Deuteronomy 16:12-22

12 And thou shalt remember that thou wast a slave in Egypt; therefore thou shalt keep and do these statutes.

13 Thou shalt observe the solemn feast of the tabernacles seven days after thou hast gathered in the harvest of thy threshing floor and thy winepress.

14 And thou shalt rejoice in thy solemn feast, thou and thy son and thy daughter and thy manslave and thy maidslave and the Levite and the stranger and the fatherless and the widow, that are within thy gates (or within thy towns).

15 Seven days shalt thou celebrate a solemn feast unto the LORD thy God in the place which the LORD shall choose; because the LORD thy God shall have blessed thee in all thy fruits and in all the works of thine hands, therefore, thou shalt truly be glad.

16 Three times each year shall all thy males appear before the LORD thy God in the place which he shall choose: in the solemn feast of unleavened bread and in the solemn feast of weeks and in the solemn feast of the tabernacles. And they shall not appear before the LORD empty,

17 Each man with the gift of his hand, according to the blessing of the LORD thy God, which he shall have given thee.

18 Judges and officers shalt thou make thee in all the gates of thy cities, which the LORD thy God shall give thee throughout thy tribes, and they shall judge the people with just (and righteous) judgment.

19 Thou shalt not twist that which is right; thou shalt not respect persons neither take a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and perverts the words of the righteous.

20 Thou shalt follow justice and righteousness, that thou may live and inherit the land which the LORD thy God gives thee.

21 Thou shalt not plant thee a grove of any trees near unto the altar of the LORD thy God, which thou shalt make thee.

22 Neither shalt thou set thee up any image, which the LORD thy God hates.

Deuteronomy 16:12-22 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.