_A.M. 2553. B.C. 1451._ A repetition of the laws concerning the passover, Deuteronomy 16:1. The feast of pentecost, Deuteronomy 16:9. That of tabernacles, Deuteronomy 16:13. All the males are to attend them, Deuteronomy 16:16; Deuteronomy 16:17. An appointment of judges and officers, Deuteronomy 16... [ Continue Reading ]
As a further preservative against idolatry, Moses proceeds to inculcate upon them a strict regard to the most exact observance of the three great annual festivals, appointed by their law to be celebrated at the stated place of national worship, these being designed for this very end, to keep the peo... [ Continue Reading ]
_Thou shalt sacrifice the passover_ Strictly so called; which was the paschal lamb. The sheep and oxen here mentioned were additional sacrifices which were to be offered in the seven days of the paschal solemnity, Numbers 28:18. Indeed, the passage may be rendered, _Thou shalt therefore observe the... [ Continue Reading ]
_Thou mayest not sacrifice the passover within any of thy gates_ That is, of thy cities, as that word often signifies: see Genesis 22:17; Genesis 24:60. _But at the place which the Lord shall choose_ And in no other place. The reason of this is evident the passover itself was a sacrifice; hence Chri... [ Continue Reading ]
_Thou shalt turn in the morning_ The words are only a permission, not an absolute command. After the solemnity was over, they might return to their several places of abode. Some think they might return, if they pleased, the very morning after the paschal lamb was killed and eaten, the priests and Le... [ Continue Reading ]
_Six days_ That is, besides the first day on which the passover was killed. So that, in all, unleavened bread was eaten seven days.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Thou beginnest to put the sickle to the corn_ To reap the first-fruits of the barley-harvest, the wave sheaf in particular, which was offered to the Lord on the sixteenth day of that month. _Thou shalt keep the feast of weeks_ So called, because it was seven weeks after the bringing the sheaf at th... [ Continue Reading ]
_And thou shalt remember that thou wast a bond-man_ This is added to show, 1st, That to remind them of this was one principal end of this feast. 2d, As a motive to engage them to a cheerful obedience to all the other commands of God. 3d, To induce them to regard their poor servants and strangers in... [ Continue Reading ]
_Thou shalt rejoice_ In God, and in the effects of his favour, serving and praising him with a glad heart. _Shall all thy males appear before the Lord_ That is, from twenty to fifty years of age. The women were not obliged to be present at these solemnities; 1st, Because the weakness of their sex re... [ Continue Reading ]
_Judges_ Chief magistrates, to examine and determine causes and differences. _Officers_ Who were subordinate to the other, to bring causes and persons before them, to acquaint people with the sentence of the judges, and to execute their sentence. _Thy gates_ Thy cities, which he here calls _gates_,... [ Continue Reading ]
_Thou shalt not wrest judgment_ Not give a forced and unjust sentence. _Thou shalt not respect persons_ 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. _A gift doth blind the eyes of the wise_ Biases hi... [ Continue Reading ]
_Thou shalt not plant thee a grove_ To plant groves in honour of the _true God_, was a part of primitive worship, as we see by the example of Abraham, Genesis 21:33. But the Gentiles having abused this custom, and made trees and groves, dedicated to their idols, the scenes of the most vile and abomi... [ Continue Reading ]