Exodus 6_10 Orders and Heads

Orders and Heads

Background and Printed Text: Exodus 6:10-7:7

Exodus 6:10 And Yehovah spoke unto Draw [Moshe] to say, ¹¹ “Come! Speak unto Pharaoh, king of Egypt! And he sent the children of Israel from his land.” ¹²And Draw [Moshe] spoke to the faces of Yehovah to say, “Behold, the children of Israel didn’t hearken unto me. And how shall Pharaoh hearken-to me? And I am foreskin lips!”

¹³And Yehovah spoke unto Draw [Moshe] and unto Oy!-Conception! [Aharon]. And He commanded them unto the children of Israel and unto Pharaoh, king of Egypt to exit the children of Israel from the land of Egypt.

¹⁴These are heads of the house of their fathers:

The sons of They-Saw-A-Son [Reuben] the firstborn of Israel:
Dedicated [Hanoch] and
Miracled [Pallu],
Trumpet-Blast/Walled [Hezron] and
My-Vineyard [Carmi].

These are the families of They-Saw-A-Son [Reuben].

¹⁵And the sons of Hearkening [Shimon]:

A-Day-And-A-Mighty-[One] [Yemuel] and
Right [Yamin] and
Attack-[or Victory]-Shout [Ohad] and
He-Will-Establish [Yachin] and
Dazzling-Heat [Zohar] and
Asked [Shaul], son of the Merchantess [Canaanitess].

These are the families of Hearkening [Shimon].

¹⁶And these are the names of the sons of My-Joined-[one] [Levi] to their childings:

Expelling [Gershon] and
Thou-Hast-Dulled [Kohath] and
My-Bitterness [Merari].

And the years of the lives of My-Joined-[one] [Levi] are seven and thirty and a hundred year.

¹⁷Sons of Expelling [Gershon]:

To-My-Son [Libni] and
Hearken-Thou [fem.] [Shimi]

to their families.

¹⁸And sons of Thou-Hast-Dulled [Kohath]:

Elevated-People [Amram] and
He-Will-Press-Oil [Izhar] and
Friendship [Hevron] and
My-Strength-Is-A-Mighty-[One] [Uzziel].

And the years of the lives of Thou-Hast-Dulled [Kohath] are three and thirty and a hundred year.

¹⁹And sons of My-Bitterness [Merari]:

My-Piercer [Mahali] and
He-Groped-Me [Mushi].

These are the families of the My-Joined-[one] [Levi] to their childings.

²⁰And Elevated-People [Amram] took Yehovah-Glorified [Yocheved] his aunt to him for a woman. And she childed Oy!-Conception! [Aharon] and Draw [Moshe] to him.

And the years of the lives of Elevated-People [Amram] are seven and thirty and a hundred year.

²¹And the sons of He-Will-Press-Oil [Izhar]:

Bald [Korah] and
Tottered-Feebled [Nepheg] and
He-Remembered-Me [Zichri].

²²And the sons of My-Strength-Is-A-Mighty-[One] [Uzziel]:

Who-Asked [Mishael] and
My-Mighty-[One]-Hid [Elzaphan] and
He-Secreted-Me [Zithri].

²³And Oy!-Conception! [Aharon] took My-Mighty-[One]-Vowed [Elisheva], daughter of My-People-Was-Generous [Amminadab], sister of Enchantment [Naashon], to him for a woman. And she childed:

He-Was-Generous [Nadav] and
He-Is-My-Father [Avihu],
A-Mighty-[One]-Helped [Eleazar] and
Where-Is-A-Palm-[Tree] [Ithamar]

to him.

²⁴And the sons of Bald [Korah]:

Prisoner [Assir] and
A-Mighty-[One]-Acquired [Elkanah] and
My-Father-Gathered [Aviasaph].

These are the families of the My-Bald-[ones] Korahites.

²⁵And A-Mighty-[One]-Helped [Eleazar] Oy!-Conception!’s [Aharon’s] son took to him from the daughters of My-Bow-Is-A-Mighty-[One] [Putiel] to him for a woman. And she childed:

My-Mouth-He-Rested-Refuge [Pinkhas]

to him.

These are the heads of the fathers of the My-Joined-[ones] [Levites] to their families. ²⁶He is Oy!-Conception! [Aharon] and Draw [Moshe] to whom Yehovah said, “Exit-ye the children of Israel from the land of Egypt upon their armies!” ²⁷These are the speakers unto Pharaoh, king of Egypt to exit the children of Israel from Egypt. He is Draw [Moshe] and Oy!-Conception! [Aharon]. ²⁸And he was in the day Yehovah spoke unto Draw [Moshe] in the land of Egypt. ²⁹And Yehovah spoke unto Draw [Moshe] to say, “I am Yehovah! Speak thou unto Pharaoh, king of Egypt all that I say unto thee!” ³⁰And Draw [Moshe] said to the faces of Yehovah, “Behold I am foreskin lips! And how shall Pharaoh hearken unto me?”

Exodus 7:1 And Yehovah said unto Draw [Moshe], “See, I gave thee, gods to Pharaoh. And Oy!-Conception! [Aharon] thy brother will be thy prophet! ²Thou—thou shalt speak all that I will command thee. And Oy!-Conception! [Aharon] thy brother will speak unto Pharaoh. And he will send the sons of Israel from his land! ³And I—I will harden the heart of Pharaoh. And I will multiply my signs and my miracles in the land of Egypt! ⁴And Pharaoh will not hearken unto you. And I will give my hand into Egypt. And I will exit my armies—my People the childrenof Israel—from the land of Egypt via big justices! ⁵And the Egyptians shall know that I am Yehovah in my stretching my hand upon Egypt. And I will exit the children of Israel from their midst!”

⁶And Draw [Moshe] did, and Oy!-Conception! [Aharon], just as Yehovah commanded them. Established, they did! ⁷And Draw [Moshe] is a son of 80 year! And Oy!-Conception! [Aharon] is a son of 3 and 80 year during their speaking unto Pharaoh!

I. Yehovah’s Orders (verses 10-12)

Yehovah had more to say to Moshe. He told Moshe to come and to speak unto Pharaoh, king of Egypt. Yehovah indicated to Moshe that this will result in Pharaoh sending the children of Israel from his land!

Moshe spoke face to face with Yehovah, saying, “Behold, the children of Israel didn’t hearken unto me. And how shall Pharaoh hearken-to me? And I am foreskin lips!”

Questions

1. Why did Yehovah say, “Come!” instead of, “Go!” when He told Moshe to travel to speak unto Pharaoh?

2. How could Moshe speak unto a king when kings choose who will come before them, and when Moshe is merely a poor shepherd (which is an abomination to the Egyptians)?

3. After the command to come and to speak to Pharaoh, Yehovah next states, “And he sent the children of Israel from his land.” What is that in the past tense?

4. When the Bible uses the word children, does that imply that they are young?

5. Why does the text include, “And Moshe spoke to the faces of Yehovah”?

6. Was Moshe scared while speaking directly to Yehovah?

7. Why didn’t the children of Israel hearken unto Moshe?

8. Why should Pharaoh hearken to Moshe if the Israelis didn’t?

9. What does “I am foreskin lips” mean?

II. Yehovah Speaks to Both (verse 13)

Yehovah spoke to both Moshe and Aharon. He commanded them unto the children of Isdrael and unto Pharaoh, king of Egypt to exit the Israelis from the land of Egypt.

Questions

1. Did Aharon also see Yehovah?

2. Why did Yehovah command them unto the children of Israel when they couldn’t do anything about leaving?

3. What does “commanded them unto” mean?

III. Heads of Houses (verses 14-30)

The next number of verses gives the heads of the houses of the sons of Jacob:

Sons of Reuben (Reuben being the firstborn of Israel): Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, Carmi.

Sons of Shimon: Yemuel, Yamin, Ohad, Yachin, Zohar, Shaul (Shaul being the son of a Canaanite woman).

Sons Levi: Gershon, Kohath, Merari.

Levi lived to be 137 years old.

Grandsons of Levi, sons of Gershon: Libni, Shimi.

Grandsons of Levi, sons of Kohath: Amram, Izhar, Hevron, Uzziel.

Kohath lived to be 133.

Grandsons of Levi, sons of Marari: Mahali, Mushi.

Amram took his Aunt Yocheved for his own woman (wife). She childed Aharon and Moshe.

Amram lived for 137 years.

Great Grandsons of Levi, Grandsons of Kohath, sons of Izhar: Korah, Nepheg, Zichri.

Great Grandsons of Levi, Grandsons of Kohath, sons of Uzziel: Mishael, Elzaphan, Zithri.

Aharon took Amminadab’s daughter, Elisheva (she was sister of Naashon) for a woman (wife). Elisheva childed Nadav, Avihu, Eleazar, Ithamar.

The great great grandsons of Levi, great grandsons of Kohath, grandsons of Izhar, sons of Korah: Assir, Elkanah, Aviasaph.

Aharon’s son Eleazar took a daughter of Putiel for a woman (wife). She childed Pinkhas to Eleazar.

This is a listing of the heads of the fathers of the Levites to their families. This lineage leads to Aharon and Moshe, the two to whom Yehovah said, “Exit-ye the children of Israel from the land of Egypt upon their armies!” These are the very same two who spoke unto Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, to exit the children of Israel from Egypt! This is Moshe, along with Aharon!

This occurred in the day Yehovah spoke unto Moshe in the land of Egypt. Yehovah spoke unto Moshe saying, “I am Yehovah! Speak thou unto Pharaoh, king of Egypt all that I say unto thee!”

This occurred in the day that Moshe responded to the faces of Yehovah, “Behold I am foreskin lips! And how shall Pharaoh hearken unto me?”

Questions

1. If you place all the meanings of the names together, do they give information?

2. In verse 20, Amram took Yocheved his aunt for a woman (for a wife). Was this wrong?

3. What does “Exit-ye the children of Israel from the land of Egypt upon their armies” mean (verse 26)?

4. Why did Yehovah say, “These are the speakers unto Pharaoh, king of Egypt to exit the children of Israel from Egypt. He is Moshe and Aharon,” as if some readers might get Moshe and Aharon confused with another Moshe and another Aharon?

5. Who is he in, “And he was in the day Yehovah spoke unto Moshe in the land of Egypt”?

6. How much of what Yehovah told Moshe was Moshe commanded to tell Pharaoh, according to verse 29?

7. Why did Yehovah repeat Moshe’s declaration that Moshe is “foreskin lips”?

8. Why did Yehovah mention that Shaul was the son of a Canaanite woman (verse 15)? Why was this so important?

9. The males in the lineage are normally the only ones mentioned. Why are the females normally ignored, and why was Yocheved (verse 20) specially mentioned?

IV. Yehovah’s Plans (chapter 7, verses 1-5)

Yehovah next told what He had done to make these things work. Yehovah said to Moshe, “See, I gave thee, gods to Pharaoh.”

Yehovah continued, “And Aharon thy brother will be thy prophet!”

Yehovah commanded Moshe, “Thou—thou shalt speak all that I will command thee.”

He also stated, “And Aharon thy brother will speak unto Pharaoh.”

Yehovah then gave the results: “And he will send the sons of Israel from his land!”

Yet, Yehovah had plans before that exit (exodus) from the land: “And I—I will harden the heart of Pharaoh. And I will multiply my signs and my miracles in the land of Egypt! And Pharaoh will not hearken unto you.”

Yehovah’s response to Pharaoh’s not hearkening will be this: “And I will give my hand into Egypt.” After He has done this for quite a while, Yehovah will do the next step: “And I will exit my armies—my People the children of Israel—from the land of Egypt via big justices!”

How will the Egyptians respond and react? “And the Egyptians shall know that I am Yehovah in my stretching my hand upon Egypt.”

Finally, Yehovah will “exit the children of Israel from their midst!”

Questions

1. What does “See, I gave thee, gods to Pharaoh” mean?

2. Why would Yehovah cause one person to see another as gods if He commanded against idols?

3. If Aharon will be Moshe’s prophet, whose words will Aharon speak as a prophet?

4. Wasn’t Aharon sent along because of Moshe’s inability to speak right?

5. Yehovah said in verse 2, “And he will send the sons of Israel from his land.” Will he do this right away?

6. Why would Yehovah harden the heart of Pharaoh (verse 3) so that Pharaoh will not hearken unto Moshe and Aharon (verse 4)? Isn’t that forcing Pharaoh to do wrong?

7. What is the benefit of multiplying signs and miracles in the land of Egypt?

8. Why won’t Pharaoh hearken to Moshe and Aharon?

9. What does “I will give my hand into Egypt” mean?

10. What are big justices?

11. Who are God’s people, according to this text?

12. How will the Egyptians come to know that He is Yehovah, according to verse 5? Does this mean that the Egyptians will believe?

13. What does stretching His hand upon anything mean?

14. Who will ‘exit’ the children of Israel from the midst of the Egyptians, according to this text?

V. Obedience and Age (verses 6-7)

Moshe didn’t ask more questions. He did just as Yehovah commanded, and Aharon did the same. They were firmly established in their goal; they now knew what would happen, and why.

Moshe is 80 years old at the time of speaking unto Pharaoh, and Aharon is 83 years old!

Questions

1. The text states that they did. What did they do?

2. Why does the text add, “Established, they did”?

3. What is so significant about Moshe being 80 and Aharon being 83 when they went on this mission?

May 21, 2010July 5, 2017

Exodus 4_18 Moshe’s Return Trip QA Supplied

Moshe’s Return Trip

With Questions and Proposed Answers

Background and Printed Text: Exodus 4:18-31

Exodus 4:18 And Draw [Moshe] walked. And he returned unto Excess [Jethro] his father-in-law. And he said to him, “I will walk, na. And I have returned unto my brethren who are in Egypt. And I have seen: Are they yet alive?” And Excess [Jethro] said to Draw [Moshe], “Walk to peace.”

¹⁹And Yehovah said unto Draw [Moshe] in Contention [Midian], “Walk. Return Egypt. For all the men seeking thy being died.” ²⁰And Draw [Moshe] took his woman and his sons. And he rode them upon the ass. And he returned landward Egypt. And Draw [Moshe] took the rod of the Gods in his hand.

²¹And Yehovah said unto Draw [Moshe], “See all the wonders that I have put into thy hand during thy walking to return Egyptward. And do them to the faces of Pharaoh. And I, I will grasp his heart. And he shall not send the people.²²And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh, ‘Yehovah said Thus: “Israel is my son—my firstborn! ²³And I said unto thee, ‘Send my son! And he will serve me!’ And thou refused to send him! Behold, I am slaying thy son thy firstborn!”’”

²⁴And he was in the way, in the inn. And Yehovah met him. And He sought to kill him. ²⁵And Ladybird [Zipporah] took a stone. And she cut the foreskin of her son. And she struck to his feet. And she said, “For thou art to me a sealed-one- of bloods -by-marriage!” ²⁶And He desisted from him. Then she said, “A sealed-one- of bloods -by-marriage to circumcise!”

²⁷And Yehovah said to Oy!-Conception! [Aharon], “Walk desertward to meet Draw [Moshe].” And he walked. And he met him in The Mountain of the Gods. And he kissed him. ²⁸And Draw [Moshe] told to Oy!-Conception! [Aharon] all the speeches of Yehovah Who sent him and all the signs that He commanded him.

²⁹And Draw [Moshe] Walked, and Oy!-Conception! [Aharon]. And they gathered all the elders of the children of Israel.³⁰And Oy!-Conception! [Aharon] spoke all the speeches that Yehovah spoke unto Draw [Moshe]. And he did the signs to the eyes of the people [sing.]. ³¹And the people [sing.] believed [sing.]. And they hearkened because Yehovah visited the children of Israel and because He saw their humiliation. And they bowed. And they worshipped.

I. Moshe Leaves (verse 18)

Moshe walked and returned to Jethro his father-in-law. He told him that he will walk and return to his brethren who are in Egypt. He wanted to see for himself: are they still alive? Jethro told Moshe to walk in peace.

Questions

1. Why does the text need to say that Moshe walked? Isn’t that obvious? Moshe had just conversed with Yehovah (and had lived). He had argued with Yehovah. He was now ready to obey commands; so the text notes that he walked.

2. Why didn’t Moshe tell Jethro about his conversation with Yehovah at this time, but instead made up the story about seeing whether his brethren were still alive? Moshe needed to go; he didn’t need to explain at this time. While he knew that his brother was alive, he didn’t know about the rest of his family. There are times to explain, and there are times when explanations will cause delays that are not helpful.

3. What did Jethro mean by “Walk to peace”? Jethro himself had complete peace with what Moshe wanted to do, and his desire was that Moshe obtained an answer of peace—an answer that those of his family members who were alive were doing well.

II. The Green Light (verses 19-20)

Moshe was now in Midian. Yehovah spoke to him: “Walk. Return Egypt. For all the men seeking thy being died.” Moshe took his woman (his wife) and his sons. He rode them upon the ass. He returned to the land of Egypt. Moshe also took the rod of the Gods in his hand!

Questions

1. Moshe already decided to go to Egypt. Why did Yehovah again tell him to Walk and to return [to] Egypt? Moshe knew that Yehovah had commanded him to go to Egypt. Yehovah hadn’t said when he was to go. A wise person not only hearkens to orders, but also waits until a commander indicates that the time is right to do the command.

2. What were the men seeking who were seeking Moshe’s being? They were seeking to kill Moshe’s being—that is, to take his life!

3. Who had been seeking Moshe’s being? The previous Pharaoh and his slaves desired to find and kill Moshe for what he had done—for rescuing a Hebrew slave from the hands of an Egyptian slavedriver who was killing the Israeli.

4. Why did Moshe take his wife and sons? Wouldn’t they be in the way? Moshe must have thought that his time in Egypt might be long. He wasn’t going there just to visit, but to become part of the Israelis again.

5. Did Moshe also ride on an ass? The wording gives me the impression that Moshe walked. He was used to walking many miles; his wife and children were not as used to this. (His wife used to be; she was a shepherdess.)

6. What does “he returned landward Egypt” mean? This means that he returned to the land of Egypt. Hebrew expressions are different from English expressions.

7. Why is that rod called the rod of the Gods? It is a tool that Elohim (Gods) gave to Moshe to use. Moshe acquired the rod by a normal means, but Yehovah turned it into a tool by which to do what Yehovah commanded him.

III. Specific Commands (verses 21-23)

Yehovah again spoke to Moshe: “See all the wonders that I have put into thy hand during thy walking to return Egyptward.” He then commanded him, “And do them to the faces of Pharaoh.” Yehovah then promised, “And I, I will grasp his heart. And he shall not send the people.” In the meantime, Yehovah told Moshe to tell Pharaoh, “Yehovah said Thus: ‘Israel is my son my firstborn!’” This is why Yehovah was telling Pharaoh to send Israel out.

Yehovah continued, “And I said unto thee, ‘Send my son! And he will serve me!’ And thou refused to send him!”

Yehovah then threatened Pharaoh: “Behold, I am slaying thy son thy firstborn!”

Questions

1. What was Yehovah commanding Moshe when He said, “See all the wonders that I have put into thy hand during thy walking to return Egyptward”? I propose that He was commanding Moshe to think about, and thus see in his mind, all the wonders that He already put into his hand; he was to see those wonders while he walked toward Egypt. If he set his mind on them, he would be less likely to be intimidated when he met with opposition.

2. Yehovah then commanded, “And do them to the faces of Pharaoh.” What was different about this command? The wonders he was given were originally for the elders of Israel. Going before Pharaoh, a king over a mighty land was a different proposition!

3. What does “I will grasp his heart” mean? The heart in the Bible is usually the mind. It is in this case. Yehovah will take hold of his mind.

4. What will be the result if Yehovah grasps the king’s mind? The next statement tells what will happen: “And he shall not send the people.”

5. Why would Yehovah aid Pharaoh to not send the people? Isn’t that the opposite of what Yehovah desires to do? Long before Yehovah sends the Israelis, he must prepare the Israelis so that they will hearken to Yehovah. He also must prepare the Egyptians to live without Israeli slaves; otherwise, they will come after the Israelis once they have left. Yehovah always gives preparation to anyone or any group for which He has an assignment. That preparation makes the difference between success and failure.

Yehovah desired the Israelis to be free from Egyptian slavery, but He also desired them to hearken to what is right. They were not ready to hearken to what was right—not yet.

6. Yehovah said, “And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh…” How would Moshe get to see Pharaoh? Yehovah will make certain that Pharaoh will see Moshe!

7. Yehovah told Moshe to tell Pharaoh, “Israel is my son—my firstborn!” What does that mean, in what way is that true, and why is that so important? First, that means that Yehovah views Israel as a good parent views the firstborn son. Yehovah’s view is a correct view.

That is true in this way: Yehovah sees Yeshua in Israel, and Israel will be in Yeshua when Israel comes to faith.

Hosea 11:1 For Israel is a youth. And I loved him. And I called to my son from Egypt.

If there are other ways, I cannot see them at this time. Yehovah declared this to be true, and declared Israel to be his firstborn son!

This is so important, because anyone or any group that seeks to enslave or harm Israel is asking to be enslaved or destroyed by Yehovah. This is so important because anyone or any group that claims that it is Israel (when Israel is unique) is tempting Yehovah to attack that person or group as an imposter as well as showing God as a liar!

Pharaoh will be in the position of feeling Yehovah’s anger over the next number of months as he begins to realize that Israel truly is His son!

8. Yehovah told Moshe to tell Pharaoh, “And I said unto thee, ‘Send my son! And he will serve me!’ And thou refused to send him! Behold, I am slaying thy son thy firstborn!” Why did Yehovah tell Pharaoh that right up front? This way, Pharaoh could have avoided that slaughter. Yehovah gives warnings.

IV. Moshe Is Nearly Killed (verses 24-26)

Moshe was en route—he was already on the road. He had come to an inn to spend at least one night.

Yehovah met him. Yehovah sought Moshe to kill Moshe. His woman Ladybird took a stone, and she cut the foreskin of her son. She then struck the foreskin to his feet—that is, she threw it to his feet to strike his feet. She said, “For thou art a spouse of bloods to me!”

Yehovah desisted—that is, He ceased (from seeking to kill him).

Zipporah had more to say: “A spouse of bloods to circumcise!”

Questions

1. What does “in the way” mean? This means that he was en route—he was on the way to Egypt.

2. The text states, “And Yehovah met him. And He sought to kill him.” Doesn’t that conflict with Yehovah’s assigning him to go to Egypt? It does conflict! If Moshe is dead, he certainly can’t do the wonders in Egypt! Yehovah was that angry at Moshe.

3. The text then states, “And Zipporah took a stone. And she cut the foreskin of her son.” What was she doing, and why was she doing this? She was doing a circumcision. She was doing this because she had known before that Yehovah had commanded all the offspring of Avraham to circumcise their male children when they are eight days old.

Circumcision is cutting off the foreskin from the male’s penis. Men are born with a thin skin covering that covers the tip of the penis. Yehovah designed it so that this thin skin can be removed almost painlessly when a newborn is eight days old; that is also when the possibility of infection is at its lowest during the entire life of the male. Removing that foreskin is a type—it pictures cutting away wrong and sinful lusts of the flesh (there are other lusts that are not wrong or sinful), since the male’s penis is associated with lust. It doesn’t hurt the functions of the penis in any way. (Some adult men must have the foreskin removed in order to stop getting infections!)

The reason why Zipporah did this was because she knew why Yehovah had come and what He was about to do to her husband! I cannot prove how she knew, but she knew! Therefore, she acted quickly!

4. What does “she struck to his feet” mean, and why did she do that? She took that very small foreskin that she had cut off, and she threw it to someone’s feet. There are three possibilities:

She threw it to Yehovah’s feet to stop Him from killing her husband. (I don’t see where she would do that; it might show contempt to a being she greatly feared at this time.)
She threw it to Moshe’s feet in contempt and disgust for him not doing what he should have done. (While this may be true, I don’t know that she would have openly showed contempt for her husband in such a direct way.)
She threw it to the child’s feet since she was close to the child, and she wanted both Moshe and Yehovah to see that she had truly removed the foreskin.

While I can suppose that she was furious with Moshe, and he was responsible to do the circumcision, she almost ended up with a dead husband. This Being that appeared and that left was the One Who sent Moshe on this strange mission. Zipporah now understood how important circumcision was to this God. I propose that her next comments show this.

Thus, I propose that she threw the foreskin to the child’s feet, and that she spoke to the child in the hearing of both her husband and this Man Who came to kill her husband.

5. What did she mean by, “thou art to me a sealed-one- of bloods -by-marriage”? The Hebrew word khatan has both the idea of sealing something (like an agreement, since an agreement that is sealed is one that both are determined to keep) and the idea of a marriage-or marriage-like agreement. The word is used for marriage. Thus, when a man and woman marry, the ‘in-laws’ are now part of the family of the person who married into that family, and the ‘in-laws’ now see that person as part of their family. Other agreements may not be part of any marriage, but they are marriage-like, in which two or more agree to aid and benefit each other from now on.

When she said, “thou art to me a sealed-one- of bloods -by-marriage,” I propose that she was speaking to the very young child whom she circumcised. I also propose that she was prophesying while she was saving the life of her (disobedient) husband. She wasn’t Jewish, and she was saving the life of a Jewish person and a Jewish child (since a child of Avraham who isn’t circumcised will be cut off—that is, will be killed, as the Torah warns: Genesis 17:14 And the uncircumcised man child whose flesh of his foreskin is not circumcised, that soul shall be cut off from his people; he hath broken my covenant.)

6. What does “He desisted from him” mean? This means that He, Yehovah, left him, Moshe, alone; He stopped coming at him to kill him, and He went away.

7. Zipporah continued to speak after Yehovah left. She then said, “A sealed-one- of bloods -by-marriage to circumcise!” What did she mean? I propose that she meant, the child was sealed to her by her marriage with Moshe, and he was sealed to her to circumcise him! Though this was her own son, she is speaking as if she is living during the Tribulation, and has acquired a very young Jewish baby to tend and to save its life. Such a woman will have to circumcise the uncircumcised infant who will be ‘sealed’ to her—given to her to be totally responsible for the child, since the father isn’t there to take care of the child in this manner.

V. Moshe and Aaron (verses 27-28)

Yehovah next spoke to Aharon: “Walk desertward to meet Moshe.” Moshe did as he was told. He walked, and he met him in the Mountain of the Gods. Moshe kissed Aharon and vice versa.

Moshe told Aharon all the speeches of Yehovah Who sent him, and he also told all the signs that He commanded him.

Questions

1. Since there were deserts all around, how did Aharon know which way is desertward? How could he possibly just happen to run into Moshe? In the Bible, whenever Yehovah gives a command (including basic directions), He always supplies information (and ability) that is necessary to carry out His command. Aharon didn’t know which way to go, but all he needed to do was to walk. Yehovah would then guide him to the exact spot where he needed to be to meet Moshe.

Others have tried the same things—wait on ‘the Lord’ to guide them—but they didn’t have the command from Yehovah. They thought they did, and they think they do. You will meet folks like this who will claim that they have commands from God to go here or there, to do this or that. Never believe them! (If they had commands from God, they wouldn’t be telling folks and bragging about how close they were to God; they would be walking righteously and would do the commands instead of talking about them.)

Aharon won’t just happen to run into Moshe; Yehovah will lead them both to the same place at the same time.

2. What is this Mountain of the Gods? It is Mount Horeb, also known as Mount Sinai. It is located in Saudi Arabia. The area is very dry; few plants (if any) live there.

3. Who kissed whom (verse 27)? Aharon kissed Moshe (and Moshe likewise kissed Aharon). This is part of their cultures, as well as being an expression of gladness at seeing each other. It had been years since they last saw each other!

4. Moshe told Aharon all about the speeches of Yehovah and the signs. Why did Aharon believe Moshe? Aharon knew that his brother was very special; he knew that from the time he was a small child. Aharon looked for the deliverance of his people from Egyptian slavery; believing Moshe was not difficult.

5. Who sent Moshe, according to this text? Yehovah sent Moshe!

VI. Signs (verses 29-31)

Moshe and Aharon walked together. They did gather all the elders of the children of Israel. Aharon did the speaking, telling what Yehovah said to Moshe.

Moshe then did the signs directly in the eyes of the people. The people believed! They hearkened because Yehovah visited the children of Israel; they hearkened because Yehovah saw their humiliation. They then bowed, and they prostrated.

Questions

1. If Aharon was a slave, how was he able to just walk into and out of Egypt? Aharon was an elder; he wasn’t one of the younger Israeli workers. He had more freedom to go here and there, and Yehovah made certain that he had no trouble.

When Aharon and Moshe walked into Egypt, the Egyptians saw two old men walking together. They had no reason to stop them and question them.

2. How did they gather all the elders of the children of Israel? I propose that Aharon was a leader among the Israelis. Whether or not this was the case, he knew where the elders were located, and he went and called them to come to one place for a meeting.

3. Who did the speaking to the elders? Aharon did all the speaking; that is what Moshe desired. He told the elders all the speeches that Yehovah told Moshe.

4. Who did the signs (to the eyes of the people)? Moshe did the signs; he was already experienced doing these things. (I don’t see where Aharon was authorized to do the signs.)

5. What does “to the eyes of the people” mean? The people were directly watching this performance of the miracles—miracles that looked like magic, but were beyond normal magic.

6. Why is people singular instead of plural? Throughout the Bible, people is singular, referring to one group, and peoples is plural, referring to more than one group. The King James Version Bibles normally don’t have the word peoples, though they should have contained it. Instead, translators put the same word for both the singular and the plural. This causes many problems. Many English-language speakers don’t know what a people is and what peoples are. (People in the Bible is never the plural form of person.)

7. The text states, “the people believed.” Is that good? It would have been good if it had been permanent. Belief (the same as faith) can be permanent or temporary. If it is temporary, it won’t last.

8. Why did the Israeli elders hearken to Aharon and Moshe? They hearkened because:

Yehovah visited the children of Israel
Yehovah saw the humiliation of the children of Israel

The elders were the most affected by the mistreatment of the Israelis since they watched them grow up as their own children, and they heard their sorrowful expressions on a daily basis. They were ready for Yehovah to do something.

9. What does visited mean in, “they hearkened because Yehovah visited the children of Israel”? To visit in the Bible is to personally come in order to take action for or against a person or a group. This was a good visitation; Yehovah personally came to take action for the Israelis, and to bring them out of slavery.

10. To whom did they bow? They bowed to Yehovah (whom they didn’t see, because He wasn’t appearing to them).

11. What does “they worshipped” mean? This means that they (the elders) prostrated—lay down flat—before Yehovah, showing that they were willing to submit to Him and to do what He commanded.

May 21, 2010July 5, 2017

Exodus 4_18 Moshe’s Return Trip

Moshe’s Return Trip

Background and Printed Text: Exodus 4:18-31

I. Moshe Leaves (verse 18)

Questions

1. Why does the text need to say that Moshe walked? Isn’t that obvious?

2. Why didn’t Moshe tell Jethro about his conversation with Yehovah at this time, but instead made up the story about seeing whether his brethren were still alive?

3. What did Jethro mean by “Walk to peace”?

II. The Green Light (verses 19-20)

Questions

1. Moshe already decided to go to Egypt. Why did Yehovah again tell him to Walk and to return [to] Egypt?

2. What were the men seeking who were seeking Moshe’s being?

3. Who had been seeking Moshe’s being?

4. Why did Moshe take his wife and sons? Wouldn’t they be in the way?

5. Did Moshe also ride on an ass?

6. What does “he returned landward Egypt” mean?

7. Why is that rod called the rod of the Gods?

III. Specific Commands (verses 21-23)

Yehovah continued, “And I said unto thee, ‘Send my son! And he will serve me!’ And thou refused to send him!”

Yehovah then threatened Pharaoh: “Behold, I am slaying thy son thy firstborn!”

Questions

1. What was Yehovah commanding Moshe when He said, “See all the wonders that I have put into thy hand during thy walking to return Egyptward”?

2. Yehovah then commanded, “And do them to the faces of Pharaoh.” What was different about this command?

3. What does “I will grasp his heart” mean?

4. What will be the result if Yehovah grasps the king’s mind?

5. Why would Yehovah aid Pharaoh to not send the people? Isn’t that the opposite of what Yehovah desires to do?

6. Yehovah said, “And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh…” How would Moshe get to see Pharaoh?

7. Yehovah told Moshe to tell Pharaoh, “Israel is my son—my firstborn!” What does that mean, in what way is that true, and why is that so important?

IV. Moshe Is Nearly Killed (verses 24-26)

Moshe was en route—he was already on the road. He had come to an inn to spend at least one night.

Yehovah desisted—that is, He ceased (from seeking to kill him).

Zipporah had more to say: “A sealed-one- of bloods -by-marriage to circumcise!”

Questions

1. What does “in the way” mean?

2. The text states, “And Yehovah met him. And He sought to kill him.” Doesn’t that conflict with Yehovah’s assigning him to go to Egypt?

3. The text then states, “And Zipporah took a stone. And she cut the foreskin of her son.” What was she doing, and why was she doing this?

4. What does “she struck to his feet” mean, and why did she do that?

5. What did she mean by, “thou art to me a sealed-one- of bloods -by-marriage”?

6. What does “He desisted from him” mean?

7. Zipporah continued to speak after Yehovah left. She then said, “A sealed-one- of bloods -by-marriage to circumcise!” What did she mean?

V. Moshe and Aaron (verses 27-28)

Yehovah next spoke to Aharon: “Walk desertward to meet Moshe.” Moshe did as he was told. He walked, and he met him in the Mountain of the Gods. Moshe kissed Aharon and vice versa.

Moshe told Aharon all the speeches of Yehovah Who sent him, and he also told all the signs that He commanded him.

Questions

1. Since there were deserts all around, how did Aharon know which way is desertward? How could he possibly just happen to run into Moshe?

2. What is this Mountain of the Gods?

3. Who kissed whom (verse 27)?

4. Moshe told Aharon all about the speeches of Yehovah and the signs. Why did Aharon believe Moshe?

5. Who sent Moshe, according to this text?

VI. Signs (verses 29-31)

Moshe and Aharon walked together. They did gather all the elders of the children of Israel. Aharon did the speaking, telling what Yehovah said to Moshe.

Questions

1. If Aharon was a slave, how was he able to just walk into and out of Egypt?

2. How did they gather all the elders of the children of Israel?

3. Who did the speaking to the elders?

4. Who did the signs (to the eyes of the people)?

5. What does “to the eyes of the people” mean?

6. Why is people singular instead of plural?

7. The text states, “the people believed.” Is that good?

8. Why did the Israeli elders hearken to Aharon and Moshe?

9. What does visited mean in, “they hearkened because Yehovah visited the children of Israel”?

10. To whom did they bow?

11. What does “they worshipped” mean?

May 20, 2010July 5, 2017

Exodus 2-4 The Argument and the Call

The Argument and the Call

Background and Printed Text: Exodus 2:15-4:17

Exodus 2:15 And Pharaoh heard this speech. And he sought to slay Draw [Moshe]. And Draw [Moshe] fled from the faces of Pharaoh. And he dwelt in the land of Contention [Midian]. And he dwelt upon the well.

¹⁶And seven daughters are to the priest of Midian. And they came. And they suspended and filled the troughs to water their father’s flock. ¹⁷And the shepherds came. And they expelled them. And Draw arose. And he saved them. And he watered their flock.

¹⁸And they came to They-Shepherded-A-Mighty-[One] [Reuel] their father. And he said, “Why did ye rush to come today?” ¹⁹And they said, “An Egyptian man rescued us from the hand of the shepherds. And also suspending, he suspended to us. And he watered the flock!” ²⁰And he said unto his daughters, “And where is he? Why is this? Ye forsook the man? Call to him! And he has eaten bread.”

²¹And Draw [Moshe] was content to dwell with the man. And he gave Ladybird [Zipporah] his daughter to Draw [Moshe]. ²²And she childed a son. And he called his name Sojourner-There [Ger-Shom]. For he said, “I was a sojourner in a foreign land.”

²³And he was in those many days. And the king of Egypt died. And the children of Israel sighed from the slavery. And they screamed. And their imploring ascended unto the Elohim from the slavery. ²⁴And Elohim hearkened-to their groaning. And Elohim remembered His Covenant with Father-Of-A-Crowd [Avraham], with He-Will-Laugh [Isaac] and with He-Will-Heel [Jacob]. ²⁵And Elohim saw the children of Israel. And Elohim knew.

Exodus 3

¹And Draw [Moshe] was shepherding the flock of His-Excess [Yetro] his father-in-law, priest of Midian. And he conducted the flock after the desert. And he came unto Mountain of the Gods Swordward [Horebward].

²And Messenger Yehovah appeared unto him in a flame of fire from the midst of the bush. And he saw. And behold, the bush burned in fire, and the bush─he is not being eaten! ³And Draw [Moshe] said, “I will turn, na. And I saw this big appearance! Why won’t the bush burn?” ⁴And Yehovah saw that he turned to see. And Elohim called unto him from the midst of the bush. And He said, “Draw [Moshe]! Draw [Moshe]!” And he said, “Behold, I!” ⁵And He said, “Don’t approach here! Remove thy shoes from upon thy feet! For the Place that thou art standing upon him—he is the soil of the Holy-[One]!”

⁶And He said, “I Am Gods of thy father—Gods of Father-Of-A-Crowd [Avraham], Gods of He-Will-Laugh [Isaac] and Gods of He-Will-Heel [Jacob].” And Draw [Moshe] hid his faces because he feared from peering unto the Gods.

⁷And Yehovah said, “Seeing, I saw the humiliation of My People who are in Egypt. And I hearkened-to their scream from the faces of his slave-drivers. For I knew his pains! ⁸And I descended to rescue him from the hand of Egypt and to ‘ascend’ him from that land unto a good and broad land, unto a land oozing milk and honey, unto the place of the Merchant [Canaanee] and the Hot-[one] [Khitee] and the Sayer [Amoree] and the Rural-[one] [Preezee] and the Villager [Khivee] and the Desecrater [Yevoosee].

⁹ “And now, behold, the scream of the sons of Israel came unto me. And I also saw the oppression that Egyptians oppress them! ¹⁰And now, walk! And I sent thee unto Pharaoh. And exit My People the sons of Israel from Egypt!”

¹¹And Draw [Moshe] said unto the Elohim, “Who am I that I will walk unto Pharaoh, and that I will exit the sons of Israel from Egypt?” ¹²And He said, “Because I Will Be with thee! And this is the sign to thee that I—I sent thee: ye shall serve the Elohim upon this Mountain during thy exiting the People from Egypt.”

¹³And Draw [Moshe] said unto the Elohim, “Behold I am coming unto the sons of Israel. And I will say to them, ‘Gods of your fathers sent me unto you!’ And they shall say to me, ‘What is his name?’ What shall I say unto them?” ¹⁴And Elohim said unto Draw [Moshe], “I Will Be Who I Will Be!” And He said, “Thus shalt thou say to the sons of Israel, ‘I Will Be sent me unto you!’”

¹⁵And Elohim said more unto Draw [Moshe]. “So shalt thou say unto the sons of Israel, ‘Yehovah Gods of your fathers, Gods of Father-Of-A-Crowd [Avraham], Gods of He-Will-Laugh [Isaac] and Gods of He-Will-Heel [Jacob] sent me unto you!’ This is My Name to Hider. And this is My Remembrance to generation generation!

¹⁶ “Walk! And thou shalt gather the elders of Israel. And Thou shalt say unto them, ‘Yehovah Gods of your fathers appeared unto me─Gods of Father-Of-A-Crowd [Avraham], He-Will-Laugh [Isaac] and He-Will-Heel [Jacob] to say, “Visiting, I visited you and the doings to you in Egypt! ¹⁷And I said, ‘I will ascend you from the humiliation of Egypt unto the Land of the Merchant [Canaanee] and the Hot-[one] [Kheetee] and the Sayer [Amoree] and the Rural-[one] [Preezee] and the Villager [Kheevee] and the Desecrater [Yevoosee], unto a land oozing milk and honey!’ ” ’ ¹⁸And they shall hearken to thy voice.

“And thou shalt come—thou and the elders of Israel—unto the king of Egypt. And Ye shall say unto him, ‘Yehovah Gods of the Hebrews happened upon us! And now, we will walk, na, a way of three days into the desert. And we sacrificed her to Yehovah our Gods!’ ¹⁹And I, I knew that the king of Egypt will not give you to walk, and not via a gripping hand! ²⁰And I will send My Hand! And I will smite Egypt via all my miracles that I will do in his midst! And afterwards established, he will send you! ²¹And I will give the favour of this People in the eyes of Egypt. And he shall be, for ye will walk; ye will not emptily walk! ²²And a woman shall ask utensils of silver and utensils of gold and garments from her abider [fem.] and from the sojourner [fem.] of her house. And ye shall put upon your sons and upon your daughters. And ye shall rescue Egypt!”

Exodus 4

¹And Draw [Moshe] answered. And he said, “And behold, they will not believe me! And they will not hearken via my voice. For they will say, ‘Yehovah hath not appeared unto thee!’” “²And Yehovah said unto him, “What is that in thine hand?” And he said, “A rod.” ³And He said, “Cast him landward.” And he cast him landward. And he became to a serpent. And Draw [Moshe] fled from his faces. ⁴And Yehovah said unto Draw [Moshe], “Send thine hand. And grasp via his tail…”—And he sent forth his hand. And he gripped into him. And he became to a rod in his palm—⁵ “…in order that they will believe that Yehovah God of their fathers, the God of Father-Of-A-Crowd [Avraham], the God of He-Will-Laugh [Isaac] and the God of He-Will-Heel [Jacob] appeared unto thee.”

⁶And Yehovah further said to him, “Send, na, thy hand into thy lap.” And he sent his hand into his lap. And he exited her. And behold, his hand is scourged as snow! ⁷And He said, “Return thy hand unto thy lap.” And he returned his hand unto his lap. And he exited her from his lap. And behold, she returned as his flesh.

⁸ “And he shall be if they will not believe to thee and will not hearken to the voice of the first sign. And they will believe to the voice of the after sign. ⁹And he shall be if they will not believe also to these two signs and will not hearken to thy voice. And thou shalt take from the waters of the river. And thou shalt pour the dry. And they shall be the waters that thou shalt take from the river. And they shall become to blood in the dry.”

¹⁰And Draw [Moshe] said unto Yehovah, “Via me, my Lords? I am not a man of speeches─also from yesterday, also from three days ago, also from then—Thy speaking unto thy slave. For I am heavy of mouth and heavy of tongue!” ¹¹And Yehovah said unto him, “Who put a mouth to Adam? Or who will put a dumb or a deaf or an open or a blind? Isn’t [it] I, Yehovah? ¹²And now, walk! And I, I Will Be with thy mouth! And I will teach thee what thou shalt speak!”

¹³And he said, “Via me, my Lords? Send, na, via the Hand Thou shalt send.” ¹⁴And the nose of Yehovah heated via Draw [Moshe]. And He said, “Isn’t Oy!-Conception! [Aharon] thy brother the Levite? I knew that speaking, he will speak—he! And also, behold, he exits to meet thee. And he will see thee; and he will rejoice in his heart! ¹⁵And thou shalt speak unto him. And thou shalt put the speeches via his mouth. And I, I Will Be with thy mouth and with his mouth! And I will teach you what ye shall do! ¹⁶And he, he shall speak unto the people to thee. And he shall be. He—he shall be to thee to a mouth. And thou—thou shalt be to him to Gods! ¹⁷And thou shalt take this staff, via whom thou shalt do the signs, via thy hand.”

I. Home (chapter 2, verse 15)

Moshe the fugitive left Egypt. He went to the land of Midian. When he arrived there, he came to a well. He dwelt upon that well.

Questions

1. What speech did Pharaoh hear?

2. Why did Pharaoh seek to slay Moshe over this incident?

3. Why did Moshe flee from the faces of Pharaoh? Was he afraid of Pharaoh?

4. How much did Moshe give up by leaving?

5. Why would a land be called the land of Contention?

6. Why did Moshe choose this land instead of some other land where much more was available?

7. What does, “he dwelt upon the well” mean?

II. Daughters and Conflict (verses 16-17)

A pagan priest of Midian had seven daughters who tended their father’s flock. They let down containers to fill in order to water the flock.

Shepherds came. They threw these daughters away from the well. Moshe arose and saved them, and he watered their flock.

Questions

1. What does “They suspended and filled the troughs” mean?

2. Who are the shepherds who came and who expelled the seven daughters?

3. Why did they expel the women and girls?

4. How did Moshe save them?

5. Why did Moshe water their flock for them?

6. What did these seven women/girls think of Moshe?

III. The Stranger (verses 18-20)

The seven daughters came to Reuel their father. (This man has several names.) He saw that they were home very early today. He asked, “Why did ye rush to come today?” They said, “An Egyptian man rescued us from the hand of the shepherds. And also suspending, he suspended to us. And he watered the flock!” He said to them, “And where is he? Why is this? Ye forsook the man? Call to him! And he has eaten bread.”

Questions

1. The women said, “An Egyptian man rescued us from the hand of the shepherds.” What gave them the impression that Moshe was an Egyptian man?

2. What was so special about Moshe’s ‘suspending’ and watering the flock?

3. The first question that Reuel asked was, “And where is he?” What does this question tell about Reuel’s feelings?

4. If the above answer is true, why did the women just leave Moshe?

5. What did Reuel mean by, “Why is this?”

6. Reuel then says, “Ye forsook the man?” Why is this so bad in his eyes? After all, they were women; should women invite men home?

7. Reuel then said, “Call to him! And he has eaten bread.” How could they call to him? He didn’t have a cellular telephone. Also, what did Reuel mean by, “And he has eaten bread”?

IV. Home and Wife (verses 21-22)

Moshe was content to dwell with this priest. The priest gave his daughter Ladybird (Zipporah) to Moshe for a wife.

She became pregnant and childed a son. Moshe called his name Sojourner There (Ger-Shom) because Moshe said, “I was a sojourner in a foreign land.”

Questions

1. Why would Moshe, a man who feared Yehovah the Gods of Israel, be content to dwell with a priest of a false god?

2. Was Ladybird a believer in Moshe’s God?

3. Why was Moshe willing to have her for a wife if the answer proposed to the above question is true?

4. Did Moshe consider Midian a foreign land, and Egypt home?

V. New Leader, New Suffering (verses 23-25)

Many days now passed. The king of Egypt died. The slavery of the Israelis continued and became heavier; the children of Israel sighed from the slavery. They also screamed. Their imploring ascended unto the Gods from the slavery.

Elohim hearkened to their groaning. He remembered His Covenant with Avraham, with Isaac and with Jacob.

Elohim saw the children of Israel. Elohim knew.

Questions

1. What is significant about the king of Egypt dying?

2. Why did the children of Israel sigh from slavery?

3. To whom did they scream?

4. Why did the Egyptians treat the Israelis this way? What drove them to do this?

5. The text states, “their imploring ascended unto the Elohim from the slavery.” Did they implore to the Elohim?

6. What does “Elohim hearkened-to their groaning” mean and imply?

7. What is important about Elohim remembering His Covenant with Avraham, Isaac and Jacob?

8. The text next states, “And Elohim saw the children of Israel.” Why did this have to be written in the Bible? Wasn’t it quite obvious?

9. The text then states, “And Elohim knew.” Why is this so important? Isn’t it also obvious?

VI. A Normal Day (chapter 3, verse 1)

Moshe became a shepherd of Yetro’s flock, the flock of his father-in-law who was also a priest of Midian. Moshe conducted the flock after the desert—to locations where the desert gave way to hills. He came unto a hill known (or later known) as the Mountain of the Gods, toward Horeb.

Questions

1. How did Moshe become a shepherd?

2. Wasn’t being a shepherd quite a step down for him, since he was educated with the best Egyptian education?

3. Why did Moshe conduct (lead) the flock after the desert?

4. Where is this place called Mountain of the Gods?

VII. A Bush and Shoes (verses 2-5)

Messenger Yehovah appeared unto Moshe in a flame of fire from the middle of the bush. Moshe saw. He beheld that the bush burned in fire, and the bush isn’t being ‘eaten’ (consumed—used up)! Moshe said, “I will turn, na. And I saw this big appearance! Why won’t the bush burn?”

Yehovah saw that Moshe turned to see. Elohim called unto him from the midst of the bush! Elohim said, “Moshe! Moshe!” Moshe responded, “Behold, I!” Elohim continued, “Don’t approach here! Remove thy shoes from upon thy feet! For the Place that thou art standing upon him—he is the soil of the Holy-[One]!”

Questions

1. Who is Messenger Yehovah?

2. Why did Messenger Yehovah appear to Moshe in a flame of fire (of all things)?

3. What was burning in the fire? Explain.

4. Why was Moshe so curious about this burning bush that wasn’t being burned?

5. What does na mean?

6. Why did Moshe use na when speaking to himself???

7. Why does the text note that Yehovah saw that Moshe turned to see? Isn’t that obvious?

8. The text mentions Yehovah seeing, and then it says, “And Elohim called unto him from the midst of the bush. Before that, it stated that Messenger Yehovah appeared unto him. Why does the text give so many name/title combinations in one text?

9. Why did Elohim call unto him from the midst of the bush?

10. Why did Elohim call him twice when he was right there?

11. Why did he answer, “Behold, I”?

12. Elohim said, “Don’t approach here!” What would have been wrong with approaching there?

13. What does “For the Place that thou art standing upon him—he is the soil of the Holy-[One]” mean?

14. Who is this Holy One?

15. Why did Elohim command Moshe to remove his shoes?

16. Wasn’t the soil quite hot when Moshe removed his shoes?

17. How could Moshe tell where the border was so that he could go outside of the soil of the Holy One?

VIII. God’s Identification (verse 6)

Elohim said, “I Am Gods of thy father—Gods of Avraham, Gods of Isaac and Gods of Jacob.” Moshe hid his faces. He feared staring at Elohim!

Questions

1. Why did Elohim next say, “I am Gods of thy father—Gods of Avraham, Gods of Isaac and Gods of Jacob”?

2. Why did Moshe hide his faces?

3. Again, what would have been wrong with peering (looking closely and staring) unto the Gods?

IX. Yehovah’s Mission (verses 7-8)

Yehovah said, “Seeing, I saw the humiliation of My People who are in Egypt.” That covered seeing. He continued, “And I hearkened-to their scream from the faces of his slave-drivers.” That covered hearing. “For I knew his pains!” That covered knowing. “And I descended to rescue him from the hand of Egypt and to ‘ascend’ him from that land unto a good and broad land, unto a land oozing milk and honey, unto the place of the Canaanite and the Hittite and the Amorite and the Perizzite and the Hivite and the Jebusite.”

Questions

1. Why does Yehovah start by explaining what He saw regarding His People, and why does He call them “My People”?

2. Didn’t Moshe already know that he would be the deliverer of the Israelis?

3. What humiliation did the Israelis suffer?

4. When Yehovah said, “Seeing, I saw the humiliation of My People who are in Egypt,” what was this implying about the Egyptians and Yehovah?

5. Why did the Israelis scream?

6. Why did Yehovah say, “For I knew his pains”? Who is his?

7. When did Yehovah descend to rescue him?

8. Which land is the good and broad land that oozes milk and honey?

9. How can a land ooze milk? How can a land ooze honey?

10. Yehovah said that He would take Israel unto the place of the Canaanite, Hitite, Amorite, etc. Why did He take Israel to a place that was already populated, but with different groups, instead of leaving Israel in Egypt?

X. Moshe’s Mission (verses 9-10)

Yehovah continued, “And now, behold, the scream of the sons of Israel came unto me. And I also saw the oppression that Egyptians oppress them!” Yehovah again mentioned the sound and the sight.

“And now, walk! And I sent thee unto Pharaoh. And exit My People the sons of Israel from Egypt!”

Questions

1. The word scream is singular. What was occurring?

2. What is oppression?

3. Why did Yehovah command Moshe to walk instead of providing a beautiful chariot for him? Wouldn’t having a beautiful chariot make Moshe seem like someone worth giving a hearing?

4. Folks in the Bible are often commanded to walk. Why is this so important?

5. Yehovah said, “I sent thee unto Pharaoh.” What other words (in English) are directly connected to being sent?

6. Who are Yehovah’s People, according to this text?

7. Are only boys included in sons?

8. What is Israel?

XI. Who is Moshe? (verses 11-12)

Moshe had a question for the Elohim: “Who am I that I will walk unto Pharaoh, and that I will exit the sons of Israel from Egypt?” That seemed a little… bold. Elohim replied, “Because I Will Be with thee!” “I Will Be” is part of the Name Yehovah! He continued, “And this is the sign to thee that I—I sent thee: ye shall serve the Elohim upon this Mountain during thy exiting the People from Egypt.”

Questions

1. What did Moshe mean by the question, “Who am I that I will walk unto Pharaoh…”?

2. What did Moshe mean by, “Who am I … that I will exit the sons of Israel from Egypt?”

3. What did Yehovah mean by this answer: “Because I Will Be with thee”?

4. Yehovah continued, “And this is the sign to thee that I—I sent thee: ye shall serve the Elohim upon this Mountain during thy exiting the People from Egypt.” What kind of a sign is useful when it is given for a time after everything is accomplished? Didn’t Moshe need a sign before he went to Pharaoh???

5. What mountain is this?

6. Did the Israelis serve the Elohim uponthat mountain?

XII. What’s Your Name? (verses 13-14)

Moshe began to paint the scene that would occur if he did what Elohim commanded: “Behold I am coming unto the sons of Israel. And I will say to them, ‘Gods of your fathers sent me unto you!’ And they shall say to me, ‘What is his name?’ What shall I say unto them?” Elohim’s response was, “I Will Be Who I Will Be!” He then added, “Thus shalt thou say to the sons of Israel, ‘I Will Be sent me unto you!’”

Questions

1. Moshe thought that the following exchange would take place: “Behold I am coming unto the sons of Israel. And I will say to them, ‘Gods of your fathers sent me unto you!’ And they shall say to me, ‘What is his name?’” Do you think that would be the exchange (the talking back and forth) that would occur?

2. Since Gods is plural, and his is singular (in, “What is his name?”), how would the Israelis know that the plural Gods is a singular being?

3. What did Yehovah command Moshe to answer in response to the question about His name?

4. Were those clear answers?

5. What is so important about His Name being “I Will Be Who I Will Be”?

XIII. The Name (verse 15)

Elohim now told Moshe what to say: “So shalt thou say unto the sons of Israel, ‘Yehovah Gods of your fathers, Gods of Avraham, Gods of Isaac and Gods of Jacob sent me unto you!’ This is My Name to Hider. And this is My Remembrance to generation generation!”

Questions

1. Why did Elohim send Moshe to the Israelis instead of coming to them in person?

2. What is God’s full name, according to this text?

3. What is Hider?

4. How can a name be a remembrance?

5. What does generation generation mean?

XIV. Gather the Elders (verses 16-18)

Elohim next instructed Moshe: “Walk! And thou shalt gather the elders of Israel.” He didn’t tell him how he would accomplish this.

“And Thou shalt say unto them, ‘Yehovah Gods of your fathers appeared unto me─Gods of Avraham, Isaac and Jacob.’” That visit was so that Yehovah could tell the Israelis this: “Visiting, I visited you and the doings to you in Egypt!” This covers a visitation of Yehovah. When He visits, He also does something. “And I said, ‘I will ascend you from the humiliation of Egypt unto the Land of the Canaanite and the Hittite and the Amorite and the Perizzite and the Hivite and Jebusite, unto a land oozing milk and honey!’”

Yehovah then reassured Moshe, “And they shall hearken to thy voice!”

Questions

1. Yehovah told Moshe to walk, and to gather the elders of Israel. Where was he to walk? How did he know where to go?

2. Why did Yehovah command Moshe to gather the elders of Israel?

3. Yehovah told Moshe to say, “Visiting, I visited you and the doings to you in Egypt!” What is the difference between “Visiting, I visited” and “I visited”?

4. What did Yehovah mean by, “I visited you”?

5. He also said that He visited “the doings to you in Egypt.” What were those doings?

6. Yehovah next stated, “I will ascend you from the humiliation of Egypt…” Why didn’t Yehovah just do it quickly instead of dragging it out over a long period of time?

7. Yehovah said that He will ascend the Israelis unto the Land of the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Amorite, the Perizzite, the Hivite and the Jebusite. When He said this, He was stating that the land belonged to those folks (to the Canaanite, Hittite, Amorite, Perizzite, Hivite and Jebusite). Why would He take the Israelis to a land that belonged to other folks knowing that this will cause a conflict and a lot of death?

8. What is a land oozing milk?

9. What is a land oozing honey?

10. Yehovah said, “And they shall hearken to thy voice.” Who shall hearken, and when will they hearken?

XV. The Plan in Short Form (verses 18-22)

The next thing to occur will be this: “And thou shalt come—thou and the elders of Israel—unto the king of Egypt.” Moshe and the elders will then say unto the pharaoh, “Yehovah Gods of the Hebrews happened upon us! And now, we will walk, na, a way of three days into the desert. And we sacrificed her to Yehovah our Gods!”

How will the king respond, according to Yehovah? “And I, I knew that the king of Egypt will not give you to walk, and not via a gripping hand!” So, what will Yehovah do? “And I will send My Hand! And I will smite Egypt via all my miracles that I will do in his midst! And afterwards established, he will send you!”

This isn’t the only event that will take place; Yehovah continued, “And I will give the favour of this People in the eyes of Egypt.” Thus, the Egyptians will look favourably upon the Israelis! How will this be known? “And he shall be, for ye will walk; ye will not emptily walk!” They will take things with them as they leave!

This is what will occur: “And a woman shall ask utensils of silver and utensils of gold and garments from her abider [fem.] and from the sojourner [fem.] of her house.”

Where will they put these items? “And ye shall put upon your sons and upon your daughters.”

What will be the result of this action of obtaining goods from the Egyptians? “And ye shall rescue Egypt!”

Questions

1. How can Moshe and the elders of Israel come unto the king of Egypt? Does the king let just anyone come before him?

2. How will the king of Egypt respond to Moshe’s declaration, “Yehovah Gods of the Hebrews happened upon us”?

3. Yehovah next told Moshe to say, “And now, we will walk, na, a way of three days into the desert. And we sacrificed her to Yehovah our Gods!” What would Moshe be telling the king that the Israelis were going to do?

4. Who is her in, “And we sacrificed her to Yehovah our Gods”?

5. Yehovah next told Moshe, “And I, I knew that the king of Egypt will not give you to walk, and not via a gripping hand!” What does this mean?

6. Yehovah states, “And I will send My Hand!” Identify Yehovah’s Hand, and how Yehovah will send His Hand:

7. He then states, “And I will smite Egypt via all my miracles that I will do in his midst!” What is He going to do?

8. When will the king send the Israelis?

9. What does “And I will give the favour of this People in the eyes of Egypt” mean?

10. Why will the Egyptians favour the People of Israel (besides Yehovah’s causing them to do this)?

11. Who is he in, “And he shall be, for ye will walk”?

12. What does “for ye will walk” mean?

13. What does “ye will not emptily walk” mean?

14. Yehovah next told Moshe, “And a woman shall ask utensils of silver and utensils of gold and garments from her abider [fem.] and from the sojourner [fem.] of her house.” What are utensils of silver and utensils of gold?

15. Why will a woman ask for these things?

16. What are these garments that the Israelis will ask from Egyptian women?

17. What is an abider?

18. What is a sojourner?

19. Why would Egyptian women be sojourners and be staying with Israeli women?

20. The text states, “And ye shall put upon your sons and upon your daughters.” What shall they put upon their sons and upon their daughters?

21. Explain “And ye shall rescue Egypt”—how will this act rescue Egypt?

XVI. Moshe’s Response (chapter 4, verses 1-5)

Moshe knew that the Israelis would not believe him: “And behold, they will not believe me! And they will not hearken via my voice. For they will say, ‘Yehovah hath not appeared unto thee!’” Yehovah then asked Moshe, “What is that in thine hand?” Moshe said, “A rod.” Yehovah said, “Cast him landward [toward the land].” Moshe did so. And the rod became a serpent! Moshe fled from the serpent’s faces!

Yehovah said to Moshe, “Send thine hand. And grasp via his tail…” Yehovah waited for Moshe to do this. Moshe sent his hand, and he gripped into the tail of the serpent. And the serpent became a rod in the palm of his hand. Yehovah then continued, “…in order that they will believe that Yehovah God of their fathers, the God of Avraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob appeared unto thee.”

Questions

1. Was Moshe correct when he said, “And behold, they will not believe me! And they will not hearken via my voice. For they will say, ‘Yehovah hath not appeared unto thee!’”?

2. Why did Yehovah ask Moshe, “What is that in thine hand?” Didn’t Yehovah know?

3. What does “Cast him landward” mean?

4. Why did Moshe flee when his rod became a serpent?

5. From whose faces did Moshe flee?

6. What does “send thine hand” mean?

7. Would you send your hand and grasp the tail of a snake if someone trustworthy told you to do that?

8. Moshe gripped into the serpent, and the serpent became a rod in the palm of his hand. Was this a magic trick that Yehovah taught Moshe?

9. What was the purpose of this rod/serpent miracle?

XVII. Another Miracle (verses 6-7)

Yehovah then commanded Moshe, “Send, na, thy hand into thy lap.” He did what he was told, and then he brought his hand out. His hand now had the scourge, and it was white, the color of snow! Yehovah commanded him, “Return thy hand unto thy lap.” He did so, and brought it out again. His hand returned as normal—as his flesh.

Questions

1. What does na mean (verse 6), and why did Yehovah use it when speaking to Moshe?

2. What does scourged mean?

3. What did his scourged hand resemble?

4. Why did Yehovah tell Moshe to send his hand into his lap (striking it with disease), and then to return unto his lap (returning it back to normal) instead of just telling him what would happen?

XVIII. The “if’s” (verses 8-9)

What would Moshe do if they didn’t believe the first sign? “And he shall be if they will not believe to thee and will not hearken to the voice of the first sign. And they will believe to the voice of the after sign.

What would Moshe do if they didn’t believe both these signs? “And he shall be if they will not believe also to these two signs and will not hearken to thy voice. And thou shalt take from the waters of the river. And thou shalt pour the dry. And they shall be the waters that thou shalt take from the river. And they shall become to blood in the dry.”

Questions

1. Yehovah used if: “…if they will not believe to thee, and will not hearken to the voice of the first sign…” Why would Yehovah use if when He knows exactly what will happen?

2. How can a sign talk—(“and will not hearken to the voice of the first sign”)?

3. Which sign is the first sign?

4. Which sign is the after sign (verse 8)?

5. What is the third sign?

XIX. Moshe’s Speech Impediment (verses 10-12)

Moshe now had another problem that had to be solved. He started by asking Yehovah, “Via me, my Lords?”—that is, “by means of me, my Lords?” Moshe continued, “I am not a man of speeches─also from yesterday, also from three days ago, also from then—Thy speaking unto thy slave!”

What was Moshe’s problem? “For I am heavy of mouth and heavy of tongue!”

Yehovah had a response for him: “Who put a mouth to Adam? Or who will put a dumb or a deaf or an open or a blind? Isn’t [it] I, Yehovah? And now, walk! And I, I Will Be with thy mouth! And I will teach thee what thou shalt speak!”

Questions

1. Moshe now had a different issue to discuss with Yehovah. He said, “Via me, my Lords?” What did Moshe mean by this?

2. What did Moshe mean by, “I am not a man of speeches”?

3. Moshe said, “I am not a man of speeches─also from yesterday, also from three days ago, also from then—Thy speaking unto thy slave.” Explain why he said, “also from yesterday”:

4. Moshe said, “I am not a man of speeches─also from yesterday, also from three days ago, also from then—Thy speaking unto thy slave.” Explain why he said, “also from three days ago”:

5. Moshe said, “I am not a man of speeches─also from yesterday, also from three days ago, also from then—Thy speaking unto thy slave.” Explain why he said, “also from then—Thy speaking unto thy slave”:

6. What does “For I am heavy of mouth and heavy of tongue” mean?

7. Yehovah started His answer with this: “Who put a mouth to Adam?” What does that mean?

8. What did Yehovah mean by, “Or who will put a dumb or a deaf or an open or a blind? Isn’t [it] I, Yehovah?”

9. Why did Yehovah say, “And now, walk”?

10. What is hidden in plain sight in, “And I, I Will Be with thy mouth”?

11. What did Yehovah mean by, “And I will teach thee what thou shalt speak”?

XX. Yehovah Becomes Angry (verses 13-17)

Moshe repeated, “Via me, my Lords?” He then said, “Send, na, via the hand Thou shalt send.” This response angered Yehovah. He replied, “Isn’t Aharon thy brother the Levite? I knew that speaking, he will speak—he!”

Yehovah then gave this information: “And also, behold, he exits to meet thee. And he will see thee; and he will rejoice in his heart!”

Yehovah then gave this plan: “And thou shalt speak unto him. And thou shalt put the speeches via his mouth. And I, I Will Be with thy mouth and with his mouth! And I will teach you what ye shall do! And he, he shall speak unto the people to [for] thee.”

Yehovah told of one more detail that would make this work: “And he shall be. He—he shall be to thee to a mouth. And thou—thou shalt be to him to Gods!”

Yehovah reminded Moshe, “And thou shalt take this staff, via whom thou shalt do the signs, via thy hand.”

Questions

1. Why did Moshe repeat, “Via me, my Lords?”

2. Hadn’t Moshe been convinced that Yehovah was going to use him to do something for the People of Israel?

3. Moshe next said, “Send, na, via the Hand Thou shalt send.” Yehovah became very angry at this reply. Why? What was Moshe saying that so angered Yehovah?

4. What does “And the nose of Yehovah heated via Moshe” mean?

5. Why did Yehovah ask, “Isn’t Aharon thy brother the Levite?”

6. Yehovah also stated, “I knew that speaking, he will speak—he!” What did He mean?

7. Yehovah then said, “And also, behold, he exits to meet thee.” Why was Aharon exiting Egypt to meet Moshe at this time?

8. What did Yehovah imply by saying, “And he will see thee; and he will rejoice in his heart”?

9. Why did Yehovah say, “And thou shalt speak unto him”?

10. What does “And thou shalt put the speeches via his mouth” mean?

11. Yehovah then stated, “And I, I Will Be with thy mouth and with his mouth!” What did Yehovah mean?

12. How will Moshe and Aharon know what to do?

13. What will be Aharon’s role (according to verse 16)?

14. “And he shall be.” Who or what shall be?

15. Why did Yehovah again say, “He—he shall be to thee to a mouth”?

16. What does “And thou—thou shalt be to him to Gods” mean?

17. Why did Yehovah mention, “And thou shalt take this staff, via whom thou shalt do the signs, via thy hand”?

April 10, 2010July 5, 2017

Ark of the Covenant

About the Ark of the Covenant

Location and Construction

The Ark originally was in the heavens before it was copied on earth. Yehovah told Moshe to make all the items pertinent to the Tabernacle (which I will now call the Tent of Appointment according to the Hebrew literal meaning) after the pattern that Yehovah showed him:

Exodus 25:9 According to all that I show thee, the pattern of the Tent and the pattern of all the instruments thereof, even so shall ye make.

Moshe oversaw the construction of copies, not of originals. Both the Temple and the Tent were already in the heavens. Moshe oversaw the construction of the Tent (more or less; he didn’t have to supervise, the Spirit of Yehovah doing that function), and Solomon later oversaw the construction of the Temple. Both are types (real and important items that are show-and-tell pictures of things, persons, times or items that are far more important). All the utensils are types.

A Type

The Ark is also a type.

Hebrews 8:1 Now this is the sum of the things that we have spoken: We have such a High Priest Who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, 2a Minister of the sanctuary and of the true Tent that Yehovah pitched, and not man. 3For every High Priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices. Therefore it is of necessity that this man has somewhat also to offer. 4For if He were on earth, He would not be a priest, seeing that there are priests that offer gifts according to the Torah 5who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the Tent. For, “See,” He says, “that thou make all things according to the type showed to thee in the mountain.”

Contents of the Ark

The Ark was completed, and certain items were placed inside of it:

Aaron’s rod that budded, flowered and fruited almonds
A gold urn with manna
The two stone writing-slates (tablets) with the Ten Statements (the ‘ten commandments’).

Numbers 17:8 And it came to pass, that on the morrow Moshe went into the Tent of witness. And behold, the rod of Aaron was budded for the house of Levi. And he brought forth buds and bloomed blossoms, and yielded almonds.

Hebrews 9:4 …that had the golden censer, and the Ark of the Covenant overlaid round about with gold, wherein was the golden pot that had manna, and Aaron’s rod that budded, and the tables of the Covenant…

Palestinian Capture

That earthly Ark was later captured by the Palestinians when Israel wasn’t doing right. The Palestinians looked into it, and Yehovah struck the Palestinians with terrible hemorrhoids and an outbreak of rats. Their occult practitioners explained why: Yehovah wasn’t pleased. They determined to return the Ark back to Israel to stop this terrible scourge.

Its Gold

The top of the Ark was made of pure gold. This is not a known item at our present time, since pure gold is clear as crystal:

Revelation 21:18 And the building of the wall of it was of jasper. And the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass.

Revelation 21:21 And the twelve gates were twelve pearls. Every several gate was of one pearl. And the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass.

Types of the Lid Explained

The lid of the Ark was made of one piece of gold uncut in its making, and turned so that it was the shape of the lid and two cherubim (normally a particular type of angel, but in this case being Yehovah the Father and Yehovah the Spirit) facing each other with their wings toward each other. The Cherubim faced downward, and thus through the lid to the items in the box. The box itself was made of wood covered with pure gold, so that the wood could be seen as if behind glass. Inset into the box were telescoping carrying rods that could be retracted into the box. All these things are types—every detail. The lid itself was called the cover, and typified Messiah. Thus, the Shma of Deuteronomy 6:4 was made in physical form:

Deuteronomy 6:4 “Hearken, Israel! Yehovah, our Gods, Yehovah is One!”

The Ark later was missing several of its items, those items probably having been taken when the Ark was captured.

Death Penalty

While the Israelis had a death sentence for handling the Ark (unless they were the specific priests in a specific order that had the responsibility to handle it), no such death penalty was placed on folks from the other races who might touch it when capturing it. Yehovah didn’t appreciate the Palestinians’ handling the Ark (when they captured it) or their attitude, and He struck them as mentioned, so that they feared. He did not kill them for touching it.

Once the Ark was constructed, Yehovah commanded that a cover be made, and that cover always had to be used when transporting the Ark. Thus, the Israelis never saw the Ark again once it was finished and sanctified by blood. This is also a type. They saw a covered object being carried, but the Ark was not seen. It was kept in the Tent except for a period of time when it was kept in a person’s home, covered, no one touching it.

One Israeli was struck dead by Yehovah when he reached to steady it when it was being improperly transported on an oxcart. This Israeli had become lax, the Ark having been in his father’s home. He was not a priest, and he had no right touching it for any reason. The oxen stumbled, but that did not mean that the cart was in danger.

When the Babylonian captivity occurred, all things in the Temple (including the Ark with a much larger set of Cherubim that had been constructed) were captured. As far as I know, this is the last time the Ark was in Israel, though Jewish tradition claims that it was also in the Temple that was destroyed in 70 A.D.

Millennium

Many fables of the Ark have circulated. I have found no indication of an Ark in the Millennial Temple, since what it typifies (Messiah and Israel) will be present. It cannot directly be used for instruction, since no one will be permitted to enter the Holy of Holies in the Millennium any more than at previous times. Since its description is in good detail, teaching what it typifies will be far more important and useful than seeing it.

The original Ark not made by human hands is where it always was: in the heavens.

Revelation 11:19 And the temple of God was opened in the heavens. And there was seen the Ark of His Covenant in His Temple.

Its Names

It is called by various names:

Ark of the Testimony
Ark of the Covenant of Yehovah
Ark of the Covenant
Ark of Yehovah
Ark of God
Ark of the God of Israel
Ark of the Lord Yehovah
Ark of His Testament (Covenant)

March 27, 2010July 5, 2017

Exodus 16 What is It?

What is it?

Background and printed text: Exodus chapter 16

Exodus 16:1 And they journeyed from Their-Ram. And they came—all the witness of the children of Israel—unto the Thorn Desert that is between Their-Ram and between My-Thorn in the fifteenth day to the second month to their exiting from the land of Double-Adversity [Egypt].

²And they lodged—all the witness of the children of Israel—upon Draw [Moshe] and upon Oy!-Conception! [Aharon] in the desert. ³And the children of Israel said unto them, “Who will give our death? Via the hand of Yehovah? Via the land of Egypt? Via our sitting upon a pot of the flesh? Via our eating bread to the full? For ye exited us unto this desert to kill all this congregation via famine!”

⁴And Yehovah said unto Draw [Moshe], “Behold I am raining bread to you from the heavens! And the people shall exit. And they shall glean a speech of a day in his day so-that I will test him: Will he walk via my Teaching, if not? ⁵And he shall be in the sixth day. And they shall foundation what they shall bring. And he shall be doubled upon what they shall glean: day, day.

⁶And Draw [Moshe] said, and Oy!-Conception! [Aharon], unto all the children of Israel: “Evening! And ye shall know that Yehovah exited you from the land of Egypt! ⁷And morning! And ye shall see the importance of Yehovah via His hearkening-to your lodgings upon Yehovah! And what are we that ye shall be lodged upon us?”

⁸And Draw [Moshe] said, “Via Yehovah’s giving flesh to you in the evening to eat and bread in the morning to satisfaction! Via Yehovah’s hearkening-to your lodgings that ye are lodging them upon us! And what are we? Your lodgings are not upon us; for, upon Yehovah!”

⁹And Draw [Moshe] said unto Oy!-Conception! [Aharon], “Say unto all the witness of the children of Israel, ‘Approach-ye to the faces of Yehovah! For He hearkened-to your lodgings!’” ¹⁰And he was as the speech of Oy!-Conception! [Aharon] is unto all the witness of the children of Israel. And they faced unto the desert. And behold, the importance of Yehovah was seen via a cloud.

¹¹And Yehovah spoke unto Draw [Moshe] to say, ¹² “I hearkened-to the lodgings of the children of Israel. Speak unto them to say, ‘Ye shall eat flesh between the evenings. And ye shall be satisfied of bread in the morning. And ye shall know that I am Yehovah your Gods!’”

¹³And he shall be in the evening. And the quail has ascended. And she covered the camp. And in the morning she was the lying of the dew around to the camp. ¹⁴And the lying of the dew ascended. And behold upon the faces of the desert is the fineness of a fine, vanishing pottery-refuge as a cover upon the land. ¹⁵And the children of Israel saw. And they said a man unto his brother, “What is that?” For they didn’t know what he is. And Draw [Moshe] said unto them, “He is the bread that Yehovah gave her to you to eat. ¹⁶This is the speech that Yehovah commanded: Glean-ye from him, a man to the mouth of his eating, a baler to the skull from a scrolling of your beings. Ye shall take a man to what is in his tent.” ¹⁷And established, the children of Israel did. And they gleaned, the multiplier and the little-causer. ¹⁸And they measured via a baler. And the multiplier didn’t-cause the surplus. And the little-causer didn’t cause-lack. They gleaned a man to the mouth of his eating!

¹⁹And Draw [Moshe] said unto them, “A man shall not ‘excess’ from him unto morning!” ²⁰And they didn’t hearken unto Draw [Moshe]. And men ‘excessed’ from him unto morning. And he elevated worms. And he stank. And Draw [Moshe] angered concerning them. ²¹And they gleaned him in the morning, in the morning, a man as the mouth of his eating. And the sun heated. And he melted.

²²And he was in day sixth. They gleaned double bread: two of the baler to one. And all of the carriers of the congregation came. And they told to Draw [Moshe]. ²³And he said unto them, “He is what Yehovah spoke. A cessation—a ceasing of the Holy-[One] is to Yehovah tomorrow. Bake-ye what ye shall bake and boil-ye what ye shall boil. And ye shall rest to you all the surplus to tomorrow unto the morning.” ²⁴And they rested him unto the morning just-as Draw [Moshe] commanded. And he didn’t stink. And a maggot wasn’t in him.

²⁵And Draw [Moshe] said, “Eat-thou him today. For today is a ceasing to Yehovah. Ye shall not find him today in the field. ²⁶Thou shalt glean him six days. And cease-thou in the seventh day! He will not be in him!”

²⁷And he was in the Day Seventh. They exited from the people to glean. And they didn’t find. ²⁸And Yehovah said unto Draw [Moshe], “Until when are ye refusing to guard my commandments and my teachings? ²⁹See-ye that Yehovah gave the Ceasing to you! Therefore He, He gave bread of two days to you in Day Seventh! Return-ye a man under himself! A man shall not exit from his place in the Day Seventh!” ³⁰And they ceased—the people—in Day the Seventh. ³¹And they—the House of Israel—called his name, ‘What?’ [män]. And he is as the seed of white coriander. And his taste is as a pancake in honey.

³²And Draw [Moshe] said, “This is the speech that Yehovah commanded: ‘Fill the baler from him for a guarding to your generations so-that they shall see the bread that I caused-you-to-eat in the desert during my exiting you from the land of Egypt!’”

³³And Draw [Moshe] said unto Oy!-Conception! [Aharon], “Take one concave-concave. And give a fullness of a baler of ‘What?’. And rest him to the faces of Yehovah for a guarding to your generations ³⁴just-as Yehovah commanded unto Draw [Moshe]. And Oy!-Conception! [Aharon] rested him to the faces of the Witness for a guarding. ³⁵And the children of Israel ate the ‘What?’ forty year[s] unto their coming unto a dwelt land. They ate the ‘What?’ unto their coming unto an edge of the land of Merchant [Canaan]. ³⁶And the baler is a tenth of the baker.

I. The Long Journey (verse 1)

The Israelis journeyed from Their-Ram to Thorn Desert. This desert is between Their-Ram and My-Thorn.

The Israelis together are called the witness of the children of Israel.

They traveled until the fifteenth day of the second month from the time that they exited from Egypt!

Questions

1. Why would a desert be named Thorn Desert?

2. How long have the Israelis been traveling at this time?

3. Did the Israelis know where they were going?

II. Anger and Bitterness (verses 2-3)

The witness of the children of Israel became angry, and came into the personal space of Moshe and Aharon. They wanted to know who will give (cause) their death; will it be the hand of Yehovah? Will it be the land of Egypt? Will it be by means of sitting upon a pot of flesh? Will it be by means of having plenty of food? They then accused them both: “Ye exited us unto this desert to kill all this congregation via famine!”

Questions

1. The text states that all the witness of the children of Israel lodged upon Moshe and Aharon. What does this mean?

2. The text states that the witness of the children of Israel lodged in the desert. What is a witness as it is used here?

3. Why does the text mention that this witness of Israel lodged upon Moshe and Aharon in the desert? Why is that so important?

4. Are the children of Israel young?

5. The children of Israel said, “Who will give our death?” What did they mean?

6. Explain their accusation against Moshe and Aharon:

7. Are the Israelis in danger of dying of starvation?

8. Why did Yehovah permit them to become so hungry?

III. The Test (verses 4-5)

Yehovah spoke unto Moshe. He explained what He was about to do: “Behold I am raining bread to you from the heavens.” He then explained how the Israelis were to respond: “And the people shall exit. And they shall glean a speech of a day in his day.” Yehovah’s purpose was to test them in order to demonstrate if they will walk via His Teaching, or not.

Yehovah then gave more instructions: “And he shall be in the sixth day. And they shall foundation what they shall bring. And he shall be doubled upon what they shall glean: day, day.” This is what will occur for the Sabbath.

Questions

1. How will Yehovah rain bread to the Israelis from the heavens?

2. The next statement is, “And the people shall exit.” What shall he (the people) exit?

4. What will the Israelis glean in this case? What is there to harvest?

5. What does “a speech of a day in his day” mean?

6. What is the purpose for causing the Israelis to have to glean for their food, according to the text?

7. Who is he in, “Will he walk via my Teaching”?

8. Explain if in, “Will he walk via my Teaching, if not”:

9. What does “And they shall foundation what they shall bring” mean?

10. At the end of the statement, “And he shall be doubled upon what they shall glean: day, day,” the words day, day are found. What do they mean?

IV. Moshe’s and Aharon’s Response (verses 6-7)

Moshe and Aharon told the Israelis what Yehovah had told them. They explained, “Evening! And ye shall know that Yehovah exited you from the land of Egypt!” Thus, they would know this by evening. They also said, “And morning! And ye shall see the importance of Yehovah via His hearkening-to your lodgings upon Yehovah!” They then added, “And what are we that ye shall be lodged upon us?”

Questions

1. Verse 6 starts out, “And Moshe said, and Aharon, unto all the children of Israel…” Why didn’t it just say, “And Moshe and Aharon said unto all the children of Israel…”?

2. What did Moshe (and Aharon) mean by saying, “Evening”?

3. Didn’t the Israelis already know that Yehovah is the One Who exited them from the land of Egypt?

4. What did Moshe mean by, “ye shall see the importance of Yehovah”?

5. How will the Israelis see Yehovah’s importance?

6. Moshe added, “And what are we that ye shall be lodged upon us?” What did he mean by this?

V. Outrage (verse 8)

The next statement of Moshe seems to be the answer to a question: “Via Yehovah’s giving flesh to you in the evening to eat and bread in the morning to satisfaction, via Yehovah’s hearkening-to your lodgings that ye are lodging them upon us…” Moshe then again stated, “And what are we?” He then accused them: “Your lodgings are not upon us; for, upon Yehovah!”

Questions

1. Moshe gave two incomplete sentences (they have no verb). The first states, “Via Yehovah’s giving flesh to you in the evening to eat and bread in the morning to satisfaction!” What did he mean by this?

2. Explain the second incomplete sentence, “Via Yehovah’s hearkening-to your lodgings that ye are lodging them upon us”:

3. What did Moshe mean by, “Your lodgings are not upon us; for, upon Yehovah”?

VI. The Glory of Yehovah (verses 9-10)

Moshe now spoke to Aharon, giving him instructions to tell the Israelis: “Say unto all the witness of the children of Israel, ‘Approach-ye to the faces of Yehovah! For He hearkened-to your lodgings!’”

When Aharon was just finished relaying this information to all the witness of the children of Israel, they faced toward the desert. And they beheld; they saw the importance of Yehovah by means of a cloud!

Questions

1. Why did Moshe tell Aharon to say things to the witness of the children of Israel instead of saying things himself?

2. How can the witness of the children of Israel approach to the faces of Yehovah? Where are His faces located?

3. The text next stated, “And he was as the speech of Aharon is unto all the witness of the children of Israel.” Who is he?

4. The text says, “And behold, the importance of Yehovah was seen via a cloud.” What did they see?

VII. Yehovah Speaks (verses 11-12)

Now Yehovah spoke unto Moshe: “I hearkened-to the lodgings of the children of Israel.” Yehovah gave Moshe a reply for them: “Ye shall eat flesh between the evenings. And ye shall be satisfied of bread in the morning. And ye shall know that I am Yehovah your Gods!”

Questions

1. What does “Ye shall eat flesh between the evenings” mean, and what does between the evenings mean?

2. What does “And ye shall be satisfied of bread” mean?

3. The last statement is, “And ye shall know that I am Yehovah your Gods.” Didn’t they already know that Yehovah is their Gods?

VIII. What is He? (verses 13-18)

When the evening will come, the quail has ascended and has covered the camp! She is still there in the morning as the dew began to set. Then the lying of the dew ascended. In its place is the fineness of a fine vanishing refuge (a little shelter that disappears) that altogether is a cover upon the land! The children of Israel saw this and began questioning each other: “What is that?” They didn’t know what it was. Moshe said unto them, “He is the bread that Yehovah gave her to you to eat. This is the speech that Yehovah commanded.”

Moshe told them what to do: “Glean-ye from him, a man to the mouth of his eating, a baler to the skull from a scrolling of your beings.” (A baler measures grain taken from bales of grain stalks; the skull refers to the head-count.) He continued: “Ye shall take a man to what is in his tent,” referring to collecting the amount needed for all the occupants.

The Israelis did what they were told. They gleaned. Some multiplied the amounts gathered, and some only took a small amount. They then began to measure what they took using a baler (a grain measuring container, like a measuring cup). The person who took much more than he would need didn’t cause a surplus, and the one who took very little didn’t cause any lack! Every person gleaned exactly what he or she needed to eat!

Questions

1. Who is he who shall be in the evening?

2. If the quail ascended (went up), from where did they ascend?

3. What does “she covered the camp” mean?

4. What does “And in the morning she was the lying of the dew around to the camp” mean?

5. What happened when the lying of the dew ascended?

6. What does “the fineness of a fine, vanishing pottery-refuge” describe?

7. Where were these small items found?

8. Wouldn’t this item be mixed with soil, with bird droppings, and with other things that would pollute it so that it couldn’t be eaten?

9. Why did Yehovah make certain that it covered the land?

10. What was the reaction of the Israelis to this stuff?

11. Moshe explained, “He is the bread that Yehovah gave her to you to eat.” Who is her?

12. Why did Yehovah force them to glean for this food instead of causing it to appear in their empty bowls each morning?

13. How must of this food was each collector told to collect?

14. What does baler mean?

15. To what does the skull refer?

16. What is a scrolling of beings?

17. Explain using more modern and simpler words what “Glean-ye from him, a man to the mouth of his eating, a baler to the skull from a scrolling of your beings” means:

18. What does “Ye shall take a man to what is in his tent” mean?

19. Why did Yehovah find it necessary to say that the children of Israel did?

20. What does “the multiplier and the little-causer” mean?

21. Why did they measure via a baler? What were they trying to see?

22. What miracle is described in verse 18, and what does this show?

IX. No Leftovers (verses 19-21)

Moshe warned the Israelis: “A man shall not ‘excess’ from him unto morning,” indicating that none of the gleaning was to be left until morning. The Israelis didn’t hearken; they set some extra aside for the next morning. It developed worms, and it stank! Moshe became angry at them.

They gleaned this every morning just as a person needed for his mouth (his appetite). When the sun became hot, this item left on the ground melted.

Questions

1. What does “A man shall not ‘excess’ from him unto morning” mean?

2. What was wrong with keeping leftovers?

3. The text states, “And they didn’t hearken unto Moshe. And men ‘excessed’ from him unto morning.” Why did they do this?

4. Who elevated worms, and what does this mean?

5. Why did Moshe anger? What was the big deal?

6. What does “And they gleaned him in the morning, in the morning, a man as the mouth of his eating” mean?

7. Who or what melted? What does this mean?

8. Of what was this food made?

X. Double (verses 22-24)

Day sixth (Friday) came. Whatever they picked up was double compared to the previous days; the baler (measurer) showed this. Those in the congregation who carried information came to tell Moshe. He said unto them, “He is what Yehovah spoke. A cessation—a ceasing of the Holy-[One] is to Yehovah tomorrow.” He then instructed them, “Bake-ye what ye shall bake and boil-ye what ye shall boil.” They could fix this product in any way they chose. “And ye shall rest to you all the surplus to tomorrow unto the morning.” That way, they would have food for the next day. The Israelis did this. This product didn’t stink, and no maggot was found in it.

Questions

1. What was in day sixth?

2. What miracle occurred on day sixth, according to this text?

3. What are the carriers of the congregation?

4. Why did the carriers consider telling Moshe about the doubling of the measurements as if this were so important?

5. What is this cessation?

6. Why is this called “a ceasing of the Holy One”? Who is this Holy One, and from what will he cease?

7. What ways could this strange bread be fixed, according to verse 23?

8. What does “And ye shall rest to you all the surplus to tomorrow unto the morning” mean?

XI. Ceasing (verses 25-26)

Moshe told Israel (as if Israel were one person), “Eat-thou him today,” referring to the strange ‘bread’ (food) that the Israelis had picked from the ground the previous day. He explained, “For today is a ceasing to Yehovah. Ye shall not find him today in the field.” Moshe continued, “Thou shalt glean him six days. And cease-thou in the seventh day! He will not be in him!”

Questions

1. On what day did Moshe say, “Eat-thou him today”?

2. Who is him whom they won’t find in the field?

3. Who owns this ceasing, and what does owning it mean?

4. Why won’t the Israelis find ‘him’ in the field on this day?

5. Will there be a future event that will include these six days when this Bread can be gathered, after which it won’t be available?

XII. Refusal to Guard (verses 27-31)

The next event occurred on Day Seventh—that is, on Saturday in the way we reckon days. Some of the Israelis exited to glean the strange food from the ground. They didn’t find it, of course. Yehovah responded to their actions by stating to Moshe, “Until when are ye refusing to guard my commandments and my teachings? See-ye that Yehovah gave the Ceasing to you! Therefore He, He gave bread of two days to you in Day Seventh!” Yehovah referred to Himself in the third person!

Yehovah continued, “Return-ye a man under himself!” (What did He mean?) He then commanded, “A man shall not exit from his place in the Day Seventh!” This was the most restrictive command Yehovah gave regarding the Sabbath.

The Israelis ceased; the entire people did this in Day the Seventh.

They needed a name for this edible item picked from the desert floor. They called it, “What?” which in Hebrew is män (the ä is pronounced like “ma” in the shortened form for mother).

Its size was the size of white coriander seed—that is, about an eighth of an inch. The taste was like a pancake in honey!

Questions

1. Who was in the Day Seventh?

2. What is the difference between “the Day Seventh” and “the seventh Day”?

3. Who exited from the people to glean?

4. Did Moshe also go out to glean on Day Seventh?

5. If the above answer is correct, why did Yehovah say unto Moshe, “Until when are ye refusing to guard my commandments and my teachings,” as if Moshe is one of the violators?

6. Were the Israelis refusing to guard Yehovah’s commandments and His teachings by just looking for the special Bread on the Sabbath?

7. To whom did Yehovah give the Ceasing, according to verse 29, and what does this mean?

8. What does “Return ye a man under himself” mean?

9. When Moshe commanded, “A man shall not exit from his place in the Day Seventh,” what did he mean?

10. The text states, “And they ceased—the people—in Day the Seventh.” From what did they cease?

11. What does manna mean, according to verse 31?

12. In what way is manna like white coriander, and what does that look like?

13. Like what did manna taste?

14. Did everyone like the taste of manna?

XIII. The Guarding (verse 32)

The measurement, an omer, is a baler—that is, it is a container that was used when baling hay and grains. Yehovah commanded the Israelis to gather a baler of the män to guard it for the generations of Israelis so that they will see this food that Yehovah caused the Israelis to eat in the desert during His exiting them from the land of Egypt.

Questions

1. What did Yehovah command to do with some of the manna in verse 32, and why did He command this?

2. Did Israel do this?

3. Where is this manna now, so that we can see it?

XIV. The Basket of Mahn (verses 33-36)

Moshe told Aharon to take one double-concave container, and give a fullness of a baler of ‘What?’ This included filling it with the män. Aharon must rest the container to the faces of Yehovah for a guarding to the generations of the Israelis; that is what Yehovah had commanded Moshe. Aharon did so in front of the Witness—in front of Israel—so that Israel will guard it.

The children of Israel ate the ‘What?’ (män) forty years right up to the time that they came unto a land already being dwelt. They ate this ‘What?’ (män) right up to the point of their coming to the very edge of the land of Canaan.

What volume size is the baler (an omer)? It is a tenth of a baker’s measure (an ephah).

Questions

1. What is a concave-concave?

2. What does “And give a fullness of a baler of ‘What?’” mean?

3. Where did Israel put this jar, and for what purpose did Israel put it there?

4. Why is faces plural (more than one)?

5. In what way will this manna be “for a guarding to your generations”?

6. Where did Aharon place the manna?

7. How long did the Israelis eat the manna?

8. What land is the dwelt land?

9. What is a baker?