Deuteronomy 16:1-8

Passover celebration

1 Wait for the month of Abib, at which time you must perform the Passover for the LORD your God, because the LORD your God brought you out of Egypt at nighttime during the month of Abib.
2 Offer a Passover sacrifice from the flock or herd to the LORD your God at the location the LORD selects for his name to reside.
3 You must not eat anything containing yeast along with it. Instead, for seven days you must eat unleavened bread, bread symbolizing misery, along with it because you fled Egypt in a great hurry. Do this so you remember the day you fled Egypt for as long as you live.
4 No dough with yeast should appear in any of your territory for seven days. Furthermore, none of the meat that you sacrificed on the first night should remain until morning.
5 You are not permitted to offer the Passover sacrifice in any of the cities that the LORD your God is giving you.
6 Instead, you must offer the Passover sacrifice at the location the LORD your God selects for his name to reside, at evening time, when the sun sets, which was the time you fled Egypt.
7 Cook it and eat it in the location that the LORD your God selects. The next morning you can return to your tents.
8 For six days you will eat unleavened bread. The seventh day will be a celebration for the LORD your God. Don't do any work.

Deuteronomy 16:1-8 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.

Footnotes 2

  • [a]. March–April; called Nisan in post-exilic period
  • [b]. It, the Passover sacrifice
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