17. Yitro

Parasha 17: Yitro (Jethro)

Exodus 18:1–20:23 (LEB)

Jethro’s Visit to Moses at the Mountain of God

18 And Jethro, the priest of Midian, the father-in-law of Moses, heard all that God had done for Moses and for Israel, his people, that Yahweh had brought Israel out from Egypt. ² And Jethro, the father-in-law of Moses, took Zipporah the wife of Moses after her sending away, ³ and her two sons—the one whose name was Gershom, for he had said, “I have been an alien in a foreign land,” ⁴ and the one whose name was Eliezer, for “the God of my father was my help, and he delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh.” ⁵ And Jethro, the father-in-law of Moses, came and his sons and his wife to Moses, to the desert where he was camping there at the mountain of God. ⁶ And he said to Moses, “I, your father-in-law Jethro, am coming to you and your wife and her two sons with her.” ⁷ And Moses went out to meet his father-in-law, and he bowed, and he kissed him, and _⌊they each asked about the other’s welfare_⌋, and they came into the tent.

⁸ And Moses told his father-in-law all that Yahweh had done to Pharaoh and to Egypt on account of Israel, all the hardship that had found them on the way, and how Yahweh delivered them. ⁹ And Jethro rejoiced over all the good that Yahweh had done for Israel when he delivered them from the hand of Egypt. ¹⁰ And Jethro said, “Blessed be Yahweh, who has delivered you from the hand of Egypt and from the hand of Pharaoh—who has delivered the people from under the hand of Egypt. ¹¹ Now I know that Yahweh is greater than all the gods, _⌊even in the matter where they the Egyptians dealt arrogantly against the Israelites_⌋.” ¹² And Jethro, the father-in-law of Moses, took a burnt offering and sacrifices for God, and Aaron and all the elders of Israel came to eat bread with the father-in-law of Moses before God.

¹³ _⌊And_⌋ the next day, Moses sat to judge the people, and the people stood before Moses from the morning until the evening. ¹⁴ And the father-in-law of Moses saw all that he was doing for the people, and he said, “What is this thing that you are doing for the people? Why are you sitting alone and all the people are standing by you from morning until evening?” ¹⁵ And Moses said to his father-in-law, “Because the people come to me to seek God. ¹⁶ When _⌊they have an issue_⌋, it comes to me, and I judge between a man and his neighbor, and I make known God’s rule and his instructions.”

¹⁷ And the father-in-law of Moses said to him, “The thing that you are doing is not good. ¹⁸ Surely you will wear out, both you and this people who are with you, because the thing is too _⌊difficult_⌋ for you. You are not able to do it alone. ¹⁹ Now listen to my voice; I will advise you, and may God be with you. You be for the people before God, and you bring the issues to God. ²⁰ And you warn them of the rules and the instructions, and you make known to them the way in which they must walk and the work that they must do. ²¹ And you will select from all the people men of ability, fearers of God, trustworthy men, haters of dishonest gain, and you will appoint such men over them as commanders of thousands, commanders of hundreds, commanders of fifties, and commanders of tens. ²² And let them judge the people all the time, _⌊and_⌋ every major issue they will bring to you, and every minor issue they will judge themselves. And so lighten it for yourself, and they will bear it with you. ²³ If you will do this thing and God will command you, then you will be able to endure, and also each of the people will go to his home in peace.”

²⁴ And Moses listened to the voice of his father-in-law, and he did all that he had said. ²⁵ And Moses chose men of ability from all Israel, and he appointed them as heads over the people, as commanders of thousands, commanders of hundreds, commanders of fifties, and commanders of tens. ²⁶ And they judged the people all the time; the difficult issues they would bring to Moses, and every minor issue they would judge themselves. ²⁷ And Moses let his father-in-law go, and he went to his land.

Preparation for Receiving the Covenant at Mount Sinai

19 In the third month after the _⌊Israelites_⌋ went out from the land of Egypt, on this day they came to the Sinai desert. ² They set out from Rephidim, and they came to the desert of Sinai, and they camped in the desert, and Israel camped there in front of the mountain.

³ And Moses went up to God, and Yahweh called to him from the mountain, saying, “Thus you will say to the house of Jacob and you will tell the _⌊Israelites_⌋, ⁴ ‘You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and I brought you to me. ⁵ And now if you will carefully listen to my voice and keep my covenant, you will be a treasured possession for me out of all the peoples, _⌊for all the earth is mine_⌋, ⁶ but you, you will belong to me as a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you will speak to the _⌊Israelites_⌋.”

⁷ And Moses came and called the elders of the people, and he placed before them all these words that Yahweh had commanded him. ⁸ And all the people together answered and said, “All that Yahweh has spoken we will do.” And Moses brought back the words of the people to Yahweh. ⁹ And Yahweh said to Moses, “Look, I am going to come to you in _⌊a thick cloud_⌋ in order that the people will hear when I speak with you and will also trust in you forever.” And Moses told the words of the people to Yahweh.

¹⁰ And Yahweh said to Moses, “Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow. They must wash their clothes, ¹¹ and they must be prepared for the third day, because on the third day, Yahweh will go down on Mount Sinai before the eyes of all the people. ¹² And you must set limits for the people all around, saying, ‘Guard yourselves _⌊against_⌋ going up to the mountain and touching its edge. Anyone touching the mountain will certainly be put to death. ¹³ Not a hand will touch it, because he will certainly be stoned or certainly be shot; whether an animal or a man, he will not live.’ At the blowing of the ram’s horn they may go up to the mountain.”

¹⁴ And Moses went down from the mountain to the people, and he consecrated the people, and they washed their clothes. ¹⁵ And he said to the people, “Be ready _⌊for the third day_⌋. Do not go near to a woman.”

¹⁶ _⌊And_⌋ on the third day, when it was morning, there was thunder and lightning, and a heavy cloud over the mountain and a very loud ram’s horn sound, and all the people who were in the camp trembled. ¹⁷ And Moses brought the people out from the camp to meet God, and they took their stand at the foot of the mountain. ¹⁸ And Mount Sinai was all wrapped in smoke because Yahweh went down on it in the fire, and its smoke went up like the smoke of a smelting furnace, and the whole mountain trembled greatly. ¹⁹ And the sound of the ram’s horn became _⌊louder and louder_⌋, and Moses would speak, and God would answer him with a voice.

²⁰ And Yahweh went down on Mount Sinai, to the top of the mountain, and Yahweh called Moses to the top of the mountain, and Moses went up. ²¹ And Yahweh said to Moses, “Go down, warn the people, lest they break through to Yahweh to see and many from them fall. ²² And even the priests who come near Yahweh must consecrate themselves, lest Yahweh break out against them.” ²³ And Moses said to Yahweh, “The people are not able to go up to Mount Sinai, because you yourself warned us, saying, ‘Set limits around the mountain and consecrate it.’ ” ²⁴ And Yahweh said to him, “Go, go down, and come up, you and Aaron with you and the priests, but the people must not break through to go up to Yahweh, lest he break out against them.” ²⁵ And Moses went down to the people, and he told them.

Ten Commandments

20 And God spoke all these words, saying, ² “I am Yahweh, your God, who brought you out from the land of Egypt, from the house of slaves.

³ “There shall be for you no other gods before me.

⁴ “You shall not make for yourself a divine image with any form that is in the heavens above or that is in the earth below or that is in the water below the earth. ⁵ You will not bow down to them, and you will not serve them, because I am Yahweh your God, a jealous God, punishing the guilt of the parents on the children on the third and on the fourth generations of those hating me, ⁶ and showing loyal love to thousands of generations of those loving me and of those keeping my commandments.

⁷ “You shall not _⌊misuse the name of Yahweh your God_⌋, because Yahweh will not leave unpunished anyone who _⌊misuses his name_⌋.

⁸ “Remember the day of the Sabbath, to consecrate it. ⁹ Six days you will work, and you will do all your work. ¹⁰ But the seventh day is a Sabbath for Yahweh your God; you will not do any work—you or your son or your daughter, your male slave or your female slave, or your animal, or your alien who is in your gates—¹¹ because in six days Yahweh made the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is in them, and on the seventh day he rested. Therefore Yahweh blessed the seventh day and consecrated it.

¹² “Honor your father and your mother, so that your days can be long on the land that Yahweh your God is giving you.

¹³ “You shall not murder.

¹⁴ “You shall not commit adultery.

¹⁵ “You shall not steal.

¹⁶ “You shall not testify against your neighbor with a false witness.

¹⁷ “You shall not covet the house of your neighbor; you will not covet the wife of your neighbor or his male servant or his female servant or his ox or his donkey or anything that is your neighbor’s.”

¹⁸ And all the people were seeing the thunder and the lightning and the sound of the ram’s horn and the mountain smoking, and the people saw, and they trembled, and they stood at a distance. ¹⁹ And they said to Moses, “You speak with us, and we will listen, but let not God speak with us, lest we die.” ²⁰ And Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid. God has come to test you so that his fear will be before you so that you do not sin.” ²¹ And the people stood at a distance, and Moses approached the very thick cloud where God was.

Instructions for Building Altars

²² And Yahweh said to Moses, “Thus you will say to the _⌊Israelites_⌋, ‘You yourselves have seen that I have spoken to you from the heavens. ²³ You will not make alongside me gods of silver, and gods of gold you will not make for yourselves.

Prophets

Isaiah 6:1–7:6 (LEB)

Isaiah’s Commission

6 In the year of the death of Uzziah the king, I saw the Lord sitting on a high and raised throne, and the hem of his robe was filling the temple. ² Seraphs were standing above him. _⌊Each had six wings_⌋: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew.

³ And the one called to the other and said,

“Holy, holy, holy is Yahweh of hosts!

The _⌊whole earth is full of his glory_⌋.”

⁴ And the pivots of the thresholds shook from the sound of those who called, and the house was filled with smoke.

⁵ And I said, “Woe to me! For I am destroyed! For I am a man _⌊of unclean lips_⌋, and I am living among a people _⌊of unclean lips_⌋, for my eyes have seen the king, Yahweh of hosts!”

⁶ Then one of the seraphs flew to me, and in his hand was a hot coal he had taken from the altar with tongs.

⁷ And he touched my mouth, and he said,

“Look! This has touched your lips

and has removed your guilt,

and your sin is annulled.”

⁸ Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying,

“Whom shall I send?

And who will go for us?”

And I said,

“I am here!

Send me!”

⁹ And he said, “Go and say to this people,

‘Keep on listening and do not comprehend!

And keep on looking and do not understand!’

¹⁰ Make the heart of this people insensitive,

and make its ears unresponsive,

and shut its eyes

so that it may not look with its eyes

and listen with its ears

and comprehend with its mind

and turn back, and it may be healed for him.”

¹¹ Then I said, “Until when, Lord?”

And he said,

“Until the cities lie wasted without inhabitant,

and houses without people,

and the land is ruined and a waste,

¹² and Yahweh sends the people far away,

and the abandonment is great in the midst of the land.

¹³ And _⌊even if only a tenth part remain_⌋, _⌊again she will be destroyed_⌋

like a terebinth or like an oak,

which although felled, a tree stump remains in them.

The seed of holiness will be her tree stump.”

The Sign to Ahaz

7 This happened in the days of Ahaz, son of Jotham, son of Uzziah, king of Judah. Rezin, king of Aram, and Pekah, son of Remaliah, king of Israel, went up to Jerusalem for warfare against it, but he was not able to fight against it. ² When it was reported to the house of David, saying “Aram stands by Ephraim,” his heart and the heart of his people shook like the shaking of the trees of the forest because of the wind.

³ Then Yahweh said to Isaiah, “Go out to meet Ahaz, you and Shear-Jashub your son, at the end of the conduit of the upper pool on the highway of the washer’s field. ⁴ And you must say to him, ‘Take heed and be quiet! You must not fear, and your heart must not be faint because of these two stumps of smoldering firebrands, _⌊because of the fierce anger of_⌋ Rezin and Aram and the son of Remaliah. ⁵ Because Aram has plotted evil against you with Ephraim and the son of Remaliah, saying, ⁶ “Let us go up against Judah and let us tear her apart, _⌊and let us lay it open and so bring it unto ourselves_⌋, and let us install the son of Tabeel as king in her midst.”

Isaiah 9:5–6 (LEB)

⁵ For every boot _⌊that marches and shakes the earth_⌋

and garment rolled in blood

_⌊will_⌋ be for burning—fire fuel.

⁶ For a child has been born for us;

a son has been given to us.

And the dominion will be on his shoulder,

and his name is called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,

Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

GOSPELS

Matthew 5:21–30 (LEB)

The Sermon on the Mount: Anger Toward Others

²¹ “You have heard that it was said to the _⌊people of old_⌋, ‘Do not commit murder,’ and ‘whoever commits murder will be subject to judgment.’ ²² But I say to you that everyone who is angry at his brother will be subject to judgment, and whoever says to his brother, ‘Stupid fool!’ will be subject to the council, and whoever says, ‘Obstinate fool!’ will be subject to fiery hell. ²³ Therefore if you present your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, ²⁴ leave your gift there before the altar and first go be reconciled to your brother, and then come and* present your gift. ²⁵ _⌊Settle the case quickly with your accuser_⌋ while you are with him on the way, lest your accuser hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the officer, and you be thrown into prison. ²⁶ Truly I say to you, you will never come out of there until you have paid back the last penny!

The Sermon on the Mount: Adultery and Lust

²⁷ “You have heard that it was said, ‘Do not commit adultery.’ ²⁸ But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. ²⁹ And if your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it from you! For it is better for you that one of your members be destroyed than your whole body be thrown into hell. ³⁰ And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it from you! For it is better for you that one of your limbs be destroyed than your whole body go into hell.

Matthew 15:1–11 (LEB)

Human Traditions and God’s Commandments

15 Then Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem, saying, ² “Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat _⌊a meal_⌋.” ³ So he answered and* said to them, “Why do you also break the commandment of God because of your tradition? ⁴ For God said, ‘Honor your* father and your* mother,’ and ‘The one who speaks evil of father or mother _⌊must certainly die_⌋.’ ⁵ But you say, ‘Whoever says to his* father or his* mother, “Whatever _⌊benefit you would have received_⌋ from me is a gift to God,” ⁶ need not honor his father,’ and you make void the word of God for the sake of your tradition. ⁷ Hypocrites! Isaiah correctly prophesied about you saying,

⁸ ‘This people honors me with their* lips,

but their heart is far, far away from me,

⁹ and they worship me in vain,

teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ ”

Defilement from Within

¹⁰ And summoning the crowd, he said to them, “Hear and understand: ¹¹ It is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth—this defiles a person.”

Matthew 19:16–30 (LEB)

A Rich Young Man

¹⁶ And behold, someone came up to him and* said, “Teacher, what good thing must I do so that I will have eternal life?” ¹⁷ And he said to him, “Why are you asking me about what is good? There is one who is good. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments!” ¹⁸ He said to him, “Which ones?” And Jesus said, “Do not commit murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, ¹⁹ honor your* father and your* mother, and love your neighbor as yourself.” ²⁰ The young man said to him, “All these I have observed. What do I still lack?” ²¹ Jesus said to him, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give the proceeds* to the poor—and you will have treasure in heaven—and come, follow me.” ²² But when* the young man heard the statement, he went away sorrowful, because he was one who had many possessions.

²³ And Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly I say to you that with difficulty a rich person will enter into the kingdom of heaven! ²⁴ And again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than a rich person into the kingdom of God.” ²⁵ So when* the disciples heard this,* they were extremely amazed, saying, “Then who can be saved?” ²⁶ But Jesus looked at them* and* said to them, “With human beings this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” ²⁷ Then Peter answered and* said to him, “Behold, we have left everything and followed you. What then will there be for us?” ²⁸ And Jesus said to them, “Truly I say to you that in the renewal of the world, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me—you also will sit on twelve thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel. ²⁹ And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or fields on account of my name will receive a hundred times as much, and will inherit eternal life. ³⁰ But many who are first will be last, and the last first.