Deuteronomy 16

OBserve the month of Abib, and keep the passeover unto the LORD thy God: for in the month of Abib the LORD thy God brought thee forth out of Egypt by night Object. They came out of Egypt by day, and in the morning, as appears from Exod. 12. 22. and 13. 3. Numb. 33. 3. Answ. They are said to be brought out by night, because in the night Pharaoh was forced to give them leave to depart and accordingly they made preparation for their departure, and in the morning they perfected the work..

Thou shalt therefore sacrifice the passeover (i. e.) Either 1. properly and strictly so called, which was the Paschal Lamb, and so the Sheep and Oxen, which here follow, are mentioned only as additional sacrifices, which were to be offered in the seven days of the Paschal solemnity, Numb. 28. 18, 19, &c. Or 2. Largely, to wit, for the Passeover-offerings, to wit, which were offered after the Lamb in the seven days, and so this very word is used 2 Chron. 35. 8, 9. And this signification seems necessary here, partly because it is here said to consist of the flock and of the herd, or, of Sheep and Oxen, and partly because it follows, ver. 3. Thou shalt eat no leavened bread with it, seven days shalt thou eat unleavened bread therewith, i. e. with the Passeover, which could not be done with the Passeover strictly so called, which was to be wholly spent in one day. Or 3. The Feast of the Passeover, and so the place may be rendred, Thou shalt therefore observe or keep the Feast of the Passeover (as those same Hebrew words are taken, Numb. 9. 5. Ios. 5. 10. 2 Chron. 35. 1, 17, 18. 19.) unto the Lord thy God, with Sheep, and with Oxen, as is prescribed Numb. 28. 18, &c. unto the LORD thy God, of the flock, and the herd, in the place which the LORD shall choose to place his Name there.

Thou shalt eat no leavened bread with it To wit, with the Passeover, in the sense delivered: Or, in it, i. e. during the time of the feast of the Passeover., seven days shalt thou eat unleavened bread therewith, even the bread of affliction (i. e.) Bread which is not usual nor pleasant, but unsavoury and unwholesome, to put thee in mind both of thy miseries endured in Egypt and of thy hasty coming out of it, which allowed thee no time to leaven or to prepare thy Bread. (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.

And there shall be no leavened bread seen with thee in all thy coasts seven days, neither shall there any thing of the flesh which thou sacrificedst the first day at even (i. e.) Of the Passeover properly so called and by these words plainly described; which circumlocution may seem to insinuate that the word Passeover ver. 1. was improperly used and therefore he chose rather to describe it, then to name it, lest the ambiguity of the word should occasion some mistake. remain all night until the morning.

Thou mayest not sacrifice the passeover within any of thy gates (i. e.) Of thy cities, as that word is oft used, as Gen. 22. 17. and 24. 60. Deut. 17. 2: Ruth 4. 10. which the LORD thy God giveth thee.

But at the place which the LORD thy God shall choose to place his name in, there thou shalt sacrifice the passeover To wit, in the Court of the Tabernacle or Temple. This he prescribed, partly that this great work might be done with more solemnity and care in such manner as God required; partly because it was not only a Sacrament, but also a sacrifice, as appears because it is so called, Exod. 12. 27. and 23. 18. and 34. 25 Numb. 9. 7. and because here was the sprinkling of blood, which is the essential part and character of a sacrifice; and partly to design the place where Christ, the true Passeover or Lamb of God, was to be slain., at even, at the going down of the sun, at the season Understand this with some latitude, as such phrases are commonly taken, about that season, when you had received command from me to go out of Egypt, and were preparing your selves for the journey. that thou camest forth out of Egypt.

And thou shalt rost So that word is used also 2 Chron. 35. 13., and eat it in the place which the LORD thy God shall choose, and thou shalt turn in the morning Either 1. The morning after the seventh day, as appears, partly by the following verse, which is added to explain and limit this ambiguous word; partly by the express command of God that the people should come to Ierusalem to keep this Feast, which by Gods appointment lasted for seven days; partly from the examples of the people staying there the whole time of the feast, 2 Chron. 30. 21. and 35. 17. and partly from the nature and business of this feast, wherein there being so many extraordinary sacrifices to be offered and feasts made by the people upon the sacrifices, and two days of solemn assemblies, it is not probable, that they would absent themselves from these solemn services, for the performance whereof they came purposely to Ierusalem. Or 2. The morning after the first day, and so they were permitted to go then, and possibly some that lived near Ierusalem might go and return again to the last day of solemn assembly. But the former seems more probable. and go unto thy tents (i. e.) Thy dwellings, which he calls Tents, as respecting their present state, and withal to put them in mind afterwards when they were settled in better habitations, that there was a time when they dwelt in Tents..

Six days To wit, besides the first day, on which the passeover was killed: or rather besides the seventh and the last day, which is here mentioned apart, not as if leavened bread might be eaten then, for the contrary was evident from many places, but because there was something more to be done, to wit a solemn assembly to be kept. So in all there were seven days, as it is said Exod. 12. 15. Levit. 23. 6. Numb. 28. 17. 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.

Seven weeks Of which see on Exod. 34. 22. Levit. 23. 10, 15. thou shalt number unto thee: begin to number the seven weeks from such time as thou beginnest to put the sickle to the corn (i. e.) To reap thy corn, thy Barly, when the first-fruits were offered, Levit. 23. 10, 11..

And thou shalt keep the feast of weeks (i. e.) Of Pentecost, Act. 2. 1. unto the LORD thy God, with a tribute of a freewill-offering of thine hand, which thou shalt give Over and besides what was appointed Levit. 23. 17, 20. Numb. 28. 27, 31. unto the LORD thy God, according as the LORD thy God has blessed thee:

And thou shalt rejoyce before the LORD thy God, thou, and thy son, and thy daughter, and thy man-servant, and thy maid-servant, 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 has chosen, to place his Name there.

And thou shalt remember that thou wast a bond-man in Egypt; and thou shalt observe and do these statutes.

Thou shalt observe the feast of tabernacles Of which see on Exod. 23. 16. Levit. 23. 34. Numb. 29. 12. seven days, after that thou hast gathered in thy corn, and thy wine.

And thou shalt rejoyce in thy feast, thou and thy son, and thy daughter, and thy manservant, and thy maid-servant, and the Levite the stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow, that are within thy gates.

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 thy increase, and in all the works of thine hands, therefore thou shalt surely rejoyce To wit, in God and the effects of his favour, praising him with glad heart..

Three times in a year shall all thy males Not the Women, partly because of their infirmity and unfitness for many journeys, partly because the care of their children and families lay upon them, and partly because they were sufficiently represented in the men. 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: they shall not appear before the LORD empty.

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

Judges Chief Magistrates to examine and determine causes and differences. and officers Who were inferiour and subordinate to the other to bring causes and persons before them, to acquaint people with the mind and sentence of the Judges, and to execute their sentence. See Deut. 20. 5, 9. Ios. 1. 10, 11. and 3. 2, 3. shalt thou make thee in all thy gates (i. e.) Thy Cities, which he here calls gates, because there were seats of judgment set. Compare 1 Chron. 23. 4. which the LORD thy God giveth thee throughout thy Tribes, and they shall judge the people with just judgement.

Thou shalt not wrest judgement (i. e.) Not give a perverse forced and unjust sentence. See on Exod. 23. 8., thou shalt not respect persons (i. e.) Not give sentence according to the quality of the person, his riches or poverty, friendship or enmity, but according to the justice of the cause., neither take a gift: for a gift does blind the eyes of the wise Corrupts and byasseth his mind that as he will not so oft-times he cannot discern between right and wrong., and pervert the words of the righteous Either 1. The words, (i. e.) The sentence, of those Judges who are inclined and used to do righteous things and have the repute of righteous men, it makes them give wrong judgment. Or 2. The words, i. e. The matters, or causes, (as word oft signifies) of righteous persons, or of them whose cause is just..

That which is altogether just Heb. Righteousness, Righteousness, i. e. nothing but Righteousness in all causes and times, and to all persons equally. Compare Isa. 26. 7. shalt thou follow, that thou mayest live, and inherit the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.

Thou shalt not plant thee a grove of any trees Because this was the practise of Idolaters, 1 King. 15. 13. and might be an occasion of reviving Idolatry. See Iudg. 3. 7. 1 King. 14. 23. and 16. 33. and 18. 19. near unto the altar of the LORD thy God, which thou shalt make thee.

Neither shalt thou set thee up any image Heb. statue, whether with a picture or representation, or without it, as the Idolaters used to worship smoothed and polished stones or pillars without any image upon them., which the LORD thy God hateth.