Deuteronomy — Chapter 16

Observe the monthamonth Cf. Exod. 13.4; 23.15; 34.18. of Abib and offer a passover sacrifice to the ETERNAL your God, for it was in the monthbmonth See previous note. of Abib, at night, that the ETERNAL your God freed you from Egypt.

You shall slaughter the passover sacrifice for the ETERNAL your God, from the flock and the herd, in the place where GOD will choose to establish the divine name.

You shall not eat anything leavened with it; for seven days thereaftercthereafter Lit. “upon it.” you shall eat unleavened bread, bread of distress—for you departed from the land of Egypt hurriedly—so that you may remember the day of your departure from the land of Egypt as long as you live.

For seven days no leaven shall be found with you in all your territory, and none of the flesh of what you slaughter on the evening of the first day shall be left until morning.

You are not permitted to slaughter the passover sacrifice in any of the settlements that the ETERNAL your God is giving you;

but at the place where the ETERNAL your God will choose to establish the divine name, there alone shall you slaughter the passover sacrifice, in the evening, at sundown, the time of day when you departed from Egypt.

You shall cook and eat it at the place that the ETERNAL your God will choose; and in the morning you may start back on your journey home.

After eating unleavened bread six days, you shall hold a solemn gatheringdsolemn gathering Precise meaning of Heb. ʻaṣereth uncertain. Cf. Lev. 23.36; Num. 29.35. for the ETERNAL your God on the seventh day: you shall do no work.

You shall count off seven weeks; start to count the seven weeks when the sickle is first put to the standing grain.

Then you shall observe the Feast of Weeks for the ETERNAL your God, offering your freewill contribution according as the ETERNAL your God has blessed you.

YoueYou See note at 12.5. shall rejoice before the ETERNAL your God with your son and daughter, your male and female slave, the Levitefthe Levite See the second note at 12.12. in your communities, and the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow in your midst, at the place where the ETERNAL your God will choose to establish the divine name.

Bear in mind that you were slaves in Egypt, and take care to obey these laws.

After the ingathering from your threshing floor and your vat, you shall hold the Feast of Booths for seven days.

YougYou See note at 12.5. shall rejoice in your festival, with your son and daughter, your male and female slave, the Levite,hthe Levite See the second note at 12.12. the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow in your communities.

You shall hold a festival for the ETERNAL your God seven days, in the place that GOD will choose; for the ETERNAL your God will bless alliall Lit. “you in all.” your crops and all your undertakings, and you shall have nothing but joy.

Three times a year—on the Feast of Unleavened Bread, on the Feast of Weeks, and on the Feast of Booths—all your males shall appear before the ETERNAL your God in the place that [God] will choose. They shall not appear before GOD empty-handed,

but each with his own gift, according to the blessing that the ETERNAL your God has bestowed upon you.

You shall appoint magistrates and officials for your tribes, in all the settlements that the ETERNAL your God is giving you, and they shall govern the people with due justice.

You shall not judge unfairly: you shall show no partiality; you shall not take bribes, for bribes blind the eyes of the discerning and upset the plea of the just.

Justice, justice shall you pursue, that you may thrive and occupy the land that the ETERNAL your God is giving you.

You shall not set up a sacred postjsacred post See note at 7.5.—any kind of pole beside the altar of the ETERNAL your God that you may make—

or erect a stone pillar; for such the ETERNAL your God detests.