Path out of Egypt (From Egypt to Har Sinai)

(1) ה׳ said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt:

(2) This month shall mark for you the beginning of the months; it shall be the first of the months of the year for you.

(3) Speak to the community leadership of Israel and say that on the tenth of this month each of them shall take a lamb*lamb Or “kid.” Heb. seh means either “sheep” or “goat”; cf. v. 5. to a family, a lamb to a household.

(4) But if the household is too small for a lamb, let it share one with a neighbor who dwells nearby, in proportion to the number of persons: you shall contribute for the lamb according to what each household will eat.

(5) Your lamb shall be without blemish, a yearling male; you may take it from the sheep or from the goats.

(6) You shall keep watch over it until the fourteenth day of this month; and all the assembled congregation of the Israelites shall slaughter it at twilight.

(1) והיה לכם למשמרת AND IT SHALL BE IN YOUR KEEPING (or watching) — This expresses the idea of examining, and the text therefore implies that it requires examination against any blemish during the four days before slaughter (Pesachim 96a). And why did He order that it should be taken from the flock four days before its slaughter, something which He did not command in respect to the paschal-lamb that was offered by succeeding generations? Rabbi Mathia, the son of Cheresh, said, in answer: Behold, it (Scripture) says, (Ezekiel 16:8) “And I passed over thee (an allusion to God’s passing over the Israelites in Egypt) and looked upon thee, and behold, thy time was the time of love” — there had arrived the time to fulfil the oath which I had sworn to Abraham to redeem his children. They, however, possessed no divine commands in which to engage in order that they should merit to be redeemed — as it is said (Ezekiel 16:7) “thou wast naked and bare” (i. e. bare of all merit earned through the fulfilment of God’s commands). He therefore gave them two commands, relating respectively to the blood of the paschal-lamb and the blood of the circumcision — for that night they circumcised themselves, as it is said (Ezekiel 16:6) “[When I passed over thee] I saw thee wallowing in thy bloods (בְּדָמַיִךְ is plural)” i. e. in two kinds of blood. Further it states, (Zechariah 9:11) “As for thee, also, because of the blood of the covenant I released thy prisoners out of the pit wherin there is no water”. And yet another reply to this question is, that because they were sunk in idolatry and had no merit gained by the practice of a divine command, He said unto them, (v. 21) משכו “Draw” — withdraw your hands from idols; וקחו לכם צאן “and take unto yourselves a lamb” to fulfil a divine command (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 12:2:1).

(1) והיה הדם לכם לאת AND THE BLOOD SHALL BE UNTO YOU FOR A SIGN — it shall be to you for a sign, and not to others for a sign (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 12:13:1). From this we may learn that they put the blood only inside their houses.

(7) They shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and the lintel of the houses in which they are to eat it.

(8) They shall eat the flesh that same night; they shall eat it roasted over the fire, with unleavened bread and with bitter herbs.

(9) Do not eat any of it raw, or cooked in any way with water, but roasted—head, legs, and entrails—over the fire.

(10) You shall not leave any of it over until morning; if any of it is left until morning, you shall burn it.

(11) This is how you shall eat it: your loins girded, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and you shall eat it hurriedly: it is a passover offering*passover offering Or “protective offering”; Heb. pesaḥ. to ה׳.

(12) For that night I will go through the land of Egypt and strike down every [male] first-born in the land of Egypt, both human and beast; and I will mete out punishments to all the gods of Egypt, I ה׳.

(13) And the blood on the houses where you are staying shall be a sign for you: when I see the blood I will pass over*pass over Or “protect”; cf. v. 11 and note there. you, so that no plague will destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt.

(13) The blood will be for you as a sign on the houses where you are [staying]. I will see the blood and I will pass over [have mercy upon] you. There will be no plague against you when I strike the land of Egypt.

(3) ופסחתי — This signifies I WILL SPARE you; similar to this is, (Isaiah 31:5) “Sparing (פסוח) and delivering”. (This is the explanation of Menachem ben Seruk). But I say that wherever the root פסח occurs it is an expression for leaping and springing over, so that ופסחתי here denotes that He sprang from the houses of the Israelites when He reached them, without having entered them, to the houses of the Egyptians — for they (the Egyptians and the Israelites) dwelt one next to the other. Of a like import is, (1 Kings 18:21) “How long will ye leap (פוסחים) upon two twigs?” So, too, all פסחים lame people walk as though they were springing, and are therefore termed פסחים. This, too, is the meaning of, (Isaiah 31:5) פסוח והמליט “He springs over him and delivers him” from amongst those who are being killed.

(14) This day shall be to you one of remembrance: you shall celebrate it as a festival to ה׳ throughout the ages; you shall celebrate it as an institution for all time.

(15) Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread; on the very first day you shall remove leaven from your houses, for whoever eats leavened bread from the first day to the seventh day, that person shall be cut off from Israel.

(16) You shall celebrate a sacred occasion on the first day, and a sacred occasion on the seventh day; no work at all shall be done on them; only what every person is to eat, that alone may be prepared for you.

(1) ושמרתם את המצות AND YE SHALL WATCH THE UNLEAVENED BREAD that it shall not reach the stage of becoming leavened; hence the Rabbis said, if it (the dough) is rising (a sign that the leavening process is setting in) she (the woman kneading the dough) polishes it with cold water (i. e. she slaps the dough with hands dipped in cold water). Rabbi Josiah said: Do not read “את המַּצּוֹת”, the unleavened bread, but את הַמִּצְוֹת “[ye shall watch] the commandements” — just as we may not cause the unleavened bread to become leavened by letting the dough remain in its raw state too long so we may not let the commandment become “leavened” by waiting too long before we perform it; but if it (a commandment) comes to your hand, perform it immediately (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 12:17:1).

(17) You shall observe the [Feast of] Unleavened Bread, for on this very day I brought your ranks out of the land of Egypt; you shall observe this day throughout the ages as an institution for all time.

(18) In the first month, from the fourteenth day of the month at evening, you shall eat unleavened bread until the twenty-first day of the month at evening.

(19) No leaven shall be found in your houses for seven days. For whoever eats what is leavened, that person—whether a stranger or a citizen of the country—shall be cut off from the community of Israel.

(20) You shall eat nothing leavened; in all your settlements you shall eat unleavened bread.

(21) Moses then summoned all the elders of Israel and said to them, “Go, pick out lambs for your families, and slaughter the passover offering.

(22) Take a bunch of hyssop, dip it in the blood that is in the basin, and apply some of the blood that is in the basin to the lintel and to the two doorposts. None of you shall go outside the door of your house until morning.

(23) For ה׳, when going through to smite the Egyptians, will see the blood on the lintel and the two doorposts, and ה׳ will pass over*pass over See note at v. 13. the door and not let the Destroyer enter and smite your home.

(24) “You shall observe this as an institution for all time, for you and for your descendants.

(25) And when you enter the land that ה׳ will give you, as promised, you shall observe this rite.

(26) And when your children ask you, ‘What do you mean by this rite?’

(27) you shall say, ‘It is the passover sacrifice to ה׳, who passed over the houses of the Israelites in Egypt when smiting the Egyptians, but saved our houses.’ Those assembled then bowed low in homage.

(28) And the Israelites went and did so; just as ה׳ had commanded Moses and Aaron, so they did.

(29) In the middle of the night ה׳ struck down all the [male] first-born in the land of Egypt, from the first-born of Pharaoh who sat on the throne to the first-born of the captive who was in the dungeon, and all the first-born of the cattle.

(30) And Pharaoh arose in the night, with all his courtiers and all the Egyptians—because there was a loud cry in Egypt; for there was no house where there was not someone dead.

(31) He summoned Moses and Aaron in the night and said, “Up, depart from among my people, you and the Israelites with you! Go, worship ה׳ as you said!

(32) Take also your flocks and your herds, as you said, and begone! And may you bring a blessing upon me also!”

(33) The Egyptians urged the people on, impatient to have them leave the country, for they said, “We shall all be dead.”

(34) So the people took their dough before it was leavened, their kneading bowls wrapped in their cloaks upon their shoulders.

(35) The Israelites had done Moses’ bidding and borrowed from the Egyptians objects of silver and gold, and clothing.

(36) And ה׳ had disposed the Egyptians favorably toward the people, and they let them have their request; thus they stripped the Egyptians.

(37) The Israelites journeyed from Rameses to Succoth, about six hundred thousand fighting men on foot, aside from noncombatants.

(38) Moreover, a mixed multitude went up with them, and very much livestock, both flocks and herds.

(39) And they baked unleavened cakes of the dough that they had taken out of Egypt, for it was not leavened, since they had been driven out of Egypt and could not delay; nor had they prepared any provisions for themselves.

(40) The length of time that the Israelites lived in Egypt was four hundred and thirty years;

(41) at the end of the four hundred and thirtieth year, to the very day, all the ranks of ה׳ departed from the land of Egypt.

(42) That was for ה׳ a night of vigil to bring them out of the land of Egypt; that same night is יהוה’s, one of vigil for all the children of Israel throughout the ages.

(43) ה׳ said to Moses and Aaron: This is the law of the passover offering: No foreigner shall eat of it.

(44) But any householder’s*householder’s NJPS “a man [has bought]”; trad. “man’s.” See the Dictionary under ’ish. purchased male slave may eat of it once he has been circumcised.

(45) No bound or hired laborer shall eat of it.

(46) It shall be eaten in one house: you shall not take any of the flesh outside the house; nor shall you break a bone of it.

(47) The whole community of Israel shall offer it.

(48) If a male stranger who dwells with you would offer the passover to ה׳, all his males must be circumcised; then he shall be admitted to offer it; he shall then be as a citizen of the country. But no uncircumcised man may eat of it.

(49) There shall be one law for the citizen and for the stranger who dwells among you.

(50) And all the Israelites did so; as ה׳ had commanded Moses and Aaron, so they did.

(51) That very day ה׳ freed the Israelites from the land of Egypt, troop by troop.

(2) Go proclaim to Jerusalem: Thus said GOD:
I accounted to your favor
The devotion of your youth,
Your love as a bride—
How you followed Me in the wilderness,
In a land not sown.

(4) You go free on this day, in the month*in the month Or “on the new moon.” of Abib.

(5) So, when ה׳ has brought you into the land of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, which was sworn to your fathers to be given you, a land flowing with milk and honey, you shall observe in this month the following practice:

(6) “Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread, and on the seventh day there shall be a festival of ה׳.

(7) Throughout the seven days unleavened bread shall be eaten; no leavened bread shall be found with you, and no leaven shall be found in all your territory.

(8) And you shall explain to your child on that day, ‘It is because of what ה׳ did for me when I went free from Egypt.’

(9) “And this shall serve you as a sign on your hand and as a reminder on your forehead*on your forehead Lit. “between your eyes”; cf. Deut. 6.8. —in order that the Teaching of ה׳ may be in your mouth—that with a mighty hand ה׳ freed you from Egypt.

(10) You shall keep this institution at its set time from year to year.

(11) “And when ה׳ has brought you into the land of the Canaanites, as [God] swore to you and to your fathers, and has given it to you,

(12) you shall set apart for ה׳ every first issue of the womb: every male firstling that your cattle drop shall be יהוה’s.

(13) But every firstling ass you shall redeem with a sheep; if you do not redeem it, you must break its neck. And you must redeem every male first-born among your children.

(14) And when, in time to come, a child of yours asks you, saying, ‘What does this mean?’ you shall reply, ‘It was with a mighty hand that ה׳ brought us out from Egypt, the house of bondage.

(15) When Pharaoh stubbornly refused to let us go, ה׳ slew every [male] first-born in the land of Egypt, the first-born of both human and beast. Therefore I sacrifice to ה׳ every first male issue of the womb, but redeem every male first-born among my children.’

(16) “And so it shall be as a sign upon your hand and as a symbol*symbol Others “frontlet.” on your forehead that with a mighty hand ה׳ freed us from Egypt.”

They set out from Succoth, and encamped at Etham, at the edge of the wilderness.

(1) ה׳ said to Moses:

(2) Tell the Israelites to turn back and encamp before Pi-hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, before Baal-zephon; you shall encamp facing it, by the sea.

(3) Pharaoh will say of the Israelites, “They are astray in the land; the wilderness has closed in on them.”

(4) Then I will stiffen Pharaoh’s heart and he will pursue them, that I may gain glory through Pharaoh and all his host; and the Egyptians shall know that I am ה׳. And they did so.

(5) When the king of Egypt was told that the people had fled, Pharaoh and his courtiers had a change of heart about the people and said, “What is this we have done, releasing Israel from our service?”

(6) He ordered*ordered See note at Gen. 46.29. his chariot and took his force with him;

(7) he took six hundred of his picked chariots, and the rest of the chariots of Egypt, with officers*officers Heb. shalish; originally “third man on royal chariot”; hence “adjutant,” “officer.” in all of them.

(8) ה׳ stiffened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he gave chase to the Israelites. As the Israelites were departing defiantly,*defiantly Lit. “with upraised hand”; cf. Num. 33.3.

(9) the Egyptians gave chase to them, and all the chariot horses of Pharaoh, his riders, and his warriors overtook them encamped by the sea, near Pi-hahiroth, before Baal-zephon.

(10) As Pharaoh drew near, the Israelites caught sight of the Egyptians advancing upon them. Greatly frightened, the Israelites cried out to ה׳.

(11) And they said to Moses, “Was it for want of graves in Egypt that you brought us to die in the wilderness? What have you done to us, taking us out of Egypt?

(12) Is this not the very thing we told you in Egypt, saying, ‘Let us be, and we will serve the Egyptians, for it is better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness’?”

(13) But Moses said to the people, “Have no fear! Stand by, and witness the deliverance which ה׳ will work for you today; for the Egyptians whom you see today you will never see again.

(14) ה׳ will battle for you; you hold your peace!”

(16) And you lift up your rod and hold out your arm over the sea and split it, so that the Israelites may march into the sea on dry ground.

(17) And I will stiffen the hearts of the Egyptians so that they go in after them; and I will gain glory through Pharaoh and all his warriors, his chariots, and his riders.

(18) Let the Egyptians know that I am ה׳, when I gain glory through Pharaoh, his chariots, and his riders.”

(19) The messenger of God, who had been going ahead of the Israelite army, now moved and followed behind them; and the pillar of cloud shifted from in front of them and took up a place behind them,

(20) and it came between the army of the Egyptians and the army of Israel. Thus there was the cloud with the darkness, and it cast a spell upon*and it cast a spell upon From root ’-r-r, “cast a spell” or “curse.” Others “and it lit up.” the night, so that the one could not come near the other all through the night.

(21) Then Moses held out his arm over the sea and ה׳ drove back the sea with a strong east wind all that night, and turned the sea into dry ground. The waters were split,

(22) and the Israelites went into the sea on dry ground, the waters forming a wall for them on their right and on their left.

(23) The Egyptians came in pursuit after them into the sea, all of Pharaoh’s horses, chariots, and riders.

(24) At the morning watch, ה׳ looked down upon the Egyptian army from a pillar of fire and cloud, and threw the Egyptian army into panic.

(25) [God] locked*locked From root ’-s-r, with several ancient versions. Others “took off.” the wheels of their chariots so that they moved forward with difficulty. And the Egyptians said, “Let us flee from the Israelites, for ה׳ is fighting for them against Egypt.”

(26) Then ה׳ said to Moses, “Hold out your arm over the sea, that the waters may come back upon the Egyptians and upon their chariots and upon their riders.”

(27) Moses held out his arm over the sea, and at daybreak the sea returned to its normal state, and the Egyptians fled at its approach. But ה׳ hurled the Egyptians into the sea.

(28) The waters turned back and covered the chariots and the riders—Pharaoh’s entire army that followed them into the sea; not one of them remained.

(29) But the Israelites had marched through the sea on dry ground, the waters forming a wall for them on their right and on their left.

(30) Thus ה׳ delivered Israel that day from the Egyptians. Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the shore of the sea.

(31) And when Israel saw the wondrous power which ה׳ had wielded against the Egyptians, the people feared ה׳; they had faith in ה׳ and in God’s servant Moses.

(1) Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song to ה׳. They said:
I will sing to ה׳, for He*He The poetic figure in vv. 1–4 takes ancient Near Eastern gender roles as a given: the (male) role of expert warrior represented salvation from military threats. See the Dictionary under “male metaphors for God.” has triumphed gloriously;
Horse and driver He has hurled into the sea.

(2) יהוה* ה׳ Heb. Yah. is my strength and might;*might Others “song.”
He is become my deliverance.
This is my God and I will enshrine*enshrine Others “glorify.” Him;
The God of my father’s [house], and I will exalt Him.

(3) ה׳, the Warrior—
ה׳ is His name!

(4) Pharaoh’s chariots and his army
He has cast into the sea;
And the pick of his officers
Are drowned in the Sea of Reeds.

(5) The deeps covered them;
They went down into the depths like a stone.

(6) Your right hand, ה׳, glorious in power,
Your right hand, ה׳, shatters the foe!

(7) In Your great triumph You break Your opponents;
You send forth Your fury, it consumes them like straw.

(8) At the blast of Your nostrils the waters piled up,
The floods stood straight like a wall;
The deeps froze in the heart of the sea.

(9) The foe said,
“I will pursue, I will overtake,
I will divide the spoil;
My desire shall have its fill of them.
I will bare my sword—
My hand shall subdue them.”

(10) You made Your wind blow, the sea covered them;
They sank like lead in the majestic waters.

(11) Who is like You, ה׳, among the celestials;*celestials Others “mighty.”
Who is like You, majestic in holiness,
Awesome in splendor, working wonders!

(12) You put out Your right hand,
The earth swallowed them.

(13) In Your love You lead the people You redeemed;
In Your strength You guide them to Your holy abode.

(14) The peoples hear, they tremble;
Agony grips the dwellers in Philistia.

(15) Now are the clans of Edom dismayed;
The tribes of Moab—trembling grips them;
All the dwellers in Canaan are aghast.

(16) Terror and dread descend upon them;
Through the might of Your arm they are still as stone—
Till Your people cross over, ה׳,
Till Your people cross whom You have ransomed.

(17) You will bring them and plant them in Your own mountain,
The place You made to dwell in, ה׳,
The sanctuary, O my lord, which Your hands established.

(18) ה׳ will reign for ever and ever!

(19) For the horses of Pharaoh, with his chariots and riders, went into the sea; and ה׳ turned back on them the waters of the sea; but the Israelites marched on dry ground in the midst of the sea.

Then Miriam the prophet, Aaron’s sister, picked up a hand-drum, and all the women went out after her in dance with hand-drums.

(1) Setting out from Elim, the whole Israelite community came to the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after their departure from the land of Egypt.

(2) In the wilderness, the whole Israelite community grumbled against Moses and Aaron.

(3) The Israelites said to them, “If only we had died by the hand of ה׳ in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the fleshpots, when we ate our fill of bread! For you have brought us out into this wilderness to starve this whole congregation to death.”

(4) And ה׳ said to Moses, “I will rain down bread for you from the sky, and the people shall go out and gather each day that day’s portion—that I may thus test them, to see whether they will follow My instructions or not.

(5) But on the sixth day, when they apportion what they have brought in, it shall prove to be double the amount they gather each day.”

(6) So Moses and Aaron said to all the Israelites, “By evening you shall know it was ה׳ who brought you out from the land of Egypt;

(7) and in the morning you shall behold the Presence*Presence Others “glory.” of ה׳, because [God] has heard your grumblings against ה׳. For who are we that you should grumble against us?

(8) Since it is ה׳,” Moses continued, “who will give you flesh to eat in the evening and bread in the morning to the full—because ה׳ has heard the grumblings you utter—what is our part? Your grumbling is against ה׳, not against us!”

(9) Then Moses said to Aaron, “Say to the whole Israelite community: Advance toward ה׳, who has heard your grumbling.”

(10) And as Aaron spoke to the whole Israelite community, they turned toward the wilderness, and there, in a cloud, appeared the Presence of ה׳.

(11) ה׳ spoke to Moses:

(12) “I have heard the grumbling of the Israelites. Speak to them and say: By evening you shall eat flesh, and in the morning you shall have your fill of bread; and you shall know that I ה׳ am your God.”

(13) In the evening quail appeared and covered the camp; in the morning there was a fall of dew about the camp.

(14) When the fall of dew lifted, there, over the surface of the wilderness, lay a fine and flaky substance, as fine as frost on the ground.

(15) When the Israelites saw it, they said to one another, “What is it?”*What is it? Heb. man hu; others “It is manna.” —for they did not know what it was. And Moses said to them, “That is the bread which ה׳ has given you to eat.

(16) This is what ה׳ has commanded: Each household shall gather as much as it requires to eat—an omer to a person for as many of you as there are; each household shall fetch according to those in its tent.”

(18) But when they measured it by the omer, anyone who had gathered much had no excess, and anyone who had gathered little had no deficiency: each household had gathered as much as it needed to eat.

(19) And Moses said to them, “Let no one leave any of it over until morning.”

(20) But they paid no attention to Moses; some of them left of it until morning, and it became infested with maggots and stank. And Moses was angry with them.

(21) So they gathered it every morning, as much as each one needed to eat; for when the sun grew hot, it would melt.

(22) On the sixth day they gathered double the amount of food, two omers for each; and when all the chieftains of the community came and told Moses,

(23) he said to them, “This is what ה׳ meant: Tomorrow is a day of rest, a holy sabbath of ה׳. Bake what you would bake and boil what you would boil; and all that is left put aside to be kept until morning.”

(24) So they put it aside until morning, as Moses had ordered; and it did not turn foul, and there were no maggots in it.

(25) Then Moses said, “Eat it today, for today is a sabbath of ה׳; you will not find it today on the plain.

(26) Six days you shall gather it; on the seventh day, the sabbath, there will be none.”

(27) Yet some of the people went out on the seventh day to gather, but they found nothing.

(28) And ה׳ said to Moses, “How long will you all refuse to obey My commandments and My teachings?

(29) Mark that it is ה׳ who, having given you the sabbath, therefore gives you two days’ food on the sixth day. Let everyone remain in place: let no one leave the vicinity on the seventh day.”

(30) So the people remained inactive on the seventh day.

(31) The house of Israel named it manna;*manna Heb. man. it was like coriander seed, white, and it tasted like wafers*wafers Meaning of Heb. ṣappiḥith uncertain. in honey.

(32) Moses said, “This is what ה׳ has commanded: Let one omer of it be kept throughout the ages, in order that they may see the bread that I fed you in the wilderness when I brought you out from the land of Egypt.”

(33) And Moses said to Aaron, “Take a jar, put one omer of manna in it, and place it before ה׳, to be kept throughout the ages.”

(34) As ה׳ had commanded Moses, Aaron placed it before the Pact,*Pact Others “Testimony.” to be kept.

(35) And the Israelites ate manna forty years, until they came to a settled land; they ate the manna until they came to the border of the land of Canaan.

(36) The omer is a tenth of an ephah.

(1) From the wilderness of Sin the whole Israelite community continued by stages as ה׳ would command. They encamped at Rephidim, and there was no water for the people to drink.

(2) The people quarreled with Moses. “Give us water to drink,” they said; and Moses replied to them, “Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you try ה׳ ?”

(3) But the people thirsted there for water; and the people grumbled against Moses and said, “Why did you bring us up from Egypt, to kill us and our children and livestock with thirst?”

(4) Moses cried out to ה׳, saying, “What shall I do with this people? Before long they will be stoning me!”

(5) Then ה׳ said to Moses, “Pass before the people; take with you some of the elders of Israel, and take along the rod with which you struck the Nile, and set out.

(6) I will be standing there before you on the rock at Horeb. Strike the rock and water will issue from it, and the people will drink.” And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel.

(7) The place was named Massah*Massah I.e., “Trial.” and Meribah,*Meribah I.e., “Quarrel.” because the Israelites quarreled and because they tried ה׳, saying, “Is ה׳ present among us or not?”

(9) Moses said to Joshua, “Pick some troops*troops Lit. “participants whose involvement defines the depicted situation”; trad. “men.” See the Dictionary under ’ish. for us, and go out and do battle with Amalek. Tomorrow I will station myself on the top of the hill, with the rod of God in my hand.”

(10) Joshua did as Moses told him and fought with Amalek, while Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill.

(11) Then, whenever Moses held up his hand, Israel prevailed; but whenever he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed.

(12) But Moses’ hands grew heavy; so they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it, while Aaron and Hur, one on each side, supported his hands; thus his hands remained steady until the sun set.

(13) And Joshua overwhelmed the people of Amalek*the people of Amalek Lit. “Amalek and his people.” with the sword.

(14) Then ה׳ said to Moses, “Inscribe this in a document as a reminder, and read it aloud to Joshua: I will utterly blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven!”

(15) And Moses built an altar and named it Adonai-nissi.*Adonai-nissi I.e., “יהוה is my banner.”

(16) He said, “It means, ‘Hand upon the throne*throne Meaning of Heb. kes uncertain. of ה׳ !’ ה׳ will be at war with Amalek throughout the ages.”

(1) Jethro priest of Midian, Moses’ father-in-law, heard all that God had done for Moses and for Israel, God’s people, how ה׳ had brought Israel out from Egypt.

(2) So Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, took Zipporah, Moses’ wife, after she had been sent home,

(3) and her two sons—of whom one was named Gershom, that is to say, “I have been a stranger*stranger Heb. ger. in a foreign land”;

(4) and the other was named Eliezer,*Eliezer Lit. “(My) God is help.” meaning, “The God of my father’s [house] was my help, delivering me from the sword of Pharaoh.”

(5) Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, brought Moses’ sons and wife to him in the wilderness, where he was encamped at the mountain of God.

(6) He sent word to Moses, “I, your father-in-law Jethro, am coming to you, with your wife and her two sons.”

(7) Moses went out to meet his father-in-law; he bowed low and kissed him; each asked after the other’s welfare, and they went into the tent.

(8) Moses then recounted to his father-in-law everything that ה׳ had done to Pharaoh and to the Egyptians for Israel’s sake, all the hardships that had befallen them on the way, and how ה׳ had delivered them.

(9) And Jethro rejoiced over all the kindness that ה׳ had shown Israel when delivering them from the Egyptians.

(10) “Blessed be ה׳,” Jethro said, “who delivered you from the Egyptians and from Pharaoh, and who delivered the people from under the hand of the Egyptians.

(11) Now I know that ה׳ is greater than all gods, yes, by the result of their very schemes against [the people].”*yes, by the result of their very schemes against [the people] Meaning of Heb. uncertain.

(12) And Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, brought a burnt offering and sacrifices for God; and Aaron came with all the elders of Israel to partake of the meal before God with Moses’ father-in-law.

(13) Next day, Moses sat as magistrate among the people, while the people stood about Moses from morning until evening.

(14) But when Moses’ father-in-law saw how much he had to do for the people, he said, “What is this thing that you are doing to the people? Why do you act*act Lit. “sit” as magistrate; cf. v. 13. alone, while all the people stand about you from morning until evening?”

(15) Moses replied to his father-in-law, “It is because the people come to me to inquire of God.

(16) When they have a dispute, it comes before me, and I decide between one party and another, and I make known the laws and teachings of God.”

(17) But Moses’ father-in-law said to him, “The thing you are doing is not right;

(18) you will surely wear yourself out, and these people as well. For the task is too heavy for you; you cannot do it alone.

(19) Now listen to me. I will give you counsel, and God be with you! You represent the people before God: you bring the disputes before God,

(20) and enjoin upon them the laws and the teachings, and make known to them the way they are to go and the practices they are to follow.

(21) You shall also seek out, from among all the people, capable individuals*individuals Lit. “participants whose involvement defines the depicted situation”; trad. “men.” See the Dictionary under ’ish. who fear God—trustworthy ones who spurn ill-gotten gain. Set these over them as chiefs of thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens, and

(22) let them judge the people at all times. Have them bring every major dispute to you, but let them decide every minor dispute themselves. Make it easier for yourself by letting them share the burden with you.

(23) If you do this—and God so commands you—you will be able to bear up; and all these people too will go home unwearied.”

(24) Moses heeded his father-in-law and did just as he had said.

(25) Moses chose capable individuals*individuals See note at v. 21. out of all Israel, and appointed them heads over the people—chiefs of thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens;

(26) and they judged the people at all times: the difficult matters they would bring to Moses, and all the minor matters they would decide themselves.

(27) Then Moses bade his father-in-law farewell, and he went his way to his own land.

(2) I ה׳ am your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, the house of bondage:

(3) You*You The Decalogue is couched both in the second-person masculine singular and in terms of a household—the basic social and economic unit. Such a format addresses the legal provisions to whichever responsible party they apply—most typically the (male) householder, or he and his (primary) wife as household administrators, or every man, or every adult member of the community. Cf. note at Deut. 12.7. See further the Dictionary under “house,” “householder,” and “you.” shall have no other gods besides Me.

(4) You shall not make for yourself a sculptured image, or any likeness of what is in the heavens above, or on the earth below, or in the waters under the earth.

(5) You shall not bow down to them or serve them. For I your God ה׳ am an impassioned God, visiting the guilt of the parents upon the children, upon the third and upon the fourth generations of those who reject Me.

(6) but showing kindness to the thousandth generation of those who love Me and keep My commandments.

(7) You shall not swear falsely by*swear falsely by Others “take in vain.” the name of your God ה׳; for ה׳ will not clear one who swears falsely by God’s name.

(8) Remember the sabbath day and keep it holy.

(9) Six days you shall labor and do all your work,

(10) but the seventh day is a sabbath of your God ה׳: you shall not do any work—you, your son or daughter, your male or female slave, or your cattle, or the stranger who is within your settlements.

(11) For in six days ה׳ made heaven and earth and sea—and all that is in them—and then rested on the seventh day; therefore ה׳ blessed the sabbath day and hallowed it.

(12) Honor your father and your mother, that you may long endure on the land that your God ה׳ is assigning to you.

(13) You shall not murder. You shall not commit adultery. You shall not steal. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.

(14) You shall not covet your neighbor’s house:*house I.e., the corporate household, both persons and possessions. (Cf. Deut. 5.18.) Heb. bayith, in construct form (beth). See the Dictionary under “house.” you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife,*wife In ancient Israel, a typical man could take a woman (even more than one) into his household as a wife; but a typical woman was not in a symmetrical position—which explains why “husband” is not also mentioned. See also note at v. 3. or male or female slave, or ox or ass, or anything that is your neighbor’s.

(1) When the people saw that Moses was so long in coming down from the mountain, the people gathered against Aaron and said to him, “Come, make us a god who shall go before us, for that fellow Moses—the man who brought us from the land of Egypt—we do not know what has happened to him.”

(2) Aaron said to them, “[You men,] take off the gold rings that are on the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters, and bring them to me.”

(3) And all the people took off the gold rings that were in their ears and brought them to Aaron.

(4) This he took from them and cast in a mold,*cast in a mold Cf. Zech. 11.13 (beth hayyoṣer, “foundry”); others “fashioned it with a graving tool.” and made it into a molten calf. And they exclaimed, “This is your god,*This is your god Others “These are your gods.” O Israel, who brought you out of the land of Egypt!”

(5) When Aaron saw this, he built an altar before it; and Aaron announced: “Tomorrow shall be a festival of יהוה!”

(6) Early next day, the people offered up burnt offerings and brought sacrifices of well-being; they sat down to eat and drink, and then rose to dance.

(7) ה׳ spoke to Moses, “Hurry down, for your people, whom you brought out of the land of Egypt, have acted basely.

(8) They have been quick to turn aside from the way that I enjoined upon them. They have made themselves a molten calf and bowed low to it and sacrificed to it, saying: ‘This is your god, O Israel, who brought you out of the land of Egypt!’”

(9) ה׳ further said to Moses, “I see that this is a stiffnecked people.

(10) Now, let Me be, that My anger may blaze forth against them and that I may destroy them, and make of you a great nation.”

(11) But Moses implored his God ה׳, saying, “Let not Your anger, ה׳, blaze forth against Your people, whom You delivered from the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand.

(12) Let not the Egyptians say, ‘It was with evil intent that he delivered them, only to kill them off in the mountains and annihilate them from the face of the earth.’ Turn from Your blazing anger, and renounce the plan to punish Your people.

(13) Remember Your servants, Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, how You swore to them by Your Self and said to them: I will make your offspring as numerous as the stars of heaven, and I will give to your offspring this whole land of which I spoke, to possess forever.”

(14) And ה׳ renounced the punishment planned for God’s people.

(15) Thereupon Moses turned and went down from the mountain bearing the two tablets of the Pact, tablets inscribed on both their surfaces: they were inscribed on the one side and on the other.

(16) The tablets were God’s work, and the writing was God’s writing, incised upon the tablets.

(17) When Joshua heard the sound of the people in its boisterousness, he said to Moses, “There is a cry of war in the camp.”

(18) But he answered,
“It is not the sound of the tune of triumph,
Or the sound of the tune of defeat;
It is the sound of song that I hear!”

(19) As soon as Moses came near the camp and saw the calf and the dancing, he became enraged; and he hurled the tablets from his hands and shattered them at the foot of the mountain.

(20) He took the calf that they had made and burned it; he ground it to powder and strewed it upon the water and so made the Israelites drink it.

(21) Moses said to Aaron, “What did this people do to you that you have brought such great sin upon them?”

(22) Aaron said, “Let not my lord be enraged. You know that this people is bent on evil.

(23) They said to me, ‘Make us a god to lead us; for that fellow Moses—the man who brought us from the land of Egypt—we do not know what has happened to him.’

(24) So I said to them, ‘Whoever has gold, take it off!’ They gave it to me and I hurled it into the fire and out came this calf!”

(25) Moses saw that the people were out of control—since Aaron had let them get out of control—so that they were a menace*a menace Others “an object of derision.” to any who might oppose them.

(26) Moses stood up in the gate of the camp and said, “Whoever is for ה׳, come here!” And all the men of Levi rallied to him.

(27) He said to them, “Thus says ה׳, the God of Israel: Each of you put sword on thigh, go back and forth from gate to gate throughout the camp, and slay sibling, neighbor, and kin.”

(28) The men of Levi did as Moses had bidden; and some three thousand of the people fell that day.

(29) And Moses said, “Dedicate yourselves*Dedicate yourselves Lit. “fill your hands.” to ה׳ this day—for each of you has been against blood relations—that [God] may bestow a blessing upon you today.”

(30) The next day Moses said to the people, “You have been guilty of a great sin. Yet I will now go up to ה׳; perhaps I may win forgiveness for your sin.”

(31) Moses went back to ה׳ and said, “Alas, this people is guilty of a great sin in making for themselves a god of gold.

(32) Now, if You will forgive their sin [well and good]; but if not, erase me from the record which You have written!”

(33) But ה׳ said to Moses, “Only one who has sinned against Me will I erase from My record.

(34) Go now, lead the people where I told you. See, My messenger shall go before you. But when I make an accounting, I will bring them to account for their sins.”

(35) Then ה׳ sent a plague upon the people, for what they did with the calf that Aaron made.*for what they did with the calf that Aaron made Meaning of Heb. uncertain.