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sat to judge the people: and the people stood before Mosheh from morning till evening. And the father-inlaw of Mosheh saw how much he toiled and laboured for his people; and he said, What thing is this that thou art doing to the people? Why dost thou sit alone to judge, and all the people stand before thee from morning until evening? And Mosheh said to his father-in-law, Because the people come to me to inquire for instruction from before the Lord. When they have a matter for judgment, they come to me, and I judge between a man and his fellow, and make them to know the statutes and the law of the Lord. And the fatherin-law of Mosheh said to him, This thing that thou art doing is not well ordered; thou wilt verily wear thyself away. Aharon also, and his sons, and the elders of thy people, because the thing is heavier than thou art able to do by thyself, (should take part in it.) Now hearken to me, and I will advise thee; and may the Word of the Lord be thy helper! When thou art with the people who seek instruction from before the Lord, thou shouldst take their affair before the Lord, and give them counsel about the statutes and laws, make them understand the prayer they are to offer in the house of congregation, the manner of visiting the sick, of burying the dead, of being fruitful in doing good, and in the work and process of justice, and how to conduct themselves among the wicked. But thou shouldst elect from all the people men of ability who fear the Lord, upright men who hate to receive the mammon of dishonesty, and superappoint them to be heads of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens. And let them judge the people at all times, and every great matter bring to thee, but every little thing let them judge themselves, that they may lighten the burden that is upon thee, and bear it with thee. If thou wilt do this, and exempt thyself from judging (every

case) as the Lord shall give thee instruction, thou wilt be able to continue to hear them; and Aharon also and his sons, and all the elders of this people, will resort to the place of judgment in peace. And Mosheh hearkened to his father-in-law, and did all that he had said. And Mosheh selected able men from all Israel, and appointed them chiefs over the people, rabbans of thousands, six hundred; rabbans of hundreds, six thousand; rabbans of fifties, twelve thousand; and rabbans of tens, six myriads. And they judged the people at all times; a hard case they brought to Mosheh; but every light matter they judged it. And Mosheh parted from his father-in-law, and he went, and himself made proselytes of all the children of his land.

XIX. In the third month of the Exodus of the sons of Israel from the land of Mizraim, on that day, the first of the month, came they to the desert; for they had journeyed from Rephidim, and had come to the desert of Sinai; and Israel encamped there in the desert, of one heart, nigh to the mountain. And Mosheh on the second day went up to the summit of the mount; and the Lord called to him from the mount, saying, This shalt thou speak to the men of the house of Jakob, and instruct the house of Israel. [Jerusalem. And Mosheh went up to seek instruction from before the Lord; and the Word of the Lord anticipated him from the mountain, saying, Thus shalt thou speak to the men of the house of Jakob, and teach the congregation of the sons of Israel.]

Ye have seen what I did to the Mizraee; and how I bare you upon the clouds as upon eagles' wings from Pelusin, to take you to the place of the sanctuary, there to solemnize the Pascha; and in the same night brought you back to Pelusin, and from thence have brought you nigh, to (receive) the doctrine of My law. And now,

if you will truly hearken to My Word and keep My covenant, you shall be more beloved before Me than all the peoples on the face of the earth. And before Me you shall be crowned kings, and sanctified priests, and a holy people. These are the words thou shalt speak to the sons of Israel. And Mosheh came that day, and called the elders of the people, and set in order before them all these words which the Lord had commanded. And all the people responded together, and said, All that the Lord hath spoken we will do.

And Mosheh carried back the words of the people before the Lord. And the Lord said to Mosheh, Behold, on the third day I will reveal Myself to thee in the depth of the cloud of glory, that the people may hear while I speak with thee, and may believe in thee for ever. And Mosheh delivered the words of the people before the Lord. [Jerusalem. 4. You have seen what vengeance I have taken of the Mizraee, and (how) I bare you upon the light clouds as upon eagles' wings, and brought you nigh to the doctrine of My law. And now, if you will truly hearken to the voice of My Word, and will keep My covenant, you shall be unto My Name a distinct people, and beloved as a precious treasure above all peoples; for all the earth is to the Name of the Lord. And to My Name shall you be kings and priests and a holy people. These are the words thou shalt speak. And Mosheh came and called the sages of Israel, and set in order before them all these words which the Word of the Lord had commanded him. And all the people answered together in the fulness of their heart, and said, All that the Word of the Lord hath spoken, we will do. And Mosheh returned the words of the people in prayer before the Lord. And the Word of the Lord said to Mosheh, Behold, My Word will be revealed to thee in the thickness of the cloud, that the people may hear while

I speak with thee, and may also believe for ever in the words of the prophecy of thee, My servant Mosheh. And Mosheh delivered the words of the people in prayer before the Lord.]

And the Lord said to Mosheh on the fourth day, Go unto the people, and prepare them to-day and tomorrow; let them wash their raiment, and be prepared on the third day; for on the third day the Lord will reveal Himself to the eyes of all the people, upon the Mount of Sinai. And thou shalt set limits for the people, that they may stand round about the mountain, and shalt say, Beware that you ascend not the mount, nor come near its confines; whoever cometh nigh the mount will be surely put to death. Touch it not with the hand; for he will be stoned with hailstone, or be pierced with arrows of fire; whether beast or man, he will not live. But when the voice of the trumpet is heard, they may go up (forwards) towards the mount. [JERUSA LEM. No man shall touch it with the hand; for stoned he will be stoned, or fiery arrows will flee against him; whether beast or man, he will not live. When the trumpet soundeth, they may go up toward the mountain.] And Mosheh went down that day to the people, and prepared the people, and they blanched their clothes. And he said to the people, Be ready for the third day; abstain from the marriage-bed. [Jerusalem. And he said to the people, Be ready for the third day; abstain from the marriage-bed.]

And it was on the third day, on the sixth of the month, in the time of the morning, that on the mountain there were voices of thunders, and lightnings, and mighty clouds of smoke, and a voice of a trumpet exceeding loud; and all the people in the camp trembled. And Mosheh brought forth the people from the camp to meet the glorious Presence of the Lord;

and suddenly the Lord of the world uprooted the mountain, and lifted it in the air, and it became luminous as a beacon, and they stood beneath the mountain. And all the mount of Sinai was in flame; for the heavens had overspread it, and He was revealed over it in flaming fire, and the smoke went up as the smoke of a furnace, and all the mountain quaked greatly. [Jerusalem. And all mount Sinai sent up smoke, because the glory of the Shekinah of the Lord was revealed upon it in flame of fire.] And the voice of the trumpet went forth, and grew stronger: (then) Mosheh spake, and was answered from before the Lord with a gracious and majestic voice, and with pleasant and gracious words. And the Lord revealed Himself on mount Sinai upon the summit of the mountain, and the Lord called unto Mosheh from the summit of the mount, and Mosheh went up. And the Lord said to Mosheh, Descend, and warn the people, lest they come directly before the Lord to gaze, and many of them fall. The priests, also, who approach to minister before the Lord, must be sanctified, lest the Lord destroy them. And Mosheh said before the Lord, The people cannot come up to mount Sinai, because Thou didst instruct us, saying, Make limits to the mount, and sanctify it. And the Lord said to him, Go down, and then ascend, thou and Aharon with thee; but let not the priests or the people directly come up to gaze before the Lord, lest He slay them. And Mosheh went down from the mountain to the people, and said to them, Draw nigh, and hear the Law with Ten Words. [Jerusalem. And Mosheh went down from the mountain to the people, and said to them, Draw nigh, and receive the Ten Words.]

XX. And the Lord spake all these words, saying:

5 Im asarti dibraia.

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