Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Deuteronomy 16:16
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:
Deu 16:16-17
Three times in a year.
The command respecting festivals
We are informed by ancient writers that the Egyptians kept many stated festivals and religious assemblies in honour to the gods, and that they held no less than six every year at different places. It is probable that this custom was of great antiquity, and observed when Israel dwelt in Egypt. Therefore, when Moses went to Pharaoh, and asked leave for the Hebrews to celebrate a feast to the Lord, the Egyptians could not say that it was an unreasonable request, since they accounted it a duty to do the like. This opens to us one reason for which these festivals were appointed in the law, namely, in compliance with the inclinations of the people, who doubtless were desirous to have their feasts and assemblies, as well as the Egyptians with whom they had dwelt.
I. The work or action enjoined–to appear before the Lord. God condescended to take upon Him the government of the Jewish nation, and is here represented as their King; and they, as dutiful subjects, and required to come and salute Him, and present themselves before Him at certain times. The same respect which other nations showed to their princes, the Jews were to show to God, as He was their King. Thus far it was a civil or political duty. But as their King was also the Almighty, to appear before Him was a religious duty; it was to serve and worship Him in a public manner; and herein this law is moral, universal, and everlasting.
II. The persons who were to appear at these solemn feasts. All thy males shall appear before the Lord. These words are to be understood not as excluding the females from being present at these assemblies, but as giving them leave of absence, and intimating that it might sometimes be more proper for them to stay at home. The reasons for which the females had an exemption from this solemn duty seem to have been these first, the weakness of the sex, not so fit to bear the fatigue of these frequent journeys; secondly, the care of their children and families, which could not be thus wholly abandoned; and, thirdly, the dangers to which they would be exposed in such a numerous and mixed assembly. The Egyptians, when they repaired to the feasts, sailed together upon the river Nile in large companies, men and women, and many indecencies were committed, which this law seems to have been intended to prevent. Thus were they excused from these religious journeys when it was inconvenient. But at other times, and on other occasions, they frequented the places appointed for instruction and for the worship of God; as we may conclude from such examples as are recorded in Scripture, and from that piety and gratitude which are usually more observable in them than in the other sex.
III. The place where the men were to appear–in the place which the Lord shall choose, namely, in the place where the ark and the tabernacle of God should be, which at the first was at Shiloh, in the country of Samaria and tribe of Ephraim, and afterwards at Jerusalem in the tribe of Judah, where David erected a tabernacle, and Solomon built a magnificent temple. One reason for which these festivals were appointed, and appointed at one place, was to keep up peace and friendship and unity, both in Church and State. Nothing is more likely to conduce to this end than a religious association and intercourse, and a participation of the same sacred rites.
IV. The time when the Jews were to meet together–it was thrice in the year; in the Feast of Unleavened Bread, in the Feast of Weeks, and in the Feast of Tabernacles. From these religious institutions it may he observed that the hallowing unto God more days in the week than one is not, as some have fancied, against the design and meaning of the Fourth Commandment. For by these three solemn feasts, which were each of them of a weeks continuance at least, it is manifest that Six days thou shalt labour was no commandment, but expressed only an ordinary permission of working; and to think that God would contradict His own law by a contrary ordinance is inconceivable. As, therefore, when He commanded the Jews to give Him the tenth part of their increase, He forbade not free-will offerings; so, when He enjoined them to keep holy one day in seven, this hindered not but that they might hallow unto Him other days even of the six. Hence it is concluded that the Christian Church hath likewise a power to set apart days for the more solemn service of God. But this should be done sparingly, discreetly, and cautiously; it should rather be recommended than required, and never without manifest reasons.
V. A particular duty required of all the people when they came to worship God at these feasts, namely, not to appear empty. It was a custom in those parts of the world when subjects came before their king, to make him a present; and even a little fruit, or a single flower, was favourably accepted from one who was not in circumstances to offer more. The Jews were commanded to bring a present; not a burnt offering or a sacrifice by fire; for these, though at the same time they were also required, yet were of another nature, and for another end; but a heave offering, a freewill offering, which was a tribute of thankfulness to God, and likewise an acknowledgment of His supreme lordship and dominion over all. (J. Jortin, D. D.)
They shall not appear before the Lord empty.
The law of gifts in the Pentateuch
Empty in one sense, empty of blessing, none of us can appear before the Lord, or our prayer has mocked Him, and our praise. Crowned with His goodness, you have come up hither; crown His goodness in return with praise.
I. A leading feature, the leading feature of the Old Testament revelation is, that life and all that crowns it–its crown of blessings–is the gift of a living intelligent Being, and comes to us bearing the seal of His love, The Jews were separated to this end, that Gods methods and purposes with all men might be laid bare; that for once the Hand might be clearly manifest which is busy about every life.
II. The motive which is pleaded for all the noblest human effort is Gods example. God has done thus and thus for you: Go ye and do likewise for your fellow men. It is the plea which is constantly urged in the Old Testament, which we accuse of low and material views, both of man and of God. It is the highest witness to mans essential God-likeness which can be conceived. Mans nature only finds free, that is joyful play, when it is doing God-like things, when it is striving to think, will, and act like God. The only complete form of mans life is the life which is also Divine.
III. The exhortations of the Scripture are amply sustained by our own experience of life. There is no joy that fills mans heart which is comparable with that which he shares with God. He who does a deed purely unselfish, who yields free play to the most generous, heavenly impulses.
IV. Part of this God-like duty finds expression in the text. none shall appear before the Lord empty. The Lord has filled you with good; you are fearfully and wonderfully made, and in fearful and wonderful harmony with the world. Your organs, exquisitely fashioned, and all the beauty and splendour of the creation, form a concord which at once expresses Gods loving kindness, and is to you a fountain of intense delight. And there is an inner harmony which He is striving to develop by uniting your heart to fear His name, which will make this great universe a Fathers house, and the awful future all eternal home. Help God, for His great mercys sake, to help the world.
V. Another great thought of the Old Testament is the help which it is in mans power to render to God. His ends can never be reached without us, in the way in which His wisdom has ordered the world. He might have ruled as a despot; He has chosen to seek rather to rule–as the Bishop of Argyll has happily phrased it as a constitutional king. (J. B. Brown, B. A.)
Is giving a help or a hindrance
I. Every individual is addressed.
1. All have been blessed; all are under obligations to recognise this fact by giving. Everyone should help. It is the mites that make the great aggregations.
2. Giving in accordance with Gods command is husbanding–it is investing. Said a great millionaire when asked, Where can I safely invest my money? Give to Gods cause, where I have put uncounted thousands, and I find that the interest due is always promptly paid, and the investment is perfectly safe. I shall meet it beyond the river, laid up in heaven, and shall enjoy it forever.
II. This command requires us to give as necessity requires and according to blessings received. Give, because you have received. Bless, because you have been blessed. Love, because you have been loved. Help, because you have been helped. Be liberal, because you thus glorify your Benefactor. The great giver is a great gatherer. He gathers love, power, influence, and revels in the smile of God. (J. D. Fulton, D. D.)
An offering of gratitude
One day an Indian asked Bishop Whipple to give him two one-dollar bills for a two-dollar note. The Bishop asked, Why? He said, One dollar for me to give to Jesus, and one dollar for my wife to give. The Bishop asked him if it was all the money he had. He said, Yes. The Bishop was about to tell him, It is too much, when an Indian clergyman who was standing by whispered, It might be too much for a white man to give, but not too much for an Indian who has this year heard for the first time of the love of Jesus.
Giving according to conscience
A minister was about to leave his own congregation for the purpose of visiting London, on what was by no means a pleasant errand–to beg on behalf of his place of worship. Previous to his departure he called together the principal persons connected with his charge, and said to them, Now, I shall be asked whether we have conscientiously done all that we can for the removal of the debt. What answer am I to give? Brother So-and-so, can you in conscience say that you have given all you can? Why, sir, he replied, if you come to conscience, I dont know that I can. The same question he put to a second, and a third, and so on, and similar answers were returned, until the whole sum required was subscribed, and there was no longer any need for their pastor to wear out his soul in going to London on any such unpleasant excursion. (Christian Age.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 16. Three times in a year] See Clarke on Ex 23:14, where all the Jewish feasts are explained. See also Clarke “Le 23:34“.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
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.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
16. Three times in a year shall allthy males appear before the Lord thy GodNo command waslaid on women to undertake the journeys, partly from regard to thenatural weakness of their sex, and partly to their domestic cares.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Three times a year shall all thy males appear before the Lord thy God,…. This has been observed before, Ex 23:17, and is repeated here for the sake of mentioning the place where they were to appear, which before now was not observed, and indeed it is chiefly for that the other festivals are here recited:
in the place which he shall choose; which though not expressed is now easily understood; and the three times at which they were to appear there were, in the feast of unleavened bread, and in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of tabernacles; or passover, Pentecost, and tabernacles; and of numbers of people going up from the country to each of these feasts, we have instances in the New Testament; to the passover, Lu 2:42, to Pentecost, Ac 2:5, to tabernacles, Joh 7:2,
and they shall not appear before the Lord empty; Aben Ezra observes, the meaning is, not empty of the tribute of the freewill offering of their hand, and which Jarchi more fully explains of the burnt offerings of appearance, and of the peace offerings of the Chagigah, or money answerable to them; which, according to the Misnah q was a meah of silver for a burnt offering, and two pieces of silver for the Chagigah, which weighed thirty two barley corns r
q Chagigah, c. 1. sect. 2. r Maimon. & Bartenora in ib.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Verses 16, 17:
This text is a further explanation of the requirement stated in Exo 23:17; Exo 34:23, q. v.
“Not empty,” that is, not without gifts to offer as the Lord had blessed. One purpose of these gifts may have been to distribute to the poor and needy, the widows, orphans, and the Levites and strangers, see verses 10, 11, 14. Paul may have referred to this provision of the Law in his encouragement to give to the relief of the poor saints, 1Co 16:1-2; 2Co 9:7.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
16. Three times in a year. We have previously said that although the other feast-days were not to be neglected, still, because God would make some allowance for the infirmity of His people, the necessity of going up to Jerusalem five times a year was not imposed upon them. Again, because only half of the seventh month contained three feast-days, i.e., from the first to the fifteenth, for the same reason it is only required of the males that they should leave their houses and celebrate the sacred convocations; for thus the females are spared, to whom traveling is not so convenient. Besides, through the fecundity promised them by God, they were almost always either pregnant or nursing. It is also certain that the boys and young men were excepted under the age of twenty, since God includes under the term males only those who were comprised in the census. If any object that in God’s spiritual worship there is no difference between males and females; the reply is easy, that the fathers of families presented themselves there in the names of their wives and children: so that the profession was extended to the other sex, and to those of tender age. To this David seems to allude, when he says: (364)
“Thy people shall come with voluntary offerings in the day of thy assembly, in the beauties of holiness,” (Psa 110:3😉
for, speaking of the free-will-offerings of the people, he seeks an example of it, after the manner of the prophets, from the legal worship. Lest the Jews should object that there was danger of hostile invasion, if the land should be stripped of its defenses by the gathering together of all the men into one place, God anticipates this doubt in Exo 34:0, promising that He will provide that no one shall desire to assail their forsaken homes; for to this the sentence refers: “ I will cast out the nations before thee, and enlarge thy borders, so that no man shall desire thy land, ” Exo 34:24 Whence also we gather, that God’s worship was not entirely established until all the neighboring nations were subdued, and He had placed His sanctuary in Mount Zion. Not that it was allowable for the people to omit the feast-days before that time; but that experience itself might teach them that God was wroth with them, whilst He deprived them of this special blessing; for fear and alarm arose only from their own fault. But let believers collect from hence the useful doctrine that, whenever they are following God, they will be safe under His protection, since it is in His power to repel the assaults of enemies, and everything that can harm them.
And they shall not appear before the Lord empty, (365) I know not how it could have entered the minds of some to suppose that God here promised that all should be rich who should present themselves three times (a year) before His sanctuary: whereas it is plain from the words of Moses that He requires from every one some gift in token of their gratitude. And perhaps (366) what historians relate respecting the Persians, that none should dare to address the king without a gift, was a more ancient custom, and common to other nations. God would indeed have a gift presented Him by each individual, as a symbol or earnest of their subjection; and, although this legal rite has ceased, yet its substance is to be retained, viz., that those only are true servants of God who do not boastfully make a mere empty profession, but effectually testify that they acknowledge Him as their King.
(364) “ Populus tuus liberalitatum est,” etc. — Lat. “ Ton peuple est de franche volonte,” etc. — Fr. See Calvin on Psa 110:0, Calvin Translation Society’s Edition, vol. 4, p. 296, and note, p. 301.
(365) “Others thus explain it, viz., that you should not be troubled at having to go so often to Jerusalem, because you should never go there in vain: some blessing shall always be brought away; I will not send you away empty.” Fagii Coll. Vers. in Poli. Syn. Exo 23:15.
(366) “Nobody, of what rank soever, appeared before the king without a present, which custom prevails among the Orientals to this day. When he went on his progress, or marched out with his army, all the inhabitants of the countries or provinces through which he passed were obliged to declare their vassalage by some present or other; even the inhabitants of the villages and fields flocked to him with some donation, some offering sheep, oxen, corn, wine, etc.; others milk, cheese, dates, etc., every one according to his ability.” Ancient Universal Hist., Vol. 5:139, from Aeliani Var. Hist. 1:32, 33.
Dr. Kitto, in his little work, “The Court of Persia,” gives some remarkable particulars from Morier respecting this custom as still existing.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
4. GENERAL RULES FOR OBSERVANCE
(Deu. 16:16-17; Deu. 16:21-22; Deu. 17:1)
16 Three times in a year shall all thy males appear before Jehovah 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 Jehovah empty: 17 every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of Jehovah thy God which he hath given thee.
21 Thou shalt not plant thee an Asherah of any kind of tree beside the altar of Jehovah thy God, which thou shalt make thee. 22 Neither shalt thou set thee up a pillar; which Jehovah thy God hateth.
Thou shalt not sacrifice unto Jehovah thy God an ox, or a sheep, wherein is a blemish, or any thing evil; for that is an abomination unto Jehovah thy God.
THOUGHT QUESTIONS 16:16, 17, 21, 22; 17:1
285.
To what place does Deu. 16:16 allude?
286.
What was to be given by every man? In what attitude?
287.
What a strange prohibition! Who would consider such a strange admixture of Jehovah and Asherah? Cf. Deu. 16:21.
288.
If a man did not have a healthy animal to offer to the Lord what should he do?
AMPLIFIED TRANSLATION 16:16, 17, 21, 22; 17:1
16 Three times a year shall all your males appear before the Lord your God in the place which He chooses, in the feast of unleavened bread, in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of tabernacles or booths. They shall not appear before the Lord empty-handed;
17 Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the Lord your God which He has given you.
21 You shall not plant you any kind of tree as an Asherah beside the altar of the Lord your God which you shall make.
22 Neither shall you set up an idolatrous stone or image, which the Lord your God hates.
You shall not sacrifice to the Lord your God an ox or sheep with a blemish or any defect whatever; for that is an abomination to the Lord your God.
COMMENT 16:16, 17, 21, 22; 17:1
EVERY MAN SHALL GIVE AS HE IS ABLE (Deu. 16:17)This was true of the giving required at these feasts (whether the offerings specified were for the particular feast, or free-will offerings) and all through the ages. Paul asked each Corinthian Christian to lay by him in store, as he may prosper (1Co. 16:2). For if the readiness is there, it is acceptable according as a man hath, not according as he hath not (See 2Co. 8:3; 2Co. 8:12).
THOU SHALT NOT PLANT THEE AN ASHERAH OF ANY KIND OF TREE BESIDE THE ALTAR (Deu. 16:21)See Deu. 7:2; Deu. 7:5, notes; Deu. 12:1-4. An Asherah of any kind of tree (or, as otherwise rendered, an asherah [or pole] of any wood) has reference to the idols of wood that were made to this female diety. The commentators are not altogether agreed as to whether the name Asherah is the name of a distinct goddess, as well as the poles, stumps, or stems which represented her; or whether the notorious Ashtoreth (Astarte) was herself worshipped under these obscene images.[34] In any case the rites associated with the Asherahs were immoralinvolving the glorificationeven dieficationof sexual passion.
[34] Rotherham, in a Special Note on the Destruction of the Canaanite Nations. It is difficult to find cultured words to express the grossness of the immorality associated with these idols.
Note here that God did not want his worship associated in any way with idolatry and such sensual and evil rites as accompanied it. Yet there was apparently the possibility that there would be an attempt to blend the true religion of God with the Asherah. So the later statements that Israel feared Jehovah and served other gods.
THOU SHALT NOT SACRIFICE . . . OX . . . SHEEP, WHEREIN IS A BLEMISH (Deu. 17:1)See also Deu. 15:21, Lev. 22:19-25. It seems probable that this exhortation was given in connection with the sacrifices to be offered at the three major festivals just mentioned.
Such animals could be eaten, but not sacrificed to God. There is surely a parallel here between what God demanded in an Old Testament sacrifice, and the life he expects us, through Christ, to give to him as a Christian. We are to present our bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God (See Rom. 12:1-2). And how thankful we can be that the perfect sacrifice of Christ compensates for our imperfection!
Fuente: College Press Bible Study Textbook Series
(16) Three times in a year.So Exo. 23:17. And in Exo. 34:23-24 a promise is added that their land should be safe in their absence.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
16. Three times in a year shall all thy males appear The women were not required to attend these festivals, yet it is evident that both women and children went to them. It has been questioned whether the Israelites had been accustomed to observing stated religious feasts in Egypt. The expressions used in Exo 3:18; Exo 5:1, seem to imply that they had such observances. The latter passage is very suggestive: “Let my people go, that they may hold a feast unto me in the wilderness.”
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
The Threefold Feasts ( Deu 16:16-17 ).
The meeting three times a year was a covenant requirement, an act of loyalty and a requirement for tribute. By this the covenant was continually confirmed.
Analysis in the words of Moses:
a Three times in a year shall all your males appear before Yahweh your God in the place which He shall choose (Deu 16:16 a).
b In the feast of unleavened bread, and in the feast of sevens, and in the feast of tabernacles (Deu 16:16 b)
b And they shall not appear before Yahweh empty (Deu 16:17 a).
a Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of Yahweh your God which he has given you (Deu 16:17 b).
Here we have both progression and chiasmus. In the chiasmus in ‘a’ they are to appear at these great feasts three times a year and in the parallel they are to give as Yahweh has blessed them. In ‘b’ the three feasts are detailed, and it is emphasised that they must not appear before Him empty. The assumption behind this is that Yahweh has blessed them, but in return they are to bring their tribute and thanksgiving gifts in their hands.
Deu 16:16-17
‘ Three times in a year shall all your males appear before Yahweh your God in the place which he shall choose; in the feast of unleavened bread, and in the feast of sevens, and in the feast of tabernacles, and they shall not appear before Yahweh empty, every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of Yahweh your God which he has given you.’
Note the names used for the feasts, ‘unleavened bread’ because that side of it has been Moses’ emphasis in this speech as far as the people were concerned, ‘sevens’ because it indicated the divine content of the feasts, and ‘tabernacles’ because the people would be erecting and spending their time in tents. The first and third were features of their direct participation, and the second emphasised an expectancy of divine participation. They baked the bread and ate it, they erected the tents and lived in them, and they waited the seven sevens in expectancy. It made them feel as though they were taking part even while they were listening. The name Passover stressed the sacrificial side, and Harvest (Exo 23:16) and Ingathering (Exodus 23:66; Exo 34:22) as used elsewhere were more descriptions of their purpose. Thus those names were not used here. Here the concentration was on the people’s participation.
So all the males of Israel were to gather for these three feasts, unleavened bread, sevens and tabernacles, every year, appearing ‘before Yahweh’ in the place where He had chosen to dwell and establish His authority. And there they were to pay their tribute. They were not to come empty. If Yahweh’s commands were carried out none would need to appear empty. And they must be ready to give as they were able in accordance with the blessing that they had received from Yahweh.
It would be an act of tribute to their Overlord, an expression of gratitude to their Father (as His sons – Deu 14:1), and an act of commitment and dedication for the future. For the males it was compulsory, but all were welcome, and a good time was to be had by all as they rejoiced together in Yahweh’s presence declaring their gratitude and love.
The emphasis on the males was because they mainly had responsibility for the running of their communities, for fighting their battles, and for deciding issues connected with the covenant. It was necessary that all of them be there when reasonably possible, for at the feasts many issues connected with the community would be thrashed out, and major judgments decided. It represented in fact a semi-democracy. They might also be necessary in case one or two tribes were feeling recalcitrant. Others apart from the men were welcome but were not as necessary, and indeed some might well be required to stay at home while the males were away. This probably refers to all free males over a certain age. Had it not been a strict requirement many may have sought to opt out. As it was they knew that non-appearance was the equivalent of treason unless a cast iron case could be made for absence.
So here we come to the end of this section commencing at Deu 12:1 which has stressed their needing to worship Yahweh in spiritual fitness and joy, free from idolatry (Deuteronomy 13), living cleanly and wholesomely (Deuteronomy 14), being generous to the needy (Deu 14:28 to Deu 15:18), worshipping in joy (Deuteronomy 16) and bringing their offerings and tithes and firstlings to Him, and all at the place which He would choose..
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Ver. 16. All thy males i.e. all from twenty to fifty years old. Males only were obliged to be present on these occasions. 1. Because the weakness and infirmity of the female sex rendered them not able to bear so long a journey without great danger and fatigue. 2. Because their chastity would be exposed to many dangers in so vast a concourse of people. 3. Because the care of their families and their domestic offices must have been neglected. The chief intention of these solemnities was to keep the Israelites from corrupting their religion by idolatrous practices, or superstitious rites; and the providence of God is remarkable in defending their country during their absence at these seasons; there having been scarcely any instance of its being attacked by their enemies, though nothing could have invited them more strongly to an incursion, than the advantages which these occasions gave them. See Joseph Mede’s Discourses.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Here the whole three feasts are brought within one precept for their observance. And who is there but must, in a gospel sense, desire to honour JEHOVAH in the observance of ordinances and means of grace, which keep in view the sacrifice of JESUS, the effusion of the HOLY GHOST, and that GOD hath tabernacled among us in substance of our flesh? These things are indeed great joy to all people. Luk 2:10 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Deu 16:16-17
16Three times in a year all your males shall appear before the LORD your God in the place which He chooses, at the Feast of Unleavened Bread and at the Feast of Weeks and at the Feast of Booths, and they shall not appear before the LORD empty-handed. 17Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the LORD your God which He has given you.
Deu 16:16 Three times in a year all your males shall appear Deu 16:16-17 are summary verses which apply to all three feasts (cf. Exo 23:14; Exo 23:17). Remember meals were special times of friendship and family fellowship. These feasts allowed Israel to:
1. develop a sense of national community
2. teach God’s gracious acts to new generations
3. help the poor and needy
4. rejoice in the goodness of the God of Israel and His fulfillment of covenant promises/blessings
Why only men? Does this reflect the submissive role of women? Surely the ancient Near East was not egalitarian, but women were honored within Israel (e.g., Proverbs 31).
I think there are two good possibilities:
1. the women were needed at home in a ranching and agricultural setting, especially if the men were absent
2. the practice of men only would have noticeably marked Israel’s worship as different from Canaanite fertility worship, where women were expected
For a good, brief discussion of these three annual pilgrimage feasts see Roland de Vaux, Ancient Israel, vol. 2, pp. 484-502.
Feast This Hebrew term (BDB 290, KB 290), both the VERB and the NOUN, refers to one of the three annual worship days at the central sanctuary. It could be translated pilgrim-feast.
Deu 16:17 give as he is able This refers to the universal principle of giving-each is to give as he is able (cf. Deu 16:10; 2 Corinthians 8-9). See Special Topic: Tithing
Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley
appear. See note on Exo 23:15, Exo 23:17.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Three times: Exo 23:14-17, Exo 34:22, Exo 34:23, 1Ki 9:25
and they shall: Exo 23:15, Exo 34:20, 1Ch 29:3-9, 1Ch 29:14-17, Psa 96:8, Pro 3:9, Pro 3:10, Isa 23:18, Isa 60:6-9, Hag 1:9, Mat 2:11, Mar 12:3
Reciprocal: Exo 23:17 – General Exo 25:2 – they Lev 23:37 – the feasts Deu 16:9 – General Deu 16:10 – a tribute Deu 31:11 – to appear Jos 9:27 – in the place 1Sa 1:3 – yearly 1Sa 1:22 – then 1Sa 1:24 – she took 1Sa 6:3 – empty 1Ch 21:24 – Nay 2Ch 8:13 – three times Neh 8:15 – in Jerusalem Psa 76:11 – let all Psa 84:7 – in Zion Psa 122:4 – Whither Isa 1:12 – When Eze 36:38 – as the flock Eze 46:9 – come before Mat 5:23 – thou Luk 2:41 – went Joh 2:13 – passover Joh 4:45 – for Joh 5:1 – General 1Co 5:8 – let