Deuteronomy 16:4-14

4 Let no yeast be found in any house throughout your land for those seven days. And when you sacrifice the Passover lamb on the evening of the first day, do not let any of the meat remain until the next morning.

5 “You may not sacrifice the Passover in just any of the towns that the LORD your God is giving you.

6 You must offer it only at the designated place of worship—the place the LORD your God chooses for his name to be honored. Sacrifice it there in the evening as the sun goes down on the anniversary of your exodus from Egypt.

7 Roast the lamb and eat it in the place the LORD your God chooses. Then you may go back to your tents the next morning.

8 For the next six days you may not eat any bread made with yeast. On the seventh day proclaim another holy day in honor of the LORD your God, and no work may be done on that day.

9 “Count off seven weeks from when you first begin to cut the grain at the time of harvest.

10 Then celebrate the Festival of Harvest to honor the LORD your God. Bring him a voluntary offering in proportion to the blessings you have received from him.

11 This is a time to celebrate before the LORD your God at the designated place of worship he will choose for his name to be honored. Celebrate with your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, the Levites from your towns, and the foreigners, orphans, and widows who live among you.

12 Remember that you were once slaves in Egypt, so be careful to obey all these decrees.

13 “You must observe the Festival of Shelters for seven days at the end of the harvest season, after the grain has been threshed and the grapes have been pressed.

14 This festival will be a happy time of celebrating with your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, and the Levites, foreigners, orphans, and widows from your towns.

Deuteronomy 16:4-14 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

• [a]. Hebrew Festival of Weeks; also in 16:16 . This was later called the Festival of Pentecost (see Acts 2:1 ). It is celebrated today as Shavuot (or Shabuoth).
• [b]. Or Festival of Booths, or Festival of Tabernacles; also in 16:16 . This was earlier called the Festival of the Final Harvest or Festival of Ingathering (see Exod 23:16b ). It is celebrated today as Sukkot (or Succoth).