Delphi Septuagint

by Lancelot C L Brenton (ed)

  Chapter 17

  [1] And all the congregation of the children of Israel departed from the wilderness of Sin, according to their encampments, by the word of the Lord; and they encamped in Raphidin: and there was no water for the people to drink. [2] And the people reviled Moses, saying, Give us water, that we may drink; and Moses said to them, Why do ye revile me, and why tempt ye the Lord? [3] And the people thirsted there for water, and there the people murmured against Moses, saying, Why is this? hast thou brought us up out of Egypt to slay us and our children and our cattle with thirst? [4] And Moses cried to the Lord, saying, What shall I do to this people? yet a little while and they will stone me. [5] And the Lord said to Moses, Go before this people, and take to thyself of the elders of the people; and the rod with which thou smotest the river, take in thine hand, and thou shalt go. [6] Behold, I stand there before thou come, on the rock in Choreb, and thou shalt smite the rock, and water shall come out from it, and the people shall drink. And Moses did so before the sons of Israel. [7] And he called the name of that place, Temptation, and Reviling, because of the reviling of the children of Israel, and because they tempted the Lord, saying, Is the Lord among us or not?

  [8] And Amalec came and fought with Israel in Raphidin. [9] And Moses said to Joshua, Choose out for thyself mighty men, and go forth and set the army in array against Amalec to-morrow; and, behold, I shall stand on the top of the hill, and the rod of God will be in my hand. [10] And Joshua did as Moses said to him, and he went out and set the army in array against Amalec, and Moses and Aaron and Or went up to the top of the hill. [11] And it came to pass, when Moses lifted up his hands, Israel prevailed; and when he let down his hands, Amalec prevailed. [12] But the hands of Moses were heavy, and they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat upon it; and Aaron and Or supported his hands one on this side and the other on that, and the hands of Moses were supported till the going down of the sun. [13] And Joshua routed Amalec and all his people with the slaughter of the sword. [14] And the Lord said to Moses, Write this for a memorial in a book, and speak this in the ears of Joshua; for I will utterly blot out the memorial of Amalec from under heaven. [15] And Moses built an altar to the Lord, and called the name of it, The Lord my Refuge. [16] For with a secret hand the Lord wages war upon Amalec to all generations.

  Chapter 18

  [1] And Jothor the priest of Madiam, the father-in-law of Moses, heard of all that the Lord did to his people Israel; for the Lord brought Israel out of Egypt. [2] And Jothor the father-in-law of Moses, took Sepphora the wife of Moses after she had been sent away, [3] and her two sons: the name of the one was Gersam, his father saying, I was a sojourner in a strange land; — [4] and the name of the second Eliezer, saying, For the God of my father is my helper, and he has rescued me out of the hand of Pharao. [5] And Jothor the father-in-law of Moses, and his sons and his wife, went forth to Moses into the wilderness, where he encamped on the mount of God. [6] And it was told Moses, saying, Behold, thy father-in-law Jothor is coming to thee, and thy wife and two sons with him. [7] And Moses went forth to meet his father-in-law, and did him reverence, and kissed him, and they embraced each other, and he brought them into the tent. [8] And Moses related to his father-in-law all things that the Lord did to Pharao and all the Egyptians for Israel’s sake, and all the labour that had befallen them in the way, and that the Lord had rescued them out of the hand of Pharao, and out of the hand of the Egyptians. [9] And Jothor was amazed at all the good things which the Lord did to them, forasmuch as he rescued them out of the hand of the Egyptians and out of the hand of Pharao. [10] And Jothor said, Blessed be the Lord, because he has rescued them out of the hand of the Egyptians and out of the hand of Pharao. [11] Now know I that the Lord is great above all gods, because of this, wherein they attacked them. [12] And Jothor the father-in-law of Moses took whole burnt-offerings and sacrifices for God, for Aaron and all the elders of Israel came to eat bread with the father-in-law of Moses before God.

  [13] And it came to pass after the morrow that Moses sat to judge the people, and all the people stood by Moses from morning till evening. [14] And Jothor having seen all that Moses did to the people, says, What is this that thou doest to the people? wherefore sittest thou alone, and all the people stand by thee from morning till evening? [15] And Moses says to his father-in-law, Because the people come to me to seek judgment from God. [16] For whenever there is a dispute among them, and they come to me, I give judgment upon each, and I teach them the ordinances of God and his law. [17] And the father-in-law of Moses said to him, Thou dost not this thing rightly, [18] thou wilt wear away with intolerable weariness, both those and all this people which is with thee: this thing is hard, thou wilt not be able to endure it thyself alone. [19] Now then hearken to me, and I will advise thee, and God shall be with thee: be thou to the people in the things pertaining to God, and thou shalt bring their matters to God. [20] And thou shalt testify to them the ordinances of God and his law, and thou shalt shew to them the ways in which they shall walk, and the works which they shall do. [21] And do thou look out for thyself out of all the people able men, fearing God, righteous men, hating pride, and thou shalt set over the people captains of thousands and captains of hundreds, and captains of fifties, and captains of tens. [22] And they shall judge the people at all times, and the too burdensome matter they shall bring to thee, but they shall judge the smaller cases; so they shall relieve thee and help thee. [23] If thou wilt do this thing, God shall strengthen thee, and thou shalt be able to attend, and all this people shall come with peace into their own place. [24] And Moses hearkened to the voice of his father-in-law, and did whatsoever he said to him. [25] And Moses chose out able men out of all Israel, and he made them captains of thousands and captains of hundreds, and captains of fifties and captains of tens over the people. [26] And they judged the people at all times; and every too burdensome matter they brought to Moses, but every light matter they judged themselves. [27] And Moses dismissed his father-in-law, and he returned to his own land.

  Chapter 19

  [1] And in the third month of the departure of the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt, on the same day, they came into the wilderness of Sina. [2] And they departed from Raphidin, and came into the wilderness of Sina, and there Israel encamped before the mountain. [3] And Moses went up to the mount of God, and God called him out of the mountain, saying, These things shalt thou say to the house of Jacob, and thou shalt report them to the children of Israel. [4] Ye have seen all that I have done to the Egyptians, and I took you up as upon eagles’ wings, and I brought you near to myself. [5] And now if ye will indeed hear my voice, and keep my covenant, ye shall be to me a peculiar people above all nations; for the whole earth is mine. [6] And ye shall be to me a royal priesthood and a holy nation: these words shalt thou speak to the children of Israel. [7] And Moses came and called the elders of the people, and he set before them all these words, which God appointed them. [8] And all the people answered with one accord, and said, All things that God has spoken, we will do and hearken to: and Moses reported these words to God. [9] And the Lord said to Moses, Lo! I come to thee in a pillar of a cloud, that the people may hear me speaking to thee, and may believe thee for ever: and Moses reported the words of the people to the Lord. [10] And the Lord said to Moses, Go down and solemnly charge the people, and sanctify them to-day and to-morrow, and let them wash their garments. [11] And let them be ready against the third day, for on the third day the Lord will descend upon mount Sina before all the people. [12] And thou shalt separate the people round about, saying, Take heed to yourselves that ye go not up into the mountain, nor touch any part of it: every one that touches the mountain shall surely die. [13] A hand shall not touch it, for every one that touches shall be stoned with stones or shot through with a dart, whether beast or whether man, it shall not live: when the voices and trumpets and cloud depart from off the mountain, they shall come up on the mountain.

  [14] And Moses went down from the mountain to the peopl
e, and sanctified them, and they washed their clothes. [15] And he said to the people, Be ready: for three days come not near to a woman. [16] And it came to pass on the third day, as the morning drew nigh, there were voices and lightnings and a dark cloud on mount Sina: the voice of the trumpet sounded loud, and all the people in the camp trembled. [17] And Moses led the people forth out of the camp to meet God, and they stood by under the camp. [18] The mount of Sina was altogether on a smoke, because God had descended upon it in fire; and the smoke went up as the smoke of a furnace, and the people were exceedingly amazed. [19] And the sounds of the trumpet were waxing very much louder. Moses spoke, and God answered him with a voice. [20] And the Lord came down upon mount Sina on the top of the mountain; and the Lord called Moses to the top of the mountain, and Moses went up. [21] And God spoke to Moses, saying, Go down, and solemnly charge the people, lest at any time they draw nigh to God to gaze, and a multitude of them fall. [22] And let the priests that draw nigh to the Lord God sanctify themselves, lest he destroy some of them.

  [23] And Moses said to God, The people will not be able to approach to the mount of Sina, for thou hast solemnly charged us, saying, Set bounds to the mountain and sanctify it. [24] And the Lord said to him, Go, descend, and come up thou and Aaron with thee; but let not the priests and the people force their way to come up to God, lest the Lord destroy some of them. [25] And Moses went down to the people, and spoke to them.

  Chapter 20

  [1] And the Lord spoke all these words, saying: [2] I am the Lord thy God, who brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. [3] Thou shalt have no other gods beside me. [4] Thou shalt not make to thyself an idol, nor likeness of anything, whatever things are in the heaven above, and whatever are in the earth beneath, and whatever are in the waters under the earth. [5] Thou shalt not bow down to them, nor serve them; for I am the Lord thy God, a jealous God, recompensing the sins of the fathers upon the children, to the third and fourth generation to them that hate me, [6] and bestowing mercy on them that love me to thousands of them, and on them that keep my commandments. [7] Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord thy God will not acquit him that takes his name in vain. [8] Remember the sabbath day to keep it holy. [9] Six days thou shalt labour, and shalt perform all thy work. [10] But on the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God; on it thou shalt do no work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy servant nor thy maidservant, thine ox nor thine ass, nor any cattle of thine, nor the stranger that sojourns with thee. [11] For in six days the Lord made the heaven and the earth, and the sea and all things in them, and rested on the seventh day; therefore the Lord blessed the seventh day, and hallowed it. [12] Honour thy father and thy mother, that it may be well with thee, and that thou mayest live long on the good land, which the Lord thy God gives to thee. [13] Thou shalt not commit adultery. [14] Thou shalt not steal. [15] Thou shalt not kill. [16] Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour. [17] Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s wife; thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s house; nor his field, nor his servant, nor his maid, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any of his cattle, nor whatever belongs to thy neighbour.

  [18] And all the people perceived the thundering, and the flashes, and the voice of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking; and all the people feared and stood afar off, [19] and said to Moses, Speak thou to us, and let not God speak to us, lest we die. [20] And Moses says to them, Be of good courage, for God is come to you to try you, that his fear may be among you, that ye sin not. [21] And the people stood afar off, and Moses went into the darkness where God was. [22] And the Lord said to Moses, Thus shalt thou say to the house of Jacob, and thou shalt report it to the children of Israel, Ye have seen that I have spoken to you from heaven. [23] Ye shall not make to yourselves gods of silver, and gods of gold ye shall not make to yourselves. [24] Ye shall make to me an altar of earth; and upon it ye shall sacrifice your whole burnt-offerings, and your peace-offerings, and your sheep and your calves in every place, where I shall record my name; and I will come to thee and bless thee. [25] And if thou wilt make to me an altar of stones, thou shalt not build them hewn stones; for thou hast lifted up thy tool upon them, and they are defiled. [26] Thou shalt not go up to my altar by steps, that thou mayest not uncover thy nakedness upon it.

  Chapter 21

  [1] And these are the ordinances which thou shalt set before them. [2] If thou buy a Hebrew servant, six years shall he serve thee, and in the seventh year he shall go forth free for nothing. [3] If he should have come in alone, he shall also go forth alone; and if his wife should have gone in together with him, his wife also shall go out. [4] Moreover, if his master give him a wife, and she have born him sons or daughters, the wife and the children shall be his master’s; and he shall go forth alone. [5] And if the servant should answer and say, I love my master and wife and children, I will not go away free; [6] his master shall bring him to the judgment-seat of God, and then shall he bring him to the door, — to the door-post, and his master shall bore his ear through with an awl, and he shall serve him for ever.

  [7] And if any one sell his daughter as a domestic, she shall not depart as the maid-servants depart. [8] If she be not pleasing to her master, after she has betrothed herself to him, he shall let her go free; but he is not at liberty to sell her to a foreign nation, because he has trifled with her. [9] And if he should have betrothed her to his son, he shall do to her according to the right of daughters. [10] And if he take another to himself, he shall not deprive her of necessaries and her apparel, and her companionship with him. [11] And if he will not do these three things to her, she shall go out free without money. [12] And if any man smite another and he die, let him be certainly put to death. [13] But as for him that did it not willingly, but God delivered him into his hands, I will give thee a place whither the slayer may flee. [14] And if any one lie in wait for his neighbour to slay him by craft, and he go for refuge, thou shalt take him from my altar to put him to death. [15] Whoever smites his father or his mother, let him be certainly put to death. [16] (17) Whosoever shall steal one of the children of Israel, and prevail over him and sell him, and he be found with him, let him certainly die. [17] (16) He that reviles his father or his mother shall surely die. [18] And if two men revile each other and smite the one the other with a stone or his fist, and he die not, but be laid upon his bed; [19] if the man arise and walk abroad on his staff, he that smote him shall be clear; only he shall pay for his loss of time, and for his healing. [20] And if a man smite his man-servant or his maid-servant, with a rod, and the party die under his hands, he shall be surely punished. [21] But if the servant continue to live a day or two, let not the master be punished; for he is his money. [22] And if two men strive and smite a woman with child, and her child be born imperfectly formed, he shall be forced to pay a penalty: as the woman’s husband may lay upon him, he shall pay with a valuation. [23] But if it be perfectly formed, he shall give life for life, [24] eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, [25] burning for burning, wound for wound, stripe for stripe. [26] And if one smite the eye of his man-servant, or the eye of his maid-servant, and put it out, he shall let them go free for their eye’s sake. [27] And if he should smite out the tooth of his man-servant, or the tooth of his maid-servant, he shall send them away free for their tooth’s sake. [28] And if a bull gore a man or woman and they die, the bull shall be stoned with stones, and his flesh shall not be eaten; but the owner of the bull shall be clear. [29] But if the bull should have been given to goring in former time, and men should have told his owner, and he have not removed him, but he should have slain a man or woman, the bull shall be stoned, and his owner shall die also. [30] And if a ransom should be imposed on him, he shall pay for the ransom of his soul as much as they shall lay upon him. [31] And if the bull gore a son or daughter, let them do to him according to this ordinance. [32] And if the bull gore a man-servant or maid-servant, he shall pay to their master thirty silver didrachms, a
nd the bull shall be stoned. [33] And if any one open a pit or dig a cavity in stone, and cover it not, and an ox or an ass fall in there, [34] the owner of the pit shall make compensation; he shall give money to their owner, and the dead shall be his own. [35] And if any man’s bull gore the bull of his neighbour, and it die, they shall sell the living bull and divide the money, and they shall divide the dead bull. [36] But if the bull be known to have been given to goring in time past, and they have testified to his owner, and he have not removed him, he shall repay bull for bull, but the dead shall be his own.