D. Falk, 2002
And the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, 2
"Say to the people of
9 "These you may
eat, of all that are in the waters. Everything in the waters that has fins and
scales, whether in the seas or in the rivers, you may eat. 10 But anything in
the seas or the rivers that has not fins and scales, of the swarming creatures
in the waters and of the living creatures that are in the waters, is an
abomination to you. 11 They shall remain an abomination to you; of their flesh
you shall not eat, and their carcasses you shall have in abomination. 12
Everything in the waters that has not fins and scales is an abomination to you.
13 "And these you
shall have in abomination among the birds, they shall not be eaten, they are an
abomination: the eagle, the vulture, the osprey, 14 the kite, the falcon
according to its kind, 15 every raven according to its kind, 16 the ostrich,
the nighthawk, the sea gull, the hawk according to its kind, 17 the owl, the
cormorant, the ibis, 18 the water hen, the pelican, the carrion vulture, 19 the
stork, the heron according to its kind, the hoopoe, and the bat.
20 "All winged
insects that go upon all fours are an abomination to you. 21 Yet among the
winged insects that go on all fours you may eat those which have legs above
their feet, with which to leap on the earth. 22 Of them you may eat: the locust
according to its kind, the bald locust according to its kind, the cricket
according to its kind, and the grasshopper according to its kind. 23 But all
other winged insects which have four feet are an abomination to you.
24 "And by these
you shall become unclean; whoever touches their carcass shall be unclean until
the evening, 25 and whoever carries any part of their carcass shall wash his
clothes and be unclean until the evening. 26 Every animal which parts the hoof
but is not cloven-footed or does not chew the cud is unclean to you; every one
who touches them shall be unclean. 27 And all that go on their paws, among the
animals that go on all fours, are unclean to you; whoever touches their carcass
shall be unclean until the evening, 28 and he who carries their carcass shall
wash his clothes and be unclean until the evening; they are unclean to you.
29 "And these are
unclean to you among the swarming things that swarm upon the earth: the weasel,
the mouse, the great lizard according to its kind, 30 the gecko, the land
crocodile, the lizard, the sand lizard, and the chameleon. 31 These are unclean
to you among all that swarm; whoever touches them when they are dead shall be
unclean until the evening. 32 And anything upon which any of them falls when
they are dead shall be unclean, whether it is an article of wood or a garment
or a skin or a sack, any vessel that is used for any purpose; it must be put
into water, and it shall be unclean until the evening; then it shall be clean.
33 And if any of them falls into any earthen vessel, all that is in it shall be
unclean, and you shall break it. 34 Any food in it which may be eaten, upon
which water may come, shall be unclean; and all drink which may be drunk from
every such vessel shall be unclean. 35 And everything upon which any part of
their carcass falls shall be unclean; whether oven or stove, it shall be broken
in pieces; they are unclean, and shall be unclean to you. 36 Nevertheless a
spring or a cistern holding water shall be clean; but whatever touches their
carcass shall be unclean. 37 And if any part of their carcass falls upon any
seed for sowing that is to be sown, it is clean; 38 but if water is put on the
seed and any part of their carcass falls on it, it is unclean to you.
39 "And if any
animal of which you may eat dies, he who touches its carcass shall be unclean
until the evening, 40 and he who eats of its carcass shall wash his clothes and
be unclean until the evening; he also who carries the carcass shall wash his
clothes and be unclean until the evening.
41 "Every swarming
thing that swarms upon the earth is an abomination; it shall not be eaten. 42
Whatever goes on its belly, and whatever goes on all fours, or whatever has
many feet, all the swarming things that swarm upon the earth, you shall not
eat; for they are an abomination. 43 You shall not make yourselves abominable
with any swarming thing that swarms; and you shall not defile yourselves with
them, lest you become unclean. 44 For I am the LORD your God; consecrate yourselves
therefore, and be holy, for I am holy. You shall not defile yourselves with any
swarming thing that crawls upon the earth. 45 For I am the LORD who brought you
up out of the
46 This is the law pertaining to beast and bird and every living creature that moves through the waters and every creature that swarms upon the earth, 47 to make a distinction between the unclean and the clean and between the living creature that may be eaten and the living creature that may not be eaten. (RSV)
If the place where the LORD your God will choose to put his
name is too far from you, and you slaughter as I have commanded you any of your
herd or flock that the LORD has given you, then you may eat within your towns
whenever you desire. 22 Indeed, just as gazelle or deer is eaten, so
you may eat it; the unclean and the clean alike may eat it. 23 Only
be sure that you do not eat the blood; for the blood is the life, and you shall
not eat the life with the meat. 24 Do not eat it; you shall pour it out on the
ground like water. (NRSV)
All may slaughter and what they slaughter is valid, except for a deaf-mute, an imbecile, and a minor, lest they impair what they slaughter; but if any among these slaughtered wile others watched them, what they slaughter is valid.
All may slaughter and at any time and with any implement excepting a reaping-sicle or a saw or teeth or the finger-nails, since these [do not cut but tear the windpipe and] choke [the beast]. (Danby translation)
You shall not boil a kid
in its mother's milk. (NRSV)
No meat may be cooked in milk, except the meat of fish and locusts. No meat may be served on the table with cheese except the meat of fish and locusts. One who vowed to abstain from meat may eat the meat of fish and locusts. Fowl may be served at the table together with cheese, but may not be eaten with it. This is according to the house of Shammai [usually the most rigorous]. But the house of Hillel say: it may not be served or eaten with it. Rabbi Yose said: This is one of the lenient rulings of the house of Shammai, and one of the strict rulings of the house of Hillel. What kind of table did they refer to? A table at which people eat. But on a table upon which food is only set out one may put one beside the other without concern.
(from http://www.lts.org/faculty/carey/Paul&EarlyChurch/Judaism%20-%20Purity%20&%20Boundaries.htm)
TEXTS: FAMILY
NARRATIVES:
Now Sar'ai, Abram's wife, bore him no children. She had an Egyptian maid
whose name was Hagar; 2 and Sar'ai said to Abram, "Behold now, the LORD
has prevented me from bearing children; go in to my maid; it may be that I
shall obtain children by her." And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sar'ai.
3 So, after Abram had dwelt ten years in the
7 The angel of the LORD found her by a spring of water in the wilderness, the
spring on the way to Shur. 8 And he said, "Hagar, maid of Sar'ai, where
have you come from and where are you going?" She said, "I am fleeing
from my mistress Sar'ai." 9 The angel of the LORD said to her,
"Return to your mistress, and submit to her." 10 The angel of the
LORD also said to her, "I will so greatly multiply your descendants that
they cannot be numbered for multitude." 11 And the angel of the LORD said
to her, "Behold, you are with child, and shall bear a son; you shall call
his name Ish'mael; because the LORD has given heed to your affliction. 12 He
shall be a wild ass of a man, his hand against every man and every man's hand
against him; and he shall dwell over against all his kinsmen." 13 So she
called the name of the LORD who spoke to her, "Thou art a God of
seeing"; for she said, "Have I really seen God and remained alive
after seeing him?" 14 Therefore the well was called Beer-la'hai-roi; it
lies between Kadesh and Bered.
15 And Hagar bore Abram a son; and Abram called the name of his son, whom Hagar
bore, Ish'mael. 16 Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore Ish'mael to
Abram.
21:1 The LORD visited Sarah as he had said, and the LORD did to Sarah as he had
promised. 2 And Sarah conceived, and bore Abraham a son in his old age at the
time of which God had spoken to him. 3 Abraham called the name of his son who was
born to him, whom Sarah bore him, Isaac. 4 And Abraham circumcised his son
Isaac when he was eight days old, as God had commanded him. 5 Abraham was a
hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him. 6 And Sarah said,
"God has made laughter for me; every one who hears will laugh over
me." 7 And she said, "Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would
suckle children? Yet I have borne him a son in his old age."
8 And the child grew, and was weaned; and Abraham made a great feast on the day
that Isaac was weaned. 9 But Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she
had borne to Abraham, playing with her son Isaac. 10 So she said to Abraham,
"Cast out this slave woman with her son; for the son of this slave woman
shall not be heir with my son Isaac." 11 And the thing was very
displeasing to Abraham on account of his son. 12 But God said to Abraham,
"Be not displeased because of the lad and because of your slave woman;
whatever Sarah says to you, do as she tells you, for through Isaac shall your descendants
be named. 13 And I will make a nation of the son of the slave woman also,
because he is your offspring." 14 So Abraham rose early in the morning,
and took bread and a skin of water, and gave it to Hagar, putting it on her
shoulder, along with the child, and sent her away. And she departed, and
wandered in the wilderness of Beer-sheba.
15 When the water in the skin was gone, she cast the child under one of the
bushes. 16 Then she went, and sat down over against him a good way off, about
the distance of a bowshot; for she said, "Let me not look upon the death
of the child." And as she sat over against him, the child lifted up his
voice and wept. 17 And God heard the voice of the lad; and the angel of God
called to Hagar from heaven, and said to her, "What troubles you, Hagar?
Fear not; for God has heard the voice of the lad where he is. 18 Arise, lift up
the lad, and hold him fast with your hand; for I will make him a great
nation." 19 Then God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water; and she
went, and filled the skin with water, and gave the lad a drink. 20 And God was
with the lad, and he grew up; he lived in the wilderness, and became an expert
with the bow.
Now Abraham was old, well advanced in years; and the LORD had blessed
Abraham in all things. 2 And Abraham said to his servant, the oldest of his
house, who had charge of all that he had, "Put your hand under my thigh, 3
and I will make you swear by the LORD, the God of heaven and of the earth, that
you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among
whom I dwell, 4 but will go to my country and to my kindred, and take a wife
for my son Isaac." 5 The servant said to him, "Perhaps the woman may
not be willing to follow me to this land; must I then take your son back to the
land from which you came?" 6 Abraham said to him, "See to it that you
do not take my son back there. 7 The LORD, the God of heaven, who took me from
my father's house and from the land of my birth, and who spoke to me and swore
to me, `To your descendants I will give this land,' he will send his angel
before you, and you shall take a wife for my son from there. 8 But if the woman
is not willing to follow you, then you will be free from this oath of mine;
only you must not take my son back there." 9 So the servant put his hand
under the thigh of Abraham his master, and swore to him concerning this
matter.
10 Then the servant took ten of his master's camels and departed, taking all
sorts of choice gifts from his master; and he arose, and went to Mesopota'mia,
to the city of
15 Before he had done speaking, behold, Rebekah, who was born to Bethu'el the
son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham's brother, came out with her water
jar upon her shoulder. 16 The maiden was very fair to look upon, a virgin, whom
no man had known. She went down to the spring, and filled her jar, and came up.
17 Then the servant ran to meet her, and said, "Pray give me a little
water to drink from your jar." 18 She said, "Drink, my lord";
and she quickly let down her jar upon her hand, and gave him a drink. 19 When
she had finished giving him a drink, she said, "I will draw for your
camels also, until they have done drinking." 20 So she quickly emptied her
jar into the trough and ran again to the well to draw, and she drew for all his
camels. 21 The man gazed at her in silence to learn whether the LORD had
prospered his journey or not.
22 When the camels had done drinking, the man took a gold ring weighing a half
shekel, and two bracelets for her arms weighing ten gold shekels, 23 and said,
"Tell me whose daughter you are. Is there room in your father's house for
us to lodge in?" 24 She said to him, "I am the daughter of Bethu'el
the son of Milcah, whom she bore to Nahor." 25 She added, "We have
both straw and provender enough, and room to lodge in." 26 The man bowed
his head and worshiped the LORD, 27 and said, "Blessed be the LORD, the
God of my master Abraham, who has not forsaken his steadfast love and his
faithfulness toward my master. As for me, the LORD has led me in the way to the
house of my master's kinsmen."
28 Then the maiden ran and told her mother's household about these things. 29
Rebekah had a brother whose name was Laban; and Laban ran out to the man, to
the spring. 30 When he saw the ring, and the bracelets on his sister's arms,
and when he heard the words of Rebekah his sister, "Thus the man spoke to
me," he went to the man; and behold, he was standing by the camels at the
spring. 31 He said, "Come in, O blessed of the LORD; why do you stand
outside? For I have prepared the house and a place for the camels." 32 So
the man came into the house; and Laban ungirded the camels, and gave him straw
and provender for the camels, and water to wash his feet and the feet of the
men who were with him. 33 Then food was set before him to eat; but he said,
"I will not eat until I have told my errand." He said, "Speak
on."
34 So he said, "I am Abraham's servant. 35 The LORD has greatly blessed my
master, and he has become great; he has given him flocks and herds, silver and
gold, menservants and maidservants, camels and asses. 36 And Sarah my master's
wife bore a son to my master when she was old; and to him he has given all that
he has. 37 My master made me swear, saying, `You shall not take a wife for my
son from the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I dwell; 38 but you
shall go to my father's house and to my kindred, and take a wife for my son.'
39 I said to my master, `Perhaps the woman will not follow me.' 40 But he said
to me, `The LORD, before whom I walk, will send his angel with you and prosper
your way; and you shall take a wife for my son from my kindred and from my
father's house; 41 then you will be free from my oath, when you come to my
kindred; and if they will not give her to you, you will be free from my
oath.'
42 "I came today to the spring, and said, `O LORD, the God of my master
Abraham, if now thou wilt prosper the way which I go, 43 behold, I am standing
by the spring of water; let the young woman who comes out to draw, to whom I
shall say, "Pray give me a little water from your jar to drink," 44
and who will say to me, "Drink, and I will draw for your camels
also," let her be the woman whom the LORD has appointed for my master's
son.'
45 "Before I had done speaking in my heart, behold, Rebekah came out with
her water jar on her shoulder; and she went down to the spring, and drew. I
said to her, `Pray let me drink.' 46 She quickly let down her jar from her
shoulder, and said, `Drink, and I will give your camels drink also.' So I
drank, and she gave the camels drink also. 47 Then I asked her, `Whose daughter
are you?' She said, The daughter of Bethu'el, Nahor's son, whom Milcah bore to
him.' So I put the ring on her nose, and the bracelets on her arms. 48 Then I
bowed my head and worshiped the LORD, and blessed the LORD, the God of my
master Abraham, who had led me by the right way to take the daughter of my
master's kinsman for his son. 49 Now then, if you will deal loyally and truly
with my master, tell me; and if not, tell me; that I may turn to the right hand
or to the left."
50 Then Laban and Bethu'el answered, "The thing comes from the LORD; we
cannot speak to you bad or good. 51 Behold, Rebekah is before you, take her and
go, and let her be the wife of your master's son, as the LORD has
spoken."
52 When Abraham's servant heard their words, he bowed himself to the earth
before the LORD. 53 And the servant brought forth jewelry of silver and of
gold, and raiment, and gave them to Rebekah; he also gave to her brother and to
her mother costly ornaments. 54 And he and the men who were with him ate and
drank, and they spent the night there. When they arose in the morning, he said,
"Send me back to my master." 55 Her brother and her mother said,
"Let the maiden remain with us a while, at least ten days; after that she
may go." 56 But he said to them, "Do not delay me, since the LORD has
prospered my way; let me go that I may go to my master." 57 They said,
"We will call the maiden, and ask her." 58 And they called Rebekah,
and said to her, "Will you go with this man?" She said, "I will
go." 59 So they sent away Rebekah their sister and her nurse, and
Abraham's servant and his men. 60 And they blessed Rebekah, and said to her,
"Our sister, be the mother of thousands of ten thousands; and may your
descendants possess the gate of those who hate them!" 61 Then Rebekah and
her maids arose, and rode upon the camels and followed the man; thus the
servant took Rebekah, and went his way.
62 Now Isaac had come from Beer-la'hai-roi, and was dwelling in the Negeb. 63
And Isaac went out to meditate in the field in the evening; and he lifted up
his eyes and looked, and behold, there were camels coming. 64 And Rebekah
lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac, she alighted from the camel, 65 and
said to the servant, "Who is the man yonder, walking in the field to meet
us?" The servant said, "It is my master." So she took her veil
and covered herself. 66 And the servant told Isaac all the things that he had
done. 67 Then Isaac brought her into the tent, and took Rebekah, and she became
his wife; and he loved her. So Isaac was comforted after his mother's
death.
Then Laban said to Jacob, "Because you are my kinsman, should you
therefore serve me for nothing? Tell me, what shall your wages be?" 16 Now
Laban had two daughters; the name of the older was Leah, and the name of the
younger was Rachel. 17 Leah's eyes were weak, but Rachel was beautiful and
lovely. 18 Jacob loved Rachel; and he said, "I will serve you seven years
for your younger daughter Rachel." 19 Laban said, "It is better that
I give her to you than that I should give her to any other man; stay with
me." 20 So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed to him but
a few days because of the love he had for her.
21 Then Jacob said to Laban, "Give me my wife that I may go in to her, for
my time is completed." 22 So Laban gathered together all the men of the
place, and made a feast. 23 But in the evening he took his daughter Leah and
brought her to Jacob; and he went in to her. 24 (Laban gave his maid Zilpah to
his daughter Leah to be her maid.) 25 And in the morning, behold, it was Leah;
and Jacob said to Laban, "What is this you have done to me? Did I not
serve with you for Rachel? Why then have you deceived me?" 26 Laban said,
"It is not so done in our country, to give the younger before the
first-born. 27 Complete the week of this one, and we will give you the other
also in return for serving me another seven years." 28 Jacob did so, and
completed her week; then Laban gave him his daughter Rachel to wife. 29 (Laban
gave his maid Bilhah to his daughter Rachel to be her maid.) 30 So Jacob went
in to Rachel also, and he loved Rachel more than Leah, and served Laban for
another seven years.
31 When the LORD saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb; but Rachel was
barren. 32 And Leah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Reuben;
for she said, "Because the LORD has looked upon my affliction; surely now
my husband will love me." 33 She conceived again and bore a son, and said,
"Because the LORD has heard that I am hated, he has given me this son
also"; and she called his name Simeon. 34 Again she conceived and bore a
son, and said, "Now this time my husband will be joined to me, because I
have borne him three sons"; therefore his name was called Levi. 35 And she
conceived again and bore a son, and said, "This time I will praise the
LORD"; therefore she called his name
30:1 When Rachel saw that she bore Jacob no children, she envied her sister; and
she said to Jacob, "Give me children, or I shall die!" 2 Jacob's
anger was kindled against Rachel, and he said, "Am I in the place of God,
who has withheld from you the fruit of the womb?" 3 Then she said,
"Here is my maid Bilhah; go in to her, that she may bear upon my knees,
and even I may have children through her." 4 So she gave him her maid
Bilhah as a wife; and Jacob went in to her. 5 And Bilhah conceived and bore
Jacob a son. 6 Then Rachel said, "God has judged me, and has also heard my
voice and given me a son"; therefore she called his name Dan. 7 Rachel's
maid Bilhah conceived again and bore Jacob a second son. 8 Then Rachel said,
"With mighty wrestlings I have wrestled with my sister, and have
prevailed"; so she called his name Naph'tali.
9 When Leah saw that she had ceased bearing children, she took her maid Zilpah
and gave her to Jacob as a wife. 10 Then Leah's maid Zilpah bore Jacob a son.
11 And Leah said, "Good fortune!" so she called his name Gad. 12
Leah's maid Zilpah bore Jacob a second son. 13 And Leah said, "Happy am I!
For the women will call me happy"; so she called his name Asher.
14 In the days of wheat harvest Reuben went and found mandrakes in the field,
and brought them to his mother Leah. Then Rachel said to Leah, "Give me, I
pray, some of your son's mandrakes." 15 But she said to her, "Is it a
small matter that you have taken away my husband? Would you take away my son's
mandrakes also?" Rachel said, "Then he may lie with you tonight for
your son's mandrakes." 16 When Jacob came from the field in the evening,
Leah went out to meet him, and said, "You must come in to me; for I have
hired you with my son's mandrakes." So he lay with her that night. 17 And
God hearkened to Leah, and she conceived and bore Jacob a fifth son. 18 Leah
said, "God has given me my hire because I gave my maid to my
husband"; so she called his name Is'sachar. 19 And Leah conceived again,
and she bore Jacob a sixth son. 20 Then Leah said, "God has endowed me
with a good dowry; now my husband will honor me, because I have borne him six
sons"; so she called his name Zeb'ulun. 21 Afterwards she bore a daughter,
and called her name Dinah. 22 Then God remembered Rachel, and God hearkened to
her and opened her womb. 23 She conceived and bore a son, and said, "God
has taken away my reproach"; 24 and she called his name Joseph, saying,
"May the LORD add to me another son!"
Now Dinah the daughter of Leah, whom she had borne to Jacob, went out to
visit the women of the land; 2 and when Shechem the son of Hamor the Hivite,
the prince of the land, saw her, he seized her and lay with her and humbled
her. 3 And his soul was drawn to Dinah the daughter of Jacob; he loved the
maiden and spoke tenderly to her. 4 So Shechem spoke to his father Hamor,
saying, "Get me this maiden for my wife." 5 Now Jacob heard that he
had defiled his daughter Dinah; but his sons were with his cattle in the field,
so Jacob held his peace until they came. 6 And Hamor the father of Shechem went
out to Jacob to speak with him. 7 The sons of Jacob came in from the field when
they heard of it; and the men were indignant and very angry, because he had
wrought folly in
8 But Hamor spoke with them, saying, "The soul of my son Shechem longs for
your daughter; I pray you, give her to him in marriage. 9 Make marriages with
us; give your daughters to us, and take our daughters for yourselves. 10 You
shall dwell with us; and the land shall be open to you; dwell and trade in it,
and get property in it." 11 Shechem also said to her father and to her
brothers, "Let me find favor in your eyes, and whatever you say to me I
will give. 12 Ask of me ever so much as marriage present and gift, and I will
give according as you say to me; only give me the maiden to be my
wife."
13 The sons of Jacob answered Shechem and his father Hamor deceitfully, because
he had defiled their sister Dinah. 14 They said to them, "We cannot do
this thing, to give our sister to one who is uncircumcised, for that would be a
disgrace to us. 15 Only on this condition will we consent to you: that you will
become as we are and every male of you be circumcised. 16 Then we will give our
daughters to you, and we will take your daughters to ourselves, and we will
dwell with you and become one people. 17 But if you will not listen to us and
be circumcised, then we will take our daughter, and we will be
gone."
18 Their words pleased Hamor and Hamor's son Shechem. 19 And the young man did
not delay to do the thing, because he had delight in Jacob's daughter. Now he
was the most honored of all his family. 20 So Hamor and his son Shechem came to
the gate of their city and spoke to the men of their city, saying, 21
"These men are friendly with us; let them dwell in the land and trade in
it, for behold, the land is large enough for them; let us take their daughters
in marriage, and let us give them our daughters. 22 Only on this condition will
the men agree to dwell with us, to become one people: that every male among us
be circumcised as they are circumcised. 23 Will not their cattle, their
property and all their beasts be ours? Only let us agree with them, and they
will dwell with us." 24 And all who went out of the gate of his city hearkened
to Hamor and his son Shechem; and every male was circumcised, all who went out
of the gate of his city.
25 On the third day, when they were sore, two of the sons of Jacob, Simeon and
Levi, Dinah's brothers, took their swords and came upon the city unawares, and
killed all the males. 26 They slew Hamor and his son Shechem with the sword,
and took Dinah out of Shechem's house, and went away. 27 And the sons of Jacob
came upon the slain, and plundered the city, because their sister had been
defiled; 28 they took their flocks and their herds, their asses, and whatever
was in the city and in the field; 29 all their wealth, all their little ones
and their wives, all that was in the houses, they captured and made their prey.
30 Then Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, "You have brought trouble on me by
making me odious to the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites and the
Per'izzites; my numbers are few, and if they gather themselves against me and
attack me, I shall be destroyed, both I and my household." 31 But they
said, "Should he treat our sister as a harlot?"
It happened at that time that
12 In course of time the wife of Judah, Shua's daughter, died; and when
20 When
24 About three months later
And the people of
4 Now Deb'orah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapp'idoth, was judging
11 Now Heber the Ken'ite had separated from the Ken'ites, the descendants of
Hobab the father-in-law of Moses, and had pitched his tent as far away as the
oak in Za-anan'nim, which is near Kedesh.
12 When Sis'era was told that Barak the son of Abin'o-am had gone up to Mount
Tabor, 13 Sis'era called out all his chariots, nine hundred chariots of iron,
and all the men who were with him, from Haro'sheth-ha-goiim to the river Kishon.
14 And Deb'orah said to Barak, "Up! For this is the day in which the LORD
has given Sis'era into your hand. Does not the LORD go out before you?" So
Barak went down from
17 But Sis'era fled away on foot to the tent of Ja'el, the wife of Heber the
Ken'ite; for there was peace between Jabin the king of Hazor and the house of
Heber the Ken'ite. 18 And Ja'el came out to meet Sis'era, and said to him,
"Turn aside, my lord, turn aside to me; have no fear." So he turned
aside to her into the tent, and she covered him with a rug. 19 And he said to
her, "Pray, give me a little water to drink; for I am thirsty." So
she opened a skin of milk and gave him a drink and covered him. 20 And he said
to her, "Stand at the door of the tent, and if any man comes and asks you,
`Is any one here?' say, No." 21 But Ja'el the wife of Heber took a tent
peg, and took a hammer in her hand, and went softly to him and drove the peg
into his temple, till it went down into the ground, as he was lying fast asleep
from weariness. So he died. 22 And behold, as Barak pursued Sis'era, Ja'el went
out to meet him, and said to him, "Come, and I will show you the man whom
you are seeking." So he went in to her tent; and there lay Sis'era dead,
with the tent peg in his temple.
Then the Spirit of the LORD came upon Jephthah, and he passed through
32 So Jephthah crossed over to the Ammonites to fight against them; and the
LORD gave them into his hand. 33 And he smote them from Aro'er to the
neighborhood of Minnith, twenty cities, and as far as Abel-keramim, with a very
great slaughter. So the Ammonites were subdued before the people of
34 Then Jephthah came to his home at Mizpah; and behold, his daughter came out
to meet him with timbrels and with dances; she was his only child; beside her
he had neither son nor daughter. 35 And when he saw her, he rent his clothes,
and said, "Alas, my daughter! you have brought me very low, and you have
become the cause of great trouble to me; for I have opened my mouth to the
LORD, and I cannot take back my vow." 36 And she said to him, "My
father, if you have opened your mouth to the LORD, do to me according to what
has gone forth from your mouth, now that the LORD has avenged you on your
enemies, on the Ammonites." 37 And she said to her father, "Let this
thing be done for me; let me alone two months, that I may go and wander on the
mountains, and bewail my virginity, I and my companions." 38 And he said,
"Go." And he sent her away for two months; and she departed, she and
her companions, and bewailed her virginity upon the mountains. 39 And at the
end of two months, she returned to her father, who did with her according to
his vow which he had made. She had never known a man. And it became a custom in
In those days, when there was no king in
10 But the man would not spend the night; he rose up and departed, and arrived
opposite Jebus (that is,
16 And behold, an old man was coming from his work in the field at evening; the
man was from the hill country of E'phraim, and he was sojourning in Gib'e-ah;
the men of the place were Benjaminites. 17 And he lifted up his eyes, and saw
the wayfarer in the open square of the city; and the old man said, "Where
are you going? and whence do you come?" 18 And he said to him, "We
are passing from
22 As they were making their hearts merry, behold, the men of the city, base
fellows, beset the house round about, beating on the door; and they said to the
old man, the master of the house, "Bring out the man who came into your
house, that we may know him." 23 And the man, the master of the house,
went out to them and said to them, "No, my brethren, do not act so
wickedly; seeing that this man has come into my house, do not do this vile
thing. 24 Behold, here are my virgin daughter and his concubine; let me bring
them out now. Ravish them and do with them what seems good to you; but against
this man do not do so vile a thing." 25 But the men would not listen to
him. So the man seized his concubine, and put her out to them; and they knew
her, and abused her all night until the morning. And as the dawn began to
break, they let her go. 26 And as morning appeared, the woman came and fell
down at the door of the man's house where her master was, till it was
light.
27 And her master rose up in the morning, and when he opened the doors of the
house and went out to go on his way, behold, there was his concubine lying at
the door of the house, with her hands on the threshold. 28 He said to her,
"Get up, let us be going." But there was no answer. Then he put her
upon the ass; and the man rose up and went away to his home. 29 And when he
entered his house, he took a knife, and laying hold of his concubine he divided
her, limb by limb, into twelve pieces, and sent her throughout all the
In the days when the judges ruled there was a famine in the land, and a
certain man of
6 Then she started with her daughters-in-law to return from the country of
15 And she said, "See, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and
to her gods; return after your sister-in-law." 16 But Ruth said,
"Entreat me not to leave you or to return from following you; for where
you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge; your people shall be my
people, and your God my God; 17 where you die I will die, and there will I be
buried. May the LORD do so to me and more also if even death parts me from
you." 18 And when Na'omi saw that she was determined to go with her, she
said no more.
19 So the two of them went on until they came to
22 So Na'omi returned, and Ruth the Moabitess her daughter-in-law with her, who
returned from the country of
2:1 Now Na'omi had a kinsman of her husband's, a man of wealth, of the family
of Elim'elech, whose name was Bo'az. 2 And Ruth the Moabitess said to Na'omi,
"Let me go to the field, and glean among the ears of grain after him in
whose sight I shall find favor." And she said to her, "Go, my
daughter." 3 So she set forth and went and gleaned in the field after the
reapers; and she happened to come to the part of the field belonging to Bo'az,
who was of the family of Elim'elech. 4 And behold, Bo'az came from
8 Then Bo'az said to Ruth, "Now, listen, my daughter, do not go to glean
in another field or leave this one, but keep close to my maidens. 9 Let your
eyes be upon the field which they are reaping, and go after them. Have I not
charged the young men not to molest you? And when you are thirsty, go to the
vessels and drink what the young men have drawn." 10 Then she fell on her
face, bowing to the ground, and said to him, "Why have I found favor in
your eyes, that you should take notice of me, when I am a foreigner?" 11
But Bo'az answered her, "All that you have done for your mother-in-law
since the death of your husband has been fully told me, and how you left your
father and mother and your native land and came to a people that you did not
know before. 12 The LORD recompense you for what you have done, and a full
reward be given you by the LORD, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have
come to take refuge!" 13 Then she said, "You are most gracious to me,
my lord, for you have comforted me and spoken kindly to your maidservant,
though I am not one of your maidservants."
14 And at mealtime Bo'az said to her, "Come here, and eat some bread, and
dip your morsel in the wine." So she sat beside the reapers, and he passed
to her parched grain; and she ate until she was satisfied, and she had some
left over. 15 When she rose to glean, Bo'az instructed his young men, saying,
"Let her glean even among the sheaves, and do not reproach her. 16 And
also pull out some from the bundles for her, and leave it for her to glean, and
do not rebuke her."
17 So she gleaned in the field until evening; then she beat out what she had
gleaned, and it was about an ephah of barley. 18 And she took it up and went
into the city; she showed her mother-in-law what she had gleaned, and she also
brought out and gave her what food she had left over after being satisfied. 19
And her mother-in-law said to her, "Where did you glean today? And where
have you worked? Blessed be the man who took notice of you." So she told
her mother-in-law with whom she had worked, and said, "The man's name with
whom I worked today is Bo'az." 20 And Na'omi said to her daughter-in-law,
"Blessed be he by the LORD, whose kindness has not forsaken the living or
the dead!" Na'omi also said to her, "The man is a relative of ours,
one of our nearest kin." 21 And Ruth the Moabitess said, "Besides, he
said to me, `You shall keep close by my servants, till they have finished all
my harvest.'" 22 And Na'omi said to Ruth, her daughter-in-law, "It is
well, my daughter, that you go out with his maidens, lest in another field you
be molested." 23 So she kept close to the maidens of Bo'az, gleaning until
the end of the barley and wheat harvests; and she lived with her
mother-in-law.
3:1 Then Na'omi her mother-in-law said to her, "My daughter, should I not
seek a home for you, that it may be well with you? 2 Now is not Bo'az our
kinsman, with whose maidens you were? See, he is winnowing barley tonight at
the threshing floor. 3 Wash therefore and anoint yourself, and put on your best
clothes and go down to the threshing floor; but do not make yourself known to
the man until he has finished eating and drinking. 4 But when he lies down,
observe the place where he lies; then, go and uncover his feet and lie down;
and he will tell you what to do." 5 And she replied, "All that you
say I will do."
6 So she went down to the threshing floor and did just as her mother-in-law had
told her. 7 And when Bo'az had eaten and drunk, and his heart was merry, he
went to lie down at the end of the heap of grain. Then she came softly, and
uncovered his feet, and lay down. 8 At
14 So she lay at his feet until the morning, but arose before one could
recognize another; and he said, "Let it not be known that the woman came
to the threshing floor." 15 And he said, "Bring the mantle you are
wearing and hold it out." So she held it, and he measured out six measures
of barley, and laid it upon her; then she went into the city. 16 And when she
came to her mother-in-law, she said, "How did you fare, my daughter?"
Then she told her all that the man had done for her, 17 saying, "These six
measures of barley he gave to me, for he said, `You must not go back
empty-handed to your mother-in-law.'" 18 She replied, "Wait, my
daughter, until you learn how the matter turns out, for the man will not rest,
but will settle the matter today."
4:1 And Bo'az went up to the gate and sat down there; and behold, the next of
kin, of whom Bo'az had spoken, came by. So Bo'az said, "Turn aside,
friend; sit down here"; and he turned aside and sat down. 2 And he took
ten men of the elders of the city, and said, "Sit down here"; so they
sat down. 3 Then he said to the next of kin, "Na'omi, who has come back
from the country of
7 Now this was the custom in former times in
13 So Bo'az took Ruth and she became his wife; and he went in to her, and the
LORD gave her conception, and she bore a son. 14 Then the women said to Na'omi,
"Blessed be the LORD, who has not left you this day without next of kin;
and may his name be renowned in
18 Now these are the descendants of Perez: Perez was the father of Hezron, 19
Hezron of Ram, Ram of Ammin'adab, 20 Ammin'adab of Nahshon, Nahshon of Salmon,
21 Salmon of Bo'az, Bo'az of Obed, 22 Obed of Jesse, and Jesse of David.
After these things had been done, the officials approached me and said,
"The people of Israel and the priests and the Levites have not separated
themselves from the peoples of the lands with their abominations, from the
Canaanites, the Hittites, the Per'izzites, the Jeb'usites, the Ammonites, the
Moabites, the Egyptians, and the Amorites. 2 For they have taken some of their
daughters to be wives for themselves and for their sons; so that the holy race
has mixed itself with the peoples of the lands. And in this faithlessness
the hand of the officials and chief men has been foremost."
3 When I heard this, I rent my garments and my mantle, and pulled hair from my
head and beard, and sat appalled. 4 Then all who trembled at the words of the
God of Israel, because of the faithlessness of the returned exiles, gathered
round me while I sat appalled until the evening sacrifice.
10:6 Then Ezra withdrew from before the house of God, and went to the chamber
of Jehoha'nan the son of Eli'ashib, where he spent the night, neither eating
bread nor drinking water; for he was mourning over the faithlessness of the
exiles. 7 And a proclamation was made throughout
9 Then all the men of Judah and Benjamin assembled at
The angel said to the young man, "Brother, today we shall stay with
Raguel. He is your relative, and he has an only daughter named Sarah. I will
suggest that she be given to you in marriage, 11 because you are entitled to
her and to her inheritance, for you are her only eligible kinsman.
12 The girl is also beautiful and sensible. Now listen to my plan. I will speak
to her father, and as soon as we return from Rages we will celebrate the
marriage. For I know that Raguel, according to the law of Moses, cannot give
her to another man without incurring the penalty of death, because you
rather than any other man are entitled to the inheritance." . .
. "Do you not remember the words with which your father commanded you to take
a wife from among your own people? . . . 16 When you enter the bridal
chamber . . . When Tobias heard
these things, he fell in love with her and yearned deeply for her.
7:9 So he communicated the proposal to Raguel. And Raguel said to Tobias,
"Eat, drink, and be merry; 10 for it is your right to take my child.
. . . And Tobias said, "I will eat
nothing here until you make a binding agreement with me." 12 So
Raguel said, "Take her right now, in accordance with the law. You
are her relative, and she is yours. The merciful God will guide you both for
the best." 13 Then he called his daughter Sarah, and taking her by the
hand he gave her to Tobias to be his wife, saying, "Here she is; take
her according to the law of Moses, and take her with you to your father."
And he blessed them. 14 Next he called his wife Edna, and took a
scroll and wrote out the contract; and they set their seals to it.
15 Then they began to eat.
16 And Raguel called his wife Edna and said to her, "Sister, make up
the other room, and take her into it." . . .
8:1 When they had finished eating, they escorted Tobias in to her. . . .
4 When the door was shut and the two were alone, Tobias got up from the bed and
said, "Sister, get up, and let us pray that the Lord may have mercy
upon us." 5 And Tobias began to pray,
"Blessed art thou, O God of our fathers,
and blessed be thy holy and glorious name for ever.
Let the heavens and all thy creatures bless thee.
6 Thou madest Adam and gavest him Eve his wife
as a helper and support.
From them the race of mankind has sprung.
Thou didst say, `It is not good that the man should be alone;
let us make a helper for him like himself. 7 And now, O Lord, I am not taking
this sister of mine because of lust, but with sincerity. Grant that I may find
mercy and may grow old together with her." 8 And she said with him,
"Amen." 9 Then they both went to sleep for the night.
. . .
19 After this he gave a wedding feast for them which lasted fourteen days.
20 And before the days of the feast were over, Raguel declared by oath to
Tobias that he should not leave until the fourteen days of the wedding feast
were ended, 21 that then he should take half of Raguel's property and return in
safety to his father, and that the rest would be his "when my wife and I
die."
LAWS
13 "If any man takes a wife, and goes in to her, and then spurns her, 14 and charges her with shameful conduct, and brings an evil name upon her, saying, `I took this woman, and when I came near her, I did not find in her the tokens of virginity,' 15 then the father of the young woman and her mother shall take and bring out the tokens of her virginity to the elders of the city in the gate; 16 and the father of the young woman shall say to the elders, `I gave my daughter to this man to wife, and he spurns her; 17 and lo, he has made shameful charges against her, saying, "I did not find in your daughter the tokens of virginity." And yet these are the tokens of my daughter's virginity.' And they shall spread the garment before the elders of the city. 18 Then the elders of that city shall take the man and whip him; 19 and they shall fine him a hundred shekels of silver, and give them to the father of the young woman, because he has brought an evil name upon a virgin of Israel; and she shall be his wife; he may not put her away all his days. 20 But if the thing is true, that the tokens of virginity were not found in the young woman, 21 then they shall bring out the young woman to the door of her father's house, and the men of her city shall stone her to death with stones, because she has wrought folly in Israel by playing the harlot in her father's house; so you shall purge the evil from the midst of you.
22 "If a man is found lying with the wife of another man, both of them
shall die, the man who lay with the woman, and the woman; so you shall purge
the evil from
23 "If there is a betrothed virgin, and a man meets her in the city and
lies with her, 24 then you shall bring them both out to the gate of that city,
and you shall stone them to death with stones, the young woman because she did
not cry for help though she was in the city, and the man because he violated
his neighbor's wife; so you shall purge the evil from the midst of you.
25 "But if in the open country a man meets a young woman who is betrothed,
and the man seizes her and lies with her, then only the man who lay with her
shall die. 26 But to the young woman you shall do nothing; in the young woman
there is no offense punishable by death, for this case is like that of a man
attacking and murdering his neighbor; 27 because he came upon her in the open
country, and though the betrothed young woman cried for help there was no one
to rescue her.
28 "If a man meets a virgin who is not betrothed, and seizes her and lies
with her, and they are found, 29 then the man who lay with her shall give to
the father of the young woman fifty shekels of silver, and she shall be his
wife, because he has violated her; he may not put her away all his days.
30 "A man shall not take his father's wife, nor shall he uncover her who
is his father's.
"When a man takes a wife and marries her, if then she finds no favor in his eyes because he has found some indecency in her, and he writes her a bill of divorce and puts it in her hand and sends her out of his house, and she departs out of his house, 2 and if she goes and becomes another man's wife, 3 and the latter husband dislikes her and writes her a bill of divorce and puts it in her hand and sends her out of his house, or if the latter husband dies, who took her to be his wife, 4 then her former husband, who sent her away, may not take her again to be his wife, after she has been defiled; for that is an abomination before the LORD, and you shall not bring guilt upon the land which the LORD your God gives you for an inheritance.
And the LORD said to Moses, 12 "Say to the people of Israel, If any
man's wife goes astray and acts unfaithfully against him, 13 if a man lies with
her carnally, and it is hidden from the eyes of her husband, and she is
undetected though she has defiled herself, and there is no witness against her,
since she was not taken in the act; 14 and if the spirit of jealousy comes upon
him, and he is jealous of his wife who has defiled herself; or if the spirit of
jealousy comes upon him, and he is jealous of his wife, though she has not
defiled herself; 15 then the man shall bring his wife to the priest, and bring
the offering required of her, a tenth of an ephah of barley meal; he shall pour
no oil upon it and put no frankincense on it, for it is a cereal offering of
jealousy, a cereal offering of remembrance, bringing iniquity to
remembrance.
16 "And the priest shall bring her near, and set her before the LORD; 17
and the priest shall take holy water in an earthen vessel, and take some of the
dust that is on the floor of the tabernacle and put it into the water. 18 And
the priest shall set the woman before the LORD, and unbind the hair of the
woman's head, and place in her hands the cereal offering of remembrance, which
is the cereal offering of jealousy. And in his hand the priest shall have the
water of bitterness that brings the curse. 19 Then the priest shall make her
take an oath, saying, `If no man has lain with you, and if you have not turned
aside to uncleanness, while you were under your husband's authority, be free
from this water of bitterness that brings the curse. 20 But if you have gone
astray, though you are under your husband's authority, and if you have defiled
yourself, and some man other than your husband has lain with you, 21 then' (let
the priest make the woman take the oath of the curse, and say to the woman)
`the LORD make you an execration and an oath among your people, when the LORD
makes your thigh fall away and your body swell; 22 may this water that brings
the curse pass into your bowels and make your body swell and your thigh fall
away.' And the woman shall say, `Amen, Amen.'
23 "Then the priest shall write these curses in a book, and wash them off
into the water of bitterness; 24 and he shall make the woman drink the water of
bitterness that brings the curse, and the water that brings the curse shall
enter into her and cause bitter pain. 25 And the priest shall take the cereal
offering of jealousy out of the woman's hand, and shall wave the cereal
offering before the LORD and bring it to the altar; 26 and the priest shall
take a handful of the cereal offering, as its memorial portion, and burn it
upon the altar, and afterward shall make the woman drink the water. 27 And when
he has made her drink the water, then, if she has defiled herself and has acted
unfaithfully against her husband, the water that brings the curse shall enter
into her and cause bitter pain, and her body shall swell, and her thigh shall
fall away, and the woman shall become an execration among her people. 28 But if
the woman has not defiled herself and is clean, then she shall be free and
shall conceive children.
29 "This is the law in cases of jealousy, when a wife, though under her
husband's authority, goes astray and defiles herself, 30 or when the spirit of
jealousy comes upon a man and he is jealous of his wife; then he shall set the
woman before the LORD, and the priest shall execute upon her all this law. 31
The man shall be free from iniquity, but the woman shall bear her
iniquity."
Then drew near the daughters of Zeloph'ehad the son of Hepher, son of
5 Moses brought their case before the LORD. 6 And the LORD said to Moses, 7
"The daughters of Zeloph'ehad are right; you shall give them possession of
an inheritance among their father's brethren and cause the inheritance of their
father to pass to them. 8 And you shall say to the people of
The LORD said to Moses, 2 "Say to the people of
6 "And when the days of her purifying are completed, whether for a son or
for a daughter, she shall bring to the priest at the door of the tent of
meeting a lamb a year old for a burnt offering, and a young pigeon or a
turtledove for a sin offering, 7 and he shall offer it before the LORD, and
make atonement for her; then she shall be clean from the flow of her blood.
This is the law for her who bears a child, either male or female. 8 And if she
cannot afford a lamb, then she shall take two turtledoves or two young pigeons,
one for a burnt offering and the other for a sin offering; and the priest shall
make atonement for her, and she shall be clean."
The LORD said to Moses and Aaron, 2 "Say to the people of
19 "When a woman has a discharge of blood which is her regular discharge
from her body, she shall be in her impurity for seven days, and whoever touches
her shall be unclean until the evening. 20 And everything upon which she lies
during her impurity shall be unclean; everything also upon which she sits shall
be unclean. 21 And whoever touches her bed shall wash his clothes, and bathe
himself in water, and be unclean until the evening. 22 And whoever touches
anything upon which she sits shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in
water, and be unclean until the evening; 23 whether it is the bed or anything
upon which she sits, when he touches it he shall be unclean until the evening.
24 And if any man lies with her, and her impurity is on him, he shall be
unclean seven days; and every bed on which he lies shall be unclean. … 31
"Thus you shall keep the people of
32 This is the law for him who has a discharge and for him who has an emission
of semen, becoming unclean thereby; 33 also for her who is sick with her
impurity; that is, for any one, male or female, who has a discharge, and for
the man who lies with a woman who is unclean.
And the LORD said to Moses, 2 "Say to the people of
6 "None of you shall approach any one near of kin to him to uncover
nakedness. I am the LORD. 7 You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father,
which is the nakedness of your mother; she is your mother, you shall not
uncover her nakedness. 8 You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father's
wife; it is your father's nakedness. 9 You shall not uncover the nakedness of
your sister, the daughter of your father or the daughter of your mother,
whether born at home or born abroad. 10 You shall not uncover the nakedness of
your son's daughter or of your daughter's daughter, for their nakedness is your
own nakedness. 11 You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father's wife's
daughter, begotten by your father, since she is your sister. 12 You shall not
uncover the nakedness of your father's sister; she is your father's near
kinswoman. 13 You shall not uncover the nakedness of your mother's sister, for
she is your mother's near kinswoman. 14 You shall not uncover the nakedness of
your father's brother, that is, you shall not approach his wife; she is your
aunt. 15 You shall not uncover the nakedness of your daughter-in-law; she is
your son's wife, you shall not uncover her nakedness. 16 You shall not uncover
the nakedness of your brother's wife; she is your brother's nakedness. 17 You
shall not uncover the nakedness of a woman and of her daughter, and you shall
not take her son's daughter or her daughter's daughter to uncover her nakedness;
they are your near kinswomen; it is wickedness. 18 And you shall not take a
woman as a rival wife to her sister, uncovering her nakedness while her sister
is yet alive.
19 "You shall not approach a woman to uncover her nakedness while she is
in her menstrual uncleanness. 20 And you shall not lie carnally with your
neighbor's wife, and defile yourself with her. 21 You shall not give any of
your children to devote them by fire to Molech, and so profane the name of your
God: I am the LORD. 22 You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an
abomination. 23 And you shall not lie with any beast and defile yourself with
it, neither shall any woman give herself to a beast to lie with it: it is
perversion.
24 "Do not defile yourselves by any of these things, for by all these the
nations I am casting out before you defiled themselves; 25 and the land became
defiled, so that I punished its iniquity, and the land vomited out its
inhabitants. 26 But you shall keep my statutes and my ordinances and do none of
these abominations, either the native or the stranger who sojourns among you 27
(for all of these abominations the men of the land did, who were before you, so
that the land became defiled); 28 lest the land vomit you out, when you defile
it, as it vomited out the nation that was before you. 29 For whoever shall do
any of these abominations, the persons that do them shall be cut off from among
their people. 30 So keep my charge never to practice any of these abominable
customs which were practiced before you, and never to defile yourselves by
them: I am the LORD your God."
"Now these are the ordinances which you shall set before them. 2 When
you buy a Hebrew slave, he shall serve six years, and in the seventh he shall
go out free, for nothing. 3 If he comes in single, he shall go out single; if
he comes in married, then his wife shall go out with him. 4 If his master gives
him a wife and she bears him sons or daughters, the wife and her children shall
be her master's and he shall go out alone. 5 But if the slave plainly says, `I
love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free,' 6 then his
master shall bring him to God, and he shall bring him to the door or the
doorpost; and his master shall bore his ear through with an awl; and he shall
serve him for life.
7 "When a man sells his daughter as a slave, she shall not go out as the
male slaves do. 8 If she does not please her master, who has designated her for
himself, then he shall let her be redeemed; he shall have no right to sell her
to a foreign people, since he has dealt faithlessly with her. 9 If he
designates her for his son, he shall deal with her as with a daughter. 10 If he
takes another wife to himself, he shall not diminish her food, her clothing, or
her marital rights. 11 And if he does not do these three things for her, she
shall go out for nothing, without payment of money.
Moses said to the heads of the tribes of the people of
16 These are the statutes which the LORD commanded Moses, as between a man and
his wife, and between a father and his daughter, while in her youth, within her
father's house.
WISDOM
Then the LORD God said, "It is not good that the man should be alone; I
will make him a helper fit for him." 19 So out of the ground the LORD God
formed every beast of the field and every bird of the air, and brought them to
the man to see what he would call them; and whatever the man called every
living creature, that was its name. 20 The man gave names to all cattle, and to
the birds of the air, and to every beast of the field; but for the man there
was not found a helper fit for him. 21 So the LORD God caused a deep sleep to
fall upon the man, and while he slept took one of his ribs and closed up its
place with flesh; 22 and the rib which the LORD God had taken from the man he
made into a woman and brought her to the man. 23 Then the man said,
"This at last is bone of my bones
and flesh of my flesh;
she shall be called Woman,
because she was taken out of
For the lips of a loose woman drip honey,
and her speech is smoother than oil;
4 but in the end she is bitter as wormwood,
sharp as a two-edged sword.
5 Her feet go down to death;
her steps follow the path to Sheol;
6 she does not take heed to the path of life;
her ways wander, and she does not know it.
A good wife who can find?
She is far more precious than jewels.
11 The heart of her husband trusts in her,
and he will have no lack of gain.
12 She does him good, and not harm,
all the days of her life.
13 She seeks wool and flax,
and works with willing hands.
14 She is like the ships of the merchant,
she brings her food from afar.
15 She rises while it is yet night
and provides food for her household
and tasks for her maidens.
16 She considers a field and buys it;
with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard.
17 She girds her loins with strength and makes her arms strong.
18 She perceives that her merchandise is profitable.
Her lamp does not go out at night.
19 She puts her hands to the distaff,
and her hands hold the spindle.
20 She opens her hand to the poor,
and reaches out her hands to the needy.
21 She is not afraid of snow for her household,
for all her household are clothed in scarlet.
22 She makes herself coverings;
her clothing is fine linen and purple.
23 Her husband is known in the gates,
when he sits among the elders of the land.
24 She makes linen garments and sells them;
she delivers girdles to the merchant.
25 Strength and dignity are her clothing,
and she laughs at the time to come.
26 She opens her mouth with wisdom,
and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.
27 She looks well to the ways of her household,
and does not eat the bread of idleness.
28 Her children rise up and call her blessed;
her husband also, and he praises her:
29 "Many women have done excellently,
but you surpass them all."
30 Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain,
but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.
31 Give her of the fruit of her hands,
and let her works praise her in the gates.
Rufina, a Jewess, head of the synagogue, built this tomb for yer freed slaves and the slaves raised in her household. No one else has the right to bury anyone [here]. Anyone who dares to do [so] will pay 1500 denaria to the sacred treasury and 1000 denaria to the Jewish people. A copy of this inscription has been placed in the [public] archives.
Let me rise up before the approaching Shekinah
A
woman is a pitcher of filth with its mouth full of blood—yet all men run after
her.
By three means is the woman acquired and by two means she acquires her freedom. She is acquired by money or by document* or by intercourse. . . .
And she acquires her freedom by a bill of divorce or by the death of her husband.
A deceased brother’s wife is acquired by intercourse and she acquires her freedom by halitzah** or by the death of her deceased husband’s brother.
*A document stating “Be thou betrothed to me”, delivered to her by him in the presence of witnesses.
**a ceremony in which a man refuses to take his widowed sister-in-law as his wife.
(Danby translation)
Our Rabbis taught: The blessing of the bridegrooms is said
in the presence of ten [persons] all the seven days. Rab
A maiden is married1 on the fourth day [of the week] and a widow on the fifth day, for twice in the week the courts of justice sit in the towns, on the second day [of the week] and on the fifth day, so that if he [the husband] had a claim as to the virginity [of the maiden-bride] he could go early [on the morning of the fifth day of the week] to the court of justice.
[Soncino Classics translation]
Babatha Archive. “Cave of Letters,” Nahal Hever, Judean Desert. Ca. 120 CE.
Babatha’s archive was discovered in 1961 in a cave of refugees during the Bar Kokhbah war (132–4 CE).
A Ketubah is a legally binding marriage document.
(recto)
On the [thi]rd of Adar … [that you will be] my wife [according to the la]w of Moses and the “Judaeans” and I will [feed you] and [clothe] you and I will bring you (into my house) by means of your ketubah and I owe you the sum of four hundred denarii … together with the due amount of your food, and your clothes, and your bed(?), provision fitting for a free woman …
And if you are taken captive, I will redeem you, from my house and from my estate, and I will take you back as my wife, and I you your ketubah money … [and if I go to my eternal home before you, male children which you will have by me will inherit your ketubah money, beyond their share with their brothers,] female [child]ren shall dwell and be provided for from my house and [from my estate un]til the time when they will be [mar]ried. And if I go to my eternal h[ome] before you, you w[il]l [d]well in my house and be provided for from my house and from my estate [until] the time that my heirs wish to give you your ketubah money. And whenever you till me [I will exchange this document as is proper] …
[And I Yehudah son of El`azar Khthousion], I [ace]pt [all that] is written [above].
(verso)
… for Babatha daughter of Shim`on due from
Yehudah son of El`azar
Signatures:
(Adapted from translation by Yadin, Greenfield, and Yardeni,
“Babatha’s Ketubba,” IEJ 44 (1994) 79-84)
[from http://www.kchanson.com/ANCDOCS/greek/marrcon.html]
In the consulship of Publius Metilius Nepos for the second
time and Marcus Annius Libo on the nones of
April, and by the computation of the new Provinica Arabia: 23rd year on the
15th of the month Xandikos; in Maoza, Zoara
district ; Judah son of Eleazar, also (known as) Khthusion, gave
Shelamzion, his very own daughter, a virgin, to Judah—called Kimber—son of
Ananias son of Somalas, both of the village of
En-gedi in Judea, living here, for Shelamzion to be married to Judah Kimber
for the partnership of marriage according to the laws. She brought to him for
dowry women's jewelry in silver and god, and clothing appraised by mutual
agreement, as they both attest, to be worth two hundred denarii
of silver. Judah, who is called Kimber, the bridegroom, acknowledges that he
received this value from her by hand from Judah her father and that he owes to
Shelamzion his wife three hundred denarii which he promised to give her in
addition to the sum of her dowry. This is all accounted toward her dowry,
pursuant to his undertaking of feeding and clothing both her and future
children in accordance with Greek custom upon the said Judah Kimber's good
faith and peril and the [security of] all his possessions, both those he now
has in his home village, and here, and all those which he may additionally
validly acquire elsewhere, in whatever manner his wife Shelamzion may choose,
or whoever acts through her or for her may choose, to carry out the execution.
Judah who is called Kimber shall redeem this contract for his wife Shelamzion,
whenever she may demand it from him, in silver secured in due form, at his own
expense, interposing no objection. But if not, he shall pay to her twice the
mentioned denarii, she having the right of execution, both from Judah Kimber
her husband and upon the possesions validly his, in whatever manner Shelamzion
or whoever acts through her or for her may choose to carry out the execution.
In good faith, the formal question was asked and it was acknowledged in reply
that this is correctly performed.
[Aramaic signatures and subscript:]
Yehudah son of Elazar Khthousion: "I have given my daughter Shelamzion, a
virgin, in marriage to Yehudah Kimber son of Hananiah son of Somala, according
to what is written above. Yehudah wrote it."
Yehudah Kimber son of Hananiah son of Somala: "I acknowledge the debt of
five hundred silver denarii, the dowry of Shelamzion my wife, according to what
they wrote above. Yehudah wrote it.
Theenas son of Simon, librarius
: "I wrote this."
[Aramaic signatures on the back:]
Yehudah son of Elazar wrote it.
Yehudah son of Hananiah wrote it.
[. . . . .] son of [. . . .].
Shim'on son of [. . . .], witness.
Eliezer son of Hilqiah, witness.
Yosef son of Hananiah, witness.
Wanah son of [. . . .], for himself.
[compare a non-Jewish marriage contract from
On the 21st of Chisleu, that is the 1st of Mesore, year 6 of King Artaxerxes, Mahseiah b. Yedoniah, a Jew of Elephantine, of the detachment of Haumadata, said to Jezaniah b. Uriah of the said detachment as follows: There is the site of I house belonging to me, west of the house belonging to you, which I have given to your wife, my daughter Mibtahiah (Mbthyh), and in respect of which I have written her a deed. The measurements of the house in question are 8 cubits and a handbreadth (5) by II, by the measuring-rod. Now do I, Mahseiah, say to you, Build and equip that site . . . and dwell thereon with your wife. But you may not sell that house or give it as a present to others; only your children by my daughter Mibtahiah shall have power over it after you two. If tomorrow or some other day you build upon this land, and then my daughter divorces you and leaves you, she shall have no power to take it or give it to others; only your children by (10) Mibtahiah shall have power over it, in return for the work which you shall have done. If, on the other hand, she recovers from you, she [may] take half of the house, and [the] othe[r] half shall be at you; disposal in return for the building which you will have done on that house. And again as to that half, your children by Mibtahiah shall have power over it after you. If tomorrow or another day I should institute suit or process against you and say I did not give you this land to build on and did not draw up this deed for you, I (I5) shall give you a sum of 10 karshin by royal weight, at the rate of 2 R to the ten, and no suit or process shall lie. This deed was written by 'Atharshuri b. Nabuzeribni in the fortress of Syene at the dictation of Mahseiah. Witnesses hereto (signatures).
[See http://www.kchanson.com/ANCDOCS/westsem/quitclaim.html]
[“The Jewess Mibtahiah (Mbthyh) had apparently married the
Egyptian Pi’ and then the marriage had been dissolved. The marriage had meant
Mibtahiah’s exit from the Jewish community and adoption into the Egyptian. Even
its liquidation necessitated her swearing by an Egyptian deity. The witnesses
to this document are neither Jewish nor Egyptian”(Alan Humm)]
.
On the 14th of Ab, being the 19th day of Pahons, in the year 25 of King Artaxerxes, Pi’ the son of Pahi (Phy), builder, of the fortress of Syene, said to Mibtahiah, daughter of Maheseiah the son of Yedoniah, an Aramean of Syene of the detachment of Varizata (as follows): In accordance with the action which we took at Syene, let us make a division of the silver, grain, raiment, bronze, iron, and all goods and possessions and marriage contract. Then a oath was imposed upon you, and you swore to me concerning them by the goddess Sati. I was satisfied with the oath which you took to me concerning you goods, and I renounce all claim on your from this day for ever.
On the 2[5]th of Tishri, that is the 6th day of the month Epiphi, [year . . . of] Kin[g Artaxerx]es, said Ashor b. [Seho], builder to the king, to Mah[seiah, A]ramean of Syene, of the detachment of Varizata, as follows: I have [co]me to your house that you might give me your daughter Mipht(ah)iah in marriage. She is my wife and I am her husband from this day for ever. I have given you as the bride-price (5) of your daughter Miphtahiah (a sum of) 5 shekels, royal weight. It has been received by you and your heart is content there with (Lines 6-I6, Miphtahiah's dowry.) (I7) Should Ashor die tomorrow or an[othe]r day having no child, male or female, by his wife Mi[phtah]iah, Miphtahiah shall be entitled to the house, chattels and all worldly goods of Ashor. (20) Should Miphtahiah die tomorrow or (another) day having no child, male or female, by her husband Ashor, Ashor shall inherit her property and chattels. Should [Miph]tahiah, tomorrow [or] another [d]ay stand up in a congregation and say, I divorce my husband Ashor, the price of divorce shall be upon her head: she shall sit by the balance and weigh out to [As]hor a sum of 7 shekels 2 R. But all that which she has brought in (25) with her she shall take out, shred and thread, and go whither she will, without suit or process. Should Ashor tomorrow or another day stand up in a congregation and say, I divorce my [wif]e Miphtahiah, [he shall] forfeit her bride-price, and all that she has brought in with her she shall take out, shred and thread, on one day at one stroke, and shall go whither she will, without suit or process. And [whoever] arises against Miphtahiah (30) to drive her away from the house, possessions, and chattels of Ashor shall give her the sum of 20 karash, and the law of this deed shall [ . . . ] for her. And I shall have no right to say I have another wife besides Mipht(ah)iah or other children besides any Miphtahiah may bear to me. If I say I have chi[ldren] and wife other than Miphtiah and her children, I shall give to Miphtahiah a su[m] of 20 karash, royal weight. (35) Neither shall I have the right to [wre]st my property and chattels from Miph[tah]iah. If I take them away from her (erasure), I shall give to Miphtahiah [a sum of] 20 karash, royal weight. [This deed] was written by Nathan b. Ananiah [at the dictation of Ashor]. Witnesses: (signatures).
[Translation by H. L. Ginsberg; adapted from
http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/~humm/Topics/Contracts/marri05.html; prepared by Alan Humm, 1995]
(Kraeling, papyrus #5)
(I) On the 20th of Siwan, that is the 7th day of Phamenoth, the year 38 of King Artaxerxes--at that time, (2) Meshullam son of Zakkur, a Jew of the fortress Elephantine, of the detachment of Arpakhu said to the woman Tapmut (as she is called), (3) his slave, who has on her right hand the marking "Of Meshullam," as follows: I have taken kindly thought of you (4) in my lifetime. I hereby declare you released at my death and likewise declare released the daughter Yehoyishma' (as she is called) whom (5) you have borne to me. No son or daughter, close or distant relative, kinsman, or clansman of mine (6) has any right to you or to the daughter Yehoyishma' whom you have borne to me; none has any right (7) to mark you or to deliver you as a payment of money. Whoever attempts such action against you or the daughter Yehoyishma' (8) whom you have borne to memust pay you a fine of 50 karsh of silver by the king's weights. You are released, with your daughter Yehoyishma', from the shade for the sun, and no other man is master (10) of you or your daughter Yehoyishma'. You are released for God.
(II) And Tapmut and her daughter Yehoyishma' de- clared: We shall serve you [a]sa son or daughter supports his or her father (I2) as long as you live; and when you die, we shall support your son Zakkur like a son who supports his father, just as we shall have been doing (13) for you while you were alive. (....)If we ever say, "We will not support you as a son supports (I4) his father, and your son Zakkur after your death," we shall be liable to you and your son Zakkur for a fine (IS) in the amount of 50 karsh of refined silver by the king's weights without suit or process.
Written by Haggai (I6) the scribe,
at
(Endorsement) Quit-claim written by Meshullam son of Zakkur to Tapmut and Yehoyishma['].
(Kraeling, papyrus #7)
(I) On (the first day of) the month of Tishri, that is Epiphi, the year 4 of King Darius, in the fortress Elephantine, said Ananiah son of Haggai, (2) an Arameanof the fortress Elephantine, [of] the detachment of [Iddin]-Nabu, to Zakkur son of Me[shullam, an Arame]an of Syene, of the same detachment, as follows: (3) I have come to your [hous]e and asked you for your sisterthe woman Yehoyishma' (as she is called) in marriage, and you have given her (4) to me. She is my wife and I am [her] husband from this day to eternity. I have paid to you as the bride price of your sisterYehoyishma' (5) I karsh of silver; you have received it [and have been satisfied therewi]th. Your sister Yehoyishma' has brought into my house a cash sum (6a) of two karsh, (two) 2 shekels, and 5 hallurs of silver, . . . (Lines 6b-13a, defective, a list of probably I2 articles of wool and linen with their respective values; 13b-15a, 5 articles of copper with their respective values; 15b missing.) (15c) [Garments and articles of co]pper with the cash and the bride price: seven (that is, 7) karsh, eight (that is, 8) shekels, and 5 hallurs of silver by the king's (17a) weights, silver of 2 Rto the ten. (17b-21aa, containers of palm leaves, reeds, wood, and stone and quantities of various sorts of oil—no values specified.
((21 cont.) If at some future date Ananiah should arise in an/the assembly and declare, "I divorce my wife Yehoyishma'; (25) she shall not be a wife to me," he shall become liable for divorce money. < He shall forfeit her bride price >he must surrender to her all that she brought into his house. Her dowry of cash (23) and clothing, worth karsh seven, sh[ekels eight, and hallurs 5] of silver, and the rest of the goods listed (above) (24a-b) he must hand over to her on one day and in a single act, and she may [leave him for where]ver [she will]....
(24c) If, on the other hand, Yehoyishma' should di- vorce her husband (25) Ananiah and say to him, "I divorce you, I will not be wife to you," she shall become liable for divorce money. []. (26) She shall sit by the scales and weigh out to her husband Ananiah 7 shekels and 2 R and shall leave him with the balance of her (27) cash, goods, and pos[sessions, worth karsh 7; shekels 5+] 3, and hallurs 5; and the rest of her goods, (28) which are listed (above), he shall hand over to her on one day and in a single act, and she shall depart for her father's house.
If Ananiah should die having no male or (29) female child from his wife [Yehoyi]shma', Yehoyishma' shall be [mistress] of his [pr]operty: of his house, his goods, to) his possession, [and all that he owns. Anyone who] attempts to banish Yehoyishma' from his house, [goods, possessions], and all that [he] owns, [shall p]ay to [her a fi]ne of silver, (32) twenty karsh by [the king's] weights, silver of 2 R to the 10and shall accord [her] her due under this deed without lawsuit. (33) However, Yeh[oyishma'] is not permitted [to] acquire a husband other [than] Anani. Should she do so, (34) that shall constitute a divorce, and [the provisions for divorcement] shall be applied to [her]. (So, too,) if [Yehoyishma'] should die having no (35) [male] or female child by [her] hus[band] Anani, [Anani] shall inherit from her her [cash], goods, possessions, and all (3') that she own[s]. And [Anani] likewise [may] no[t ta]ke any woman [other than his wife Yehoyishma'] (37) in marriage. Should he do [so, that shall constitute a divorce, and the provisions for di]vorcement [shall be applied to him].
Further, Ananiah (38) may not omit to accord to his wife Yehoyishma' the right of any of the wives of his fellows. Should (39) he fail to do so, that shall constitute a divorce, and he shall implement for her the provisions for divorcement. Neither may Yehoyishma' (40) omit to accord to her husband Ananiah the right of any (husband). Should she fail to accord it to him, that shall constitute a divorce.
Further, (41) Zakkur may not say with reference to [his] sister], "I gave those [goo]ds to Yehoyishma' gratis; now I wish (42) to take them back." If he speaks [thus], no attention shall be paid to him; he is in the wrong.
This deed was written by Ma'uziah son of Nathan (43) at the dictation of Ananiah son of Haggai [and] Zakkur son of Meshullam, and the witnesses thereto are: (There followed the names of six witnesses and those of their fathers, making twelve names in all, of which nine are preserved, all of them Jewish, and all of them in the handwriting of the scribe.)The body of a letter (of divorce) is:
--"Behold, you are free (to be married) to any man!"
Rabbi Judah (ben El'ai) says:
--"(It should read:) Let this be to you from me a writ of divorce,
a letter of release and a decree of dismissal,
to permit you to be married to any man you desire."
The school of Shammai
says:
--"A man should not divorce his wife,
except where he has found in her a case for scandal, as it is said:
--'...because he has found in her a scandalous thing' (Deut 24:1).
But the school of Hillel says:
--"(He may divorce his wife),
even if she has burned his supper, as it is said:
--'...because he has found in her a scandalous thing' (Deut 24:1).
Rabbi Aqiba says:
--"(He may divorce his wife),
even if he has found another more becoming than she, as it is said:
--"and if she does not find favor in your eyes" (Deut 24:1).
(http://religion.rutgers.edu/iho/purity.html#divorce)
See http://darkwing.uoregon.edu/~dfalk/courses/ejud/mikveh.htm
2:1 if an unclean man went down to immerse himself and it is doubtful whether he did immerse himself or not, or even if he did immerse himself, it is doubtful whether the mikweh contained forty se'ahs or not, or if there were two mikwehs, one containing forty se'ahs but not the other, and he immersed himself in one of them but he does not know in which of them he immersed himself, in such a doubt he is accounted unclean.
2:2. If a mikweh was measured and was found lacking [in its prescribed quantity], all things which had been purified in it hitherto, whether in private premises or in public premises, are accounted unclean. To what does this rule apply? to a serious uncleanness. but in the case of a lesser uncleanness, namely if one ate unclean foods or drank unclean liquids, or if his head and the greater part of his body entered into drawn water, or if three logs of drawn water fell on his head and the greater part of his body, and he then went down to immerse himself and he is in doubt whether he immersed himself or not, or even if he did immerse himself there is [still] a doubt whether the mikweh contained forty se'ahs or not, or if there were two mikwehs, one containing forty se'ahs and not the other, and he immersed himself in one of them but does not know in which of them he immersed himself, in such a doubt he is accounted clean. R. Jose considers him unclean, for r jose says: anything which is presumptively unclean always remains in a condition of unfitness until it is known that it has become clean; but if there is a doubt whether a person became unclean or caused uncleanness, it is to be accounted clean.
6:1. Any [gathering of water] which is joined with [the water of] a mikweh is as valid as the mikweh [itself]. One may immerse in holes of a cavern and in crevices of a cavern just as they are but one may not immerse in the pit of a cavern except it had a hole as big as the tube of a water-skin. R. Judah said: when [is this the case]? When it stands by itself; but if it does not stand by itself, one may immerse therein just as it is.
(adapted from Soncino Classics)
[A minimum of] a quarter [of a log] of water must be poured over the hands [to be sufficient] for one [person] and is even [sufficient] for two; a minimum of half a log must be poured over the hands [to be sufficient] for three or four persons; one log or more [is sufficient] for five, ten, or one hundred persons. R. Jose says: but provided only there is not less than a quarter of a log left for the last person among them. More [water] may be added to the second water, but more may not be added to the first water.
Water may be poured over the hands out of any kind of vessel, even out of vessels made of animal ordure, out of vessels made of stone or out of vessels made of clay. Water may not be poured from the sides of [broken] vessels or from the bottom of a ladle or from the bung of a barrel. nor may anyone pour [water] over the hands of his fellow out of his cupped hands because one may not draw, nor sanctify, nor sprinkle the water of purification, nor pour water over the hands except in a vessel. And only vessels closely covered with a lid protect [their contents from uncleanness] and only vessels protect [their contents from uncleanness] from earthenware vessels.
If water has become so unfit that it cannot be drunk by cattle, if it was in a vessel it is invalid, but if it was in the ground it is valid.
(adapted from Soncino Classics)