Exodus 23:19

_THE FIRST OF THE FIRSTFRUITS OF THY LAND THOU SHALT BRING INTO THE HOUSE OF THE LORD THY GOD. THOU SHALT NOT SEETHE A KID IN HIS MOTHER'S MILK._ The first of the first-fruits of thy land thou shalt bring into the house of the Lord thy God (see the notes at Exodus 23:15; Numbers 18:12; Deuteronomy 26:2) х_ REE'SHIYT_ (H7225) _ BIKUWRIYM_ (H1061)] - not the highest, the best, and most excellent, as the word frequently signifies, but the beginning, the earliest, the very first of all the fruits which the earth yielded-the first-fruits of every species, animal as well as vegetable, although it is land-pro

19._Thou shalt not seethe a kid. _The threefold repetition of the command reminds us that a serious matter is spoken of, whereas it would be a light and almost frivolous one, if, as some suppose, it is merely the prohibition of a somewhat unwholesome food. But the Jews, not considering its intent, and affecting sanctity, as they do, in trifling puerilities, dare not taste of cheese together with kid, or lamb’s flesh, until they have well cleaned their teeth. I have no doubt, however, but that this prohibition relates to the sacrifices, for in the first passage quoted, it is added in connection with the offering of the first-fruits; and in the second, we read as follows: “The first of the first-fruits of thy land thou shalt bring unto the house of the Lord thy God. Nor shalt thou seethe a kid in his mother’s milk;” and so also in the third passage: “Ye shall not eat of any thing that diet...

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...

Verse Exodus 23:19. _THOU SHALT NOT SEETHE A KID IN HIS MOTHER'S MILK._] This passage has greatly perplexed commentators; but Dr. Cudworth is supposed to have given it its true meaning by quoting a MS. comment of a _Karaite_ Jew, which he met with, on this passage. "It was a custom of the ancient heathens, when they had gathered in all their fruits, to take a kid and boil it in the milk of its dam; and then, in a magical way, to go about and besprinkle with it all their trees and fields, gardens and orchards; thinking by these means to make them fruitful, that they might bring forth more abundantly in the following year." - _Cudworth on the Lord's_ _Supper_, 4to. I give this comment as I find it, and add that _Spenser_ has shown that the _Zabii_ used this kind of magical milk to sprinkle their trees and fields, in order to make them fruitful.

THE FIRST OF THE FIRSTFRUITS OF THY LAND - The “best,” or “chief” of the firstfruits, that is, the two wave loaves described Leviticus 23:17. As the preceding precept appears to refer to the Passover, so it is likely that this refers to Pentecost. They are called in Leviticus, “the firstfruits unto the Load;” and it is reasonable that they should here be designated the “chief” of the firstfruits. If, with some, we suppose the precept to relate to the offerings of firstfruits in general, the command is a repetition of Exodus 22:29. THOU SHALT NOT SEETHE A KID IN HIS MOTHER’S MILK - This precept is repeated. See the marginal references. If we connect the first of the two preceding precepts with the Passover, and the second with Pent

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...

THE FIRST OF THE FIRST FRUITS OF THY LAND,.... Both of the barley and wheat harvest, and of the wine and oil; yea, Jarchi says, the seventh year was obliged to first fruits; and Josephus d relates, that the Jews were so tenacious of this law, that even in the famine in the time of Claudius Caesar, the first fruits were brought to the temple, and were not meddled with: THOU SHALL BRING INTO THE HOUSE OF THE LORD THY GOD; to the tabernacle, during the standing of that, and the temple when that was built; which were the perquisites of the priests who officiated in the house and service of God: so Pliny says e of the ancient Romans, that they tasted not of the new fruits or wines before the first fruits were offered to the priests, which seems to have been borrowed from hence: THOU SHALT NOT SEETHE A KID IN HIS MOTHER'S MILK: and so a calf, or a lamb f, as Jarchi interprets it; which some...

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;...

THE LORD. Hebrew. _Jehovah_. App-4. GOD. Hebrew. _Elohim_. App-4. MOTHER'S: i.e. in the milk _of its_ dam. Repeated, Exo 84:26 and Deuteronomy 14:21. For similar consideration compare Deuteronomy 22:6; Leviticus 22:28....