Reference: Law of Moses
Easton
is the whole body of the Mosaic legislation (1Ki 2:3; 2Ki 23:25; Ezr 3:2). It is called by way of eminence simply "the Law" (Heb Torah, De 1:5; 4:8,44; 17:18-19; 27:3,8). As a written code it is called the "book of the law of Moses" (2Ki 14:6; Isa 8:20), the "book of the law of God" (Jos 24:26).
The great leading principle of the Mosaic law is that it is essentially theocratic; i.e., it refers at once to the commandment of God as the foundation of all human duty.
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On this side (east) of Jordan in the land of Moab, Moses declared the Law. He said:
And what great nation is there that has statutes and judgments so righteous as the law I present to you this day?
Moses gave God's Laws and teachings to the people of Israel.
When he first sits on the throne of his kingdom, he is to write for himself a copy of this law on a scroll taken in the presence of the Levitical priests. He should keep it with him. He should read from it all the days of his life. In this way he will learn to respect Jehovah his God by carefully observing all the words of this Law and these statutes.
and write on them all the words of the Law. When you cross over to enter the land Jehovah your God gives you, a land flowing with milk and honey, as Jehovah, the God of your fathers, promised you.
Joshua wrote these commands in the Book of the Law of God. Then he took a large stone and set it up under the oak tree in Jehovah's sanctuary.
Do what Jehovah your God orders you to do. Obey all his laws and commands, as written in the Law of Moses. That way wherever you go you may prosper in everything you do.
But he did not put their children to death. The orders of Jehovah recorded in the book of the law of Moses say: The fathers are not to be put to death for the children, or the children for their fathers; but each man shall be put to death for his own sin.
Then Jeshua, the son of Jozadak, and his brothers the priests, and Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, with his brothers, got up and built the altar of the God of Israel for burned offerings. This was according to the Law of Moses, the man of God.
They should go to the teachings and to the written instructions. If people do not speak these words, it is because there is no light (truth) in them.
Morish
The law was like a straight edge given by God to make manifest the crookedness of man. "The law entered that the offence might abound " (Ro 5:20), that is, not to increase sin, but to show its offensiveness, and to bring it home to the soul. "By the law is the knowledge of sin." Ro 3:20. The apostle said that he would not have known lust had not the law said, "Thou shalt not covet." Ro 7:7. The object of the law therefore was to evince the heinousness of sin, while it was a test of the obedience of man to God. It was given to Israel only, the one nation which was under God's special dealings, and in which He was trying man in the flesh. The heading of the ten commandments is "I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage," and this could apply only to the Israelites. Again, God says, "You only have I known of all the families of the earth: therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities." Am 3:2. The Gentiles are described as not having the law, Ro 2:14, though they had the work of the law written in their hearts, and a conscience which bore witness when they did wrong. As the Gentiles became associated with Israel, and heard what God required morally of man, they doubtless became more or less responsible according to the light received. But greater light having come in, the Galatian Christians are sharply rebuked for putting themselves under law, where, as Gentiles, they never had been. Some things forbidden in the law were wrong intrinsically, such as theft, murder, etc.; but other things were wrong only because God had forbidden them, such as the command to abstain from eating certain creatures called 'unclean.'
The law in its enactment of sacrifices and feasts was essentially typical and foreshadowed what was to be fulfilled in Christ. In accordance with this, Paul, as a Jew, could say, "The law was our schoolmaster unto Christ;" and the Lord said, "Had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me." Joh 5:46. This is an important point, for the passage that speaks of the law as the schoolmaster goes on to say that it was in order that they "might be justified by faith." After that faith was come believers were no longer under a schoolmaster. Ga 3:25. A converted Jew was no longer under the law
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Of all the families of the earth I have chosen (known) only you. Therefore I will punish you for all your sins.
You were told in the past, do not murder (kill). Any one who murders will be brought to trial. Now I tell you that everyone who is angry with his brother [without cause] shall be guilty before the court. Whoever speaks to his brother with words of contempt shall receive condemnation before the Sanhedrin [Supreme Court]. Curse your brother and you will be guilty enough to be destroyed by fire, with the burning trash, at the Valley of Hinnom, outside of Jerusalem (Greek: Gehenna). read more. When making an offering at the altar and you remember your brother has something against you, leave your gift at the altar and go make peace with your brother. Then return and make your offering. Come to an agreement quickly with the one who has a legal case against you. Do it before he turns the case over to the judge and you are thrown into jail. Take it from me; you will stay in jail until you pay the very last penny of your fine. You have heard it was said, 'You should not commit adultery.' However, I tell you that whoever looks at a woman with lustful thoughts commits adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, take it out and throw it away! It is better to lose a part of your body then to have your whole body destroyed in the ever-burning fires of the Valley of Hinnom. If your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better to lose part of your body, than for your whole body to be destroyed in the ever-burning fire. (Figuratively: lose prospect for everlasting life; ever-burning fire means total destruction.) Again, it was said, 'Whoever gets rid of his wife has to give her a certificate of divorce.' I say to you that everyone divorcing his wife, except for the reason of fornication, makes her liable to commit adultery. And if she marries again, the man she marries also commits adultery. You were also told that you should keep a promise (oath). Always keep your promises (vows) to Jehovah. I tell you, offer no promises at all, not by heaven, because it is God's throne. Not by earth, for it is the footstool under His feet. Not by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. And do not promise by your head, for you cannot even control the hair on your head. Let your answer be 'Yes' or 'No.' Anything more than this is from the evil one. You have heard it said, an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. But I tell you, do not resist a wicked person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other to that person. If someone takes you to court to sue you and takes your shirt, let him have your coat as well. Whoever makes you go one mile, go with him two. Give to those who ask. Lend to those who borrow. You have heard it said, 'You should love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' (Leviticus 19:18) I say love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! You will then act as true children of your Father in heaven. He gives sunlight to both evil and good people. He sends rain for the just and the unjust. What good is there, when you love only those who love you? Even [corrupt] tax collectors do that! When you are kind only to your friends [and brothers] what makes you different from anyone else? Even people of the nations do that. Be perfect (mature), even as your Father in heaven is perfect (mature). (Leviticus 19:2)
They said: Moses allowed us to write a certificate of divorce and send her away.
It is a fact! If you believed Moses you would believe me. He wrote about me!
When those of the nations, who have no law, practice by nature the things of the law they are a law to themselves even though they do not have any law.
No flesh will be justified before God by works of the law. Knowledge of sin comes from the law.
The law came that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased God's loving kindness increased even more.
Sin will not have dominion over you. For you are not under law, but under grace.
What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid! I had not known sin except through the law. For I had not known coveting except the law had said: You should not covet.
The ministry of death was written and engraved on stones. Glory came with it so that the children of Israel could not look steadfastly upon the face of Moses. And this glory was passing away.
But if the Spirit leads you, you are not under the Law.
For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
Walk worthily of God, fully pleasing him. Bear fruit in every good work, and increase in the knowledge (Greek: epignosis: full discernment, recognition) of God.
You have accepted Christ Jesus as Lord. Now walk (live) in union with him.
You should walk worthily of God, who called you into his own kingdom and glory.
For the grace (divine influence) of God has been revealed, bringing salvation to all men, instructing us, to the intent that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly and righteously and godly in this present age (world) (period of time).
Smith
Law of Moses.
It will be the object of this article to give a brief analysis of the substance of this law, to point out its main principles, and to explain the position which it occupies in the progress of divine revelation. In order to do this the more clearly, it seems best to speak of the law, 1st. In relation to the past; 2d. In its own intrinsic character.
1. (a) In reference to the past, it is all-important, for the proper understanding of the law, to remember its entire dependence on the Abrahamic covenant. See
That covenant had a twofold character. It contained the "spiritual promise" of the Messiah; but it contained also the temporal promises subsidiary to the former. (b) The nature of this relation of the law to the promise is clearly pointed out. The belief in God as the Redeemer of man, and the hope of his manifestation as such int he person of the Messiah, involved the belief that the Spiritual Power must be superior to all carnal obstructions, and that there was in man spiritual element which could rule his life by communion with a spirit from above. But it involved also the idea of an antagonistic power of evil, from which man was to be redeemed, existing in each individual, and existing also in the world at large. (c) Nor is it less essential to remark the period of the history at which it was given. It marked and determined the transition of Israel from the condition of a tribe to that of a nation, and its definite assumption of a distinct position and office in the history of the world. (d) Yet, though new in its general conception, it was probably not wholly new in its materials. There must necessarily have been, before the law, commandments and revelations of a fragmentary character, under which Israel had hitherto grown up. So far therefore as they were consistent with the objects of the Jewish law, the customs of Palestine and the laws of Egypt would doubtless be traceable in the Mosaic system. (e) In close connection with, and almost in consequence of, this reference to antiquity, we find an accommodation of the law to the temper and circumstances of the Israelites, to which our Lord refers int he case of divorce,
as necessarily interfering with its absolute perfection. In many cases it rather should be said to guide and modify existing usages than actually to sanction them; and the ignorance of their existence may lead to a conception of its ordinances not only erroneous, but actually the reverse of the truth. (f) In close connection with this subject we observe also the gradual process by which the law was revealed to the Israelites. In Ex 20-23, in direct connection with the revelation from Mount Sinai, that which may be called the rough outline of the Mosaic law is given by God, solemnly recorded by Moses, and accepted by the people. In Ex 25-31, there is a similar outline of the Mosaic ceremonial. On the basis of these it may be conceived that the fabric of the Mosaic system gradually grew up under the requirements of the time. The first revelation of the law in anything like a perfect form is found in the book of Deuteronomy. yet even then the revelation was not final; it was the duty of the prophets to amend and explain it in special points,
... and to bring out more clearly its great principles.
2. In giving an analysis of the substance of the law, it will probably be better to treat it, as any other system of laws is usually treated, by dividing it into-- I. Laws Civil; II. Laws Criminal: III. Laws Judicial and Constitutional; IV. Laws Ecclesiastical and Ceremonial. I. LAWS CIVIL.
1. LAW OF PERSONS. (a) FATHER AND SON. --the power of a father to be held sacred; cursing or smiting,
See Father
See Son
and stubborn and willful disobedience, to be considered capital crimes. But uncontrolled power of life and death was apparently refused to the father, and vested only in the congregation.
De 21:18-21
Right of the first-born to a double portion of the inheritance not to be set aside by partiality.
De 21:15-17
Inheritance by daughters to be allowed in default of sons, provided,
comp. Numb 36:1 ... that heiresses married in their own tribe. Daughters unmarried to be entirely dependent on their father.
(b) HUSBAND AND WIFE. --the power of a husband to be so great that a wife could never be sui juris, or enter independently into any engagement, even before God.
See Husband
See Wife
A widow or a divorced wife became independent, and did not against fall under her father's power. ver.
Divorce (for uncleanness) allowed, but to be formal and irrevocable.
De 24:1-4
Marriage within certain degrees forbidden.
... etc. A slave wife, whether bought or captive, not to be actual property, nor to be sold; if illtreated, to be ipso facto free.
Ex 21:7-9; De 21:10-14
Slander against a wife's virginity to be punished by fine,a nd by deprived of power of divorce; on the other hand, ante-connubial uncleanness in her to be punished by death.
De 22:13-21
the raising up of seed (Levirate law) a formal right to be claimed by the widow, under pain of infamy, with a view to preservation of families.
De 25:5-10
(c) MASTER AND SLAVE. --Power of master so far limited that death under actual chastisement was punishable,
See Slave
and maiming was to give liberty ipso facto. vs.
The Hebrew slave to be freed at the sabbatical year, and provided with necessaries (his wife and children to go with only if they came to his master with him), unless by his own formal act he consented to be a perpetual slave.
Ex 21:1-6; De 15:12-18
In any case, it would seem, to be freed at the jubilee,
with his children. If sold to a resident alien, to be always redeemable, at a price proportioned to the distance of the jubilee.
Foreign slaves to be held and inherited as property forever,
and fugitive slaves from foreign nations not to be given up.
De 23:15
(d) STRANGERS. --These seem never to have been sui juris, or able to protect themselves, and accordingly protection and kindness toward them are enjoined as a sacred duty.
2. LAW OF THINGS. (a) LAWS OF LAND (AND PROPERTY).-- (1) All land to be the property of God alone, and its holders to be deemed his tenants.
(2) All sold land therefore to return to its original owners at the jubilee, and the price of sale to be calculated accordingly; and redemption on equitable terms to be allowed at all times.
A house sold to be redeemable within a year; and if not redeemed, to pass away altogether, ch.
But the houses of the Levites, or those in unwalled villages, to be redeemable at all times, in the same way as land; and the Levitical suburbs to be inalienable. ch.
(3) Land or houses sanctified, or tithes, or unclean firstlings, to be capable of being redeemed, at six-fifths value (calculated according to the distance from the jubilee year by the priest); if devoted by the owner and unredeemed, to be hallowed at the jubilee forever, and given to the priests; if only by a possessor, to return to the owner at the jubilee.
(4) Inheritance. (b) LAWS OF DEBT. -- (1) All debts (to an Israelite) to be released at the seventh (sabbatical year; a blessing promised to obedience, and a curse on refusal to lend.
De 15:1-11
(2) Usury (from Israelites) not to be taken.
Ex 22:25-27; De 23:19-20
(3) Pledges not to be insolently or ruinously exacted.
De 24:6,10-13,17-18
(c) TAXATION. -- (1) Census-money, a poll-tax (of a half shekel), to be paid for the service of the tabernacle.
All spoil in war to be halved; of the combatants' half, one five-hundreth, of the people's, one fiftieth, to be paid for a "heave offering" to Jehovah. (2) Tithes.-- (a) Tithes of all produce to be given for maintenance of the Levites.
(Of this one tenth to be paid as a heave offering for maintenance of the priests. vs.
) (b) Second tithe to be bestowed in religious feasting and charity, either at the holy place or (every third year) at home.
De 14:22
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Tell the whole community of Israel: 'On the tenth day of this month each man must take a sheep for his family, one animal per household. A household may be too small to eat a whole animal. That household and the one next-door can share one animal. Choose your animal based on the number of people and what each person can eat. read more. Your animal must be a one-year-old male that has no defects. You may choose a lamb or a young goat. Take care of it until the fourteenth day of this month. Then at dusk, all the assembled people from the community of Israel must slaughter their animals. Some of the blood must be put on the two doorposts and above the door of each house where the animals are to be eaten. That night the animals are to be roasted and eaten, together with bitter herbs (greens) and unleavened bread made without yeast. Do not eat the meat raw or boiled. The entire animal, including its head, legs, and insides, must be roasted. Eat what you want that night, and the next morning burn whatever is left. Eat it in this manner: with your loins girded, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand. Eat it in haste. It is Jehovah's Passover.' Jehovah said: That night I will go through the land of Egypt. I will strike down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast. I will execute judgments against all the gods of Egypt! I am Jehovah! The blood will be a sign for you on the houses where you live. When I see the blood I will pass over you. No plague will befall you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt. This day will be a memorial to you. You shall celebrate it as a feast to Jehovah. You are to celebrate it as a permanent ordinance throughout your generations. You will eat unleavened bread for seven days. The first day you shall remove leaven from your houses. Whoever eats anything leavened from the first day until the seventh day will be cut off from Israel. You shall have a holy assembly on the first day. There should be another holy assembly on the seventh day. No work at all will be done on them, except what must be eaten by every person that alone may be prepared by you. You shall also observe the Feast of Unleavened Bread. That was the day I brought your hosts out of the land of Egypt. Observe this day throughout your generations as a long lasting ordinance. In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at evening, you shall eat unleavened bread, until the twenty-first day of the month at evening. There shall be no leaven found in your houses for seven days. Whoever eats what is leavened shall be cut off from the congregation of Israel, whether he is an alien or a native of the land. You shall not eat anything leavened. Eat unleavened bread in all your dwellings. Moses called all the elders of Israel and said: Take lambs according to your families and slay the Passover lamb. 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. Jehovah will pass through to strike the Egyptians. When he sees the blood on the top and sides of the doorframe, Jehovah will pass over the door and will not allow the destroyer to come in to your houses to kill you. You shall observe this event as an ordinance for you and your children from generation to generation. When you enter the land Jehovah will give you, as he has promised, you shall observe this rite. When your children ask you: What does this rite mean to you? You shall say: 'It is a Passover sacrifice to Jehovah who passed over the houses of the sons of Israel in Egypt when He killed the Egyptians, but spared our homes. The people bowed low and worshiped.'
Consecrate (appoint) (sanctify) all the first-born males to me. Every first-born male Israelite and every first-born male animal belongs to me!
sacrifice every firstborn male offspring to Jehovah. The firstborn male offspring of each of your animals belongs to Jehovah. It will cost you a sheep or a goat to buy any firstborn donkey back from Jehovah. You must break the donkey's neck if you do not buy it back. You must also buy every firstborn son back from Jehovah.
and chose capable men from among all the Israelites. He appointed them as leaders of thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens. They judged the people on a permanent basis. The difficult cases were taken to Moses but they decided the smaller disputes themselves.
If you will obey me and are faithful to the terms of my covenant, then out of all the nations you will be my own special possession, for all the earth is mine. You will be my kingdom of priests and my holy nation. These are the words you must speak to the children of Israel.'
You have six days to do all your work. The seventh day is a Sabbath dedicated to Jehovah your God. Do not do any work, you or your son or your daughter, your male or your female servant or your cattle or your sojourner who stays with you. read more. Jehovah made the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is in them in six days. He rested on the seventh day. Therefore Jehovah blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.
These are the ordinances you should set before them. When you buy a Hebrew slave he will be your slave for six years. In the seventh year he may leave as a free man without paying for his freedom. read more. If he was single at the time you bought him he alone must be set free. If he was married at that time, both he and his wife must be given their freedom. If his master gives him a wife, and she bears him sons or daughters, the wife and her children will belong to her master. He shall go out alone. What if the slave loves his wife and children so much that he will not leave without them? He must stand beside either the door or the doorpost at the place of worship. His owner will punch a small hole through one of his ears with a sharp metal rod. This makes him a slave for life. When a man sells his daughter into slavery, she will not go free the way male slaves do. If she does not please the master who has chosen her as a wife, he must let her be bought back by one of her close relatives. He has no right to sell her to foreigners, since he has treated her unfairly. If a man buys a female slave to give to his son, he should treat her like a daughter.
Death is the punishment for murder.
If a man schemes and kills a man deliberately remove him from my altar and put him to death. He who strikes (beats) his father or his mother shall surely be put to death.
Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death. When men quarrel and one hits the other with a rock or with his fist and injures him so that he has to stay in bed you must do this. read more. If the injured man is able to stand up again and walk around outside with a cane, the one who hit him must not be punished. He must pay the injured man for the loss of his time and for all his medical expenses. If a slave owner takes a stick and beats his slave, whether male or female, and the slave dies on the spot, the owner is to be punished.
If a slave owner takes a stick and beats his slave, whether male or female, and the slave dies on the spot, the owner is to be punished. If the slave lives a few days after the beating, you are not to be punished. After all, you have already lost the services of that slave who was your property. read more. When a pregnant woman suffers a miscarriage as the result of an injury caused by someone who is fighting, if she is not badly hurt, the one who injured her must pay whatever fine her husband demands and the judges approve. The payment will be for life if she is seriously injured, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, bruise for bruise. If a man strikes the eye of his male or female slave, and destroys it, he shall let him go free because of his eye. If he knocks out a tooth of his male or female slave, he shall let him go free because of his tooth. If an ox gores a man or a woman to death, the ox shall surely be stoned and its flesh shall not be eaten; but the owner of the ox shall go unpunished. If an ox was previously in the habit of goring and its owner has been warned, yet he does not confine it and it kills a man or a woman, the ox shall be stoned and its owner also shall be put to death. If a ransom is demanded of him, then he shall give for the redemption of his life whatever is demanded of him.
A man steals an ox or a sheep and slaughters it or sells it. He must pay five oxen for the ox and four sheep for the sheep. If the thief is caught while breaking in and is struck so that he dies, there will be no blood guiltiness on his account. read more. But if it happens after sunrise, he is guilty of murder. A thief must make up for what he has stolen. If he is unable to do so, he should be sold as a slave to pay for what he stole. If the stolen animal is found alive in his possession, whether it is a bull, donkey, or a sheep, he must make up for the loss with double the amount.
There is a dispute over the ownership of a bull, a donkey, a sheep, an article of clothing, and any other lost property which two people claim as their own. Both people must bring their case to God. The one whom God declares guilty must make up for his neighbor's loss with double the amount.
When a man seduces a virgin who is not engaged to anyone and has sexual intercourse with her, he must pay the bride price and marry her. If her father refuses to give her to him, he must pay an amount of money equal to the bride price for virgins. read more. Never allow a witch to live.
The person who sacrifices to any god except Jehovah must be condemned and destroyed. Do not mistreat or oppress a foreigner. Remember that you were foreigners in Egypt.
When you lend money to any of my people who are poor, do not act like a moneylender and require him to pay interest. If you take someone's cloak as a pledge that he will pay you, you must give it back to him before the sunsets, read more. for it is the only covering he has to keep him warm. What else can he sleep in? When he cries out to me for help, I will answer him because I am merciful.
Do not delay the offering from your harvest and your vintage. Give the firstborn of your sons to me. Do the same with your oxen and with your sheep. Its mother may keep it for seven days. On the eighth day give it to me.
Do not spread false rumors. Do not help a guilty person by offering false testimony. Do not follow the majority to do wrong. Do not give testimony that perverts justice. read more. Do not show partiality to a poor man at his trial.
If your enemy's donkey falls under its load, help him get the donkey to its feet again. Do not just walk away. Do not deny justice to a poor person at his trial. read more. Do not make false accusations. Do not put an innocent person to death. I will condemn anyone who does this evil thing. Do not accept a bribe, for a bribe makes the discerning blind to what is right and perverts the words of the righteous. Do not mistreat a foreigner. You know how it feels to be a foreigner. After all you were foreigners in Egypt. Plant your land and gather in what it produces for six years.
Plant your land and gather in what it produces for six years. Let your land rest the seventh year. Do not harvest anything that grows on it. The poor may eat what grows there. The wild animals may have what is left. Do the same with your vineyards and your olive trees.
Let your land rest the seventh year. Do not harvest anything that grows on it. The poor may eat what grows there. The wild animals may have what is left. Do the same with your vineyards and your olive trees. Work six days a week. Do no work on the seventh day. Allow your slaves and the foreigners who work for you and even your animals to rest.
Work six days a week. Do no work on the seventh day. Allow your slaves and the foreigners who work for you and even your animals to rest. Listen to everything Jehovah has said to you. Do not pray to other gods! Do not even mention their names. read more. Celebrate three festivals a year to honor me. 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.
Now this is what you shall offer on the altar: two one year old lambs each day, continuously. Offer one lamb in the morning and offer the other lamb at twilight. read more. Make an offering of eight cups of flour mixed with one quart of virgin olive oil with the first lamb. Offer one quart of wine for a drink offering with the other lamb. You will offer the other lamb at twilight. Offer it with the same grain offering and the same drink offering as in the morning, for a soothing aroma, an offering by fire to Jehovah. It shall be a continual burnt offering throughout your generations at the doorway of the tent of meeting before Jehovah. That is where I will meet with you to speak to you.
When you take a census of the people of Israel, each man is to pay me a price for his life. This to insure that no disaster will come on him while the census is being taken. Everyone included in the census must pay the required amount of money. It should be weighed according to the official standard. Everyone must pay this as an offering to me. read more. Every man being counted in the census who is twenty years old or older is to pay me this amount. The rich man is not to pay more. The poor man is not to pay less, when they pay this amount for their lives. Collect this money from the people of Israel and spend it for the upkeep of the tent of meeting. This tax will be the payment for their lives. I will remember to protect them.
Jehovah (YHWH) called to Moses. He spoke to him from the Tent of Meeting, He said:
If your sacrifice is a fellowship offering of cattle in Jehovah's presence, it must be a male or female animal that has no defects.
If your sacrifice is a fellowship offering of cattle in Jehovah's presence, it must be a male or female animal that has no defects.
Jehovah gave the following regulations to Moses: If any of you sin against Jehovah by failing to do your duty, if you lie to your neighbor about something you were supposed to take care of or if you lie about something stolen or seized from your neighbor, you are sinning and will be guilty. read more. If you find something that someone lost and lie about it under oath, or commit any other sin like this, you have sinned and are guilty. Return what you stole or seized, what you were supposed to take care of, the lost item you found, or whatever it was that you swore falsely about. Pay it back in full plus one-fifth more. Give it back to its owner on the day you bring your guilt offering. Then bring your guilt offering to Jehovah. Bring a ram that has no defects or its value in money. Bring it to the priest. The priest will pay compensation for your wrong and make peace with Jehovah. Then you will be forgiven for whatever you did that made you guilty. Jehovah continued to speak to Moses, Command Aaron and his sons: 'These are the instructions for the burnt offering that stays on the altar overnight while the altar fire is kept burning. The priest must put on his linen clothes. This includes linen undergarments. Then he will remove the ashes left on the altar from the fire that consumed the burnt offering and will put them next to the altar. He will take off these clothes and put on some others. He will take the ashes to a clean place outside the camp. The fire must always be burning on the altar. It must never go out. The priest will burn wood on it every morning. He will lay the burnt offering on the fire and burn the fat of the fellowship offering. The fire must always be burning on the altar. It must never go out.
These are the instructions for the fellowship offering that you must bring to Jehovah. If you offer it as a thank offering, you must also bring rings of unleavened bread mixed with oil, wafers of unleavened bread brushed with oil, and loaves made from flour mixed well with oil. read more. In addition to these rings of bread, you must bring leavened bread (with yeast) along with your fellowship offering of thanksgiving. He will present one of every offering as a contribution to Jehovah. It will belong to the priest who sprinkles the blood of the peace offerings. The flesh of the sacrifice of his thanksgiving peace offerings will be eaten on the day of his offering. He should not leave any of it over until morning. If the sacrifice of his offering is a votive or a freewill offering, it shall be eaten on the day that he offers his sacrifice as well as on the next day. Anything left over from the flesh of the sacrifice on the third day shall be burned. If any of the flesh of the sacrifice of his peace offerings is eaten on the third day, he who offers it will not be accepted. It will not be considered for his benefit. It will be an offensive thing, and the person who eats of it will bear his own iniquity. The flesh that touches anything unclean shall not be eaten. It should be burned with fire. As for other flesh, anyone who is clean may eat such flesh. The person who eats the flesh of the sacrifice of peace offerings that belong to Jehovah, in his uncleanness, that person will be cut off from his people. When someone touches anything unclean, whether human uncleanness, or an unclean animal, or any unclean detestable thing, and eats of the flesh of the sacrifice of peace offerings which belong to Jehovah, that person shall be cut off from his people.'
Jehovah spoke to Moses and Aaron: Tell the Israelites: 'Here are the kinds of land animals you may eat: read more. You may eat all animals that have completely divided hoofs and that also chew their cud. You must not eat those that either chew their cud or have divided hoofs. These are the kinds you must never eat: You must never eat camels. Camels are unclean because they chew their cud but do not have divided hoofs. Never eat rock badgers. Rock badgers are unclean because they chew their cud but do not have divided hoofs. You must never eat rabbits. Rabbits are unclean because they chew their cud but do not have divided hoofs. Never eat pigs. Pigs have completely divided hoofs but do not chew their cud. They are also unclean. Never eat the meat of these animals or touch their dead bodies. They are unclean for you. Here are the kinds of creatures that live in the water that you may eat. You may eat anything in the seas and streams that have fins and scales. On the other hand, you must consider all swarming creatures living in the seas or the streams that have no fins or scales disgusting. They must remain disgusting to you. Never eat their meat. Consider their dead bodies repulsive. Every creature in the water without fins or scales is offensive to you. Here are the kinds of birds you must consider disgusting and must not eat. They are eagles, bearded vultures, black vultures, kites, all types of buzzards, all types of crows,
little owls, cormorants, great owls, swans, pelicans, ospreys,
When you reap the harvest of your land, you should not reap to the very corners of your field. You should not gather the gleanings of your harvest. Do not glean your vineyard. Do not gather the fallen fruit of your vineyard. Leave them for the needy and for the stranger. I am Jehovah your God.
Do not shave the hair on your foreheads. Do not cut the edges of your beard.
Do not turn to psychics or mediums to get help. That will make you unclean. I am Jehovah your God.
Never mistreat a foreigner living in your land. Foreigners living among you will be like your own people. Love them as you love yourself, because you were foreigners living in Egypt. I am Jehovah your God.
Jehovah continued to speak to Moses: Tell the Israelites: 'If Israelites or foreigners living among you give one of their children as a sacrifice to the god Molech, they must be put to death. The common people must stone them to death. read more. I will condemn them and exclude them from the people. They gave one of their children to Molech. They made my holy tent unclean, and dishonored my holy name. If the people of the land ignore those who give their children to Molech and do not put them to death, I will condemn them and their families. I will exclude them from the people. I will exclude from the people everyone who chases after Molech as if he were a prostitute.
Jehovah gave the following regulations. Any of you that curse your father or mother shall be put to death. You are responsible for your own death.
Jehovah gave the following regulations. Any of you that curse your father or mother shall be put to death. You are responsible for your own death.
Jehovah gave Moses these instructions for Aaron's sons, the priests: Touching a dead body will make you unclean. So do not go near a dead relative,
Jehovah gave Moses these instructions for Aaron's sons, the priests: Touching a dead body will make you unclean. So do not go near a dead relative,
Jehovah continued to speak to Moses: Tell Aaron and his sons that they must respect the holy offerings that the Israelites set apart for me. In this way they will not dishonor my holy name. I am Jehovah. read more. Tell them: 'In future generations if any of your descendants, while unclean, comes near the holy offerings the Israelites set apart for Jehovah, that person must be excluded from my presence. I am Jehovah. None of the descendants of Aaron who has a dreaded skin disease or a discharge may eat any of the sacred offerings until he is ritually clean. Any priest is unclean if he touches anything that is unclean through contact with a corpse or if he has an emission of semen or if he has touched an unclean animal or person. Any priest who becomes unclean remains unclean until evening. Even then he may not eat any of the sacred offerings until he has taken a bath. After the sunsets he is clean. Then he may eat the sacred offerings, which are his food. He must not eat the meat of any animal that has died a natural death or has been killed by wild animals. It will make him unclean. I am Jehovah. All priests must observe the regulations that I have given. Otherwise, they will become guilty and die, because they have disobeyed the sacred regulations. I am Jehovah and I make them holy.
The following are Jehovah's appointed festivals with holy assemblies. You must announce these at their appointed times. The Passover, celebrated to honor Jehovah, begins at sunset on the fourteenth day of the first month.
Count seven full weeks from the day after Passover, the day you bring the bundle of grain as an offering presented to Jehovah
Jehovah continued to speak to Moses: Observe a special day of rest on the first day of the seventh month. Gather together for worship when the trumpets sound. read more. Present a food offering to Jehovah. Do not do your daily work. Jehovah spoke to Moses: The tenth day of this seventh month is a special day for the payment for sins. There will be a holy assembly. Humble yourselves, and bring Jehovah a sacrifice by fire. Do not do any work that day. It is a special day for the payment for sins. It is a time when you pay compensation for wrongdoing and make peace with Jehovah your God. Those who do not humble themselves on that day will be excluded from the people. I will destroy those who do any work on that day. Do not do any work! It is a long lasting law for generations to come wherever you live. It is a day of worship (sabbath), a day when you do not work. Humble yourselves starting on the evening of the ninth day of the month. From that evening to the next, observe the day of worship. Jehovah spoke to Moses: Inform the Israelites: 'The fifteenth day of this seventh month is the Festival of Booths to Jehovah. It will last seven days. There will be a holy assemble on the first day. Do not do any regular work. Bring a sacrifice by fire to Jehovah for seven consecutive days. On the eighth day there will be a holy assembly. Bring Jehovah a sacrifice by fire. This is the last festival of the year. Do not do any regular work. These are Jehovah's appointed festivals. Announce them as holy assemblies for bringing sacrifices by fire to Jehovah. Bring burnt offerings, grain offerings, other sacrifices, and wine offerings-each one on its special day. This is in addition to Jehovah's days of worship, your gifts, all your vows, and your freewill offerings to Jehovah. Celebrate Jehovah's festival for seven days. This should begin on the fifteenth day of the seventh month; at the time you gather what the land produces. The first and the eighth days will be worship festivals. 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. 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!'
Inform the Israelites: 'Those who treat their God with contempt will be punished for their sin. However those who curse Jehovah's name must be put to death. The whole congregation must stone them to death. It makes no difference whether they are Israelites or foreigners. Whoever curses (abuses) Jehovah's name must die.
Should any of you injure another person, whatever you have done shall be done to you. If you break a bone, one of your bones must be broken. If you put out an eye, one of your eyes must be put out. Should you knock out a tooth, one of your teeth shall be knocked out. Whatever injury you cause another person must be done to you in return.
Jehovah spoke to Moses on Mount Sinai and commanded: Give the following regulations to the people of Israel: 'When you enter the land that Jehovah is giving you, honor Jehovah by not cultivating the land every seventh year. read more. Plant your fields, prune your vineyards, and gather your crops for six years. But the seventh year is to be a sabbath year of complete rest for the land. It is a year dedicated to Jehovah. Do not plant your fields or prune your vineyards. Do not even harvest the grain that grows by itself without being planted. Do not gather the grapes from your unpruned vines. It is a year of complete rest for the land. Even though the land has not been cultivated during that year, it will provide food for you, your slaves, your hired men, the foreigners living with you, your domestic animals, and the wild animals in your fields. Everything that it produces may be eaten. Count seven times seven years (seven sabbaths of years), a total of forty-nine years. Then, on the tenth day of the seventh month, the Day of Atonement, send someone to blow a trumpet throughout the whole land. In this way you will set the fiftieth year apart and proclaim freedom to all the inhabitants of the land. During this year all property that has been sold must be restored to the original owner or the descendants, and any who have been sold as slaves may return to their families.
In this way you will set the fiftieth year apart and proclaim freedom to all the inhabitants of the land. During this year all property that has been sold must be restored to the original owner or the descendants, and any who have been sold as slaves may return to their families. That fiftieth year will be your jubilee year. Do not plant or harvest what grows by itself or pick grapes from the vines in the land. read more. The jubilee year will be holy to you. You will eat what the field itself produces. In this jubilee year every slave will be freed in order to return to his property. In the business of trading goods for money, do no wrong to one another. Corresponding to the number of years after the jubilee, you shall buy from your friend; he is to sell to you according to the number of years of crops. In proportion to the extent of the years you shall increase its price, and in proportion to the fewness of the years you shall diminish its price, for it is a number of crops he is selling to you.
No land may be permanently bought or sold. It all belongs to me! It is not your land! You only live there for a little while.
If any of you Israelites become so poor that you are forced to sell your property, your closest relative must buy it back. If that relative has the money. Later, if you can afford to buy it, read more. you must pay enough to make up for what the present owner will lose on it before the next Year of Celebration, when the property would become yours again.
If anyone sells a home in a walled city, for one year after selling it he has the right to buy it back. He may buy it back only within that time. If he does not buy it back during that year, the house in the city belongs to the buyer for generations to come. It will not be released in the jubilee. read more. Houses in villages without walls are regarded as belonging to the fields of the land. They can be bought back. They will be released in the jubilee. The Levites always have the right to buy back their property in the cities they own. If any Levite buys back a house, in the jubilee the purchased house in the city will be released. This is because the houses in the Levite cities are their property among the Israelites. But a field that belongs to their cities must not be sold, because it is their property from generation to generation.
You may also buy the children of the foreigners who are living among you. Such children born in your land may become your property. You may leave them as an inheritance to your children, whom they must serve as long as they live. But you must not treat any Israelites harshly. read more. Suppose a foreigner living with you becomes rich, while some Israelites become poor and sell themselves as slaves to that foreigner or to a member of that foreigner's family. He has the right to be set free by a relative, such as a brother. His uncle, his cousin, or some other relative could also buy him back. If he becomes rich, he could buy his own freedom. Then he and his buyer must take into account the number of years from the year he was bought until the year of jubilee. His sale price will be adjusted based on the number of years he was with his buyer. This is like the wages of a hired worker. If there are many years left, he must refund from his purchase price an amount equal to those years. If there are only a few years left until the year of jubilee, he must take them into account. He must refund from his purchase price an amount equal to those years. He should serve his buyer as a hired worker during those years. His buyer should not treat him harshly. If he cannot buy his freedom he and his children will be released in the year of jubilee.
If you give your house to Jehovah as something holy, the priest will determine what its value is. The value will be whatever the priest decides. If you want to buy it back, you must pay its full value plus one-fifth more. read more. If a person gives part of a field to Jehovah as something holy, its value will be based on the seed planted on it. Ground planted with two quarts of barley will be worth twenty ounces of silver. If you give your field in the jubilee year, it will have its full value. Should you give the field after the jubilee year, the priest will estimate its value based on the number of years left until the next jubilee year. If you want to buy it back, you must pay its full value plus one-fifth more. If you do not buy it back and it is sold to someone else, it may not be redeemed. When the field is released in the jubilee year, it will be holy like a field claimed by Jehovah. It will become the property of the priest. You may give a field you bought, not one that was a part of your family property, to Jehovah as something holy. The priest must figure out the field's value until the jubilee year. You will pay its value on that day as something holy, belonging to Jehovah. In the jubilee year the field will go back to the person from whom it was bought, to whom it belongs as family property. All values will be set using the standard weight of the holy place. A firstborn animal already belongs to Jehovah because it was born first. Therefore, it cannot be set apart as holy. Whether it is a bull or a sheep, it belongs to Jehovah. If it is an unclean animal it must be bought back. The payment will be its full value plus one-fifth more. If it is not bought back, it must be sold at the value given it. However, everything dedicated to Jehovah for destruction, a person, an animal, or a field that belongs to you, must not be sold or bought back. Everything dedicated in that way is very holy. It belongs to Jehovah. People dedicated this way may not be bought back. They must be put to death. One-tenth of what comes from the land, whether grain or fruit, is holy and belongs to Jehovah. If you buy back any part of it, you must add one-fifth more to it. Every tenth head of cattle or sheep that you counted is holy and belongs to Jehovah. You must not look to see if it is good or bad or exchange it. If you do exchange it, both the first animal and its substitute will be holy. They may not be bought back.' These are the commandments Jehovah gave Moses on Mount Sinai for the Israelites.
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. read more. 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.
One time, while the Israelites were still in the wilderness, a man was found gathering firewood on the Sabbath.
So the whole congregation took him outside the camp and stoned him to death, as Jehovah commanded Moses.
Jehovah said to Aaron: You, your sons, and your family will be responsible for any sins against the holy place. You and your sons will also be responsible for any sins you commit when you work as priests.
Jehovah said to Aaron: I have placed you in charge of all the contributions given to me. I have given you and your descendants all the holy gifts from the Israelites as your share. These contributions will be yours from generation to generation. That part of the most holy offerings that is not burned belongs to you. It may come from a grain offering, an offering for sin, or a guilt offering. Whatever is brought to me, as a most holy offering will belong to you and your sons. read more. Eat it in a most holy place. Any male may eat it. You must consider it holy. The contributions that come as gifts taken from the offerings presented by the Israelites are also yours. I give these to you, your sons, and your daughters. They will be yours from generation to generation. Anyone in your household who is clean may eat them. I also give you the first of the produce they give Jehovah. It is the best of all the olive oil and the best of the new wine and fresh grain.
I also give you the first of the produce they give Jehovah. It is the best of all the olive oil and the best of the new wine and fresh grain. The first of all produce harvested in their land that they bring to Jehovah are yours. Anyone in your household who is clean may eat it.
The first of all produce harvested in their land that they bring to Jehovah are yours. Anyone in your household who is clean may eat it. Anything in Israel that is claimed by Jehovah is yours. read more. Every firstborn male, human or animal that is brought to Jehovah is yours. But you must buy back every firstborn son and the firstborn male of any unclean animal.
Every firstborn male, human or animal that is brought to Jehovah is yours. But you must buy back every firstborn son and the firstborn male of any unclean animal. When they are one month old, you must buy them back at the fixed price of two ounces of silver using the standard weight of the holy place.
When they are one month old, you must buy them back at the fixed price of two ounces of silver using the standard weight of the holy place. You must never buy back a firstborn bull, sheep, or goat. They are holy. Throw the blood from these animals against the altar. Burn the fat as an offering by fire, a soothing aroma to Jehovah.
You must never buy back a firstborn bull, sheep, or goat. They are holy. Throw the blood from these animals against the altar. Burn the fat as an offering by fire, a soothing aroma to Jehovah. The meat is yours, like the breast and the right thigh that are presented.
The meat is yours, like the breast and the right thigh that are presented. I have given you, your sons, and your daughters all the holy contributions which the Israelites offer to Jehovah. These contributions will be yours from generation to generation. It is an everlasting promise of salt in Jehovah's presence for you and your descendants. read more. Jehovah said to Aaron: You will have no land or property of your own as the other Israelites will have. I am your possession and your property among the Israelites.
Jehovah said to Aaron: You will have no land or property of your own as the other Israelites will have. I am your possession and your property among the Israelites. I have given the Levites one-tenth of every Israelite's income. This is in return for the work they do at the tent of meeting.
I have given the Levites one-tenth of every Israelite's income. This is in return for the work they do at the tent of meeting. The other Israelites must never again come near the tent of meeting. Otherwise, they will suffer the consequences of their sin and die.
The other Israelites must never again come near the tent of meeting. Otherwise, they will suffer the consequences of their sin and die. Only the Levites will do the work at the tent of meeting. They are responsible for their own sins. This is a long lasting law for future generations. They will own no property, as the other Israelites will.
Only the Levites will do the work at the tent of meeting. They are responsible for their own sins. This is a long lasting law for future generations. They will own no property, as the other Israelites will. Instead, I will give the Levites what the Israelites contribute to Jehovah, one-tenth of the Israelites' income. This is why I said about them: They will own no property as the other Israelites do.
Instead, I will give the Levites what the Israelites contribute to Jehovah, one-tenth of the Israelites' income. This is why I said about them: They will own no property as the other Israelites do.
Instead, I will give the Levites what the Israelites contribute to Jehovah, one-tenth of the Israelites' income. This is why I said about them: They will own no property as the other Israelites do. Jehovah said to Moses:
Jehovah said to Moses: Speak to the Levites and say to them: 'You will take one-tenth of the Israelites' income that I am giving you as your property. When you do, you must contribute one-tenth of that income as your contribution to Jehovah.
Speak to the Levites and say to them: 'You will take one-tenth of the Israelites' income that I am giving you as your property. When you do, you must contribute one-tenth of that income as your contribution to Jehovah. Your contribution will be considered to be grain from the threshing floor or juice from the winepress.
Your contribution will be considered to be grain from the threshing floor or juice from the winepress. You will also contribute one-tenth of your income to Jehovah out of all that you receive from the Israelites' income. You will give Jehovah's contribution to the priest Aaron.
You will also contribute one-tenth of your income to Jehovah out of all that you receive from the Israelites' income. You will give Jehovah's contribution to the priest Aaron. Out of all the gifts you receive, you must contribute the best and holiest parts to Jehovah.'
Out of all the gifts you receive, you must contribute the best and holiest parts to Jehovah.' Also tell them: 'When you contribute the best part, your contribution will be considered to be produce from the threshing floor or winepress.
Also tell them: 'When you contribute the best part, your contribution will be considered to be produce from the threshing floor or winepress. You and your households may eat it anywhere. This is because it is the wages you receive for your work at the tent of meeting.
You and your households may eat it anywhere. This is because it is the wages you receive for your work at the tent of meeting. When you contribute the best part, you will not suffer the consequences of any sin. You will not be dishonoring the holy offerings given by the Israelites, and you will not die.'
When you contribute the best part, you will not suffer the consequences of any sin. You will not be dishonoring the holy offerings given by the Israelites, and you will not die.'
Jehovah said to him: Zelophehad's daughters are right. You must give them property of their own among their father's relatives. Turn their father's property over to them. read more. Tell the Israelites: 'If a man dies and leaves no sons, turn his property over to his daughters.
A young girl, who still lives in her father's house, might make a vow to Jehovah that she will do something or swear an oath that she will not do something. She must do everything that she vowed or promised unless her father raises an objection when he hears about it. read more. If her father forbids her to fulfill the vow when he hears about it, she is not required to keep it. Jehovah will forgive her, because her father refused to let her keep it.
A widow or a divorced woman must keep every vow she makes and every promise to abstain from something.
Jehovah continued to speak to Moses: Tell the Israelites: When you cross the Jordan River and enter Canaan, read more. select certain cities to be places of refuge. Anyone who unintentionally kills another person may run to them. These cities will be places of refuge from any relative who can avenge the death. So anyone accused of murder will not have to die until he has had a trial in front of the community. There will be six cities you select as places of refuge. Three will be on the east side of the Jordan River and three in Canaan. These six cities will be places of refuge for Israelites, foreigners, and strangers among you. Anyone who unintentionally kills another person may flee to these cities. If any of you uses an iron weapon to kill another person, you are a murderer. Murderers must be put to death. If any of you picks up a stone as a weapon and uses it to kill another person, you are a murderer. Murderers must be put to death. And if any of you picks up a piece of wood as a weapon and uses it to kill another person, you are a murderer. Murderers must be put to death. The relative who can avenge the death must make sure a murderer is put to death. When he catches up with the murderer, he must kill him. If any of you kills someone you hate by shoving him or by deliberately throwing something at him, or if you beat your enemy to death with your bare hands, you must be put to death. You are a murderer. The relative who can avenge the death must kill you when he catches up with you, because you are a murderer. Should you accidentally kill someone who was not your enemy. Maybe you shoved him or threw something at him but did not mean to kill him. Or if you drop a big stone, and someone is killed. However, you did not know the person was there, he was not your enemy, and you were not trying to harm him. Then the community must use these rules in order to decide if you are innocent or if the dead person's relative can avenge the death. If you are innocent, the community must protect you from that relative. They must take you back to the city of refuge you fled to. You must live there until the death of the chief priest who was anointed with the holy oil. But do not go outside the city of refuge you fled to. If the relative who can avenge the death finds you outside the city of refuge and kills you, the relative is not guilty of murder. Accused murderers must stay in their city of refuge until the death of the chief priest. They may go back to their own property only after his death.
Those accused of murder may be found guilty and put to death only on the evidence of two or more witnesses. The evidence of one witness is not sufficient to support an accusation of murder.
The heads of the families in the clan of Gilead the son of Machir and grandson of Manasseh son of Joseph, went to Moses and the other leaders.
So I took the chief of your tribes, wise men and known, and made them rulers over you. I made them captains over thousands, and captains over hundreds, and captains over fifties, and captains over tens, and officers among your tribes. I charged your judges to hear the cases between your countrymen and judge righteously between every man and his brother, and the stranger with him. read more. You will not show partiality in judgment. You shall hear the small and the great. You will not fear man for the judgment is God's. The case that is too hard for you, bring to me, and I will hear it.' I commanded you at that time all the things you should do.
Moses set aside three cities on the east side of the Jordan. Those who unintentionally killed someone whom they had never hated could flee to one of these cities and save their lives. read more. The cities were Bezer on the desert plateau for the tribe of Reuben, Ramoth in Gilead for the tribe of Gad, and Golan in Bashan for the tribe of Manasseh.
These are the statutes and the judgments you should carefully observe in the land Jehovah, the God of your fathers, has given you to possess as long as you live on the earth.
These are the statutes and the judgments you should carefully observe in the land Jehovah, the God of your fathers, has given you to possess as long as you live on the earth.
You are the sons of Jehovah your God. Do not cut yourselves nor shave your forehead for the sake of the dead.
You are the sons of Jehovah your God. Do not cut yourselves nor shave your forehead for the sake of the dead. You are a holy people to Jehovah your God. Out of all the people on the face of the earth Jehovah has chosen you to be a people for His own possession. read more. Do not eat any detestable thing. These are the animals you may eat: the ox, the sheep, the goat, the deer, the gazelle, the roebuck, the wild goat, the ibex, the antelope (chamois) and the mountain sheep. You may eat any animal that divides the hoof and has the hoof split in two and chews the cud. Do not eat of these that chew the cud, or among those that divide the hoof in two: the camel and the rabbit and the shaphan. Even though they chew the cud, they do not divide the hoof. They are unclean for you. The pig, because it divides the hoof but does not chew the cud, it is unclean for you. Do not eat any of their flesh nor touch their carcasses. These you may eat of all that are in water: anything that has fins and scales you may eat. Do not eat anything that does not have fins and scales. It is unclean for you. You may eat any clean bird. These are the ones you should not eat: the eagle and the vulture and the buzzard, and the red kite, the falcon, and the kite in their kinds, and every raven in its kind, and the ostrich, the owl, the sea gull, and the hawk in their kinds, the swan, the great owl, the white owl, the pelican, the carrion vulture, the cormorant, the stork, and the heron in their kinds, and the hoopoe and the bat. And all the teeming life with wings is unclean to you. Do not eat them. You may eat any clean bird. Do not eat anything that dies by itself. You may give it to the alien who is in your town, so that he may eat it. You may sell it to a foreigner, for you are a holy people to Jehovah your God. Do not boil a young goat in its mother's milk. You shall surely tithe all the produce from what you sow, which comes out of the field every year.
You shall surely tithe all the produce from what you sow, which comes out of the field every year. You shall eat in the presence of Jehovah your God, at the place where He chooses to establish his name, the tithe of your grain, your new wine, your oil, and the firstborn of your herd and your flock, so that you may learn to respect Jehovah your God always.
You shall eat in the presence of Jehovah your God, at the place where He chooses to establish his name, the tithe of your grain, your new wine, your oil, and the firstborn of your herd and your flock, so that you may learn to respect Jehovah your God always. The place Jehovah your God will choose to put his name may be too far away. He may bless you with so much that you cannot carry the tithe of your income that far.
The place Jehovah your God will choose to put his name may be too far away. He may bless you with so much that you cannot carry the tithe of your income that far. If so, exchange the tenth part of your income for silver. Take the silver with you, and go to the place Jehovah your God will choose.
If so, exchange the tenth part of your income for silver. Take the silver with you, and go to the place Jehovah your God will choose. Use the silver to buy whatever you want: cattle, sheep, goats, wine, liquor-whatever you choose. Then you and your family will eat and enjoy yourselves there in the presence of Jehovah your God.
Use the silver to buy whatever you want: cattle, sheep, goats, wine, liquor-whatever you choose. Then you and your family will eat and enjoy yourselves there in the presence of Jehovah your God. Do not neglect the Levites who live in your towns. They have no property of their own.
Do not neglect the Levites who live in your towns. They have no property of their own. At the end of every third year bring the tithe of all your crops and store it in your towns.
At the end of every third year bring the tithe of all your crops and store it in your towns. This food is for the Levites, since they own no property, and for the foreigners, orphans, and widows who live in your towns. They are to come and get all they need. Do this, and Jehovah your God will bless you in everything you do.
Release all debts at the end of every seven years. This is how you should release. Every man who has a loan to his neighbor shall release it. He shall not require it from his neighbor, or from his brother, because it is called Jehovah's release. read more. You may collect from a foreigner, but your hand should release that debt which is yours with your brother. There should not be any poor people among you. Jehovah your God will certainly bless you in the land he is giving you as your own possession. He will bless you only if you listen carefully to Jehovah your God and faithfully obey all these commandments I give you today. Jehovah your God will bless you, as he promised. You will make loans to many nations. But you will not have to borrow from any of them. You will rule many nations. But no nation will ever rule over you. This is what you must do whenever there are poor Israelites in one of your cities in the land that Jehovah your God is giving you. Be generous to these poor people. Freely lend them as much as they need. Never be hardhearted and stingy with them. When the seventh year, the year when payments on debts are canceled, is near, you might be stingy toward poor Israelites and give them nothing. Be careful not to think these worthless thoughts. The poor will complain to Jehovah about you, and you will be condemned for your sin. Give the poor what they need, because then Jehovah will make you successful in everything you do. There will always be some Israelites who are poor and needy. That is why I am commanding you to be generous with them. If you buy Israelites (your own brothers) as slaves, you must set them free after six years. Do not send him away empty handed when you set him free. Supply him liberally from your flock and from your threshing floor and from your wine vat. Give to him as Jehovah your God has blessed you. Remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and Jehovah your God redeemed you. Therefore I command you this today! If he says to you: I will not leave you. If it is because he loves you and your household, since he fares well with you, then you shall take an awl and pierce it through his ear into the door. He will be your servant for a very long time. You should do likewise to your maidservant. It should not seem hard to you when you set him free. After all he has given you six years with double the service of a hired man. Jehovah your God will bless you in whatever you do.
Appoint judges and officers for your tribes in every city Jehovah your God gives you. They are to judge the people fairly.
On the evidence and testimony of two witnesses or three witnesses, he who is to die shall be put to death. He shall not be put to death on the evidence of one witness. The witnesses must throw the first stone to put him to death, and afterward all the people. So you shall purge the evil from your midst. read more. If any case is too difficult for you to decide, between one kind of homicide or another, between one kind of lawsuit or another, and between one kind of assault or another, being cases of dispute in your courts, then you should go to the place Jehovah your God chooses.
If any case is too difficult for you to decide, between one kind of homicide or another, between one kind of lawsuit or another, and between one kind of assault or another, being cases of dispute in your courts, then you should go to the place Jehovah your God chooses. Approach the Levitical priest or the judge who is in office in those days. Inquire of them and they will declare to you the verdict in the case.
Approach the Levitical priest or the judge who is in office in those days. Inquire of them and they will declare to you the verdict in the case. Act according to the terms of the verdict they declare to you from that place Jehovah chooses. Be careful to abide by all that they teach you.
Act according to the terms of the verdict they declare to you from that place Jehovah chooses. Be careful to abide by all that they teach you. Act according to the verdict and the terms they tell you. Do not turn away from the word they declare to you.
Act according to the verdict and the terms they tell you. Do not turn away from the word they declare to you. The man who acts presumptuously and does not listen to the priest or the judge will die. This way you will purge the evil from Israel. The priests and judges are there to serve Jehovah your God.
The man who acts presumptuously and does not listen to the priest or the judge will die. This way you will purge the evil from Israel. The priests and judges are there to serve Jehovah your God. Then all the people will hear and be afraid. They will not act presumptuously again.
Then all the people will hear and be afraid. They will not act presumptuously again. Enter the land Jehovah your God gives you. Possess it and live in it. You will say: I will set a king over me like all the nations who are around me, read more. you shall surely set a king over you whom Jehovah your God chooses. It will be one from among your countrymen. You may not put a foreigner over yourselves who is not your countryman. He must not increase his herd of horses. He must not send the people to return to Egypt to get more horses. For Jehovah said to you: You should never again return that way. He must not take many wives or his heart will turn astray. He must not accumulate large amounts of silver and gold. When he first sits on the throne of his kingdom, he is to write for himself a copy of this law on a scroll taken in the presence of the Levitical priests. He should keep it with him. He should read from it all the days of his life. In this way he will learn to respect Jehovah his God by carefully observing all the words of this Law and these statutes. He must not think he is better than the rest of his people. He will not disobey these commandments in any way. So he and his sons will rule for a long time in Israel.
The Levitical priests including the entire tribe of Levi will receive no land or property of their own like the rest of the Israelites. They will eat what has been sacrificed to Jehovah. These sacrifices will be what they receive. They are to own no land, as the other tribes do. Their inheritance is the privilege of being Jehovah's priests, as Jehovah told them. read more. When cattle or sheep are sacrificed, the priests are to be given the shoulder, the jaw, and the stomach. They are to receive the first share of the grain, wine, olive oil, and wool. Jehovah chose from all your tribes the tribe of Levi to serve him and his sons as priests forever. Any Levite who wants to may come from any town in Israel to the one place of worship.
When you come into the land that Jehovah your God gives you, do not follow the disgusting practices of the nations that are there. Do not sacrifice your children in the fires on your altars. Do not let your people practice divination or look for omens or use spells or charms. read more. Do not allow them to consult the spirits of the dead. Jehovah your God hates people who do these disgusting things. That is why he is driving those nations out of the land as you advance. Be perfect (without blemish) with Jehovah your God. These nations whom you shall possess listened to observers of clouds and to diviners. As for you, Jehovah your God has not allowed you to do so. Jehovah your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your fellow Israelites. Listen to him! This is according to all that you asked of Jehovah your God at Horeb on the day of the assembly. You said: Let me not hear again the voice of Jehovah my God. Do not let me see this great fire anymore, or I will die. Jehovah said to me: 'They have spoken well. I will raise up a prophet from among their countrymen like you. I will put my words in his mouth. He will speak to them all that I command him. Whoever refuses to listen to the words that the prophet speaks in my name will answer to me. Any prophet who dares to say something in my name that I did not command him to say or who speaks in the name of other gods must die. You may wonder: How shall we recognize that Jehovah did not speak this message? If a prophet speaks in Jehovah's name and what he says does not happen or come true, then it did not come from Jehovah. That prophet has spoken on his own authority. Never be afraid of him.'
A person who unintentionally kills someone he never hated in the past may run to one of these cities to save his life. For example: when a man goes into the forest with his friend to cut wood, and his hand swings the axe to cut down the tree, and the iron head slips off the handle and strikes his friend so that he dies. He may flee to one of these cities and live. read more. Otherwise the avenger of blood might pursue the manslayer in the heat of his anger. He may overtake him and because the way is long he may take his life. Even though he was not deserving of death, since he had not hated him previously. Hear my command: 'You must set aside three cities for yourself.' If Jehovah your God enlarges your territory, just as he has sworn to your fathers, and gives you all the land he promised to give your fathers. And if you carefully observe all this commandment I command you today, to love Jehovah your God, and to walk in his ways always you shall add three more cities for yourself, besides these three. Innocent blood will not be shed in your land that Jehovah your God gives you as an inheritance. Blood guiltiness will not be on you. But if there is a man who hates his neighbor and lies in wait for him and murders him. If he flees to one of these cities, the elders of his city will send for him. They will take him from there and deliver him into the hand of the avenger of blood that he may die. Do not pity him. Purge the blood of the innocent from Israel that it may go well with you.
This is what you must do whenever a witness takes the stand to accuse a person falsely of a crime. The two people involved must stand in Jehovah's presence, in front of the priests and judges who are serving at that time. read more. The judges must make a thorough investigation. If it is found that the witness lied when he testified against the other Israelite, do to him what he planned to do to the other person. Get rid of this evil. When other people hear about this, they will be afraid. Never again will such an evil thing be done among you. Have no pity on him: Take a life for a life, an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a hand for a hand, and a foot for a foot.
This is what you must do if you find a murder victim lying in a field in the land that Jehovah your God is giving you. If no one knows who committed the murder, your elders and judges must go and measure the distance from the body to each of the neighboring cities. read more. When it is determined which city is nearest the body, the elders from that city must choose a heifer that has never been put to work and never worn a yoke. The elders of that city will bring the heifer down to a river, to a location where the land has not been plowed or planted. At the river they must break the heifer's neck. Then the priests, the sons of Levi, shall come near. Jehovah your God has chosen them to serve him and to bless in the name of Jehovah. They will settle every dispute and every assault. All the elders of the city that is nearest to the slain man shall wash their hands over the heifer whose neck was broken in the valley. They will answer: 'Our hands did not shed this blood, nor did we see it. Forgive your people Israel, whom you have redeemed, O Jehovah. Do not hold us responsible for the murder of an innocent person.' Forgive them of bloodguilt. Remove the guilt of innocent blood from your midst. Do what is right in the eyes of Jehovah's. When you go to war with your enemies and Jehovah your God hands them over to you, you may take them captive. If you see a beautiful woman among the captives and your heart is set on her, you may marry her. Take her to your home. She should shave her head and cut her nails. She should no longer wear the clothes she was wearing when you captured her. She may live in your house and mourn the loss of her father and mother for one month. After that you may marry her. Later if you are not happy with the woman you may divorce her. She may go free. But you have slept with her as your wife, so you cannot sell her as a slave or make her into your own slave. If a man have two wives and loves one more than the other. The first son of either wife is the man's first-born son, even if the boy's mother is the wife he does not love. A man near death and dividing up his property must give a double share to his first-born son. This is because he was the first to be born. The day he wills his possessions to his sons, he should not put the firstborn son of the loved wife before the firstborn son of the unloved wife. He should acknowledge the firstborn son of the unloved wife. And give him a double portion of all that he has. He is the beginning of his strength. The right of the firstborn belongs to him. If a man has a stubborn and rebellious son who will not listen or obey his father or his mother when they chastise him,
If a man has a stubborn and rebellious son who will not listen or obey his father or his mother when they chastise him, His father and mother shall seize him, and bring him out to the elders of his city at the gateway of his hometown.
His father and mother shall seize him, and bring him out to the elders of his city at the gateway of his hometown. They shall say to the elders of his city: This son of ours is stubborn and rebellious! He will not obey us! He is a glutton and a drunkard.
They shall say to the elders of his city: This son of ours is stubborn and rebellious! He will not obey us! He is a glutton and a drunkard. All the men of his city shall stone him to death. In that way you will remove the evil from your midst. All Israel will hear about it and fear.
All the men of his city shall stone him to death. In that way you will remove the evil from your midst. All Israel will hear about it and fear.
If a man marries a woman and has sex with her and then turns against her,
If a man marries a woman and has sex with her and then turns against her, he charges her with shameful deeds and publicly defames her. He says: 'When I had sex with this woman, I did not find proof of her virginity.'
he charges her with shameful deeds and publicly defames her. He says: 'When I had sex with this woman, I did not find proof of her virginity.' The girl's father and her mother must present evidence of the girl's virginity to the elders of the city at the gate.
The girl's father and her mother must present evidence of the girl's virginity to the elders of the city at the gate. The girl's father shall say to the elders: I gave my daughter to be this man's wife, but he turned against her.
The girl's father shall say to the elders: I gave my daughter to be this man's wife, but he turned against her. He has charged her with shameful deeds. He says: 'I did not find your daughter to be a virgin. But this is the evidence of my daughter's virginity. And they shall spread the garment before the elders of the city.
He has charged her with shameful deeds. He says: 'I did not find your daughter to be a virgin. But this is the evidence of my daughter's virginity. And they shall spread the garment before the elders of the city. The elders of that city shall take the man and chastise him,
The elders of that city shall take the man and chastise him,
The elders of that city shall take the man and chastise him, They will fine him a hundred shekels of silver. They will give it to the girl's father, because he publicly defamed a virgin of Israel. She will remain his wife. He may not divorce her all his days.
They will fine him a hundred shekels of silver. They will give it to the girl's father, because he publicly defamed a virgin of Israel. She will remain his wife. He may not divorce her all his days.
They will fine him a hundred shekels of silver. They will give it to the girl's father, because he publicly defamed a virgin of Israel. She will remain his wife. He may not divorce her all his days. On the other hand if this charge is true, that the girl was not found a virgin,
On the other hand if this charge is true, that the girl was not found a virgin, they will take the girl to the doorway of her father's house. The men of her city shall stone her to death because she has committed an act of folly in Israel by playing the harlot in her father's house. You must purge the evil from among you.
they will take the girl to the doorway of her father's house. The men of her city shall stone her to death because she has committed an act of folly in Israel by playing the harlot in her father's house. You must purge the evil from among you. If a man is caught having sexual intercourse with another mans wife, then both of them shall die! Both the man and the woman committing adultery must be killed. Thus you shall purge the evil from Israel. read more. Suppose there is a girl who is a virgin engaged to a man, and another man has sexual relations with her. You must bring them both out to the gate of that city and you must stone them to death! The girl did not protest what was happening and the man has violated his neighbor's woman. Thus you shall purge the evil from among you. If an engaged woman is raped (forced to experience sex) only the man who commits the act will die. Do nothing to the woman. There is no sin in the woman worthy of death. This is like the case where a man attacks and murders his neighbor. When he found her in the field, the woman who is engaged protested, but there was no one to save her. Suppose a man finds a woman who is a virgin, who is not engaged, and seizes her and lies with her and they are discovered. The man who has sex with her must give to the girl's father fifty shekels of silver, and she will become his wife because he has violated her. He may not divorce her all his days.
No man whose testicles have been crushed or whose penis is cut off shall enter the assembly of Jehovah. No one of illegitimate birth shall enter the assembly of Jehovah. None of his descendants to the tenth generation shall enter the assembly of Jehovah. read more. No Ammonite or Moabite shall enter the assembly of Jehovah. Their descendants to the tenth generation shall not enter the assembly of Jehovah. This is because they did not meet you with food and water on the way when you came out of Egypt. It is because they hired against you Balaam the son of Beor from Pethor of Mesopotamia, to curse you.
Do not hand over an escaped slave to his master.
Do not charge interest to your brothers, interest on money, food, anything that may be loaned at interest. You may charge interest to a foreigner, but to your brother (countrymen) you shall not charge interest. That way Jehovah your God will bless you in all that you undertake in the land you are about to possess.
When you enter your neighbor's vineyard you may eat grapes until you are full. But you shall not put any in your basket. When you enter your neighbor's standing grain you may pluck the heads with your hand. But you must not wield a sickle in your neighbor's standing grain.
When a man marries a woman and later decides he does not love her because he found something he does not like about her he writes her a certificate of divorce and puts it in her hand and sends her out from his house. She leaves his house and becomes another man's wife. read more. If the latter husband turns against her and writes her a certificate of divorce and puts it in her hand and sends her out of his house, or if the latter husband dies who took her to be his wife, her former husband who sent her away is not allowed to take her again to be his wife. She has been defiled. That is an abomination before Jehovah, and you shall not bring sin on the land Jehovah your God gives you as an inheritance.
Do not take a hand mill or an upper millstone as security for a debt. That would be taking away a man's livelihood.
When you make your neighbor a loan of any sort do not go into his house and repossess the security. Remain outside, and the man to whom you make the loan must bring the pledged security out to you. read more. If he is a poor man, do not keep the pledged security over night. Return the pledge to him before the sun goes down. He will have his pledged item and he may sleep. He will bless you. And it will be righteousness for you before Jehovah your God.
Pay him his wages on the workday day before the sunsets. He is poor and sets his heart on it. He will not complain against you to Jehovah and it becomes your sin. Fathers shall not be put to death for their sons, nor shall sons be put to death for their fathers. Everyone shall be put to death for his own sin. read more. Do not pervert the justice due an alien or an orphan. Do not take a widow's garment in pledge. Remember that you were slaves in Egypt, and that Jehovah your God redeemed you from there. I therefore command you to do this. When you reap your harvest in your field and have forgotten a sheaf in the field, you shall not go back to get it. It shall be for the alien, for the orphan, and for the widow, in order that Jehovah your God may bless you in all the work of your hands. When you beat the olives from your olive tree, you shall not go over the boughs again. It shall be for the alien, for the orphan, and for the widow. When you gather the grapes of your vineyard, you shall not go over it again. It shall be for the alien, for the orphan, and for the widow. You must remember that you were slaves in the land of Egypt. I am commanding you to do this.
When there is a dispute between men and they go to court, and the judges decide their case. They justify the righteous and condemn the wicked. If the wicked man deserves to be beaten, the judge will then make him lie down and be beaten in his presence. The number of lashes is according to his guilt. read more. He must not beat him more than forty lashes. If he beats more than that your brother will be degraded in your eyes.
He must not beat him more than forty lashes. If he beats more than that your brother will be degraded in your eyes.
When brothers live together and one of them dies without a son the wife of the deceased shall not marry outside the family to a strange man. Her husband's brother shall marry her and perform the duty of a husband's brother to her. The firstborn son she bears will assume the name of the dead brother. That way his name will not be blotted out from Israel. read more. If the man does not desire to take his brother's wife, his brother's wife shall go up to the gate to the elders and say: My husband's brother refuses to establish a name for his brother in Israel. He is not willing to perform the duty of a husband's brother to me. The elders of his city must summon him and speak to him. If he persists and says: I do not desire to take her, his brother's wife shall must to him in the sight of the elders. She will pull his sandal off his foot and spit in his face. Then she will declare: It is done to the man who does not build up his brother's house. His name in Israel will be: 'The house of him whose sandal is removed.'
When you enter the land Jehovah your God gives you as an inheritance you will possess it and live in it. Take some of the first of all the produce of the ground that you bring in from your land that Jehovah your God gives you, and put it in a basket and go to the place where Jehovah your God chooses to establish His name. read more. Go to the priest who is in office at that time and say to him: I declare this day to Jehovah my God! I have entered the land Jehovah swore to our fathers to give us. The priest will take the basket from your hand and set it down before the altar of Jehovah your God. Answer before Jehovah your God: 'My father was a wandering Aramean, and he went down to Egypt and traveled there. They were few in number but he became a great, mighty and populous nation. The Egyptians treated us harshly and afflicted us. They imposed hard labor on us. We cried out to Jehovah, the God of our fathers, and Jehovah heard our voice. He saw our affliction and our toil and our oppression. Jehovah brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm and with great terror and with signs and wonders. He brought us to this place and gave us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey. Now behold, I have brought the first of the produce of the ground that You, O Jehovah have given me. Set it down before Jehovah your God, and worship before Jehovah your God.' You, the Levite and the alien among you will rejoice in all the good Jehovah your God has given you and your household. Finish paying all the tithe of your increase in the third year, the year of tithing. Then you shall give it to the Levite, the stranger, and the orphan and to the widow, that they may eat in your towns and be satisfied. Say before Jehovah your God: 'I have removed the sacred portion from my house. I also have given it to the Levite and the alien, the orphan and the widow, according to all your commandments that you have commanded me. I have not transgressed or forgotten any of your commandments. I have not eaten of it while mourning. I have not removed any of it while I was unclean, nor offered any of it to the dead. I have listened to the voice of Jehovah my God. I have done according to all that you have commanded me. Look down from your holy place in heaven and bless your people Israel. Bless the ground you have given us, a land flowing with milk and honey, as you swore to our fathers.'
Joshua made a treaty of peace with them to let them live. The leaders of the congregation ratified it by an oath.
Jehovah said to Joshua: Do not be afraid because of them! About this time tomorrow I will deliver them up all slain before Israel. You must hamstring their horses, and burn their chariots with fire.
Then Samuel told the people who had asked him for a king everything Jehovah said. Samuel said: These are the rights of a king: He will draft your sons and make them serve on his chariots and horses, and make them run ahead of his chariots. read more. He will appoint them to be his officers over one thousand or over fifty soldiers. He will have them plow his ground and harvest his crops. He will require them to make weapons and equipment for his chariots. He will take your daughters from you and force them to make perfumes, cook, and bake. He will take away the best of your fields, vineyards, and olive orchards and give them to his officials. He will take a tenth of your grain and wine and give it to his aids and officials. He will confiscate your male and female slaves, your best cattle, and your donkeys for his own use. He will take a tenth of your flocks. In addition, you will be his servants. You will cry out because of the king whom you have chosen for yourselves. Jehovah will not answer you when that day comes.
Samuel explained the laws concerning kingship to the people. He wrote the laws on a scroll, which he placed in front of Jehovah. Then Samuel sent the people back to their homes.
Nahash the Ammonite came up and put his forces in position for attacking Jabesh in Gilead. The men of Jabesh said to Nahash: Make an agreement with us and we will be your servants.
Then the king sent for the priest Ahimelech son of Ahitub's and his entire family who were the priests in Nob. All of them came to the king. Saul said: Listen here, son of Ahitub! He responded: Here I am lord. read more. Saul asked him: Why did you and Jesse's son plot against me? You gave him bread and a sword. You even prayed to God that he could rise up against me and ambush me, as he is doing now. Ahimelech asked the king: But whom among all your officials can you trust like David? Your Majesty, he is your son-in-law, the commander of your bodyguard. He is honored in your own household. Is this the first time I have prayed to God for him? Not at all! You should not blame my family or me for this. I knew nothing at all about this. The king said: Ahimelech, you and your entire family are going to die. The king said to the guards who were attending him: Turn around and kill the priests of Jehovah! They are also with David. They knew that he was fleeing and did not reveal it to me. But the servants of the king were not willing to lift a hand to attack the priests of Jehovah.
The king said to the guards who were attending him: Turn around and kill the priests of Jehovah! They are also with David. They knew that he was fleeing and did not reveal it to me. But the servants of the king were not willing to lift a hand to attack the priests of Jehovah. The king said to Doeg: You turn around and attack the priests. Doeg the Edomite turned around and attacked the priests. That day he killed eighty-five men who wore the linen ephod.
The king said to Doeg: You turn around and attack the priests. Doeg the Edomite turned around and attacked the priests. That day he killed eighty-five men who wore the linen ephod. He also killed the people of Nob, the city of the priests. Using his sword, he killed men and women, children and infants, cows, donkeys, and sheep.
All the elders of Israel came to King David at Hebron. He made a sacred alliance with them. They anointed him, and he became king of Israel.
David captured seventeen hundred of his cavalry and twenty thousand of his foot soldiers. He kept enough horses for a hundred chariots and crippled (hamstrung) all the rest.
Jehovah sent Nathan to David. Nathan came to him and said: There were two men in a certain city. One was rich and the other was poor. The rich man had a very large number of sheep and cattle. read more. But the poor man had only one little female lamb that he bought. He raised her, and she grew up in his home with his children. She would eat his food and drink from his cup. She rested in his arms and was like a daughter to him. Now, a visitor came to the rich man. The rich man thought it would be a pity to take one of his own sheep or cattle to prepare a meal for the traveler. So he took the poor man's lamb and prepared it for the traveler. David became very angry with the rich man. He said: I swear by the living God Jehovah that the man who did this should die!
The woman from Tekoa came to the king. She immediately bowed down with her face touching the ground. Help me, Your Majesty, she said. The king asked her: What can I do for you? She answered: I am a widow; my husband is dead. read more. I had two sons who fought with each other in the field. There was no one to separate them. One killed the other. All my relatives have turned against me and are demanding that I hand my son over to them. They want to kill him for murdering his brother. If they do this, I will be left without a son. They will destroy my last hope. They will leave my husband without a son to keep his name alive. The king responded: Go back home. I will take care of the matter. Your Majesty, she said, do whatever you must. My family and I will take the blame. You and the royal family are innocent. The king replied: If someone threatens you, bring him to me. He will never bother you again. She said: Please pray to Jehovah your God, Your Majesty, so that my relative who is responsible for avenging the death of my son will not commit a greater crime by killing my other son. I promise by the living Jehovah, David replied, your son will not be harmed.
He would rise early in the morning and stand by the road at the city gate. When someone came there with a dispute that he wanted the king to settle, Absalom would call him over and ask him where he was from. After the man told him what tribe he was from, Absalom would say: My friend, the law is on your side. However, there is no representative of the king to hear your case. read more. He added: How I wish I were a judge! Then anyone who had a dispute or a claim could come to me. I would give him justice. The man would approach Absalom and bow down before him. Then Absalom would reach out and hug and kiss him. Absalom did this with every Israelite who came to the king for judgment. That way he won their loyalty.
King Solomon command that they cut fine large stones for the foundation of the Temple. Solomon's and Hiram's workers and men from the city of Gebal prepared the stones and the timber to build the Temple.
Solomon used the descendants of the people of Canaan whom the Israelites had not killed when they took possession of their land as his forced labor. These included Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites. Their descendants continue to be slaves down to the present time. read more. Solomon did not make slaves of Israelites. They served as his soldiers, officers, commanders, chariot captains, and cavalry.
For the king had Tarshish-ships at sea with the ships of Hiram. Once every three years the Tarshish-ships came with gold and silver and ivory and apes (monkeys) and peacocks.
Solomon gathered war-carriages and horsemen. He had one thousand, four hundred carriages and twelve thousand horsemen, whom he kept, some in the carriage-towns and some with the king at Jerusalem. The king made silver as common as stones in Jerusalem and cedars like the sycamore-trees of the lowlands in number. read more. Solomon's string of horses came from Egypt and from Kue. The king's traders got them at a price from Kue. A war-carriage might be obtained from Egypt for six hundred shekels of silver, and a horse for a hundred and fifty. They got them at the same rate for all the kings of the Hittites and the kings of Aram.
A war-carriage might be obtained from Egypt for six hundred shekels of silver, and a horse for a hundred and fifty. They got them at the same rate for all the kings of the Hittites and the kings of Aram.
A man of God from Judah went to Bethel. He arrived there while Jeroboam was at the altar ready to offer a sacrifice. He actually spoke against the altar: O altar, altar, this is what Jehovah says: 'A child, whose name will be Josiah, will be born to the family of David. He will slaughter the priests serving at the pagan altars who offer sacrifices on you. He will burn human bones on you.' read more. The prophet went on to say: This altar will fall apart. The ashes on it will be scattered. Then you will know that Jehovah has spoken through me. King Jeroboam heard this. He pointed his outstretched hand at him and ordered: Seize that man! At once the king's arm became paralyzed so that he could not pull it back. The altar suddenly fell apart and the ashes spilled to the ground. This is what the prophet predicted in the name of Jehovah. King Jeroboam said to the prophet: Please pray to Jehovah your God for me, and ask him to heal my arm! The prophet prayed to Jehovah and the king's arm was healed.
Get two good-for-nothing persons to come before him and give witness that he has been cursing God and the king. Then take him out and have him stoned to death. So the elders and nobles in authority in his town did as Jezebel said in the letter she sent them. read more. They gave orders for a day of public sorrow and put Naboth at the head of the people. The two good-for-nothing persons came in and took their seats before him and gave witness against Naboth, in front of the people. They said: Naboth has been cursing God and the king. Then they took him outside the town and had him stoned to death. Then they sent word to Jezebel, saying: Naboth has been stoned and is dead. Jezebel, hearing that Naboth had been stoned and was dead, said to Ahab: Get up and take as your heritage the garden of Naboth the Jezreelite, which he would not give you for money. Naboth is dead.
The priest Jehoiada had King Jehoash and the people make a covenant with Jehovah that they would be Jehovah's people. He also made a covenant between the king and the people.
The following officers were in charge of the tribes of Israel: for the tribe of Reuben-Eliezer, son of Zichri for the tribe of Simeo, Shephatiah, son of Maacah for the tribe of Levi, Hashabiah, son of Kemuel for the family of Aaron, Zadok read more. for the tribe of Judah, Elihu, one of David's brothers for the tribe of Issachar, Omri, son of Michael for the tribe of Zebulun, Ishmaiah, son of Obadiah for the tribe of Naphtali, Jerimoth, son of Azriel for the tribe of Ephraim, Hoshea, son of Azaziah for half of the tribe of Manasseh, Joel, son of Pedaiah for the half of Manasseh in Gilead, Iddo, son of Zechariah for the tribe of Benjamin-Jaasiel, son of Abner for the tribe of Dan, Azarel, son of Jeroham These were the commanders of Israel's tribes.
for the farm workers in the fields, Ezri, son of Chelub for the vineyards, Shimei from Ramah for storing wine that came from the vineyards- Zabdi from Shepham read more. for the olive and fig trees in the foothills, Baal Hanan from Gedor for storing olive oil- Joash for the herds grazing in Sharon, Shitrai from Sharon for the herds in the valleys- Shaphat, son of Adlai
for the herds grazing in Sharon, Shitrai from Sharon for the herds in the valleys- Shaphat, son of Adlai for the camels, Obil, a descendant of Ishmael for the donkeys, Jehdeiah from Meronoth read more. for the flocks, Jaziz from Hagar
Jehoshaphat also appointed some Levites, some priests, and some of the family leaders to serve as judges in Jerusalem. He told them: Faithfully serve Jehovah! read more. Warn your relatives living in other cities about every case they bring to you, even if the case involves bloodshed or commandments, rules, or regulations derived from the law. Then your relatives will not become guilty in front of Jehovah. Otherwise, he will become angry with you and your relatives. Do this and you will not be guilty of anything. The chief priest Amariah will be in charge of you in every matter involving Jehovah. Zebadiah, who is the son of Ishmael and the leader of the tribe of Judah, will be in charge of every matter involving the king. The Levites will serve as officers of the court. Be strong and do your job. May Jehovah be with those who do right.
They plotted against Zechariah. Then they followed the king's order and stoned him to death in the courtyard of Jehovah's Temple.
When the leaders of Judah heard what had happened, they hurried from the royal palace to the Temple and took their places at the New Gate. The priests and the prophets said to the leaders and to the people: This man deserves to be sentenced to death because he has spoken against our city. You heard him with your own ears. read more. Then I Jeremiah said: Jehovah sent me to proclaim everything that you heard me say against this Temple and against this city. You must change the way you are living and the things you are doing. You must obey Jehovah your God. If you do, he will change his mind about the destruction that he said he would bring on you. I am in your hand (power)! Do with me whatever you think is fair and right. But if you put me to death, you and everyone else in Jerusalem will be guilty of murdering an innocent man. This is because everything I spoke came from Jehovah. The judges and the other people told the priests and prophets: Since Jeremiah only told us what Jehovah our God had said, we do not think he deserves to die. Then some of the leaders from other towns stepped forward. They told the crowd: Years ago when Hezekiah was king of Judah, a prophet named Micah from the town of Moresheth said: 'Jehovah of Hosts says, Jerusalem will be plowed under and left in ruins. Thorns will cover the mountain where the Temple now stands.' Then the leaders continued: No one put Micah to death for saying that. Instead, King Hezekiah prayed to Jehovah with reverence and trembling and asked him to have mercy. Then Jehovah decided not to destroy Jerusalem, even though he had already said he would. People of Judah, if Jeremiah is killed we will bring a terrible disaster on ourselves. There was another man prophesying in the name of Jehovah. His name was Uriah, son of Shemaiah, from Kiriath Jearim. He prophesied against this city and this land as Jeremiah did. When King Jehoiakim and all his personal troops and officials heard what Uriah said the king wanted to put him to death. But Uriah heard about it and fled in fear to Egypt. King Jehoiakim sent soldiers to Egypt: Elnathan son of Achbor and other soldiers along with him. They brought Uriah from Egypt and took him to King Jehoiakim. The king executed Uriah and threw his body into the burial ground for the common people. Ahikam, son of Shaphan, supported Jeremiah. So Jeremiah was not handed over to the people to be put to death.
The officials went to the king and said: This man must be put to death. By talking like this he is making the soldiers in the city lose their courage. He is doing the same thing to everyone else left in the city. He is not trying to help the people. He only wants to hurt them. King Zedekiah answered: Very well, then, do what you want to with him. I cannot stop you.
They asked him: Why then did Moses command to give a certificate of divorce, to send her away? He answered: Moses allowed you to send your wives away because of your hardness of heart. It was not allowed from the beginning.