Deuteronomy 16

Passover and the Festival of Unleavened Bread

116 “In honor of the LORD your God, celebrate the Passover each year in the early spring, in the month of Abib,* for that was the month in which the LORD your God brought you out of Egypt by night. 2Your Passover sacrifice may be from either the flock or the herd, and it must be sacrificed to the LORD your God at the designated place of worship—the place he chooses for his name to be honored. Eat it with bread made without yeast. For seven days the bread you eat must be made without yeast, as when you escaped from Egypt in such a hurry. Eat this bread—the bread of suffering—so that as long as you live you will remember the day you departed from Egypt. 4Let no yeast be found in any house throughout your 16:4 land for those seven days. And when you sacrifice the Passover lamb on the evening of the Exod 13:7; 34:25 first day, do not let any of the meat remain until the next morning. 5“You may not sacrifice the Passover in just any of the towns that the LORD your God is giving you. You must offer it only at the designated place of worship—the place the LORD 166 I your God chooses for his name to be honored. Sacrifice it there in the evening as the sun peut 12:8 goes down on the anniversary of your exodus from Egypt. 6Roast the lamb and eatitinthe 16:7 place the LORD your God chooses. Then you may go back to your tents the next morning. 7" °°""° 8For the next six days you may not eat any bread made with yeast. On the seventh day proclaim another holy day in honor of the LORD your God, and no work may be done on that day.

The Festival of Harvest

99“Count off seven weeks from when you first begin to cut the grain at the time of harvest. 16iON2 5-20 10Then celebrate the Festival of Harvest* to honor the LORD your God. Bring hima voluntary iNum 28:26-31 offering in proportion to the blessings you have received from him. 11This is atime to cele- 16:9 prate before the LORD your God at the designated place of worship he will choose for his Exod 29:16; 94:22 name to be honored. Celebrate with your sons and daughters, your male and female ser- “um 28:26 vants, the Levites from your towns, and the foreigners, orphans, and widows who liveamong [8h 40-7. 12. you. 12Remember that you were once slaves in Egypt, so be careful to obey all these decrees. 14:29; 24:19

The Festival of Shelters

1313”You must observe the Festival of Shelters* for seven days at the end of the harvest sea- 1 613-1 7.9.43 HLev 23:33- son, after the grain has been threshed and the grapes have been pressed. 14This festival will num 29:12-39 be a happy time of celebrating with your sons and daughters, your male and female ser- 16:13 vants, and the Levites, foreigners, orphans, and widows from your towns. 15For seven days bev 23:16, 40 you must celebrate this festival to honor the LORD your God at the place he chooses, for it ts he who blesses you with bountiful harvests and gives you success in all your work. This festival will be a time of great joy for all. 16Each year every man in Israel must celebrate these three festivals: the Festival of 16:16 03: 44-47: Unleavened Bread, the Festival of Harvest, and the Festival of Shelters. On each of these 34:20, 22-24 occasions, all men must appear before the LORD your God at the place he chooses, but they must not appear before the Lor without a gift for him. 17All must give as they are able, according to the blessings given to them by the LORD your God. 4. Laws for ruling the nation

Justice for the People

1818“ Appoint judges and officials for yourselves from each of your tribes in all the towns the 16:18 ot 26 x n27, LORD your God is giving you. They must judge the people fairly. 1? You must never twist jUS- Deut 1:16 tice or show partiality. Never accepta bribe, for bribes blind the eyes of the wise andcorrupt 16:19 the decisions of the godly. 2Let true justice prevail, so you may live and occupy theland that Fxod282s the LORD your God is giving you. 16:21 21"You must never set up a wooden Asherah pole beside the altar you build for the LORD Exod 3a 3 your God. 22And never set up sacred pillars for worship, for the LORD your God hates them.