The Amalekites Defeated

The Amalekites(A) came and attacked the Israelites at Rephidim.(B) Moses said to Joshua,(C) “Choose some of our men and go out to fight the Amalekites. Tomorrow I will stand on top of the hill with the staff(D) of God in my hands.”

10 So Joshua fought the Amalekites as Moses had ordered, and Moses, Aaron and Hur(E) went to the top of the hill. 11 As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning,(F) but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning. 12 When Moses’ hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up—one on one side, one on the other—so that his hands remained steady till sunset.(G) 13 So Joshua overcame the Amalekite(H) army with the sword.

14 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Write(I) this on a scroll as something to be remembered and make sure that Joshua hears it, because I will completely blot out(J) the name of Amalek(K) from under heaven.”

15 Moses built an altar(L) and called(M) it The Lord is my Banner. 16 He said, “Because hands were lifted up against[a] the throne of the Lord,[b] the Lord will be at war against the Amalekites(N) from generation to generation.”(O)

Jethro Visits Moses

18 Now Jethro,(P) the priest of Midian(Q) and father-in-law of Moses, heard of everything God had done for Moses and for his people Israel, and how the Lord had brought Israel out of Egypt.(R)

After Moses had sent away his wife Zipporah,(S) his father-in-law Jethro received her and her two sons.(T) One son was named Gershom,[c] for Moses said, “I have become a foreigner in a foreign land”;(U) and the other was named Eliezer,[d](V) for he said, “My father’s God was my helper;(W) he saved me from the sword of Pharaoh.”

Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, together with Moses’ sons and wife, came to him in the wilderness, where he was camped near the mountain(X) of God. Jethro had sent word to him, “I, your father-in-law Jethro, am coming to you with your wife and her two sons.”

So Moses went out to meet his father-in-law and bowed down(Y) and kissed(Z) him. They greeted each other and then went into the tent. Moses told his father-in-law about everything the Lord had done to Pharaoh and the Egyptians for Israel’s sake and about all the hardships(AA) they had met along the way and how the Lord had saved(AB) them.

Jethro was delighted to hear about all the good things(AC) the Lord had done for Israel in rescuing them from the hand of the Egyptians. 10 He said, “Praise be to the Lord,(AD) who rescued you from the hand of the Egyptians and of Pharaoh, and who rescued the people from the hand of the Egyptians. 11 Now I know that the Lord is greater than all other gods,(AE) for he did this to those who had treated Israel arrogantly.”(AF) 12 Then Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law,(AG) brought a burnt offering(AH) and other sacrifices(AI) to God, and Aaron came with all the elders of Israel to eat a meal(AJ) with Moses’ father-in-law in the presence(AK) of God.

13 The next day Moses took his seat to serve as judge for the people, and they stood around him from morning till evening. 14 When his father-in-law saw all that Moses was doing for the people, he said, “What is this you are doing for the people? Why do you alone sit as judge, while all these people stand around you from morning till evening?”

15 Moses answered him, “Because the people come to me to seek God’s will.(AL) 16 Whenever they have a dispute,(AM) it is brought to me, and I decide between the parties and inform them of God’s decrees and instructions.”(AN)

17 Moses’ father-in-law replied, “What you are doing is not good. 18 You and these people who come to you will only wear yourselves out. The work is too heavy for you; you cannot handle it alone.(AO) 19 Listen now to me and I will give you some advice, and may God be with you.(AP) You must be the people’s representative before God and bring their disputes(AQ) to him. 20 Teach them his decrees and instructions,(AR) and show them the way they are to live(AS) and how they are to behave.(AT) 21 But select capable men(AU) from all the people—men who fear(AV) God, trustworthy men who hate dishonest gain(AW)—and appoint them as officials(AX) over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens. 22 Have them serve as judges for the people at all times, but have them bring every difficult case(AY) to you; the simple cases they can decide themselves. That will make your load lighter, because they will share(AZ) it with you. 23 If you do this and God so commands, you will be able to stand the strain, and all these people will go home satisfied.”

24 Moses listened to his father-in-law and did everything he said. 25 He chose capable men from all Israel and made them leaders(BA) of the people, officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens.(BB) 26 They served as judges(BC) for the people at all times. The difficult cases(BD) they brought to Moses, but the simple ones they decided themselves.(BE)

27 Then Moses sent his father-in-law on his way, and Jethro returned to his own country.(BF)

At Mount Sinai

19 On the first day of the third month after the Israelites left Egypt(BG)—on that very day—they came to the Desert of Sinai.(BH) After they set out from Rephidim,(BI) they entered the Desert of Sinai, and Israel camped there in the desert in front of the mountain.(BJ)

Then Moses went up to God,(BK) and the Lord called(BL) to him from the mountain and said, “This is what you are to say to the descendants of Jacob and what you are to tell the people of Israel: ‘You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt,(BM) and how I carried you on eagles’ wings(BN) and brought you to myself.(BO) Now if you obey me fully(BP) and keep my covenant,(BQ) then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession.(BR) Although the whole earth(BS) is mine, you[e] will be for me a kingdom of priests(BT) and a holy nation.’(BU) These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites.”

So Moses went back and summoned the elders(BV) of the people and set before them all the words the Lord had commanded him to speak.(BW) The people all responded together, “We will do everything the Lord has said.”(BX) So Moses brought their answer back to the Lord.

The Lord said to Moses, “I am going to come to you in a dense cloud,(BY) so that the people will hear me speaking(BZ) with you and will always put their trust(CA) in you.” Then Moses told the Lord what the people had said.

10 And the Lord said to Moses, “Go to the people and consecrate(CB) them today and tomorrow. Have them wash their clothes(CC) 11 and be ready by the third day,(CD) because on that day the Lord will come down(CE) on Mount Sinai(CF) in the sight of all the people. 12 Put limits(CG) for the people around the mountain and tell them, ‘Be careful that you do not approach the mountain or touch the foot of it. Whoever touches the mountain is to be put to death. 13 They are to be stoned(CH) or shot with arrows; not a hand is to be laid on them. No person or animal shall be permitted to live.’ Only when the ram’s horn(CI) sounds a long blast may they approach the mountain.”(CJ)

14 After Moses had gone down the mountain to the people, he consecrated them, and they washed their clothes.(CK) 15 Then he said to the people, “Prepare yourselves for the third day. Abstain(CL) from sexual relations.”

Footnotes

  1. Exodus 17:16 Or to
  2. Exodus 17:16 The meaning of the Hebrew for this clause is uncertain.
  3. Exodus 18:3 Gershom sounds like the Hebrew for a foreigner there.
  4. Exodus 18:4 Eliezer means my God is helper.
  5. Exodus 19:6 Or possession, for the whole earth is mine. You

The Greatest Commandment(A)

34 Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees,(B) the Pharisees got together. 35 One of them, an expert in the law,(C) tested him with this question: 36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”

37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’[a](D) 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[b](E) 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”(F)

Whose Son Is the Messiah?(G)

41 While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, 42 “What do you think about the Messiah? Whose son is he?”

“The son of David,”(H) they replied.

43 He said to them, “How is it then that David, speaking by the Spirit, calls him ‘Lord’? For he says,

44 “‘The Lord said to my Lord:
    “Sit at my right hand
until I put your enemies
    under your feet.”’[c](I)

45 If then David calls him ‘Lord,’ how can he be his son?” 46 No one could say a word in reply, and from that day on no one dared to ask him any more questions.(J)

A Warning Against Hypocrisy(K)(L)

23 Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples: “The teachers of the law(M) and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. So you must be careful to do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach. They tie up heavy, cumbersome loads and put them on other people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them.(N)

“Everything they do is done for people to see:(O) They make their phylacteries[d](P) wide and the tassels on their garments(Q) long; they love the place of honor at banquets and the most important seats in the synagogues;(R) they love to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces and to be called ‘Rabbi’ by others.(S)

“But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’ for you have one Teacher, and you are all brothers. And do not call anyone on earth ‘father,’ for you have one Father,(T) and he is in heaven. 10 Nor are you to be called instructors, for you have one Instructor, the Messiah. 11 The greatest among you will be your servant.(U) 12 For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.(V)

Footnotes

  1. Matthew 22:37 Deut. 6:5
  2. Matthew 22:39 Lev. 19:18
  3. Matthew 22:44 Psalm 110:1
  4. Matthew 23:5 That is, boxes containing Scripture verses, worn on forehead and arm

Hear my voice(A) when I call, Lord;
    be merciful to me and answer me.(B)
My heart says of you, “Seek his face!(C)
    Your face, Lord, I will seek.
Do not hide your face(D) from me,
    do not turn your servant away in anger;(E)
    you have been my helper.(F)
Do not reject me or forsake(G) me,
    God my Savior.(H)
10 Though my father and mother forsake me,
    the Lord will receive me.
11 Teach me your way,(I) Lord;
    lead me in a straight path(J)
    because of my oppressors.(K)
12 Do not turn me over to the desire of my foes,
    for false witnesses(L) rise up against me,
    spouting malicious accusations.

13 I remain confident of this:
    I will see the goodness of the Lord(M)
    in the land of the living.(N)
14 Wait(O) for the Lord;
    be strong(P) and take heart
    and wait for the Lord.

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27 Can a man scoop fire into his lap
    without his clothes being burned?
28 Can a man walk on hot coals
    without his feet being scorched?
29 So is he who sleeps(A) with another man’s wife;(B)
    no one who touches her will go unpunished.

30 People do not despise a thief if he steals
    to satisfy his hunger when he is starving.
31 Yet if he is caught, he must pay sevenfold,(C)
    though it costs him all the wealth of his house.
32 But a man who commits adultery(D) has no sense;(E)
    whoever does so destroys himself.
33 Blows and disgrace are his lot,
    and his shame will never(F) be wiped away.

34 For jealousy(G) arouses a husband’s fury,(H)
    and he will show no mercy when he takes revenge.
35 He will not accept any compensation;
    he will refuse a bribe, however great it is.(I)

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