Exodus 22:29 - Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible

Bible Comments

Thou shalt not delay beyond the times appointed, lest this delay grow to a total neglect. And delay may here be put for neglect, as that word is used, Deuteronomy 7:10, Deuteronomy 23:21 Habakkuk 2:3; which may seem to be favoured by the following clause, which commands the giving or offering of the first-born without any mention of the hastening or delaying of it. Thy ripe fruits, Heb thy fulness; and whereas this word is sometimes applied to seed or corn, as Numbers 18:27, and sometimes to the vintage, as Deuteronomy 22:9, the circumstances must determine, as it doth in like cases, how it must be taken; which here seem to restrain it to dry fruits, as corn, &c., because it is opposed to liquors; and so all sorts of fruits are comprehended here. Unless you will make this a usual figure called hendyadis, as judgment and justice, Deuteronomy 16:18, is put for judgment of justice, or just judgment; so here the fulness and liquors, for the fulness of thy liquors; and so this may be one kind mentioned for all the rest, than which nothing more frequent. Shalt thou give unto me, not in kind, but by a price of redemption to be paid to me in their stead.

Exodus 22:29

29 Thou shalt not delay to offer the first of thy ripe fruits, and of thy liquors: the firstborn of thy sons shalt thou give unto me.