Targum Jonathan on Deuteronomy

Section 45

Chapters 3:23-7:11

 

 

And I sought mercy at that time from before Yahuah, saying:

I supplicate compassion before Thee, O Lord Elohim: Thou hast begun to show unto Thy servant Thy greatness and the power of Thy mighty hand; for Thou art Elohim, and there is none beside Thee; for Thy glory dwelleth in the heavens on high, and Thou rulest upon the earth; there is none who can work according to Thy working or Thy power.

Let me, I pray, pass over and see the good land that is beyond Jordan, that goodly mountain on which is builded the city of Jerusalem, and Mount Lebanon, where the Shekinah will dwell.

But Yahuah was displeased with me on your account, and received not my prayer; but Yahuah said to me: Let it be enough for thee; speak not before Me again of this matter:

go up to the head of the mountain, and lift up thine eyes to the west, to the north, to the south, and to the east, and behold with thy eyes, for thou shalt not pass over this Jordan.

But instruct Jehoshua, strengthen and confirm him; for he shall go over before this people, and give them the inheritance of the land which thou seest.

And we dwelt in the valley, weeping for our sins, because we had been joined with the worshippers of the idol of Peor.

 

Chapter 4

 

And now, Israel, hear the statutes and judgments which I teach you to do, that you may live, and go in and inherit the land Yahuah Elohim of your fathers giveth you.

Ye shall not add to the words that I teach you nor diminish them, but keep the commandments of Yahuah your Elohim which I command you.

Your eyes have seen what the Word of Yahuah hath done to the worshippers of the idol Peor: for all the men who went astray after the idol Peor, Yahuah thy Elohim hath destroyed from among you;

but you who have cleaved to the worship of Yahuah your Elohim are alive all of you this day.

See, I teach you statutes and judgments, as Yahuah Elohim hath taught me, that you may so do in the land which you are entering to possess it.

So shall you observe and perform the law; for it is your wisdom and understanding in the sight of the peoples, who will hear all these statutes, and will say: How wise and intelligent is this great people!

For what people so great, to whom Yahuah is so nigh in the Name of the Word of Yahuah? But the custom of (other) nations is to carry their Elohims upon their shoulders, that they may seem to be nigh them; but they cannot hear with their ears, (be they nigh or) be they afar off; but the Word of Yahuah sitteth upon His throne high and lifted up, and heareth our prayer what time we pray before Him and make our petitions.

And what people have statutes and right judgments according to all this law which I order before you this day?

Only take heed to yourselves and diligently keep your souls, lest you forget the things which you beheld with your eyes at Sinai, and that they depart not from thy heart all the days of thy life, and you may teach them to your children, and to your childrens children;

and that you may make yourselves pure in your transactions thereby, as in the day when you stood before Yahuah your Elohim at Horeb, at the time when Yahuah said to me: Gather the people before Me, that they may hear My words, by which they shall learn to fear before Me all the days that they remain upon the earth, and may teach their children.

And you drew near, and stood at the lower part of the mount, and the mountain burned with fire, and its flame went up to the height of the heavens, with darkness, clouds, and shadows.

And Yahuah spake with you on the mountain from the midst of the fire: you heard the voice of the Word {Dibbura}, but you saw no likeness, but only a voice speaking.

And He proclaimed to you His covenant which He commanded you to per- form; Ten Words {dibbura} which He wrote upon sapphire tablets.

And Yahuah commanded me at that time to teach you the statutes and judgments, that you may do them in the land which you pass over to possess.

Keep then your souls diligently; for you saw no likeness on the day when Yahuah spake with you in Horeb from the midst of the fire.

Be admonished, lest you corrupt your works, and make to you an image or likeness of any idol, the likeness either male or female

of any beast of the earth, of any winged bird that flieth in the air in the expanse of heaven,

of any reptile on the ground, or of any fish in the waters under the earth.

And lest, when you lift up your eyes to the height of the heavens, and gaze at the sun, or the moon, and the principal stars of all the hosts of the heavens, you go astray, and adore and serve them; for Yahuah your Elohim hath by them distributed (or divided) the knowledge of all the peoples that are under the whole heavens.

For you hath the Word of Yahuah taken for His portion, and hath brought you out from the iron furnace of Mizraim to be unto Him a people of inheritance as at this day.

But against me was displeasure before Yahuah on account of your words, because you had murmured for the water; and He sware that I should not pass the Jordan, nor go into the land which Yahuah your Elohim giveth you to inherit.

But I must die in this land; I am not to pass over Jordan; but you will pass over and possess the inheritance of that good land.

Beware, then, that you forget not the covenant of Yahuah your Elohim which He hath confirmed with you, or make to you an image, the likeness of any thing of which Yahuah your Elohim hath commanded that you should not make it.

For the Word of Yahuah your Elohim is a consuming fire; the jealous Elohim is a fire, and He avengeth Himself in jealousy.

If, when thou wilt have begotten children and children’s children, and wilt have grown old in the land, you corrupt your works, and make to you an image or any likeness, and do that which is evil before Yahuah to provoke Him;

I attest against you this day the sworn witnesses of the heavens and the earth, that perishing you will perish swiftly from the land to possess which you pass the Jordan: you will not lengthen out days upon it, but will be utterly destroyed.

And Yahuah will scatter you among the Gentiles, and you will remain as a little people with the nations among whom Yahuah will disperse you in captivity.

And there will you be constrained to serve the worshippers of idols, the work of men’s hands, of wood and stone, which see not, nor hear, nor eat, nor smell.

But if there you seek to return to the fear of Yahuah your Elohim, you shall find mercy, when you seek before Him with all your heart and with all your soul.

When you suffer oppression, and all these things come upon you in the end of the days, and you be converted to the fear of Yahuah your Elohim, and obey His Word;

for Yahuah our Elohim is a merciful Elohim; He will not forsake you, nor destroy you, nor forget the covenant of your fathers which He sware unto them.

For ask now the generations which have been from the days of the beginning, which have been before thee from the day when Yahuah created man upon the earth, from one end of the heavens to the other, whether so great a thing as this hath been, or any like to it hath been heard?

Hath it ever been that a people should hear the voice of the Word of Yahuah, the Living Elohim, speaking from the midst of fire, as you heard, and remained alive?

Or, as the wonder which Yahuah hath wrought, revealing Himself to separate a people to Himself from among another people, by signs, by miracles, by portents, by the victories of ordered battles, by an uplifted arm, and by great visions, like all that Yahuah our Elohim hath done for us in Mizraim, and your eyes beholding?

Unto thee have these wonders been shown, that thou mayest know that Yahuah is Elohim, and there is none beside Him.

He made you hear the voice of His Word from the heavens on high, to give you discipline by His doctrine, and showed thee upon earth His great fire, and made thee hear His words from the midst of the flame.

And because He loved thy fathers Abraham and Izhak, therefore hath He pleasure in the children of Jakob after him, and hath brought you in His lovingkindness and power from Mizraim,

to drive out nations greater and stronger than you from before you, and give you their land to inherit as at this day.

Know therefore today, and set your heart upon it, that Yahuah is Elohim, whose Shekinah dwelleth in the heavens above, and reigneth on the earth beneath, neither is there any other beside Him.

Therefore observe His covenant, and the commandments which I command you this day, that He may do good to you and to your children after you, and that you may have continuance upon the land which Yahuah your Elohim giveth you for all days.

And now, behold, Mosheh set apart three cities beyond the Jordan toward the sunrise,

that the manslayer who had killed his neighbour without intention, not having hated him yesterday or before, may flee, and escape into one of those cities, and be spared alive.

Kevatirin the wilderness, in the plain country, for the tribe of Reuben, and Ramatha in Gilead for the tribe of Gad, and Dabera in Mathnan for the tribe of Menasheh.

This is the declaration of the law which Mosheh set in order before the sons of Israel

and the statutes and judgments which Mosheh spake with the sons of Israel at the time when they had come out of Mizraim.

And Mosheh delivered them beyond Jordan over against Beth Peor, in the land of Sihon king of the Amoraee, who dwelt in Heshbon, whom Mosheb and the sons of Israel smote when the had come out of Mizraim.

And they took possession of his land and the land of Og, king of Mathnan, the two kings of the Amoraee, who were beyond the Jordan, eastward,

from Aroer on the bank of the river Arnon to the mountain of Saion, which is the Snowy Mount;

and all the plain beyond Jordan, eastward, unto the sea that is in the plain under the spring of the heights.

 

Chapter 5

 

And Mosheh called all Israel, and said to them: Hear, Israel, the statutes and judgments that I speak before you this day, to learn them, and observe to per- form them.

Yahuah our Elohim confirmed a covenant with us in Horeb:

not with our fathers did Yahuah confirm this covenant, but with us, who are all of us here this day alive and abiding.

Word to word did Yahuah speak with you at the mountain from the midst of the fire.

I stood between the Word of Yahuah and you at that time, to declare to you the word of Yahuah, because you were afraid before the voice of the Word of Yahuah, which you heard from the midst of the fire; neither did you go up to the mountain while He said :

Sons of Israel, My people, I am Yahuah your Elohim, who made and led you out free from the land of Mizraim, from the house of the bondage of slaves.

Sons of Israel, My people, no other Elohim shall you have beside Me.

You shall not make to you an image or the likeness of anything which is in the heavens above, or in the earth below, or in the waters under the earth:

thou shalt not worship them or do service before them; for I am Yahuah your Elohim, a jealous and avenging Elohim, taking vengeance in jealousy; remembering the sins of wicked fathers upon rebellious children to the third generation and to the fourth of them that hate Me, when the children complete to sin after their fathers;

but keeping mercy and bounty for a thousand generations of the righteous who love Me and keep My mandates and My laws.

Sons of Israel, My people, no one of you shall swear by the Name of the Word of Yahuah your Elohim in vain: for Yahuah, in the day of the great judgment, will not acquit any one who shall swear by His Name in vain.

Sons of Israel, My people, observe the day of Sabbath, to sanctify it according to all that Yahuah your Elohim hath commanded.

Six days you shall labour and do all your work,

but the seventh day (shall be for) rest and quiet before Yahuah your Elohim; ye shall do no work, neither you, nor your sons, nor your daughters, nor your servants, nor your handmaids, nor your oxen, your asses, nor any of your cattle, nor your sojourners who are among you; that your servants and handmaids may have repose as well as you.

And remember that you were servants in the land of Mizraim, and that Yahuah your Elohim delivered and led you out with a strong hand and uplifted arm; therefore Yahuah thy Elohim hath commanded thee to keep the Sabbath day.

Sons of Israel, My people, be every one mindful of the honour of his father and his mother, as Yahuah your Elohim hath commanded you, that your days may be proIonged, and it may be well with you in the land which Yahuah your Elohim giveth you.

Sons of Israel, My people, you shall not murder, nor be companions or participators with those who do murder, nor shall there be seen in the congregations of Israel (those who have part) with murderers; that your children may not arise after you, and teach their own to have part with murderers; for because of the guilt of murder the sword cometh forth upon the world. Sons of Israel, My people, you shall not be adulterers, nor companions of, or have part with, adulterers; neither shall there be seen in the congregations of Israel (those who have part) with adulterers, and that your children may not arise after you, and teach theirs also to be with adulterers; for through the guilt of adulteries the plague cometh forth upon the world. Sons of Israel, My people, you shall not be thieves, nor be companions nor have fellowship with thieves, nor shall there be seen in the congregations of Israel (those who have part)with theives; for because of the guilt of robberies famine cometh forth on the world. Sons of Isreal, My people, you shall not bear false witness, nor be companions or have fellowship with the bearers of false testimony; neither shall there be seen in the congregations of Isreal those who (have part) with false witnesses; for because of the guilt of false witnesses the clouds arise, but the rain does not come down, and dearth cometh on the world.

Sons of Israel, My people, you shall not be covetous, nor be companions or have fellowship with the covetous; neither shall there be seen in the congregations of Israel any who (have part) with the covetous; that your children may not arise after you, and teach their own to be with the covetous. Nor let any one of you desire his neighbour’s wife, nor his field, nor his servant, nor his handmaid, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor anything that belongeth to his neighbour; for because of the guilt of covetousness the government (malkutha) seizeth upon men’s property to take it away, and bondage cometh on the world.

These words spake Yahuah with all your congregation at the mount, from the midst of the fiery cloud and tempest, with a great voice which was not limited; and the voice of the Word {Dibbera} was written upon two tables of marble, and He gave them unto me.

But when you had heard the voice of the Word {Dibbera} from the midst of the darkness, the mountain burning with fire, the chiefs of your tribes and your sages drew nigh to me,

and said, Behold, the Word of Yahuah our Elohim hath showed us His glorious Shekinah, and the greatness of His excellency, (tushbachteih, His magnificence,) and the voice of His Word have we heard out of the midst of the fire. This day have we seen that Yahuah speaketh with a man in whom is the Holy Spirit, and he remaineth alive.

But now why should we die? For this great fire will devour us; if we again hear the voice of the Word of Yahuah our Elohim, we shall die.

For who, of all the offspring of flesh, hath heard the voice of the Word of the Living Elohim speaking from amid the fire as we, and hath lived?

Go thou nigh, and hear all that Yahuah our Elohim shall say, and speak thou with us all that Yahuah our Elohim will say to thee, and we will hearken and will do.

And the voice of your words was heard before Yahuah when you spake with me, and Yahuah said to me, All the words of this people which they have spoken with thee are heard before Me; all that they have said is good.

O that the disposition of their heart were perfect as this willingness is to fear Me and to keep all My commandments all days, that it may be well with them and with their children for ever!

{Go, say to them: he has permitted you to join with your wives since you have been separated three days.}

Now therefore be separate from thy wife, that with the orders above thou mayest stand before Me, and I will speak with thee the commandments, statutes, and judgments, which thou shalt teach them to perform in the land that I give you to inherit.

And now observe to do as Yahuah your Elohim hath commanded you; decline not to the right hand or to the left.

Walk in all the way which Yahuah your Elohim commandeth you, that you may live and do well, and lengthen out days in the land you shall inherit.

 

Chapter 6

 

And this is the declaration of the commandments, the statutes, and the judgments which Yahuah your Elohim hath commanded (me) to teach you to perform in the land to which you pass over to inherit;

that thou mayest fear Yahuah thy Elohim, and keep all His statutes and precepts which I command thee; thou, thy son, and the son of thy son, all the days of thy life; and that thou mayest prolong thy days.

Hearken then, Israel, to keep and to do, that it may be well with thee, and you may increase greatly, as Yahuah Elohim of thy fathers hath spoken to thee, (that) He will give thee a land whose fruits are rich as milk, and sweet as honey.

It was, when the time came that our father Jakob should be gathered out of the world, he was anxious lest there might be an idolater among his sons. He called them, and questioned them, Is there such perversity in your hearts? They answered, all of them together, and said to him: HEAR, ISRAEL OUR FATHER: YAHUAH OUR ELOHIM IS ONE LORD! Jakob made response, and said, Blessed be His Glorious Name for ever and ever.

Mosheh the prophet said to the people of the house of Israel, Follow after the true worship of your fathers, that you may love Yahuah your Elohim with each disposition of your hearts, and also that He may accept your souls, and the (dedicated) service of all your wealth;

and let these words which I command you this day be written upon the tables of your hearts.

And thou shalt unfold them to thy children, and meditate upon them when thou art sitting in your houses, at the time when you are occupied in secret chambers, or in journeying by the way; at evening when you lie down, and at morn when you arise.

And you shall bind them as written signs upon thy left hand, and they shall be for tephillin upon thy forehead over thine eyes.

And thou shalt write them upon the pillars, and affix them in three places, against the cupboard, upon the posts of thy house, and on the right hand of thy gate, in thy going out.

And when Yahuah thy Elohim hath brought thee into the land which he promised to Abraham, Izhak, and Jakob, thy fathers, to give thee cities great and goodly which thou didst not toil in building,

houses also, filled with all good, which thou wast not occupied in filling, and hewn cisterns in hewing which thou didst not labour, vineyards and olives with planting which thou wast not wearied; and when thou hast eaten. and art satisfied,

beware lest you forget the fear of Yahuah your Elohim, who delivered and led you out free from the land of Mizraim, from the house of the affliction of slaves;

but fear Yahuah your Elohim, and worship before Him, and swear by the Name of the Word of Yahuah in truth.

You shall not go after the idols of the Gentiles, the idols of the peoples who are round about you:

for Yahuah our Elohim is a jealous Elohim, and an Avenger, whose Shekinah dwelleth in the midst of you; lest the anger of Yahuah your Elohim be kindled against you, and He quickly destroy you from the face of the earth.

Sons of Israel, my people, be warned not to tempt Yahuah your Elohim as you tempted Him in the ten temptations;

keeping keep the commandments of Yahuah your Elohim, and His testimonies and statutes which He hath commanded you;

and do what is good and right before Yahuah, that it may be well with you, and ye may go in, and possess by inheritance the good land which Yahuah covenanted to your fathers;

that He may drive out all thy enemies before thee, as Yahuah hath said.

When thy son, in time to come, shall ask thee, saying, What are the testimonies, statutes, and judgments which Yahuah our Elohim hath commanded you?

then shall you say to your sons, We were servants to Pharoh in Mizraim,

and the Word of Yahuah brought us out of Mizraim with a mighty hand; and the Word of Yahuah wrought signs, great wonders, and sore plagues on Mizraim and on Pharoh and all the men of his house, which our eyes beheld;

but us He led forth free to bring us in and give us the land which He sware to our fathers.

And Yahuah commanded us to perform all these statutes, that we may fear Yahuah our Elohim for good to us in all days, that He may preserve us alive as at the time of this day;

and (the reward of) righteousness will be reserved for us in the world to come, if we keep all these commandments to perform them before Yahuah our Elohim, as He hath commanded us.

 

Chapter 7

 

When Yahuah thy Elohim shall bring thee into the land to which thou wilt come to possess it, and He will make many peoples to go out from before thee, the Hittites, Girgashites, Amorites, Kenaanites, Perizites, Hivites, and Jebusites, seven nations more numerous and strong than thou.,

and Yahuah your Elohim will deliver them up before you, then shall you blot them out and utterly consume them by the curse of Yahuah. You shall strike no covenant with them, nor have pity upon them.

You shall not intermarry with them; your daughters you shall not give to their sons, nor take their daughters for your sons; for whosoever marrieth with them is as if he made marriage with their idols.

For their daughters will lead your sons away from My worship to serve the idols of the Gentiles; so will the anger of Yahuah be kindled against you, and He will destroy you suddenly.

But this shall you do to them: you shall destroy their altars, break their statues in pieces, cut down their groves for worship, and burn the images of their idols with fire.

For you shall be a holy people before Yahuah your Elohim, as Yahuah your Elohim hath taken pleasure in you, that you may be a people more beloved before Him than all the peoples who are on the face of the earth.

Not because you were more excellent than all other peoples hath Yahuah had pleasure in you and chosen you, but because you were poor in spirit, and more humble than all the nations.

Therefore, because Yahuah had mercy on you, and would keep the covenant He had sworn with your fathers, He led you out free with a mighty hand, and redeemed you from the house of the affliction of slaves, from the hand of Pharoh king of Mizraim.

Know therefore that Yahuah your Elohim is a Judge, strong and faithful, keeping covenant and mercy with them who love Him and keep His commandments unto a thousand generations,

and who repayeth to them who hate Him the reward of their good works in this world, to destroy them (for their evil works) in the world to come; neither delayeth He (to reward) His enemies, but while they are alive in this world He payeth them their recompense.

Observe therefore the mandates, the statutes, and judgments which I command you, to perform them.