Exodus 12:16 - Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible

An holy convocation; a solemn day for the people to assemble together, and to attend upon the public worship and service of God in hearing his word, prayers, praises, and sacrifices. And in the seventh day, because then Pharaoh and his host were drowned in the sea. As on the first day the first-born were killed; so their deliverance was begun on the first, and completed on the seventh day, and therefore those days deserved a special character of honour. And indeed that there were seven days between those two miracles, the Jews unanimously affirm, and it seems probable from the account of their journeys. No manner of work, i.e. of servile work, Leviticus 23:7. Save that which every man must eat: herein, as many think, these days were inferior to the sabbath, in which that was forbidden. But of this See Poole on "Exodus 16:23". See Poole on Exodus 35:3.