The Pulpit Commentary — Deuteronomy — Section 275

EXPOSITION. reference to the eating of unleavened bread CHAPTEil XVI. for seven days "therewith," i.e. with the CELEBnATION OF TIIE PASSOVER FESTr'l'AL, Passover. The o.nimo.l for the Paschal supper was expressly prescribed to be e. yearling of THE FEAST OF PENTECOST AND OF TABER- the sheep or of the goo.ta (;,\?), and this wo.e NACLES. .APPOINTMENT OF OFFICERS FOR to be consumed at one meo.l; but on the THE ADMU.'ISTRATION OF JUSTICE AND PRE- other days of the festive.I the flesh of other YENTION OF IDOLATRY. animals offered in sacrifice might be ea.ten. ,ers. 1-li.-(Comp. Exod. xriii.14-19: The term "Possover" here, accordingly, embraces the whole of the festive meals xxx.iv. 18, 22-26; Lev. xxiii. On the Pass- connected with the Passover proper-what o,cr, see Exod. xii.; xiii. 3-10.) The the rabbins call chagigah (Maimon., in' Kor- other in-cat festi mls of the Israelites, the ban Pesach,' e. x. § 12; cf. 2 Chron. xxxv. 7, Feast of Trumpets and the Day of Atone- etc.). ment, are not here referred to, because on Ver. 3.-Bree.d of e.:111.iction; bread such as these no assembling of the whole people is prepared in circumstances of trial and pres- sure, when there is no time or opportunity at the sanctuary was required, and such for the application of a.II the means required assembling is thf: point of view under which for the prepo.mtion of bread of the better ilie feasts are mainly regarded here. sort. 'l'he Israelites bad in he.ste and a.mid Vers. 1-7.-The Feast of the Passover. anxiety to prepare th1;1 ro.ssover meal on the Vers. I, 2.-The month of Abib (r-f. Exod. evening of their flight from Egypt, and so xii. 2; xxiii. 15). The time is rf:ferred to had to omit the leavening of their bread; as a date well known to the people. Keep and this usage they had to observe during the pB.BSOver; make (1;'~)!) or prepare the the seven days of the festival in subsequent pa.,;soter. This illjunction refers primarily times, to remind them of the oppression the to the preparaiiou of the Paschal lamb for nation had suffered in Egypt, and the cir- a festal meal (Numb. ix. 5); but here it is cumstances of difficulty and peril amidst med in a wider sense as referring to the which their ,leliveranco ho.d been effected. whole Paschal observance, which lasted for Ver. 4.-No leavened bread; properly, no seven days. Hence the mention of sheep leaveii (,t-:iz/) (ef. Exod. xii. 15). Not only (jtt~) and oxen (•PR) in ver. 2, and the was no leavened bread (n¥~) or dough  Oil, XVI, 1-22.] THE ROOK OF DEUTERONOMY. 271