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Deuteronomy, 16

1. 'Observe the month of Abib and celebrate the Passover for Yahweh your God, because it was in the month of Abib that Yahweh your God brought you out of Egypt by night.

1. "Observe the month of Abib, and keep the passover to the LORD your God; for in the month of Abib the LORD your God brought you out of Egypt by night.

2. You must sacrifice a Passover from your flock or herd for Yahweh your God in the place where Yahweh chooses to give his name a home.

2. And you shall offer the passover sacrifice to the LORD your God, from the flock or the herd, at the place which the LORD will choose, to make his name dwell there.

3. You must not eat leavened bread with this; for seven days you must eat it with unleavened bread -- the bread of affliction -- since you left Egypt in great haste; this is so that, as long as you live, you will remember the day you came out of Egypt.

3. You shall eat no leavened bread with it; seven days you shall eat it with unleavened bread, the bread of affliction -- for you came out of the land of Egypt in hurried flight -- that all the days of your life you may remember the day when you came out of the land of Egypt.

4. For seven days no leaven must be found in any house throughout your territory, nor must any of the meat that you sacrifice in the evening of the first day be kept overnight until the next day.

4. No leaven shall be seen with you in all your territory for seven days; nor shall any of the flesh which you sacrifice on the evening of the first day remain all night until morning.

5. You must sacrifice the Passover not in any of the towns given you by Yahweh your God,

5. You may not offer the passover sacrifice within any of your towns which the LORD your God gives you;

6. but in the place where Yahweh your God chooses to give his name a home; there you must sacrifice the Passover, in the evening at sunset, at the hour when you came out of Egypt.

6. but at the place which the LORD your God will choose, to make his name dwell in it, there you shall offer the passover sacrifice, in the evening at the going down of the sun, at the time you came out of Egypt.

7. You will cook it and eat it in the place chosen by Yahweh your God, and in the morning you must return and go to your tents.

7. And you shall boil it and eat it at the place which the LORD your God will choose; and in the morning you shall turn and go to your tents.

8. For six days you will eat unleavened bread; on the seventh day there will be an assembly for Yahweh your God; and you must do no work.

8. For six days you shall eat unleavened bread; and on the seventh day there shall be a solemn assembly to the LORD your God; you shall do no work on it.

9. 'You must count seven weeks, counting these seven weeks from the time you begin to put your sickle into the standing corn.

9. "You shall count seven weeks; begin to count the seven weeks from the time you first put the sickle to the standing grain.

10. You will then celebrate the feast of Weeks for Yahweh your God with the gift of a voluntary offering proportionate to the degree in which Yahweh your God has blessed you.

10. Then you shall keep the feast of weeks to the LORD your God with the tribute of a freewill offering from your hand, which you shall give as the LORD your God blesses you;

11. You must rejoice in the presence of Yahweh your God, in the place where Yahweh your God chooses to give his name a home, you, your son and your daughter, your serving men and women, the Levite living in your community, the foreigner, the orphan and the widow living among you.

11. and you shall rejoice before the LORD your God, you and your son and your daughter, your manservant and your maidservant, the Levite who is within your towns, the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow who are among you, at the place which the LORD your God will choose, to make his name dwell there.

12. Remember that you were once a slave in Egypt, and carefully observe these laws.

12. You shall remember that you were a slave in Egypt; and you shall be careful to observe these statutes.

13. 'You must celebrate the feast of Shelters for seven days, at the time when you gather in the produce of your threshing-floor and winepress.

13. "You shall keep the feast of booths seven days, when you make your ingathering from your threshing floor and your wine press;

14. You must rejoice at your feast, you, your son and your daughter, your serving men and women, the Levite, the foreigner, the orphan and the widow living in your community.

14. you shall rejoice in your feast, you and your son and your daughter, your manservant and your maidservant, the Levite, the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow who are within your towns.

15. For seven days, you must celebrate the feast for Yahweh your God in the place chosen by Yahweh; for Yahweh your God will bless you in all your produce and in all your undertakings, so that you will have good reason to rejoice.

15. For seven days you shall keep the feast to the LORD your God at the place which the LORD will choose; because the LORD your God will bless you in all your produce and in all the work of your hands, so that you will be altogether joyful.

16. 'Three times a year all your menfolk must appear before Yahweh your God in the place chosen by him: at the feast of Unleavened Bread, at the feast of Weeks, at the feast of Shelters. No one must appear empty-handed before Yahweh,

16. "Three times a year all your males shall appear before the LORD your God at the place which he will choose: at the feast of unleavened bread, at the feast of weeks, and at the feast of booths. They shall not appear before the LORD empty-handed;

17. but each must give what he can, in proportion to the blessing which Yahweh your God has bestowed on you.

17. every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the LORD your God which he has given you.

18. 'You must appoint judges and scribes in each of the towns that Yahweh your God is giving you, for all your tribes; these are to mete out proper justice to the people.

18. "You shall appoint judges and officers in all your towns which the LORD your God gives you, according to your tribes; and they shall judge the people with righteous judgment.

19. You must not pervert the law; you must be impartial; you will take no bribes, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and ruins the cause of the upright.

19. You shall not pervert justice; you shall not show partiality; and you shall not take a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and subverts the cause of the righteous.

20. Strict justice must be your ideal, so that you may live long in possession of the country given you by Yahweh your God.

20. Justice, and only justice, you shall follow, that you may live and inherit the land which the LORD your God gives you.

21. 'You must not plant a sacred pole of any wood whatsoever beside the altar which you erect for Yahweh your God;

21. "You shall not plant any tree as an Ashe'rah beside the altar of the LORD your God which you shall make.

22. nor will you set up a standing-stone, a thing Yahweh your God would abhor.'

22. And you shall not set up a pillar, which the LORD your God hates.



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Footnotes:

16:1-8 - The instructions for Passover emphasize the importance of collective memory and worship. Celebrating the deliverance from Egypt is central to the identity of God's people (see also Exodus 12:14 and Luke 22:19-20).

16:9-12 - The celebration of the Feast of Weeks (Pentecost) emphasizes gratitude for the harvest and the importance of remembering God's work. This reinforces the connection between worship and gratitude (see also Exodus 23:16 and Acts 2:1).

16:13-15 - The Feast of Tabernacles highlights the importance of remembering God's provision in the wilderness. This celebration is an expression of gratitude and dependence on God (see also Leviticus 23:39-43 and John 7:37-39).

16:16-17 - The requirement that all men appear before God three times a year reinforces the need for corporate worship and the priority that should be given to worship (see also Psalm 122:1 and Hebrews 10:24-25).

Verses related to Deuteronomy, 16:

Deuteronomy chapter 16 orders the celebration of the festivals. How does the religious calendar shape life in Israel? This foundational text details the observance of the Passover, the Feast of Weeks, and the Feast of Tabernacles. The chapter emphasizes the importance of collective memory, gratitude to God and community joy. Deuteronomy 16 also addresses the administration of justice. Explore with us five biblical passages that relate to the key themes of this festive chapter.

Exodus 23:14-17: "Three times a year you will celebrate me a feast. Observe the Feast of Unleavened Bread; for seven days eat unleavened bread, as I commanded you. Do this at the appointed time, in the month of Abib, for in it you left Egypt. No one shall appear before me empty-handed. Observe the Feast of the Harvest of the first fruits of your labor in the field. Also observe the Closing Harvest Festival at the end of the year, when you harvest the harvest in the field. Three times a year all men must present themselves to the Sovereign Lord." - This text from Exodus establishes the three main festivals that are detailed in Deuteronomy 16, showing the continuity of the Mosaic law.

2 Chronicles 8:13: "As the daily order required, he offered them according to Moses' commandment for the Sabbaths, for the new moons, and for the three annual festivals: the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the Feast of Weeks, and the Feast of Booths." - This verse shows how the festivals established in Deuteronomy 16 were observed during Solomon's reign, demonstrating their continuing importance.

John 7:2,37: "The Jewish festival of Booths was approaching, [...] On the last and most important day of the festival, Jesus stood up and said in a loud voice: 'If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink.'" - Jesus participates in the Festival of Booths, established in Deuteronomy 16, and uses the occasion to teach, showing how these festivals remained relevant in the New Testament.

Acts 2:1: "When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all gathered in one place." - The Pentecost mentioned here is the Feast of Weeks of Deuteronomy 16, showing how this feast became a pivotal moment in the history of the early church.

1 Corinthians 5:7-8: "Get rid of the old yeast, so that you may be new and unleavened dough, as you really are. For Christ, our Passover Lamb, was sacrificed. Therefore, let us celebrate the feast, not with the old leaven, nor with the leaven of wickedness and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth." - Paul references the Feast of Unleavened Bread of Deuteronomy 16, giving it a Christological meaning.

FAQ:

What is the Feast of Passover in Deuteronomy 16?

The Passover Festival celebrates the liberation of the Israelites from Egypt. It was held in the month of Abib, where the sacrifice of the lamb represented redemption. (Deuteronomy 16:1-3)

What is the significance of the Feast of Weeks in Deuteronomy 16?

The Feast of Weeks is celebrated seven weeks after the harvest. It marks the beginning of the harvest and symbolizes gratitude to God for the fruits of the earth. (Deuteronomy 16:9-10)

How did God direct the Feast of Tabernacles in Deuteronomy 16?

The Feast of Tabernacles celebrates God's provision during the 40 years in the wilderness, being a time of joy and thanksgiving for the harvest. (Deuteronomy 16:13-15)

Why does God command justice to be done in Deuteronomy 16?

God instructs judges to be impartial and not to accept bribes, so that justice may prevail and the land may be blessed. (Deuteronomy 16:18-20)

How important is it to worship only God in Deuteronomy 16?

The chapter reiterates the importance of not worshiping other gods and destroying pagan altars, preserving the exclusive worship of God. (Deuteronomy 16:21-22)


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