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Parsha[GN]
16: B’shallach (continued)
“After he had let go,” Exod. 13:17–17:16
c. Water from the Rock (17:1-7)
(vii) 1 Then the entire congregation of Isra'el the Sin Desert[1] [MAP], moving from place to place as ADONAI [GN] commanded. Then camped in Refidim,[GN] [MAP] but there was no water for the people to drink. 2 So the people quarreled with Moshe and said, “Give us water to drink.”
Moshe replied, “Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you test ADONAI ?”
3 The people were thirsty for water there, so they grumbled against Moshe, “Why did you bring us out of Egypt to kill us, our children, and our livestock with thirst?”
4 So Moshe cried out to ADONAI “What should I do with these people? They are almost ready to stone me.”[4]
5 ADONAI answered Moshe, “Walk on ahead of the people and take the elders of Isra'el with you. Take along in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. 6 Hinneh,[GN] I will stand before you thereby the rock in Horeb.[6] [MAP] You are strike the rock, and water will come out of it so the people may drink.” Moshe did so in the sight of the elders of Isra'el. 7 He named the place Massahtesting and Meribahquarreling because the Isra'elites quarreled, and because they tested ADONAI saying, “Is ADONAI among us, or not?”
d. The Amalekites Attack (17:8-16)
8 Then 'Amalek came and fought with Isra'el in Refidim.[8] 9 Moshe said to Y’hoshuaJoshua, “Choose some men for us to go out to fight with Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill holding the staff of God in my hand.” 10 So Y’hoshua did as Moshe had told him, and fought with 'Amalek while Moshe, Aharon, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. 11 When Moshe held up his hand, Isra'el prevailed, and when he lowered his hand, 'Amalek prevailed. 12 But Moshe’ hands grew weary, so they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it while Aharon and Hur held up his hands, one on one side and the other on the other side. So his hands were steady until sunset. 13 So Y’hoshua defeated 'Amalek and his army with the sword.
(Maftir) 14 Then ADONAI said to Moshe, “Write this as a memorial in a scroll, and recite it in the ears of Y’hoshua, that I will utterly blot out the memory of 'Amalek from under heaven.” 15 Moshe built an altar named it “ADONAI NissiYHWH is My Banner.” 16 He said, “ADONAI has sworn: ‘ADONAI will have war against 'Amalek from generation to generation.’”
[CONTINUE READING AT CHAPTER 18]
The Blessing After TorahClick this to hear the blessing canted by Cantor Kenneth B. Cohen of Temple Sholom, Greenwich, CT |
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Ba-rookh ah-tah Adonai,
eh-lo-hay-noo meh-lech hah-ohlahm, ah-sher nah-tahn la-noo toe-raht eh-met, v’cha-yaye oh-lahm nah-tah b’toe-chay-noo. Ba-rookh ah-tah Adonai, no-tain ha-to-rah. Blessed are you, O Lord our God, King of the Universe, Who has given us a Torah of truth, and has planted eternal life in our midst. Blessed are You, O Lord, Giver of the Torah. |
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Now that you’ve read B’shallach,
watch Rabbi Greg Hershberg’s teaching
Haftarah
The Blessing of the Haftarah
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Ba-rookh, ah-tah Adonai, eh-lo-hay-noo, Ba-rookh ah-tah, Adonai, Blessed are you, O Lord our God, Blessed are You, O Lord, |
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Haftarah B'shallach is Shof'tim (Judges) 4:4–5:31 (A);
5:1-31 (S)
Listen to it read from the
Complete Jewish Bible
4 4 Now D’vorah, a prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth, judged Isra'el at that time. 5 She lived under D’vorah’s palm tree between Ramah and Beit-El in the hill country of Ephraim; and the people of Isra'el came up to her for judgment. 6 She sent and called Barak ben Abinoam out of Kedesh Naphtali, and said to him, “Hasn’t ADONAI, the God of Isra'el, commanded, ‘Go and lead the way to Mount Tabor, and take with you ten thousand men of the children of Naphtali and of the children of Zebulun? 7 I will draw to you, to the river Kishon, Sisera, the captain of Jabin’s army, with his chariots and his multitude; and I will deliver him into your hand.’”
8 Barak said to her, “If you will go with me, then I will go; but if you will not go with me, I will not go.”
9 She said, “I will surely go with you. Nevertheless, the journey that you take won’t be for your honor; for ADONAI will sell Sisera into a woman’s hand.” D’vorah arose, and went with Barak to Kedesh.
10 Barak called Zebulun and Naphtali together to Kedesh. Ten thousand men followed him; and D’vorah went up with him. 11 Now Heber the Kenite had separated himself from the Kenites, even from the children of Hobab, Moses’ brother-in-law, and had pitched his tent as far as the oak in Zaanannim, which is by Kedesh. 12 They told Sisera that Barak ben Abinoam had gone up to Mount Tabor. 13 Sisera gathered together all his chariots, even nine hundred iron chariots, and all the people who were with him, from Harosheth of the Gentiles, to the river Kishon.
14 D’vorah said to Barak, “Go; for this is the day in which ADONAI has delivered Sisera into your hand. Hasn’t ADONAI gone out before you?” So Barak went down from Mount Tabor, and ten thousand men after him. 15 ADONAI confused Sisera, all his chariots, and all his army, with the edge of the sword before Barak. Sisera abandoned his chariot and fled away on foot. 16 But Barak pursued the chariots and the army to Harosheth of the Gentiles; and all the army of Sisera fell by the edge of the sword. There was not a man left.
17 However, Sisera fled away on foot to the tent of Ya'el the wife of Heber the Kenite; for there was peace between King Jabin of Hazor and the house of Heber the Kenite. 18 Ta'el went out to meet Sisera, and said to him, “Turn in, my lord, turn in to me; don’t be afraid.” He came in to her into the tent, and she covered him with a rug.
19 He said to her, “Please give me a little water to drink; for I am thirsty.”
She opened a container of milk, and gave him a drink, and covered him.
20 He said to her, “Stand in the door of the tent, and if any man comes and inquires of you, and says, ‘Is there any man here?’ you shall say, ‘No.’”
21 Then Ya'el, Heber’s wife, took a tent peg, and took a hammer in her hand, and went softly to him, and struck the pin into his temples, and it pierced through into the ground, for he was in a deep sleep; so he fainted and died. 22 Hinneh, as Barak pursued Sisera, Ya'el came out to meet him, and said to him, “Come, and I will show you the man whom you seek.” He came to her; and hinneh, Sisera lay dead, and the tent peg was in his temples. 23 So God subdued King Jabin of Canaan before the people of Isra'el on that day. 24 The hand of the people of Isra'el prevailed more and more against King Jabin of Canaan, until they had destroyed King Jabin of Canaan.
5 1 On that day D’vorah and Barak benthe son of Avino‘amAbinoam sang this song:
- 2 “Because the leaders took the lead in Isra'el,
- because the people offered themselves willingly,
- be blessed, ADONAI!
- 3 “Hear, you kings!
- Give ear, you princes!
- I, even I, will sing to ADONAI.
- I will sing praise to ADONAI, the God of Isra'el.
- 4 “ADONAI, when you went out of Se'ir,
- when you marched out of the field of Edom,
- the earth trembled, the sky also dropped.
- Yes, the clouds dropped water.
- 5 The mountains quaked at ADONAI’s presence,
- even Sinai at the presence of ADONAI, the God of Isra'el.
- 6 “In the days of Shamgar the son of 'Anat,
- in the days of Ya'el, the highways were unoccupied.
- The travelers walked through byways.
- 7 The rulers ceased in Isra'el.
- They ceased until I, D’vorah, arose;
- Until I arose a mother in Isra'el.
- 8 They chose new gods.
- Then war was in the gates.
- Was there a shield or spear seen among forty thousand in Isra'el?
- 9 My heart is toward the governors of Isra'el,
- who offered themselves willingly among the people.
- BaruchBless ADONAI!!
- 10 “Speak, you who ride on white donkeys,
- you who sit on rich carpets,
- and you who walk by the way.
- 11 Far from the noise of archers, in the places of drawing water,
- there they will rehearse ADONAI’s righteous acts,
- the righteous acts of his rule in Isra'el.
- “Then ADONAI’s people went down to the gates.
- 12 ‘Awake, awake, D’vorah!
- Awake, awake, utter a song!
- Arise, Barak, and lead away your captives, you son of Avino‘am!’
- 13 “Then a remnant of the nobles and the people came down.
- ADONAI came down for me against the mighty.
- 14 Those whose root is in 'Amalek came out of Efrayim,
- after you, Binyamin, among your peoples.
- Governors come down out of Makhir.
- Those who handle the marshal’s staff came out of Z’vulun.
- 15 The princes of Yissakhar were with D’vorah.
- Yissakhar along with Barak.
- They rushed into the valley at his feet.
- By the watercourses of Re’uven,
- there were great resolves of heart.
- 16 Why did you sit among the sheepfolds?
- To listen to the shepherd’s flute playing for the flocks?
- At the watercourses of Re’uven,
- there were great searchings of heart.
- 17 Gil‘ad lived beyond the Yarden.
- Why did Dan remain in ships?
- Asher stayed at the seashore,
- remaining by its bays.
- 18 The people of Z’vulun risked their live;
- Naftali also, on the high places of the field.
- 19 “The kings came and fought,
- then the kings of Kena‘an fought at Ta‘anakh by the waters of Megiddo.
- They took no plunder of silver.
- 20 From the sky the stars fought.
- From their courses, they fought against Sisra.
- 21 The Kishon River swept them away,
- that ancient river, the Kishon River.
- My soul, march on with strength.
- 22 Then the horses’ hoofs pounded the ground,
- their mighty steeds gallooing at full speed.
- 23 ‘Curse Meroz,’ said the Angel of ADONAI.
- ‘Curse bitterly its inhabitants,
- because they didn’t come to help ADONAI,
- to help ADONAI against the mighty.’
- 24 “Ya'el shall be blessed more than all women,
- the wife of Hever the Keini;
- will be blessed more than any woman in the tent.
- 25 He asked for water.
- She gave him milk.
- She brought him curds in an elegant bowl.
- 26 She took a tent peg in her left hand to,
- and a workmen’s hammer in her right hand.
- With the hammer she struck Sisra.
- She pierced his skull.
- Yes, she shattered and crushed his temples.
- 27 He sank down at her feet, he fell and lay there.
- He sank at her feet, he fell —
- Where he sank down, there he fell dead.
- 28 “Sisra’s mother looked out the window;
- peering out through the lattice, she wonders,
- ‘Why is his chariot so long in coming?
- Why are his horses so slow to return?’
- 29 Her wise ladies answered her,
- and she repeats it to herself,
- 30 ‘Of course! They’re collecting and dividing the spoils;
- a girl, two girls for every warrior;
- for Sisra a plunder of colorful garments,
- a plunder of colorfully embroidered garments,
- two embroudered scarves for the neck of every soldier.’
- 31 “Let all your enemies perish like this, ADONAI,
- but let those who love Him be like the sun when it rises in its glory.”
Then the land had rest forty years.
Ketuvei HaShalichim (Apostolic Writings)
The Blessing of the Ketuvei HaShalichimClick this to hear the blessing canted by Jeremiah Greenberg of Messianic Liturgical Resources. Page numbers refer to his Messianic Shabbat Siddur. |
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Bah-rookh ah-tah Adonai, Eh-lo-hay-noo meh-lekh hah-ohlahm, ah-shehr nah-tahn la-noo mah-she-ahch Yeshua, v’ha-deebrote shell Ha-breet Ha-kha-da-shah, ba-rookh ah-ta Adonai, notain Hah-breet Hah-kha-da-shah. Blessed are You, O Lord our God, |
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Basar
(Gospel)
Lukex2:22–24
22When the forty days of her purification were completed according to the Torah of Moshe, they took Him up to YerushalayimJerusalem, to present Him to ADONAI 23(as it is written in the Torah of ADONAI, “Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to ADONAI”), 24and to offer the sacrifice required by the Torah of ADONAI, “A pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.”Johnx6:25–35
25When they found Him on the other side of the sea, they asked him, “Rabbi, when did you get here?”
26Yeshua answered them, “Omein, omeinMost certainly[GN] I tell you, you aren’t looking for Me because you saw signs, but because you ate of the loaves and had your fill. 27Don’t work for food that perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on Him God the Father has set His seal of approval.”
28Then they asked Him, “What must we do to perform the works of God?”
29Yeshua answered them, “This is the work of God: that you believe in the One He has sent.”
O. Yeshua, Sent from Heaven (6:30-59)
30So they asked Him, “Then what sign will You do, so that we may see it and believe You? What will You do? 31Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness. As it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven[GN] to eat.’”
32Yeshua said to them, “Omein, omeinMost certainly, I tell you, it wasn’t Moses who gave you the bread out of heaven, but it is My Father Who gives you the true bread out of heaven. 33For the bread of God is He Who comes down out of heaven and gives life to the world.”
34So they said to Him, “Sir, always give us this bread.”
35Yeshua answered, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to Me will never hunger, and whoever believes in Me will never thirst.
Johnx19:31–37
31It was the Preparation Day and the next day was a High Sabbath. So that the bodies wouldn’t remain on the stauros during the Sabbath, the Judeans asked Pilate to have their legs broken and the bodies removed. 32So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first man and of the other who had been crucified with Him. 33But when they came to Yeshua and saw that He was already dead, they didn’t break His legs. 34However, one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water flowed out.
35The one who witnessed this has testified so that also you may believe. His testimony is true and he knows that he is telling the truth. 36All these things happened so that the Scripture would fulfilled: “Not one of His bones is to be broken.” 37Again another Scripture says, “They will look at the One Whom they pierced.”
Kepherim (Letters, optional)
1Cor.x10:1–13
1 Now I would not have you ignorant, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; 2 and were all immersed into Moses in the cloud and in the sea; 3 and all ate the same spiritual food; 4 and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of a spiritual rock that followed them, and the rock was Messiah. 5 However with most of them, God was not well pleased, for they were overthrown in the wilderness.
6 Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted. 7 Don’t be idolaters, as some of them were. As it is written, “The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.”[7] 8 Let’s not commit sexual immorality, as some of them committed, and in one day twenty-three thousand fell. 9 Let’s not test Messiah, as some of them tested, and perished by the serpents. 10 Don’t grumble, as some of them also grumbled, and perished by the destroyer. 11 Now all these things happened to them by way of example, and they were written for our admonition, on whom the ends of the ages have come. 12 Therefore let him who thinks he stands be careful that he doesn’t fall.
13 No temptation has taken you except what is common to man. God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted above what you are able, but will with the temptation also make the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.
2Cor.x8:1–15
1 Moreover, brothers, we make known to you the grace of God which has been given in the assemblies of Macedonia, 2 how in a severe ordeal of affliction, the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded to the riches of their generosity. 3 For according to their power, I testify, yes and beyond their power, they gave of their own accord, 4 begging us with much entreaty to receive this grace and the fellowship in the service to the holy ones. 5 This was not as we had expected, but first they gave their own selves to the Lord, and to us through the will of God. 6 So we urged Titus, that as he had made a beginning before, so he would also complete in you this grace. 7 But as you abound in everything — in faith, utterance, knowledge, all earnestness, and in your love to us — see that you also abound in this grace.
8 I speak not by way of commandment, but as proving through the earnestness of others the sincerity also of your love. 9 For you know the grace of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich. 10 I give advice in this: it is expedient for you who were the first to start a year ago, not only to do, but also to be willing. 11 But now complete the doing also, that as there was the readiness to be willing, so there may be the completion also out of your ability. 12 For if the readiness is there, it is acceptable according to what you have, not according to what you don’t have. 13 For this is not that others may be eased and you distressed, 14 but for equality. Your abundance at this present time supplies their lack, that their abundance also may become a supply for your lack, that there may be equality. 15 As it is written, “He who gathered much had nothing left over, and he who gathered little had no lack.”[15]
Rev.x15:1–4
1 I saw another great and marvelous sign in the sky: seven angels having the seven last plagues, for in them God’s wrath is finished.
2 I saw something like a sea of glass mixed with fire, and those who overcame the beast, his image, and the number of his name, standing on the sea of glass, having harps of God. 3 They sang the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying,
- “Great and marvelous are your works, Lord God, the Almighty!
- Righteous and true are your ways, you King of the nations.
- 4 Who wouldn’t fear you, Lord,
- and glorify your name?
- For you only are holy.
- For all the nations will come and worship before you.
- For your righteous acts have been revealed.”
The Blessing After the Ketuvei HaShalichimClick this to hear the blessing canted by Jeremiah Greenberg of Messianic Liturgical Resources. Page numbers refer to his Messianic Shabbat Siddur. |
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Ba-rookh ah-tah, Adonai Eh-lo-hay-noo, Blessed are You, O Lord our God, |
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The Blessing of the MessiahClick this to hear the blessing canted by Jeremiah Greenberg of Messianic Liturgical Resources. Page numbers refer to his Messianic Shabbat Siddur. |
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Ba-rookh ah-tah Adonai Eh-lo-hay-noo,
meh-lekh hah-oh-lahm, ah-sher na-tahn la-noo ha-deh-rech l'y'shoo-ah b'ma-she-ahch Yeshua. Ah-mein. Blessed are You, O Lord our God,
King of the Universe, |
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1. Since the most likely point of crossing the Red Sea was the Gulf of Aquaba, the locations named in this chapter are more likely east of Aquaba rather than as shown on these maps. See note 2 and the videos in chapter 14. [BACK]
4. You think you have problems? Moshe was trying to deal with upwards of two million ungrateful former slaves. [BACK]
6. Horeb and Mount Sinai are usually identified in the same general area, probably Jabal al-Lawz in Saudi Arabia. [MAP] [BACK]
8. Their name marks them for descendants of Amalek, the grandson of Esau (Gen 36:12; 36:16); and it would seem that they early became the predominant people in the area of Mt. Sinai. Balaam speaks of them as “the first of the nations” (Num 24:20); and though we do lot meet with the name in the Egyptian records, yet it is probable that they were among the hostile nations whom we find constantly contending with the Egyptians upon their north-eastern frontier. Though Edomites, they are always regarded as a distinct race, and one especially hostile to Isra'el (Exod 17:16). Their present hostility was not altogether unprovoked. No doubt they regarded the Sinaitic region as their own, and as the most valuable portion of their territory, since it contained their summer and autumn pastures. During their absence in its more northern portion, where there was pasture for their flocks after the spring rains, a swarm of emigrants had occupied some of their best lands, and threatened to seize the remainder. Naturally, they would resent the occupation. They would not understand that it was only temporary. They would regard the Isra'elites as intruders, robbers, persons entitled to scant favour at their hands. Accordingly, they swooped upon them without mercy, attacked their rear as they were upon the march, cut off their stragglers, and slew many that were “feeble, faint, and weary” (Deut 25:17-18). They then encamped in their neighbourhood, with the design of renewing the struggle on the next day. It was under these circumstances that Moses had to make his arrangements. (Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers) [BACK]
Other commentaries on Exodus 17
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers
Pulpit Commentary
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary
Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible
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ANXIOUSLY WATCHING FOR MASHIACH’S RETURN,
SPEEDILY AND IN OUR DAY. MARANA, TA!
