Parashat Shoftim

Judges: or governors; those who make legal rulings. Officials: from a word meaning "to write", but not the typical word for "scribes". Putting legal rulings in writing brings more of a sense of authority to them. Jurisdictions: literally, gates. This suggests that those who make rulings for us should come from among us—those known to the community, not appointed from outside. Deserved: or above-board, right, charitable.

Faces to be recognized: an idiom for showing partiality.

This indicates that the framework for right rulings must already be established and in place before we can take and occupy the Land. There is no room for error once we are there.

A grove: or poles styled like trees, commonly used in idolatrous practices; Heb. asherah. The tradition of standing any tree up after being cut down follows this pattern. Contiguous to the altar: which triggers the memory of Hanukkah, to which Christmas, when these trees are set up, often has close proximity.

Upright: or erect, which suggests the type of pagan fertility theme it had. The most common successor to this practice today is the steeples on churches, which often simply took over existing pagan temples. This tells us directly that YHWH hates them, even if they are interpreted today as “pointing up to Him”. Aramaic, "statue"; Hirsch, "memorial stone". The patriarchs prior to this command did set some of these up, but it was not "for themselves", as something they could control, but unto YHWH, e.g., as a marker in recognition of what would be the site of the Temple (in Yaaqov's case). Nor were they ever worshipped.

CHAPTER 17

Anything wrong with it: literally, "any evil word" or “matter”—i.e., not just an obvious defect, but anything bad that can be about it—such as, “It was known to gore people.” (Ex. 21:36) If the sacrifice YHWH will accept from returning Israel is "words...and the calves of our lips" (Hos. 14:2), then a substandard sacrifice is a picture of the same mouth producing both blessing and cursing (Yaaqov/James 3:10). Yaaqov (Y’shua’s younger brother) was the rightful king of Israel after Y'shua left the earth, and was bringing out the deeper meaning of the Torah (vv. 18, 19 below). Are we giving YHWH the best of our time, or just what is left over when we have done all we wanted to do? The Sabbath, new moon, and set-apart times are already His; we also need to give Him the best of the rest. Those are times when He invites us to meet with Him; we also need to invite Him to meet with us. Giving YHWH second best is disgusting to Him—which is the same thing He says about idolatry, homosexuality, etc. It is rude, and you might as well just keep it for yourself. But if we are willing to give something, shouldn’t He be glad to get anything from us? No! He gives us His best; we need to do the same to Him. He asks, “Do you think you would get away with doing this to an earthly ruler?” (Mal. 1:6-8) How much more does He deserve than they? 30 minutes of prime time are better than 20 hours when you are worn out; He would rather have a perfect pigeon than a blemished bull. He is not upset if you eat second best; we are permitted to eat blemished animals at home (15:22); but for His Levites and priests and for offerings to Him, they must be whole. We could not out-give Him anyway, even if we gave everything we had for the rest of our lives.

Note the parallel with the ox or sheep with a defect in v. 1 This explains the picture in verse 1. He is not really talking about animals. (Acts 10:17-341 Cor. 9:9ff)

Idolatry is the blemish of blemishes. Appointed: i.e., to be worshipped; alt., "commanded". Army of the skies: the sun, moon, and stars. YHWH has put them there for an important purpose—for signs and to define the seasons by which He operates. (Gen. 1:4) They should be watched, but they serve us; we are not to serve them. They are only messenges. "The hosts of heaven" is also an idiom for the spirits under YHWH that He has appointed to have jurisdiction over limited areas of the world, but not the people or Land of Israel. The sun and moon also represent one's forefathers (as in Yoseyf's dream, Gen. 37:9ff). The forefathers--either the "early Church fathers" or the ancient rabbinical sages--while they may have said much we can learn from, were far from perfect and are not to be worshipped. And in other ways, often indirectly, we bow down to things in our lives that YHWH gave us to serve us—like gainful employment. If we have to beg men to keep it, are we really trusting YHWH? He gives men wives to help us, but they are not to have the final word in decisions, for the husband is the head YHWH appointed. Our children are given to help share the burden, but we must not give in to their foolish whims. Women are to respect their husbands, but not obey them if they are in conflict with YHWH. We are to honor our parents, but still leave them in order to cleave to a spouse. We also worshipped the sun when we were in Sunday churches, though we did not realize it. We must repent, but also confess that our fathers gave us some lies as an inheritance. (Yirmeyahu 16:19) Is it possible to serve other “mighty ones” without actually them? Possibly, but Yaaqov 1:13 tells us that this is really “step two”. What is “step one”? Our own desires, which act as the bait for haSatan’s traps. We thus cannot blame haSatan, and much less YHWH! Serving our own desires—any that are not in line with Torah or even with YHWH’s priorities for Israel today--is the path to serving idols, whatever form they may take today. We need to examine our desires carefully to make sure we are not serving them in place of YHWH.

Confirmed: "determined" or "established". Without this step, the report could be only hearsay or gossip. But if it is truly for the sake of stopping the spread of defilement in Israel, it is not always “the evil tongue” when we tell what we know about someone—to the proper authority. We must know Torah well to know the difference. Verse 6 explains what constitutes reliability. In Israel: the holiest part of the earth, where there is no tolerance for anything pagan, whatever may be permitted anywhere else.

This may explain another reason the man gathering sticks on the Sabbath was stoned to death. He could not build a fire to YHWH on that day, so he may have wished to build it toward another object of worship. "He who does not gather with me scatters", says Y'shua. If we are gathering people unto Sunday worship (gathering sticks out of season), Christmas, steepled buildings (12:3), etc., we are preparing a sacrifice unto someone other than YHWH. The ancient method of stoning was not to throw small stones at people like children do, but to first throw someone off a cliff to stun him, then knock him out with a large stone to the head, then continue to pile relatively large stones on him until he was dead and covered up.

Witnesses: includes the sense of bringing evidence, not just a report. Two if they are extremely trustworthy, and three if there is any doubt as to the motives of the first two. Their reports must agree. If YHWH does not provide more than one witness, even if someone did a wrong, it means He is having mercy on him this tine.

The witness who reports must be the one to do something about it; he cannot just leave it to someone else to do the “dirty work”, though of course he must come to the proper authorities before dealing out justice. Even if it is uncomfortable, we cannot be more interested in covering our friends’ backs than with carrying out justice. Burn away: or purge. Two witnesses--probably the two houses of Israel--show up just before the fire of YHWH's purification of the earth, before the Messianic Kingdom begins. (Rev. 11:3)

A reconstructed judgment seat in the city that means "judgment", Dan. >>

8. "If a matter is too difficult for you to render judgment between blood and blood, between [one] cause and [another], or between [one] blow and [another]--matters of legal controversy between your civil precincts, then proceed to go up to the place that YHWH your Elohim will choose,

For you: that is, the constituted officials who have been appointed to judge at the lowest level. (16:18) Blood: or bloodguiltiness. Cause: plea, case, suit, or legal dispute; Hirsch, "verdict". Blow: or how many strokes one should receive in judgment; Aramaic, "even involving the leprosy plague". Different levels of courts are thus instituted here.

Officials: or priests (cohanim), which stems from the Hebrew word for "officiate". Make known: LXX, "report" or "declare"; includes the sense of expounding on how they came to the conclusion. The ruling is hidden from those at the local levels so that the ruling may be made known to the entire nation of Israel; it is a precedent YHWH has decided is significant enough for everyone to hear. The rulings of the Pharisaically-based Rabbis, who usurped authority from Levi, are conspicuously absent from this protocol.

I.e., do not ask for a ruling unless you are willing to be bound by it. What they are not giving you is not a mere opinion. It is not to be brought up again; do not even consider another option any longer.

Once there is a verdict, you have no option but to obey it, and nothing is said here about an appeal process. This behooves us to use extreme caution in choosing the judges who will make rulings for us. They must themselves be able to present two or three "witnesses" (pieces of evidence) from Scripture, rather than basing them on only one ambiguous passage. If they direct the less learned to do wrongly, they will bear the blame. The Torah is the standard. But if so, then why could someone at the local level not be able to rule? Because the answer may not come from a literal command, but from an analogy or indirect application.

Defiantly: presumptuously, proudly, arrogantly. Our enemy and our flesh have trained us to think in direct opposition to Torah. Burn away: The purpose is to deter others from continuing the same practice:

14. "When you come into the Land that YHWH your Elohim is giving you, and have taken possession of it and settled in it, and you say, ‘Let me set over myself a king like all the nations that surround me',

15. "you may indeed set over you in it a king whom YHWH your Elohim chooses. (You may set a king over yourselves from among your relatives; you must not appoint over yourselves a foreign man who is not your relative.)

YHWH chooses: It was always a prophet who anointed a rightful king in Israel. Foreign man: The leader is to come from within, not be hired from outside, even if he is professionally-trained and none of us is.

Amass to himself many: Aramaic, "own too many". That way: both the literal road to Egypt as well as the Egyptian way of doing things, which includes dependence on great numbers. (1 Shmuel 14:6) Yeshayahu (Isaiah 31 clarifies that "going to Egypt" and relying on horses signifies trusting in the "arm" of flesh, and not looking to the Set-Apart One of Israel. That Pharaoh's horses were also lost in the Red Sea because of such a simple thing as getting stuck in the mud shows how unreliable they are. (cf. Rev. 19:18) Egypt is also symbolic of the church and its doctrines, and once YHWH calls us beyond it, we must not go back to being a part of it.

18. "Now when he takes his seat upon the throne of his kingdom, what he must do is write in a book a copy of this Torah for himself from [the one that is] in the presence of the Levitical officials.

This Torah: specifically, the book of D’varim, because it is what gives him this particular instruction. Writing it for oneself would engrain it in his memory in a better way than merely hearing it. Either Shlomo (Solomon) failed to do this, or he forgot what he had written, because he disobeyed every one of these commands, even going specifically to Egypt to obtain horses! (1 Kings 4:26; 2 Chron. 9:25) Shlomo did not even have his heart set on such wealth, but when given to him as a reward it still turned his heart away. He would have been much better off without it. He asked only for wisdom to rule his people, but not Torah knowledge. If someone so wise could be turned from YHWH when this went to his head, what sort of warning is it for us? Some of the later kings actually dedicated their horses to the sun (a Persian practice), and kept them stationed right outside the Temple of YHWH! But Yoshiyahu (Josiah) faithfully did away with them. (2 Kings 23:11).

Kept with him: traditionally, the kings had a scroll tied onto their arm and carried over their backs. All the days: that is, every day. And not just read, but guard and do. YHWH does not want our leftover time! And we are to be like kings, searching out the things YHWH has hidden in His word. (Prov. 25:2) Reverence: or fear. Only YHWH is a worthy object of our fear. (Mat. 10:28) Situations, armies, shortages, etc., are not. Shlomo said this was the beginning of wisdom. (Prov. 9:10; Ps. 111:10) No one who takes anything beside YHWH into consideration can bring a right ruling.

Extend days: i.e., prolong his reign. The very heart: not the same Hebrew word as "his heart" above, but meaning "the innermost part" or "that which is nearest" in the midst of Israel. In other words, he could thus become as close to YHWH as possible. Only a few kings made serious attempts at this.

CHAPTER 18

The Levites are held to the highest standard in Israel, especially the priests. They are told whom they can mourn for, whom they can marry, even how to feel! Levi means “attached”, and indeed they are attached to YHWH in a special way. Levi was handy with a knife, so YHWH put him to work slaughtering the offerings brought for Him in a way that would be painless to them. As Y’shua’s followers, we are called to not just be like kings (17:19), but priests (1 Kefa 2:5, 9), and thus have the calling of the Levites upon us. (See Luke 14:26 et al.) Property: the word can also mean anything that seduces or flatters (thus hampering the focus of one's dedication). YHWH knew human nature’s tendency to try to serve two masters, so He did them a favor and allowed them no other responsibilities. Eat: Aramaic, "live off". In unpointed Hebrew, this phrase can also read, “They shall be fed by YHWH’s wife…”, for preparing His bride is the real purpose of all their work.

What an inheritance! For in the Kingdom, YHWH will be one (Zkh. 14:9)—the only thing—so they will inherit everything if they are faithful in this age. Levites were financially poor, but honored as the greatest in Israel. (Mat. 23:11) As His “slaves”, they have a far richer heritage than a king anywhere else, and were held in extremely high esteem. All they are about is service to YHWH. They depended on the people’s obedience in regard to the tithes and the portions of the various offerings that were to be theirs.(vv. 3-4.) It was their responsibility to teach the Torah and make sure it was upheld (Mal. 2:7), so if they did not do their job well, the people would not bring offerings, and they would not eat. By Y’shua’s time they were mostly corrupt, with some notable exceptions like Z’kharyah. (Luke 1)

Due: or right. This is not just animals brought as offerings, but any ox or flock animal (male sheep or goat) that an Israelite slaughters to eat. (12:10ff; Lev. 17:3ff; Y’hezq’el 46:24) He did not have to bring them all to the Temple; if it was slaughtered at home, he might give it to the Levitical cities in his region. The cohen might Foreleg: or arm (Heb., zeroa), a symbol of strength (as used of Yoseyf in Gen. 49:24) and a title for the Messiah (Yeshayahu 53:1); this is the shankbone that has been traditionally used by Jews in exile as a reminder of the entire Passover lamb, and indeed YHWH says it was by His mighty zeroa that He delivered Israel from Egypt (Ex. 6:6 et al). So part of the inheritance of those who are attached to YHWH and His service is strength and deliverance. Jawbones: alt., cheeks or jowls. Letting one’s cheeks be struck is a symbol of submitting to chastisement from one’s teacher when we have failed, in order to learn from it. (Lam. 3:27; compare Yeshayahu 50:5) Turning the other cheek (Mat. 5:39) does not mean letting oneself be walked over by an evil person, but learning from our hardships and difficulties (more basic meanings of the word often translated “evil” there) to see what YHWH wants us to learn from them, rather than whining about them. He wants us to move on from where we are, not make the same mistake again, and hardship drives us to His word to find out what is wrong—and that is exactly where He wants us. So another part of the inheritance of priests is learning our lessons rather than being doomed to stay in the same place for too long. Stomach: this term specifically means the first ventricle of a ruminant animal--where it digests food and returns it for further digestion so it has something very nourishing to feed its young. This is a picture of our meditating on YHWH's word over and over so we can feed newer believers with greater accuracy and proper attitude. (e.g., Acts 17:11) The Torah is not to depart from our mouth, but to be “ruminated” on day and night. (Y’hoshua 1:8) Ruminants have four stomachs, and there are also commonly four levels on which we can interpret each passage of Scripture. The first is the simple, stripped down literal meaning, which corresponds to this first stomach. While in exile we often have to teach mainly the spiritual applications, but this third hope of our inheritance is that we will one day be able to take the Torah literally again, doing exactly what it says and having YHWH’s physical presence among us; this speaks for itself and the other levels of interpretation will be much more obvious when we have the literal right in front of us.

First: also the best, the choicest part. LXX, "firstfruits". Grain: from a term for "what multiplies". It is a picture of the community of Israel, to which the priests dedicate all their time. The fleece would provide the priests with clothing, not just food.

Stand: Aramaic, "be in attendance". Because Levi stood for his sister’s honor (Gen. 34), YHWH let him stand before Him. Serve: or "minister to, "wait on". Forever: literally, "for all days". Just because the Melchitzedeq priesthood is added to this one does not cancel the Levitical order.

Levite: Not the Levites who were specifically attached to Temple service, but those who resided in outlying cities among all the tribes for the purpose of teaching all Israel the Torah. The high calling (Phil. 3:14) is to be as holy as the holiest, not just Levites, but even priests. Staying: finding temporary hospitality, sojourning, but in regard to non-Israelites the term implies being there to learn about YHWH while considering becoming a part of His community. This allowance sets a precedent for YHWH's promise that one day He will take priests and Levites from those of all tribes who were exiled among the nations. (Yeshayahu 66:21)

Serve in the Name: LXX, "minister to the Name". He would still not be a priest as such. Stand: repeated from verse 5, possibly to remind us to get up to serve, even if everyone around us is still sitting down.

Share for share: i.e., the newcomer (who serves by his own choice) will have the same amount (portion) to eat as those who have preceded him as YHWH had prescribed. (Compare Mat. 20:9.) What belonged to his ancestors: This Levite apparently was not living like a Levite, who has no inheritance, but has now divested himself of the inheritance of where he came from so he can take up the one to which YHWH calls Him. (v. 2)

This type of compromise is what brought about the Christian calendar. But now that we are entering into Torah again, we find that some abominations have been set up in its realm as well, such as the forbidding of the use of YHWH's name and the forbidding of eating milk and meat together (an overextension of a command, which destroys a picture the same way Moshe's striking the rock the second time did). So we have pitfalls to avoid in both directions.

Divination: literally, distribution, as in playing the odds, looking at the things they roll like dice to see what the future holds—i.e., gambling on which number to pick, but YHWH has told as not to worship numbers. (Yeshayahu 65:11) Soothsayer: literally, one who observes or produces clouds—and indeed much of what they do is really only “smoke and mirrors”, but the lesson that is closer to home may be related to clouding the issues. When Scripture is clear about something, one should not bring up other considerations. One can control people by building “straw men” and destroying them, appearing to have actually accomplished something. Monks copied the Scriptures, but did not give them to the people, because they could not have retained power or gotten away with teaching their doctrines if they had. This is not to be the case in Israel. Whisperer: one who conjures spells or tells fortunes by observing omens, but also a gossip, who produces unfounded rumors that take on a life of their own. There is something "forbidden" about whispering that attracts us in a seductive sort of way that is even more powerful than a shout. It undermines respect for our brothers, and there should be no such witchcraft in Israel. Sorcerer: one who casts a spell—i.e., uses any means other than obedience to YHWH to get where he wants to go.

Ties magic charms: LXX, "employing incantation"; the root word means to fascinate, and one can gain influence over people by putting on the best show, and can become wealthy by teaching Scripture as “hype”. Familiar spirits: the word may be based on the word for "ancestor", and as such it is a warning to remember that our fathers did inherit lies (Yirm. 16:19), and even if they have found reasons not to keep the Sabbath, etc., the Torah still says it is a perpetual command. (Ex. 31:13) We should not inquire from our leaders on an issue on which the Torah and the prophets have already spoken. YHWH will not tell us something different today from what He told Moshe. There is nothing left to inquire about; just obey! Also, do not inquire of the early Church fathers or the rabbis who lived centuries ago, for there is a fluidity to some aspects of Torah, and each generation has different needs. Do not let the ruling of someone who was caught in a bind due to exile set your calendar for you when now there are people in the Land of Israel who watch the signs and seasons and can proclaim authoritatively that the only conditions YHWH set up have been met. Wizard: literally, a "knower". This might be a psychic hotline, scientist, or anyone who claims to “know” something that disagrees with what YHWH has said. Enquires of the dead: A small core of kabbalistic mysticism is valid, but most gets into these practices, especially the modern version; it is only another form of self-promotion. But the angels warned Y’shua’s followers from the start not to seek the living among the dead. (Luke 24:5) His death and resurrection are things to be thankful for, but we must move on and accomplish what He died and rose to make possible.

Abhorred by YHWH: He is disgusted with these people, destroying the myth that He "loves everyone".

Entirely in accord: or perfect--that is, the Hebrew, not the Greek kind of “perfect”: "...be mature toward YHWH", seeking learning rather than childishly following after attractively-hawked mediums who only want your money. Be complete—looking wholly to YHWH, not scattered mighty ones which dissipate our energies and loyalties. All of these other things emphasize knowing about tomorrow at the expense of being obedient today. This is Y’shua’s authority for teaching that “taking thought for tomorrow” is what the pagans do. (Mat. 6:31-33) Instead, plant both feet firmly in Torah. Get all the way into community. Nothing else is to be your master.

Permitted you to do so: Aramaic, "assigned these [i.e., such authorities] to you". YHWH will speak directly to Israel and lead through our knowledgeable interpretation of the Torah, not through one-time magical revelations that teach us nothing about His ways and cater to our laziness in regard to becoming approved workmen. That takes away our inheritance--the forearm (strength), the ruminant stomach (studying the Torah in depth), and the cheeks (learning from our mistakes)!

16. "according to all that you asked from YHWH your Elohim at Chorev on the day of the assembly, saying, ‘Don't let me hear the voice of YHWH my Elohim anymore, or let me see this great conflagration again, so I will not die!'

17. "And YHWH told me, ‘What they have said is appropriate;

18. "‘I will raise up a prophet for them from among their brothers like yourself, and I will put My words in his mouth, and he will tell them all that we will command.

A prophet from among their brothers: not a god-man (Yoch. 1:18), and not an outsider, but a fellow Israelite—our “Kinsman-Redeemer”. This was seen by the ancient Jews as a Messianic passage, and Y’shua was recognized as the one Moshe had spoken of. (Yoch. 1:45) Initially, though, the first Y’hoshua filled this position. Moshe gave him some of his authority, and he earned the rest. We will command: This verb is rather unusual; it appears to read "I will command us", though "him" would seem the logical object. The term “command” means, at root, to set in order. What YHWH says does set us in order in relation to Him if we obey it. It may also refer to YHWH and Moshe, since Y'shua (whom YHWH said was the one to heed, Mat. 17:5) ordered his life by the Torah (Mat. 5:17) and said he could do nothing but what he saw the Father doing. (Yochanan 5:19, 30) Y'shua appealed to Moshe's testimony about him. (Yochanan 5:46-47)

Require: seek out with precision, demand, conduct an investigation, but at root, the word means “tread out”. YHWH will hold us accountable. He will tread it out of us in one way or another if we do not take Y’shua seriously; there will come a day—possibly even when it is too later—when you will admit that He was right. You will not be able to get away with having ignored Him.

Presume: i.e., intentionally do so, not just by mistake when he thought it was from YHWH. THIS prophet will not do that.

Y'shua adds that the one who truly desires to do the will of YHWH will have the truth made clear to him. (Yochanan 7:17)

If the thing does not take place: literally, if the word is not; i.e., if it is not already established in Torah and if what he says does not come true—both factors must stand up, not just one or the other. If it does not agree with Torah, automatically discount it, even if his prediction comes true. (13:1-3) Do not be afraid of him: show him any respect; or alternately, "dwell with him" or "argue with him"; Hirsch, "Have no scruples concerning him" (since we are actually told in 13:5 to stone him to death). In the case of the prophecies that are yet to be fulfilled thousands of years later, they are either given a point of reference "in that Day" (i.e., the Day of YHWH) and/or have a more immediate, smaller-scale fulfillment in the prophet's own day and a wider one in the days yet to come.

CHAPTER 19

2. "you shall set aside three cities for yourself in the midst of the Land that YHWH your Elohim is giving you to take possession of.

I.e., in the Land proper. Moshe had already set up three of them in the "extra" Lands given to the two and a half tribes on the side of the Yarden which they had already conquered. (4:43) Y'hoshua did set up an additional three in obedience to this command. (Y'hoshua 20:2).

Prepare the way: LXX, "Take a survey of your way" to find out which way will be the layout most conducive to escaping to the cities of refuge. I.e., do not place the border just across the mountains from the city, making his flight more difficult.

Case: or "affirmation" (Hirsch); LXX, "ordinance". Survive: yet as a prisoner, in a sense. He may not leave the city until the high priest's death and be guaranteed any safety. We can only go where Y'shua's forgiveness allows us to go. The perfect law of liberty (Yaaqov 1:25; 2:12) is spiritual (Rom. 7:14); any other rule is flesh.

6. "in case the avenger of blood might chase after the manslayer while his passion is hot and catch up with him because the distance is too great, then beat the life out of him, though he had no legal death sentence, since he had not hated him in times past.

Avenger: Hirsch, "acceptor of responsibility for". Passion: literally, "heart". Had no death sentence: or "did not deserve death". Hated him: or "been his enemy" (Hirsch).

8. "and if YHWH your Elohim should enlarge your territory, as indeed He has promised to your ancestors, and has given you all the Land that He said He would give to your ancestors

9. "if you will be careful to carry out all these orders that I am commanding you today--to love YHWH your Elohim and to walk in all His ways--then you shall add another three cities in addition to these three,

This would apparently bring the total of Cities of Refuge to nine. This command is yet to be fulfilled.

He is concerned that this Land, which is intended to serve as a restoration of Eden insofar as is possible in this age, be free from all forms of injustice, especially wrongful destruction of life.

12. "then the elders of his city shall send and bring him from there and deliver him into the hand of the avenger of blood, so that he may be put to death.

Elders: literally, "bearded ones". Even the later Y'hoshua (the Messiah) cannot protect us if we sin willfully. (Heb. 10:26)

Purge: lit., "burn away", remove, consume, or do away with. The success of this enclave of righteousness in a world gone bad depends on ridding it of any vestige of what expelled man from Eden in the first place.

Shift: move or displace; Aramaic, "alter". This is a form of stealing. The fact that your neighbor may not know exactly where the property limit is that his earliest ancestors in the Land (the patriarchs) set up does not give you the right to adjust it to your advantage when he is not looking. The root word for boundary (or border) is "a twisted cord"--probably the rope used to measure or mark it off, but it recalls the three-stranded cord which is not easily broken. Moshe set up a rope boundary around Mt. Sinai (which YHWH said was good, 18:17, since He, liuek Moshe, desires that there be many prophets in Israel). This also specifically links the Torah to the tribal lands: if we are again obedient to His commands, He will restore us to our proper lands. If we do not "bind it back up" (give the Torah its right interpretation rather than slackening it, Mat. 5:19), our tribal lands will remain trodden underfoot by "dogs". This type of bond is not being bound hand and foot, as so many imagine, but being supported and braced as with a belt or girdle.

Piece of evidence: or "witness". Error: or lapse (Hirsch). Matter: or "charge" (Hirsch). Matter: or "word", i.e., a claim of what one said.

Hostile: vicious, violent, or malicious; Heb., hamas, the very name of the violent terrorist group in the Land today. In fulfillment of Psalm 35:11, this happened in Y'shua's own trial. (Mat. 26:60) It also happened to Stefanos. (Acts 6:13). Treason: apostasy, departing from the way, defection.

18. "and the judges shall investigate thoroughly, and if the witness turns out to [be bringing] fraudulent evidence or bringing a false accusation against his brother,

19. "then you shall do to him just what he had plotted to do to his brother; thus you shall burn away the iniquity from your midst,

20. "and those who remain alive will hear of it and be afraid, and never again will another such wickedness be done among you.

21. "Nor shall you look [for a way] to spare; rather, life [shall be exacted] for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, leg for leg.

CHAPTER 20

When: literally, because. This assumes that Israel is on the offensive, not being attacked. Qoheleth (Eccles.) 3:8 says there is a time for war. When is it? For our ancestor Avram it was when his kinsman was taken captive by enemies. (Gen. 14) Our brothers have been taken captive by the church, by rabbinical tradition that does not align with Torah, by the Babylonian system, by the god of Security, and/or by selfishness. Avram could not go against them alone; he took 318 trained men. They could not set anyone free if they had not been properly trained, and if they were not working together. The Hebrew word for battle is from the same root as the word for bread, which is a symbol of community. (1 Cor. 10:16-17) So we should expect our enemies to appear better armed than we, but YHWH’s arm is stronger. It is better to trust in Him than to put confidence in men—or things they can make. Why should we not trust the One who has proven Himself so many times? But Psalm 118, which tells us this, also says YHWH is for us through those who help us. He works through His people. The Aramaic for this verse says, "His Memra [living Word] will be your support." (Compare Yesh./Isa. 51:12ff) We set our brothers free with the “two-edged sword” of YHWH’s Word. (Heb. 4:12) Do not be afraid: Elisha was obedient to this command when an army came against him, and both he and his servant had a greater revelation of just who the human forces were up against. (2 Kings 6:17) Our greatest defeats come from worrying about what might take place rather than letting these challenges show us just how YHWH can overcome them. Since Elisha follows Eliyahu, the spirit that is again coming "before the Great and Terrible Day of YHWH", Elisha represents the time that will follow this one, and this may thus be a prophetic allusion to the time when all nations will hem Israel in and threaten to snuff out its existence. For that time period, we are told here not to fear, but rather to obey the following procedures:

3. "telling them, ‘Listen, Israel! Today you are drawing near to engage in battle against your enemies. Do not let your hearts be timid! Do not be afraid! Do not run away or tremble in terror due to their presence,

Be timid: oft or weak. Aramaic, "panic". A heart is meant to be not hard, but firm. YHWH will strengthen our heart if we have courage. (Psalm 27:14; 31:24) We are not to follow our hearts, but take control of them and tell them how to feel! We must tell our souls to praise Him (Psalm 146:1), for naturally in such a circumstance they will not. The first step in our training is to learn not to be afraid. This also depends on having a community there to support us, because this command is to the whole of Israel. As individuals we do not have the promise of YHWH’s presence, for He said He would be in our midst, and He cannot be “among” one person. Fear denies what YHWH has done and proves we do not believe He is who He says He is. Cowards and the unbelieving are at the top of the list of those who will receive the second death. (Rev. 21:8) Afraid: or nervous. Tremble: Aramaic, "be discouraged". Fearing the people who await us where YHWH is taking us is actually rebellion. (Num. 14:9) They are “bread” for us, not vice versa.

5. "The officials shall also say to the people, ‘Which [of you] is the man who has built a new house, but has not dedicated it? Let him go and return to his house, lest he die in battle, and another man dedicate it.

Dedicated: or inaugurated. Lest he die: Yet v. 3 seems to promise that this will not take place. YHWH’s presence with us cannot be assumed if our heart and our motives lie elsewhere and if we do not trust Him. (Yaaqov/James 1:7)

Begun: can also mean "broken it in" or brought from a state of wildness to one of usefulness; Aram., "made general use of it"; LXX, "been made merry with it".

What each of these men has in common is that he has unfinished business at home. Their heart is expected to still be on personal matters, and therefore they will not be able to concentrate on the battle. Note how similar they are to the excuses made by those invited to the banquet in Y'shua's parable. (Luk. 14:16-24) This is the same principle as putting the hand to the plow, then looking back, or wanting to go bury one's father first. If you have a conflict of interests, be honest with yourself and just go home. If your heart is not in it, leave the job to others. Do not get yourself punished for causing others to stumble. (Mat. 18:6) But do not imagine that this is an “honorable discharge”. It is not that YHWH is so much permitting these people to leave, as He is shaming them, for the only people counted in Israel are the soldiers. (Num. 1:3) He is not concerned for numbers, but that those who are in the trenches beside their fellows are trustworthy and single-minded.

Officers: the term means “those who write down”, so no one will forget which ones were cowardly; the record will be available to all. Gid'on said the same to his soldiers in the book that bears the same name as this Torah portion. (Shoftim/Judges 7:3) We should not voice our "what if's" as the ten evil spies did. (See v. 1) Even if the only thing you fear is that others will take what belongs to you (vv. 5-7), you do not belong in this battle. But, thank YHWH, courage is also contagious. Children are not fearful unless they are taught to be afraid. Do our words and actions teach fear or courage?

Note that there can be no leaders and no battle plan formed until after the fainthearted are taken away.

LXX, "call them out peaceably". The word for "call them out" is the root word for "ekklesia", the called-out ones, because Y'shua intends to call all Israel back out of all nations peaceably. (See note on v. 12) Aramaic, "offer it terms of peace".

Your tributaries: or, "shall merge into you, but they will serve you". Israel cuts no deals; we offer them shalom by allowing them to walk the path of servanthood that we walk; nothing else is acceptable. They can become part of Israel, and retain no distinct identity and no baggage of their own; they can never serve self, only the whole entity of Israel. There will no longer be Baptists or Methodists, but only Israelites.

Peace: a settlement in which they completely surrender, for the verb here means "to complete". Compare Mat. 10:12-15, when Y'shua sends his disciples to proclaim the Kingdom--that those who left the covenant can become part of Israel again, but they must do it according to YHWH's terms. If the dust (descendants of Avraham) from there will not adhere to His "feet" (pilgrim festivals--i.e., His times and seasons), then the peace that is offered to that city will be retracted, and the city will fare worse than S'dom and ‘Amorah. Treat it as an enemy: or "confine it", "besiege it", "close in on it".

Take away their ability to multiply themselves. Peaceful coexistence is not in YHWH’s plan. On the other hand, this is not a knee-jerk reaction when our blood is boiling; battle takes careful planning.

Turned over: or entrusted, ascribed, designated, granted.

The offer of peace only applies to those outside the Land. Paul says he will not judge outsiders; they are YHWH’s problem. But within the area that is our jurisdiction, the highest standard must be maintained:

Here, there are no offers of peace; we simply attack. This is symbolic of those who are "in the Land" who have drawn near but have not fully surrendered to Israel, such as pastors of churches, who should know better, but are unwilling to give up their salaries to teach undiluted truth, as opposed to the average person on the street who has no theology. They have muddied the waters by mixing paganism and the doctrines of men with the true water. (Y'chezq'el/Ezek. 34:19) They cannot be upheld in their current condition. They must sit and be taught by those who know Torah; they may no longer instruct (v. 17), even if they were once leaders in their own camps.

What does this mean to us today? The names of these peoples all have meaning. Chittites means “those who strike fear” in others. Emorites means “those who talk”—who boast, who want to teach you their ways, but cannot live up to their words. Kanaanite means “salesman” or “middleman”. Prizzite means “the ones set outside”—who will not be part of a community. Chiwite means “to be chief”—those who want to lead (but use politics, not servanthood to get there). Y’vusite means “those who step on others”. All of these still exist today in the context of usurpers of Israel’s rightful position, so this is very relevant as we prepare to reclaim the inheritance YHWH meant us to have.

19. "When you lay siege to a city for many days, to wage war against it in order to capture it, do not waste its tree by wielding an axe against them, because you may eat of them, so do not cut it down. For is a tree of the field a human being, to go from before you into the siege-mound?

Waste: use up, or spoil, ruin, destroy. Is a tree...a human being (Heb., adam? Aramaic, "trees of the field are not like humans, to be included in a siege." The thought here is that something that is not against us is for us. (Luqa 9:50) It is to be spared since we can eat from it. We may need these trees for sustenance if the siege is prolonged. Accordingly, we must not "knock" or curse the "tree" on which Y'shua was executed, as much as it has been abused, for as long as we are still outside the City we are recapturing, it is our only lifeline and "goes before us" into battle as the firstfruit of the "Man" that we are all to become. (1 Yochanan 3:2) But throughout Scripture, fruitful trees are often symbolic of people. (Psalm 1:3; 92:12, et al)

Are certain: literally, "you know". Not a tree from which to eat: This immediately brings to mind the forbidden tree in the Garden of Eden. YHWH barred our first ancestors from the tree of life so it would not be ruined, but He has allowed us to make use of the tree of "knowing" for His purposes in recapturing the City. But once that is accomplished, "knowledge is done away with" (1 Cor. 13:8) since "we know in part" (13:9) and whoever thinks he knows anything has not begun to experience the kind of knowledge he really needs (1 Cor. 8:2). Fruitless trees may be cut down. (Y’shua built a parable on this—Luqa 13:6-9.)

CHAPTER 21

Mortally wounded: slain, or more literally "pierced".

3. "and what must take place is that the city--that is, the elders of the city--nearest the mortally-wounded one must select a heifer from the herd which has not been worked with and has not dragged with a yoke.

We are our brothers' keepers; not just what happens within our own property, but what belongs commonly to the nation of Israel is our responsibility. The death of thiis heifer thus removes selfishness in a way that parallels the one chosen to purify the priesthood (Num. 19), since ritual impurity is symbolic of selfishness.

Valley of a perennial stream: or a "primitive", "hard", or "rough" wadi but one with running water to wash away its blood. Similarly, the altar is built with stones uncut by human hands. A virginal cow is offered in a virginal place. No other benefit has come from it. It seems such a waste to kill this cow. All that meat wasted! Even its blood is not used to fertilize crops.(v. 4) But that is exactly the point: a life has been wasted. A man is dead for no reason, and there must be some consequence; payment must be made in blood. Behead: literally, sever its neck. This is no easy task for a cow that weighs hundreds of pounds.

An Israelite is dead--too serious a matter to leave to elders chosen by the community. They need oversight from authorities YHWH has chosen to make sure they carry out the procedure properly. (Mal. 2:7) They are ultimately the ones to declare the townspeople innocent. It seems unfair that they are the authority whether or not they are corrupt and whether or not others may be more righteous than they. This is why the book of Mal’akhi was written—to restore the priesthood to a state where their decision can be counted on to be just.

Washing one's hands is a declaration of innocence so one is not counted among evildoers (Psalm 26:5ff), but it must be proven by willingness to pay its price. When an innocent man's blood is shed, someone must pay in kind, and those nearest are held accountable. (We must be careful where we are standing and make sure we are not too close to anything we do not have room to be responsible for.) An innocent substitute is permitted. This foreshadows Pontius Pilatus' declaring himself innocent of Y'shua's undeserved execution, though his city (Rome) was most directly responsible for Y'shua's death, being the power that actually carried it out. He thus followed the Torah better than these illegitimate leaders of Yehudah (cronies of the Romans who had bought their offices with the largest bribe), who made the overt choice to kill Y’shua. Pilatus was aware that Y’shua was handed over due to envy (Mat. 27:17ff)--direct disobedience to the command not to covet. (Ex. 20:17) Those responsible to teach the Torah to Israel also acted in the role of Qayin and murdered their innocent brother (disobeying Ex. 20:13). They were another mouthpiece of Rome, yet though He condemned them constantly (Mat. 23 et al), many of Y’shua’s followers are now saying that we need to follow their successors, the “rabbis”, and act like the kind of Jews their teachings created. He told us to gather the Northern Kingdom. (Mat. 15:24) If we follow the rightful King of Yehudah, we are already united to Yehudah (Eph. 2:14), and He will fully restore the unity in a pure way. Compromise cannot create true unity. It sells YHWH short to say He cannot effect unity if we do not do things the Pharisaical way. We appreciate the aspects of Torah that they have preserved and our ancient brotherhood, but recognize that they still serve another king--Caesar. (Yoch. 19:15) We must serve our king, not an illegal priesthood. The precursors to the rabbis willingly called His blood upon themselves and their children. (Yoch. 11:50) This has earned them much hatred over the centuries as those taking the blame for Y'shua's death, but when His blood does come upon them as an atonement, it will be a beneficial thing. Rome still, however, had to "pay for the sacrifice" by coming to bear the responsibility Yehudah abdicated as guardians of YHWH's message to the world, and they did a poor job of it, for which they too will have to answer.

8. "‘O YHWH, effect a covering for your people Israel, whom You have redeemed, and do not allow this innocent blood [to remain] in the innermost part of your people Israel.' Thus the blood will be atoned for,

Redeemed: a reminder of the covering of the blood-guilt in Egypt. But we put ourselves back into slavery, and again needed the blood of an innocent substitute. But blood is not shed this time, for blood has already been shed—the innocent man’s. A stiff neck—another characteristic of selfishness--must be broken instead.

Honest: straightforward, proper, right, level. They did not lie about their ignorance of who killed the man. If we call ourselves innocent, we must prove it by doing the right thing. The rest of the chapter is about that: