4 And it came to pass, when Kol HaGoy had completely passed over the Yarden, that Hashem spoke unto Yehoshua, saying,

² Take you Shneym Asar Anashim out of HaAm, out of every Shevet an ish,

³ And command ye them, saying, Take you from here out of the middle of the Yarden, out of the place where the feet of the Kohanim stood firm, twelve avanim (stones), and ye shall carry them over with you, and leave them in the malon (lodging place), where ye shall lodge halailah (tonight).

⁴ Then Yehoshua called the Shneym Asar Ish, whom he had prepared of the Bnei Yisroel, out of every tribe an Ish;

⁵ And Yehoshua said unto them, Pass over before the Aron Hashem Eloheichem into the middle of the Yarden, and take you up every ish of you an even (stone) upon his shoulder, according unto the number of the Shivtei Bnei Yisroel;

⁶ That this may be an ot among you, that when your banim ask in time to come, saying, What mean ye by these avanim?

⁷ Then ye shall answer them, That the waters of the Yarden were cut off from before the Aron Brit Hashem; when it passed over the Yarden, the waters of the Yarden were cut off; and these avanim shall be for a zikaron (memorial) unto the Bnei Yisroel ad olam (forever).

⁸ And the Bnei Yisroel did so just as Yehoshua commanded, and took up Shtei Esreh Avanim out of the middle of the Yarden, just as Hashem spoke unto Yehoshua, according to the number of the Shivtei Bnei Yisroel, and carried them over with them unto the malon where they lodged, and laid them down there.

⁹ And Yehoshua set up Shteym Esreh Avanim in the middle of the Yarden, in the place where the feet of the Kohanim bearing the Aron HaBrit stood; and they are there unto this day.

¹⁰ For the Kohanim bearing the Aron stood in the middle of the Yarden, until everything was finished that Hashem commanded Yehoshua to speak unto HaAm, according to all that Moshe commanded Yehoshua; and HaAm hurried and crossed over.

¹¹ And it came to pass, when Kol HaAm had completely crossed over, that the Aron Hashem crossed over, and the Kohanim, ahead of HaAm.

¹² And the Bnei Reuven, and the Bnei Gad, and the half-tribe of Menasheh, crossed over armed ahead of the Bnei Yisroel, just as Moshe directed them;

¹³ About forty thousand, battle-ready, crossed over before Hashem for milchamah, to the plains of Yericho.

¹⁴ On Yom Hahu Hashem magnified Yehoshua in the eyes of Kol Yisroel; and they feared him, just as they feared Moshe, all the days of his life.

¹⁵ And Hashem spoke unto Yehoshua, saying,

¹⁶ Command the Kohanim bearing the Aron HaEdut, so that they come up out of the Yarden.

¹⁷ Yehoshua therefore commanded the Kohanim, saying, Come ye up out of the Yarden.

¹⁸ And it came to pass, when the Kohanim bearing the Aron Brit Hashem were come up out of the middle of the Yarden, and the soles of the feet of the Kohanim were set on dry land, that the waters of the Yarden returned unto their place, and overflowed all its banks, as they did before.

¹⁹ And HaAm came up out of the Yarden on the tenth day of the chodesh harishon, and camped at Gilgal, by the eastern border of Yericho.

²⁰ And those twelve avanim, which they took out of the Yarden, did Yehoshua set in a pile at Gilgal.

²¹ And he spoke unto the Bnei Yisroel, saying, When your banim shall ask their avot in time to come, saying, What mean these avanim?

²² Then ye shall let your banim know, saying, Yisroel crossed over this Yarden on yabashah (dry land [Gn 1:9]).

²³ For Hashem Eloheichem dried up the waters of the Yarden from before you, until ye were passed over, just as Hashem Eloheichem did to Yam Suf, which He dried up from before us, until we were crossed over;

²⁴ So that Kol Ammei HaAretz (all the peoples of the earth) might know the Yad Hashem, that it is chazakah; so that ye might fear Hashem Eloheichem kol hayamim (all the days, forever).

63 Who is this that cometh from Edom, with crimson begadim (garments) from Botzrah? This that is glorious in His apparel, striding in the greatness of His ko’ach? It is I, speaking in tzedakah, mighty to save.

² Why art Thou adom (red) in Thine apparel, and Thy garments like him that treadeth in the winepress?

³ I have trodden the winepress alone; and of the amim (peoples, nations) there was none with Me; for I will trample them in Mine wrath [i.e., Moshiach’s work of wrath], and trod them down in My fury; and the juice of their life blood splattered upon My garments, and I stained all My raiment.

⁴ For Yom Nekam (Day of Vengeance) is in Mine lev, and My Shanat Geulah (Year of Redemption) is come.

⁵ And I looked, and there was no ozer (helper); and I was appalled that there was no supporter; therefore Mine own zero’a wrought Salvation for Me; and My wrath, it upheld Me.

⁶ And I will trample down the amim (nations) in Mine wrath, and make them drunk in My fury, and I will pour out the juice of their life blood down on the earth.

⁷ I will rehearse the chasadim (lovingkindnesses) of Hashem, and the tehillot Hashem, according to all that Hashem hath bestowed on us, and the great goodness toward the Bais Yisroel, which He hath bestowed on them according to His rachamim, and according to the multitude of His chasadim.

⁸ For He said, Surely they are My people, banim that will not be sheker (false); so He became their Moshi’a (Savior).

⁹ In all their tzoros He was afflicted, and the malach of His presence saved them; in His ahavah and in His mercy He redeemed them; and He lifted them up, and carried them kol y’mei olam.

¹⁰ But they rebelled, and grieved His Ruach Hakodesh; therefore He turned against them as oyev (enemy), and He fought against them.

¹¹ Then His people remembered the y’mei olam (days of old), of Moshe. Where is He that brought them up out of the yam (sea) with the ro’im of His tzon? Where is He that put His Ruach Hakodesh in the midst of them?

¹² Who led them at the right hand of Moshe with His zero’a tiferet, dividing the mayim before them, to make Himself a Shem Olam?

¹³ Who led them through the tehomot, like the sus (horse) in the midbar, that they should not stumble?

¹⁴ As behemah goeth down into the valley, the Ruach Hashem caused them to rest; thus didst Thou lead Thy people, to make for Thee a Shem Tiferet.

¹⁵ Look down from Shomayim, and behold from the habitation of Thy kodesh and of Thy Tiferet. Where is Thy kina (zeal) and Thy gevurah (might)? The yearning of Thy heart and of Thy rachamim are withheld toward me.

¹⁶ Doubtless Thou art Avinu, though Avraham not have da’as of us, and Yisroel not acknowledge us; Thou, Hashem, art Avinu, Go’aleinu; Shemecha is from everlasting.

¹⁷ Hashem, why hast Thou made us to go astray from Thy drakhim, and hardened libenu (our hearts) from fearing Thee? Shuv (return) l’ma’an (for the sake of) Avadeicha (Thy servants), Shivtei Nachalatecha (the Tribes of Thine Inheritance).

¹⁸ Am Kadshecha (People of Thy holiness, Thy Holy People) have possessed it but a little while; our adversaries have trampled down Thy Mikdash.

¹⁹ We have become such as them over whom Thou hast never ruled, those who were not called by Shimecha (Thy Name).

12 Now during that time Herod the king laid his hands on Moshiach’s Kehillah to harm some of them.

² He killed Ya’akov the ach Yochanan with a cherev (sword).

³ Having seen that this was pleasing to the Judeans, Herod proceeded to arrest Kefa also. This happened during the yamim of Chag HaMatzot. [SHEMOT 12:15; 23:25]

⁴ When he had Kefa seized, he put him in the beis hasohar, having handed him over to four squads of chaiyalim to guard him, intending after Pesach to bring him before the people.

⁵ Therefore, Kefa was being kept in the beis hasohar. But tefillah to Hashem was earnestly being made by Moshiach’s Kehillah for him.

⁶ But b’lailah, when Herod was about to lead him out, Kefa, bound with two sharsherot (chains), was sleeping between two chaiyalim; and, before the delet (door), were shomrim (guards) keeping watch over the beis hasohar.

⁷ Then a malach HaAdon approached and ohr (light) shone in the cheder (room), and, having struck the side of Kefa, he awoke him, saying, "Get up quickly!" And the kavlei varzel (shackles of iron) fell off his hands. [TEHILLIM 107:14; 149:8]

⁸ The malach said to Kefa, "Put on your gartel and tie your sandals." And Kefa did so. And the malach says to him, "Put on your kaftan and follow me."

⁹ And having gone out, Kefa was following the malach, and he did not have da’as that the thing was happening grahda (as a matter of fact, in reality), but he was thinking he was seeing a chazon through the malach.

¹⁰ And having gone through the shomrim (guards), the first and the second, they came upon the Sha’ar HaBarzel leading to the Ir Kodesh. This was opened to them by itself. And having gone out, they went along one rekhov (street), and immediately the malach went away from him.

¹¹ And Kefa, having come to himself, said, "Now I have da’as for sure that HaAdon sent out his malach and delivered me from the hand of Herod and from all the expectation of the Judean people." [TEHILLIM 34:7; DANIEL 3:28; 6:22]

¹² Having realized this, Kefa came upon the bais of Miryam the Em (mother) of Yochanan, the one being called Markos, where there were many having been assembled and davening.

¹³ And when Kefa knocked on the delet (door) of the gate, a na’arah by name Rhoda, approached to listen.

¹⁴ And having recognized the kol (voice) of Kefa, from simcha she did not open the gate but, having run inside, she reported that Kefa stood at the gate.

¹⁵ But the ones there said to her, "You are meshuggah!" But she kept insisting it was so. But they were saying, "It is his malach."

¹⁶ But Kefa continued knocking. And having opened the gate, they saw him, and were mishpoyel (standing in awe).

¹⁷ And having motioned to them with his hand to be silent, he told them how HaAdon led him out from the beis hasohar. Then Kefa said, "Report to Ya’akov [see p.848] and to the Achim b’Moshiach these things." And having gone out, Kefa went to another place.

¹⁸ Now when it was boker, there was not a little commotion among the chaiyalim as to what had become of Kefa.

¹⁹ Now Herod, having sought after him and not having found him, after questioning the shomrim, commanded them to be led away to execution. Then Herod went down from Yehudah to Caesarea, and was staying there.

²⁰ Now Herod was gor (very) angry with the people of Tzor and those of Tzidon, and with one mind they were coming to him; and, having won over Blastus, the king’s chamberlain, they were requesting shalom, because their country was fed by the king’s lands. [MELACHIM ALEF 5:9,11; YECHEZKEL 27:17]

²¹ Now on the appointed day, Herod, having clothed himself with royal malbush (clothing) and having sat down on the kes hamishpat, was delivering a public address to them.

²² And the multitude was crying out, "Hinei, the kol of a g-d and not of an ish!"

²³ Immediately, a malach Adonoi struck him, because he did not give the kavod to Hashem. And, having become eaten with worms, Herod died. [SHMUEL ALEF 25:38; SHMUEL BAIS 24:16,17; MELACHIM BAIS 19:35]

²⁴ But the dvar Hashem was growing and increasing.

²⁵ And Bar-Nabba and Sha’ul returned from Yerushalayim, having fulfilled their shlichus (mission) to deliver the tzedakah and having taken along with them [back to Antioch], Yochanan the one called Markos.

10 Why standest Thou afar off, Hashem? Why hidest Thou Thyself in times of tzoros?

² The reshah in his ga’avah (haughtiness) doth persecute the ani (poor, see Zech 9:9 where ani is Moshiach); let them be caught in the devices that they have schemed.

³ For the reshah boasteth of his ta’avat nefesh (soul’s lust), and blesseth the covetous, whom Hashem abhorreth.

⁴ The reshah, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after Him; Elohim is not in all his thoughts.

⁵ His ways are always prosperous; Thy mishpatim are on high, out of his sight; as for all his enemies, he sneers at them.

⁶ He hath said in his lev, I shall not be shaken; throughout all generations I shall never be in trouble.

⁷ His mouth is full of cursing and deceit and fraud; under his leshon (tongue) is trouble and iniquity.

⁸ He sitteth in the lurking places of the villages; in the places for ambush doth he murder the naki (innocent); his eyes are secretly set against the poor.

⁹ He lieth in wait secretly as a lion in his den; he lieth in wait to catch the poor; he doth catch the poor when he draweth him into his reshet.

¹⁰ He crouches, and stoops, that the poor may fall by his atzum (might).

¹¹ He hath said in his lev, El hath forgotten; He hideth his face; He will never see it.

¹² Arise, Hashem; O El, lift up Thine yad; forget not the aniyim.

¹³ For why doth the reshah renounce Elohim? He hath said in his lev, Thou wilt not call me to account.

¹⁴ Thou hast seen it; for Thou beholdest trouble and ka’as (grief), to requite it with Thy yad; the helpless committeth himself unto Thee; Thou art the Ozer (helper) of the yatom (orphan).

¹⁵ Break Thou the zero’a of the reshah and the evil man; call to account his wickedness that would not be found out.

¹⁶ Hashem is Melech olam va’ed; the Goyim are perished out of His land.

¹⁷ Hashem, Thou hast heard the desire of the aniyim; Thou wilt strengthen their lev, Thou wilt cause Thine ear to hear;

¹⁸ To judge the yatom (orphan) and the oppressed, that enosh of the earth may no more strike terror.

¹³ Ashrei (happy) is the man that findeth chochmah, and the man that getteth tevunah (understanding).

¹⁴ For the gain of it is better than the gain of kesef, and the increase thereof than fine gold.

¹⁵ She is more precious than peninim (pearls); and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her.

¹⁶ Orekh yamim is in her right hand; and in her left hand osher and kavod.

¹⁷ Her drakhim are drakhim of pleasantness, and all her netivot (trodden paths) are shalom.

¹⁸ She is an Etz Chayyim (Tree of Life) to them that lay hold upon her; and me’usher (blessed) is every one that holdeth her fast.