Deuteronomy 16

1 Obserue the moneth of Abyb, and offer passeover vnto the Lorde thi God. For in the moneth of Abib, the Lorde thy God brought the out of Egipte by nyght.

2 Thou shalt therfore offer passeover vnto the Lorde thi God, and shepe and oxen in the place which the Lorde shall chose to make his name dwell there.

3 Thou shalt eate no leueded bred there with: but shalt eate there with the bred of tribulacio .vij. dayes loge. For thou camest out of the lode of Egipte in hast, that thou mayst remembre the daye when thou camest out of the londe of Egipte, all dayes of thi life.

4 And se that there be no leuended bred sene in all thi costes .vij. dayes longe, and that there remayne nothinge of the flesh which thou hast offered the fyrst daye at euen, vntil the mornynge.

5 Thou mayst not offer passeover in any of thi cities which the Lord thi god geueth the:

6 But in the place which the Lorde thi God shall chose to make his name dwell in, there thou shalt offer Passeouer at euen aboute the goyngdoune of the sonne, euen in the season that thou camest out of Egipte.

7 And thou shalt seth and eate in the place which the Lorde thi God hath chosen, and departe on the morowe and gette the vnto thi tente.

8 Sixe dayes thou shalt eate swete bred, and the seuenth daye is for the people to come together to the Lorde thi God, that thou mayst do no worke.

9 Then reken the .vij. wekes, and begynne to reke the .vij. wekes when the syccle begynneth in the corne,

10 and kepe the feast of wekes vnto the Lorde thi God, that thou geue a frewilofferinge of thine hade vnto the Lord thi God acordinge as the Lorde thi God hath blessed the.

11 And reioyse before the Lorde thi God both thou, thi sonne, thi doughter, thi seruaunte and thi mayde, and the leuite that is within thi gates, and the straunger, the fatherlesse ad the wedowe that are amonge you, in the place which the Lorde thi God hath chosen to make his name dwel there.

12 And remebre that thou wast a seruaute in Egipte, that thou obserue and doo these ordinaunces.

13 Thou shalt obserue the feast of tabernacles vij. dayes longe, after that thou hast gathered in thi corne and thi wyne.

14 And thou shalt reioyse in that thi feast, both thou and thi sonne, thi doughter, thi seruaunte, thi mayde, the leuite, the straunger, the fatherlesse and the wedowe that are in thi cities.

15 Seuen dayes thou shalt kepe holy daye vnto the Lorde thi God, in the place which the Lorde shal chose: for the Lorde thi God shall blesse the in all thi frutes and in all the workes of thine handes, and thou shalt be all together gladnesse.

16 Thre tymes in the yere shall al youre males appere before the Lorde thi God in the place which he shal chose: In the feast of swete bred, in the feast of wekes and in the booth feast. And they shal not appere before the Lorde emptie:

17 but euery ma with the gifte of his honde, acordynge to the blessinge of the Lorde thi God which he hath geuen the.

18 Ivdges and officers thou shalt make the in all thi cities which the Lorde thi God geueth the thorow out thi trybes. and lett the iudge the people righteously.

19 Wrest not the lawe nor knowe any persone nether take any rewarde: for giftes blynde the wise and peruerte the wordes of the righteous.

20 But in all thinge folowe righteousnesse, that thou mayst lyue and enioye the londe which the Lord thi God geueth the.

21 Thou shalt plante no groue of what soeuer trees it be, nye vnto the altare of the Lorde thi God which thou shalt make the.

22 Thou shalt sett the vpp no piler, which the Lorde thy God hateth.

Deuteronomy 16 Commentary

Chapter 16

The yearly feasts. (1-17) Of judges, Groves and images forbidden. (18-22)

Verses 1-17 The laws for the three yearly feasts are here repeated; that of the Passover, that of the Pentecost, that of Tabernacles; and the general law concerning the people's attendance. Never should a believer forget his low estate of guilt and misery, his deliverance, and the price it cost the Redeemer; that gratitude and joy in the Lord may be mingled with sorrow for sin, and patience under the tribulations in his way to the kingdom of heaven. They must rejoice in their receivings from God, and in their returns of service and sacrifice to him; our duty must be our delight, as well as our enjoyment. If those who were under the law must rejoice before God, much more we that are under the grace of the gospel; which makes it our duty to rejoice evermore, to rejoice in the Lord always. When we rejoice in God ourselves, we should do what we can to assist others also to rejoice in him, by comforting the mourners, and supplying those who are in want. All who make God their joy, may rejoice in hope, for He is faithful that has promised.

Verses 18-22 Care is taken for the due administration of justice. All personal regards must be laid aside, so that right is done to all, and wrong to none. Care is taken to prevent following the idolatrous customs of the heathen. Nothing belies God more, or tends more to corrupt the minds of men, than representing and worshipping, by an image, that God, who is an almighty and eternal Spirit, present every where. Alas! even in gospel days, and under a better dispensation, established upon better promises, there is a tendency to set up idols, under one form or another, in the human heart.

Chapter Summary

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.