Bible Studies

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Parshat Bo
Note: A Hebrew font was used in writing this commentary. Due to that fact, there may be some gibberish in the text, which was originally Hebrew letters. My apologies for this.

“HASHEM said to Moses, ‘Come to Pharaoh, for I have made his heart and the heart of his servants stubborn so that I can put these signs of Min in his midst;’” Exodus 10:1 (Stone)
“For in the scripture, he said to Pharaoh: For this very thing, have I raised thee up; that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.” Romans 9:17 (Murdock)
It was for this reason that Father let Pharaoh come into power, because He knew that this man would be His instrument. This is the flip side of what Mordechai told Hadassah. “For if you persis in keeping silent at a time like this, relief and deliverance will come to the Jews from another place, while you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows whether it was just for such a time as this that you attained the royal position!” Hadassah 4:14 (Stone)
“Pharaoh’s servants said to him, ‘How long will this be a snare for us? Send out the men that they may serve HASHEM, their God! Do you not yet know that Egypt is lost?” Exodus 10:7 (Stone)
Why is it that in verse 1, Father says that He is going to harden the hearts of Pharaoh’s servants, but in verse 7, their hearts aren’t hard? It appears that they were willing to let Israel go and worship in the wilderness. But it becomes clear in the next verses that they were only willing to let the men go. Pharaoh and his servants attempted to bargain with Father. By this time they realize that they are going to have to give up some ground, but are not yet willing to let all of Israel go.
“Moses said, ‘With our youngsters an with our elders shall we go; with our sons and with our daughters, with our flock and with our cattle shall we go, because it is a festival of HASHEM for us.’” Exodus 10:9 (Stone)
It was already a festival for them. Passover is not a feast that was just invented at the time of Moses.
“HASHEM said to Moses, ‘Stretch out your hand over the land of Egypt for the locust-swarm, and it will ascend upon the land of Egypt and eat all the grass of the land, everything that the hail had left.’ Moses stretched his staff over the land of Egypt, and HASHEM guided an east wind through the land all that day and all the night. It became morning and the east wind carried the locust-swarm.” Exodus 10:12-13 (Stone)
Father told Moses to stretch out his hand, and Moses stretched out his staff. natah is translated here as “stretch out.” It also means, “extend.” “Hand,” the Hebrew dy (yad) is an idiom for “strength” or “power.” Father tells Moses to extend his power over Egypt. What is Moses’s strength? mateh is the word translated “rod.” is also “branch” or “tribe.” His strength was in his tribe, the tribe of Levi, the priesthood. “I am the Vine of Truth and my Father is the Cultivator.” John 15:1 (Younan)
Yeshua is the Branch. In Psalm 110:2, Yeshua is seen as the staff, “The staff of your strength will be dispatched by HASHEM from Zion; rule in the midst of your enemies!” (Schottenstien)
h+m has a very interesting root-word: h+n, The same word that is used for “stretch out.” In Psalm 104:1-2 it says, “Bless, o my soul, HASHEM. HASHEM, my God, You are very great; majesty and splendor You have worn; donning light as a garment, stretching out the heavens like a curtain.” (Schottenstien)
This stretching out is the creative element. What does John say? “Everything existed through His hands, and without Him, not even one thing existed of the things, which have existed.” John 1:3 (Younan)
However, this word “stretch out” is interesting in one of its meanings. In Proverbs 17:23, and a few other places it is used in an amazing way. “An evildoer will take a bribe from the lap [of the giver], to pervert the paths of justice.” (Stone)
Here it is translated “pervert.” Literally, it is “extend.” What are the paths of justice? Torah. This is a warning against adding to Torah. Adding to, or extending Torah is the same as perverting justice.
“And now, please forgive my sin just this time, and entreat HASHEM, your God, that He remove from me only this death.” Exodus 10:17 (Stone)
Just this time, and only this death. Pharaoh did not ask to be relieved of any deaths that he had already earned that were still in the future. An even greater death was coming on Pharaoh. Darkness was the first death, what was coming was the second death. “And death and the grave were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death, [namely,] this lake of fire.” Revelation 20:14 (Murdock)
Pharaoh also made a mistake that many make. Over and over he asks for forgiveness, but he never stops disobeying. The instant the punishment is taken away, he goes right back to what he was doing. “Like a dog that returns to his vomit, [so is] a fool who repeats his foolishness.” Proverbs 26:11 (Stone)
“Moses said, ‘You have spoken correctly. I shall never see your face again.’” Exodus 10:29 (Stone)
And yet, in the next chapter, Moses talks with Pharaoh again. It must be that this is before Moses left Pharaoh’s presence.
“It shall be yours for examination until the fourteenth day of this month; the entire congregation of the assembly of Israel shall slaughter it in the afternoon.” Exodus 12:6 (Stone)
“The afternoon” is, literally, “between the evenings.” But what does that mean? If Yeshua was the perfect Passover sacrifice, then He must have been sacrificed exactly in accordance with the Torah. “And the Yehudeans, because it was the eve, said, "These bodies should not remain on their crosses because the Sabbath is dawning." For it was a high day, the day of the Sabbath, that they entreated from Peelatos that they might break the legs of those who were crucified and take them down.” John 19:31 (Younan)
If they died just before the beginning of a new day, they must have been killed in the afternoon, approaching evening. It is the Sabbath of a High Day, as it says here. Passover itself is never a Sabbath. But the first day of Unleavened Bread is a high Sabbath. “On the first day shall be a holy convocation and on the seventh day shall be a holy convocation for you, no work may be done on them, except for what must be eaten for any person—only that may be done for you.” Exodus 12:16 (Stone)
Some say that Yeshua was not sacrificed on Passover, because He ate a Passover meal with His disciples the night before. But John says, “And they brought Yeshua from the presence of Qayapa into the Praetorium, and it was morning and they did not enter into the Praetorium, that they not be defiled before they had eaten the Paskha.” John 18:28 (Younan)
Also, in John, it says, “For some thought that because of the bag Yehuda was carrying that he had expressly commanded him to buy what was needed for the feast, or that he might give something to the poor.” John 13:29 (Younan) This is while they are eating their last meal. If this was the Passover meal, why would they think that Yeshua sent Judah out to get something for the feast they were already eating? In fact, He couldn’t have, because it would have been a high Sabbath, and all of the shops would be closed.
There are, though, a number of non-sequitors in the Gospel accounts of this Passover like this one, “Now on the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the disciples drew near to Yeshua and said to him, ‘Where do you want us to prepare for you to eat the Paskha?’” Matt. 26:17 (Younan)
This just plain doesn’t make any sense. No one would ask where to prepare the Passover on the first day of Unleavened Bread. The same thing repeats in Mark 14:12, “And in the first day of the unleavened bread in which the Yehudeans slay the Paskha, his disciples were saying to him, ‘Where do you desire us to go for you to prepare the Paskha to eat?’” (Younan)
This mistake could not have been made by any Jewish scribe, because it is too painfully obvious a mistake. But the evidence, overall, points to Yeshua being sacrificed on the afternoon of Passover.
“And he said to them, ‘I have greatly desired that I eat this Paskha with you before I suffer.’” Luke 22:15 (Younan)
He says “this Passover,” not, “The Passover.” In this meal Yeshua wraps up the essence of Passover, as a rehearsal of His sacrifice.
“I shall go through the land of Egypt on this night, and I shall strike every firstborn in the land of Egypt, from man to beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I shall mete out punishment—I am HASHEM.” Exodus 12:12 (Stone)
There was no angel of death that went through and carried this out. It was Father Himself meting out punishment on Egypt. Father Himself dealt death to children because of the sins of their fathers. Father Himself dealt out this great plague.
“The blood shall be a sign for you upon the houses where you are; when I shall see the blood and I shall pass over you; there shall not be a plague of destruction upon you when I strike in the land of Egypt.” Exodus 12:13 (Stone)
The word “sign” is owt, which comes from the root-word uwt, which means “consent,” or “covenant.” There is a short form of tw), which is et. Et is an interesting word, which really has no translation. It is a word that marks actions. Revelation 1:8 refers to this word. “‘I am the Aleph and Tau, the beginning and the ending’ says the Lord God, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.” (Lamsa) Yeshua is the Alef-Tau, the “Et,” the mark on the door.
“This day shall become a remembrance for you and you shall celebrate it as a festival for HASHEM; for your generations, as an eternal decree shall you celebrate it.” Exodus 12:14 (Stone)
The Passover celebration does not change. It does not matter that the first exodus is over, the command is to stand at Passover. It is a memorial that they stood ready to leave Egypt. Now, as the time is approaching for the second exodus, it is especially important to stand at Passover, because who knows if it isn’t the next one when the exodus will begin again?
“Seven days shall you eat matzah; even the first day you shall put away yeast out of your houses, for whoever eats leavened bread from the first day until the seventh day, that soul shall be cut off from Yisra'el.” Exodus 12:15 (HNV)
The leaven is actually removed on Passover itself. On the day of the sacrifice the leaven is removed.
“‘And it shall be that when your children say to you, ‘What is this service to you?’ You shall say, “It is a pesach feast-offering to HASHEM, Who passed over the houses of the Children of Israel in Egypt when He smote the Egyptians, but He saved our households,”’ and the people bowed their heads and prostrated themselves.” Exodus 12:26-27 (Stone)
This is what Passover is all about, teaching the children. It is all about teaching the children what happened, and what will happen again. It is about remembering and passing on these stories, and this wisdom.
“Pharaoh rose up at midnight, he and all his servants and all Egypt, and there was a great outcry in Egypt, for there was not a house where there was no corpse.” Exodus 12:30 (Stone)
This was a total judgment on Egypt. Not a single house was unaffected. And when they saw that their firstborns were dead, they raised a great cry.
“The Children of Israel journeyed from Rameses to Succoth, about six hundred thousand men on foot, aside from children.” Exodus 12:37 (Stone)
They traveled from the place of Passover to the place of Sukkot. This is an important journey. It is a journey from the place where they were found and saved, as in Ezekiel 16:6, “Then I passed you and aw you wallowing in your blood, and I said to you, ‘In your blood you shall live’; I said to you, ‘In your blood you shall live.’” (Stone) This is the day of betrothal. The journey goes to the place of completion, of tabernacling, as in Isaiah 4:5, “And HASHEM will create over every structure of Mount Zion and over those who assemble in it a cloud by day, and smoke and a glow of flaming fire by night, for this will be a canopy over all the honor.” (Stone)
“Also a mixed multitude went up with them, and flock and cattle, very much livestock.” Exodus 12:38 (Stone)
A mixed multitude, people from all different nations, went up with Israel when they left Egypt. Just as it says it will be again in the end. “Thus said HASHEM, Master of Legions: In those days it will happen that ten men, of all the [different] languages of the nations, will take hold, they will take hold of the corner of the garment of a Jewish man, saying, ‘Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you!’” Zecheriah 8:23 (Stone)
“The habitation of the Children of Israel during which they dwelled in Egypt was four hundred and thirty years.” Exodus 12:40 (Stone)
This is a mistake made by the Massoretes. Galatians 3:17 says, “And this I say: That the covenant which was previously confirmed by God in the Messiah, the law which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot set it aside, and nullify the promise.” (Murdock)
The Torah came 430 years after Father’s covenant with Abraham, so what happened to the extra years, from the time of the covenant to the time in Egypt? The Peshitta, Septuagint, and Samaritan Torah clear this up. “And it came to pass at the end of four hundred and thirty years, on this very day that all the hosts of the LORD went out from the land of Egypt.” (Lamsa)
“It was at the end of four hundred and thirty years, and it was on that very day that all the legions of HASHEM left the land of Egypt.” Exodus 12:41 (Stone)
Does this mean that it was four hundred and thirty years to the day after Father made His covenant with Abraham?
“It is a night of anticipation for HASHEM to take them out of the land of Egypt, this was the night for HASHEM; a protection for all the Children of Israel for their generations.” Exodus 12:42 (Stone)
Most translations of this verse are a little clumsy, but the NIV translates it well. “Because the Lord kept vigil that night to bring them out of Egypt, on this night all the Israelites are to keep vigil to honor the Lord for the generations to come.”
Literally, it is along these lines, “Night of vigils it (is) to YHWH to bring them from the land of Egypt it (is) the night which is to YHWH vigils to all sons of Israel to their generations.”
It is a night to keep a vigil to Father, to remember that He watched over Israel that night, and to remember that Israel kept a vigil that night, ready to leave.
“When a proselyte sojourns among you he shall make the pesach-offering for HASHEM, each of his males shall be circumcised, and then he may draw near to perform it and he shall be like the native of the land; no uncircumcised male may eat of it.” Exodus 12:48 (Stone)
Anyone who is going to eat the Passover must be part of Israel, just as Yeshua said, “But he answered and said to them, ‘Have I not been sent except to the sheep which went astray from the house of Israel?’” Matt. 15:24 (Younan)
Some point out that, in Matt. 15, Yeshua healed the woman in the end. But Yeshua commented on her great faith, and likewise, Paul talked about faith in Galatians 3:7, “Know ye, therefore, that those who are of faith, they are the children of Abraham.” (Murdock) The woman was already a member of Israel through faith in Messiah.
“And you shall tell your son on that day, saying, ‘it is because of this that HASHEM acted on my behalf when I left Egypt.’” Exodus 13:8 (Stone)
The King James version adds an entire phrase to this, twisting it’s meaning. Why is it that Father acted on behalf of Israel when they left Egypt? Because they obeyed, and took all of the leavening out of their houses. Because they obeyed, and had no sin in their borders they were guiltless before Father. It is because of this that Father acted on their behalf. In the previous verses it has just been talking about taking the leavening out of the houses. This is why Father acted.
“And it shall be for a sign on your arm and a reminder between your eyes—so that HASHEM’s Torah may be in your mouth—for with a strong hand HASHEM removed you from Egypt.” Exodus 13:9 (Stone)
“On your hand” is a Hebrew idiom meaning “close to you.” “Between your eyes” can also be “before your eyes.” It is a reminder close to you, and before your eyes, so that Torah will be in your mouth. It is a memorial to Father. It is to be kept, not out of some kind of obligation to do it, but as a memorial to the One who saved Israel, and brought His people out of Egypt.
The readings: Parshat Bo, Exodus 10:1-13:16. Haftarat Bo, Jeremiah 46:13-28. Tehillim Bo, Psalm 77. B’rit Chadesha Bo, John 13:1-38, John 18:1-19:42.

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