Exodus 23:15

_THOU SHALT KEEP THE FEAST OF UNLEAVENED BREAD: (THOU SHALT EAT UNLEAVENED BREAD SEVEN DAYS, AS I COMMANDED THEE, IN THE TIME APPOINTED OF THE MONTH ABIB; FOR IN IT THOU CAMEST OUT FROM EGYPT: AND NONE SHALL APPEAR BEFORE ME EMPTY:)_ Thou shalt keep the feast of unleavened bread, х_ HA-MATSOWT_ (H4682)] - or Passover (see the command as given, Exodus 12:3; Exodus 13:3; Exodus 13:10). It was instituted as an anniversary memorial of the inauguration of their national existence; and on every return of the sacred season they celebrated the old covenant. NONE SHALL APPEAR BEFORE ME EMPTY - i:e., without sacrificial offerings ...

10-19 Every seventh year the land was to rest. They must not plough or sow it; what the earth produced of itself, should be eaten, and not laid up. This law seems to have been intended to teach dependence on Providence, and God's faithfulness in sending the larger increase while they kept his appointments. It was also typical of the heavenly rest, when all earthly labours, cares, and interests shall cease for ever. All respect to the gods of the heathen is strictly forbidden. Since idolatry was a sin to which the Israelites leaned, they must blot out the remembrance of the gods of the heathen. Solemn religious attendance on God, in the place which he should choose, is strictly required. They must come together before the Lord. What a good Master do we serve, who has made it our duty to rejoice before him! Let us devote with pleasure to the service of God that portion of our time which h...

This is the first mention of the three great Yearly Festivals. The feast of Unleavened bread, in its connection with the Paschal Lamb, is spoken of in Exodus 12; Exodus 13: but the two others are here first named. The whole three are spoken of as if they were familiarly known to the people. The points that are especially enjoined are that every male Israelite should attend them at the sanctuary (compare Exodus 34:23), and that he should take with him an offering for Yahweh, presenting himself before his King with his tribute in his hand. That this condition belonged to all the feasts, though it is here stated only in regard to the Passover, cannot be doubted. See...

THE BOOK OF THE COVENANT.—_Continued_. EXPOSITION EXODUS 23:1 MISCELLANEOUS LAWS—_continued_. The same want of logical arrangement appears in this chapter as in the preceding one. The first nine verses contain some twelve laws, of which not more than two that are consecutive can be said to be on the same subject. There is perhaps in the section a predominant idea of warning against sins and errors connected with the trial of causes before a court, but Exodus 23:4 and Exodus 23:5, at any rate, lie quite outside this idea. From...

THOU SHALT KEEP THE FEAST OF UNLEAVENED BREAD,.... Which began on the fourteenth of the month Abib or Nisan, and lasted seven days, during which time no leavened bread was to be eaten by the Israelites, or to be in their houses, of which see the notes on: Exodus 12:15 Exodus 12:18 Exodus 12:19 Exodus 12:10 Exodus 13:6 Exodus 13:7 THOU SHALL EAT UNLEAVENED BREAD, SEVEN DAYS, AS I COMMANDED THEE, IN THE TIME APPOINTED OF THE MONTH ABIB; from the fourt

ABIB First month, that is, April....

CHAPTER 23 FURTHER JUDGMENTS AND DIRECTIONS _ 1. Concerning unrighteous dealings of various kinds (Exodus 23:1)_ 2. Concerning the seventh year (Exodus 23:10) 3. Concerning the three feasts (Exodus 23:14) 4. Promises concerning the possession of the land (Exodus 23:20) We call attention to the words concerning the seventh year. The seventh day was the day of rest. The seventh year was to give the land rest; it was to rest and lie still. Besides this there was the jubilee year, which occurred every seven times seven years, that is, the fiftieth year was the year of jubilee, in which liberty was pro

EXODUS 23:10 E. CALENDAR AND RULES FOR WORSHIP. This passage may originally have followed Exodus 23-26 in the Covenant Book. It has been expanded, Exodus 23:13 being a conclusion (perhaps displaced from after Exodus 23:19), and Exodus 23:15 b, Exodus 23:17, and Exodus 23:19 copied by a harmonist from Exodus 34:18;...

AS. according as. MONTH ABIB. See App-51. APPEAR BEFORE ME. This is the current Hebrew text: but this, and ten other passages were altered by the Sopherim (only in the pointing). App-33. The primitive text read (and ought to be) "see My face". They did not know that "face" was used by Figure of speech _Synecdoche_ (of Part), App-6, for the person "Me", and they thought it too anthropomorphitic. See note on Exodus 34:20. EMPTY. empty-handed....

Exodus 20:22 to Exodus 23:33 _The Book of the Covenant_ The -Book of the Covenant" (see Exodus 24:7 in explanation of the name) is the oldest piece of Hebrew legislation that we possess. The laws contained in it are spoken of in Exodus 24:3 as consisting of two elements, the WORDS (or commands) and the JUDGEMENTS: the JUDGEMENTS (see on Exodus 21:1) are the provisions relating to civil and criminal law, prescribing what is to be done when particular cases arise, and comprised in...