Category Archives: Bamidbar

Pinchas | פנחס | “Phinehas ” Torah Portion Reading

Posted on by Joel Allen
06 Jul

Numbers 25:10-30:1Complete Jewish Bible (CJB)

Parashah 41: Pinchas (Phinehas) 25:10 –30:1(29:40)

10 Adonai said to Moshe, 11 “Pinchas the son of El‘azar, the son of Aharon the cohen, has deflected my anger from the people of Isra’el by being as zealous as I am, so that I didn’t destroy them in my own zeal. 12 Therefore say, ‘I am giving him my covenant of shalom, 13 making a covenant with him and his descendants after him that the office of cohen will be theirs forever.’ This is because he was zealous on behalf of his God and made atonement for the people of Isra’el.”

14 The name of the man from Isra’el who was killed, put to death with the woman from Midyan, was Zimri the son of Salu, leader of one of the clans from the tribe of Shim‘on. 15 The name of the woman from Midyan who was killed was Kozbi the daughter of Tzur, and he was head of the people in one of the clans of Midyan.

16 Adonai said to Moshe, 17 “Treat the Midyanim as enemies and attack them; 18 because they are treating you as enemies by the trickery they used to deceive you in the P‘or incident and in the affair of their sister Kozbi, the daughter of the leader from Midyan, the woman who was killed on the day of the plague in the P‘or incident.” 19 (26:1) After the plague,

26 Adonai said to Moshe and El‘azar, the son of Aharon the cohen, 2 “Take a census of the entire assembly of the people of Isra’el twenty years old and over, by their ancestral clans, all who are subject to military service in Isra’el.” 3 Moshe and El‘azar the cohen spoke with them on the plains of Mo’av by the Yarden across from Yericho, explaining, 4 “Those twenty years old and over who came out of the land of Egypt, as Adonai ordered Moshe and the people of Isra’el.”

(ii) 5 [The census results begin with] Re’uven, the firstborn of Isra’el. The descendants of Re’uven were: of Hanokh, the family of the Hanokhi; of Pallu, the family of the Pallu’i; 6 of Hetzron, the family of the Hetzroni; and of Karmi the family of the Karmi. 7 These were the the families of the Re’uveni; of them were counted 43,730.

8 The sons of Pallu: Eli’av; 9 and the sons of Eli’av: N’mu’el, Datan and Aviram. These are the same Datan and Aviram, men of reputation in the community, who rebelled against Moshe and Aharon in Korach’s group, when they rebelled against Adonai; 10 and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up together with Korach when that group died, and the fire consumed 250 men, and they became a warning sign. 11 (However, the sons of Korach did not die.)

12 The descendants of Shim‘on, by their families, were: of N’mu’el, the family of the N’mu’eli; of Yamin, the family of the Yamini; of Yakhin, the family of the Yakhini; 13 of Zerach, the family of the Zarchi; and of Sha’ul, the family of the Sha’uli. 14 These were the families of the Shim‘oni, 22,200.

15 The descendants of Gad, by their families, were: of Tz’fon, the family of the Tz’foni; of Haggi, the family of the Haggi; of Shuni, the family of the Shuni; 16 of Ozni, the family of the Ozni; of ‘Eri, the family of the ‘Eri; 17 of Arod, the family of the Arodi; and of Ar’eli, the family of the Ar’eli. 18 These were the families of the sons of Gad, according to those counted of them, 40,500.

19 The sons of Y’hudah: First ‘Er and Onan, but ‘Er and Onan died in the land of Kena‘an. 20 The sons of Y’hudah who had descendants were: of Shelah, the family of the Shelani; of Peretz, the family of the Partzi; and of Zerach, the family of the Zarchi. 21 The sons of Peretz were: of Hetzron, the family of the Hetzroni; and of Hamul, the family of the Hamuli. 22 These were the families of Y’hudah, according to those counted of them, 76,500.

23 The descendants of Yissakhar, by their families, were: of Tola, the family of the Tola‘i; of Puvah, the family of the Puni; 24 of Yashuv, the family of the Yashuvi; and of Shimron, the family of the Shimroni. 25 These were the families of Yissakhar, according to those counted of them, 64,300.

26 The descendants of Z’vulun, by their families, were: of Sered, the family of the Sardi; of Elon, the family of the Eloni; and of Yachle’el, the family of the Yachle’eli. 27 These were the families of the Z’vuloni, according to those counted of them, 60,500.

28 The sons of Yosef, by their families, were M’nasheh and Efrayim. 29 The descendants of M’nasheh were: of Makhir, the family of the Makhiri. Makhir was the father of Gil‘ad; of Gil‘ad, the family of the Gil‘adi. 30 These are the descendants of Gil‘ad: of I‘ezer, the family of the I‘ezri; of Helek, the family of the Helki; 31 of Asri’el, the family of the Asri’eli; of Sh’khem, the family of the Shikhmi; 32 of Sh’mida, the family of the Sh’mida‘i; and of Hefer, the family of the Hefri. 33 Tz’lof’chad the son of Hefer had no sons but daughters; the names of the daughters of Tz’lof’chad were Machlah, No‘ah, Hoglah, Milkah and Tirtzah. 34 These were the families of M’nasheh; of them were counted 52,700.

35 These are the descendants of Efrayim, by their families: of Shutelach, the family of the Shutalchi; of Bekher, the family of the Bakhri; and of Tachan, the family of the Tachani. 36 These are the descendants of Shutelach: of ‘Eran, the family of the ‘Erani. 37 These were the families of the descendants of Efrayim, according to those of them that were counted, 32,500. These were the descendants of Yosef, by their families.

38 The descendants of Binyamin, by their families were: of Bela, the family of the Bal‘i; of Ashbel, the family of the Ashbeli; of Achiram, the family of the Achirami; 39 of Sh’fufam, the family of the Shufami; and of Hufam, the family of the Hufami. 40 The sons of Bela were Ard and Na‘aman; [of Ard,] the family of the Ardi; and of Na‘aman, the family of the Na‘ami. 41 These were the descendants of Binyamin, by their families; of them were counted 45,600.

42 The descendants of Dan, by their families, were: of Shucham, the family of the Shuchami. These are the families of Dan, by their families. 43 All the families of the Shuchami, according to those of them that were counted, were 64,400.

44 The descendants of Asher, by their families: of Yimnah, the family of the Yimnah; of Yishvi, the family of the Yishvi; and of B’ri‘ah, the family of the B’ri‘i. 45 Of the descendants of B’ri‘ah: of Hever, the family of the Hevri; and of Malki’el, the family of the Malki’eli. 46 The name of Asher’s daughter was Serach. 47 These were the families of the descendants of Asher, according to those of them that were counted, 53,400.

48 The descendants of Naftali, by their families: of Yachtze’el, the families of the Yachtze’eli; of Guni, the family of the Guni; 49 of Yetzer, the family of the Yitzri; and of Shillem, the family of the Shillemi. 50 These are the families of Naftali according to their families; those of them that were counted were 45,400.

51 Thus those who were counted of the people of Isra’el numbered 601,730.

(iii) 52 Adonai said to Moshe, 53 “The land is to be parceled out among these as a possession to be inherited, according to the number of names. 54 To those families with more persons you are to give a greater inheritance, and to those with fewer you are to give a smaller inheritance — each family’s inheritance is to be given according to the number counted in it. 55 However, the land is to be awarded by lot. They will inherit according to the names of the tribes of their ancestors, 56 but the inheritance is to be parceled out by lot between the families with more and those with fewer.”

57 Those counted among the Levi, by their families, were: of Gershon, the family of the Gershuni, of K’hat, the family of the K’hati; and of M’rari, the family of the M’rari. 58 These are the families of Levi: the family of the Livni, the family of the Hevroni, the family of the Machli, the family of the Mushi and the family of the Korchi. K’hat was the father of ‘Amram. 59 The name of ‘Amram’s wife was Yokheved the daughter of Levi, who was born to Levi in Egypt; and she bore to ‘Amram Aharon, Moshe and their sister Miryam. 60 To Aharon were born Nadav, Avihu, El‘azar and Itamar; 61 but Nadav and Avihu died when they offered unauthorized fire before Adonai. 62 Those males one month old or more counted of the Levi were 23,000. These were not included in the census of the people of Isra’el, because no land for inheritance was given to them among the people of Isra’el.

63 These are the ones counted by Moshe and El‘azar the cohen, who took a census of the people of Isra’el in the plains of Mo’av by the Yarden across from Yericho. 64 But there was not a man among them who had also been included in the census of Moshe and Aharon the cohen when they enumerated the people of Isra’el in the Sinai Desert; 65 because Adonai had said of them, “They will surely die in the desert.” So there was not left even one of them, except Kalev the son of Y’funeh and Y’hoshua the son of Nun.

27 Then the daughters of Tz’lof’chad the son of Hefer, the son of Gil‘ad, the son of Machir, the son of M’nasheh, of the families of M’nasheh, the son of Yosef, approached. These were the names of his daughters: Machlah, No‘ah, Hoglah, Milkah and Tirtzah. 2 They stood in front of Moshe, El‘azar the cohen, the leaders and the whole community at the entrance to the tent of meeting and said, 3 “Our father died in the desert. He wasn’t part of the group who assembled themselves to rebel against Adonai in Korach’s group, but he died in his own sin, and he had no sons. 4 Why should the name of our father be eliminated from his family just because he didn’t have a son? Give us property to possess along with the brothers of our father.” 5 Moshe brought their cause before Adonai.

(iv) 6 Adonai answered Moshe, 7 “The daughters of Tz’lof’chad are right in what they say. You must give them property to be inherited along with that of their father’s brothers; have what their father would have inherited pass to them. 8 Moreover, say to the people of Isra’el, ‘If a man dies and does not have a son, you are to have his inheritance pass to his daughter. 9 If he doesn’t have a daughter, give his inheritance to his brothers. 10 If he has no brothers, give his inheritance to his father’s brothers. 11 If his father doesn’t have brothers, give his inheritance to the closest relative in his family, and he will possess it. This will be the standard for judgment to be used by the people of Isra’el, as Adonai ordered Moshe.’”

12 Adonai said to Moshe, “Climb this mountain in the ‘Avarim Range, and look out at the land which I have given the people of Isra’el. 13 After you have seen it, you too will be gathered to your people, just as Aharon your brother was gathered; 14 because in the Tzin Desert, when the community was disputing with me, you rebelled against my order to uphold my holiness by means of the water, with them looking on.” (This was M’rivat-Kadesh Spring, in the Tzin Desert.)

15 Moshe said to Adonai, 16 “Let Adonai, God of the spirits of all human beings, appoint a man to be over the community, 17 to go out and come in ahead of them, to lead them out and bring them in, so that Adonai’s community will not be like sheep without a shepherd.”

18 Adonai said to Moshe, “Take Y’hoshua the son of Nun, a spiritual man, and lay your hand on him. 19 Put him in front of El‘azar the cohen and the whole community, and commission him in their sight. 20 Delegate to him some of your authority, so that the entire community of Isra’el will obey him. 21 He is to present himself to El‘azar the cohen, who is to find out by means of the urim what Adonai’s will is for Y’hoshua’s decisions. Then, at his word they will go out, and at his word they will come in, both he and all the people of Isra’el with him, the whole community.”

22 Moshe did as Adonai had ordered him. He took Y’hoshua, put him before El‘azar the cohen and the whole community, 23 laid his hands on him, and commissioned him, as Adonai had said through Moshe.

28 (v) Adonai said to Moshe, 2 “Give an order to the people of Isra’el. Tell them, ‘You are to take care to offer me at the proper time the food presented to me as offerings made by fire, providing a fragrant aroma for me.’ 3 Tell them, ‘This is the offering made by fire that you are to bring to Adonai: male lambs in their first year and without defect, two daily as a regular burnt offering. 4 Offer the one lamb in the morning and the other lamb at dusk, 5 along with two quarts of fine flour as a grain offering, mixed with one quart of oil from pressed olives. 6 It is the regular burnt offering, the same as was offered on Mount Sinai to give a fragrant aroma, an offering made by fire for Adonai. 7 Its drink offering is to be one-quarter hin for one lamb; in the Holy Place you are to pour out a drink offering of intoxicating liquor to Adonai. 8 The other lamb you are to present at dusk; present it with the same kind of grain offering and drink offering as in the morning; it is an offering made by fire, with a fragrant aroma for Adonai.

9 “‘On Shabbat offer two male lambs in their first year and without defect, with one gallon of fine flour as a grain offering, mixed with olive oil, and its drink offering. 10 This is the burnt offering for every Shabbat, in addition to the regular burnt offering and its drink offering.

11 “‘At each Rosh-Hodesh of yours, you are to present a burnt offering to Adonai consisting of two young bulls, one ram and seven male lambs in their first year and without defect; 12 with six quarts of fine flour mixed with olive oil as a grain offering for the one ram; 13 and two quarts of fine flour mixed with olive oil as a grain offering for each lamb. This will be the burnt offering giving a fragrant aroma, an offering made by fire for Adonai. 14 Their drink offerings will be two quarts of wine for a bull, one-and-one-third quarts for the ram, and one quart for each lamb. This is the burnt offering for every Rosh-Hodesh throughout the months of the year. 15 Also a male goat is to be offered as a sin offering to Adonai, in addition to the regular burnt offering and its drink offering.

(vi) 16 “‘In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month, is Adonai’s Pesach. 17 On the fifteenth day of the month is to be a feast. Matzah is to be eaten for seven days. 18 The first day is to be a holy convocation: do not do any kind of ordinary work; 19 but present an offering made by fire, a burnt offering, to Adonai, consisting of two young bulls, one ram, and seven male lambs in their first year (they are to be without defect for you) 20 with their grain offering, fine flour mixed with olive oil. Offer six quarts for a bull, four quarts for the ram, 21 and two quarts for each of the seven lambs; 22 also a male goat as a sin offering, to make atonement for you. 23 You are to offer these in addition to the morning burnt offering, which is the regular burnt offering. 24 In this fashion you are to offer daily, for seven days, the food of the offering made by fire, making a fragrant aroma for Adonai ; it is to be offered in addition to the regular burnt offering and its drink offering. 25 On the seventh day you are to have a holy convocation; do not do any kind of ordinary work.

26 “‘On the day of the firstfruits, when you bring a new grain offering to Adonai in your feast of Shavu‘ot, you are to have a holy convocation; do not do any kind of ordinary work; 27 but present a burnt offering as a fragrant aroma for Adonai, consisting of two young bulls, one ram, seven male lambs in their first year, 28 and their grain offering — fine flour mixed with olive oil, six quarts for each bull, four quarts for the one ram, 29 and two quarts for each of the seven lambs — 30 plus a male goat to make atonement for you. 31 You are to offer these in addition to the regular burnt offering and its grain offering (they are to be without defect for you), with their drink offerings.

29 “‘In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you are to have a holy convocation; do not do any kind of ordinary work; it is a day of blowing the shofar for you. 2 Prepare a burnt offering to make a fragrant aroma for Adonai — one young bull, one ram and seven male lambs in their first year and without defect — 3 with their grain offering, consisting of fine flour mixed with olive oil — six quarts for the bull, four quarts for the ram, 4 and two quarts for each of the seven lambs — 5 also one male goat as a sin offering to make atonement for you. 6 This is to be in addition to the burnt offering for Rosh-Hodesh with its grain offering, the regular burnt offering with its grain offering, and their drink offerings, according to the rule for them; this will be a fragrant aroma, an offering made by fire to Adonai.

7 “‘On the tenth day of this seventh month you are to have a holy convocation. You are to deny yourselves, and you are not to do any kind of work; 8 but you are to present a burnt offering to Adonai to make a fragrant aroma: one young bull, one ram, and seven male lambs in their first year (they are to be without defect for you), 9 with their grain offering, fine flour mixed with olive oil, six quarts for the bull, four quarts for the one ram, 10 and two quarts for each of the seven lambs; 11 also one male goat as a sin offering; in addition to the sin offering for atonement and the regular burnt offering with its grain offering, and their drink offerings.

(vii) 12 “‘On the fifteenth day of the seventh month you are to have a holy convocation. You are not to do any kind of ordinary work, and you are to observe a feast to Adonai seven days. 13 You are to present a burnt offering, an offering made by fire, bringing a fragrant aroma to Adonai. It is to consist of thirteen young bulls, two rams, fourteen male lambs in their first year (they are to be without defect), 14 with their grain offering — fine flour mixed with olive oil, six quarts for each of the thirteen bulls, four quarts for each of the two rams, 15 and two quarts for each of the fourteen lambs; 16 also one male goat as a sin offering; in addition to the regular burnt offering with its grain and drink offerings.

17 “‘On the second day you are to present twelve young bulls, two rams, fourteen male lambs in their first year, without defect; 18 with the grain and drink offerings for the bulls, rams and lambs, according to their number, in keeping with the rule; 19 also one male goat as a sin offering; in addition to the regular burnt offering, its grain offering and their drink offerings.

20 “‘On the third day eleven bulls, two rams, fourteen male lambs in their first year, without defect; 21 with the grain and drink offerings for the bulls, rams and lambs, according to their number, in keeping with the rule; 22 also one male goat as a sin offering; in addition to the regular burnt offering with its grain and drink offerings.

23 “‘On the fourth day ten bulls, two rams, fourteen male lambs in their first year, without defect; 24 with the grain and drink offerings for the bulls, rams and lambs, according to their number, in keeping with the rule; 25 also one male goat as a sin offering; in addition to the regular burnt offering with its grain and drink offerings.

26 “‘On the fifth day nine bulls, two rams, fourteen male lambs in their first year, without defect; 27 with the grain and drink offerings for the bulls, rams and lambs, according to their number, in keeping with the rule; 28 also one male goat as a sin offering; in addition to the regular burnt offering with its grain and drink offerings.

29 “‘On the sixth day eight bulls, two rams, fourteen male lambs in their first year, without defect; 30 with the grain and drink offerings for the bulls, rams and lambs, according to their number, in keeping with the rule; 31 also one male goat as a sin offering; in addition to the regular burnt offering with its grain and drink offerings.

32 “‘On the seventh day seven bulls, two rams, fourteen male lambs in their first year, without defect; 33 with the grain and drink offerings for the bulls, rams and lambs, according to their number, in keeping with the rule; 34 also one male goat as a sin offering; in addition to the regular burnt offering with its grain offering and drink offerings.

(Maftir) 35 “‘On the eighth day you are to have a festive assembly: you are not to do any kind of ordinary work; 36 but you are to present a burnt offering, an offering made by fire, giving a fragrant aroma to Adonai — one bull, one ram, seven male lambs in their first year, without defect; 37 with the grain and drink offerings for the bull, the ram and the lambs, according to their number, in keeping with the rule; 38 also one male goat as a sin offering; in addition to the regular burnt offering with its grain and drink offerings.

39 “‘You are to offer these to Adonai at your designated times in addition to your vows and voluntary offerings — whether these are your burnt offerings, grain offerings, drink offerings or peace offerings.’”

30 (29:40) Moshe told the people of Isra’el everything, just as Adonai had ordered Moshe.

Haftarah Pinchas: M’lakhim Alef (1 Kings) 18:46–19:21

B’rit Hadashah suggested readings for Parashah Pinchas: Mattityahu (Matthew) 26:1–30; Mark 14:1–26; Luke 22:1–20; Yochanan (John) 2:13–22; 7:1–13, 37–39; 11:55–12:1; 13:1; 18:28, 39; 19:14; Acts 2:1–21; 12:3–4; 20:5–6, 16; 27:9–11; 1 Corinthians 5:6 – 8; 16:8; Messianic Jews (Hebrews) 11:28

Complete Jewish Bible (CJB)Copyright © 1998 by David H. Stern. All rights reserved.

Helpful products from Restoring the Way to help your study time in this portion:

Balak | בלק | “Balak “

Posted on by Joel Allen
28 Jun

Numbers 22:2-25:9Complete Jewish Bible (CJB)

Parashah 40: Balak 22:2–25:9

[In regular years read with Parashah 39, in leap years read separately]

2 Now Balak the son of Tzippor saw all that Isra’el had done to the Emori. 3 Mo’av was very afraid of the people, because there were so many of them; Mo’av was overcome with dread because of the people of Isra’el. 4 So Mo’av said to the leaders of Midyan, “This horde will lick up everything around us, the way an ox licks up grass in the field.”

Balak the son of Tzippor was king of Mo’av at that time. 5 He sent messengers to Bil‘am the son of B‘or, at P’tor by the [Euphrates] River in his native land, to tell him, “Listen, a people has come out of Egypt, spread over all the land and settled down next to me. 6 Therefore, please come, and curse this people for me, because they are stronger than I am. Maybe I will be able to strike them down and drive them out of the land, for I know that whomever you bless is in fact blessed, and whomever you curse is in fact cursed.” 7 The leaders of Mo’av and Midyan left, taking with them the payment for divining, came to Bil‘am and spoke to him the words of Balak. 8 He said to them, “Stay here tonight, and I will bring you back whatever answer Adonai tells me.” So the princes of Mo’av stayed with Bil‘am.

9 God came to Bil‘am and said, “Who are these men with you?” 10 Bil‘am said to God, “Balak the son of Tzippor, king of Mo’av, has sent me this message: 11 ‘The people who came out of Egypt have spread over the land; now, come and curse them for me; maybe I will be able to fight against them and drive them out.’” 12 God answered Bil‘am, “You are not to go with them; you are not to curse the people, because they are blessed.”

(RY: v; LY: ii) 13 Bil‘am got up in the morning and said to the princes of Balak, “Return to your own land, because Adonai refuses to give me permission to go with you.” 14 The princes of Mo’av got up, returned to Balak and said, “Bil‘am refuses to come with us.”

15 Balak again sent princes, more of them and of higher status than the first group. 16 They went to Bil‘am and said to him, “Here is what Balak the son of Tzippor says: ‘Please don’t let anything keep you from coming to me. 17 I will reward you very well, and whatever you say to me I will do. So please come, and curse this people for me.’” 18 Bil‘am answered the servants of Balak, “Even if Balak were to give me his palace filled with silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the word of Adonai my God to do anything, great or small. 19 Now, please, you too, stay here tonight; so that I may find out what else Adonai will say to me.” 20 God came to Bil‘am during the night and said to him, “If the men have come to summon you, get up and go with them; but do only what I tell you.”

(LY: iii) 21 So Bil‘am got up in the morning, saddled his donkey and went with the princes of Mo’av. 22 But God’s anger flared up because he went, and the angel of Adonai stationed himself on the path to bar his way. He was riding on his donkey, and his two servants were with him. 23 The donkey saw the angel of Adonai standing on the road, drawn sword in hand; so the donkey turned off the road into the field; and Bil‘am had to beat the donkey to get it back on the road. 24 Then the angel of Adonai stood on the road where it became narrow as it passed among the vineyards and had stone walls on both sides. 25 The donkey saw the angel of Adonai and pushed up against the wall, crushing Bil‘am’s foot against the wall. So he beat it again. 26 The angel of Adonai moved ahead and stood in a place so tight that there was no room to turn either right or left. 27 Again the donkey saw the angel of Adonai and lay down under Bil‘am, which made him so angry that he hit the donkey with his stick. 28 But Adonai enabled the donkey to speak, and it said to Bil‘am, “What have I done to you to make you beat me these three times?” 29 Bil‘am said to the donkey, “It’s because you’ve been making a fool of me! I wish I had a sword in my hand; I would kill you on the spot!” 30 The donkey said to Bil‘am, “I’m your donkey, right? You’ve ridden me all your life, right? Have I ever treated you like this before?” “No,” he admitted. 31 Then Adonai opened Bil‘am’s eyes, so that he could see the angel of Adonai standing in the way with his drawn sword in his hand, and he bowed his head and fell on his face. 32 The angel of Adonai said to him, “Why did you hit your donkey three times like that? I have come out here to bar your way, because you are rushing to oppose me. 33 The donkey saw me and turned aside these three times; and indeed, if she hadn’t turned away from me, I would have killed you by now and saved it alive!” 34 Bil‘am said to the angel of Adonai, “I have sinned. I didn’t know that you were standing on the road to block me. Now, therefore, if what I am doing displeases you, I will go back.” 35 But the angel of Adonai said to Bil‘am, “No, go on with the men; but you are to say only what I tell you to say.” So Bil‘am went along with the princes of Balak.

36 When Balak heard that Bil‘am had come, he went out to meet him in the city of Mo’av at the Arnon border, in the farthest reaches of the territory. 37 Balak said to Bil‘am, “I sent more than once to summon you! Why didn’t you come to me? Did you think I couldn’t pay you enough?” 38 Bil‘am replied to Balak, “Here, I’ve come to you! But I have no power of my own to say anything. The word that God puts in my mouth is what I will say.”

(RY: vi, LY: iv) 39 Bil‘am went with Balak. When they arrived at Kiryat-Hutzot, 40 Balak sacrificed cattle and sheep, then sent to Bil‘am and the princes with him. 41 In the morning Balak took Bil‘am and brought him up to the high places of Ba‘al; from there he could see a portion of the people.

23 Bil‘am said to Balak, “Build me seven altars here, and prepare me seven bulls and seven rams here.” 2 Balak did as Bil‘am said; then Balak and Bil‘am offered a bull and a ram on each altar. 3 Bil‘am said to Balak, “Stand by your burnt offering while I go off; maybe Adonai will come and meet me; and whatever he shows me I will tell you.” He went off to a bare hill. 4 God met Bil‘am, who said to him, “I prepared the seven altars and offered a bull and a ram on each altar.” 5 Then Adonai put a word in Bil‘am’s mouth and said, “Go on back to Balak, and speak as I tell you.” 6 He went back to him, and there, standing by his burnt offering, he with all the princes of Mo’av, 7 he made his pronouncement:

“Balak, the king of Mo’av,
brings me from Aram, from the eastern hills, saying,
‘Come, curse Ya‘akov for me;
come and denounce Isra’el.’

8 “How am I to curse
those whom God has not cursed?
How am I to denounce
those whom Adonai has not denounced?

9 “From the top of the rocks I see them,
from the hills I behold them —
yes, a people that will dwell alone
and not think itself one of the nations.

10 “Who has counted the dust of Ya‘akov
or numbered the ashes of Isra’el?
May I die as the righteous die!
May my end be like theirs!”

11 Balak said to Bil‘am, “What have you done to me?! To curse my enemies is why I brought you; and, here, you have totally blessed them!” 12 He answered, “Mustn’t I take care to say just what Adonai puts in my mouth?”

(LY: v) 13 Balak said to him, “All right, come with me to another place where you can see them. You will see only some of them, not all; but you can curse them for me from there.” 14 He took him through the field of Tzofim to the top of the Pisgah Range, built seven altars and offered a bull and a ram on each altar. 15 Bil‘am said to Balak, “Stand here by your burnt offering, while I go over there for a meeting.” 16 Adonai met Bil‘am, put a word in his mouth and said, “Go on back to Balak, and speak as I tell you.” 17 He came to him and stood by his burnt offering, with all the princes of Mo’av. Balak asked him, “What did Adonai say?” 18 Then Bil‘am made his pronouncement:

“Get up, Balak, and listen!
Turn your ears to me, son of Tzippor!

19 “God is not a human who lies
or a mortal who changes his mind.
When he says something, he will do it;
when he makes a promise, he will fulfill it.
20 Look, I am ordered to bless;
when he blesses, I can’t reverse it.

21 “No one has seen guilt in Ya‘akov,
or perceived perversity in Isra’el;
Adonai their God is with them
and acclaimed as king among them.

22 “God, who brought them out of Egypt,
gives them the strength of a wild ox;
23 thus one can’t put a spell on Ya‘akov,
no magic will work against Isra’el.
It can now be said of Ya‘akov and Isra’el,
‘What is this that God has done?!’

24 “Here is a people rising up like a lioness;
like a lion he rears himself up —
he will not lie down till he eats up the prey
and drinks the blood of the slain.”

25 Balak said to Bil‘am, “Obviously, you won’t curse them. But at least don’t bless them!” 26 However, Bil‘am answered Balak, “Didn’t I warn you that I must do everything Adonai says?”

(RY: vii, LY: vi) 27 Balak said to Bil‘am, “Come, I will take you now to another place; maybe it will please God for you to curse them for me from there.” 28 Balak took Bil‘am to the top of P‘or, overlooking the desert. 29 Bil‘am said to Balak, “Build me seven altars here, and prepare me seven bulls and seven rams.” 30 Balak did as Bil‘am said and offered a bull and a ram on each altar.

24 When Bil‘am saw that it pleased Adonai to bless Isra’el, he didn’t go, as at the other times, to make use of divination, but looked out toward the desert. 2 Bil‘am raised his eyes and saw Isra’el encamped tribe by tribe. Then the Spirit of God came upon him, 3 and he made his pronouncement:

“This is the speech of Bil‘am, son of B‘or;
the speech of the man whose eyes have been opened;
4 the speech of him who hears God’s words;
who sees what Shaddai sees,
who has fallen, yet has open eyes:

5 “How lovely are your tents, Ya‘akov;
your encampments, Isra’el!
6 They spread out like valleys,
like gardens by the riverside,
like succulent aloes planted by Adonai,
like cedar trees next to the water.

7 “Water will flow from their branches,
their seed will have water aplenty.
Their king will be higher than Agag
and his kingdom lifted high.
8 God, who brought them out of Egypt,
gives them the strength of a wild ox.
They will devour the nations opposing them,
break their bones, pierce them with their arrows.

9 “When they lie down they crouch like a lion,
or like a lioness — who dares to rouse it?
Blessed be all who bless you!
Cursed be all who curse you!”

10 Balak blazed with fury against Bil‘am. He struck his hands together and said to Bil‘am, “I summoned you to curse my enemies. But here, you have done nothing but bless them — three times already! 11 Now you had better escape to your own place! I had planned to reward you very well, but now Adonai has deprived you of payment.”

12 Bil‘am answered Balak, “Didn’t I tell the messengers you sent me 13 that even if Balak would give me his palace full of silver and gold, I could not of my own accord go beyond the word of Adonai to do either good or bad? that what Adonai said is what I would say? (LY: vii) 14 But now that I am going back to my own people, come, I will warn you what this people will do to your people in the acharit-hayamim. 15 So he made his pronouncement:

“This is the speech of Bil‘am, son of B‘or;
the speech of the man whose eyes have been opened;
16 the speech of him who hears God’s words;
who knows what ‘Elyon knows,
who sees what Shaddai sees,
who has fallen, yet has open eyes:

17 “I see him, but not now;
I behold him, but not soon —
a star will step forth from Ya‘akov,
a scepter will arise from Isra’el,
to crush the corners of Mo’av
and destroy all descendants of Shet.
18 His enemies will be his possessions —
Edom and Se‘ir, possessions.
Isra’el will do valiantly,
19 From Ya‘akov will come someone who will rule,
and he will destroy what is left of the city.”

20 He saw ‘Amalek and made this pronouncement:

“First among nations was ‘Amalek,
but destruction will be its end.”

21 He saw the Keini and made this pronouncement:

“Though your dwelling is firm,
your nest set on rock,
22 Kayin will be wasted
while captive to Ashur.”

23 Finally, he made this pronouncement:

“Oh no! Who can live when God does this?
24 But ships will come from the coast of Kittim
to subdue Ashur and subdue ‘Ever,
but they too will come to destruction.”

25 Then Bil‘am got up, left and returned to his home; and Balak too went his way.

25 Isra’el stayed at Sheetim, and there the people began whoring with the women of Mo’av. 2 These women invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods, where the people ate and bowed down to their gods. 3 With Isra’el thus joined to Ba‘al-P‘or, the anger of Adonai blazed up against Isra’el.

4 Adonai said to Moshe, “Take all the chiefs of the people, and hang them facing the sun before Adonai, so that the raging fury of Adonai will turn away from Isra’el.” 5 Moshe said to the judges of Isra’el, “Each of you is to put to death those in his tribe who have joined themselves to Ba‘al-P‘or.”

6 Just then, in the sight of Moshe and the whole community of Isra’el, as they were weeping at the entrance to the tent of meeting, a man from Isra’el came by, bringing to his family a woman from Midyan. (Maftir) 7 When Pinchas the son of El‘azar, the son of Aharon the cohen, saw it, he got up from the middle of the crowd, took a spear in his hand, 8 and pursued the man from Isra’el right into the inner part of the tent, where he thrust his spear through both of them — the man from Isra’el and the woman through her stomach. Thus was the plague among the people of Isra’el stopped; 9 nevertheless, 24,000 died in the plague.

Haftarah Balak: Mikhah (Micah) 5:6(7)– 6:8

B’rit Hadashah suggested readings for Parashah Balak: 2 Kefa (2 Peter) 2:1–22; Y’hudah (Jude) 11; Revelation 2:14–15

Complete Jewish Bible (CJB)Copyright © 1998 by David H. Stern. All rights reserved.

Helpful products from Restoring the Way to help your study time in this portion:

Chukat | חוקת | “Statute “

Posted on by Joel Allen
21 Jun

Numbers 19-22:1Complete Jewish Bible (CJB)

Parashah 39: Hukkat (Regulation) 19:1–22:1

[In regular years read with Parashah 40, in leap years read separately]

19 Adonai said to Moshe and Aharon, 2 “This is the regulation from the Torah which Adonai has commanded. Tell the people of Isra’el to bring you a young red female cow without fault or defect and which has never borne a yoke. 3 You are to give it to El‘azar the cohen; it is to be brought outside the camp and slaughtered in front of him. 4 El‘azar the cohen is to take some of its blood with his finger and sprinkle this blood toward the front of the tent of meeting seven times. 5 The heifer is to be burned to ashes before his eyes — its skin, meat, blood and dung is to be burned to ashes. 6 The cohen is to take cedar-wood, hyssop and scarlet yarn and throw them onto the heifer as it is burning up. 7 Then the cohen is to wash his clothes and himself in water, after which he may re-enter the camp; but the cohen will remain unclean until evening. 8 The person who burned up the heifer is to wash his clothes and himself in water, but he will remain unclean until evening. 9 A man who is clean is to collect the ashes of the heifer and store them outside the camp in a clean place. They are to be kept for the community of the people of Isra’el to prepare water for purification from sin. 10 The one who collected the ashes of the heifer is to wash his clothes and be unclean until evening. For the people of Isra’el and for the foreigner staying with them this will be a permanent regulation.

11 “Anyone who touches a corpse, no matter whose dead body it is, will be unclean for seven days. 12 He must purify himself with [these ashes] on the third and seventh days; then he will be clean. But if he does not purify himself the third and seventh days, he will not be clean. 13 Anyone who touches a corpse, no matter whose dead body it is, and does not purify himself has defiled the tabernacle of Adonai. That person will be cut off from Isra’el, because the water for purification was not sprinkled on him. He will be unclean; his uncleanness is still on him.

14 “This is the law: when a person dies in a tent, everyone who enters the tent and everything in the tent will be unclean for seven days. 15 Every open container without a cover closely attached is unclean. 16 Also whoever is in an open field and touches a corpse, whether of someone killed by a weapon or of someone who died naturally, or the bone of a person, or a grave, will be unclean for seven days.

17 “For the unclean person they are to take some of the ashes of the animal burned up as a purification from sin and add them to fresh water in a container. (LY: ii) 18 A clean person is to take a bunch of hyssop leaves, dip it in the water and sprinkle it on the tent, on all the containers, on the people who were there, and on the person who touched the bone or the person killed or the one who died naturally or the grave. 19 The clean person will sprinkle the unclean person on the third and seventh days. On the seventh day he will purify him; then he will wash his clothes and himself in water; and he will be clean at evening. 20 The person who remains unclean and does not purify himself will be cut off from the community because he has defiled the sanctuary of Adonai. The water for purification has not been sprinkled on him; he is unclean. 21 This is to be a permanent regulation for them. The person who sprinkles the water for purification is to wash his clothes. Whoever touches the water for purification will be unclean until evening. 22 Anything the unclean person touches will be unclean, and anyone who touches him will be unclean until evening.”

20 The people of Isra’el, the whole community, entered the Tzin Desert in the first month, and they stayed in Kadesh. There Miryam died, and there she was buried.

2 Because the community had no water, they assembled themselves against Moshe and Aharon. 3 The people quarreled with Moshe and said, “We wish we had died when our brothers died before Adonai. 4 Why did you bring Adonai’s community into this desert? To die there, we and our livestock? 5 Why did you make us leave Egypt? To bring us to this terrible place without seed, figs, grapevines, pomegranates or even water to drink?” 6 Moshe and Aharon left the assembly, went to the entrance of the tent of meeting and fell on their faces; and the glory of Adonai appeared to them.

(RY: ii, LY: iii) 7 Adonai said to Moshe, 8 “Take the staff, assemble the community, you and Aharon your brother; and before their eyes, tell the rock to produce its water. You will bring them water out of the rock and thus enable the community and their livestock to drink.” 9 Moshe took the staff from the presence of Adonai, as he had ordered him. 10 But after Moshe and Aharon had assembled the community in front of the rock, he said to them, “Listen here, you rebels! Are we supposed to bring you water from this rock?” 11 Then Moshe raised his hand and hit the rock twice with his staff. Water flowed out in abundance, and the community and their livestock drank.

12 But Adonai said to Moshe and Aharon, “Because you did not trust in me, so as to cause me to be regarded as holy by the people of Isra’el, you will not bring this community into the land I have given them.” 13 This is M’rivah Spring [Disputation Spring], where the people of Isra’el disputed with Adonai, and he was caused to be regarded as holy by them.

(LY: iv) 14 Moshe sent messengers from Kadesh to the king of Edom: “This is what your brother Isra’el says: you know all the troubles we have gone through — 15 that our ancestors went down into Egypt, we lived in Egypt a long time, and the Egyptians treated us and our ancestors badly. 16 But when we cried out to Adonai, he heard us, sent an angel and brought us out of Egypt. Now here we are in Kadesh, a city at the edge of your territory. 17 Please let us pass through your land. We will not go through fields or vineyards, and we won’t drink any water from the wells. We will go along the King’s Highway, not turning aside either to the right or to the left until we have left your territory.”

18 But Edom answered, “You are not to pass through my land; if you do, I will come out against you with the sword.” 19 The people of Isra’el replied, “We will keep to the highway; if we do drink the water, either we or our livestock, we will pay for it. Just let us pass through on foot — it’s nothing.” 20 But he said, “You are not to pass through”; and Edom came out against them with many people and much force. 21 Thus Edom refused to allow Isra’el passage through its territory, so Isra’el turned away.

(RY: iii, LY: v) 22 They traveled on from Kadesh; and the people of Isra’el, the whole community, arrived at Mount Hor. 23 At Mount Hor, by the border of the land of Edom, Adonai said to Moshe and Aharon, 24 “Aharon is about to be gathered to his people, because he is not to enter the land I have given to the people of Isra’el, inasmuch as you rebelled against what I said at the M’rivah Spring. 25 Take Aharon and El‘azar his son, bring them up to Mount Hor, 26 remove the garments from Aharon and put them on El‘azar his son. Aharon will be gathered to his people — he will die there.”

27 Moshe did as Adonai had ordered. They went up onto Mount Hor before the eyes of the whole community. 28 Moshe removed the garments from Aharon, and put them on El‘azar his son, and Aharon died there on the top of the mountain. Then Moshe and El‘azar came down the mountain. 29 When the entire community saw that Aharon was dead, they mourned Aharon thirty days, the whole house of Isra’el.

21 Then the king of ‘Arad, a Kena‘ani who lived in the Negev, heard that Isra’el was approaching by way of Atarim, so he attacked Isra’el and took some of them captive. 2 Isra’el made a vow to Adonai, “If you will hand this people over to me, I will completely destroy their cities.” 3 Adonai listened to what Isra’el said and handed over the Kena‘anim, so they completely destroyed them and their cities and named the place Hormah [complete destruction].

4 Then they traveled from Mount Hor on the road toward the Sea of Suf in order to go around the land of Edom; but the people’s tempers grew short because of the detour. 5 The people spoke against God and against Moshe: “Why did you bring us up out of Egypt? To die in the desert? There’s no real food, there’s no water, and we’re sick of this miserable stuff we’re eating!”

(LY: vi) 6 In response, Adonai sent poisonous snakes among the people; they bit the people, and many of Isra’el’s people died. 7 The people came to Moshe and said, “We sinned by speaking against Adonai and against you. Pray to Adonai that he rid us of these snakes.” Moshe prayed for the people, 8 and Adonai answered Moshe: “Make a poisonous snake and put it on a pole. When anyone who has been bitten sees it, he will live.” 9 Moshe made a bronze snake and put it on the pole; if a snake had bitten someone, then, when he looked toward the bronze snake, he stayed alive.

10 The people of Isra’el traveled on and camped at Ovot. 11 From Ovot they traveled and camped at ‘Iyei-Ha‘avarim, in the desert fronting Mo’av on the east. 12 From there they traveled and camped in Vadi Zered. 13 From there they traveled and camped on the other side of the Arnon, in the desert; this river comes out of the territory of the Emori; for the Arnon is the boundary between Mo’av and the Emori. 14 This is why it says, in the Book of the Wars of Adonai, “. . . Vahev at Sufah, the vadis of Arnon, 15 and the slope of the vadis extending as far as the site of ‘Ar, which lie next to the territory of Mo’av.”

16 From there they went on to Be’er [well]; that is the well about which Adonai said to Moshe, “Assemble the people, and I will give them water.” 17 Then Isra’el sang this song:

“Spring up, oh well!
Sing to the well
18 sunk by the princes,
dug by the people’s leaders
with the scepter,
with their staffs!”

From the desert they went to Mattanah, 19 from Mattanah to Nachali’el, from Nachali’el to Bamot, 20 and from Bamot to the valley by the plain of Mo’av at the start of the Pisgah range, where it overlooks the desert.

(RY: iv, LY: vii) 21 Isra’el sent messengers to Sichon, king of the Emori, with this message: 22 “Let me pass through your land. We won’t turn aside into fields or vineyards, and we won’t drink any water from the wells. We will go along the King’s Highway until we have left your territory.” 23 But Sichon would not allow Isra’el to pass through his territory. Instead, Sichon mustered all his people and went out into the desert to fight Isra’el. On reaching Yachatz, he fought Isra’el. 24 Isra’el defeated him by force of arms and took control of his land from the Arnon to the Yabok River, but only as far as the people of ‘Amon, because the territory of the people of ‘Amon was well defended. 25 Isra’el took all these cities — Isra’el lived in all the cities of the Emori, in Heshbon and all its surrounding towns. 26 Heshbon was the city of Sichon, the king of the Emori, who had fought against the former king of Mo’av and conquered all his land up to the Arnon. 27 This is why the storytellers say,

“Come to Heshbon! Let it be rebuilt!
Let Sichon’s city be restored!

28 “For fire burst out of Heshbon,
a flame from the city of Sichon.
It consumed ‘Ar of Mo’av,
the lords of Arnon’s high places.

29 “Woe to you, Mo’av!
You are destroyed, people of K’mosh!
He let his sons be fugitives and his daughters captives
of Sichon, king of the Emori.

30 “We shot them down; Heshbon is destroyed,
all the way to Divon.
We even laid waste to Nofach,
which extends as far as Meidva.”

31 Thus Isra’el lived in the land of the Emori.

32 Moshe sent men to reconnoiter Ya‘zer; they captured its towns and drove out the Emori who were there.

33 Then they turned and went up along the road to Bashan; and ‘Og, the king of Bashan, marched out against them, he with all his people, to fight at Edre‘i. (LY: Maftir) 34 Adonai said to Moshe, “Don’t be afraid of him, for I have handed him over to you with all his people and his land. You will treat him just as you did Sichon, king of the Emori, who lived at Heshbon.” 35 So they struck him down, with his sons and all his people, until there was no one left alive; and then they took control of his land.

22 Then the people of Isra’el traveled on and camped in the plains of Mo’av beyond the Yarden River, opposite Yericho.

Haftarah Hukkat: Shof’tim (Judges) 11:1–33

B’rit Hadashah suggested readings for Parashah Hukkat: Yochanan (John) 3:9–21; 4:3–30; 12:27–50

Complete Jewish Bible (CJB)Copyright © 1998 by David H. Stern. All rights reserved.

Helpful products from Restoring the Way to help your study time in this portion:

Shelach | שלח | “Send “

Posted on by Joel Allen
07 Jun

Numbers 13-15:41Complete Jewish Bible (CJB)

Parashah 37: Shlach L’kha (Send on your behalf) 13:1–15:41

13 Adonai said to Moshe, 2 “Send men on your behalf to reconnoiter the land of Kena‘an, which I am giving to the people of Isra’el. From each ancestral tribe send someone who is a leader in his tribe.” 3 Moshe dispatched them from the Pa’ran Desert as Adonai had ordered; all of them were leading men among the people of Isra’el. 4 Here are their names:

from the tribe of Re’uven, Shamua the son of Zakur;
5 from the tribe of Shim‘on, Shafat the son of Hori;
6 from the tribe of Y’hudah, Kalev the son of Y’funeh;
7 from the tribe of Yissakhar, Yig’al the son of Yosef;
8 from the tribe of Efrayim, Hoshea the son of Nun;
9 from the tribe of Binyamin, Palti the son of Rafu;
10 from the tribe of Z’vulun, Gadi’el the son of Sodi;
11 from the tribe of Yosef, that is, from the tribe of M’nasheh, Gadi the son of Susi;
12 from the tribe of Dan, ‘Ammi’el the son of G’malli;
13 from the tribe of Asher, S’tur the son of Mikha’el;
14 from the tribe of Naftali, Nachbi the son of Vofsi; and
15 from the tribe of Gad, Ge’u’el the son of Makhi.

16 These are the names of the men Moshe sent out to reconnoiter the land. Moshe gave to Hoshea the son of Nun the name Y’hoshua.

17 Moshe sent them to reconnoiter the land of Kena‘an, instructing them, “Go on up to the Negev and into the hills, 18 and see what the land is like. Notice the people living there, whether they are strong or weak, few or many; 19 and what kind of country they live in, whether it is good or bad; and what kind of cities they live in, open or fortified. 20 See whether the land is fertile or unproductive and whether there is wood in it or not. Finally, be bold enough to bring back some of the fruit of the land.”

When they left it was the season for the first grapes to ripen. (ii) 21 They went up and reconnoitered the land from the Tzin Desert to Rechov near the entrance to Hamat. 22 They went up into the Negev and arrived at Hevron; Achiman, Sheshai and Talmai, the ‘Anakim, lived there. (Hevron was built seven years before Tzo‘an in Egypt.) 23 They came to the Eshkol Valley; and there they cut off a branch bearing one cluster of grapes, which they carried on a pole between two of them; they also took pomegranates and figs. 24 That place was called the Valley of Eshkol [cluster], because of the cluster which the people of Isra’el cut down there.

25 Forty days later, they returned from reconnoitering the land 26 and went to Moshe, Aharon and the entire community of the people of Isra’el at Kadesh in the Pa’ran Desert, where they brought back word to them and to the entire community and showed them the fruit of the land. 27 What they told him was this: “We entered the land where you sent us, and indeed it does flow with milk and honey — here is its fruit! 28 However the people living in the land are fierce, and the cities are fortified and very large. Moreover, we saw the ‘Anakim there. 29 ‘Amalek lives in the area of the Negev; the Hitti, the Y’vusi and the Emori live in the hills; and the Kena‘ani live by the sea and alongside the Yarden.”

30 Kalev silenced the people around Moshe and said, “We ought to go up immediately and take possession of it; there is no question that we can conquer it.” 31 But the men who had gone with him said, “We can’t attack those people, because they are stronger than we are”; 32 and they spread a negative report about the land they had reconnoitered for the people of Isra’el by saying, “The land we passed through in order to spy it out is a land that devours its inhabitants. All the people we saw there were giant! 33 We saw the N’filim, the descendants of ‘Anak, who was from the N’filim; to ourselves we looked like grasshoppers by comparison, and we looked that way to them too!”

14 At this all the people of Isra’el cried out in dismay and wept all night long. 2 Moreover, all the people of Isra’el began grumbling against Moshe and Aharon; the whole community told them, “We wish we had died in the land of Egypt! or that we had died here in the desert! 3 Why is Adonai bringing us to this land, where we will die by the sword? Our wives and our little ones will be taken as booty! Wouldn’t it be better for us to return to Egypt?” 4 And they said to each other, “Let’s appoint a leader and return to Egypt!”

5 Moshe and Aharon fell on their faces before the entire assembled community of the people of Isra’el. 6 Y’hoshua the son of Nun and Kalev the son of Y’funeh, from the detachment that had reconnoitered the land, tore their clothes 7 and said to the whole community of Isra’el, “The land we passed through in order to spy it out is an outstandingly good land! (iii) 8 If Adonai is pleased with us, then he will bring us into this land and give it to us — a land flowing with milk and honey. 9 Just don’t rebel against Adonai. And don’t be afraid of the people living in the land — we’ll eat them up! Their defense has been taken away from them, and Adonai is with us! Don’t be afraid of them!”

10 But just as the whole community were saying they should be stoned to death, the glory of Adonai appeared in the tent of meeting to all the people of Isra’el. 11 Adonai said to Moshe, “How much longer is this people going to treat me with contempt? How much longer will they not trust me, especially considering all the signs I have performed among them? 12 I am going to strike them with sickness, destroy them and make from you a nation greater and stronger than they are!”

13 However, Moshe replied to Adonai, “When the Egyptians hear about this — [and they will,] because it was from among them that you, by your strength, brought this people up — 14 they will tell the people living in this land. They have heard that you, Adonai, are with this people; that you, Adonai, are seen face to face; that your cloud stands over them; that you go ahead of them in a column of cloud by day and a column of fire by night. 15 If you kill off this people at a single stroke, then the nations that have heard of your reputation will say 16 that the reason Adonai slaughtered this people in the desert is that he wasn’t able to bring them into the land which he swore to give them. 17 So now, please, let Adonai’s power be as great as when you said, 18 ‘Adonai is slow to anger, rich in grace, forgiving offenses and crimes; yet not exonerating the guilty, but causing the negative effects of the parents’ offenses to be experienced by their children and even by the third and fourth generations.’ 19 Please! Forgive the offense of this people according to the greatness of your grace, just as you have borne with this people from Egypt until now.”

20 Adonai answered, “I have forgiven, as you have asked. 21 But as sure as I live, and that the whole earth is filled with the glory of Adonai, 22 none of the people who saw my glory and the signs I did in Egypt and in the desert, yet tested me these ten times and did not listen to my voice, 23 will see the land I swore to their ancestors! None of those who treated me with contempt will see it. 24 But my servant Kalev, because he had a different Spirit with him and has fully followed me — him I will bring into the land he entered, and it will belong to his descendants.

25 “Now, since the ‘Amaleki and the Kena‘ani are living in the valley, tomorrow turn around and get yourselves into the desert along the way to the Sea of Suf.”

(iv) 26 Adonai said to Moshe and Aharon, 27 “How long am I to put up with this evil community who keep grumbling about me? I have heard the complaints of the people of Isra’el, which they continue to raise against me. 28 Tell them this: ‘As surely as I live, Adonai swears, as surely as you have spoken in my ears, I will do this to you: 29 your carcasses will fall in this desert! Every single one of you who were included in the census over the age of twenty, you who have complained against me, 30 will certainly not enter the land about which I raised my hand to swear that I would have you live in it — except for Kalev the son of Y’funeh and Y’hoshua the son of Nun. 31 But your little ones, who you said would be taken as booty — them I will bring in. They will know the land you have rejected. 32 But you, your carcasses will fall in this desert; 33 and your children will wander about in the desert for forty years bearing the consequences of your prostitutions until the desert eats up your carcasses. 34 It will be a year for every day you spent reconnoitering the land that you will bear the consequences of your offenses — forty days, forty years. Then you will know what it means to oppose me! 35 I, Adonai, have spoken.’ I will certainly do this to this whole evil community who have assembled together against me — they will be destroyed in this desert and die there.”

36 The men whom Moshe had sent to reconnoiter the land and who, when they returned, made the entire community complain against him by giving an unfavorable report about the land — 37 those men who gave the unfavorable report about the land died by the plague in the presence of Adonai. 38 Of the men who went to reconnoiter the land, only Y’hoshua the son of Nun and Kalev the son of Y’funeh remained alive.

39 When Moshe told these things to all the people of Isra’el, the people felt great remorse. 40 They arose early the next morning, came up to the top of the mountain and said, “Here we are, and we did sin, but now we’ll go up to the place Adonai promised.” 41 Moshe answered, “Why are you opposing what Adonai said? You won’t succeed! 42 Don’t go up there, because Adonai isn’t with you. If you do, your enemies will defeat you. 43 The ‘Amalekim and the Kena‘anim are there ahead of you, and you will be struck down by the sword. The reason will be that you have turned away from following Adonai, so that Adonai won’t be with you.”

44 But they were presumptuous and went on up toward the high parts of the hill-country, even though the ark for the covenant of Adonai — and Moshe — stayed in the camp. 45 So the ‘Amalekim and the Kena‘anim living in that hill-country descended, struck them down and beat them back all the way to Hormah.

15 Adonai said to Moshe, 2 “Tell the people of Isra’el, ‘When you have come into the land where you are going to live, which I am giving to you, 3 and want to make an offering by fire to Adonai — a burnt offering or sacrifice to fulfill a special vow, or to be a voluntary offering, or at your designated times, to make a fragrant aroma for Adonai — then, whether it is comes from the herd or from the flock, 4 the person bringing the offering is to present Adonai with a grain offering consisting of two quarts of fine flour mixed with one quart of olive oil, 5 and one quart of wine for the drink offering. This is what you are to prepare with the burnt offering or for each lamb sacrificed.

6 “‘For a ram, prepare one gallon of fine flour mixed with one-and-one-third quarts of olive oil; 7 while for the drink offering, you are to present one-and-one-third quarts of wine as a fragrant aroma for Adonai.

(v) 8 “‘When you prepare a bull as a burnt offering, as a sacrifice to fulfill a special vow or as peace offerings for Adonai, 9 there is to be presented with the bull a grain offering of one-and-a-half gallons of fine flour mixed with two quarts of olive oil. 10 For the drink offering, present two quarts of wine for an offering made by fire, a fragant aroma for Adonai.

11 “‘Do it this way for each bull, ram, male lamb or kid. 12 For as many animals as you prepare, do this for each one, regardless of how many animals there are.

13 “‘Every citizen is to do these things in this way when presenting an offering made by fire as a fragrant aroma for Adonai. 14 If a foreigner stays with you — or whoever may be with you, through all your generations — and he wants to bring an offering made by fire as a fragrant aroma for Adonai, he is to do the same as you. 15 For this community there will be the same law for you as for the foreigner living with you; this is a permanent regulation through all your generations; the foreigner is to be treated the same way before Adonai as yourselves. 16 The same Torah and standard of judgment will apply to both you and the foreigner living with you.’”

(vi) 17 Adonai said to Moshe, 18 “Speak to the people of Isra’el; tell them, ‘When you enter the land where I am bringing you 19 and eat bread produced in the land, you are to set aside a portion as a gift for Adonai. 20 Set aside from your first dough a cake as a gift; set it aside as you would set aside a portion of the grain from the threshing-floor. 21 From your first dough you will give Adonai a portion as a gift through all your generations.

22 “‘If by mistake you fail to observe all these mitzvot that Adonai has spoken to Moshe, 23 yes, everything that Adonai has ordered you to do through Moshe, from the day Adonai gave the order and onward through all your generations, 24 then, if it was done by mistake by the community and was not known to them, the whole community is to offer one young bull for a burnt offering as a fragrant aroma to Adonai, with its grain and drink offerings, in keeping with the rule, and one male goat as a sin offering. 25 The cohen is to make atonement for the whole community of the people of Isra’el; and they will be forgiven; because it was a mistake; and they have brought their offering, an offering made by fire, to Adonai, and their sin offering before Adonai for their mistake. 26 The whole community of the people of Isra’el will be forgiven, likewise the foreigner staying with them; because for all the people it was a mistake.

(vii) 27 “‘If an individual sins by mistake, he is to offer a female goat in its first year as a sin offering. 28 The cohen will make atonement before Adonai for the person who makes a mistake by sinning inadvertently; he will make atonement for him, and he will be forgiven — 29 no matter whether he is a citizen of Isra’el or a foreigner living with them. You are to have one law for whoever it is that does something wrong by mistake.

30 “‘But an individual who does something wrong intentionally, whether a citizen or a foreigner, is blaspheming Adonai. That person will be cut off from his people. 31 Because he has had contempt for the word of Adonai and has disobeyed his command, that person will be cut off completely; his offense will remain with him.’”

32 While the people of Isra’el were in the desert, they found a man gathering wood on Shabbat. 33 Those who found him gathering wood brought him to Moshe, Aharon and the whole congregation. 34 They kept him in custody, because it had not yet been decided what to do to him. 35 Then Adonai said to Moshe, “This man must be put to death; the entire community is to stone him to death outside the camp.” 36 So the whole community brought him outside the camp and threw stones at him until he died, as Adonai had ordered Moshe.

(Maftir) 37 Adonai said to Moshe, 38 “Speak to the people of Isra’el, instructing them to make, through all their generations, tzitziyot on the corners of their garments, and to put with the tzitzit on each corner a blue thread. 39 It is to be a tzitzit for you to look at and thereby remember all of Adonai’s mitzvot and obey them, so that you won’t go around wherever your own heart and eyes lead you to prostitute yourselves; 40 but it will help you remember and obey all my mitzvot and be holy for your God. 41 I am Adonai your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt in order to be your God. I am Adonai your God.”

Haftarah Shlach L’kha: Y’hoshua (Joshua) 2:1–24

B’rit Hadashah suggested reading for Parashah Shlach L’kha: Messianic Jews (Hebrews) 3:7–19

 

Complete Jewish Bible (CJB)Copyright © 1998 by David H. Stern. All rights reserved.

Helpful products from Restoring the Way to help your study time in this portion:

Beha’alotcha | בהעלותך | “When you set up “

Posted on by Joel Allen
31 May

Numbers 8-12:15Complete Jewish Bible (CJB)

Parashah 36: B’ha‘alotkha (When you set up) 8:1–12:16

8 Adonai said to Moshe, 2 “Tell Aharon, ‘When you set up the lamps, the seven lamps are to cast their light forward, in front of the menorah.’” 3 Aharon did this: he lit its lamps so as to give light in front of the menorah, as Adonai had ordered Moshe. 4 Here is how the menorah was made: it was hammered gold from its base to its flowers, hammered work, following the pattern Adonai had shown Moshe. This is how he made the menorah.

5 Adonai said to Moshe, 6 “Take the L’vi’im from among the people of Isra’el and cleanse them. 7 Here is how you are to cleanse them: sprinkle the purification water on them, have them shave their whole body with a razor, and have them wash their clothes and cleanse themselves. 8 Then they are to take a young bull with its grain offering, which is to be fine flour mixed with olive oil; while you take another bull for a sin offering. 9 You are to present the L’vi’im in front of the tent of meeting, and assemble the entire community of the people of Isra’el. 10 You will present the L’vi’im before Adonai, the people of Isra’el will lay their hands on the L’vi’im, 11 and Aharon will offer the L’vi’im before Adonai as a wave offering from the people of Isra’el, so that they may do Adonai’s service. 12 The L’vi’im will lay their hands on the heads of the bulls; the one you will offer as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering to Adonai to make atonement for the L’vi’im. 13 You are to place the L’vi’im before Aharon and his sons, and offer them as a wave offering to Adonai. 14 In this way you will separate the L’vi’im from the people of Isra’el, and the L’vi’im will belong to me.

(ii) 15 “After that, the L’vi’im will enter and do the service of the tent of meeting. You will cleanse them and offer them as a wave offering, 16 because they are entirely given to me from among the people of Isra’el; I have taken them for myself in place of all those who come first out of the womb, that is, the firstborn males of the people of Isra’el. 17 For all the firstborn among the people of Isra’el are mine, both humans and animals; on the day I struck all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, I set them apart for myself. 18 But I have taken the L’vi’im in place of all the firstborn among the people of Isra’el, 19 and I have given the L’vi’im to Aharon and his sons from among the people of Isra’el to do the service of the people of Isra’el in the tent of meeting and to make atonement for the people of Isra’el, so that no plague will fall on the people of Isra’el in consequence of their coming too close to the sanctuary.”

20 This is what Moshe, Aharon and all the community of the people of Isra’el did to the L’vi’im. The people of Isra’el acted in accordance with everything that Adonai had ordered Moshe in regard to the L’vi’im. 21 The L’vi’im purified themselves and washed their clothes. Then Aharon offered them as a holy gift before Adonai and made atonement for them in order to cleanse them. 22 After that, the L’vi’im came to do their service in the tent of meeting in front of Aharon and his sons; they acted in accordance with Adonai’s orders to Moshe in regard to the L’vi’im.

23 Adonai said to Moshe, 24 “Here are instructions concerning the L’vi’im: when they reach the age of twenty-five, they are to begin performing their duties serving in the tent of meeting; 25 and when they reach the age of fifty, they are to stop performing this work and not serve any longer. 26 They will assist their brothers who are performing their duties in the tent of meeting, but they themselves will not do any of the work. This is what you are to do with the L’vi’im in regard to their duties.”

9 (iii) Adonai spoke to Moshe in the Sinai Desert in the first month of the second year after they had left the land of Egypt; he said, 2 “Let the people of Isra’el observe Pesach at its designated time. 3 On the fourteenth day of this month, at dusk, you are to observe it — at its designated time. You are to observe it according to all its regulations and rules.” 4 Moshe told the people of Isra’el to observe Pesach. 5 So they observed Pesach at dusk on the fourteenth day of the month in the Sinai Desert; the people of Isra’el acted in accordance with all that Adonai had ordered Moshe.

6 But there were certain people who had become unclean because of someone’s corpse, so that they could not observe Pesach on that day. So they came before Moshe and Aharon that day 7 and said to him, “We are unclean because of someone’s corpse; but why must we be kept from bringing the offering for Adonai at the time designated for the people of Isra’el?” 8 Moshe answered them, “Wait, so that I can hear what Adonai will order concerning you.” 9 Adonai said to Moshe, 10 “Tell the people of Isra’el, ‘If any of you now or in future generations is unclean because of a corpse, or if he is on a trip abroad, nevertheless he is to observe Pesach. 11 But he will observe it in the second month on the fourteenth day at dusk. They are to eat it with matzah and maror, 12 they are to leave none of it until morning, and they are not to break any of its bones — they are to observe it according to all the regulations of Pesach. 13 But the person who is clean and not on a trip who fails to observe Pesach will be cut off from his people; because he did not bring the offering for Adonai at its designated time, that person will bear the consequences of his sin. 14 If a foreigner is staying with you and wants to observe Pesach for Adonai, he is to do it according to the regulations and rules of Pesach — you are to have the same law for the foreigner as for the citizen of the land.’”

(iv) 15 On the day the tabernacle was put up, the cloud covered the tabernacle, that is, the tent of the testimony; and in the evening, over the tabernacle was what appeared to be fire, which remained until morning. 16 So the cloud always covered it, and it looked like fire at night. 17 Whenever the cloud was taken up from above the tent, the people of Isra’el continued their travels; and they camped wherever the cloud stopped. 18 At the order of Adonai, the people of Isra’el traveled; at the order of Adonai, they camped; and as long as the cloud stayed over the tabernacle, they stayed in camp. 19 Even when the cloud remained on the tabernacle for a long time, the people of Isra’el did what Adonai had charged them to do and did not travel. 20 Sometimes the cloud was a few days over the tabernacle; according to Adonai’s order, they remained in camp; and according to Adonai’s order, they traveled. 21 Sometimes the cloud was there only from evening until morning; so that when the cloud was taken up in the morning, they traveled. Or even if it continued up both day and night, when the cloud was up, they traveled. 22 Whether it was two days, a month or a year that the cloud remained over the tabernacle, staying on it, the people of Isra’el remained in camp and did not travel; but as soon as it was taken up, they traveled. 23 At Adonai’s order, they camped; and at Adonai’s order, they traveled — they did what Adonai had charged them to do through Moshe.

10 Adonai said to Moshe, 2 “Make two trumpets; make them of hammered silver. Use them for summoning the community and for sounding the call to break camp and move on. 3 When they are sounded, the entire community is to assemble before you at the entrance to the tent of meeting. 4 If only one is sounded, then just the leaders, the heads of the clans of Isra’el, are to assemble before you.

5 “When you sound an alarm, the camps to the east will commence traveling. 6 When you sound a second alarm, the camps to the south will set out; they will sound alarms to announce when to travel. 7 However, when the community is to be assembled, you are to sound; but don’t sound an alarm. 8 It will be the sons of Aharon, the cohanim, who are to sound the trumpets; this will be a permanent regulation for you through all your generations.

9 “When you go to war in your land against an adversary who is oppressing you, you are to sound an alarm with the trumpets; then you will be remembered before Adonai your God, and you will be saved from your enemies.

10 “Also on your days of rejoicing, at your designated times and on Rosh-Hodesh, you are to sound the trumpets over your burnt offerings and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings; these will be your reminder before your God. I am Adonai your God.”

(v) 11 On the twentieth day of the second month of the second year, the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle of the testimony; 12 and the people of Isra’el moved out in stages from the Sinai Desert. The cloud stopped in the Pa’ran Desert.

13 So they set out on their first journey, in keeping with Adonai’s order through Moshe. 14 In the lead was the banner of the camp of the descendants of Y’hudah, whose companies moved forward; over his company was Nachshon the son of ‘Amminadav. 15 Over the company of the tribe of the descendants of Yissakhar was N’tan’el the son of Tzu‘ar. 16 Over the company of the descendants of Z’vulun was Eli’av the son of Helon.

17 Then the tabernacle was taken down; and the descendants of Gershon and the descendants of M’rari set out, carrying the tabernacle.

18 Next, the banner of the camp of Re’uven moved forward by companies; over his company was Elitzur the son of Sh’de’ur. 19 Over the company of the tribe of the descendants of Shim‘on was Shlumi’el the son of Tzurishaddai. 20 Over the company of the descendants of Gad was Elyasaf the son of De‘u’el.

21 Then the descendants of K’hat set out, carrying the sanctuary, so that [at the next camp] the tabernacle could be set up before they arrived.

22 The banner of the camp of the descendants of Efrayim moved forward by companies; over his company was Elishama the son of ‘Ammihud. 23 Over the company of the tribe of the descendants of M’nasheh was Gamli’el the son of P’dahtzur. 24 Over the company of the descendants of Binyamin was Avidan the son of Gid‘oni.

25 The banner of the camp of the descendants of Dan, forming the rearguard for all the camps, moved forward by companies; over his company was Achi‘ezer the son of ‘Ammishaddai. 26 Over the company of the tribe of the descendants of Asher was Pag‘i’el the son of ‘Okhran. 27 Over the company of the descendants of Naftali was Achira the son of ‘Enan.

28 This is how the people of Isra’el traveled by companies; thus they moved forward.

(S: vi) 29 Moshe said to Hovav the son of Re‘u’el the Midyani, Moshe’s father-in-law, “We are traveling to the place about which Adonai said, ‘I will give it to you.’ Come with us, and we will treat you well, because Adonai has promised good things to Isra’el.” 30 But he replied, “I will not go; I would rather go back to my own country and my own kinsmen.” 31 Moshe continued, “Please don’t leave us, because you know that we have to camp in the desert, and you can serve as our eyes. 32 If you do go with us, then whatever good Adonai does for us, we will do the same for you.”

33 So they set out from Adonai’s mountain and traveled for three days. Ahead of them on this three-day journey went the ark of Adonai’s covenant, searching for a new place to stop. 34 The cloud of Adonai was over them during the day as they set out from the camp. (A: vi) 35 When the ark moved forward, Moshe said,

“Arise, Adonai! May your enemies be scattered!
Let those who hate you flee before you!”

36 When it stopped, he said,

“Return, Adonai of the many, many
thousands of Isra’el!”

11 But the people began complaining about their hardships to Adonai. When Adonai heard it, his anger flared up, so that fire from Adonai broke out against them and consumed the outskirts of the camp. 2 Then the people cried to Moshe, Moshe prayed to Adonai, and the fire abated. 3 That place was called Tav‘erah [burning] because Adonai’s fire broke out against them.

4 Next, the mixed crowd that was with them grew greedy for an easier life; while the people of Isra’el, for their part, also renewed their weeping and said, “If only we had meat to eat! 5 We remember the fish we used to eat in Egypt — it cost us nothing! — and the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, the garlic! 6 But now we’re withering away, we have nothing to look at but this man.”

7 The man, by the way, was like coriander seed and white like gum resin. 8 The people would go around gathering it and would grind it up in mills or pound it to paste with mortar and pestle. Then they would cook it in pots and make it into loaves that tasted like cakes baked with olive oil. 9 When the dew settled on the camp during the night, the man came with it.

10 Moshe heard the people crying, family after family, each person at the entrance to his tent; the anger of Adonai flared up violently; and Moshe too was displeased. 11 Moshe asked Adonai, “Why are you treating your servant so badly? Why haven’t I found favor in your sight, so that you put the burden of this entire people on me? 12 Did I conceive this people? Was I their father, so that you tell me, ‘Carry them in your arms, like a nurse carrying a baby, to the land you swore to their ancestors?’ 13 Where am I going to get meat to give to this entire people? — because they keep bothering me with their crying and saying, ‘Give us meat to eat!’ 14 I can’t carry this entire people by myself alone — it’s too much for me! 15 If you are going to treat me this way, then just kill me outright! — please, if you have any mercy toward me! — and don’t let me go on being this miserable!”

16 Adonai said to Moshe, “Bring me seventy of the leaders of Isra’el, people you recognize as leaders of the people and officers of theirs. Bring them to the tent of meeting, and have them stand there with you. 17 I will come down and speak with you there, and I will take some of the Spirit which rests on you and put it on them. Then they will carry the burden of the people along with you, so that you won’t carry it yourself alone.

18 “Tell the people, ‘Consecrate yourselves for tomorrow, and you will eat meat; because you cried in the ears of Adonai, “If only we had meat to eat! We had the good life in Egypt!” All right, Adonai is going to give you meat, and you will eat it. 19 You won’t eat it just one day, or two days, or five, or ten, or twenty days, 20 but a whole month! — until it comes out of your nose and you hate it! — because you have rejected Adonai, who is here with you, and distressed him with your crying and asking, “Why did we ever leave Egypt?”’”

21 But Moshe said, “Here I am with six hundred thousand men on foot, and yet you say, ‘I will give them meat to eat for a whole month!’ 22 If whole flocks and herds were slaughtered for them, would it be enough? If all the fish in the sea were collected for them, would even that be enough?” 23 Adonai answered Moshe, “Has Adonai’s arm grown short? Now you will see whether what I said will happen or not!”

24 Moshe went out and told the people what Adonai had said. Then he collected seventy of the leaders of the people and placed them all around the tent. 25 Adonai came down in the cloud, spoke to him, took some of the Spirit that was on him and put it on the seventy leaders. When the Spirit came to rest on them, they prophesied — then but not afterwards.

26 There were two men who stayed in the camp, one named Eldad and the other Medad, and the Spirit came to rest on them. They were among those listed to go out to the tent, but they hadn’t done so, and they prophesied in the camp. 27 A young man ran and told Moshe, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp!” 28 Y’hoshua, the son of Nun, who from his youth up had been Moshe’s assistant, answered, “My lord, Moshe, stop them!” 29 But Moshe replied, “Are you so zealous to protect me? I wish all of Adonai’s people were prophets! I wish Adonai would put his Spirit on all of them!”

(vii) 30 Moshe and the leaders of Isra’el went back into the camp; 31 and Adonai sent out a wind which brought quails from across the sea and let them fall near the camp, about a day’s trip away on each side of the camp and all around it, covering the ground to a depth of three feet. 32 The people stayed up all that day, all night and all the next day gathering the quails — the person gathering the least collected ten heaps; then they spread them out for themselves all around the camp. 33 But while the meat was still in their mouth, before they had chewed it up, the anger of Adonai flared up against the people, and Adonai struck the people with a terrible plague. 34 Therefore that place was named Kivrot-HaTa’avah [graves of greed], because there they buried the people who were so greedy.

35 From Kivrot-HaTa’avah the people traveled to Hatzerot, and they stayed at Hatzerot.

12 Miryam and Aharon began criticizing Moshe on account of the Ethiopian woman he had married, for he had in fact married an Ethiopian woman. 2 They said, “Is it true that Adonai has spoken only with Moshe? Hasn’t he spoken with us too?” Adonai heard them. 3 Now this man Moshe was very humble, more so than anyone on earth. 4 Suddenly Adonai told Moshe, Aharon and Miryam, “Come out, you three, to the tent of meeting.” The three of them went out.

5 Adonai came down in a column of cloud and stood at the entrance to the tent. He summoned Aharon and Miryam, and they both went forward. 6 He said, “Listen to what I say: when there is a prophet among you, I, Adonai, make myself known to him in a vision, I speak with him in a dream. 7 But it isn’t that way with my servant Moshe. He is the only one who is faithful in my entire household. 8 With him I speak face to face and clearly, not in riddles; he sees the image of Adonai. So why weren’t you afraid to criticize my servant Moshe?” 9 The anger of Adonai flared up against them, and he left.

10 But when the cloud was removed from above the tent, Miryam had tzara‘at, as white as snow. Aharon looked at Miryam, and she was as white as snow. 11 Aharon said to Moshe, “Oh, my lord, please don’t punish us for this sin we committed so foolishly. 12 Please don’t let her be like a stillborn baby, with its body half eaten away when it comes out of its mother’s womb!” 13 Moshe cried to Adonai, “Oh God, I beg you, please, heal her!” (Maftir) 14 Adonai answered Moshe, “If her father had merely spit in her face, wouldn’t she hide herself in shame for seven days? So let her be shut out of the camp for seven days; after that, she can be brought back in.” 15 Miryam was shut out of the camp seven days, and the people did not travel until she was brought back in.

Complete Jewish Bible (CJB)Copyright © 1998 by David H. Stern. All rights reserved.

Helpful products from Restoring the Way to help your study time in this portion: