Deuteronomy 16:1-22 - Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

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Bible Comments

Deuteronomy 16. The Deuteronomic Laws of the Three Annual Pilgrimage Feasts. These are adaptations of the older laws in Exodus 23:18 *, Exodus 34:18-20; Exodus 34:22 f. (general regulations); Deuteronomy 12:21-27 (Passover); Deuteronomy 13:3-10 (Unleavened Bread), all J or E (see also Leviticus 23* (H) and Numbers 28 f., Numbers 9:1-4; Exodus 12:1-20 *, Exodus 12:43-49 *, (all P), also pp. 102- 104. D in the present chapter lays stress upon the following points: (a) The feasts are to be observed at the one sanctuary (Deuteronomy 16:16), i.e. at Jerusalem. (b) The occasions are to be characterised by joyousness and liberality (Deuteronomy 16:16 f., etc.). (c) The Passover (Deuteronomy 16:1) becomes now a memorial feast. (d) See Deuteronomy 16:1-8 *.

Deuteronomy 16:1-8. Deuteronomy 16:1-3 a, Deuteronomy 16:4 b - Deuteronomy 16:7 alone deal with the Passover, the rest treating of Massoth (Unleavened Bread). It is in D that these two originally distinct festivals are first fused into one, the former becoming virtually the opening day of the second (as in P).

Deuteronomy 16:7. roast: render, boil (cf. mg.). EV renders roast to reconcile with Exodus 12:9 * (P), which, however, reflects the later custom.

Deuteronomy 16:9-12. Law of the Feast of Weeks. See Exodus 34:22. It has these features: (a) D makes no allusion to the first-fruits as the other codes do. (b) D agrees with H (Leviticus 23:15 f.) in fixing the date of its observance (seven weeks a week of weeks, hence the name after the Passover), only the later law H mentions the specific day from which the calculation is to be made. (c) D shows, as usual, a special interest in the social and joyous aspect of the feast.

Deuteronomy 16:13-15. D is the first to fix the duration of the feast of Booths, though he does not name the exact days as H does (Leviticus 23:39). An eighth day is added in P (Leviticus 23:36; Numbers 29:35), and is mentioned in later literature (see Cent.B on Exodus 3:4).

Deuteronomy 16:16 f. See Exodus 23:17 (JE).

Deuteronomy 16:16. appear before: read, see (cf. Deuteronomy 31:11, Isaiah 1:12 *).

Deuteronomy 16:18 to Deuteronomy 18:22 ( except Deuteronomy 16:21 to Deuteronomy 17:7, see below). Laws Concerning the Officials of the Nation. Those mentioned are: judges, the king, priests, and prophets. These laws reveal an acquaintance with the political, social, and religious circumstances of the late monarchy.

Deuteronomy 16:18-20. Local tribunals to be set up (the local sanctuaries used as such being now suppressed), presided over by lay judges and priestly assessors.

Deuteronomy 16:18. officers: Heb. writers, cf. scribes. Probably priests (associated in Deuteronomy 17:8-13 with lay judges) are meant; they acting as the legal authorities (cf. our town clerk).

Deuteronomy 16:21- Deuteronomy 17:7. Laws Demanding Pure Worship and Suitable Sacrifices. This breaks the connexion; its proper place is probably between Deuteronomy 12 and Deuteronomy 13.

Deuteronomy 16:21 f. Asherah. pillar: Deuteronomy 7:5 *.

Related Commentaries of Deuteronomy 16:1

Deuteronomy 16:1-22

1 Observe the month of Abib, and keep the passover unto the LORD thy God: for in the month of Abib the LORD thy God brought thee forth out of Egypt by night.

2 Thou shalt therefore sacrifice the passover unto the LORD thy God, of the flock and the herd, in the place which the LORD shall choose to place his name there.

3 Thou shalt eat no leavened bread with it; seven days shalt thou eat unleavened bread therewith, even the bread of affliction; for thou camest forth out of the land of Egypt in haste: that thou mayest remember the day when thou camest forth out of the land of Egypt all the days of thy life.

4 And there shall be no leavened bread seen with thee in all thy coast seven days; neither shall there any thing of the flesh, which thou sacrificedst the first day at even, remain all night until the morning.

5 Thou mayest not sacrificea the passover within any of thy gates, which the LORD thy God giveth thee:

6 But at the place which the LORD thy God shall choose to place his name in, there thou shalt sacrifice the passover at even, at the going down of the sun, at the season that thou camest forth out of Egypt.

7 And thou shalt roast and eat it in the place which the LORD thy God shall choose: and thou shalt turn in the morning, and go unto thy tents.

8 Six days thou shalt eat unleavened bread: and on the seventh day shall be a solemn assembly to the LORD thy God: thou shalt do no work therein.

9 Seven weeks shalt thou number unto thee: begin to number the seven weeks from such time as thou beginnest to put the sickle to the corn.

10 And thou shalt keep the feast of weeks unto the LORD thy God with a tributeb of a freewill offering of thine hand, which thou shalt give unto the LORD thy God, according as the LORD thy God hath blessed thee:

11 And thou shalt rejoice before the LORD thy God, thou, and thy son, and thy daughter, and thy manservant, and thy maidservant, and the Levite that is within thy gates, and the stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow, that are among you, in the place which the LORD thy God hath chosen to place his name there.

12 And thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in Egypt: and thou shalt observe and do these statutes.

13 Thou shalt observe the feast of tabernacles seven days, after that thou hast gathered in thy cornc and thy wine:

14 And thou shalt rejoice in thy feast, thou, and thy son, and thy daughter, and thy manservant, and thy maidservant, and the Levite, the stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow, that are within thy gates.

15 Seven days shalt thou keep a solemn feast unto the LORD thy God in the place which the LORD shall choose: because the LORD thy God shall bless thee in all thine increase, and in all the works of thine hands, therefore thou shalt surely rejoice.

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

17 Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the LORD thy God which he hath given thee.

18 Judges and officers shalt thou make thee in all thy gates, which the LORD thy God giveth thee, throughout thy tribes: and they shall judge the people with just judgment.

19 Thou shalt not wrest judgment; thou shalt not respect persons, neither take a gift: for a gift doth blind the eyes of the wise, and pervert the wordsd of the righteous.

20 That which is altogether just shalt thou follow, that thou mayest live, and inherit the land which the LORD thy God giveth 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;e which the LORD thy God hateth.