Israelites in the Bible

Exact Match

That is why, to this day, the Israelites don’t eat the thigh muscle that is at the hip socket: because He struck Jacob’s hip socket at the thigh muscle.

Verse ConceptsWeakness, PhysicalThighsTouching To HarmForbidden FoodStatutes To This Daymuscles

These are the kings who ruled in the land of Edom
before any king ruled over the Israelites:

Verse ConceptsRulers Of Edom

These are the names of the Israelites, Jacob and his sons, who went to Egypt:

Jacob’s firstborn: Reuben.

Verse ConceptsFirstbornFirstborn Sons

And he blessed them, saying, "At the example of these, the Israelites shall bless and say, 'God make thee as Ephraim and as Manasseh.'" Thus set he Ephraim before Manasseh.

Verse ConceptsLike Good PeoplePeople Who Blessed Others

But the Israelites were fruitful, increased rapidly, multiplied, and became extremely numerous so that the land was filled with them.

Verse ConceptsFruitfulness, NaturalFilling PlacesBirth ControlPeople Multiplyingfruitfulness

And he said to his people, "Look, the people of the {Israelites} [are] greater and more numerous than us.

Verse ConceptsMany In Israel

So the Egyptians assigned taskmasters over the Israelites to oppress them with forced labor. They built Pithom and Rameses as supply cities for Pharaoh.

Verse ConceptsAbuse Of Authority, Examples OfOppression, Nature OfStoringSuffering, Causes OfSuffering, HardshipSuffering, Nature OfTaskmastersStores Of FoodForced Labour

But the more they oppressed them, the more they multiplied and spread so that the Egyptians came to dread the Israelites.

Verse ConceptsPeople MultiplyingFearing Other PeopleAfflictions Terminating In Goodoppressionpressure

They made their lives bitter by hard service with mortar and bricks and by all kinds of service in the fields. Every kind of service the Israelites were required to give was rigorous.

Verse ConceptsBricksOppression, Examples OfTroubling Groups Of PeopleBitternessSuccess And Hard Work

The Israelites’ cry for help has come to Me, and I have also seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing them.

Verse ConceptsAnti semitismOppression, Nature OfVisionCries Of Distress To Godisraeloppression

Then Moses asked God, “If I go to the Israelites and say to them: The God of your fathers has sent me to you, and they ask me, ‘What is His name?’ what should I tell them?”

Verse ConceptsMoses, Life OfI Am The LordGod Sending ProphetsWhat Is God's Name?

God also said to Moses, “Say this to the Israelites: Yahweh, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you. This is My name forever; this is how I am to be remembered in every generation.

Verse ConceptsGenerationsI Am The LordGod Sending ProphetsOther References To God's Name

Then Moses and Aaron went and assembled all the elders of the Israelites.

Verse Conceptselders, as community leadersAssembling LeadersThe Elders Gathered

So the people believed; and when they heard that the Lord was concerned about the Israelites and that He had looked [with compassion] on their suffering, then they bowed their heads and worshiped [the Lord].

Verse ConceptsBowingAttitudes, in prayerWorship, Reasons ForBowing Heads Before GodBelieving In GodGod Paid Attention To ThemOthers Believing In GodWorshipping God

So the slave masters of the people and their foremen went to the Israelites and said, "Thus says Pharaoh: 'I am not giving you straw.

Verse ConceptsHeraldTaskmasters

And the foremen of the {Israelites}, whom Pharaoh's slave drivers had appointed over them, were beaten [by men who were] saying, "Why have you not completed your portion of brickmaking {as before, both yesterday and today}?"

Verse ConceptsAaron, PrivilegesFloggingIncomplete Works

And the foremen of the {Israelites} came and cried out to Pharaoh, saying, "Why do you treat your servants like this?

Verse ConceptsAskingWhy Do You Do This?

And the foremen of the {Israelites} saw they were in trouble {with the saying}, "You will not reduce from your bricks {for each day} on its day."

Verse ConceptsNo ReductionTroubling Groups Of People

Furthermore, I have heard the groaning of the Israelites, whom the Egyptians are forcing to work as slaves, and I have remembered My covenant.

Verse ConceptsAnswered PromisesHard LaborGod Remembering His CovenantGod Paid Attention To ThemGod Keeps Covenant

“Therefore tell the Israelites: I am Yahweh, and I will deliver you from the forced labor of the Egyptians and free you from slavery to them. I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and great acts of judgment.

Verse ConceptsGod, Human Descriptions OfGod, As SaviorArmsGod, The LordRedemption, In Everyday LifeStrength, DivineArm Of GodCaptivesStrength Of GodRemoving BurdensI Am The LordGod Bringing Israel Out Of EgyptRedemptionGod's Interventionliberation

Moses told this to the Israelites, but they did not listen to him because of their broken spirit and hard labor.

Verse ConceptsdiscouragementAnguish, CauseOther Sad PeopleDepression

“Go and tell Pharaoh king of Egypt to let the Israelites go from his land.”

But Moses said in the Lord’s presence: “If the Israelites will not listen to me, then how will Pharaoh listen to me, since I am such a poor speaker?”

Verse ConceptsEloquencedoubtersHesitationLipsDoubtShynessTimidityUncircumcised In Heart

Then the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron and gave them commands concerning both the Israelites and Pharaoh king of Egypt to bring the Israelites out of the land of Egypt.

Verse ConceptsAaron, PositionAaron, Moses SpokespersonBringing Israel Out Of EgyptOthers Bringing Israel Out Of EgyptGod's Orders

It was this Aaron and Moses whom the Lord told, “Bring the Israelites out of the land of Egypt according to their divisions.”

Verse ConceptsAaron, PositionBringing Israel Out Of EgyptOthers Bringing Israel Out Of EgyptEarthly Armies

Moses and Aaron were the ones who spoke to Pharaoh king of Egypt in order to bring the Israelites out of Egypt.

You must say whatever I command you; then Aaron your brother must declare it to Pharaoh so that he will let the Israelites go from his land.

Verse ConceptsAaron, Position

Pharaoh will not listen to you, but I will put My hand on Egypt and bring the divisions of My people the Israelites out of the land of Egypt by great acts of judgment.

Verse ConceptsGod's HandGod's Hands In OppositionEarthly ArmiesGod Bringing Israel Out Of Egypt

But the Lord will make a distinction between the livestock of Israel and the livestock of Egypt, so that nothing of all that the Israelites own will die.”

Verse ConceptsPlaguesNot DyingGod Differentiating

And the Lord did this thing the next day, and all [kinds of] the livestock of Egypt died; but of the livestock of the Israelites, not one died.

Verse ConceptsPlaguesDeath Of CreaturesNot Dying

And Pharaoh sent, and behold, there was not one of the cattle of the Israelites dead. But the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, and he did not let the people go.

Verse ConceptsHardness Of HeartNot DyingObstinate Individuals

The only place it didn’t hail was in the land of Goshen where the Israelites were.

So Pharaoh’s heart hardened, and he did not let the Israelites go, as the Lord had said through Moses.

One person could not see another, and for three days they did not move from where they were. Yet all the Israelites had light where they lived.

Verse ConceptsLight, NaturalPlaguesThree DaysLight In The WorldUnseenMoving To A New Place

But against all the Israelites, whether man or beast, not even a dog will snarl, so that you may know that Yahweh makes a distinction between Egypt and Israel.

Verse ConceptsdogsPlaguesBarking And HowlingGod DifferentiatingBoth Men And Animals AffectedKnowing God's Characterisrael

Moses and Aaron did all these wonders before Pharaoh, but the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he would not let the Israelites go out of his land.

Verse ConceptsAaron, Moses SpokespersonMiracles, Responses ToGod Hardening PeopleOther Miracles

you are to reply, ‘It is the Passover sacrifice to the Lord, for He passed over the houses of the Israelites in Egypt when He struck the Egyptians and spared our homes.’” So the people bowed down and worshiped.

Verse ConceptsBowingProperty, HousesPassing OverReverence, And ObedienceBowing Heads Before GodGod KillingRegulations For PassoverWorshipping GodGod Killed The Peoples

Then the Israelites went and did this; they did just as the Lord had commanded Moses and Aaron.

He summoned Moses and Aaron during the night and said, “Get up, leave my people, both you and the Israelites, and go, worship Yahweh as you have asked.

Verse ConceptsDuring One NightKings SummoningWorship God!

The Israelites acted on Moses’ word and asked the Egyptians for silver and gold jewelry and for clothing.

Verse ConceptsGoldPeople Giving Clothesjewelry

The Israelites traveled from Rameses to Succoth, about 600,000 soldiers on foot, besides their families.

Verse ConceptsThree To Nine Hundred Thousand

It was a night of vigil in honor of the Lord, because He would bring them out of the land of Egypt. This same night is in honor of the Lord, a night vigil for all the Israelites throughout their generations.

Verse ConceptsFreedom, Acts Of In OtMan Keeping WatchActing All Night

Then all the Israelites did this; they did just as the Lord had commanded Moses and Aaron.

On that same day the Lord brought the Israelites out of the land of Egypt according to their divisions.

Verse ConceptsGod, The LordAt The Same TimeEarthly ArmiesGod Bringing Israel Out Of Egyptorganization

So He led the people around toward the Red Sea along the road of the wilderness. And the Israelites left the land of Egypt in battle formation.

Verse Conceptsequipping, physicalComing To The Red SeaGod Led Them Through The WildernessEarthly Armies

Moses took the bones of Joseph with him, because Joseph had made the Israelites swear a solemn oath, saying, “God will certainly come to your aid; then you must take my bones with you from this place.”

Verse ConceptsFaithfulness, In Human RelationshipsGod VisitingBonesPeople Bound By Oaths

“Tell the Israelites to turn back and camp in front of Pi-hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea; you must camp in front of Baal-zephon, facing it by the sea.

Verse ConceptsCamping During The ExodusComing To The Red Sea

Pharaoh will say of the Israelites: They are wandering around the land in confusion; the wilderness has boxed them in.

Verse ConceptsBewildermentShutting Doorswandering

I will harden Pharaoh’s heart so that he will pursue them. Then I will receive glory by means of Pharaoh and all his army, and the Egyptians will know that I am Yahweh.” So the Israelites did this.

Verse ConceptsGod, As SaviorGod, As RedeemerFreedom, Of The WillGod, Revelation OfAfflictions Of The WickedKingsKnowledge, Of GodTravelGod Hardening PeopleYou Will Know I Am The Lord

The Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursued the Israelites, who were going out triumphantly.

Verse ConceptsHardened HeartsBoldness, To PeopleHeart, Fallen And RedeemedStiffnecked PeopleGod Hardening PeopleBeing Strong

As Pharaoh approached, the Israelites looked up and saw the Egyptians coming after them. Then the Israelites were terrified and cried out to the Lord for help.

Verse ConceptsAnxiety, Examples OfCrying To GodFearing Other People

As for you, lift up your staff, stretch out your hand over the sea, and divide it so that the Israelites can go through the sea on dry ground.

Verse ConceptsMiracles, Responses ToStretching OutDivision Of WatersDry LandWaters DividedComing To The Red Sea

So it came between the camp of Egypt and the camp of Israel. It was a cloud along with darkness [even by day to the Egyptians], but it gave light by night [to the Israelites]; so one [army] did not come near the other all night.

Verse ConceptsLight, NaturalDivine Protection, Examples OfStanding At A DistanceComing BetweenLight In The WorldCamping During The Exodus

and the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with the waters like a wall to them on their right and their left.

Verse ConceptsGod's ProvisionFigurative Walls

The water returned and covered the chariots and the horsemen and all the army of Pharaoh that was coming after the Israelites into the sea -- not so much as one of them survived!

Verse ConceptsPride, Results OfNo SurvivorsDestroying ChariotsDeath Of Other Groups

But the Israelites had walked through the sea on dry ground, with the waters like a wall to them on their right and their left.

Verse ConceptsMoses, Life OfFigurative WallsWalking Through WaterDry Land

Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song to the Lord. They said:

I will sing to the Lord,
for He is highly exalted;
He has thrown the horse
and its rider into the sea.

Verse ConceptsBackDeborahHorsesMoses, Life OfVictory, As An Act Of GodGlory Of GodThrowing PeopleThose Singing PraiseArt Of Celebratingdeliverance

When Pharaoh’s horses with his chariots and horsemen went into the sea, the Lord brought the waters of the sea back over them. But the Israelites walked through the sea on dry ground.

Verse ConceptsWalking Through WaterDestroying ChariotsDry LandGod Drying Things Up

When they journeyed from Elim, the entire company of Israelites came to the Desert of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after their exodus from the land of Egypt.

Verse ConceptsDeserts, SpecificMonth 2

The Israelites said to them, “If only we had died by the Lord’s hand in the land of Egypt, when we sat by pots of meat and ate all the bread we wanted. Instead, you brought us into this wilderness to make this whole assembly die of hunger!”

Verse ConceptsIngratitudeMeatSelf PityCynicismDying In The WildernessDesire For DeathPlenty In EgyptNo FoodGod Might Kill His PeoplePots For Cooking And EatingDying In The Desert WeedComplaininghungerpot

So Moses and Aaron said to all the Israelites: “This evening you will know that it was the Lord who brought you out of the land of Egypt;

Verse ConceptsFreedom, Acts Of In OtGod, The LordKnowledge, Of God

Then Moses said to Aaron, "Tell the whole community of the Israelites, 'Come before the Lord, because he has heard your murmurings.'"

Verse ConceptsAaron, Life EventsGod HearingGod Paid Attention To Them

As Aaron spoke to the whole community of the Israelites and they looked toward the desert, there the glory of the Lord appeared in the cloud,

Verse ConceptsAppearances Of God In OtClouds, Miraculous UsesClouds, God's PresenceTheophanyDivine ManifestationsGod, Presence OfJudgement In The Wilderness

“I have heard the complaints of the Israelites. Tell them: At twilight you will eat meat, and in the morning you will eat bread until you are full. Then you will know that I am Yahweh your God.”

Verse ConceptsAssurance, basis ofBreakfastTwilightIn The MorningGod Paid Attention To Them

When the Israelites saw it, they asked one another, “What is it?” because they didn’t know what it was.

Moses told them, “It is the bread the Lord has given you to eat.

Verse ConceptsUnknown ThingsWhat Is This?Gifts Of GodOther Gifts Of GodPeople Naming Things

So the Israelites did this. Some gathered a lot, some a little.

Verse ConceptsGathering MuchLittle FoodGathering Food

The Israelites ate manna for 40 years, until they came to an inhabited land. They ate manna until they reached the border of the land of Canaan.

Verse ConceptsForty YearsThe Number Forty40 To 50 Years

The whole community of the Israelites traveled on their journey from the Desert of Sin according to the Lord's instruction, and they pitched camp in Rephidim. Now there was no water for the people to drink.

Verse ConceptsCommands, in OTTravelParticular JourneysNo Water For People

He named the place Massah and Meribah because the Israelites complained, and because they tested the Lord, saying, “Is the Lord among us or not?”

Verse ConceptsBacksliding, CausesIngratitudeTestingInfidelity To GodGod With YouTesting GodComplainingTests

Now I know that Yahweh is greater than all the gods, {even in the matter where they the Egyptians dealt arrogantly against the Israelites}."

Verse ConceptsKnowing God, Nature OfArrogance, Punishment OfProud PeopleKnowing God's Character

In the third month after the Israelites went out from the land of Egypt, on the very day, they came to the Desert of Sinai.

Verse ConceptsMonthMonth 3

Moses went up to God [on the mountain], and the Lord called to him from the mountain, saying, “Say this to the house of Jacob and tell the Israelites:

Verse ConceptsJacob, The PatriarchGoing Up Mountains

Then the Lord said to Moses, “Thus you shall say to the Israelites, ‘You have seen for yourselves that I have spoken to you from heaven.

Verse ConceptsGod SpeakingGod Speaks From Heaven

“Now these are the ordinances (laws) which you shall set before the Israelites:

Verse ConceptsTheocracyThe Law Given To Israel

And he sent young men from the {Israelites}, and they offered burnt offerings, and they sacrificed sacrifices [as] fellowship offerings to Yahweh [using] bulls.

Verse ConceptsBurnt offeringYoung AnimalSacrificing CattlePeace offerings

Yet He did not stretch out His hand against the nobles of the Israelites; and they saw [the manifestation of the presence of] God, and ate and drank.

Verse ConceptsFeasting On Special OccasionsFeastingMessianic BanquetGod's HandEating Before GodThose Who Saw GodGod's Hands In Opposition

In the sight of the Israelites the appearance of the glory and brilliance of the Lord was like consuming fire on the top of the mountain.

Verse ConceptsSymbolsTheophanyGod Appearing In FireSpectators

I will meet with you there, and from above the atonement lid, from between the two cherubim that are over the ark of the testimony, I will speak with you about all that I will command you for the Israelites.

Verse ConceptsArk Of The Covenant, DescriptionCommands, in OTMercy SeatArk Of The Covenant, PurposeArk Of The Covenant, FunctionJudgment SeatTypesGod's Shekinah GloryMeeting GodGod SpeakingPropitiatory [Mercy Seat]Cherubim DepictedArk Of The CovenantCherubim

“You shall command the Israelites to provide you with clear oil of beaten olives for the light, to make a lamp burn continually [every night].

Verse ConceptsOlive OilThe Golden LampstandOilCandlesOil For LampsPure Things

In the Tent of Meeting [of God with His people], outside the veil which is in front of the [ark of the] Testimony [and sets it apart], Aaron [the high priest] and his sons shall keep the lamp burning from evening to morning before the Lord. It shall be a perpetual statute [to be observed] throughout their generations on behalf of the Israelites.

Verse ConceptsAaron, Priestly ResponsibilitiesMorningOrdinancesPriests, Function In Ot TimesTentsPutting In OrderActing All Night

"And you, bring near to you your brother Aaron and his sons with him from among the Israelites, so that they may minister as my priests -- Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar, Aaron's sons.

Verse ConceptsLeaders, SpiritualPriests, Function In Ot TimesPriests, Institution In Ot TimesServanthood, And Worship Of GodAaron, As High PriestMinisters, Description OfTypes Of Christ

"And you will take two onyx stones and engrave on them the names of the {Israelites},

Verse ConceptsTwo Ornaments

[As the] work of a skilled stone craftsman, [with] seal engravings you will engrave on the two stones the names of the {Israelites}; you will make them mounted [in] gold filigree settings.

Verse ConceptsCraftsmenArts And Crafts, Types ofSealsPlaitingengravingGold Items For The Tabernacl

Fasten both stones on the shoulder pieces of the ephod as memorial stones for the Israelites. Aaron will carry their names on his two shoulders before the Lord as a reminder.

Verse ConceptsShouldersShoulder Pieces

The stones will be according to the names of the {Israelites}, twelve according to their names, [with] seal engravings, each according to its name they will be for [the] twelve tribes.

Verse ConceptsSealsengravingTwelve TribesTwelve Things

And Aaron will bear the names of the {Israelites} in the breast piece of judgment on his heart, when he comes to the sanctuary, for a remembrance before Yahweh continually.

Verse ConceptsMemorialPeople Involved In JudgementOther References To The HeartDecision Making

Thematic Bible



The citizens of Canaan saw those people mourning at Atad. They said: What a solemn ceremony of mourning the Egyptians are holding! That is why the place was named Abel-mizraim.


In the month of Abib, the month in which you left Egypt, celebrate the Festival of Unleavened Bread in the way that I commanded you. Do not eat any bread made with yeast during the seven days of this festival. Never come to worship me without bringing an offering.

Observe the month of Abib and celebrate the Passover to Jehovah your God. It was in the month of Abib that Jehovah your God brought you out of Egypt by night.


Early the next day the people sacrificed burnt offerings and brought peace offerings. After that they sat down to a feast, which turned into an orgy.

Moses saw that the people were naked. Aaron had made them naked to their shame among their enemies.

They have done scandalous and disgraceful things in Israel. They committed adultery with their neighbors' wives and spoke lies in my name. I did not command them to do this. 'I know what they have done. I am a witness, says Jehovah.'

Your people tell lies about others in order to have them put to death. They eat sacrifices offered to idols. They always satisfy their lusts. Some of them sleep with their father's wife. Some force women to have intercourse with them during their period. Some commit adultery, and others seduce their daughters-in-law or their half sisters.

You rely on your swords (military power). You do disgusting things. You dishonor your neighbor's wife. Should the land be given to you?'

They all commit adultery. They are like a heated oven, an oven so hot that a baker does not have to fan its flames when he makes bread.


After these things were done, the captains came to me and said: The people of Israel and the priests and Levites have not kept themselves separate from the people of the lands. They have taken part in the disgusting ways of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Egyptians, and the Amorites. They have taken their daughters as wives for themselves and for their sons. They have mingled the holy race with peoples around them. In fact the leaders and officials were first to do this evil.



After the dew had gone, the desert was covered with thin flakes that looked like frost.

The house of Israel called its name manna. It was like coriander seed, white in color. It tasted like wafers made with honey.

Manna was small like coriander seeds and looked like resin. The people would gather it and then grind it in a hand mill or crush it in a mortar. They would cook it in a pot or make round loaves of bread out of it. It tasted like rich sweet pastry made with oil. When dew fell on the camp at night, manna fell with it.

They received bread from heaven when they were in need, and you made water come out of the rock for their drink, and gave them orders to go in and take for their heritage the land that your hand give them.

Yet he commanded the clouds above and opened the doors of heaven. He rained down manna upon them to eat and gave them food from heaven.


Moses and Aaron assembled the congregation in front of the rock and said to them: Listen, you rebels, must we bring water out of this rock for you? Moses raised his hand and hit the rock twice with the staff. Water came pouring out! All the people and their animals drank.

The entire congregation of Israelites left the desert of Sin and traveled from place to place as Jehovah commanded them. They camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink. So they complained to Moses about this: Give us water to drink! Moses said: Why do you complain to me? Why do you test Jehovah? The people were thirsty for water. They complained to Moses and asked: Why did you bring us out of Egypt? Was it to make us, our children, and our livestock die of thirst? read more.
Moses cried out to Jehovah: What should I do with these people? They are almost ready to stone me! Jehovah said to Moses: Go in front of the people. Take the elders of Israel with you. Take your rod with which you struck the river, in your hand, and go. Behold! I will stand before you there upon the rock in Horeb. Strike the rock and water will come out of it. Then the people may drink. Moses did this in the sight of the elders of Israel. He called the name of the place Massah, and Meribah, because of the complaining of the children of Israel, and because they tested Jehovah, saying: Is Jehovah among us or not?

He split the rocks in the wilderness and gave them abundant drink like the ocean depths. He brought forth streams also from the rock and caused waters to run down like rivers. Yet they still continued to sin against him. They rebelled against the Most High in the desert. read more.
In their heart they put God to the test by asking food according to their desire. Then they spoke against God. They said: Can God prepare a table in the wilderness? Behold, He struck the rock so that waters gushed out, and streams were overflowing; Can He give bread also? Will He provide meat for His people?

He opened a rock, and water flowed like a river through the dry places.


The Israelites asked, and he brought them quail and filled them with bread from heaven.

Jehovah sent a wind from the sea that brought quails and dropped them all around the camp. There were quails on the ground about three feet deep as far as you could walk in a day in any direction. All that day and night and all the next day the people went out and gathered the quails. No one gathered less than sixty bushels. Then they spread the quails out all around the camp. While the meat was still in their mouths, before they had even had a chance to chew it, Jehovah became angry with the people and struck them with a severe plague.

Yet he commanded the clouds above and opened the doors of heaven. He rained down manna upon them to eat and gave them food from heaven. Man did eat the bread of angels. He sent them food in abundance. read more.
He caused the east wind to blow in the heavens and by his power he directed the south wind. He rained meat upon them like the dust, even winged fowl like the sand of the seas, Then he let them fall in the midst of their camp, round about their dwellings. So they ate and were well filled, and their desire he gave to them. Before they had satisfied their desire, while their food was in their mouths,



This is a long lasting law for generations to come wherever you live. Never eat any fat or blood.'

If Israelites or foreigners eat any blood, I will condemn them and exclude them from the people.

That is why I have said to the people of Israel: 'Neither you nor foreigners should ever eat blood.'


Take the best fruits, palm branches, the branches of leafy trees and poplars on the first day, and celebrate in the presence of Jehovah your God for seven days. It is Jehovah's festival. Celebrate it for seven days each year. This is a long lasting law for generations to come. Celebrate this festival in the seventh month. Live in booths for seven days. Everyone born in Israel must live in booths. read more.
This is how generations to come may learn how I made the people of Israel live in booths when I brought them out of Egypt. I am Jehovah your God!'

They were to give an order, and make it public in all their towns and in Jerusalem, saying: Go out to the mountain and get olive branches and branches of field olives (oil trees) and of myrtle, and palm branches and branches of thick trees, to make tents, as it says in the book. The people went out and got them and made themselves tents. Every one on the roof of his house, and in the open spaces and in the open squares of the House of God, and in the wide place of the Water Gate, and the wide place of the Gate of Ephraim.


Tell them: 'This is what the Lord Jehovah says: As I am alive, whoever is in the ruined cities will be killed in battle. Whoever is in the open field will become food for wild animals. Whoever is in fortified places and caves will die from plagues.


The time came for Merab to be given to David. Instead, she was given to a man named Adriel from Meholah.

Yet they would not listen to their judges, but prostituted themselves to other gods. They worshiped them. They turned quickly, out of the way in which their fathers walked obeying the commandments of Jehovah.

They have already turned from the way I commanded them to live. They made a statue of a calf for themselves. They have bowed down to it and offered sacrifices to it. They said: Israel, here is your god who brought you out of Egypt.'

When the judge was dead they returned and corrupted themselves more than their fathers. They followed other gods to serve them, and to bow down to them. They did not give up their evil practices and stubborn ways.

So they strengthened the kingdom of Judah by supporting Rehoboam, son of Solomon, for three years. During those three years they lived the way David and Solomon had lived.

Rehoboam established his kingdom and made himself strong. He and all Israel abandoned Jehovah's teachings.


Abishai son of Zeruiah came to David's rescue. Abishai attacked the giant and killed him. Then David's men made David promise that he would never again go out with them to battle. You are the hope of Israel. We do not want to lose you! They said.

The people cried loudly as David's followers left. The king crossed Kidron Brook. His men followed him. They went to the wilderness.

They answered Joshua: All that you command us we will do. Wherever you send us we will go. Just as we listened to Moses in all things, we will listen to you in all things. May Jehovah your God be with you, as he was with Moses. Whoever rebels against your commandment, and does not listen to your words in all that you command him must be put to death. Be strong and of a good courage.

All the people understood and approved of everything the king did. That day all the people of Israel knew the king was not responsible for killing Ner's son Abner.

David went up the slope of the Mount of Olives. He was barefoot and crying. He covered his head to show his sorrow. Everyone with him was crying. They covered their heads too.

You must not go with us, they answered. It will not make any difference to the enemy if the rest of us turn and run. It will not matter even if half of us are killed. But you are worth ten thousand of us. It will be better if you stay here in the city and send us help.

All these men came in battle array to Hebron with the single purpose of making David the king of Israel. In fact, all Israel agreed that David should be their king.


Some good-for-nothing people asked: How can this man save us? They despised him and would not bring him presents. He did not respond.

When all Israel realized that the king would not respond to their request, the people in answer said to the king: What share do we have in David? What is our heritage in the son of Jesse? To your tents, O Israel; now see to your people, David. So Israel went away to their tents. Rehoboam was still king over those of the children of Israel who were living in the towns of Judah. Then King Rehoboam sent Adoniram, the overseer of the forced work. He was stoned to death by all Israel. King Rehoboam went quickly and got into his carriage to escape to Jerusalem. read more.
Israel has been in rebellion against the house of David to this day.


Judah and the land of Israel were your traders. They traded with the wheat of Minnith. Cakes, honey, oil and balm were paid for your merchandise.

King Solomon also built a fleet of ships at Eziongeber. This is near Elath on the shore of the Gulf of Aqaba, in the land of Edom. King Hiram sent experienced sailors from his fleet to serve with Solomon's men. They sailed to the land of Ophir and brought back to Solomon about sixteen tons of gold.

After him Malchijah, one of the gold-workers to the Nethinim and the traders, made good the wall opposite the doorway of Hammiphkad and as far as the way up to the angle. And between the way up to the angle and the Sheep Gate, the gold-workers and the traders made good the wall.


They will ask for the way to Zion turning their faces in its direction. They will come to join themselves to Jehovah in an everlasting covenant that will not be forgotten.


If you do not obey Jehovah your God, to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes with which I charge you today, that all these curses will come upon you and overtake you: Cursed will you be in the city, and cursed will you be in the country. Your basket and your kneading bowl will be cursed. read more.
Cursed will be the offspring of your body and the produce of your ground, the increase of your herd and the young of your flock. Jehovah will curse everything you do! If you do evil and reject Jehovah, he will bring on you trouble, confusion, and rebuke in everything you do. Soon you will be quickly and completely destroyed. He will plague you with disease after disease on you until there is not one of you left in the land. Jehovah will strike you with infectious diseases, with swelling and fever. He will send drought and scorching winds to destroy your crops. These disasters will be with you until you die. The sky above will look like copper and the ground below will be as hard as iron. Jehovah will send dust storms and sandstorms on you from the sky until you are destroyed. Jehovah will cause you to be stricken before your enemies. You will go out one way against them, and flee seven ways from them. You will be an object of horror to all the kingdoms of the earth. Your body will be food to all birds of the air, and to the beasts of the earth. And no man shall frighten them away. Jehovah will strike you with the boils of Egypt and with tumors and with the scab and with the itch, from which you cannot be healed. You will become insane and go blind. Jehovah will make you so confused, that even in bright sunshine you will have to feel your way around like a blind person. You will tell day from night! For the rest of your life, people will beat and rob you. No one will be able to stop them. A man will be engaged to a woman, but before they can get married, enemy soldiers will rape her. Some of you will build houses, but never get to live in them. If you plant a vineyard, you will not be around long enough to enjoy the first harvest. Your cattle will be killed while you watch. You will not get to eat any of the meat. Your donkeys and sheep will be stolen. No one will be around to force your enemies to give them back. Your sons and daughters will be dragged off to a foreign country. And you will stand there helpless. Even if you watch for them until you go blind, you will never see them again. A foreign nation will take all the crops that you have worked so hard to grow. You will receive nothing but constant oppression and harsh treatment. You will lose your mind (experience insanity) because of all the suffering. Jehovah will strike you on the knees and legs with sore boils. From the sole of your foot to the crown of your head they will not heal. Jehovah will bring you and your king, whom you set over you, to a nation that neither you nor your fathers have known. There you will serve other gods made of wood and stone. You will become a thing of revulsion. All the nations where Jehovah will send you will make an example of you and laugh at you. You will plant many crops in your fields, but harvest little for locusts will destroy your crops. You will plant vineyards and tend them but will not drink the wine from them. Worms will eat them. You will have olive trees throughout all your coasts, but you shall not anoint with the oil, for your olive shall drop off its fruit. Even your infant sons and daughters will be taken as prisoners of war. Locusts will take over all your trees and the fruit of your land. The alien who is living among you will be lifted up higher and higher over you, while you go down lower and lower. They will be able to make loans to you, but you won't be able to make loans to them. They will be the head, and you will be the tail. All these disasters will come on you. They will be with you until you are destroyed. This is because you did not obey Jehovah your God and keep all the laws that he gave you. Everyone will look at you and your descendants and realize that Jehovah has placed you under a curse for a very long time. You did not serve Jehovah your God with joyfulness, and with gladness of heart, for the abundance of all things. You will serve your enemies whom Jehovah will send against you, in hunger, in thirst, in nakedness, and in the lack of all things. He will put an iron yoke on your neck until he has destroyed you. Jehovah will bring a nation against you from far away, from the end of the earth, as the eagle swoops down, a nation whose language you will not understand, a nation of fierce countenance who will have no respect for the old, nor show favor to the young. They will eat the offspring of your animals and the crops from your fields until you are destroyed. They will leave you no grain, no new wine, no olive oil, no calves from your herds, and no lambs or kids from your flocks. They will continue to do this until you are completely desolate. They will blockade all your cities until the high, fortified walls you trust come down everywhere in your land. They will blockade all the cities everywhere in the land that Jehovah your God is giving you. Because of the hardships your enemies will make you suffer during the blockade, you will eat the flesh of your own children, the sons and daughters, whom Jehovah your God has given you. The kindest and most sensitive man among you will become stingy toward his brother, the wife he loves, and the children he still has left. He will give none of them any of the flesh of his children that he is eating. It will be all that he has left. These are hardships your enemies will make you suffer during the blockade of all your cities. The kindest and most sensitive woman among you, so sensitive and tender that she would not even step on an ant, will become stingy toward the husband she loves or toward her own son or daughter. She will not share with them the afterbirth from her body and the children she gives birth to. She will secretly eat them out of dire necessity. These are hardships your enemies will make you suffer during the blockade of your cities. You might not faithfully obey every word of the teachings that are written in this book. You might not respect this glorious and awe inspiring name: JEHOVAH your God. If so, Jehovah will strike you and your descendants with unimaginable plagues. They will be terrible continuing plagues. They will be severe and lingering diseases. He will bring all the diseases of Egypt that you dreaded. They will cling to you. Jehovah will also bring you every kind of sickness and plague not written in this Book of the Law. They will continue until you are dead. You were at one time as numerous as the stars in the sky. But only a few of you will be left. This is because you did not obey Jehovah your God. Jehovah was very glad to make you prosperous and numerous. Now Jehovah will be more than glad to destroy you and wipe you out. You will be torn out of the land you are about to enter and possess. Jehovah will scatter you among all the people of the world. He will scatter you from one end of the earth to the other. There you will serve gods made of wood and stone that neither you nor your ancestors ever knew. You will find no peace among those nations. There will be no place to call your own. There Jehovah will give you an unsettled mind, failing eyesight, and despair. Your life will always be in danger. Day and night you will be filled with terror. You will live in constant fear of death. Your hearts will pound with fear at everything you see. Every morning you will wish for evening. Every evening you will wish for morning. Jehovah will send you back to Egypt in ships, even though he said that you would never have to go there again. There you will try to sell yourselves to your enemies as slaves. But no one will want to buy you.

Then Jehovah said to Moses and Aaron: How long must I put up with this wicked congregation that keeps complaining about me? I have heard the complaints the Israelites are making about me. Therefore tell them: 'As I live, declares Jehovah, I solemnly swear I will do everything to you that you said I would do. read more.
Your bodies will drop dead in this desert. All of you who are at least twenty years old, who were registered and listed, and who complained about me will die. I raised my hand and swore an oath to give you this land to live in. But none of you will enter it except Caleb son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun. You said your children would be taken as prisoners of war. Instead, I will bring them into the land you rejected, and they will enjoy it. But your bodies will drop dead in this desert. Your children will be shepherds in the desert for forty years. They will suffer for your unfaithfulness until the last of your bodies lies dead in the desert. You explored the land for forty days. So for forty years, one year for each day, you will suffer for your sins and know what it means for me to be against you.' I, Jehovah, have spoken. I swear I will do these things to all the people in this whole wicked congregation. For they have joined forces against me. They will meet their end in this desert. Here they will die!' The men Moses sent to explore the land died in front of Jehovah from a plague. They died because they had returned and made the whole community complain about Moses. They spread lies about the land. Of all the men who went to explore the land, only Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh survived. Moses told these things to all the Israelites. The people mourned bitterly, as if someone had died. Early the next morning they headed into the mountains. They said: We have sinned. Now we will go to the place Jehovah promised. Moses asked: Why are you disobeying Jehovah's command? Your plan will not work! Do not go! Your enemies will defeat you because Jehovah is not with you. The Amalekites and Canaanites are there. You will die in battle. Now that you have turned away from Jehovah, he will not be with you. But they headed into the mountains anyway. The Ark of the Jehovah's promise and Moses stayed in the camp. The Amalekites and Canaanites who lived there came down from those mountains, attacked the Israelites, and defeated them at Hormah.

But Jehovah said to me: 'Tell them, do not go and fight! I am not with you. Your enemies will defeat you.'

My anger will be kindled against them in that day. I will abandon them and hide my face from them. They will be consumed by many evils and troubles. They will say in that day: 'Is it because our God is not among us that these evils have come upon us?' I will surely hide my face in that day because of all the evil they will do. They will turn to other gods.


Take a bunch of hyssop and dip it in the blood that is in the basin. Apply some of the blood that is in the basin to the lintel and the two doorposts. No one shall go outside the door of his house until morning.


The king asked what had happened. He was told that none of the animals of the Israelites had died. He was stubborn and would not let the people go.

The priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant of Jehovah stood firm on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan River. All the Israelites passed over the Jordan River on dry ground.


to Moses. They said: The people are bringing more than is needed for the work Jehovah commanded to be done.


Abishai son of Zeruiah came to David's rescue. Abishai attacked the giant and killed him. Then David's men made David promise that he would never again go out with them to battle. You are the hope of Israel. We do not want to lose you! They said.

The people cried loudly as David's followers left. The king crossed Kidron Brook. His men followed him. They went to the wilderness.

They answered Joshua: All that you command us we will do. Wherever you send us we will go. Just as we listened to Moses in all things, we will listen to you in all things. May Jehovah your God be with you, as he was with Moses. Whoever rebels against your commandment, and does not listen to your words in all that you command him must be put to death. Be strong and of a good courage.

All the people understood and approved of everything the king did. That day all the people of Israel knew the king was not responsible for killing Ner's son Abner.

David went up the slope of the Mount of Olives. He was barefoot and crying. He covered his head to show his sorrow. Everyone with him was crying. They covered their heads too.

You must not go with us, they answered. It will not make any difference to the enemy if the rest of us turn and run. It will not matter even if half of us are killed. But you are worth ten thousand of us. It will be better if you stay here in the city and send us help.

All these men came in battle array to Hebron with the single purpose of making David the king of Israel. In fact, all Israel agreed that David should be their king.


The people of Israel came from Dan in the north to Beersheba in the south, as well as from the land of Gilead in the east. They were united in Jehovah's presence at Mizpah. The leaders of all the tribes of Israel were present at this gathering of God's people. There were four hundred thousand foot soldiers. Now the people of Benjamin heard that all the other Israelites had gathered at Mizpah. The Israelites asked: Tell us, how did this wicked deed happen?


Solomon loved many women. They were of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians, and Hittites.

I saw the Jews who were married to women of Ashdod and Ammon and Moab:

Sons were born to Shaharaim in Moab after he had divorced his wives Hushim and Baara.

They took two women of Moab as their wives. One was Orpah and the other Ruth. They made their home there for about ten years.


Then Jehovah said to me: 'Do not trouble the people of Moab, the descendants of Lot. And do not start a war with them. I gave them the city of Ar, and I am not going to give you any of their land.'

This was his answer: It is not true that Israel took away the land of Moab or the land of Ammon.


Never seek peace or try to help the Ammonites or the Moabites as long as you live.


While Israel remained at Shittim, the people indulged in sexual immorality with the Moabite women. The Moabites invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods. The people ate and bowed down to their gods. So Israel joined itself to Baal of Peor. Jehovah was angry against Israel.


Jehovah said: I have seen how my people are suffering as slaves in Egypt. I have heard them beg for my help because of the way they are being mistreated. I feel sorry for them. I have come down to rescue them from the Egyptians. I will bring my people out of Egypt into a country where there is good land, rich with milk and honey. I will give them the land where the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites now live. My people have begged for my help. I have seen how cruel the Egyptians are to them. read more.
Now go to Pharaoh! I am sending you to lead my people out of his country.


The next day the whole congregation of Israel complained to Moses and Aaron. They said: You have killed Jehovah's people.

and criticized God and Moses. They said: Why did you make us leave Egypt only to let us die in the desert? There is no bread or water, and we cannot stand this awful food! Jehovah sent poisonous snakes among the people. They bit the people, and many of the Israelites died.

While the meat was still in their mouths, before they had even had a chance to chew it, Jehovah became angry with the people and struck them with a severe plague.

The entire congregation complained about Moses and Aaron in the desert. The Israelites said to them: If only Jehovah had allowed us to die in Egypt! There we sat by our pots of meat and ate all the food we wanted! You brought us out into this desert to let us all starve to death!

So they complained to Moses about this: Give us water to drink! Moses said: Why do you complain to me? Why do you test Jehovah? The people were thirsty for water. They complained to Moses and asked: Why did you bring us out of Egypt? Was it to make us, our children, and our livestock die of thirst?

They said: May Jehovah see what you have done and judge you! You have made Pharaoh and his officials hate us. You have given them an excuse to kill us.

The congregation was without water. So they gathered to confront Moses and Aaron. The people complained to Moses. They said: If only we had died when the other Israelites died in Jehovah's presence! Did you bring Jehovah's assembly into this desert just to have us all die and our animals? read more.
Why did you make us leave Egypt and bring us into this terrible place? This is no place to plant crops. Even figs, grapes, and pomegranates will not grow here. And there is no water to drink!

They also complained to Moses: Was there not enough room in Egypt to bury us? Is that why you brought us out here to die in the desert? Why did you bring us out of Egypt? Did we not say in Egypt: Leave us alone that we may serve the Egyptians? It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the desert.

When they came to Marah, they could not drink the water because it tasted bitter. That is why the place was called Marah (Bitter Place). The people complained about Moses. They asked: What can we drink?

The people complained out loud to Jehovah about their troubles. Jehovah heard them and he became angry. Fire from Jehovah burned among them. It destroyed some people on the outskirts of the camp. The people cried out to Moses. Moses prayed to Jehovah! And the fire died down. That place was called Taberah (Fire) because fire from Jehovah burned among them there. read more.
Some foreigners among the Israelites had a strong craving for other kinds of food. Even the Israelites cried again and said: If only we had meat to eat! Remember all the free fish we ate in Egypt and the cucumbers, watermelons, leeks, onions, and garlic we had? Now we have lost our appetite! Everywhere we look there is nothing but manna! Manna was small like coriander seeds and looked like resin. The people would gather it and then grind it in a hand mill or crush it in a mortar. They would cook it in a pot or make round loaves of bread out of it. It tasted like rich sweet pastry made with oil. When dew fell on the camp at night, manna fell with it. Moses heard people from every family cry at the entrance to their tents. Jehovah became very angry. Moses did not like it either.

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You complained in your tents, and said: Jehovah hates us so he brought us out of the land of Egypt, to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us. Where can we go up? Our brothers caused us to lose heart. They said: The people are stronger and taller than we are. The cities are large and the walls go up to the sky. Moreover we have seen the sons of the Anakims there.'


none of the people who saw my glory and the miraculous signs I did in Egypt and in the desert will see the land I promised their ancestors. They have tested me now ten times and refused to obey me.


They have built the high places of Topheth, which is in the valley of the son of Hinnom, to burn their sons and their daughters in the fire. I did not command this. I would never think of such a thing. (It would not come from my heart.)

They have built the high places of Baal to burn their sons in the fire as burnt offerings to Baal. This is not something I commanded or spoke of, nor did it ever enter my mind (heart) (conscience).'

He burned sacrifices in the valley of Ben Hinnom. He sacrificed his son by burning him alive. This was one of the disgusting things done by the nations that Jehovah had driven out from the land Israel possessed.

He walked in ways of the kings of Israel. He even offered his son to walk through the fire. He copied the disgusting ways of the nations. Jehovah sent the people of the nations out of the land before the children of Israel.

In the valley of Ben Hinnom they built worship sites for Baal to sacrifice their sons and daughters to Molech. I did not ask them to do this. It never entered my heart (mind). I did not make Judah sin.'

You took your sons and daughters, who belonged to me, and you sacrificed them as food to idols. Was your prostitution not enough? You slaughtered my children and presented them as burnt offerings to idols.

For when they had slaughtered their children for their idols, they entered my sanctuary on the same day to profane it. Then they did within my house.

Are you inflaming yourselves with gods under every green tree, slaying the children in the valleys, under the clefts of the rocks?

I let them defile themselves with their own offerings, and I let them sacrifice their first-born sons. This was to punish them and show them that I am Jehovah.'

Josiah also made Topheth in the valley of Ben Hinnom unclean so that people would never again sacrifice their sons or daughters by burning them to the god Molech.

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You offer your children as sacrifices by burning them alive. You dishonor yourselves with all your disgusting idols to this day. Should you be allowed to ask me for help, nation of Israel? As I am alive, declares the Lord Jehovah, you will not be allowed to ask me for help.'

For they have committed adultery, and blood is on their hands. Thus they have committed adultery with their idols and even caused their sons, whom they bore to me, to pass through the fire to them as food.


Jehovah said: I forgive them, as you have asked.


Thanks be to Jehovah, God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. Then all the people said amen and praised Jehovah.


So he asked: Jehovah, why have you brought me this trouble? How have I displeased you that you put the burden of all these people on me? Am I their mother? Did I give birth to them? Are you really asking me to carry them in my arms, as a nurse carries a baby, all the way to the land you promised their ancestors with an oath? Where can I get meat for all these people? They continually cry for me to give them meat to eat. read more.
I am not able to take care of all these people by myself. This is too much work for me! If you treat me like this have pity on me and kill me. That way I will not have to endure my shame any longer. Jehovah replied to Moses: Assemble seventy respected men who are recognized as elders of the people. Bring them to me at the tent of my presence, and tell them to stand there beside you. I will come down and speak with you there. I will take some of the spirit I have given and give it to them. Then they can help you bear the responsibility for these people. You will not have to bear it alone. Tell the people: 'Purify yourselves for tomorrow. You will have meat to eat! Jehovah has heard you whining and saying that you wished you had some meat and that you were better off in Egypt. Jehovah will now give you meat, and you will have to eat it. You will have to eat it not just for one or two days, or five, or ten, or even twenty days. You will eat it for a whole month, until it comes out of your nose, until you are sick of it. This will happen because you have rejected Jehovah who is here among you and have complained to him that you should not have left Egypt.' Moses said to Jehovah: Here I am leading six hundred thousand people, and you say that you will give them enough meat for a month? Could enough cattle and sheep even be killed to satisfy them? Are all the fish in the sea enough for them? Is there a limit to my power? Jehovah answered. You will soon see whether what I have said will happen or not! Thus Moses went out and told the people what Jehovah said. He assembled seventy of the leaders and placed them around the tent. Jehovah came down in the cloud and spoke to him. He took some of the spirit he had given to Moses and gave it to the seventy elders. When the Spirit came on them, they began to shout like prophets, but not for long. Two of the seventy elders, Eldad and Medad, stayed in the camp and did not go out to the tent. There in the camp the Spirit came on them, and they too began to shout like prophets. A young man ran out to tell Moses what Eldad and Medad were doing. Joshua son of Nun, who had been Moses' helper since he was a young man, spoke up and said to Moses: Stop them, sir! Moses asked him: Do you think you need to stand up for me? I wish all Jehovah's people were prophets and that Jehovah would put his Spirit on them! Then Moses and the elders of Israel went back to the camp. Jehovah sent a wind from the sea that brought quails and dropped them all around the camp. There were quails on the ground about three feet deep as far as you could walk in a day in any direction. All that day and night and all the next day the people went out and gathered the quails. No one gathered less than sixty bushels. Then they spread the quails out all around the camp. While the meat was still in their mouths, before they had even had a chance to chew it, Jehovah became angry with the people and struck them with a severe plague. That place was called Kibroth Hattaavah (Graves of Those Who Craved Meat) because they buried the people who had a strong craving for meat there. From Kibroth Hattaavah the people moved to Hazeroth, where they stayed.


Time went by and the king of Egypt died. The Israelites still groaned because they were slaves. So they cried out, and their cries for help went up to God. God heard their groaning. He remembered his promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.


But they headed into the mountains anyway. The Ark of the Jehovah's promise and Moses stayed in the camp.


Jehovah sent you from Kadesh-barnea. He said: 'Go up and possess the land I have given you.' Then you rebelled against the command of Jehovah your God. You did not believe him. You did not listen to his voice! You have rebelled against Jehovah from the day I knew you.


The children of Israel heard that the half tribe of Manasseh built an altar in the land of Canaan on the side belonging to the sons of Israel, at the Jordan when they passed by. When the people of Israel heard this, the whole community came together at Shiloh to go to war against the eastern tribes. Then the people of Israel sent Phinehas, the son of Eleazar the priest, to the people of the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and East Manasseh in the land of Gilead. read more.
Ten leading men went with Phinehas, one from each of the western tribes and each one the head of a family among the clans. They came to the land of Gilead, to the people of Reuben, Gad, and East Manasseh, Speaking for the whole assembly of Jehovah's people they said: Why have you done this evil thing against the God of Israel? You have rebelled against Jehovah by building this altar for yourselves! You are no longer following him! Do you remember our sin at Peor, when Jehovah punished his own people with an epidemic? We are still suffering because of that. Was that not enough sin? Are you going to refuse to follow him now? If you rebel against Jehovah now, he will be angry with everyone in Israel. If your land is not fit to worship in, come over into Jehovah's land, where his Tabernacle is. Claim some land among us. But do not rebel against Jehovah or make rebels out of us by building an altar in addition to the altar of Jehovah our God. Remember how Achan son of Zerah would not obey the command about the things condemned to destruction. The whole assembly of Israel was punished for that. Achan was not the only one who died because of his sin.


Once again the Israelites did evil against Jehovah by worshiping the Baals and the Astartes. They also worshiped the gods of Syria, of Sidon, of Moab, of Ammon, and of the Philistines. They abandoned Jehovah and stopped worshiping him. The anger of Jehovah burned against Israel. So he allowed the Philistines and the Ammonites to conquer them. They afflicted and oppressed the sons of Israel. For eighteen years they lived in Amorite country east of the Jordan River in Gilead. read more.
The Ammonites crossed the Jordan to fight the tribes of Judah, Benjamin, and Ephraim. Israel was greatly distressed. The children of Israel cried out to Jehovah: We sinned against you. We left our God and served the Baals. Jehovah answered: Did I free you from the Egyptians, the Amorites, the Ammonites, and the Philistines? Did I save you from the Sidonians, the Amalekites, and the Maonites? They oppressed you and you cried out to me. You still left me and worshiped other gods. I am not going to rescue you again. Go and cry out to the gods you have chosen! Let them save you in your time of trouble. But the people of Israel said to Jehovah: We have sinned. Do to us what seems best to you, only please, save us today! So they removed the foreign gods and worshiped Jehovah. He could bear the distress of Israel no longer.

Samuel told the entire nation of Israel: If you return to Jehovah with all your hearts you must get rid of the foreign gods you have, including the statues of the goddess Astarte. You must dedicate your lives to Jehovah and serve him only. Then he will rescue you from the Philistines. So the Israelites got rid of their idols of Baal and Astarte. They worshiped only Jehovah. Samuel called all the Israelites to meet at Mizpah. He told them: I will pray to Jehovah for you there. read more.
The Israelites gathered at Mizpah. They drew some water, poured it out in front of Jehovah and fasted that day. They confessed: We have sinned against Jehovah. So Samuel judged Israel in Mizpah.


But the people of Israel said to Jehovah: We have sinned. Do to us what seems best to you, only please, save us today! So they removed the foreign gods and worshiped Jehovah. He could bear the distress of Israel no longer.


So then, stand where you are, and you will see the great thing that Jehovah will do. It is the dry season and the wheat harvest. I will pray and Jehovah will send thunder and rain. When this happens, you will realize that you committed a great sin against Jehovah when you asked him for a king. Samuel prayed. That same day Jehovah sent thunder and rain. Then all the people became afraid of Jehovah and of Samuel. read more.
They said to Samuel: Please pray to Jehovah your God for us, that we will not die. We now realize that we have added to all our sins the evil of asking for a (human) king. Do not be afraid! Samuel answered. Even though you have done such an evil thing, do not turn away from Jehovah. Serve him with all your heart.


God's Spirit came to Azariah, son of Oded. Azariah went to Asa and said: Listen to me Asa and all you men from Judah and Benjamin. Jehovah is with you when you are with him. If you will dedicate your lives to serve him, he will accept you. But if you abandon him, he will abandon you. Israel was without the true God for a long time. They were without a priest who taught correctly, and without law. read more.
When they were in trouble they turned to Jehovah the God of Israel. When they searched for him, he let them find him. No one could come and go in peace at that time. This is because everyone living in the land had a lot of turmoil. One nation crushed another nation. One city crushed another. God tormented them with every kind of trouble. But you must remain strong and not become discouraged. Your actions will be rewarded. Asa heard the prophet Oded's words of prophecy. He was encouraged and put away the detestable idols from all of Judah, Benjamin, and the cities he had captured in the mountains of Ephraim. He also repaired Jehovah's altar in front of Jehovah's entrance hall. Then Asa gathered all the people from Judah and Benjamin and the foreigners who had come from Ephraim, Manasseh, and Simeon. Many of them had come to him from Israel when they saw that Asa's God, Jehovah, was with him. In the third month of the fifteenth year of Asa's reign, they gathered in Jerusalem. They sacrificed to Jehovah a part of the loot they brought with them: seven hundred cattle and seven thousand sheep. They made an agreement with one another to dedicate their lives to serve the true God Jehovah, the God of their ancestors with all their heart and all their being. All people, young and old, male and female, who refused to dedicate their lives to the true God Jehovah the God of Israel were to be killed. Asa and the people swore their oath to Jehovah with shouts, singing, and the blowing of trumpets and rams' horns. All the people of Judah were overjoyed because of the oath. They took the oath wholeheartedly. They took great pleasure in looking for Jehovah. And he let them find him. So Jehovah surrounded them with rest and peace.


A prophet of Jehovah named Oded was there. He went to meet the army coming home to Samaria. He said: Jehovah the God of your ancestors handed Judah over to you in his anger. You killed them in a rage that reaches up to heaven. Now you intend to enslave the men and women of Judah and Jerusalem. But are you not also guilty of sinning against Jehovah your God? Listen to me. Return the prisoners you have captured from your relatives, because Jehovah is very angry with you. read more.
Then Azariah, son of Jehohan, Berechiah, son of Meshillemoth, Jehizkiah, son of Shallum, and Amasa, son of Hadlai, some leaders of Ephraim, opposed those coming home from the army. They said to the army: Do not bring the prisoners here. You will make us responsible for this sin against Jehovah. Do you intend to add to all our sins? Jehovah is very angry at Israel because we have already sinned. Thus the army left the prisoners and the loot in front of the leaders and the whole assembly. Then the men who were mentioned by name took charge of the prisoners and gave clothes from the loot to all the prisoners who were naked. They provided clothes for them, gave them sandals, gave them something to eat and drink, and let them bathe. They put everyone who was exhausted on donkeys and brought them to Jericho, the City of Palms, near their own people. Then they returned to Samaria.


Nevertheless some men of Asher, Manasseh and Zebulun humbled themselves and came to Jerusalem.


Go to that land flowing with milk and honey. I will not be with you, because you are impossible to deal with. I would probably destroy you on the way. The people heard this bad news and acted as if someone had died. No one wore any jewelry.


They moved from Mount Hor following the road that goes to the Red Sea. That way they could go around Edom. The people became impatient on the trip and criticized God and Moses. They said: Why did you make us leave Egypt only to let us die in the desert? There is no bread or water, and we cannot stand this awful food! Jehovah sent poisonous snakes among the people. They bit the people, and many of the Israelites died. read more.
The people came to Moses and said: We sinned when we criticized Jehovah and you. Pray to Jehovah so that he will take the snakes away from us. So Moses prayed for the people.


An angel of Jehovah came up from Gilgal to Bochim, and said: I led you out of Egypt and brought you to the land about which I swore to your fathers that I would never break my covenant with you. You will make no covenant with people of this land. You will throw down their altars. You have not obeyed my voice. Why have you done this? I also said: 'I will not drive them out from before you. They will be thorns in your sides. Their gods will snare (trap) you.' read more.
When the angel of Jehovah spoke these words to all the children of Israel the people wept loudly. They called that place Bochim: and they sacrificed there to Jehovah.


But the people of Israel said to Jehovah: We have sinned. Do to us what seems best to you, only please, save us today!


The people of Ephraim say: We are rich. We have made a fortune. With all this wealth, no one will find us guilty of any sin.


Beware that you do not forget Jehovah, for he brought you out of Egypt your house of bondage.

We must outsmart them or they will increase in number. If war breaks out they will leave the country and join our enemies to fight against us. So the Egyptians put slave masters over them in order to oppress them through forced labor. They built Pithom and Rameses as supply (storage) cities for Pharaoh. However the more the Israelites were oppressed, the more they increased in number and spread out. The Egyptians could not stand them any longer. read more.
They forced the Israelites to work hard as slaves. They made their lives bitter with backbreaking work in mortar and bricks and every kind of work in the fields. All the jobs the Egyptians gave them were brutally hard work. The king of Egypt spoke to the Hebrew midwives. Shiphrah and Puah were among them. He said: When you help the Hebrew women give birth on the birth stool, if it is a son you shall put him to death. If it is a daughter, then she shall live. The midwives respected God and did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them. They let the boys live. So the king of Egypt called for the midwives and said: Why have you let the boys live? The midwives replied to Pharaoh: Because the Hebrew women are not as the Egyptian women. They are vigorous and give birth before the midwife can get to them. God was good to the midwives, and the people multiplied, and became very mighty. Because the midwives respected God, He established households for them. Then Pharaoh commanded all his people: Every son who is born must be thrown into the Nile River. However, keep every daughter alive.

Do not give the people any more straw to make bricks as you have been doing. Let them gather their own straw. Insist that they make the same number of bricks they were making before. Making fewer bricks will not be acceptable. They are lazy! That is why they are crying: Let us go offer sacrifices to our God. Make the work harder for these people so that they will be too busy to listen to lies. read more.
The slave drivers and the Israelite foremen went out and said to the Israelites: The king has said that he will not supply you with any more straw. He says that you must go and get it for yourselves wherever you can find it. You must still make the same number of bricks. So the people went all over Egypt looking for straw. The slave bosses were hard on them. They kept saying: Each day you have to make as many bricks as you did when you were given straw. The bosses beat the men in charge of the slaves and said: Why did you not force the slaves to make as many bricks yesterday and today as they did before?

You will answer your son: 'We were Pharaoh's slaves in Egypt, and Jehovah brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand.


How can I alone bear your encumbrance, your burden, and your strife?


How can I alone bear your encumbrance, your burden, and your strife?


The army of Israel retreated to their camp. The leaders of Israel asked: Why has Jehovah used the Philistines to defeat us today? Let us get the Ark of Jehovah's Covenant from Shiloh so that he may be with us and save us from our enemies.

The Philistines fought and defeated Israel. Every Israelite soldier fled to his tent. It was a major defeat in which thirty thousand Israelite foot soldiers died. The Ark of the Covenant was captured. Eli's two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, died.


Joab came back with the whole army. He was told: Ner's son Abner came to the king. However David dismissed him and Abner left peacefully.


How horrible it will be for those who go to Egypt for help! Cursed are those who rely on very strong warhorses, who depend on many chariots. They do not look to the Holy One of Israel. They do not seek Jehovah.


They would not obey. They were stubborn like their ancestors. They did not trust in Jehovah their God.

Jehovah sent you from Kadesh-barnea. He said: 'Go up and possess the land I have given you.' Then you rebelled against the command of Jehovah your God. You did not believe him. You did not listen to his voice!


Jehovah sent you from Kadesh-barnea. He said: 'Go up and possess the land I have given you.' Then you rebelled against the command of Jehovah your God. You did not believe him. You did not listen to his voice!


You have not eaten bread. You have not drunk wine or strong drink. This in order that you might know that I am Jehovah your God.


In their heart they put God to the test by asking food according to their desire.

While the meat was still in their mouths, before they had even had a chance to chew it, Jehovah became angry with the people and struck them with a severe plague. That place was called Kibroth Hattaavah (Graves of Those Who Craved Meat) because they buried the people who had a strong craving for meat there.

So they ate and were well filled, and their desire he gave to them. Before they had satisfied their desire, while their food was in their mouths, The anger of God rose against them and killed some of their stoutest ones, and subdued the choice men of Israel.


References

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