וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהוָ֖ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר׃

The Lord spoke to Moses, saying:

צַ֞ו אֶת־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל וְיִקְח֨וּ אֵלֶ֜יךָ שֶׁ֣מֶן זַ֥יִת זָ֛ךְ כָּתִ֖ית לַמָּא֑וֹר לְהַעֲלֹ֥ת נֵ֖ר תָּמִֽיד׃

Command the children of Israel, and they shall take to you, as the one in charge of this matter, pure olive oil, which was not easily obtained in the wilderness, beaten for the lighting, to kindle a lamp continually .

מִחוּץ֩ לְפָרֹ֨כֶת הָעֵדֻ֜ת בְּאֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֗ד יַעֲרֹךְ֩ אֹת֨וֹ אַהֲרֹ֜ן מֵעֶ֧רֶב עַד־בֹּ֛קֶר לִפְנֵ֥י יְהוָ֖ה תָּמִ֑יד חֻקַּ֥ת עוֹלָ֖ם לְדֹרֹֽתֵיכֶֽם׃

On the candelabrum, outside the curtain which conceals the Ark of the Testimony, in the Tent of Meeting , Aaron shall arrange it, the oil. He shall prepare the lamps, removing the residue from the previous night’s kindling, cleaning the lamps, and placing new wicks in them, so that they will be ready to be lit and to remain alight from evening until morning before the Lord continually. Aaron must ensure that the candelabrum shines from evening till morning every day. This commandment does not pertain only to the Tabernacle in the wilderness, but is an eternal statute for your generations.

עַ֚ל הַמְּנֹרָ֣ה הַטְּהֹרָ֔ה יַעֲרֹ֖ךְ אֶת־הַנֵּר֑וֹת לִפְנֵ֥י יְהוָ֖ה תָּמִֽיד׃ (פ)

On the pure candelabrum, on the pure gold of the candelabrum, without any intervening matter, he, Aaron, shall arrange the lamps. The words “the pure candelabrum” may also refer to the clean candelabrum, after the removal of the previous night’s remnants. Furthermore, the candelabrum is designed for the single purpose of kindling. It is a vessel that symbolizes purity and radiance. The lamps shall be arranged before the Lord continuously.

וְלָקַחְתָּ֣ סֹ֔לֶת וְאָפִיתָ֣ אֹתָ֔הּ שְׁתֵּ֥ים עֶשְׂרֵ֖ה חַלּ֑וֹת שְׁנֵי֙ עֶשְׂרֹנִ֔ים יִהְיֶ֖ה הַֽחַלָּ֥ה הָאֶחָֽת׃

The arrangement of the showbread on the table is another rite performed weekly in the Temple: You shall take high-quality flour and bake with it twelve loaves; two-tenths of an ephah of flour, which is a dry measure of volume corresponding to around 5 L, shall be one loaf. These are large loaves.

וְשַׂמְתָּ֥ אוֹתָ֛ם שְׁתַּ֥יִם מַֽעֲרָכ֖וֹת שֵׁ֣שׁ הַֽמַּעֲרָ֑כֶת עַ֛ל הַשֻּׁלְחָ֥ן הַטָּהֹ֖ר לִפְנֵ֥י יְהוָֽה׃

You shall place them, the twelve loaves, in two arrangements, six loaves to the arrangement. Four supporting panels rose up above the table for the showbread, between which were inserted rods, upon which the showbread was placed. The loaves shall be placed on the pure table, on the pure gold covering the table without any intervening matter, before the Lord. The words “the pure table” may also refer to the fact that it is intended solely for the arrangement of the showbread and for no other purpose.

וְנָתַתָּ֥ עַל־הַֽמַּעֲרֶ֖כֶת לְבֹנָ֣ה זַכָּ֑ה וְהָיְתָ֤ה לַלֶּ֙חֶם֙ לְאַזְכָּרָ֔ה אִשֶּׁ֖ה לַֽיהוָֽה׃

You shall place pure frankincense on the arrangement, either literally upon each of the two arrangements, or next to them. And it, the frankincense, shall be a memorial portion for the bread, a fire offering to the Lord. The frankincense is burned upon the altar as a remembrance for the bread, which is not burned.

בְּי֨וֹם הַשַּׁבָּ֜ת בְּי֣וֹם הַשַּׁבָּ֗ת יַֽעַרְכֶ֛נּוּ לִפְנֵ֥י יְהוָ֖ה תָּמִ֑יד מֵאֵ֥ת בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל בְּרִ֥ית עוֹלָֽם׃

Each and every Sabbath day he shall arrange it, the showbread, before the Lord continuously. Every Sabbath day, the priests bring twelve fresh loaves and arrange them on the table. At the same time, the old loaves are removed, and the frankincense that was placed with them is burned on the altar. Like the oil for the candelabrum, the showbread is a gift to the Temple from the children of Israel, from the entire nation, as an eternal covenant. The Jewish people are always obligated to present this gift to the Temple.

וְהָֽיְתָה֙ לְאַהֲרֹ֣ן וּלְבָנָ֔יו וַאֲכָלֻ֖הוּ בְּמָק֣וֹם קָדֹ֑שׁ כִּ֡י קֹדֶשׁ֩ קָֽדָשִׁ֨ים ה֥וּא ל֛וֹ מֵאִשֵּׁ֥י יְהוָ֖ה חָק־עוֹלָֽם׃ (ס)

It, the showbread, shall be for Aaron and his sons, and they shall eat it in a holy place, for it is a sacred sacrament for him from the fire offerings of the Lord, an eternal statute. The status of the showbread is comparable to that of the meal offerings, which are eaten by the priests in the Temple as gifts of the priesthood.

וַיֵּצֵא֙ בֶּן־אִשָּׁ֣ה יִשְׂרְאֵלִ֔ית וְהוּא֙ בֶּן־אִ֣ישׁ מִצְרִ֔י בְּת֖וֹךְ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַיִּנָּצוּ֙ בַּֽמַּחֲנֶ֔ה בֶּ֚ן הַיִּשְׂרְאֵלִ֔ית וְאִ֖ישׁ הַיִּשְׂרְאֵלִֽי׃

The son of an Israelite woman, and he was not of solely Jewish descent, but the son of an Egyptian man, went out among the children of Israel. This indicates that the son of a Jewish woman born from a gentile is considered a member of the Jewish people. And the son of the Israelite woman and the Israelite man, one who was of solely Jewish descent and who remains anonymous, fought in the camp.

וַ֠יִּקֹּב בֶּן־הָֽאִשָּׁ֨ה הַיִּשְׂרְאֵלִ֤ית אֶת־הַשֵּׁם֙ וַיְקַלֵּ֔ל וַיָּבִ֥יאוּ אֹת֖וֹ אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֑ה וְשֵׁ֥ם אִמּ֛וֹ שְׁלֹמִ֥ית בַּת־דִּבְרִ֖י לְמַטֵּה־דָֽן׃

When the quarrel became heated, the son of the Israelite woman blasphemed , explicitly mentioning the Name of God, and he cursed, speaking derogatively and mockingly. This occurred in public, and they, the witnesses who heard him, brought him to Moses. And the name of his mother was Shelomit, daughter of Divri, of the tribe of Dan. The blasphemer’s own name is not stated, while the mention of his mother’s name in this context and in the context of her relationship with an Egyptian man is certainly not to her credit.

וַיַּנִּיחֻ֖הוּ בַּמִּשְׁמָ֑ר לִפְרֹ֥שׁ לָהֶ֖ם עַל־פִּ֥י יְהוָֽה׃ (פ)

They placed him in custody. It was clear that he had committed a transgression, but his precise punishment was unknown. They therefore waited for Moses to clarify his punishment for them according to the Lord. Unlike other prophets, Moses could address his questions directly to God and request His guidance.

וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהוָ֖ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר׃

The Lord spoke to Moses, saying:

הוֹצֵ֣א אֶת־הַֽמְקַלֵּ֗ל אֶל־מִחוּץ֙ לַֽמַּחֲנֶ֔ה וְסָמְכ֧וּ כָֽל־הַשֹּׁמְעִ֛ים אֶת־יְדֵיהֶ֖ם עַל־רֹאשׁ֑וֹ וְרָגְמ֥וּ אֹת֖וֹ כָּל־הָעֵדָֽה׃

Take the one who cursed outside the camp for judgment; and all those who heard him, who witnessed his transgression, shall lay their hands upon his head. It is the witnesses’ duty to designate him for punishment. And then the entire congregation shall stone him to death. This directive was exceptional; generally one is not liable to receive the death penalty unless he was aware of the potential punishment beforehand, whereas in this case the man knew that he was committing a transgression but he did not know what punishment was involved.

וְאֶל־בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל תְּדַבֵּ֣ר לֵאמֹ֑ר אִ֥ישׁ אִ֛ישׁ כִּֽי־יְקַלֵּ֥ל אֱלֹהָ֖יו וְנָשָׂ֥א חֶטְאֽוֹ׃

The remainder of this passage contains commandments addressed to the entire people: To the children of Israel you shall speak, saying: Each and every man who curses his God, then he shall bear his sin and be punished.

וְנֹקֵ֤ב שֵׁם־יְהוָה֙ מ֣וֹת יוּמָ֔ת רָג֥וֹם יִרְגְּמוּ־ב֖וֹ כָּל־הָעֵדָ֑ה כַּגֵּר֙ כָּֽאֶזְרָ֔ח בְּנָקְבוֹ־שֵׁ֖ם יוּמָֽת׃

One who blasphemes the name of the Lord shall be put to death; the entire congregation shall stone him. The same law applies to the stranger, that is, the convert, and native alike, when he blasphemes the Name he shall be put to death.

וְאִ֕ישׁ כִּ֥י יַכֶּ֖ה כָּל־נֶ֣פֶשׁ אָדָ֑ם מ֖וֹת יוּמָֽת׃

The passage now sets down several laws with regard to one who strikes another person or an animal. These laws are indirectly related to the aforementioned commandments: If a man smites the life of a person, killing him, he shall be put to death by the court.

וּמַכֵּ֥ה נֶֽפֶשׁ־בְּהֵמָ֖ה יְשַׁלְּמֶ֑נָּה נֶ֖פֶשׁ תַּ֥חַת נָֽפֶשׁ׃

One who smites the life of an animal that belongs to another shall pay for it, a life for a life. He must pay for the animal with either another animal or its equivalent value.

וְאִ֕ישׁ כִּֽי־יִתֵּ֥ן מ֖וּם בַּעֲמִית֑וֹ כַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשָׂ֔ה כֵּ֖ן יֵעָ֥שֶׂה לּֽוֹ׃

If a man wounds and inflicts a defect on his counterpart, as he did, so shall be done to him:

שֶׁ֚בֶר תַּ֣חַת שֶׁ֔בֶר עַ֚יִן תַּ֣חַת עַ֔יִן שֵׁ֖ן תַּ֣חַת שֵׁ֑ן כַּאֲשֶׁ֨ר יִתֵּ֥ן מוּם֙ בָּֽאָדָ֔ם כֵּ֖ן יִנָּ֥תֶן בּֽוֹ׃

A break for a break, an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth; as he inflicted a defect on the person, so shall be inflicted on him. This is the punishment that he deserves.

וּמַכֵּ֥ה בְהֵמָ֖ה יְשַׁלְּמֶ֑נָּה וּמַכֵּ֥ה אָדָ֖ם יוּמָֽת׃

One who smites an animal shall pay for it. And one who smites a person, even if he does not kill him but wounds him severely, shall be put to death. Again, the verse indicates that he is deserving of death.

מִשְׁפַּ֤ט אֶחָד֙ יִהְיֶ֣ה לָכֶ֔ם כַּגֵּ֥ר כָּאֶזְרָ֖ח יִהְיֶ֑ה כִּ֛י אֲנִ֥י יְהוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶֽם׃

There shall be one law for you, the stranger and native alike, whether the assailant is a born Jew and the victim a convert, or the reverse, for I am the Lord your God. You are all equal before Me, both with regard to your duties and with regard to your rights. Therefore, the same law applies to all.

וַיְדַבֵּ֣ר מֹשֶׁה֮ אֶל־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵל֒ וַיּוֹצִ֣יאוּ אֶת־הַֽמְקַלֵּ֗ל אֶל־מִחוּץ֙ לַֽמַּחֲנֶ֔ה וַיִּרְגְּמ֥וּ אֹת֖וֹ אָ֑בֶן וּבְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֣ל עָשׂ֔וּ כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֛ר צִוָּ֥ה יְהוָ֖ה אֶת־מֹשֶֽׁה׃ (פ)

Moses spoke to the children of Israel, teaching them all of the aforementioned commandments, as God instructed him. Although some of these laws were mentioned previously, they are restated here in the context of the actions that are subsequently taken: And they took the one who cursed outside the camp and stoned him with stones. The children of Israel accepted God’s commandments, and from then on they did as the Lord had commanded Moses, with regard to the equality of all before the law, as well as the other laws stated here.