This Week Torah Portion - Shemot - “Names”
Torah - Exodus 1:1 - 6:1
Prophets - Isaiah 27:6 - 28:13, 29:22-23
Gospel - Matthew 2:1-12
Torah Summary…
Shemot is both the title for the second book from the scroll of the Torah and the title of the first Torah portion therein. Shemot means "names." The English-speaking world calls this book Exodus. The Hebrew title for the book comes from the opening phrase of the book: "Now these are the names (shemot) of the sons of Israel who came to Egypt with Jacob" (Exodus 1:1).
The English name Exodus comes from the Septuagint (LXX), the Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible. The Greek title for the book is Exodus Aigyptou, which translates as "Departure from Egypt." It is the Greek translation of the Rabbinical name of the Book, “Sefer Yetziat Mitzrayim”.
The name Exodus is an abbreviated form of that title. Exodus means "departure." The book of Exodus tells the story of the children of Israel enslaved in Egypt and their miraculous redemption through the hand of Moses, the story of the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai, the construction of the golden calf, and the construction of the Tabernacle.
As we study the first week's reading from the book of Exodus, we find the children of Israel in slavery. It seems at first that the God of their forefathers has forgotten them. But Yehovah has not forgotten His promises. He remembers His promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and brings a Redeemer to their children's children, for the sake of His name, with love.
Torah Treasures …
In the Portion Shemot, Yehovah sends Moses to redeem the Children of Israel from the exile of Egypt. Similarly, the Haftorah contains Yehovah’s promise that the exiles of Israel will be redeemed at the end of days from their exile and brought to the Land of Israel.
Yehovah planned this first exodus yet some believe the primary purpose was to save Israel from slavery and a story of freedom. If that were so he could have just blinded the Egyptians while they escaped or just wiped out the Egyptians the way he did at Jericho but Yehovah had a very specific purpose in bringing Israel out of Egypt in the way that he did.
He wanted the Egyptians, the Children of Israel, and all people of the world to know that He was, is, and always will be the only Elohim. He was fulfilling promises made to our fathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob by laying the foundation for the future redemption by the Messiah and setting the stage for the end of the age.
Yehovah set up the Egyptian exodus and its resulting judgments to teach everyone who He is and to demonstrate the process of redemption by knowing Him. Yet, this was only part of the redemption plan.
Yehovah’s plan of redemption extends throughout ALL generations. The real punchline to Yehovah’s plan is manifest in the greater exodus. When Yehovah Fulfills the Greater Exodus the whole world will know who Yehovah is.
There is a future Passover and a future exodus for us at the end of the age.
Shabbat Shalom…
Yahweh’s word which came to Zephaniah, the son of Cushi, the son of Gedaliah, the son of Amariah, the son of Hezekiah, in the days of Josiah, the son of Amon, king of Judah. I will utterly sweep away everything off of the surface of the earth, says Yahweh. I will sweep away man and animal. I will sweep away the birds of the sky, the fish of the sea, and the heaps of rubble with the wicked. I will cut off man from the surface of the earth, says Yahweh. I will stretch out my hand against Judah, and against all the inhabitants of Jerusalem. I will cut off the remnant of Baal from this place: the name of the idolatrous and pagan priests, those who worship the army of the sky on the housetops, those who worship and swear by Yahweh and also swear by Malcam, those who have turned back from following Yahweh, and those who haven’t sought Yahweh nor inquired after him. Be silent at the presence of the Lord Yahweh, for the day of Yahweh is at hand. For Yahweh has prepared a sacrifice. He has consecrated his guests. It will happen in the day of Yahweh’s sacrifice, that I will punish the princes, the king’s sons, and all those who are clothed with foreign clothing. In that day, I will punish all those who leap over the threshold, who fill their master’s house with violence and deceit. In that day, says Yahweh, there will be the noise of a cry from the fish gate, a wailing from the second quarter, and a great crashing from the hills.
Zephaniah 1:1-10 WEB
Yahweh’s word which came to Zephaniah, the son of Cushi, the son of Gedaliah, the son of Amariah, the son of Hezekiah, in the days of Josiah, the son of Amon, king of Judah. I will utterly sweep away everything off of the surface of the earth, says Yahweh. I will sweep away man and animal. I will sweep away the birds of the sky, the fish of the sea, and the heaps of rubble with the wicked. I will cut off man from the surface of the earth, says Yahweh. I will stretch out my hand against Judah, and against all the inhabitants of Jerusalem. I will cut off the remnant of Baal from this place: the name of the idolatrous and pagan priests, those who worship the army of the sky on the housetops, those who worship and swear by Yahweh and also swear by Malcam, those who have turned back from following Yahweh, and those who haven’t sought Yahweh nor inquired after him. Be silent at the presence of the Lord Yahweh, for the day of Yahweh is at hand. For Yahweh has prepared a sacrifice. He has consecrated his guests. It will happen in the day of Yahweh’s sacrifice, that I will punish the princes, the king’s sons, and all those who are clothed with foreign clothing. In that day, I will punish all those who leap over the threshold, who fill their master’s house with violence and deceit. In that day, says Yahweh, there will be the noise of a cry from the fish gate, a wailing from the second quarter, and a great crashing from the hills.
Zephaniah 1:1-10 WEB
Wail, you inhabitants of Maktesh, for all the people of Canaan are undone! All those who were loaded with silver are cut off. It will happen at that time, that I will search Jerusalem with lamps, and I will punish the men who are settled on their dregs, who say in their heart, “Yahweh will not do good, neither will he do evil.” Their wealth will become a plunder, and their houses a desolation. Yes, they will build houses, but won’t inhabit them. They will plant vineyards, but won’t drink their wine. The great day of Yahweh is near. It is near, and hurries greatly, the voice of the day of Yahweh. The mighty man cries there bitterly. That day is a day of wrath, a day of distress and anguish, a day of trouble and ruin, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and blackness, a day of the trumpet and alarm, against the fortified cities, and against the high battlements. I will bring distress on men, that they will walk like blind men, because they have sinned against Yahweh, and their blood will be poured out like dust, and their flesh like dung. Neither their silver nor their gold will be able to deliver them in the day of Yahweh’s wrath, but the whole land will be devoured by the fire of his jealousy; for he will make an end, yes, a terrible end, of all those who dwell in the land.
Zephaniah 1:11-18 WEB
Wail, you inhabitants of Maktesh, for all the people of Canaan are undone! All those who were loaded with silver are cut off. It will happen at that time, that I will search Jerusalem with lamps, and I will punish the men who are settled on their dregs, who say in their heart, “Yahweh will not do good, neither will he do evil.” Their wealth will become a plunder, and their houses a desolation. Yes, they will build houses, but won’t inhabit them. They will plant vineyards, but won’t drink their wine. The great day of Yahweh is near. It is near, and hurries greatly, the voice of the day of Yahweh. The mighty man cries there bitterly. That day is a day of wrath, a day of distress and anguish, a day of trouble and ruin, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and blackness, a day of the trumpet and alarm, against the fortified cities, and against the high battlements. I will bring distress on men, that they will walk like blind men, because they have sinned against Yahweh, and their blood will be poured out like dust, and their flesh like dung. Neither their silver nor their gold will be able to deliver them in the day of Yahweh’s wrath, but the whole land will be devoured by the fire of his jealousy; for he will make an end, yes, a terrible end, of all those who dwell in the land.
Zephaniah 1:11-18 WEB
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#readmethebiblegarth now includes a new recording of the whole book of Jonah 1-4, in Hebrew with translation, and in the Lawful Literal Version, here: https://youtube.com/playlist?l....ist=PLvpqSEOjm625MyT
The Hebrew for 2022 recordings demonstrate the Grenache tonal reading method for the Hebrew text which brings out the meaningful divisions of verses, according to semantic meaning of the cantillation marks found in the Masoretic text.
Thought for Today: Shabbat December 25:
Go to YHVH with a thankful heart, so that you can enjoy His Presence. This is the day that Adonai has made. He wants you to enjoy today, refusing to worry about tomorrow. Search for all He has prepared for you, anticipating abundance blessings and accepting difficulties as they come. He can weave miracles into the most mundane day if you keep your focus on Him. Go to and talk to Him with all your needs, knowing that His Glorious Riches are a more-than-adequate supply. Stay in continual communication with Him, so that you can live above your circumstances even while you are in the midst of them. Present your requests to Him with thanksgiving and His Peace, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your heart and mind.
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