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44 – Parashat Shofetiym (שֹׁפְטִ֣ים) – “Judges” – January 25th thru January 31th

Devariym (Deuteronomy)  16:18 – 21:9

Devariym (Deuteronomy) 16:18-22

  • 18. Judges and officers shalt thou make thee in all thy gates, which Yahuah Elohayka giveth thee, throughout thy tribes: and they shall judge the people with just judgment.
  • 19. Thou shalt not wrest judgment; thou shalt not respect persons, neither take a gift: for a gift doth blind the eyes of the wise, and pervert the words of the righteous.
  • 20. That which is altogether just shalt thou follow, that thou mayest live, and inherit the land which Yahuah Elohayka giveth thee.
  • 21. Thou shalt not plant thee a grove of any trees near unto the altar of Yahuah Elohayka, which thou shalt make thee.
  • 22. Neither shalt thou set thee up any image; which Yahuah Elohayka hateth.

Devariym (Deuteronomy) 17

  1. Thou shalt not sacrifice unto Yahuah Elohayka any bullock, or sheep, wherein is blemish, or any evilfavouredness: for that is an abomination unto Yahuah Elohayka.
  2. If there be found among you, within any of thy gates which Yahuah Elohayka giveth thee, man or woman, that hath wrought wickedness in the sight of Yahuah Elohayka, in transgressing His covenant,
  3. And hath gone and served other elohiym, and worshipped them, either the sun, or moon, or any of the host of heaven, which I have not commanded;
  4. And it be told thee, and thou hast heard of it, and enquired diligently, and, behold, it be true, and the thing certain, that such abomination is wrought in Yashar’el:
  5. Then shalt thou bring forth that man or that woman, which have committed that wicked thing, unto thy gates, even that man or that woman, and shalt stone them with stones, till they die.
  6. At the mouth of two witnesses, or three witnesses, shall he that is worthy of death be put to death; but at the mouth of one witness he shall not be put to death.
  7. The hands of the witnesses shall be first upon him to put him to death, and afterward the hands of all the people. So thou shalt put the evil away from among you.
  8. If there arise a matter too hard for thee in judgment, between blood and blood, between plea and plea, and between stroke and stroke, being matters of controversy within thy gates: then shalt thou arise, and get thee up into the place which Yahuah Elohayka shall choose;
  9. And thou shalt come unto the priests the Leviyiym, and unto the judge that shall be in those days, and enquire; and they shall shew thee the sentence of judgment:
  10. And thou shalt do according to the sentence, which they of that place which Yahuah shall choose shall shew thee; and thou shalt observe to do according to all that they inform thee:
  11. According to the sentence of the Torah which they shall teach thee, and according to the judgment which they shall tell thee, thou shalt do: thou shalt not decline from the sentence which they shall shew thee, to the right hand, nor to the left.
  12. And the man that will do presumptuously, and will not hearken unto the priest that standeth to minister there before Yahuah Elohayka, or unto the judge, even that man shall die: and thou shalt put away the evil from Yashar’el.
  13. And all the people shall hear, and fear, and do no more presumptuously.
  14. When thou art come unto the land which Yahuah Elohayka giveth thee, and shalt possess it, and shalt dwell therein, and shalt say, I will set a king over me, like as all the nations that are about me;
  15. Thou shalt in any wise set him king over thee, whom Yahuah Elohayka shall choose: one from among thy brethren shalt thou set king over thee: thou mayest not set a stranger over thee, which is not thy brother.
  16. But he shall not multiply horses to himself, nor cause the people to return to Mitsrayim, to the end that he should multiply horses: forasmuch as Yahuah hath said unto you, Ye shall henceforth return no more that way.
  17. Neither shall he multiply wives to himself, that his heart turn not away: neither shall he greatly multiply to himself silver and gold.
  18. And it shall be, when he sitteth upon the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write him a copy of this Torah in a book out of that which is before the priests the Leviyiym:
  19. And it shall be with him, and he shall read therein all the days of his life: that he may learn to fear Yahuah Elohaynu, to guard all the words of this Torah and these statutes, to do them:
  20. That his heart be not lifted up above his brethren, and that he turn not aside from the commandment, to the right hand, or to the left: to the end that he may prolong his days in his kingdom, he, and his children, in the midst of Yashar’el.

Devariym (Deuteronomy) 18

  1. The priests the Leviyiym, and all the tribe of Leviy, shall have no part nor inheritance with Yashar’el: they shall eat the offerings of Yahuah made by fire, and His inheritance.
  2. Therefore shall they have no inheritance among their brethren: Yahuah is their inheritance, as He hath said unto them.
  3. And this shall be the priest’s due from the people, from them that offer a sacrifice, whether it be ox or sheep; and they shall give unto the priest the shoulder, and the two cheeks, and the maw.
  4. The firstfruit also of thy grain, of thy wine, and of thine oil, and the first of the fleece of thy sheep, shalt thou give him.
  5. For Yahuah Elohayka hath chosen him out of all thy tribes, to stand to minister in the name of Yahuah, him and his sons for ever.
  6. And if a Leviyiy come from any of thy gates out of all Yashar’el, where he sojourned, and come with all the desire of his mind unto the place which Yahuah shall choose;
  7. Then he shall minister in the name of Yahuah Elohayu, as all his brethren the Leviyiym do, which stand there before Yahuah.
  8. They shall have like portions to eat, beside that which cometh of the sale of his patrimony.
  9. When thou art come into the land which Yahuah Elohayka giveth thee, thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations of those nations.
  10. There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or one who practices sorcery, or an enchanter, or a witch.
  11. Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar ruachoth (spirits), or a wizard, or a necromancer.
  12. For all that do these things are an abomination unto Yahuah: and because of these abominations Yahuah Elohayka doth drive them out from before thee.
  13. Thou shalt be perfect with Yahuah Elohayka.
  14. For these nations, which thou shalt possess, hearkened unto observers of times, and unto diviners: but as for thee, Yahuah Elohayka hath not suffered thee so to do.
  15. Yahuah Elohayka will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto Him ye shall hearken;
  16. According to all that thou desiredst of Yahuah Elohayka in Chorev in the day of the assembly, saying, Let me not hear again the voice of Yahuah Elohai, neither let me see this great fire any more, that I die not.
  17. And Yahuah said unto me, They have well spoken that which they have spoken.
  18. I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put My words in His mouth; and He shall speak unto them את all that I shall command Him.
  19. And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto My words which He shall speak in My name, I will require it of him.
  20. But the prophet, which shall presume to speak a word in My name, את which I have not commanded him to speak, or that shall speak in the name of other elohiym, even that prophet shall die.
  21. And if thou say in thine heart, How shall we know the word which Yahuah hath not spoken?
  22. When a prophet speaketh in the name of Yahuah, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which Yahuah hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him.

Devariym (Deuteronomy) 19

  1. When Yahuah Elohayka hath cut off the nations, whose land Yahuah Elohayka giveth thee, and thou succeedest them, and dwellest in their cities, and in their houses;
  2. Thou shalt separate three cities for thee in the midst of thy land, which Yahuah Elohayka giveth thee to possess it.
  3. Thou shalt prepare thee a way, and divide the coasts of thy land, which Yahuah Elohayka giveth thee to inherit, into three parts, that every slayer may flee thither.
  4. And this is the case of the slayer, which shall flee thither, that he may live: Whoso killeth his neighbour ignorantly, whom he hated not in time past;
  5. As when a man goeth into the wood with his neighbour to hew wood, and his hand fetcheth a stroke with the axe to cut down the tree, and the head slippeth from the helve, and lighteth upon his neighbour, that he die; he shall flee unto one of those cities, and live:
  6. Lest the avenger of the blood pursue the slayer, while his heart is hot, and overtake him, because the way is long, and slay him; whereas he was not worthy of death, inasmuch as he hated him not in time past.
  7. Wherefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt separate three cities for thee.
  8. And if Yahuah Elohayka enlarge thy coast, as He hath sworn unto thy fathers, and give thee all the land which He promised to give unto thy fathers;
  9. If thou shalt guard all these commandments to do them, which I command thee this day, to love Yahuah Elohayka, and to walk ever in His ways; then shalt thou add three cities more for thee, beside these three:
  10. That innocent blood be not shed in thy land, which Yahuah Elohayka giveth thee for an inheritance, and so blood be upon thee.
  11. But if any man hate his neighbour, and lie in wait for him, and rise up against him, and smite him mortally that he die, and fleeth into one of these cities:
  12. Then the elders of his city shall send and fetch him thence, and deliver him into the hand of the avenger of blood, that he may die.
  13. Thine eye shall not pity him, but thou shalt put away the guilt of innocent blood from Yashar’el, that it may go well with thee.
  14. Thou shalt not remove thy neighbour’s landmark, which they of old time have set in thine inheritance, which thou shalt inherit in the land that Yahuah Elohayka giveth thee to possess it.
  15. One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity, or for any sin, in any sin that he sinneth: at the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall the matter be established.
  16. If a false witness rise up against any man to testify against him that which is wrong;
  17. Then both the men, between whom the controversy is, shall stand before Yahuah, before the priests and the judges, which shall be in those days;
  18. And the judges shall make diligent inquisition: and, behold, if the witness be a false witness, and hath testified falsely against his brother;
  19. Then shall ye do unto him, as he had thought to have done unto his brother: so shalt thou put the evil away from among you.
  20. And those which remain shall hear, and fear, and shall henceforth commit no more any such evil among you.
  21. And thine eye shall not pity; but life shall go for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.

Devariym (Deuteronomy) 20

  1. When thou goest out to battle against thine enemies, and seest horses, and chariots, and a people more than thou, be not afraid of them: for Yahuah Elohayka is with thee, which brought thee up out of the land of Mitsrayim.
  2. And it shall be, when ye are come nigh unto the battle, that the priest shall approach and speak unto the people,
  3. And shall say unto them, Hear, O Yashar’el, ye approach this day unto battle against your enemies: let not your hearts faint, fear not, and do not tremble, neither be ye terrified because of them;
  4. For Yahuah Elohaykem is He that goeth with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.
  5. And the officers shall speak unto the people, saying, What man is there that hath built a new house, and hath not dedicated it? let him go and return to his house, lest he die in the battle, and another man dedicate it.
  6. And what man is he that hath planted a vineyard, and hath not yet eaten of it? let him also go and return unto his house, lest he die in the battle, and another man eat of it.
  7. And what man is there that hath betrothed a wife, and hath not taken her? let him go and return unto his house, lest he die in the battle, and another man take her.
  8. And the officers shall speak further unto the people, and they shall say, What man is there that is fearful and fainthearted? let him go and return unto his house, lest his brethren’s heart faint as well as his heart.
  9. And it shall be, when the officers have made an end of speaking unto the people that they shall make captains of the armies to lead the people.
  10. When thou comest nigh unto a city to fight against it, then proclaim peace unto it.
  11. And it shall be, if it make thee answer of peace, and open unto thee, then it shall be, that all the people that is found therein shall be tributaries unto thee, and they shall serve thee.
  12. And if it will make no peace with thee, but will make war against thee, then thou shalt besiege it:
  13. And when Yahuah Elohayka hath delivered it into thine hands, thou shalt smite every male thereof with the edge of the sword:
  14. But the women, and the little ones, and the cattle, and all that is in the city, even all the spoil thereof, shalt thou take unto thyself; and thou shalt eat the spoil of thine enemies, which Yahuah Elohayka hath given thee.
  15. Thus shalt thou do unto all the cities which are very far off from thee, which are not of the cities of these nations.
  16. But of the cities of these people, which Yahuah Elohayka doth give thee for an inheritance, thou shalt save alive nothing that breatheth:
  17. But thou shalt utterly destroy them; namely, the Chittiym, and the Emoriym, the Kena’aniym, and the Perizziyim, the Chivviym, and the Yevuciym; as Yahuah Elohayka hath commanded thee:
  18. That they teach you not to do after all their abominations, which they have done unto their elohiym; so should ye sin against Yahuah Elohaykem.
  19. When thou shalt besiege a city a long time, in making war against it to take it, thou shalt not destroy the trees thereof by forcing an axe against them: for thou mayest eat of them, and thou shalt not cut them down (for the tree of the field is man’s life) to employ them in the siege:
  20. Only the trees which thou knowest that they be not trees for meat, thou shalt destroy and cut them down; and thou shalt build bulwarks against the city that maketh war with thee, until it be subdued.

Devariym (Deuteronomy) 21:1-9

  1. If one be found slain in the land which Yahuah Elohayka giveth thee to possess it, lying in the field, and it be not known who hath slain him:
  2. Then thy elders and thy judges shall come forth, and they shall measure unto the cities which are round about him that is slain:
  3. And it shall be, that the city which is next unto the slain man, even the elders of that city shall take an heifer, which hath not been wrought with, and which hath not drawn in the yoke;
  4. And the elders of that city shall bring down the heifer unto a rough valley, which is neither eared nor sown, and shall strike off the heifer’s neck there in the valley:
  5. And the priests the sons of Levi shall come near; for them Yahuah Elohayka hath chosen to minister unto Him, and to bless in the name of Yahuah; and by their word shall every controversy and every stroke be tried:
  6. And all the elders of that city, that are next unto the slain man, shall wash their hands over the heifer that is beheaded in the valley:
  7. And they shall answer and say, Our hands have not shed this blood, neither have our eyes seen it.
  8. Be merciful, O Yahuah, unto Thy people Yashar’el, whom Thou hast redeemed, and lay not innocent blood unto thy people of Yashar’el’s charge. And the blood shall be forgiven them.
  9. So shalt thou put away the guilt of innocent blood from among you, when thou shalt do that which is right in the sight of Yahuah.

Haftarah Shofetiym (שֹׁפְטִ֣ים) – “Judges”

Yesha‘yahu (Isaiah) 1:16–31

  • 16. Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before Mine eyes; cease to do evil;
  • 17. Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.
  • 18. Come now, and let us reason together, saith Yahuah: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.
  • 19. If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land:
  • 20. But if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of Yahuah hath spoken it.
  • 21. How is the faithful city become an harlot! it was full of judgment; righteousness lodged in it; but now murderers.
  • 22. Thy silver is become dross, thy wine mixed with water:
  • 23. Thy princes are rebellious, and companions of thieves: every one loveth gifts, and followeth after rewards: they judge not the fatherless, neither doth the cause of the widow come unto them.
  • 24. Therefore saith Adonai, Yahuah Tseva’oth, the mighty One of Yashar’el, Ah, I will ease Me of Mine adversaries, and avenge Me of Mine enemies:
  • 25. And I will turn My hand upon thee, and purely purge away thy dross, and take away all thy tin:
  • 26. And I will restore thy judges as at the first, and thy counsellors as at the beginning: afterward thou shalt be called, The city of righteousness, the faithful city.
  • 27. Zion shall be redeemed with judgment, and her converts with righteousness.
  • 28. And the destruction of the transgressors and of the sinners shall be together, and they that forsake Yahuah shall be consumed.
  • 29. For they shall be ashamed of the oaks which ye have desired, and ye shall be confounded for the gardens that ye have chosen.
  • 30. For ye shall be as an oak whose leaf fadeth, and as a garden that hath no water.
  • 31. And the strong shall be as tow, and the maker of it as a spark, and they shall both burn together, and none shall quench them.

Brit Ha’dasha Shofetiym (שֹׁפְטִ֣ים) – “Judges”

Ma‘asiym (Acts) 7:37–53

  • 37. This is that Mosheh, which said unto the children of Yashar’el, A prophet shall Yahuah Elohaykem raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; Him shall ye hear.
  • 38. This is He, that was in the called-out assembly in the wilderness with the angel which spake to him in the mount Sinai, and with our fathers: who received the lively oracles to give unto us:
  • 39. To whom our fathers would not obey, but thrust him from them, and in their hearts turned back again into Mitsrayim,
  • 40. Saying unto Aharon, Make us elohiym to go before us: for as for this Mosheh, which brought us out of the land of Mitsrayim, we wot not what is become of him.
  • 41. And they made a calf in those days, and offered sacrifice unto the idol, and rejoiced in the works of their own hands.
  • 42. Then Elohiym turned, and gave them up to worship the host of heaven; as it is written in the book of the prophets, O ye house of Yashar’el, have ye offered to Me slain beasts and sacrifices by the space of forty years in the wilderness?
  • 43. Yea, ye took up the tabernacle of Molek, and the star of your elohiym Remphan, figures which ye made to worship them: and I will carry you away beyond Babel.
  • 44. Our fathers had the tabernacle of witness in the wilderness, as He had appointed, speaking unto Mosheh, that he should make it according to the fashion that he had seen.
  • 45. Which also our fathers that came after brought in with Yahusha into the possession of the other nations, whom Elohiym drave out before the face of our fathers, unto the days of Da’vid;
  • 46. Who found favour before Elohiym, and desired to find a tabernacle for the Elohiym of Ya’aqov.
  • 47. But Shalomah built Him an house.
  • 48. Howbeit the most High dwelleth not in temples made with hands; as saith the prophet,
  • 49. Heaven is My throne, and earth is My footstool: what house will ye build Me? saith Yahuah: or what is the place of My rest?
  • 50. Hath not My hand made all these things?
  • 51. Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Ruach Ha’Qodesh: as your fathers did, so do ye.
  • 52. Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which shewed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers:
  • 53. Who have received the Torah by the disposition of angels, and have not kept it.
  • 54. When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth.
  • 55. But he, being full of Ruach Ha’Qodesh, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of Elohiym, and Yahusha standing on the right hand of Elohiym,
  • 56. And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of A’dam standing on the right hand of Elohiym.
  • 57. Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord,
  • 58. And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man’s feet, whose name was Sha’ul.
  • 59. And they stoned Stephen, calling upon Elohiym, and saying, Adonai Yahusha, receive my ruach.
  • 60. And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Adonai, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.