Weekly Reading July 25th 2026 (Part 1)

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Mattot מטות "Tribes" / Masa’ei מוצא "Stages"

Torah (part 1)
(full chapter) Numbers 30 1 Then Moses spoke to the heads of the tribes concerning the children of Israel, saying, “This is the thing which the Lord has commanded:
2 If a man makes a vow to the Lord, or swears an oath to bind himself by some agreement, he shall not break his word; he shall do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth.
3 “Or if a woman makes a vow to the Lord, and binds herself by some agreement while in her father’s house in her youth,
4 and her father hears her vow and the agreement by which she has bound herself, and her father holds his peace, then all her vows shall stand, and every agreement with which she has bound herself shall stand.
5 But if her father overrules her on the day that he hears, then none of her vows nor her agreements by which she has bound herself shall stand; and the Lord will release her, because her father overruled her.
6 “If indeed she takes a husband, while bound by her vows or by a rash utterance from her lips by which she bound herself,
7 and her husband hears it, and makes no response to her on the day that he hears, then her vows shall stand, and her agreements by which she bound herself shall stand.
8 But if her husband overrules her on the day that he hears it, he shall make void her vow which she took and what she uttered with her lips, by which she bound herself, and the Lord will release her.
9 “Also any vow of a widow or a divorced woman, by which she has bound herself, shall stand against her.
10 “If she vowed in her husband’s house, or bound herself by an agreement with an oath,
11 and her husband heard it, and made no response to her and did not overrule her, then all her vows shall stand, and every agreement by which she bound herself shall stand.
12 But if her husband truly made them void on the day he heard them, then whatever proceeded from her lips concerning her vows or concerning the agreement binding her, it shall not stand; her husband has made them void, and the Lord will release her.
13 Every vow and every binding oath to afflict her soul, her husband may confirm it, or her husband may make it void.
14 Now if her husband makes no response whatever to her from day to day, then he confirms all her vows or all the agreements that bind her; he confirms them, because he made no response to her on the day that he heard them.
15 But if he does make them void after he has heard them, then he shall bear her guilt.”
16 These are the statutes which the Lord commanded Moses, between a man and his wife, and between a father and his daughter in her youth in her father’s house.
(full chapter) Numbers 31 1 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying:
2 “Take vengeance on the Midianites for the children of Israel. Afterward you shall be gathered to your people.”
3 So Moses spoke to the people, saying, “Arm some of yourselves for war, and let them go against the Midianites to take vengeance for the Lord on Midian.
4 A thousand from each tribe of all the tribes of Israel you shall send to the war.”
5 So there were recruited from the divisions of Israel one thousand from each tribe, twelve thousand armed for war.
6 Then Moses sent them to the war, one thousand from each tribe; he sent them to the war with Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, with the holy articles and the signal trumpets in his hand.
7 And they warred against the Midianites, just as the Lord commanded Moses, and they killed all the males.
8 They killed the kings of Midian with the rest of those who were killed—Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba, the five kings of Midian. Balaam the son of Beor they also killed with the sword.
9 And the children of Israel took the women of Midian captive, with their little ones, and took as spoil all their cattle, all their flocks, and all their goods.
10 They also burned with fire all the cities where they dwelt, and all their forts.
11 And they took all the spoil and all the booty—of man and beast.

12 Then they brought the captives, the booty, and the spoil to Moses, to Eleazar the priest, and to the congregation of the children of Israel, to the camp in the plains of Moab by the Jordan, across from Jericho.
13 And Moses, Eleazar the priest, and all the leaders of the congregation, went to meet them outside the camp.
14 But Moses was angry with the officers of the army, with the captains over thousands and captains over hundreds, who had come from the battle.
15 And Moses said to them: “Have you kept all the women alive?
16 Look, these women caused the children of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to trespass against the Lord in the incident of Peor, and there was a plague among the congregation of the Lord.
17 Now therefore, kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman who has known a man intimately.
18 But keep alive for yourselves all the young girls who have not known a man intimately.
19 And as for you, remain outside the camp seven days; whoever has killed any person, and whoever has touched any slain, purify yourselves and your captives on the third day and on the seventh day.
20 Purify every garment, everything made of leather, everything woven of goats’ hair, and everything made of wood.”
21 Then Eleazar the priest said to the men of war who had gone to the battle, “This is the ordinance of the law which the Lord commanded Moses:
22 Only the gold, the silver, the bronze, the iron, the tin, and the lead,
23 everything that can endure fire, you shall put through the fire, and it shall be clean; and it shall be purified with the water of purification. But all that cannot endure fire you shall put through water.
24 And you shall wash your clothes on the seventh day and be clean, and afterward you may come into the camp.”

25 Now the Lord spoke to Moses, saying:
26 “Count up the plunder that was taken—of man and beast—you and Eleazar the priest and the chief fathers of the congregation;
27 and divide the plunder into two parts, between those who took part in the war, who went out to battle, and all the congregation.
28 And levy a tribute for the Lord on the men of war who went out to battle: one of every five hundred of the persons, the cattle, the donkeys, and the sheep;
29 take it from their half, and give it to Eleazar the priest as a heave offering to the Lord.
30 And from the children of Israel’s half you shall take one of every fifty, drawn from the persons, the cattle, the donkeys, and the sheep, from all the livestock, and give them to the Levites who keep charge of the tabernacle of the Lord.”
31 So Moses and Eleazar the priest did as the Lord commanded Moses.
32 The booty remaining from the plunder, which the men of war had taken, was six hundred and seventy-five thousand sheep,
33 seventy-two thousand cattle,
34 sixty-one thousand donkeys,
35 and thirty-two thousand persons in all, of women who had not known a man intimately.
36 And the half, the portion for those who had gone out to war, was in number three hundred and thirty-seven thousand five hundred sheep;
37 and the Lord’s tribute of the sheep was six hundred and seventy-five.
38 The cattle were thirty-six thousand, of which the Lord’s tribute was seventy-two.
39 The donkeys were thirty thousand five hundred, of which the Lord’s tribute was sixty-one.
40 The persons were sixteen thousand, of which the Lord’s tribute was thirty-two persons.
41 So Moses gave the tribute which was the Lord’s heave offering to Eleazar the priest, as the Lord commanded Moses.
42 And from the children of Israel’s half, which Moses separated from the men who fought—
43 now the half belonging to the congregation was three hundred and thirty-seven thousand five hundred sheep,
44 thirty-six thousand cattle,
45 thirty thousand five hundred donkeys,
46 and sixteen thousand persons—
47 and from the children of Israel’s half Moses took one of every fifty, drawn from man and beast, and gave them to the Levites, who kept charge of the tabernacle of the Lord, as the Lord commanded Moses.
48 Then the officers who were over thousands of the army, the captains of thousands and captains of hundreds, came near to Moses;
49 and they said to Moses, “Your servants have taken a count of the men of war who are under our command, and not a man of us is missing.
50 Therefore we have brought an offering for the Lord, what every man found of ornaments of gold: armlets and bracelets and signet rings and earrings and necklaces, to make atonement for ourselves before the Lord.”
51 So Moses and Eleazar the priest received the gold from them, all the fashioned ornaments.
52 And all the gold of the offering that they offered to the Lord, from the captains of thousands and captains of hundreds, was sixteen thousand seven hundred and fifty shekels.
53 (The men of war had taken spoil, every man for himself.)
54 And Moses and Eleazar the priest received the gold from the captains of thousands and of hundreds, and brought it into the tabernacle of meeting as a memorial for the children of Israel before the Lord.
(full chapter) Numbers 32
1 Now the children of Reuben and the children of Gad had a very great multitude of livestock; and when they saw the land of Jazer and the land of Gilead, that indeed the region was a place for livestock,
2 the children of Gad and the children of Reuben came and spoke to Moses, to Eleazar the priest, and to the leaders of the congregation, saying,
3 “Ataroth, Dibon, Jazer, Nimrah, Heshbon, Elealeh, Shebam, Nebo, and Beon,
4 the country which the Lord defeated before the congregation of Israel, is a land for livestock, and your servants have livestock.”
5 Therefore they said, “If we have found favor in your sight, let this land be given to your servants as a possession. Do not take us over the Jordan.”
6 And Moses said to the children of Gad and to the children of Reuben: “Shall your brethren go to war while you sit here?
7 Now why will you discourage the heart of the children of Israel from going over into the land which the Lord has given them?
8 Thus your fathers did when I sent them away from Kadesh Barnea to see the land.
9 For when they went up to the Valley of Eshcol and saw the land, they discouraged the heart of the children of Israel, so that they did not go into the land which the Lord had given them.
10 So the Lord’s anger was aroused on that day, and He swore an oath, saying,
11 ‘Surely none of the men who came up from Egypt, from twenty years old and above, shall see the land of which I swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, because they have not wholly followed Me,
12 except Caleb the son of Jephunneh, the Kenizzite, and Joshua the son of Nun, for they have wholly followed the Lord.’
13 So the Lord’s anger was aroused against Israel, and He made them wander in the wilderness forty years, until all the generation that had done evil in the sight of the Lord was gone.
14 And look! You have risen in your fathers’ place, a brood of sinful men, to increase still more the fierce anger of the Lord against Israel.
15 For if you turn away from following Him, He will once again leave them in the wilderness, and you will destroy all these people.”
16 Then they came near to him and said: “We will build sheepfolds here for our livestock, and cities for our little ones,
17 but we ourselves will be armed, ready to go before the children of Israel until we have brought them to their place; and our little ones will dwell in the fortified cities because of the inhabitants of the land.
18 We will not return to our homes until every one of the children of Israel has received his inheritance.
19 For we will not inherit with them on the other side of the Jordan and beyond, because our inheritance has fallen to us on this eastern side of the Jordan.”
20 Then Moses said to them: “If you do this thing, if you arm yourselves before the Lord for the war,
21 and all your armed men cross over the Jordan before the Lord until He has driven out His enemies from before Him,
22 and the land is subdued before the Lord, then afterward you may return and be blameless before the Lord and before Israel; and this land shall be your possession before the Lord.
23 But if you do not do so, then take note, you have sinned against the Lord; and be sure your sin will find you out.
24 Build cities for your little ones and folds for your sheep, and do what has proceeded out of your mouth.”
25 And the children of Gad and the children of Reuben spoke to Moses, saying: “Your servants will do as my lord commands.
26 Our little ones, our wives, our flocks, and all our livestock will be there in the cities of Gilead;
27 but your servants will cross over, every man armed for war, before the Lord to battle, just as my lord says.”
28 So Moses gave command concerning them to Eleazar the priest, to Joshua the son of Nun, and to the chief fathers of the tribes of the children of Israel.
29 And Moses said to them: “If the children of Gad and the children of Reuben cross over the Jordan with you, every man armed for battle before the Lord, and the land is subdued before you, then you shall give them the land of Gilead as a possession.
30 But if they do not cross over armed with you, they shall have possessions among you in the land of Canaan.”
31 Then the children of Gad and the children of Reuben answered, saying: “As the Lord has said to your servants, so we will do.
32 We will cross over armed before the Lord into the land of Canaan, but the possession of our inheritance shall remain with us on this side of the Jordan.”
33 So Moses gave to the children of Gad, to the children of Reuben, and to half the tribe of Manasseh the son of Joseph, the kingdom of Sihon king of the Amorites and the kingdom of Og king of Bashan, the land with its cities within the borders, the cities of the surrounding country.
34 And the children of Gad built Dibon and Ataroth and Aroer,
35 Atroth and Shophan and Jazer and Jogbehah,
36 Beth Nimrah and Beth Haran, fortified cities, and folds for sheep.
37 And the children of Reuben built Heshbon and Elealeh and Kirjathaim,
38 Nebo and Baal Meon (their names being changed) and Shibmah; and they gave other names to the cities which they built.
39 And the children of Machir the son of Manasseh went to Gilead and took it, and dispossessed the Amorites who were in it.
40 So Moses gave Gilead to Machir the son of Manasseh, and he dwelt in it.
41 Also Jair the son of Manasseh went and took its small towns, and called them Havoth Jair.
42 Then Nobah went and took Kenath and its villages, and he called it Nobah, after his own name.

Weekly Readings Part 2: Numbers 33 to 36

Haftarah
Jer 1:1-2:28; 3:4; 4:1-2

B'rit Hadasha
Mt 5:33-37; 23:1-39

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Jasher, Chapter 25

1 And it was at that time that Abraham again took a wife in his old age, and her name was Keturah, from the land of Canaan.
2 And she bare unto him Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak and Shuach, being six sons. And the children of Zimran were Abihen, Molich and Narim.
3 And the sons of Jokshan were Sheba and Dedan, and the sons of Medan were Amida, Joab, Gochi, Elisha and Nothach; and the sons of Midian were Ephah, Epher, Chanoch, Abida and Eldaah.
4 And the sons of Ishbak were Makiro, Beyodua and Tator.
5 And the sons of Shuach were Bildad, Mamdad, Munan and Meban; all these are the families of the children of Keturah the Canaanitish woman which she bare unto Abraham the Hebrew.
6 And Abraham sent all these away, and he gave them gifts, and they went away from his son Yitschaq to dwell wherever they should find a place.
7 And all these went to the mountain at the east, and they built themselves six cities in which they dwelt unto this day.
8 But the children of Sheba and Dedan, children of Jokshan, with their children, did not dwell with their brethren in their cities, and they journeyed and encamped in the countries and wildernesses unto this day.
9 And the children of Midian, son of Abraham, went to the east of the land of Cush, and they there found a large valley in the eastern country, and they remained there and built a city, and they dwelt therein, that is the land of Midian unto this day.
10 And Midian dwelt in the city which he built, he and his five sons and all belonging to him.
11 And these are the names of the sons of Midian according to their names in their cities, Ephah, Epher, Chanoch, Abida and Eldaah.
12 And the sons of Ephah were Methach, Meshar, Avi and Tzanua, and the sons of Epher were Ephron, Zur, Alirun and Medin, and the sons of Chanoch were Reuel, Rekem, Azi, Alyoshub and Alad.
13 And the sons of Abida were Chur, Melud, Kerury, Molchi; and the sons of Eldaah were Miker, and Reba, and Malchiyah and Gabol; these are the names of the Midianites according to their families; and afterward the families of Midian spread throughout the land of Midian.
14 And these are the generations of Ishmael the son Abraham, whom Hagar, Sarah's handmaid, bare unto Abraham.
15 And Ishmael took a wife from the land of Egypt, and her name was Ribah, the same is Meribah.
16 And Ribah bare unto Ishmael Nebayoth, Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam and their sister Bosmath.
17 And Ishmael cast away his wife Ribah, and she went from him and returned to Egypt to the house of her father, and she dwelt there, for she had been very bad in the sight of Ishmael, and in the sight of his father Abraham.
18 And Ishmael afterward took a wife from the land of Canaan, and her name was Malchuth, and she bare unto him Nishma, Dumah, Masa, Chadad, Tema, Yetur, Naphish and Kedma.
19 These are the sons of Ishmael, and these are their names, being twelve princes according to their nations; and the families of Ishmael afterward spread forth, and Ishmael took his children and all the property that he had gained, together with the souls of his household and all belonging to him, and they went to dwell where they should find a place.
20 And they went and dwelt near the wilderness of Paran, and their dwelling was from Havilah unto Shur, that is before Egypt as you come toward Assyria.
21 And Ishmael and his sons dwelt in the land, and they had children born to them, and they were fruitful and increased abundantly.
22 And these are the names of the sons of Nebayoth the first born of Ishmael; Mend, Send, Mayon; and the sons of Kedar were Alyon, Kezem, Chamad and Eli.
23 And the sons of Adbeel were Chamad and Jabin; and the sons of Mibsam were Obadiah, Ebedmelech and Yeush; these are the families of the children of Ribah the wife of Ishmael.
24 And the sons of Mishma the son of Ishmael were Shamua, Zecaryon and Obed; and the sons of Dumah were Kezed, Eli, Machmad and Amed.
25 And the sons of Masa were Melon, Mula and Ebidadon; and the sons of Chadad were Azur, Minzar and Ebedmelech; and the sons of Tema were Seir, Sadon and Yakol.
26 And the sons of Yetur were Merith, Yaish, Alyo, and Pachoth; and the sons of Naphish were Ebed- Tamed, Abiyasaph and Mir; and the sons of Kedma were Calip, Tachti, and Omir; these were the children of Malchuth the wife of Ishmael according to their families.
27 All these are the families of Ishmael according to their generations, and they dwelt in those lands wherein they had built themselves cities unto this day.
Year 2096
28 And Rebecca the daughter of Bethuel, the wife of Abraham's son Yitschaq, was barren in those days, she had no offspring; and Yitschaq dwelt with his father in the land of Canaan; and YAHWEH was with Yitschaq; and Arpachshad the son of Shem the son of Noah died in those days, in the forty-eighth year of the life of Yitschaq, and all the days that Arpachshad lived were four hundred and thirty-eight years, and he died.

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The Book of Enoch: Chapter LXXXVIII

Chapter LXXXVIII

1. Then one of those four went to the white cows, and taught them a mystery. While the cow was trembling, it was born, and became a man, and fabricated for himself a large ship. In this he dwelt, and three cows dwelt with him in that ship, which covered them.
2. Again I lifted up my eyes towards heaven, and saw a lofty roof. Above it were seven cataracts, which poured forth on a certain village much water.
3. Again I looked, and behold there were fountains open on the earth in that large village.
4. The water began to boil up, and rose over the earth ; so that the village was not seen, while its whole soil was covered with water.
5. Much water was over it, darkness, and clouds. Then I surveyed the height of this water; and it was elevated above the village.
6. It flowed over the village, and stood higher than the earth.
7. Then all the cows which were collected there, while I looked on them, were drowned, swallowed up, and destroyed in the water.
8. But the ship floated above it. All the cows, the elephants, the camels, and the asses, were drowned on the earth, and all cattle. Nor could I perceive them. Neither were they able to get out, but perished, and sunk into the deep.
9. Again I looked in the vision until those cataracts from that lofty roof were removed, and the fountains of the earth became equalized, while other depths were opened ;
10. Into which the water began to descend, until the dry ground appeared.
11. The ship remained on the earth; the darkness receded ; and it became light.
12. Then the white cow, which became a man, went out of the ship, and the three cows with him.
13. One of the three cows was white, resembling that cow ; one of them was red as blood ; and one of them was black. And the white cow left them.
14. Then began wild beasts and birds to bring forth.
15. Of all these the different kinds assembled together, lions, tigers, wolves, dogs, wild boars, foxes, rabbits, and the hanzar,
16. The siset, the avest, kites, the phonkas, and ravens.
17. Then a white cow was born in the midst of them.
18. And they began to bite each other ; when the white cow, which was born in the midst of them, brought forth a wild ass and a white cow at the same time, and after that many wild asses. Then the white cow, which was born, brought forth a black wild sow and a white sheep.
19. That wild sow also brought forth many swine;
20. And that sheep brought forth twelve sheep.
21. When those twelve sheep grew up, they delivered one of them to the asses.
22. Again those asses delivered that sheep to the wolves ;
23. And he grew up in the midst of them.
24. Then the Lord brought the eleven other sheep, that they might dwell and feed with him in the midst of the wolves.
25. They multiplied, and there was abundance of pasture for them.
26. But the wolves began to frighten and oppress them, while they destroyed their young ones.
27. And they left their young in torrents of deep water.
28. Now the sheep began to cry out on account of their young, and fled for refuge to their Lord. One however,which was saved, escaped,and went away to the wild asses.
29. I beheld the sheep moaning, crying, and petitioning their Lord,
3O. With all their might, until the Lord of the sheep descended at their voice from his lofty habitation ; went to them ; and inspected them.
31. He called to that sheep which had secretly stolen away from the wolves, and told him to make the wolves understand that they were not to touch the sheep.
32. Then that sheep went to the wolves with the word of the Lord, when another met him, and proceeded with him.
33. Both of them together entered the dwelling of the wolves; and conversing with them made them understand, that from thenceforwards they were not to touch the sheep.
34. Afterwards I perceived the wolves greatly prevailing over the sheep with their whole force. The sheep cried out; and their Lord came to them.
35. He began to strike the wolves, who commenced a grievous lamentation ; but the sheep were silent, nor from that time did they cry out.
36. I then looked at them, until they departed from the wolves. The eyes of the wolves were blind, who went out and followed them with all their might. But the Lord of the sheep proceeded with them, and conducted them.
37. All his sheep followed him. 38. His countenance was terrific and splendid, and glorious was his aspect. Yet the wolves began to follow the sheep, until they overtook them in a certain lake of water.
39. Then that lake became divided ; the water standing up on both sides before their face.
40. And while their Lord was conducting them, he placed himself between them and the wolves.
41. The wolves however perceived not the sheep, but went into the midst of the lake, following them, and running after them into the lake of water.
42. But when they saw the Lord of the sheep, they turned to fly from before his face.
43. Then the water of the lake returned, and that suddenly, according to its nature. It became full, and was raised up, until it covered the wolves. And I saw that all of them which had followed the sheep perished, and were drowned.
44. But the sheep passed over this water, proceedins: to a wilderness, which was without both water and grass. And they began to open their eyes and to see.
45. Then I beheld the Lord of the sheep inspect- ing them, and giving them w^ater and grass. 46. The sheep already mentioned was proceeding with them, and conducting them.
47. And when he had ascended the top of a lofty rock, the Lord of the sheep sent him to them.
48. Afterwards I perceived their Lord standing before them, with an aspect terrific and severe.
49. And when they all beheld him, they were frightened at his countenance.
50. All of them were alarmed, and trembled. They cried out after that sheep ; and to the other sheep who had been with him, and who was in the midst of them, saying, We are not able to stand before our Lord, or to look upon him.
51. Then that sheep who conducted them went away, and ascended the top of the rock;
52. When the rest of the sheep began to grow blind, and to wander from the path which he had shown them ; but he knew it not.
53. Their Lord however was moved with great indignation against them ; and when that sheep had learned what had happened,
54. He descended from the top of the rock, and comings to them, found that there were many,
55. Which had become blind ;
56. And had wandered from his path. As soon as they beheld him, they feared, and trembled at his presence;
57. And became desirous of returning to their fold.
58. Then that sheep, taking with him other sheep, went to those which had wandered.
59. And afterwards began to kill them. They were terrified at his countenance. Then he caused those which had wandered to return ; who went back to their fold.
60. I likewise saw there in the vision, that this sheep became a man, built an house for the Lord of the sheep, and made them all stand in that house.
61. I perceived also that the sheep which proceeded to meet this sheep, their conductor, died. I saw, too, that all the great sheep perished, while smaller ones rose up in their place, entered into a pasture, and approached a river of water.
62. Then that sheep, their conductor, who became a man, was separated from them, and died.
63. All the sheep sought after him, and cried for him with bitter lamentation.
64. I saw likewise that they ceased to cry after that sheep, and passed over the river of water.
65. And that there arose other sheep, all of whom conducted them, instead of those who were dead, and who had previously conducted them.
66. Then I saw that the sheep entered into a goodly place, and a territory delectable and glorious.
67. I saw also that they became satiated; that their house was in the midst of a delectable territory: and that sometimes their eyes were opened, and that sometimes they were blind ; until another sheep arose and conducted them. He brought them all back ; and their eyes were opened.
68. Then dogs, foxes, and wild boars began to devour them, until again another sheep arose, the master of the flock, one of themselves, a ram, to conduct them. This ram began to butt on every side those dogs, foxes, and wild boars, until they all perished.
69. But the former sheep opened his eyes, and saw the ram in the midst of them, who had laid aside his glory.
70. And he began to strike the sheep, treading upon them, and behaving himself without dignity.
71. Then their Lord sent the former sheep again to a still different sheep, and raised him up to be a ram, and to conduct them instead of that sheep who had laid aside his glory.
72. Going therefore to him, and conversing with him alone, he raised up that ram, and made him a prince and leader of the flock. All the time that the dogs troubled the sheep,
73. The first ram paid respect to this latter ram.
74. Then the latter ram arose, and fled away from before his face. And I saw that those dogs caused the first ram to fall.
75. But the latter ram arose, and conducted the smaller sheep.
76. That ram likewise begat many sheep, and died.
77. Then there was a smaller sheep, a ram, instead of him, which became a prince and leader, conducting the flock.
78. And the sheep increased in size, and multiplied.
79. And all the dogs, foxes, and wild boars feared, and fled away from him.
80. That ram also struck and killed all the wild beasts, so that they could not again prevail in the midst of the sheep, nor at any time ever snatch tnem away.
81. And that house was made large and wide ; a lofty tower being built upon it by the sheep, for the Lord of the sheep.
82. The house was low, but the tower was elevated and very high.
83. Then the Lord of the sheep stood upon that tower, and caused a full table to approach before him.
84. Again I saw that those sheep wandered, and went various ways, forsaking that their house 85. And that their Lord called to some among them, whom he sent to them.
86. But these the sheep began to kill. And when one of them was saved from slaughter, he leaped, and cried out against those who were desirous of killing him.
87. But the Lord of the sheep delivered him from their hands, and made him ascend to him, and remain with him.
8S. He sent also many others to them, to testify, and with lamentations to exclaim against them.
89. Again I saw, when some of them forsook the house of their Lord, and his tower ; wandering on all sides, and growing blind,
90. I saw that the Lord of the sheep made a great slaughter among them in their pasture, until they cried out to him in consequence of that slaughter. Then he departed from the place of his habitation, and left them in the power of lions, tigers, wolves, and the zeebt, and in the power of foxes, and of every beast.
91. And the wild beasts began to tear them.
92. I saw, too, that he forsook the house of their fathers, and their tower giving them all into the ; power of lions to tear and devour them ; into the power of every beast.
93. Then I began to cry out with all my might, imploring the Lord of the sheep, and showing him how the sheep were devoured by all the beasts of prey.
94. But he looked on in silence, rejoicing that they were devoured, swallowed up, and carried off; and leaving them in the power of every beast for food. He called also seventy shepherds, and resigned to them the care of the sheep, that they might overlook them;
95. Saying to them and to their associates. Every one of you henceforwards overlook the sheep, and whatsoever I command you, do ; and I will deliver them to you numbered.
96. I will tell you which of them shall be slain these destroy. And he delivered the sheep to them.
97. Then he called to another, and said. Understand, and watch everything which the shepherds shall do to these sheep ; for many more of them shall perish than I have commanded.
98. Of every excess and slaughter, which the shepherds shall commit, there shall he an account; as, how many may have perished by my command, and how many they may have destroyed of their own heads.
99. Of all the destruction brought about by each of the shepherds there shall be an account ; and according to the number! will cause a recital to be made before me, how many they have destroyed of their own heads, and how many they have delivered up to destruction, that I may have this testimony against them ; that I may know all their proceedings ; and that, delivering the sheep to them, I may see what they will do ; whether they will act as I have commanded them, or not.
100. Of this, however, they shall be ignorant ; neither shalt thou make any explanation to them, neither shalt thou reprove them ; but there shall be an account of all the destruction done by them in their respective seasons. Then they began to kill, and destroy more than it was commanded them.
101. And they left the sheep in the power of lions, so that very many of them were devoured and swallowed up by lions and tigers ; and wild boars preyed upon them. That tower they burnt, and overthrew that house.
102. Then I grieved extremely on account of the tower, and because the house of the sheep was overthrown.
103. Neither was I afterwards able to perceive whether they again entered that house.
104. The shepherds likewise, and their associates delivered them to all the wild beasts, that they might devour them. Each of them in his season, according to his number, was delivered up ; each of them, one with another, was described in a book, how many of them, one with another, were destroyed, in a book.
105. More, however, than was ordered, every shepherd killed and destroyed.
106. Then I began to weep, and was greatly indignant, on account of the sheep.
107. In like manner also I saw in the vision him who wrote, how he wrote down one, destroyed by the shepherds, every day. He ascended, remained, and exhibited each of his books to the Lord of the sheep, containing all which they had done, and all which each of them had made away with;
108. And all which they had delivered up to destruction.
109. He took the book up in his hands, read it, sealed it, and deposited it.
110. After this, I saw shepherds overlooking for twelve hours.
111. And behold three of the sheep departed, arrived, went in ; and began building all which was fallen down of that house.
112. But the wildboars hindered them, although they prevailed not.
113. Again they began to build as before, and raised up that tower, which was called a lofty tower.
114. And again they began to place before the tower a table, with every impure and unclean kind of bread upon it.
115. Moreover also all the sheep were blind, and could not see ; as were the shepherds likewise.
116. Thus were they delivered up to the shepherds for a great destruction, who trod them under foot, and devoured them.
117. Yet was their Lord silent, until all the sheep in the field were destroyed. The shepherds and the sheep were all mixed together ; but they did not save them from the power of the beasts.
118. Then he who wrote the book ascended, exhibited it, and read it at the residence of the Lord of the sheep. He petitioned him for them, and prayed, pointing out every act of the shepherds, and testifying before him against them all. Then taking the book, he deposited it with him, and departed.

Other labels: Saul; David; Philitines; Solomon; prophets; Elijah; Zerubbabel; Joshua; Nehemiah; Samaritans

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