Daily Bible Studies

[Guest]

We have the practice of going through a portion of the Bible in Hebrew in our Sabbath services each week. I hope to share our studies on this forum. We read the text in Hebrew and then in English afterward, and then have some comment on it. Unfortunately the HTML does not preserve the cantillation signs, and the Hebrew here is very small. If anyone would like a version wherre the Hebrew is easier to ready, let me now and I'll send you one. The following reading is for next week, beginning on the first day. I hope to post a daily reading. We review the entire text of the week on the Sabbath.

19th of the 7th month, first day. Text: Leviticus 19:1-14
פרק יט
[פרשת קדושים] א וַיְדַבֵּר יְהוָֹה אֶל־מֹשֶׁה לֵּאמֹֽר:
19:1 Vayedaber YHWH el-Moshe lemor
YHWH spoke to Moshe, saying,
ב דַּבֵּר אֶל־כָּל־עֲדַת בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל וְאָֽמַרְתָּ אֲלֵהֶם קְדשִׁים תִּֽהְיוּ כִּי קָדוֹשׁ אֲנִי יְהוָֹה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶֽם:
2 Daber el-kol-adat benei-Yisra'el ve'amarta alehem kedoshim tiheyu ki kadosh ani YHWH Eloheichem
"Speak to the entire congregation [of] the Children of Yisrael and say to them, You shall be holy, for I, YHWH, your God, am holy.
The word kadosh is translated holy. It is used as holy, sacred, set apart for sacred use, and inviolable. The word is first used in Exodus 19:6. “Ye shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.” The promise is quoted in Revelation 1:6 in regard to the work of Christ: “And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father.” Thus Christ’s work on behalf of the believer is to make one holy, a participant in the original promise. In general perception, holy means to be righteous or sinless. In fact, the word means far more than that. It is a setting apart, not only from sin, but from every defiling and common thing, for the pleasure and use of God alone.
ג אִישׁ אִמּוֹ וְאָבִיו תִּירָאוּ וְאֶת־שַׁבְּתֹתַי תִּשְׁמֹרוּ אֲנִי יְהוָֹה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶֽם:
3 Ish imo ve'aviv tira'u ve'et-Shabbtotai tishmoru ani YHWH Eloheikhem
Every man - you shall fear his mother and father and keep My Sabbaths, I am YHWH, your God.
The two positive commandments from the ten commandments (Exodus 20:1-14 Heb.) are mentioned here together. The implication of this verse is to refer to the entire ten commandment law by reference to the positive portion of it. This verse is especially beautiful in mentioning mother first, instead of father, as it is found in Exodus 20. The word tishmoru means you will keep. This reflects the version of the commandments in Deuteronomy 5, where keeping the Sabbath is emphasized. The word keep is used in reminding people about the Sabbath commandment in order to emphasize that the Sabbath must be kept or observed. The commandment itself in Exodus says to remember.
ד אַל־תִּפְנוּ אֶל־הָאֱלִילִם וֵֽאלֹהֵי מַסֵּכָה לֹא תַֽעֲשׂוּ לָכֶם אֲנִי יְהוָֹה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶֽם:
4 Al-tifnu el-ha'elilim ve'elohei masekhah lo ta'asu lachem ani YHWH Eloheikhem
Do not turn to the idols and do not make molten gods for yourselves, I am YHWH, your God.
ה וְכִי תִזְבְּחוּ זֶבַח שְׁלָמִים לַֽיהוָֹה לִֽרְצֹֽנְכֶם תִּזְבָּחֻֽהוּ:
5 Vekhi tizbekhu zevakh shlamim l'YHWH lirtzonkhem tizbakhuhu
When you slaughter a peace-offering to YHWH, you shall slaughter it to be acceptable for you.
ו בְּיוֹם זִבְחֲכֶם יֵֽאָכֵל וּמִֽמָּֽחֳרָת וְהַנּוֹתָר עַד־יוֹם הַשְּׁלִישִׁי בָּאֵשׁ יִשָּׂרֵֽף:
6 Beyom zivekhakhem ye'akhel umimakhorat vehanotar ad-yom hashlishi ba'esh yisaref
On the day that it is slaughtered it may be eaten and on the next day. Whatever is left over by the third day shall be burned in fire.
ז וְאִם הֵֽאָכֹל יֵֽאָכֵל בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁלִישִׁי פִּגּוּל הוּא לֹא יֵֽרָצֶֽה:
7 Ve'im he'akhol ye'akhel bayom hashlishi pigul hu lo yeratzeh
And if it should be eaten at all on the third day it is an abomination, it will not be favorably accepted.
ח וְאֹֽכְלָיו עֲוֹנוֹ יִשָּׂא כִּֽי־אֶת־קֹדֶשׁ יְהוָֹה חִלֵּל וְנִכְרְתָה הַנֶּפֶשׁ הַהִוא מֵֽעַמֶּֽיהָ:
8 Ve'okhlav avono yisa ki-et-kodesh YHWH khilel venikhretah hanefesh hahi me'ameiha
Whoever eats from it shall bear his iniquity, for the sacred [things] of YHWH he has defiled. That [person's] soul shall be cut off from its people.
Many people buy meat at the grocery store, not considering that it is not only slaughtered incorrectly, but is too old to be eaten. The practice of aging meat is heathenish, unlawful, and unhygienic.
ט וּֽבְקֻצְרְכֶם אֶת־קְצִיר אַרְצְכֶם לֹא תְכַלֶּה פְּאַת שָֽׂדְךָ לִקְצֹר וְלֶקֶט קְצִֽירְךָ לֹא תְלַקֵּֽט:
9 Uvekutzrekhem et-ketzir artzekhem lo tekhaleh pe'at sadekha liktzor veleket ketzirkha lo telaket
When you will reap the harvest of your land, you shall not completely reap a corner of your field, and the gleanings of your harvest you shall not gather.
י וְכַרְמְךָ לֹא תְעוֹלֵל וּפֶרֶט כַּרְמְךָ לֹא תְלַקֵּט לֶֽעָנִי וְלַגֵּר תַּֽעֲזֹב אֹתָם אֲנִי יְהוָֹה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶֽם:
10 Vekharmecha lo te'olel uferet karmekha lo telaket le'ani velager ta'azov otam ani YHWH Eloheikhem
You shall not glean your vineyard, and the fallen grapes of your vineyard, you shall not gather. For the poor and the proselyte you shall leave them, I am YHWH, your God.
This law is in conflict with secular laws that prohibit trespassing. In order for the law to be effective, the poor must have access to the field in which grain or fruit have been left for them. By the same token, the law to be effective requires those who enter upon the land of another to respect the rights of ownership. Nothing is to be taken from the land except what is designated as available.
יא לֹא תִּגְנֹבוּ וְלֹֽא־תְכַֽחֲשׁוּ וְלֹֽא־תְשַׁקְּרוּ אִישׁ בַּֽעֲמִיתֽוֹ:
11 Lo tignovu velo-tekhakhashu velo-teshakru ish ba'amito
You shall not steal. You shall not deny [a rightful claim] and each one of you shall not lie to each other.
This comment on the ninth commandment enlarges it to include lying to each other generally, and not merely in giving witness against another person.
יב וְלֹֽא־תִשָּֽׁבְעוּ בִשְׁמִי לַשָּׁקֶר וְחִלַּלְתָּ אֶת־שֵׁם אֱלֹהֶיךָ אֲנִי יְהוָֹֽה:
12 Velo-tishav'u vishmi lashaker vekhilalta et-shem Eloheikha ani YHWH
You shall not swear falsely by My Name profaning the Name of your God, I am YHWH.
This whole passage is a commentary on the Decalogue. The specific here is that the commandment prohibits false swearing. The commandment itself is much broader in intent, and prohibits “lifting” the name of God to lashaw or vanity, a euphemism for a false god or idol.
יג לֹא־תַֽעֲשֹׁק אֶת־רֵֽעֲךָ וְלֹא תִגְזֹל לֹֽא־תָלִין פְּעֻלַּת שָׂכִיר אִתְּךָ עַד־בֹּֽקֶר:
13 Lo-ta'ashok et-re'akha velo tigzol lo-talin pe'ulat sakhir itcha ad-boker
You shall not withhold the wages of your fellow and you shall not rob. It shall not remain overnight, the wages of a day-laborer, keeping it in your possession until morning.
The Rabbinical interpretation is that your fellow is your fellow Jew. However, the expansion of the law to all humankind implicit in the Gospel implies that honesty must apply to all people.
יד לֹֽא־תְקַלֵּל חֵרֵשׁ וְלִפְנֵי עִוֵּר לֹא תִתֵּן מִכְשֹׁל וְיָרֵאתָ מֵּֽאֱלֹהֶיךָ אֲנִי יְהוָֹֽה:
14 Lo-tekalel kheresh velifnei iver lo titen mikhshol veyareta me'Eloheikha ani YHWH
You shall not curse a deaf person and before a blind person you shall not place a stumbling block; you shall fear your God, I am YHWH.
The principle is that one should not take advantage of the weaknesses of another person in order to harm him. This includes not taking advantage of lesser intelligence to impose one’s own wishes or views. It includes not raising the price of necessities when another is forced to buy.

[endtimeelijah]

Thanks Thomas.
Keep up this good work. It certainly will make some crucial points more defined, precise and clear.
Shalom!

[Guest]

Dear Endtime,
Thanks for the encouragement! I can't seem to find a format that is readable, though. So it's still experimental. I'd like to encourage people to recite the Bible in Hebrew.

[jeffcamp]

Dear Thomas,
I can't master Engish after 51 years. And you want me to learn Hebrew. I just feel it is more important to learn as much as I can about God anyway I can. But if I have time I will try to learn Hebrew. Jeff

[endtimeelijah]

dear Thomas,
Would Google's Free Translation online be of help?

[Guest]

Dear Jeff,
I'm too old to learn a new language too. So I know where you're coming from. My daughter also says it's a futile hope. Your own self is enough for me, with all your honesty and commitment to truth.

[scooter7889]

Jeff,

You are never too old to learn. . I am 52 and this week end I learned something new.
I am not as young as I used to be. My new puppy wore me out at the park.

We are never too old to learn. It might a little longer and we may have to give up some old habits and beliefs. However, we can still learn if we want to.

Scott

[jeffcamp]

Dear Scott,
I want to learn. To be truefull I have learned more in the past year than I have in the 1st 50. But to master English has been hard for this country boy from the southeast part of the US. But thanks for believing in me when I don't really beleive in myself. Jeff

[James Randolph]

Dear Mr Camp,
You're a really nice guy. I'm in the same boat, though. I can't even read the Bible in Latin, much less Hebrew. But I thought that study was really interesting. I never read anything like that before. Why didn't they continue those lessons? It said daily.

[jeffcamp]

Dear James,
Thomas started this thread. I will copy you a note from the site admin.

From galal
At the request of Thomas McElwain, I have deleted all topics and threads discussing him. Thanks for your understanding on why we have deleted the related topics and threads. He has the right to choose not to be discussed. He is protecting his right to privacy, and I can only honor his request.
In His love and service,
WLC Team.