Devarim (Deuteronomy) Chapter 1

12How can I bear your trouble, your burden, and your strife all by myself?   יבאֵיכָ֥ה אֶשָּׂ֖א לְבַדִּ֑י טָרְחֲכֶ֥ם וּמַשַּֽׂאֲכֶ֖ם וְרִֽיבְכֶֽם:
אֵיכָה אֶשָּׂא לְבַדִּי - How can I bear…myself. Even if I wished to do so in order to receive reward, I am unable to bear the burden alone, since God forbids me to do so. This is what I meant when I said to you: “I am not saying this on my own initiative, but on the instructions of the Holy One, blessed be He.”   אֵיכָה אֶשָּׂא לְבַדִּי.  אִם אֹמַר לְקַבֵּל שָׂכָר, לֹא אוּכַל, זוֹ הִיא שֶׁאָמַרְתִּי לָכֶם לֹא מֵעַצְמִי אֲנִי אוֹמֵר לָכֶם אֶלָּא מִפִּי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא:
טָרְחֲכֶם - Your trouble. This teaches us that Israel were troublesome. If one litigant saw that his opponent was winning the case, he would say: “I have more witnesses to bring; I have more proof to support my case; I request that additional judges be appointed to the court.”   טָרְחֲכֶם.  מְלַמֵּד שֶׁהָיוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל טַרְחָנִין – הָיָה אֶחָד מֵהֶם רוֹאֶה אֶת בַּעַל דִּינוֹ נוֹצֵחַ בַּדִּין, אוֹמֵר יֵשׁ לִי עֵדִים לְהָבִיא, יֵשׁ לִי רְאָיוֹת לְהָבִיא, מוֹסִיף אֲנִי עֲלֵיכֶם דַּיָּנִין:
וּמַשַּֽׂאֲכֶם - Your burden. This teaches us that they were disrespectful. If Moses left home early, they would say: “Why did the son of Amram leave early? Perhaps he is not at ease at home?” If he left home late, they would say: “Why did the son of Amram not leave yet? What do you think? He is surely sitting and devising evil plans and deliberating negative intentions against you.”   וּמַשַּֽׂאֲכֶם.  מְלַמֵּד שֶׁהָיוּ אֶפִּיקוֹרְסִין, הִקְדִּים מֹשֶׁה לָצֵאת, אָמְרוּ מָה רָאָה בֶן עַמְרָם לָצֵאת? שֶׁמָּא אֵינוֹ שָׁפוּי בְּתוֹךְ בֵּיתוֹ; אֵחַר לָצֵאת, אָמְרוּ מָה רָאָה בֶן עַמְרָם שֶׁלֹּא לָצֵאת? מָה אַתֶּם סְבוּרִים? יוֹשֵׁב וְיוֹעֵץ עֲלֵיכֶם עֵצוֹת רָעוֹת וְחוֹשֵׁב עֲלֵיכֶם מַחֲשָׁבוֹת:
ורבכם - And your strife. This teaches us that they were quarrelsome.   ורבכם.  מְלַמֵּד שֶׁהָיוּ רוֹגְנִים (ספרי):
13Ready yourselves for the appointment of men who are wise, understanding, and known among your tribes. I will appoint them as your heads.’   יגהָב֣וּ לָ֠כֶ֠ם אֲנָשִׁ֨ים חֲכָמִ֧ים וּנְבֹנִ֛ים וִֽידֻעִ֖ים לְשִׁבְטֵיכֶ֑ם וַֽאֲשִׂימֵ֖ם בְּרָֽאשֵׁיכֶֽם:
הָבוּ לָכֶם - Ready yourselves - i.e., prepare yourselves for this matter.   הָבוּ לָכֶם.  הַזְמִינוּ עַצְמְכֶם לַדָּבָר:
אֲנָשִׁים - Men. Could it have entered your mind that women be judges, that it is necessary to exclude them here?! Why then does Scripture state: אֲנָשִׁים? That the judges must be righteous.   אֲנָשִׁים.  וְכִי תַעֲלֶה עַל דַּעְתְּךָ נָשִׁים, מַה תַּלְמוּד לוֹמָר אֲנָשִׁים? צַדִּיקִים:
חֲכָמִים - wise - and well-liked.   חֲכָמִים .  כְּסוּפִים:
וּנְבֹנִים - And understanding - i.e., who are able to deduce new laws from legal precedent. Arius asked Rabbi Yosei this very question: What is the difference between חֲכָמִים and נְבֹנִים? Rabbi Yosei answered: A חָכָם (man of wisdom) can be compared to a wealthy money-changer: when people bring him dinars to appraise, he appraises them, but when no one brings them to him, he sits idle. A נָבוֹן (man of understanding) can be compared to a merchant moneychanger: when they bring him coins to appraise, he appraises them, but when they do not bring him coins to appraise, he goes and looks for other forms of merchandise of his own to deal in.   וּנְבֹנִים.  מְבִינִים דָבָר מִתּוֹךְ דָּבָר; זוֹ הִיא שֶׁשָּׁאַל אֲרִיּוֹס אֶת רַבִּי יוֹסֵי מַה בֵּין חֲכָמִים לִנְבוֹנִים? חָכָם דּוֹמֶה לְשֻׁלְחָנִי עָשִׁיר, כְּשֶׁמְּבִיאִין לוֹ דִּינָרִין לִרְאוֹת רוֹאֶה, וּכְשֶׁאֵין מְבִיאִין לוֹ יוֹשֵׁב וְתוֹהֵא, נָבוֹן דּוֹמֶה לְשֻׁלְחָנִי תַּגָּר, כְּשֶׁמְּבִיאִין לוֹ מָעוֹת לִרְאוֹת רוֹאֶה, וּכְשֶׁאֵין מְבִיאִין לוֹ, הוּא מְחַזֵּר וּמֵבִיא מִשֶּׁלּוֹ (ספרי):
וִֽידֻעִים לְשִׁבְטֵיכֶם - Known among your tribes - i.e., those who are known to you, for if he comes before me wrapped in his cloak, I do not know who he is, to which tribe he belongs, or whether he is worthy of the task. But you do know who he is, since you have nurtured him. It therefore says: וִידֻעִים לְשִׁבְטֵיכֶם – known by your tribes.   וִֽידֻעִים לְשִׁבְטֵיכֶם.  שֶׁהֵם נִכָּרִים לָכֶם, שֶׁאִם בָּא לְפָנַי מְעֻטָּף בְּטַלִּיתוֹ, אֵינִי יוֹדֵעַ מִי הוּא וּמֵאֵי זֶה שֵׁבֶט הוּא, וְאִם הָגוּן הוּא, אֲבָל אַתֶּם מַכִּירִין בּוֹ, שֶׁאַתֶּם גִּדַּלְתֶּם אוֹתוֹ, לְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר וִידֻעִים לְשִׁבְטֵיכֶם (ספרי):
בְּרָֽאשֵׁיכֶֽם - As your heads. i.e., as leaders and dignitaries over you, whom you must treat with respect and awe.   בְּרָֽאשֵׁיכֶֽם.  רָאשִׁים וּמְכֻבָּדִים עֲלֵיכֶם – שֶׁתִּהְיוּ נוֹהֲגִין בָּהֶם כָּבוֹד וְיִרְאָה:
ואשמם - I will appoint them. It is written without a י. This teaches us that the sins (אַשְׁמוֹתֵיהֶם) of Israel rest on the heads of their judges, for they should have objected to their misdeeds and guided them to the correct path.   ואשמם.  חָסֵר יוֹ"ד, לִמֵּד שֶׁאַשְׁמוֹתֵיהֶם שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל תְּלוּיוֹת בְּרָאשֵׁי דַּיָּנֵיהֶם, שֶׁהָיָה לָהֶם לִמְחוֹת וּלְכַוֵּן אוֹתָם לַדֶּרֶךְ הַיְשָׁרָה (ספרי):
14You answered me and said, ‘The plan you have spoken is good for us to do.’   ידוַתַּֽעֲנ֖וּ אֹתִ֑י וַתֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ טוֹב־הַדָּבָ֥ר אֲשֶׁר־דִּבַּ֖רְתָּ לַֽעֲשֽׂוֹת:
וַתַּֽעֲנוּ אֹתִי וגו' - You answered me… You decided the matter to be for your own benefit. You should have answered: “Our master, Moses! From whom is it better to learn – from you or from your disciple? Is it not better to learn from you, since you took great pains to study it?” But I know how you think! You said to yourselves: “Now many different judges will be appointed over us. If a certain judge does not know us, we will present him with a gift and he will favor us in judgment.”   וַתַּֽעֲנוּ אֹתִי וגו'.  חֲלַטְתֶּם אֶת הַדָּבָר לַהֲנָאַתְכֶם; הָיָה לָכֶם לְהָשִׁיב, מֹשֶׁה רַבֵּנוּ, מִמִּי נָאֶה לִלְמֹד, מִמְּךָ אוֹ מִתַּלְמִידְךָ? לֹא מִמְּךָ שֶׁנִּצְטַעַרְתָּ עָלֶיהָ? אֶלָּא יָדַעְתִּי מַחְשְׁבוֹתֵיכֶם, הֱיִיתֶם אוֹמְרִים עַכְשָׁו יִתְמַנּוּ עָלֵינוּ דַּיָּנִין הַרְבֵּה, אִם אֵין מַכִּירֵנוּ, אָנוּ מְבִיאִין לוֹ דוֹרוֹן וְהוּא נוֹשֵׂא לָנוּ פָנִים (שם):
לַֽעֲשֽׂוֹת - To do. This word is added to signify that if I delayed implementing this, you would say to me: “Do it quickly!”   לַֽעֲשֽׂוֹת.  אִם הָיִיתִי מִתְעַצֵּל, אַתֶּם אוֹמְרִים עֲשֵׂה מְהֵרָה (שם):
15I convinced wise and notable men to be the heads of your tribes. I made them dignitaries over you, leaders over thousands, leaders over hundreds, leaders over fifties, and leaders over tens, and sheriffs over your tribes.   טווָֽאֶקַּ֞ח אֶת־רָאשֵׁ֣י שִׁבְטֵיכֶ֗ם אֲנָשִׁ֤ים חֲכָמִים֙ וִֽידֻעִ֔ים וָֽאֶתֵּ֥ן אוֹתָ֛ם רָאשִׁ֖ים עֲלֵיכֶ֑ם שָׂרֵ֨י אֲלָפִ֜ים וְשָׂרֵ֣י מֵא֗וֹת וְשָׂרֵ֤י חֲמִשִּׁים֙ וְשָׂרֵ֣י עֲשָׂרֹ֔ת וְשֹֽׁטְרִ֖ים לְשִׁבְטֵיכֶֽם:
וָֽאֶקַּח אֶת־רָאשֵׁי שִׁבְטֵיכֶם - I (lit.) took the heads of your tribes - i.e., I verbally persuaded them by saying: “How praiseworthy are you! Over whom are you going to be appointed? Over the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob! Over people who are called by God brothers and friends, 1 a portion and an inheritance, 2 and all other terms of endearment.   וָֽאֶקַּח אֶת־רָאשֵׁי שִׁבְטֵיכֶם.  מְשַׁכְתִּים – אַשְׁרֵיכֶם, עַל מִי בָּאתֶם לְהִתְמַנּוֹת? עַל בְּנֵי אַבְרָהָם יִצְחָק וְיַעֲקֹב, עַל בְּנֵי אָדָם שֶׁנִּקְרְאוּ אַחִים וְרֵעִים, חֵלֶק וְנַחֲלָה, וְכָל לְשׁוֹן חִבָּה (שם):
אֲנָשִׁים חֲכָמִים וִֽידֻעִים - Wise and notable men - but נְבֹנִים “men of understanding” I failed to find. This is one of seven desirable qualities for a judge that Jethro mentioned to Moses, but he found only three: righteous, wise, and notable men.   אֲנָשִׁים חֲכָמִים וִֽידֻעִים.  אֲבָל נְבוֹנִים לֹא מָצָאתִי; זוֹ אַחַת מִשֶּׁבַע מִדּוֹת שֶׁאָמַר יִתְרוֹ לְמֹשֶׁה וְלֹא מָצָא אֶלָּא שָׁלוֹשׁ, אנשים צַדִּיקִים, חכמים, וידעים (שם):
רָאשִׁים עֲלֵיכֶם - Dignitaries over you. In that you must treat them with honor. Give them priority in buying, priority in selling, priority in doing business; let them be the last to enter and first to leave the House of Study, so that all will rise for them.   רָאשִׁים עֲלֵיכֶם.  שֶׁתִּנְהֲגוּ בָהֶם כָּבוֹד, רָאשִׁים בְּמֶקַח, רָאשִׁים בְּמִמְכָּר, רָאשִׁים בְּמַשָּׂא וּמַתָּן, נִכְנָס אַחֲרוֹן וְיוֹצֵא רִאשׁוֹן (שם):
שָׂרֵי אֲלָפִים - Officers of thousands. I.e., one appointed over a thousand.   שָׂרֵי אֲלָפִים.  אֶחָד מְמֻנֶּה עַל אֶלֶף:
שָׂרֵי מֵאוֹת - Officers of hundreds. I.e., one appointed over a hundred.   שָׂרֵי מֵאוֹת.  אֶחָד מְמֻנֶּה עַל מֵאָה:
וְשֹֽׁטְרִים - And sheriffs – I appointed over you “for your tribes.” - These are those who bind the recipient of lashes and those who administer lashes according to the judges’ instructions.   וְשֹֽׁטְרִים.  מִנִּיתִי עֲלֵיכֶם לשבטיכם – אֵלּוּ הַכּוֹפְתִין וְהַמַּכִּין בִּרְצוּעָה עַל פִּי הַדַּיָּנִין (עי' שם):
16I commanded your judges at that time, saying, ‘Hear disputes between your brothers. Judge justly between every man and his fellow, even in cases between people who heap up accusations.   טזוָֽאֲצַוֶּה֙ אֶת־שֹׁ֣פְטֵיכֶ֔ם בָּעֵ֥ת הַהִ֖וא לֵאמֹ֑ר שָׁמֹ֤עַ בֵּֽין־אֲחֵיכֶם֙ וּשְׁפַטְתֶּ֣ם צֶ֔דֶק בֵּֽין־אִ֥ישׁ וּבֵֽין־אָחִ֖יו וּבֵ֥ין גֵּרֽוֹ:
וָֽאֲצַוֶּה אֶת־שֹׁפְטֵיכֶם - I commanded your judges. I said to them: Be deliberate in judgment. If an apparently similar case is brought before you once, twice, or even three times, do not say: “This case has come before me many times and I do not need to deliberate over it again,” but reflect over it anew.   וָֽאֲצַוֶּה אֶת־שֹׁפְטֵיכֶם.  אָמַרְתִּי לָהֶם הֱווּ מְתוּנִין בַּדִּין – אִם בָּא דִּין לְפָנֶיךָ פַּעַם אַחַת, שְׁתַּיִם, וְשָׁלוֹשׁ, אַל תֹּאמַר כְּבָר בָּא דִּין זֶה לְפָנַי פְּעָמִים הַרְבֵּה, אֶלָּא הֱיוּ נוֹשְׂאִים וְנוֹתְנִים בּוֹ (שם):
בָּעֵת הַהִוא - At that time. After I had appointed the judges, I said to them: Now is not as it was in the past. In the past, you were private individuals, but now you are public servants.   בָּעֵת הַהִוא.  מִשֶּׁמִּנִּיתִים אָמַרְתִּי לָהֶם אֵין עַכְשָׁיו כִּלְשֶׁעָבַר, לְשֶׁעָבַר הֱיִיתֶם בִּרְשׁוּת עַצְמְכֶם, עַכְשָׁו הֲרֵי אַתֶּם מְשֻׁעְבָּדִים לַצִּבּוּר (שם):
שָׁמֹעַ - Hear. This is an infinitive form, conveying the ongoing present tense, “odant” in Old French (“be listening”), similar to: זָכוֹר “remember,” 3 and: שָׁמוֹר “keep,” 4 both of which are meant to be understood as constant, ongoing obligations.   שָׁמֹעַ.  לְשׁוֹן הֹוֶה, אודנ"ט בְּלַעַז, כְּמוֹ זָכוֹר, שָׁמוֹר:
וּבֵֽין־גֵּרֽוֹ - This means “his disputant,” who stores up (אוֹגֵר) words against him. Another explanation: וּבֵין גֵּרוֹ – also in matters regarding the division of inherited house property among brothers, even between an oven and a stove.   וּבֵֽין־גֵּרֽוֹ.  זֶה בַּעַל דִּינוֹ שֶׁאוֹגֵר עָלָיו דְּבָרִים; דָּבָר אַחֵר ובין גרו, אַף עַל עִסְקֵי דִּירָה בֵּין חֲלֻקַּת אַחִים, אֲפִלּוּ בֵּין תַּנּוּר לְכִירַיִם (שם; סנהדרין ז'):
17You must not favor anyone in judgment. You must hear a dispute involving a small amount of money just as readily as a dispute involving a large amount. You must not fear any man, for judgment is God’s. Bring to me any case that is too difficult for you and I will hear it.’   יזלֹֽא־תַכִּ֨ירוּ פָנִ֜ים בַּמִּשְׁפָּ֗ט כַּקָּטֹ֤ן כַּגָּדֹל֙ תִּשְׁמָע֔וּן לֹ֤א תָג֨וּרוּ֙ מִפְּנֵי־אִ֔ישׁ כִּ֥י הַמִּשְׁפָּ֖ט לֵֽאלֹהִ֣ים ה֑וּא וְהַדָּבָר֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר יִקְשֶׁ֣ה מִכֶּ֔ם תַּקְרִב֥וּן אֵלַ֖י וּשְׁמַעְתִּֽיו:
לֹֽא־תַכִּירוּ פָנִים בַּמִּשְׁפָּט - You must not favor anyone in judgment. This is directed to the one in charge of appointing judges. He must not say: “This person is handsome or strong; I will therefore appoint him as a judge. This person is my relative; I will therefore appoint him as a judge in this town.” If he does so and the appointee is not expert in law, it will result in condemning the innocent and exonerating the guilty. I therefore consider whoever appointed him as if he had shown favoritism in judgment.   לֹֽא־תַכִּירוּ פָנִים בַּמִּשְׁפָּט.  זֶה הַמְמֻנֶּה לְהוֹשִׁיב הַדַּיָּנִים, שֶׁלֹּא יֹאמַר אִישׁ פְּלוֹנִי נָאֶה אוֹ גִּבּוֹר, אוֹשִׁיבֶנּוּ דַיָּן, אִישׁ פְּלוֹנִי קְרוֹבִי, אוֹשִׁיבֶנּוּ דַּיָּן בָּעִיר, וְהוּא אֵינוֹ בָּקִי בְדִינִין, נִמְצָא מְחַיֵּב אֶת הַזַּכַּאי וּמְזַכֶּה אֶת הַחַיָּב, מַעֲלֶה אֲנִי עַל מִי שֶׁמִּנָּהוּ כְּאִלּוּ הִכִּיר פָּנִים בַּדִּין:
כַּקָּטֹן כַּגָּדֹל תִּשְׁמָעוּן - You must hear a small [case] as a large [case]. I.e., a case involving a perutah must be as dear to you as a case involving 100 maneh, that if the case involving a perutah came before you first, do not push it off to the end. Another explanation: כַּקָּטֹן כַּגָּדֹל תִּשְׁמָעוּן means as Onkelos translates it, that you must not say: “This one is poor and the other is wealthy and is commanded to support him. I will therefore have the poor man win the case, and thus he will be able to support himself in a respectable manner.” Another explanation: That you not say, “How can I offend the honor of this wealthy man for a dinar? I will now declare him the winner of the case, and when he leaves court I will tell him: ‘Give him the money, for you really owe him!’”   כַּקָּטֹן כַּגָּדֹל תִּשְׁמָעוּן.  שֶׁיְּהֵא חָבִיב עָלֶיךָ דִּין שֶׁל פְּרוּטָה כְּדִין שֶׁל מֵאָה מָנֶה, שֶׁאִם קָדַם וּבָא לְפָנֶיךָ, לֹא תְסַלְּקֶנּוּ לָאַחֲרוֹן. דָּבָר אַחֵר — כקטן כגדל תשמעון כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ, שֶׁלֹּא תֹאמַר זֶה עָנִי הוּא וַחֲבֵרוֹ עָשִׁיר וּמְצֻוֶּה לְפַרְנְסוֹ, אֲזַכֶּה אֶת הֶעָנִי וְנִמְצָא מִתְפַּרְנֵס בִּנְקִיּוּת; דָּבָר אַחֵר — שֶׁלֹּא תֹאמַר הֵיאַךְ אֲנִי פּוֹגֵם כְּבוֹדוֹ שֶׁל עָשִׁיר זֶה בִּשְׁבִיל דִּינָר, אֲזַכֶּנּוּ עַכְשָׁיו, וּכְשֶׁיּוֹצֵא לַחוּץ אֹמַר לוֹ תֵּן לוֹ שֶׁאַתָּה חַיָּב לוֹ (שם):
לֹֽא־תָגוּרוּ מִפְּנֵי־אִישׁ - You must not fear any man - i.e., do not be afraid. Another explanation: לֹא תָגוּרוּ means: do not withhold your words on account of any man, תָגוּרוּ being used in the sense of: אֹגֵר בַּקַּיִץ “one who stores up in the summer.” 5   לֹֽא־תָגוּרוּ מִפְּנֵי־אִישׁ.  לֹא תִּירְאוּ; דָּבָר אַחֵר — לא תגורו לֹא תַכְנִיס דְּבָרֶיךָ מִפְּנֵי אִישׁ, לְשׁוֹן "אֹגֵר בַּקַּיִץ" (משלי י'):
כִּי הַמִּשְׁפָּט לֵֽאלֹהִים הוּא - For judgment is God’s - i.e., whatever you unlawfully take from this person, you force Me to return to him. Thus, you have perverted judgment against Me.   כִּי הַמִּשְׁפָּט לֵֽאלֹהִים הוּא.  מַה שֶּׁאַתָּה נוֹטֵל מִזֶּה שֶׁלֹּא כַדִּין, אַתָּה מַזְקִיקֵנִי לְהַחֲזִיר לוֹ, נִמְצָא שֶׁהִטֵּיתָ עָלַי הַמִּשְׁפָּט (סנהדרין ח'):
תַּקְרִבוּן אֵלַי - You must bring to me. On account of these words, the ruling regarding the daughters of Tzelofchad eluded him. Similarly, when Samuel said to Saul: “I am the seer,” 6 the Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, “I swear by your life that I will let you know that you are not the seer.” And when did he let him know? When he came to anoint David as king: “he saw Eli’av and said, ‘Indeed, this is the anointed one before God.’” 7 However, the Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: Did you not say, “I am the seer”?! “Do not regard his appearance!” 8   תַּקְרִבוּן אֵלַי.  עַל דָּבָר זֶה נִסְתַּלֵּק מִמֶּנּוּ מִשְׁפַּט בְּנוֹת צְלָפְחָד (שם); וְכֵן שְׁמוּאֵל אָמַר לְשָׁאוּל (שמואל א ט') "אָנֹכִי הָרוֹאֶה", אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא חַיֶּיךָ שֶׁאֲנִי מוֹדִיעֲךָ שֶׁאֵין אַתָּה רוֹאֶה, וְאֵימָתַי הוֹדִיעוֹ? כְּשֶׁבָּא לִמְשֹׁחַ אֶת דָּוִד (שמואל א ט"ז) "וַיַּרְא אֶת אֱלִיאָב וַיֹּאמֶר אַךְ נֶגֶד ה' מְשִׁיחוֹ", אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא וְלֹא אָמַרְתָּ אָנֹכִי הָרֹאֶה? "אַל תַּבֵּט אֶל מַרְאֵהוּ" (ספרי):
18At that time, I commanded you to do all the things you should do in order to differentiate between civil and capital cases.   יחוָֽאֲצַוֶּ֥ה אֶתְכֶ֖ם בָּעֵ֣ת הַהִ֑וא אֵ֥ת כָּל־הַדְּבָרִ֖ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר תַּֽעֲשֽׂוּן:
אֵת כָּל־הַדְּבָרִים אֲשֶׁר תַּֽעֲשֽׂוּן - All the things you must do. This refers to the 10 procedural differences between monetary and capital cases.   אֵת כָּל־הַדְּבָרִים אֲשֶׁר תַּֽעֲשֽׂוּן.  אֵלּוּ עֲשֶׂרֶת הַדְּבָרִים שֶׁבֵּין דִּינֵי מָמוֹנוֹת לְדִינֵי נְפָשׁוֹת (שם):
19We journeyed from Horeb and traversed that entire great and frightening desert, which you saw, toward the mountain of the Amorites, as God, our God, had commanded us, and we came as far as Kadesh Barne’a.   יטוַנִּסַּ֣ע מֵֽחֹרֵ֗ב וַנֵּ֡לֶךְ אֵ֣ת כָּל־הַמִּדְבָּ֣ר הַגָּדוֹל֩ וְהַנּוֹרָ֨א הַה֜וּא אֲשֶׁ֣ר רְאִיתֶ֗ם דֶּ֚רֶךְ הַ֣ר הָֽאֱמֹרִ֔י כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֥ר צִוָּ֛ה יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵ֖ינוּ אֹתָ֑נוּ וַנָּבֹ֕א עַ֖ד קָדֵ֥שׁ בַּרְנֵֽעַ:
הַמִּדְבָּר הַגָּדוֹל וְהַנּוֹרָא - That great and frightening desert - where snakes were thick like beams and scorpions like bows.   הַמִּדְבָּר הַגָּדוֹל וְהַנּוֹרָא.  שֶׁהָיוּ בוֹ נְחָשִׁים כְּקוֹרוֹת, וְעַקְרַבִּים כִּקְשָׁתוֹת (שם):
20I said to you, ‘You have arrived at the mountain of the Amorites, which God, our God, is giving us.   כוָֽאֹמַ֖ר אֲלֵכֶ֑ם בָּאתֶם֙ עַד־הַ֣ר הָֽאֱמֹרִ֔י אֲשֶׁר־יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵ֖ינוּ נֹתֵ֥ן לָֽנוּ:
21Behold, God, your God, has set the land before you. Go up and take possession of it, as God, God of your fathers, has spoken to you. You should be neither afraid nor terrified.’   כארְאֵ֠ה נָתַ֨ן יְהֹוָ֧ה אֱלֹהֶ֛יךָ לְפָנֶ֖יךָ אֶת־הָאָ֑רֶץ עֲלֵ֣ה רֵ֗שׁ כַּֽאֲשֶׁר֩ דִּבֶּ֨ר יְהֹוָ֜ה אֱלֹהֵ֤י אֲבֹתֶ֨יךָ֙ לָ֔ךְ אַל־תִּירָ֖א וְאַל־תֵּחָֽת: