Focused Passage

Deuteronomy 16:13-17

Three Feasts and Just Judges: The Covenant Calendar and the Justice That Guards It

From Passover and the memory of the exodus night (vv. 1-8) through the Feast of Weeks and the agricultural firstfruits thanksgiving (vv. 9-12) to the Feast of Booths and the harvest's completion (vv. 13-15), the three-times-a-year summary (vv. 16-17), the appointment of just judges (vv. 18-20), and the closing cultic prohibitions (vv. 21-22).

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

13 You are to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles for seven days after you have gathered the produce of your threshing floor and your winepress.

14 And you shall rejoice in your feast—you, your sons and daughters, your menservants and maidservants, and the Levite, as well as the foreigner, the fatherless, and the widows among you.

15 For seven days you shall celebrate a feast to the LORD your God in the place He will choose, because the LORD your God will bless you in all your produce and in all the work of your hands, so that your joy will be complete.

16 Three times a year all your men are to appear before the LORD your God in the place He will choose: at the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the Feast of Weeks, and the Feast of Tabernacles. No one should appear before the LORD empty-handed.

17 Everyone must appear with a gift as he is able, according to the blessing the LORD your God has given you.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 13

Original words

You are to celebrate תַּעֲשֶׂ֥ה H6213 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular the Feast חַ֧ג H2282 Noun - masculine singular construct of Tabernacles הַסֻּכֹּ֛ת H5521 Article | Noun - feminine plural for seven שִׁבְעַ֣ת H7651 Number - masculine singular construct days יָמִ֑ים H3117 Noun - masculine plural after you have gathered בְּאָ֨סְפְּךָ֔ H622 Preposition-b | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | second person masculine singular [the produce of] your threshing floor מִֽגָּרְנְךָ֖ H1637 Preposition-m | Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singular and your winepress וּמִיִּקְבֶֽךָ׃ H3342 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular

BSB notes

  • Or Booths or Shelters; see footnotes for verse 16.
Verse 14

Original words

And you shall rejoice וְשָׂמַחְתָּ֖ H8055 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular in your feast בְּחַגֶּ֑ךָ H2282 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular you אַתָּ֨ה H859 Pronoun - second person masculine singular your sons וּבִנְךָ֤ H1121 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular and daughters וּבִתֶּ֙ךָ֙ H1323 Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singular your menservants וְעַבְדְּךָ֣ H5650 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular and maidservants וַאֲמָתֶ֔ךָ H519 Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singular and the Levite וְהַלֵּוִ֗י H3881 Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - proper - masculine singular as well as the foreigner וְהַגֵּ֛ר H1616 Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - masculine singular the fatherless וְהַיָּת֥וֹם H3490 Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - masculine singular and the widows וְהָאַלְמָנָ֖ה H490 Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - feminine singular - אֲשֶׁ֥ר H834 Pronoun - relative among you בִּשְׁעָרֶֽיךָ׃ H8179 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular
Verse 15

Original words

For seven שִׁבְעַ֣ת H7651 Number - masculine singular construct days יָמִ֗ים H3117 Noun - masculine plural you shall celebrate a feast תָּחֹג֙ H2287 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular to the LORD לַיהוָ֣ה H3068 Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singular your God אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ H430 Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular in the place בַּמָּק֖וֹם H4725 Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular - אֲשֶׁר־ H834 Pronoun - relative He יְהוָ֑ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular will choose יִבְחַ֣ר H977 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular because כִּ֣י H3588 Conjunction the LORD יְהוָ֣ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular your God אֱלֹהֶ֗יךָ H430 Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular will bless יְבָרֶכְךָ֞ H1288 Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine singular | second person masculine singular you in all בְּכֹ֤ל H3605 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct your produce תְּבוּאָֽתְךָ֙ H8393 Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singular and in all וּבְכֹל֙ H3605 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct the work מַעֲשֵׂ֣ה H4639 Noun - masculine singular construct of your hands יָדֶ֔יךָ H3027 Noun - feminine dual construct | second person masculine singular so that your joy שָׂמֵֽחַ׃ H8056 Adjective - masculine singular will be וְהָיִ֖יתָ H1961 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular complete אַ֥ךְ H389 Adverb
Verse 16

Original words

Three שָׁל֣וֹשׁ H7969 Number - feminine singular times פְּעָמִ֣ים׀ H6471 Noun - feminine plural a year בַּשָּׁנָ֡ה H8141 Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine singular all כָל־ H3605 Noun - masculine singular construct your men זְכוּרְךָ֜ H2138 Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular . . . אֶת־ H854 Direct object marker are to appear יֵרָאֶ֨ה H7200 Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular before פְּנֵ֣י׀ H6440 Noun - common plural construct the LORD יְהוָ֣ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular your God אֱלֹהֶ֗יךָ H430 Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular in the place בַּמָּקוֹם֙ H4725 Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular - אֲשֶׁ֣ר H834 Pronoun - relative He will choose יִבְחָ֔ר H977 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular at the Feast בְּחַ֧ג H2282 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct of Unleavened Bread הַמַּצּ֛וֹת H4682 Article | Noun - feminine plural the Feast וּבְחַ֥ג H2282 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct of Weeks הַשָּׁבֻע֖וֹת H7620 Article | Noun - masculine plural and the Feast וּבְחַ֣ג H2282 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct of Tabernacles הַסֻּכּ֑וֹת H5521 Article | Noun - feminine plural No one וְלֹ֧א H3808 Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle should appear יֵרָאֶ֛ה H7200 Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular . . . אֶת־ H854 Direct object marker before פְּנֵ֥י H6440 Noun - common plural construct the LORD יְהוָ֖ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular empty-handed רֵיקָֽם׃ H7387 Adverb

BSB notes

  • That is, the seven-day period after the Passover during which no leaven may be eaten; see Exodus 12:14–20.
  • That is, Shavuot, the late spring feast of pilgrimage to Jerusalem; it is also known as the Feast of Harvest (see Exodus 23:16) or the Feast of Pentecost (see Acts 2:1).
  • That is, Sukkot, the autumn feast of pilgrimage to Jerusalem; also translated as the Feast of Booths or the Feast of Shelters and originally called the Feast of Ingathering (see Exodus 23:16 and Exodus 34:22).
Verse 17

Original words

Everyone אִ֖ישׁ H376 Noun - masculine singular must appear with a gift כְּמַתְּנַ֣ת H4979 Preposition-k | Noun - feminine singular construct as he is able יָד֑וֹ H3027 Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular according to the blessing כְּבִרְכַּ֛ת H1293 Preposition-k | Noun - feminine singular construct the LORD יְהוָ֥ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular your God אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ H430 Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular - אֲשֶׁ֥ר H834 Pronoun - relative has given נָֽתַן־ H5414 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular you לָֽךְ׃ס Preposition | second person masculine singular

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.