Bible Commentaries

Deuteronomy 16:1 Observe the month of Abib, and keep the passover unto the LORD thy God: for in the month of Abib the LORD thy God brought thee forth out of Egypt by night.

Ver. 1. And keep the passover.] Every man that seeth another stricken and himself spared is still to keep a passover for himself.

Deuteronomy 16:3 Thou shalt eat no leavened bread with it; seven days shalt thou eat unleavened bread therewith, [even] the bread of affliction; for thou camest forth out of the land of Egypt in haste: that thou mayest remember the day when thou camest forth out of the land of Egypt all the days of thy life.

Ver. 3. Even the bread of afliction.] Or, Of poverty; as who should say, poor folk’s bread, illleavened, ill-prepared.

Deuteronomy 16:4 And there shall be no leavened bread seen with thee in all thy coast seven days; neither shall there [any thing] of the flesh, which thou sacrificedst the first day at even, remain all night until the morning.

Ver. 4. And there shall be.] {See Trapp on "Exodus 12:1"} &c

Deuteronomy 16:10 And thou shalt keep the feast of weeks unto the LORD thy God with a tribute of a freewill offering of thine hand, which thou shalt give [unto the LORD thy God], according as the LORD thy God hath blessed thee:

Ver. 10. With a tribute of a free will offering.] Over and besides the sacrifice appointed for the feast day, [Numbers 18:27; Numbers 18:31] and the two loaves with their sacrifices commanded. [Leviticus 23:17; Leviticus 23:20] So good cheap is God’s service to us, over what it was to them.

Deuteronomy 16:12 And thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in Egypt: and thou shalt observe and do these statutes.

Ver. 12. And thou shalt remember.] It is very good to look back and recognise our former worse condition. Agathocles, king of Sicily, being a potter’s son, would be served only in earthen vessels. Willigis, archbishop of Ments, a wheelwright’s son, hung wheels, and the tools wherewith they were made, around his bedchamber, and had these words written upon the walls in very fair characters, Willigis, Willigis, recole uncle veneris, Remember whence thou camest.

Deuteronomy 16:13 Thou shalt observe the feast of tabernacles seven days, after that thou hast gathered in thy corn and thy wine:

Ver. 13. Thou shalt observe.] {See Trapp on "Exodus 23:16"}

Deuteronomy 16:15 Seven days shalt thou keep a solemn feast unto the LORD thy God in the place which the LORD shall choose: because the LORD thy God shall bless thee in all thine increase, and in all the works of thine hands, therefore thou shalt surely rejoice.

Ver. 15. Thou shalt surely rejoice.] {See Trapp on "Deuteronomy 12:12"}

Deuteronomy 16:18 Judges and officers shalt thou make thee in all thy gates, which the LORD thy God giveth thee, throughout thy tribes: and they shall judge the people with just judgment.

Ver. 18. With just judgment.] Heb., With judgment of justice. Ut fiat iustitia, runt coelum. Let heaven and earth be blended together, rather than magistrates be drawn to deal basely. It is reported by a late traveller, that in Zante, over the place of judgment, these two Latin verses are written on the wall in letters of gold: -

“ Hic locus odit, amat, punit, conservat, honorat,

Nequitiam, pacem, crimina, iura, bonos. ”

Deuteronomy 16:19 Thou shalt not wrest judgment; thou shalt not respect persons, neither take a gift: for a gift doth blind the eyes of the wise, and pervert the words of the righteous.

Ver. 19. Neither take a gift.] Rain is good, and ground is good; yet, ex eorum coniunctione fit luturn, by the mixture of those two is made dirt: so giving is kind, and taking is courteous; yet the mixing of them makes the smooth paths of justice foul and uneven.

Deuteronomy 16:20 That which is altogether just shalt thou follow, that thou mayest live, and inherit the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.

Ver. 20. That which is altogether just.] Heb., Justice, justice; that is, let pure justice, without mud, run down; let all selfish affections be strained out.