1
“Remember the month of Abib, and keep the Passover to the LORD your God; for in the month of Abib the LORD your God brought you out of Egypt by night.
2
Then you shall sacrifice the flock and the herd as the Passover offering to the LORD your God, at the place which the LORD will choose to make his name dwell there.
3
You shall not eat anything leavened with it; for seven days you shall eat unleavened bread with it, the bread of affliction, because you came out of the land of Egypt in haste, so that all the days of your life you may remember the day when you came out of the land of Egypt.
4
No leaven shall be seen with you in all your territory for seven days; and none of the meat which you sacrifice in the evening of the first day shall remain all night until morning.
5
You may not sacrifice the Passover offering within any of the towns which the LORD your God gives you.
6
But at the place which the LORD your God will choose to make his name dwell there, there you shall sacrifice the Passover offering in the evening, at sunset, at the time when you came out of Egypt.
7
You shall cook it and eat it at the place which the LORD your God will choose; and in the morning you shall return to your tents.
8
For six days you shall eat unleavened bread, and on the seventh day there shall be a solemn assembly to the LORD your God; you shall do no work.
9
You shall count seven weeks; from the time you begin to put the sickle to the standing grain, you shall begin to count the seven weeks.
10
Then you shall keep the Feast of Weeks to the LORD your God, with a freewill offering from your hand, according to the blessing that the LORD your God has given you.
11
You shall rejoice before the LORD your God, you and your son and your daughter, your male servant and your female servant, and the Levite who is within your towns, and the foreigner, the fatherless, and the widow who are among you, at the place which the LORD your God will choose to make his name dwell there.
12
You shall remember that you were a slave in Egypt, and you shall be careful to observe these statutes.
13
You shall keep the Feast of Booths seven days, when you have gathered in the produce from your threshing floor and your winepress.
14
You shall rejoice in your feast, you and your son and your daughter, your male servant and your female servant, and the Levite, the foreigner, the fatherless, and the widow who are within your towns.
15
For seven days you shall keep a feast to the LORD your God at the place that the LORD will choose; for the LORD your God will bless you in all your produce and in all the work of your hands, so that you may be altogether joyful.
16
Three times a year all your men shall appear before the presence of the LORD your God at the place that he will choose: at the Feast of Unleavened Bread, at the Feast of Weeks, and at the Feast of Booths. They shall not appear before the presence of the LORD empty-handed,
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but each with a gift, according to the blessing that the LORD your God has given you.”
18
“Judges and officers you shall appoint in all your towns that the LORD your God is giving you, according to your tribes; and they shall judge the people with righteous judgment.
19
You shall not pervert justice; you shall not show partiality; and you shall not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and twists the words of the righteous.
20
Justice, and only justice, you shall pursue, so that you may live and possess the land that the LORD your God is giving you.”
21
“You shall not plant for yourself any tree as an Asherah beside the altar of the LORD your God that you shall make for yourself.
22
And you shall not set up for yourself a pillar, which the LORD your God hates.
🎉🕊️⚖️ Summary of Deuteronomy 16 – Holy Feasts and a Just Judge
Deuteronomy 16 affirms the importance of the annual feasts that Israel was to keep: Passover, the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the Feast of Weeks (Pentecost), and the Feast of Booths. This chapter also highlights the principle of truth in leadership and justice in the law. All of this reflects the relationship of the people with God and with one another in a regular and just way.
📌 1. Passover & Unleavened Bread (verses 1–8)
- Observed in the month of Abib (the first month).
- Commemorates the exodus from Egypt.
- The Passover sacrifice is to be slain at the place the LORD chooses.
- For 7 days, unleavened bread is eaten.
- The 7th day is a holy assembly — no work may be done.
🎯 Passover reminds us that freedom is the work of God, not the result of human effort.
📌 2. The Feast of Weeks / Pentecost (verses 9–12)
- Celebrated 7 weeks after the first harvest.
- The people offer freewill offerings, according to the blessing of the Lord.
- Time for:
Rejoicing with family, servants, Levites, foreigners, orphans, and widows.
Remembering that they were once slaves in Egypt.
🎯 True joy is when we share the blessing of the Lord with everyone without discrimination.
📌 3. Festival of Booths / Harvest Joy (verses 13–17)
- Celebrated at the final harvest from the field and vineyard.
- This celebration lasts for 7 days.
- Attended by all men, three times a year, at the place the Lord chooses.
- Each person must bring an offering according to the blessing of the Lord.
🎯 The harvest feast is not only about produce, but about recognizing the Lord as the source of blessing.
📌 4. Appointment of Judges and the Upholding of Justice (verses 18–20)
- Judges and leaders must:
Judge justly.
Not pervert justice.
Not accept bribes, for bribes blind the eyes of the wise.
- This is emphasized with a well-known statement:
“Justice, only justice shall you pursue…” (verse 20)
🎯 A just legal system and just leaders are the foundation of a people blessed by the Lord.
📌 5. Prohibition of Pagan Practices (verses 21–22)
- The people are forbidden to plant an idol pole or set up an idol pillar near the LORD’s altar.
🎯 True worship must not be defiled by syncretistic practices or elements of idolatry.
📖 Main Teachings
- Spiritual festivals must be observed with full awareness, thanksgiving, and obedience.
- The Lord wants His people to rejoice together with all groups, including the weak and marginalized.
- Social and spiritual justice cannot be separated — both are God’s command.
- Offerings to the Lord must be given with joy and according to the blessing received.
- God’s law must not be mixed with pagan practices — worship must be pure.
✨ Spiritual Meaning (New Testament)
- Passover is fulfilled in the death of Christ, who is the true Passover Lamb (1 Corinthians 5:7).
- Pentecost is fulfilled when the Holy Spirit is poured out upon the disciples (Acts 2).
- Harvest joy becomes a symbol of the final destiny of God’s people: living in joy with Christ in His Kingdom.
- Justice and love remain the calling of God’s people:
“Do justice, love faithfulness, and walk humbly before your God.” (Micah 6:8)
🎯 The rhythm of worship, justice, and mercy remains — not in legalism, but in the power of the Spirit and the love of Christ.
“Three times a year… come before the LORD your God… bringing an offering according to the blessing you have received.” – Deuteronomy 16:16–17
