in the house which is called by my name; 16 but you turned and profaned my name, and every man caused his servant and every man his handmaid, whom you had let go free at their pleasure, to return. You brought them into subjection, to be to you for servants and for handmaids.’ ” 17 Therefore YHWH says: “You have not listened to me, to proclaim liberty, every man to his brother, and every man to his neighbor. Behold, I proclaim to you a liberty,” says YHWH, “to the sword, to the pestilence, and to the famine. I will make you be tossed back and forth among all the reigns of the land. 18 I will give the men who have transgressed my covenant, who have not performed the words of the covenant which they made before me when they cut the calf in two and passed between its parts: 19 the princes of Judah, the princes of Jerusalem, the eunuchs, the priests, and all the people of the land, who passed between the parts of the calf. 20 I will even give them into the hand of their enemies and into the hand of those who seek their life. Their dead bodies will be food for the birds of the heavens and for the animals of the land.

Matthew 18:21-35 (T)

18:21 Then Peter came and said to him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Until seven times?” 22 Yeshua said to him, “I don’t tell you until seven times, but, until seventy times seven. 23 Therefore the Kingdom of Heaven is like a certain king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. 24 When he had begun to settle, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. 25 But because he couldn’t pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, with his wife, his children, and all that he had, and payment to be made. 26 The servant therefore fell down and knelt before him, saying, ‘Lord, have patience with me, and I will repay you all!’ 27 The lord of that servant, being moved with compassion, released him and forgave him the debt. 28 “But that servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him one hundred denarii, and he grabbed him and took him by the throat, saying, ‘Pay me what you owe!’ 29 “So his fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will repay you!’ 30 He would not, but went and cast him into prison until he should pay back that which was due. 31 So when his fellow servants saw what was done, they were exceedingly sorry, and came and told their lord all that was done. 32 Then his lord called him in and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. 33 Shouldn’t you also have had mercy on your fellow servant, even as I had mercy on you?’ 34 His lord was angry, and delivered him to the tormentors until he should pay all that was due. 35 So my heavenly Father will also do to you, if you don’t each forgive your brother from your hearts for his trespasses.”

Ezekiel 18:1-18 (T)

18:1 the word of YHWH came to me again, saying, 2 “What do you mean, that you use this proverb concerning the land of Israel, saying, ‘The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge’? 3 “As I live,” says the Lord YHWH, “you will not use this proverb any more in Israel. 4 Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine. The soul who sins, he will die. 5 “But if a man is righteous, and does judgment and righteousness, 6 and has not eaten on the mountains, hasn’t lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, hasn’t defiled his neighbor’s wife, hasn’t come near a woman in her seperation, 7 and has not wronged any, but has restored to the debtor his pledge, has taken nothing by robbery, has given his bread to the hungry, and has covered the naked with a garment; 8 he who hasn’t lent to them with interest, hasn’t taken any increase from them, who has withdrawn his hand from iniquity, has executed true justice between man and man, 9 has walked in my statutes, and has kept my ordinances, to deal truly; he is just, he will surely live,” says the Lord YHWH. 10 “If he fathers a son who is a robber who sheds blood, and who does any one of these things, 11 or who does not do any of those things but has eaten at the mountain shrines and defiled his neighbor’s wife, 12 has wronged the afflicted and needy, has taken by robbery, has not restored the pledge, and has lifted up his eyes to the idols, has committed abomination, 13 has lent with interest, and has taken increase, will he then live? He will not live. He has done all these abominations. He will surely die. His blood will be on him. 14 “Now, behold, if he fathers a son who sees all his father’s sins which he has done, and fears, and doesn’t do likewise, 15 who hasn’t eaten on the mountains, hasn’t lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, hasn’t defiled his neighbor’s wife, 16 hasn’t wronged any, hasn’t taken anything to pledge, hasn’t taken by robbery, but has given his bread to the hungry, and has covered the naked with a garment; 17 who has withdrawn his hand from the afflicted, who hasn’t received interest or increase, has executed my ordinances, has walked in my statutes; he will not die for the iniquity of his father. He will surely live. 18 As for his father, because he cruelly oppressed, robbed from his brother, and did that which is not good among his people, behold, he will die in his iniquity.

John 8:27-59 (T)

8:27 They didn’t understand that he spoke to them about the Father. 28 Yeshua therefore said to them, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am, and I do nothing of myself, but as my Father taught me, I say these things. 29 He who sent me is with me. The Father hasn’t left me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to him.” 30 As he spoke these things, many believed in him. 31 Yeshua therefore said to those Judeans who had believed him, “If you remain in my word, then you are truly my disciples. 32 You will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” 33 They answered him, “We are Abraham’s seed, and have never been in bondage to anyone. How do you say, ‘You will be made free’?” 34 Yeshua answered them, “Most certainly I tell you, everyone who commits sin is the bondservant of sin. 35 A bondservant doesn’t live in the house forever. A son remains forever. 36 If therefore the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed. 37 I know that you are Abraham’s seed, yet you seek to kill me, because my word finds no place in you. 38 I say the things which I have seen with my Father; and you also do the things which you have seen with your father.” 39 They answered him, “Our father is Abraham.” Yeshua said to them, “If you were Abraham’s children, you would do the works of Abraham. 40 But now you seek to kill me, a man who has told you the truth which I heard from God. Abraham didn’t do this. 41 You do the works of your father.” They said to him, “We were not born of sexual immorality. We have one Father, God.” 42 Therefore Yeshua said to them, “If Elohim were your father, you would love me, for I came out and have come from God. For I haven’t come of myself, but he sent me. 43 Why don’t you understand my speech? Because you can’t hear my word. 44 You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and doesn’t stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks on his own; for he is a liar, and the father of lies. 45 But because I tell the truth, you don’t believe me. 46 Which of you convicts me of sin? If I tell the truth, why do you not believe me? 47 He who is of Elohim hears the words of God. For this cause you don’t hear, because you are not of God.” 48 Then the Judeans answered him, “Don’t we say well that you are a Samaritan, and have a demon?” 49 Yeshua answered, “I don’t have a demon, but I honor my Father and you dishonor me. 50 But I don’t seek my own glory. There is one who seeks and judges. 51 Most certainly, I tell you, if a person keeps my word, he will never see death.” 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 God. 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, “Most certainly, I tell you, before Abraham came into existence, I am.” 59 Therefore they took up stones to throw at him, but Yeshua hid himself and went out of the temple, having gone through the middle of them, and so passed by.

97:1 YHWH reigns! Let the land rejoice! Let the multitude of islands be glad! 2 Clouds and darkness are around him. Righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne. 3 A fire goes before him, and burns up his adversaries on every side. 4 His lightning lights up the world. The land sees, and trembles. 5 The mountains melt like wax at the face of YHWH, at the face of the Lord of the whole land. 6 The heavens declare his righteousness. All the peoples have seen his glory. 7 Let all them be shamed who serve engraved images, who boast in their idols. Worship him, all you elohim! 8 Zion heard and was glad. The daughters of Judah rejoiced because of your judgments, YHWH. 9 For you, YHWH Elyon above all the land, you ascend mightily over all elohim.

Related Additional Readings​

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.

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

Usually designated by the misnomer ‘Psalms of Joshua’, this badly mutilated composition represents a rewritten account of the story of Joshua. 4Q 378, written in Herodian formal script, consists of twenty-seven mostly tiny fragments, while the late Hasmonaean 4Q 379 comprises forty-one. The majority of the fragments are too small for meaningful translation. According to Carol Newsom, the overall form of the composition is a farewell speech by Joshua. It contains admonitions, curses and prayers (e.g. ‘prayer for our sins’, 4Q 378 6 i, l.4, a prayer listing the twelve tribes of Israel – Levi, Reuben, Gad, and Dan are legible, 4Q 379 1), songs (‘songs of praise’, 4Q 379 22 ii, 7, and a praise mentioning Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Eleazar and Ithamar, 4Q 379 17). The biblical text used recalls the Septuagint and the Samaritan Pentateuch. The numbering of the fragments appears to be arbitrary, as it does not correspond to the sequence of the biblical story. 4Q 379 22 ii is quoted in 4QTestimonia (4Q 175 ). For the editio princeps, see Carol Newsom, DJD, XXII, 241–99.

4Q 378 14 … And the children [of Israel] wept [for Moses in the plains of Moab (Deut. xxxiv, 8) by the Jordan at] Jericho at Bethjeshimoth [as far as Abel-shittim (Num. xxxiii, 48–9) for thirty days and (then) the days of weeping and] mourning for Moses were ended (Deut. xxxiv, 8). And the [5] sons of Israel … [the covenant wh]ich the Lord made for … … Thy [dr]ead and fear … 4Q 378 11 … for the Lord yo[ur Elohim] … [to es]tablish his words which he spoke … [the oath] which he swore to Abraham to give [him] a good and [5] broad [land], a land of brooks of water, [of fountains and springs, flowing forth in val]leys and hills, a land of wheat and barley, [of vines and fig trees and pomegranates, a land of olive trees and] honey (Deut. viii, 7–8). For [this is] a land flowing with milk and honey; [ … a land] who[se sto]nes are iron and out of whose hi[ll]s [you can dig] copper (Deut. viii, 9) … 4Q 378 22 i … Moses, O my Elohim. And he did not annihilate them because of their sins … thy people by the hand of Joshua, minister of thy servant Moses [5] thy … by the hand of Moses(?) to Joshua for the sake of thy people … [the covenant] which thou hast made with Abraham … … loving-kindness to thousands 4Q 379 12 … they [cr]ossed (the Jordan) on dry grounds (cf. Josh. iv, 22) in [the [5] fi]rst new moon of the forty-f[irst] year of their exodus from the lan15 of Egypt (cf. Josh. iv, 19). That was a jubilee year at the beginning of their entry into the land of Canaan. And the Jordan overflows its banks from the f[our] th (?) new moon until the wheat harvest … 4Q 379 22 ii (combined with 4Q 175, lines 21–30) [5] Blessed be the Lord, the Elohim of I[srael] … When Josh[ua] fini[sh] ed off[ering prai]se in [his] thanksgivings, [he said]: C[ursed be the m] an who rebui[l] ds [this cit]y! [May he lay its foundations] on [his] first-born, and [s]et its gate on [his y]oungest son [10] (Josh. vi, 26). Behold, an [accur]sed [man of Belial] [has risen] to be[com]e a fowler’s net to his people and a cause of destruction to all his neighbour[s]. And [his brother] arose [and ruled in li] es, both of them being instruments of violence. They have rebuilt [th] is [city] and have set up for it a wall and towers to make it a stronghold of ungodliness in Israel and a horror in Ephraim and in Judah and a great evil among the children of Jacob. [And they have com]mitted an abomination in the land and a great blasphemy and sh[ed blood] like wa[ters on the ramparts of the daughter] of Zion and in the precincts of jerusalem …

Originally considered as part of an Ezekiel apocryphon, the remains of these manuscripts, written in a well-imitated biblical Hebrew, have been identified by the editor as pertaining to an apocryphal account of the life of Jeremiah in Babylon and in Egypt. The script probably dates to the end of the first century B.C.E. For the editio princeps, see D. Dimant, DJD, XXX, 91–260. For the related 4Q 384, see M. Smith, DJD, XIX, 136–52.

4Q 385a, fr. 18 i–ii I vacat … Jeremiah the Prophet [departed] from before the Lord (YHWH) … [to accompany the] captives who were taken captive from the land of Jerusalem and came [to … Nebuchadnezzar,] king of Babel, [5] when Nabuzaradan, the chief of the bodyguard, smote … and took the vessels of the house of Elohim, the priests … and the sons of Israel and led them to Babel. And Jeremiah the Prophet went [with them as far as] the river and he commanded them what they were to do in the land of [their] captivity … [And they obeyed] the voice of Jeremiah in regard to the words which Elohim commanded him … and they were to keep the [10] covenant of the Elohim of their fathers in the land [of their captivity … and they were not to d]o as they had done and their kings and priests [and … and they] profaned [the na]me of Elohim … II In Tahpanes wh[ich is in the land of Egypt … ] and they said to him, Inquire [of G]od for us. … But Jeremiah [did not listen] to them and did not inquire for them of Go15 … a jubilation and prayer. And Jeremiah [5] lamented … lamentations ov]er Jerusalem … vacat [And the word of the Lord was addressed to] Jeremiah in the land of Tahpanes which was in the land of Eg[ypt … Go to] the sons of Israel and the sons of Judah and Benjamin [ … and speak to them saying,] Day by day seek my decrees and ke[ep] my commandments … and do not [follow] the i15ols of the nations [after] which [your fathers] wa[lked … for] they will not sa[ve y]ou … nor … 4Q 387, fr. 2 ii (4Q 385a, fr. 4, 4Q 389, fr. 8 ii) … strengthen yourselves to serve Me with all your heart and al[l your soul]. … in their distress. But I will not seek them on account of their unfaithfulness by which they were unfaithful to me until the completion of ten jubilee of years. And you will walk in … and blindness and stupefaction [5] of the heart. And after the completion of that generation I [will tear away] the kingship from the hand of those who have been holding fast to it and I will place over it others from another people and impudence will rule on all [the ea]rth and the kingship of Israel will perish. In those days [there] will [be a king and h]e will be a reviler and he will perform abominations, but I will tear away [his] kingship and that king will [10] be (destined) for kings. And My face will be concealed from Israel … will return to many nations. And the sons of Israel will cry because of the heavy yoke in the lands of their captivity and there will be no saviour for them because they despised my decree and their soul loathed my Law … Fr. 2 iii (4Q 388a, fr. 7, 4Q 389, fr. 8) … In his days I will break the kingship of [Egypt] … and I will break Israel and I will deliver them to the sword, [and I will de]stroy the [l]and and I will distance man and will leave the land into the hand of the [5] angels of hostilities. And I will conceal [my] face [from Is]rael. And this is the sign for them. On the day when I will forsake the land … the priests of Israel [will return] to worship other elohim [and will perform the abomin]ations of the [nations] … Fr. 3 (4Q 385a, fr. 5) [5] … three priests who did not walk in the ways of the former [priests] and are called by the name of the Elohim of Israel. And in their days the pride of the wicked ones of the Covenant and the worshippers of strange (elohim) will be brought low. Israel will be torn in that generation, each man waging war against his neighbour because of the Law and the Covenant. And I will send famine into the [lan]d but not concerning bread and thirst, but not concerning water … 4Q 388a, fr. 7 (4Q 387, fr. 2 iii, 4Q 389, fr. 8 ii) I have despised them and they will again perform evil and evil will be greater than [the former evil, and they will breach] the Covenant which [I conclu]ded with Abraham and with Isaac and with [Jacob. In] those [days] a king will rise up [for the nat]ions, a reviler and he will do evil. And in [his] days I will [stop] Israel from being a people … In his days I will break the kingship of [Egypt] … and I will break Israel and I will deliver them to the sword, [and I will de]stroy the [l]and and I will distance man and will leave the land into the hand of the angels of hostilities. And [5] I will conceal [my] face [from Is]rael. And this is the sign for them. On the day when I will forsake the land … the priests of Israel [will return] to worship other elohim [and will perform the abomin]ations of the [nations] … 4Q 389, fr. 8 (4Q 385a 4, 4Q 387, 2 ii–iii, 4Q 388a 7 ii) II … a reviler and he will do abominations. And I will tear away his kingship and he too will be (destined) to (hostile) kings. And my face will be concealed from Israel and [the kingship] will return to many nations. And the sons of Israel will cry because of the heavy yoke in the lands of their captivity and there will be no saviour for them because they despised my decree and their soul loathed my Law. Therefore I have [5] concealed my face from [them] until they have completed their iniquity. And this is the sign for them regarding the completion of their iniquity. [For] I have forsaken the land because of the pride of their heart towards Me and they have not known that I have despised them and they will again perform evil which will be greater than the former evil. [And they will breach the Covenant which I conclu]ded with Abraham and with Isaac and with [Jacob. In] those [days] a king will rise up [for the nat]ions, a reviler and he will do evil. And in [his] days I will [stop] Israel from being a people. In his days I will break the kingship of [Egypt] … Egypt and I will break Israel and I will deliver them to the sword … 4Q 390, fr. 1 … [and a]gain [I will give them] into the hand of the sons of Aar[on] … seventy years. And the sons of Aaron will rule over them, but they will not walk [in] my [wa]ys which I command you to testify to them. And they will also do what is evil in my eyes just as everything the Israelites [5] did in the earlier days of their kingship apart from those who return first from the land of their captivity to build the Sanctuary. And I will speak to them and send to them a commandment and they will understand all that they have forsaken, they and their fathers. And from the end of this generation in the seventh jubilee of the destruction of the land they will forget decree, festival, Sabbath and Covenant. And they will breach everything and will commit evil in my eyes. And I will conceal my face from them and will give them into the hand of their enemies and deliver [10][them] to the sword. But I will cause refugees to remain from among them so that [they should] not be an[nih]ilated by my anger [and] when [my] fa[ce] is concealed from them. And the angels of hostilities will rule over them and … and again they will commit evil in [my] eyes and they will walk in the stub[bornness] of their heart … Fr. 2 i I … and the dominion of Belial will be on them to hand them over to [5] the sword for a week of yea[rs … And in] that jubilee, they will break all my precepts and all my commandments which I will have commanded th[em … by the hand of] my servants the prophets, and they will [start] to contend one with another for seventy years from the day of breaking the [Law and the] Covenant which they will break. I will give them [into the hand of the an]gels of Persecutions, and they will rule over them, and they will not know and understand that I am furious with them because of their transgressions [by which they will have for]saken Me and will have done that which is evil in my eyes, and will have chosen that which I do not desire, striving for wealth and gain [and …, on]e stealing that which is his fellow’s, and one oppressing another. They will [10] pollute my Sanctuary [profane my sabbaths]; they will for[ge]t my [appoin]ted times and will pollute their s[ee]d. Their priests will act violently …

Testament of Levi 1Q21 Column 17-18 (T) – If present, text within brackets (e.g. […]) represent a Christian interpolation by the translator/author

Numerous small fragments representing the Aramaic Testament of Levi from Cave 4 all date to the mid-first century B.C. Part of the Testament of Levi involves Levi being taken to the heavens and promised the priesthood forever, and then seven angels physically give him the insignia of the priesthood (as described in Exodus). This part parallels the beginning and end of a vision in the Aramaic Levi Document, whence the body of the vision is now lost; and is thought to preserve that part of the text.

17:1 And whereas ye have heard concerning the seventy weeks, hear also concerning the priesthood. 2 For in each jubilee there will be a priesthood. And in the first jubilee, the first who is anointed to the priesthood will be great, and will speak to Elohim as to a father. And his priesthood will be perfect with the Lord, [and in the day of his gladness will he arise for the salvation of the world]. 3 In the second jubilee, he that is anointed will be conceived in the sorrow of beloved ones; and his 4 priesthood will be honoured and will be glorified by all. And the third priest will be taken hold 5 of by sorrow. And the fourth will be in pain, because unrighteousness will gather itself against 6 him exceedingly, and all Israel will hate each one his neighbour. The fifth will be taken hold of 7 by darkness Likewise also the sixth and the seventh. And in the seventh will be such pollution 8 as I cannot express before men, for they will know it who do these things. Therefore will they 9 be taken captive and become a prey, and their land and their substance will be destroyed. 10 And in the fifth week they will return to their desolate country, and will renew the house of the 11 Lord. And in the seventh week will become priests, (who are) idolaters, adulterers, lovers of money, proud, lawless, lascivious, abusers of children and beasts.

18:1 And after their punishment will have come from the Lord, the priesthood will fail. 2 Then will the Lord raise up a new priest. And to him all the words of the Lord will be revealed; And he will execute a righteous judgement upon the land for a multitude of days. 3 And his star will arise in the heavens as of a king. Lighting up the light of knowledge as the sun the day, And he will be magnified in the world. 4 He will shine forth as the sun on the land, And will remove all darkness from under the heavens, And there will be peace in all the land. 5 The heavens will exult in his days, And the land will be glad, And the clouds will rejoice, [And the knowledge of the Lord will be poured forth upon the land, as the water of the seas; And the angels of the glory of the face of the Lord will be glad in him. 6 The heavens will be opened, And From the temple of glory will come upon him sanctification, With the Father’s voice as from Abraham to Isaac. 7 And the glory of the Most High will be uttered over him, And the spirit of understanding and sanctification will rest upon him [in the water]. 8 For he will give the majesty of the Lord to His sons in truth for evermore; And there will none succeed him for all generations for ever. 9 And in his priesthood the Nations will be multiplied in knowledge upon the land, And enlightened through the grace of the Lord: In his priesthood will sin come to an end, And the lawless will cease to do evil. [And the just will rest in him.] 10 And he will open the gates of paradise, And will remove the threatening sword against Adam. 11 And he will give to the saints to eat from the tree of life, And the spirit of holiness will be on them. 12 And Beliar will be bound by him, And he will give power to His children to tread upon the evil spirits. 13 And the Lord will rejoice in His children, And be well pleased in His beloved ones for ever. 14 Then will Abraham and Isaac and Jacob exult, And I will be glad, And all the saints will clothe themselves with joy.

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

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

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. The below section is from Wise, Michael Owen, et al. The Dead Sea Scrolls: a New Translation. HarperSanFrancisco, 2005.

[…] with silver […] […] and the year of [jubilee] will arrive […] […] no one should abandon […] […] for it is an abhorrent thing; and the verse that says [… … “if you buy from] your neighbor, do not defraud him” (Lev. 25:14). Now this is the meaning […] [… he must be frank about] all that he is aware of that is found [in whatever he is selling;] [if there is a fault in it] and he is aware of it, he is cheating him, whether it is human or animal.

And if […] to betroth, he will tell him about all her defects, lest he bring upon himself the judgment of [the curse, which says, “Cursed] is he who leads the blind astray on the road” (Deut. 27:18). Moreover, he should not give her to someone who is not proper for her, for this [is a case of “forbidden mixtures” …like plowing with an ox and ass, or clothing made of wool and flax together.

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.).

3.12.3. And truly Moses gave them all these precepts, being such as were observed during his own lifetime; but though he lived now in the wilderness, yet did he make provision how they might observe the same laws when they should have taken the land of Canaan. He gave them rest to the land from ploughing and planting every seventh year, as he had prescribed to them to rest from working every seventh day; and ordered, that then what grew of its own accord out of the land should in common belong to all that pleased to use it, making no distinction in that respect between their own countrymen and foreigners: and he ordained, that they should do the same after seven times seven years, which in all are fifty years; and that fiftieth year is called by the Hebrews The Jubilee, wherein debtors are freed from their debts, and slaves are set at liberty; which slaves became such, though they were of the same stock, by transgressing some of those laws the punishment of which was not capital, but they were punished by this method of slavery. This year also restores the land to its former possessors in the manner following:—When the Jubilee is come, which name denotes liberty, he that sold the land, and he that bought it, meet together, and make an estimate, on one hand, of the fruits gathered; and, on the other hand, of the expenses laid out upon it. If the fruits gathered come to more than the expenses laid out, he that sold it takes the land again; but if the expenses prove more than the fruits, the present possessor receives of the former owner the difference that was wanting, and leaves the land to him; and if the fruits received, and the expenses laid out, prove equal to one another, the present possessor relinquishes it to the former owners. Moses would have the same law obtain as to those houses also which were sold in villages; but he made a different law for such as were sold in a city; for if he that sold it tendered the purchaser his money again within a year, he was forced to restore it; but in case a whole year had intervened, the purchaser was to enjoy what he had bought. This was the constitution of the laws which Moses learned of Elohim when the camp lay under Mount Sinai, and this he delivered in writing to the Hebrews.

4.8.28. If any one be sold to one of his own nation, let him serve him six years, and on the seventh let him go free. But if he have a son by a woman servant in his purchaser’s house, and if, on account of his good-will to his master, and his natural affection to his wife and children, he will be his servant still, let him be set free only at the coming of the year of jubilee, which is the fiftieth year, and let him then take away with him his children and woman, and let them be free also.