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CHAPTER XVI
The month of Abib to be observed, 1. The feast of the passover and of unleavened bread, 2-8. The feast of weeks, 9- 12. The feast of tabernacles, 13-15. All the males to appear before the Lord thrice in the year, none to come empty, each to give according to his ability, 16, 17. Judges and officers to be made in all their cities, 18. Strict justice shall be executed, 19, 20. No grove to be planted near the altar of God, nor any image to be set up, 21, 22.
NOTES ON CHAP. XVI
Verse 1. "Keep the passover" - A feast so called because the angel that destroyed the firstborn of the Egyptians, seeing the blood of the appointed sacrifice sprinkled on the lintels and door-posts of the Israelites' houses, passed over THEM, and did not destroy any of their firstborn. See the notes on "Exod. xii. 2", See "Exod. xii. 3", &c.
Verse 3. "Bread of affliction" - Because, being baked without leaven, it was unsavoury, and put them in mind of their afflictive bondage in Egypt.
Verse 11. "Thou shalt rejoice" - The offerings of the Israelites were to be eaten with festivity, communicated to their friends with liberality, and bestowed on the poor with great generosity, that they might partake with them in these repasts with joy before the Lord. To answer these views it was necessary to eat the flesh while it was fresh, as in that climate putrefaction soon took place; therefore they were commanded to let nothing remain until the morning, ver. 4. This consideration is sufficient to account for the command here, without having recourse to those moral and evangelical reasons that are assigned by the learned and devout Mr. Ainsworth for the command. How beneficent and cheerful is the design of this institution! - Harmer, vol. i., p. 396.
Verse 16. "Three times in a year" - See "Exod. xxiii. 14", where all the Jewish feasts are explained. See also "Lev. xxiii. 34".
Verse 18. "Judges and officers shalt thou make" - JUDGES, µyfp shophetim, among the Hebrews, were probably the same as our magistrates or justices of the peace. OFFICERS, µyrf shoterim, seem to have been the same as our inquest sergeants, beadles, &c., whose office it was to go into the houses, shops, &c., and examine weights, measures, and the civil conduct of the people. When they found any thing amiss, they brought the person offending before the magistrate, and he was punished by the officer on the spot. They seem also to have acted as heralds in the army, chap. xx. 5. See also Rab. Maimon in Sanhedrin. In China, for all minor offenses, the person when found guilty is punished on the spot, in the presence of the magistrate or mandarin of justice.
