Bible Commentaries
Go deeper in Scripture
Browse trusted public-domain commentary alongside DiscipleDeck Bible study. References inside each commentary open Bible previews in place.
35,156 commentary entries
All active commentary sources
The Pulpit Commentary on Deuteronomy 16:9-17
The Feasts of Weeks and of Tabernacles. For the moral improvement of the Hebrews, it was desirable to keep alive among them the recollection of their early history. Prior to the invention of printing, and when written r…
The Pulpit Commentary on Deuteronomy 16:9-13
Pentecost. I. A SACRED RECKONING. "Seven weeks shall thou number," etc. (Deuteronomy 16:9). A week of weeks, seven times seven, hence the name, "Feast of Weeks "(Deuteronomy 16:10). The count began with the offering of…
The Pulpit Commentary on Deuteronomy 16:9-12
Pentecost, the Feast of Firstfruits. Fifty days after the Passover, or a week of weeks, came the second great national festival, when offerings were presented unto God of the firstfruits of the harvest, and a people alr…
The Pulpit Commentary on Deuteronomy 16:10
This feast was to be kept with sacrificial gifts according to the measure of the free-will offerings of their hand, i.e. voluntary offerings which they gave as the Lord had blessed them; nothing was specially prescribed…
The Pulpit Commentary on Deuteronomy 16:11
Rejoice before the Lord. "The expression, to rejoice before the Lord, denotes here nothing else than to honor him by sacred songs; comp. Spencer, 'De Legg. Hebrews Ritual.,' p. 881, edit. 3". In the place which the Lord…
The Pulpit Commentary on Deuteronomy 16:13-16
The Feast of Tabernacle. I. A FEAST OF THE INGATHERING. (Deuteronomy 16:13.) Held in the seventh month, when all the fruits of the earth had been gathered in. Thus: 1. Every stage of labor was sanctified by the recognit…
The Pulpit Commentary on Deuteronomy 16:13-17
The Feast of Tabernacles-life a tented state. This was the third great festival, and it was after all the harvest and vintage had been gathered home. It was celebrated in the seventh month, from the fifteenth day to the…
The Pulpit Commentary on Deuteronomy 16:13-15
The Feast of Tabernacles, properly, Booths (cf. Leviticus 23:33-44; Numbers 29:12-38). This feast was to be observed at the end of harvest, after the corn had been gathered into granaries, and the produce of the vineyar…
The Pulpit Commentary on Deuteronomy 16:13-17
The Feast of Tabernacles, or of Ingathering. "The festival of tabernacles, as originally instituted, presents but little symbolism. Its primary design was to give expression to joy and gratitude in view of the products…
Matthew Henry on Deuteronomy 16:18-22
Care is taken for the due administration of justice. All personal regards must be laid aside, so that right is done to all, and wrong to none. Care is taken to prevent following the idolatrous customs of the heathen. No…
Matthew Henry on Deuteronomy 16:18-22
Here is, I. Care taken for the due administration of justice among them, that controversies might be determined, matters in variance adjusted, the injured redressed, and the injurious punished. While they were encamped…
The Pulpit Commentary on Deuteronomy 16:18-22
The administration of justice. True religion is related to true morality as the parent is related to the child. God cares as much that right dispositions should prevail between man and man as between man and God. By an…
The Pulpit Commentary on Deuteronomy 16:18-20
Moses had at an earlier period appointed judges to settle disputes among the people, and had given instructions to them for the discharge of their duty (Exodus 18:1-27; Deuteronomy 1:12-18). Whilst the people were in th…
The Pulpit Commentary on Deuteronomy 16:18
Judges and officers. The "officers" (shoterim, writers) associated with the judges both in the earlier arrangements and in that which was to succeed were secretaries and clerks of court, and acted also as assessors and…
The Pulpit Commentary on Deuteronomy 16:18-20
(See Homily, De 10:17—11:1, "God no respecter of persons.") Deuteronomy 16:21, Deuteronomy 16:22 (See Homily, Deuteronomy 5:8-10, on "The second commandment," and also Homily, Deuteronomy 13:1-18; on "Temptations to ido…
The Pulpit Commentary on Deuteronomy 16:18-21
Model judges. I. JUDGES OCCUPY A HIGH AND RESPONSIBLE POSITION. 1. They are necessary. They require to be set up "in all thy gates … throughout thy tribes." 2. They represent God (Deuteronomy 1:17). They are called "god…
The Pulpit Commentary on Deuteronomy 16:18-20
Impartial judges. We have here the election of judges or magistrates laid down as a duty. In the election they are to secure impartial and incorruptible men. A bribe is not to be thought of by the judges—nor are they to…
The Pulpit Commentary on Deuteronomy 16:19
(Cf. Exodus 23:6, Exodus 23:8.) Respect persons (cf. Deuteronomy 1:17). Pervert the words [margin, matters] of the righteous; rather, the case or the cause of the righteous.
The Pulpit Commentary on Deuteronomy 16:20
That which is altogether just; literally, justice, justice. The repetition of the word is for the sake of emphasis, as in Genesis 14:10, "pits, pits," equal to full of pits. Deuteronomy 16:21, Deuteronomy 16:22 In all s…
The Pulpit Commentary on Deuteronomy 16:21
Thou shalt not plant thee a grove of any trees; thou shalt not plant, i.e. place or set up, an asherah of any wood. The asherah was an idol of wood in the form of a pillar, usually placed by the side of the altars of Ba…
The Pulpit Commentary on Deuteronomy 16:22
Any image; any pillar, etc. The Hebrew word ( מַצֵבָה, mazzebah) denotes generally any pillar or stone that is set up, whether as a memorial (Genesis 28:18), or as a sign (Exodus 24:4; Isaiah 19:19), or for purposes of…
Matthew Henry on Deuteronomy 17:1-7
No creature which had any blemish was to be offered in sacrifice to God. We are thus called to remember the perfect, pure, and spotless sacrifice of Christ, and reminded to serve God with the best of our abilities, time…
The Punishment of Idolatry. (b. c. 1451.)
THE PUNISHMENT OF IDOLATRY. (B. C. 1451.) Here is, I. A law for preserving the honour of God's worship, by providing that no creature that had any blemish should be offered in sacrifice to him, Deuteronomy 17:1. This ca…
Matthew Henry on Deuteronomy 17:8-13
Courts of judgment were to be set up in every city. Though their judgment had not the Divine authority of an oracle, it was the judgment of wise, prudent, experienced men, and had the advantage of a Divine promise.