Exodus 23:16

_AND THE FEAST OF HARVEST, THE FIRSTFRUITS OF THY LABOURS, WHICH THOU HAST SOWN IN THE FIELD: AND THE FEAST OF INGATHERING, WHICH IS IN THE END OF THE YEAR, WHEN THOU HAST GATHERED IN THY LABOURS OUT OF THE FIELD._ And the feast of harvest - called also "the Feast of Weeks," or Pentecost, 50 days after the sheaf was waved (See the notes at Exodus 20:1; Leviticus 23:15; Numbers 28:26; Deuteronomy 16:9: cf. Josephus, 'Antiquities,' b. 3:, ch. 10:, sec. 6, where it is called Asartha - i:e., assembly). THE FIRST-FRUITS OF THY LABOURS, WHICH THOU HAST SOWN IN THY FIELD - i:e., not the first ripe grains

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...

AND THE FEAST OF HARVEST,.... This is the second feast, the feast of wheat harvest, between which and barley harvest were fifty days; or between the firstfruits of the one and the first fruits of the other were seven weeks, as Aben Ezra observes, and was sometimes called the feast of weeks; at which feast were to be brought, THE FIRST FRUITS OF THY LABOURS, WHICH THOU HAST SOWN IN THE FIELD; the two wave loaves or cakes, made of the first new wheat, which was the effect of their labour in tilling the field, and sowing it with wheat, and reaping it: AND THE FEAST OF INGATHERING, [WHICH IS] IN THE END OF THE YEAR, WHEN THOU HAST GATHERED IN THY LABOURS OUT OF THE FIELD; this is the third feast in the year to be kept, and was kept at the close of the year, at the revolution of it, when a new year began that is, according to the old account, which made Tisri the month in which this feast w...

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;...

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...

AND THE FEAST OF HARVEST— Concerning this feast, otherwise called _the feast of weeks,_ or of _pentecost;_ see Deuteronomy 16:9 and Leviticus 23:15; Leviticus 23:44. _AND THE FEAST OF IN-GATHERING_— Concerning this feast, commonly called _the feast of tabernacles;_ see Deuteronomy 16:13.Leviticus 23:34; Leviticus 23:44....

THE TEXT OF EXODUS TRANSLATION 23 THOU SHALT NOT TAKE UP A FALSE REPORT: PUT NOT THY HAND WITH THE WICKED TO BE AN UNRIGHTEOUS WITNESS. (2) THOU SHALT NOT FOLLOW A MULTITUDE TO DO EVIL; NEITHER SHALT THOU SPEAK IN A CAUSE TO TURN ASIDE AFTER A MULTITUDE TO WREST _justice:_ (3) NEITHER SHALT THOU FAVOR A POOR MAN IN HIS CAUSE. (4) If thou meet thine enemy's ox or his ass going astray, thou shalt surely bring it back to him again. (5) If thou see the ass of him that hateth thee lying under his burden, thou shalt forebear to leave him, thou shalt surely release _it_ WITH HIM. (6) Thou shalt not wrest the justice _due_ to thy poor in his cause. (7) Keep thee far from a false matter; and the innocent and righteous slay thou not: for I will not justify the wicked. (8) And thou shalt take no bribe: for a bribe blindeth them that have sight, and perverteth the words of the righteous. (9) And a...