Deuteronomy 16:8-18

8 "Six days you shall eat unleavened bread, and 1on the seventh day there shall be 2a solemn assembly to the LORD your God; you shall do no work on it.
9 "3You shall count seven weeks for yourself; you shall begin to count seven weeks from the time you begin to put the sickle to the standing grain.
10 "Then you shall celebrate the Feast of Weeks to the LORD your God with a tribute of a freewill offering of your hand, which you shall give just as the LORD your God blesses you;
11 and you shall 4rejoice before the LORD your God, you and your son and your daughter and your male and female servants * and 5the Levite who is in your town, and 6the stranger and the orphan and the widow who are in your midst, in the place where * the LORD your God chooses to establish His name.
12 "7You shall remember that you were a slave in Egypt, and you shall be careful to observe these statutes.
13 "8You shall celebrate the Feast of Booths seven days after you have gathered in from your threshing floor and your wine vat;
14 and you shall 9rejoice in your feast, you and your son and your daughter and your male and female servants * and the Levite and the stranger and the orphan and the widow who are in your towns.
15 "Seven days you shall celebrate a feast to the LORD your God in the place which the LORD chooses, 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 "10Three times in a year all your males shall appear before the LORD your God in the place which He chooses, at the Feast of Unleavened Bread and at the Feast of Weeks and at the Feast of Booths, and 11they shall not appear before the LORD empty-handed.
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 shall appoint for yourself judges and officers in all your towns which the LORD your God is giving you, according to your tribes, and they shall judge the people with righteous judgment.

Deuteronomy 16:8-18 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO DEUTERONOMY 16

This chapter treats of the three grand yearly festivals, of the feast of passover, when, where, and what was to be sacrificed, how to be dressed, and in what manner to be eaten, De 16:1-8, of the feast of pentecost, when to begin it, where and how it was to be observed, De 16:9-12, and of the feast of tabernacles, when, where, and how long it was to be kept, De 16:13-15, which three times in the year all the males were to appear before the Lord, and not empty, De 16:16,17, an order is given for the appointment of judges in the land, to execute judgment, De 16:18-20, and the chapter is closed with a caution against planting groves, and setting up images, De 16:21,22.

Cross References 11

  • 1. Numbers 28:25
  • 2. Exodus 12:16; Exodus 13:6; Leviticus 23:8, 36
  • 3. Exodus 23:16; Exodus 34:22; Leviticus 23:15; Numbers 28:26
  • 4. Deuteronomy 12:7
  • 5. Deuteronomy 12:12
  • 6. Deuteronomy 14:29
  • 7. Deuteronomy 15:15
  • 8. Leviticus 23:34-43
  • 9. Deuteronomy 16:11
  • 10. Exodus 23:14-17; Exodus 34:23, 24
  • 11. Exodus 34:20

Footnotes 8

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