The big picture
Deuteronomy 16 opens in verse 1 with “Observe the month of Abib, and keep the passover unto the LORD thy God: for in the month…”, reaches its middle movement near verse 11 with “And thou shalt rejoice before the LORD thy God, thou, and thy son, and thy daughter, and…”, and closes in verse 22 with “Neither shalt thou set thee up any image; which the LORD thy God hateth.” Repeated or prominent terms include LORD, place, feast, bread, days. Together, those details trace this chapter’s own movement from its opening to its conclusion.
Scripture beside the summary
Deuteronomy · King James Version · 22Deuteronomy 16:1-8
1–8: Observe the month of Abib, and keep the passover unto the LORD thy God…
Deuteronomy 16:1–8 opens with “Observe the month of Abib, and keep the passover unto the LORD thy God: for in the month of Abib…” and reaches “Six days thou shalt eat unleavened bread: and on the seventh day shall be a solemn assembly to…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Deuteronomy 16 develops its own movement around LORD, place, feast, bread, days, with particular weight carried by LORD, bread, place.
Context that brings the passage to life
“Observe the month of Abib, and keep the passover unto the LORD thy God: for in the month of Abib the LORD thy God…” Naming Abib keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“Thou shalt eat no leavened bread with it; seven days shalt thou eat unleavened bread therewith, even the bread of…” The number seven makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.
“Thou mayest not sacrifice the passover within any of thy gates, which the LORD thy God giveth thee:” Naming Thou keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“And thou shalt roast and eat it in the place which the LORD thy God shall choose: and thou shalt turn in the morning…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
Deuteronomy 16:1-8
King James Version1Observe 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.
2Thou shalt therefore sacrifice the passover unto the LORD thy God, of the flock and the herd, in the place which the LORD shall choose to place his name there.
3Thou 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.
4And 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.
5Thou mayest not sacrifice the passover within any of thy gates, which the LORD thy God giveth thee:
6But at the place which the LORD thy God shall choose to place his name in, there thou shalt sacrifice the passover at even, at the going down of the sun, at the season that thou camest forth out of Egypt.
7And thou shalt roast and eat it in the place which the LORD thy God shall choose: and thou shalt turn in the morning, and go unto thy tents.
8Six days thou shalt eat unleavened bread: and on the seventh day shall be a solemn assembly to the LORD thy God: thou shalt do no work therein.
Deuteronomy 16:9-16
9–16: Seven weeks shalt thou number unto thee: begin to number the seven weeks…
Deuteronomy 16:9–16 opens with “Seven weeks shalt thou number unto thee: begin to number the seven weeks from such time as thou…” and reaches “Three times in a year shall all thy males appear before the LORD thy God in the place which he…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Deuteronomy 16 develops its own movement around LORD, place, feast, bread, days, with particular weight carried by LORD, feast, place.
Context that brings the passage to life
“Seven weeks shalt thou number unto thee: begin to number the seven weeks from such time as thou beginnest to put the…” The number seven makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.
“And thou shalt rejoice before the LORD thy God, thou, and thy son, and thy daughter, and thy manservant, and thy…” Naming Levite keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“Thou shalt observe the feast of tabernacles seven days, after that thou hast gathered in thy corn and thy wine:” The number seven makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.
“Seven days shalt thou keep a solemn feast unto the LORD thy God in the place which the LORD shall choose: because the…” The promise, blessing, or covenant language needs its named recipient and scope. Those details prevent a personal word in the story from becoming a promise detached from context.
Deuteronomy 16:9-16
King James Version9Seven weeks shalt thou number unto thee: begin to number the seven weeks from such time as thou beginnest to put the sickle to the corn.
10And 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 \+nd Lord\+nd thy God, according as the LORD thy God hath blessed thee:
11And thou shalt rejoice before the LORD thy God, thou, and thy son, and thy daughter, and thy manservant, and thy maidservant, and the Levite that is within thy gates, and the stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow, that are among you, in the place which the LORD thy God hath chosen to place his name there.
12And thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in Egypt: and thou shalt observe and do these statutes.
13Thou shalt observe the feast of tabernacles seven days, after that thou hast gathered in thy corn and thy wine:
14And thou shalt rejoice in thy feast, thou, and thy son, and thy daughter, and thy manservant, and thy maidservant, and the Levite, the stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow, that are within thy gates.
15Seven 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.
16Three times in a year shall all thy males appear before the LORD thy God in the place which he shall choose; in the feast of unleavened bread, and in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of tabernacles: and they shall not appear before the LORD empty:
Deuteronomy 16:17-22
17–22: Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the…
Deuteronomy 16:17–22 opens with “Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the LORD thy God which he hath…” and reaches “Neither shalt thou set thee up any image; which the LORD thy God hateth.” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Deuteronomy 16 develops its own movement around LORD, place, feast, bread, days, with particular weight carried by LORD, gift, giveth.
Context that brings the passage to life
“Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the LORD thy God which he hath given thee.” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
“Judges and officers shalt thou make thee in all thy gates, which the LORD thy God giveth thee, throughout thy tribes…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
Deuteronomy 16:17-22
King James Version17Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the LORD thy God which he hath given thee.
18Judges 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.
19Thou 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.
20That which is altogether just shalt thou follow, that thou mayest live, and inherit the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.
21Thou shalt not plant thee a grove of any trees near unto the altar of the LORD thy God, which thou shalt make thee.
22Neither shalt thou set thee up any image; which the LORD thy God hateth.
Details worth noticing
The opening image
Deuteronomy 16:1 begins with “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.”
Where the chapter turns
Deuteronomy 16:6 forms a natural hinge: “But at the place which the LORD thy God shall choose to place his name in, there thou shalt sacrifice the passover at even, at the going down of the sun…”
The final note
Deuteronomy 16:22 leaves the reader with “Neither shalt thou set thee up any image; which the LORD thy God hateth.”
A word trail through the chapter
The words LORD, place, feast, bread, days, seven help reveal the chapter’s repeated concerns.
Whose perspective receives unexpected attention?
Hagar's. The messenger finds her, names her and speaks about her future.
What does Ishmael's name commemorate?
God has heard her affliction, according to verse 11.
KJV words made clear
- unto
- to
- thee
- you
- thou
- you
- thy
- your
- hath
- has
Text first
Where readers differ
The chapter summary begins with what the passage says and how its parts fit together. It does not assume one denomination has already settled every question. Where a conclusion depends on a tradition, literary theory, or historical reconstruction, that dependence is named openly.
The KJV text is presented first. Interpretive conclusions are labeled, and differences are introduced only when they help a reader understand why serious communities do not always reach the same answer.
Comparative interpretive notes for this chapter are in preparation. Until reviewed notes are ready, this page separates the KJV text from summary and application without claiming that serious readers agree on every question.
