6 : 9 11 לִי סְנְלֶה מִכָּל־־הָעַמִּים כִּי־לִי כָּל־הָאָרֶץ: 6 וְאַתֶּם תהִיוּ־־לִי מַמְלֶכֶת כֹּהֲנִים וְגוֹי קָדוֹשׁ אֵלֶה הַדְּבָרִים חמישי אֲשֶׁר תְּדַבֵּר אֶל־־בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל: 7 וַיָּבֵא משֶׁה וַיִּקְרָא לְזִקְנֵי הָעָם וַיָּשֶׂם לִפְנֵיהֶם אֵת כָּל־הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶה אֲשֶׁר צוּהוּ יְהוָה : 8 וַיַּעֲנוּ כָל־הָעָם יַחְדָּו וַיֹּאמְרוּ כָּל אֲשֶׁר־ דִּבֶּר יְהוָה נַעֲשֶׂה וַיָּשֶׁב מֶשֶׁה אֶת־־דִּבְרֵי הָעָם יְהוָה: 9 וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה אֶל-משֶׁה הִנֵּה אָנֹכִי בָּא אֵלֶיךְ בְּעָב הֶעָנָן בַּעֲבוּר יִשְׁמַע הָעָם בְּדַבְּרִי עמָּךְ וְגַם־־בְּךְ יַאֲמִינוּ לְעוֹלָם וַיִּנְךָ מֹשֶׁה אֶת־דִּבְרֵי הָעָם אֶל־יְהוָה : 10 וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה אֶל־מֹשֶׁה לֶךְ אֶל־הָעָם וְקָדַשְׁתָּם הַיּוֹם וּמָחָר וְכַבְּסוּ שִׂמְלֹתָם: 11 וְהָיוּ נְכֹנִים לַיוֹם הַשְּׁלִישִׁי כִּי בַּיּום הַשְׁלִשִׁי יֵרֶד יְהוָה לְעֵינֵי כָל־־הָעָם עַל־הַר סִינָן : 12 וְהִגְבַּלְתָּ אֶת־הָעָם סָבִיב לֵאמֹר הִשָּׁמְרוּ לָכֶם עֲלִוֹת בָּהָר וּנְגֶעַ בְּקָצֵהוּ כָּל־הַנֹגַע בָּהָר מְוֹת יוּמָת: לֹא־תִגַּע בּוֹ יָד כִּי־סָקָוֹל יִפָּקֵל אִי־יָרָה וַיָּלֹה אִם־ בְּהֵמָה אִם־־אִישׁ לֹא יִהְיֶה בִּמְשׁךְ הַיֹּבֵל הֵמָּה יעלוּ בָהָר : 14 וַיֵּרֶד משֶׁה מִן־הָהָר אֶל־הָעֶס וַיְקַדֵשׁ אֶת־ הָעָם וַיְכַבְּסִוּ שִׂמְלֹתָם: 15 וַיֹּאמֶר אֶל־הָעָם הֶיוּ נְכנֵיִם לִשְׁלֹשֶׁת יָמִים אַל־תִּגְשׁוּ אֶל־־אִשָּׁה: 16 ויהי בַיּוֹם הַשְׁלִישִׁי בֶּחִית הַבּקֶר וַיְהִי קלת וּבְרָקִים וְעָנָן כָּבֵד עַל־ הָהָר וְקַל שׁפָר חָזָק מְאד וַיַּחֲרַד כָּל־הָעָם אֲשֶׁר בַּמַּחֲנֶה: 17 וַיּוֹצֵא מֹשֶׁה אֶת־הָעָם לִקְרַאת הָאֱלֹהִים מִן־הַמַּחֲנֶה וַיִּתְיַצְבִוּ בְּתַחְתִּית הָהָר : 18 וְהַר סִינַי עָשָׁן כָּלוֹ מִפְּנֵי אֲשֶׁר יָרַד עָלָיו יְהוָה בָּאֵשׁ וַיַּעַל עֲשָׁנוֹ כְּעֶשֶׁן הַכִּבְשָׁן ניחרַד כָּל־הָהָר מְאֹד : 19 וַיְהִי קִוֹל הַשׁפָר הוֹלֵךְ וְחָזָק ששי מְאֹד משֶׁה יְדַבֵּר וְהָאֱלֹהִים יֶעבְכּוּ בְקוֹל: 20 וַיֵּרֶד יְהוָה על־הַר סִינַי אֶל־רֹאשׁ הָהָר וַיִּקְרָא יְהוָה לְמשֶׁה אֶל־ רֹאשׁ הָהָר וַיַּעַל מֹשֶׁה: 21 וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה אֶל-משֶׁה רֵד הָעֶר בְּעֶס פֶּן־יִהְרְסוּ אֶל־יְהוָה לִרְאוֹת וְנָפַל מִמָּנוּ רָב: <TT 1:1 S. 1:1 : : :: said unto him, The thing that thou out of all Israel, and made them doest is not good. heads over the people, rulers of 18 Thou wilt surely wear away, thousands, rulers of hundreds, both thou, and this people that is rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens. with thee: for this thing is too 26 And they judged the people at heavy for thee; thou art not able all seasons : the hard causes they to perform it thyself alone. brought unto Moses, but every small 19 Hearken now unto my voice, matter they judged themselves. I will give thee counsel, and God 27 And Moses let his father-inshall be with thee: Be thou for law depart: and he went his way the people to God-ward, that thou into his own land. mayest bring the causes unto God: CHAP. XIX. 20 And thou shalt teach them or 1 The people come to Sinai. 3 God's dinances and laws, and shalt shew message to them out of the mount. them the way wherein they must 8 Their answer. 16 His fearful walk, & the work that they must do. presence. out of all the people, ablemen, such In the third month, * when the as fear God, men of truth, hating children of Israel were gone forth .covetousness : and place such over out of the land of Egypt, the same them, to be rulers of thousands, day came they into the wilderness and rulers of hundreds, rulers of of Sinai. fifties, and rulers of tens. 2 For they were departed from 22 And let them judge the Rephidim, and were come to the people at all seasons: and it shall desert of Sinai, and had pitched be, that every great matter they in the wilderness, and there Israel shall bring unto thee, but every camped before the mount. small matter they shall judge: So 3 And Moses went up unto God, shall it be easier for thyself, and and the Lord called unto him out they shall bear the burden with thee. of the mountain, saying, Thus shalt 23 If thou shalt do this thing, thou say to the house of Jacob, and God command thee so, then and tell the children of Israel; $ thou shalt be able to endure, and 4 Ye have seen what I did unto all this people shall also go to the Egyptians, and how I bare their place in peace. you on eagles wings, and brought 24 So Moses hearkened to the you unto myself. voice of his father-in-law, and did 5 Now therefore, if ye will obey all that he had said. my voice indeed, and keep ny 25 And Moses chose able men covenant, then ye shall be a power took the first child under her care; and therefore Moses observed, as in his defence, “I have heen an alien in a strange land :" but as to the second son, which was as the first to him, being under his jurisdiction, he inimediately made mention of the name of God, by observing, “ For the God of my fathers was in my help.” And for this reason is it that he made use of the word Tan, and which properly denotes the one ; because this was one to Moses, as Zipporah had taken the other to her. * Un must mean here the new-moon, signifying the first day of the month; for, otherwise, there would be no day mentioned; and Scripture could not, with any propriety, say, at the end of the verse, the same day. This command contains the preparations for the delivery of the Decalogue, by the Lord, to a numerous assembly of about three millions of people, who all obtained the gift of prophecy on that occasion. Now this is a glorious evidence that God reveals his pleasure to men ; and only this convinced them that Moses was sent from the Lord. Before this, they believed him to be no impostor, but could not be persuaded that God would communicate himself to man in such a manner as to convince him that it was God that spake unto him ; therefore, when Moşes told them that the Lord had spoken with him, they believed that he really thought so, but that he might have been deceived. And it may be conjectured from this verse that Moses expressed this doubt unto the Lord, by the answer he received. 1: 18 עֲשָׂרָת : 22 22 חתֵן מֹשֶׁה אֵלָיו לֹא־־טוֹב הַדָּבָר אֲשֶׁר אַתָּה עשה : נָבל תּבּל גַּם־אַתָּה גַּם־הָעָם הַזֶּה, אֲשֶׁר עַמָּךְ כִּי־ כבֵד מִמְךָ הַדָּבָר לֹא תוּכַל עֲשֵׂהוּ לְבַדָּךְ: 19 עַתָּה שְׁמַע בְּקֹלִי אִיעָצֵךְ וִיהִי אֱלֹהִים עִמָּךְ הִיה אַתָּה לָעָם מוּל הָאֱלֹהִים וְהֵבֵאתָ אַתָּה אֶת־הַדְּבָרִים אֶל־־ הָאֱלֹהִים: 20 וְהִזְהַרְתָּה אֶתְהֶם אֶת־הַחֲקִים וְאֶת־ הַתּוֹרַת וְהוֹדַעְתָּ לָהֶם אֶת־הַדֶּרֶךְ יִלְכוּ בָהּ וְאֶת־ הַמַּעֲשֶׂה אֲשֶׁר יָעֲשׂוּן : 21 וְאַתָּה תחזה מִכָּל-הָעָם אַנְשֵׁי-חַיִל יִרְאֵי אֱלֹהִים אַנְשֵׁי אֱמֶת שְׂנְאֵי בָצַע וְשַׂמְתָּ עֲלֵהֶם שָׂרֵי אֲלָפִים שָׂרֵי מֵאוֹת שָׂרֵי חֲמִשִׁים וְשָׂרִי וְשָׁפְטוּ אֶת־־הָעָם בְּכָל־עֵת וְהָיָה כָּל־ הַדָּבָר הַגָּדֹל יָביאוּ אֵלֶיךָ וְכָל־הַדָּבָר הַקָטָן יִשְׁפְטוּ־ הֵם וְהָקֵל מֵעָלֶיךָ וְנָשְׂאוּ אִתָּךְ : 23 אִם אֶת־הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה תַּעֲשֶׂה וְצַיִךְ אֱלֹהִים וְיָכָלְתָּ עֲמד וְגַם כָּל־הָעָם שלישי הַזֶּה עַל־מְקמו יָבִא בְשָׁלָום : 24 וַיִּשְׁמַע משֶׁה לְקוֹל הִתְנָוֹ ולעשׂ כּל אֲשֶׁר אָמָר : 25 וַיִּבְחַר מֹשֶׁה אַנְשֵׁי־ חַיִל מִכָּל־יִשְׂרָאֵל וַיִּתֵּן אֹתָם רָאשִׁים עַל־הָעָם שָׂרֵי אֲלָפִים שָׂרֵי מֵאוֹת שָׂרֵי חֲמִשִׁים וְשָׂרֵי עֲשָׂרָת: 26 וְשָׁפְטִוּ אֶת־הָעָם בְּכָל-עֵת אֶת־הַדָּבָר הַקְשֶׁהיָּבִיאוּן אֶל־מֹשֶׁה וְכָל־הַדָּבָר הַקָטָן יִשְׁפוּטוּ הֵם: 27 וַיִּשְׁלַח משֶׁה אֶת־ הִתְנוֹ וַיֵּלֶךְ לוֹ אֶל־אַרְצוֹ : רבש בַּחֹדֶשׁ הַשְׁלִישִׁי לָצֵאת בְּנֵי-יִשְׂרָאֵל מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם בַּיּוֹם הַזֶּה בָּאוּ מִדְבַּר סִינָי: 2 וַיִּסְעוּ מֵרְפִידִים וַיָּבֹאוּ מִדְבַּר סִינַי וַיַּחֲנוּ בַּמִּדְבָּר וַיִּחַן־שָׁם יִשְׂרָאֵל נֶגֶד הָהָר : 3 וּמשֶׁה עָלָה אֶל־הָאֱלֹהִים וַיִּקְרָא אֵלָיו יְהוָה מִן־הָהָר לַאמֹר בָּה תאמַר לְבֵית יַעֲקֹב וְתַגִּיד לִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל: 4 אַתֶּם רְאִיתֶם אֲשֶׁר עָשִׂיתִי לְמִצְרַיִם וָאֶשָּׂא אֶתְכֶם עַל־כַּנְפי נְשָׁרִים וְאָבִא אֶתְכֶם אֵלָי: 5 וְעַתָּה אם־שָׁמְגַע תִּשְׁמְעוּ בְּקֹלִי וּשְׁמַרְתֶּם אֶת־בְּרִיתִי וִהְיִיתֶם פ 2 5 IT by the way, and how the LORD CHAP. XVIII. delivered them. | Jethro bringeth to Moses his wife 9 And Jethro rejoiced for all and two sons. 7 Moses entertain- the goodness which the Lord had eth him, 13 and accepteth his done to Israel : whom he had counsel. delivered out of the hand of the Egyptians. WHEN Jethro, the priest of 10 And Jethro said, Blessed be Midian Moses'father-in-law, heard the LORD, who hath delivered you of all that God had done for Moses, out of the hand of the Egyptians, and for Israel his people, and that and out of the hand of Pharaoh, the LORD had brought Israel out who hath delivered the people of Egypt; from under the hand of the Egypt2 Then Jethro, Moses' father- ians. in-law, took Zipporah Moses' wife, 11 Now I know that the LORD after he had sent her back. is greater than all gods: for in the 3 And her two sons, * of which thing wherein they dealt proudly the name of the one wus Gershom, he was above m. for he said, I have been an alien 12 And Jethro, Moses' fatherin a strange land: in-law, took a burnt-offering, and 4 And the name of the other sacrifices for God: and Aaron was Eliezer, (for the God of my came, and all the elders of Israel father, said he was mine help, and to eat bread with Moses' fatherdelivered me from the sword of in-law before God. Pharaoh.) 13 | And it came to pass on 5 And Jethro, Moses' father-in- the morrow, that Moses sat to law, came with his sons and his judge the people: and the people wife unto Moses into the wilder- stood by Moses, from the morning ness, where he encamped at the unto the evening. mount of God. 14 And when Moses' father-in6 And he said unto Moses, I law saw all that he did to the thy father-in-law Jethro am come people, he said, What is this thing unto thee, and thy wife, and her that thou doest to the people? two sons with her. Why sittest thou thyself alone, 7 I And Moses went out to and all the people stand by thee meet his father-in-law, and did from morning unto even? obeisance, and kissed him, and 15 And Moses said unto his they asked each other of their father-in-law, Because the people welfare: and they came into the come unto me to enquire of God. tent. 16 When they have a matter, 8 And Moses told his father-in- they come unto me, and I judge law all that the LORD had done between one and another, and I unto Pharaoh, and to the Egypt- do make them know the statutes ians for Israel's sake, and all the of God and his laws. travel that had come upon them 17 And Moses' father-in-law * Ver. 3, and 4.-" And her two sons, &c.”—It may be observed, why Moses did not mention the name of God at the naming of bis eldest son, as well as at the youngest ? in like manner as Joseph did, who by each of them noticed the name of God, (Genesis, chap. xli. ver. 51, and 52.) It is also remarkable, why that Scripture makes use of the word 70X77 the other, and not own the second, as also used by Joseph. To this it may be answered, that, according to the custom of nations, when a man intermarries with a woman of another nation, it is usual for the husband to have the first son under his care, in order to educate him in his principles; and by the second child the mother is allowed to do the same. Now according to this rule, it would have been proper that Moses should have taken the first child to have brought him up according to his principles; bin as he was a stranger in the land, and she was the daughter of an eninene man, she by mere dint of סדר יתרו 'ז :1 5 6 8 יח וַיִּשְׁמַע יִתְרוֹ כֹהֵן מִדְיָן חֹתֵן מֹשֶׁה אֵת כָּל־אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה אֶלהִים לְמשֶׁה וּלְיִשְׂרָאֵל עַמוֹ כִּי־הוֹצִיא אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵל מִמִּצְרָיִם: 2 וַיִּקְח יִתְרוֹ חֹתֵן מֹשֶׁה צִפּרֶה אֵשֶׁת משֶׁה אַחַר שְׁלוּחֶיהָ : 3 וְאֵת שְׁנֵי בָנֶיהָ אֲשֶׁר שֵׁם הָאֶחָד גַּרְשֹׁם כִּי אָמַר גֵר הָיִיתִי בְּאֶרֶץ נָכְרִיָה: 4 וְשֵׁם הָאֶחָד אֱלִיעֶזֶר כִּי־אֱלֹהֵי אָבִי בְּעֶזְרִי וִילֵנִי מֵחֶרֶב פַּרְעה: 5 וַיָּבֹא יִתְרוֹ חֹתֵן מֹשֶׁה וּבָנָיו וְאִשְׁתּוֹ אֶל־ משה אֶל־הַמִּדְבָּר אֲשֶׁר־־הָוּא חֹנֶה שָׁם הַר הָאֱלֹהִים: 6 וַיֹּאמֶר אֶל-משֶׁה אֲנִי לֹתֵנְךְ יִתְרוֹ בָּא אֵלֶיִךְ וְאִשְׁתִּךְ וּשְׁנֵי בָנֶיהָ עַמָּהּ: 7 ויצא משֶׁה לִקְרַאת הִתְנוֹ וַיִּשְׁתַּחוּ וַיִּשַׁק־לוֹ וַיִּשְׁאֲלוּ אִישׁ לְרֵעֵהוּ לְשָׁלֹוֹם וַיָּבִאוּ הָאֹהֶלָה 8 וַיְסַמֶּר משֶׁה לְהִתְנוֹ אֵת כָּל־אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה יְהוָה לְפַרְעֹה וּלְמצרים על אודת יִשְׂרָאֵל אֵת כָּל־־הַתְּלָאָה אֲשֶׁר מְצָאֶתָם בַּדֶּרֶךְ וַצְלֵם יְהוָה: 9 וַיִּחַךְ יִתְרוֹ עַל כָּל־ הַטוֹבָה אֲשֶׁר־עָשָׂה יְהוָה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל אֲשֶׁר הָצִילוֹ מִיך מִצְרָיִם: 10 וַיֹּאמֶר יִתְרוֹבָּרוּךְ יְדֹוָה אֲשֶׁר הִצִיל אֶתְכֶם מִיךְ מִצְרַיִם וּמִיד פַּרְעָה אֲשֶׁר הִצִיל אֶת־הָעָם מִתַּחַת יַד־־מִצְרָיִם: 1 עַתָּה יָדַעְתִּי כִּי־גָדוֹל יְהוָה מִכָּל־ הָאֱלֹהִים כִּי בַדָּבָר אֲשֶׁר זָדוּ עֲלֵיהֶם : 12 ויקח יִתְרוֹ חתֵן מֹשֶׁה עֹלָה וּזְבָחִים לֵאלֹהִים וַיָּבֹא אַהֲרן וְכַלי זִקְנֵי שני יִשְׂרָאֵל לֶאֱכָל-לֶחֶם עֶס־־חֹתֵן מֹשֶׁה לִפְנֵי הָאֱלֹהִים: 13 וַיְהִי מִמֶחְרָת וַיֵּשֶׁב משֶׁה לָשְׁפָּט אֶת־הָעָם וַעֲמָד הָעָם על-משֶׁה מִן־הַבּקֶר עַד־הָעֶרֶב: 14 וַיַּרְא חֹתֵן משה אֵת כָּל־אֲשֶׁר־הוּא עשה לָעָם וַיֹּאמֶר מֶה־הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה אֲשֶׁר אַתָּה עשֶׂה לָעָם מַדּוּעַ אַתָּה יוֹשֵׁב לְבַדָּךְ וְכָל־הָעָם נִצָּב עָלַיִךְ מִן־־בּקֶר עַד־־עָרְב: 15 וַיֹּאמֶר משֶׁה לְהִתְגּוֹ כִּי־יָבֹא אֵלַי הָעָם לִדְרְשׁ אֱלֹהִים : 16 כִּי־ יִהְיֶה לָהֶם דָּבָר בָּא אֵלַי וְשָׁפַטְתִּי בֵּין אִישׁ וּבֵין רעהוּ וְהוֹדַעְתִּי אֶת־חְקֵי הָאֱלֹהִים וְאֶת־תּוֹרֹתָיו : 17 וַיָּאמֶר T:. 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