Deuteronomy 16 1

Deuteronomy 16:1 kjv

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.

Deuteronomy 16:1 nkjv

"Observe the month of Abib, and keep the Passover to the LORD your God, for in the month of Abib the LORD your God brought you out of Egypt by night.

Deuteronomy 16:1 niv

Observe the month of Aviv and celebrate the Passover of the LORD your God, because in the month of Aviv he brought you out of Egypt by night.

Deuteronomy 16:1 esv

"Observe the month of Abib and keep the Passover to the LORD your God, for in the month of Abib the LORD your God brought you out of Egypt by night.

Deuteronomy 16:1 nlt

"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.

Deuteronomy 16 verses

Deuteronomy 16 1 Meaning

Deuteronomy 16:1 issues a divine command to the Israelites, enjoining them to "observe" the month of Abib and "keep" the Passover festival in honor of the Lord their God. The verse explicitly states the profound reason for this perpetual observance: in that very month, the Lord their God supernaturally delivered them from their enslavement in Egypt, leading them out "by night" through His mighty hand. This command establishes a direct link between a pivotal historical redemptive act and a fundamental religious obligation, ensuring the memory and significance of the Exodus remain central to Israel's national and spiritual identity.

Deuteronomy 16 1 Context

Deuteronomy 16:1 initiates Moses's instructions regarding the annual pilgrimage festivals (Passover, Weeks, and Booths) to be observed by Israel in the Promised Land. This section is part of Moses's second address to the Israelites, delivered just before their entry into Canaan. Within the broader literary structure of Deuteronomy, chapters 12-26 outline specific laws that govern Israel's life in the land, following the recounting of God's covenant with Israel and the giving of the Ten Commandments. The command to observe Passover here is given with an understanding that Israel will now have a central place of worship ("the place the Lord your God will choose") for its major communal celebrations, a departure from the earlier instructions for household observance during the initial Exodus. Historically, these commands aim to instill national unity and perpetual remembrance of God's redemptive acts, setting Israel apart from the surrounding pagan nations whose festivals were often tied to natural cycles and idol worship. The verse highlights that Israel's identity is founded not merely on natural events but on divine intervention.

Deuteronomy 16 1 Word analysis

• "Observe" (שָׁמוֹר - Shamor): This is a Hebrew infinitive absolute form of the verb "shamar," conveying strong emphasis, persistence, and thoroughness. It means much more than just "to keep" or "to perform." It implies a careful guarding, watching, or diligent preservation of the commandment. It calls for active vigilance, an ongoing internal and external commitment, lest the people forget or disregard God's instructions and deeds. It signifies the seriousness and sacredness of the duty.
• "month of Abib" (חֹדֶשׁ הָאָבִיב - Chodesh Ha'Aviv): "Chodesh" means "month." "Abib" literally means "ear of grain" or "young tender ear." It refers to the time in spring when the barley grains begin to ripen, signifying the beginning of the harvest season in ancient Israel. This was originally a descriptive agricultural term. Later, this month became known as Nisan in the post-exilic Babylonian calendar (Esth 3:7). God explicitly tied this major festival to a specific natural season but importantly provided a supernatural, redemptive reason for its observance, thereby distinguishing it from pagan spring festivals focused purely on fertility rites for a good harvest.
• "keep the Passover" (עָשָׂה פֶּסַח - Asah Pesakh): "Asah" means "to do," "to make," or "to perform." "Pesakh" (Passover) denotes "to pass over" or "to skip over," referencing the night in Egypt when the angel of death "passed over" the houses of the Israelites marked with the blood of the lamb. The act of "keeping" or "making" the Passover involves specific rituals detailed in Exodus 12, including the sacrifice of a lamb, the eating of unleavened bread, and bitter herbs. This is not merely a memorial; it is a ritual reenactment that serves to continuously infuse the historical event with contemporary spiritual meaning for each generation.
• "to the Lord your God" (לַיהוה אֱלֹהֶיךָ - laYHWH Eloheykha): This phrase emphasizes the exclusive and personal relationship Israel has with God. "YHWH" (often translated as LORD in English Bibles) is the covenant name of God, highlighting His self-existence and His faithfulness to His promises. "Eloheykha" (your God) establishes a possessive, covenantal bond, reminding the Israelites that this God is uniquely theirs, who chose them and redeemed them. The festival is directed towards Him, affirming His sovereignty and deserving of their worship.
• "for in the month of Abib the Lord your God brought you out of Egypt by night": This clause provides the raison d'être for the command. It grounds the ritual in a specific, historical act of divine salvation. The emphasis is on God's direct agency ("the Lord your God brought you out").
• "by night" (לַיְלָה - laylah): This detail highlights the dramatic and urgent nature of the Exodus. It points to the specific time of the tenth plague (Exod 12:29-30), God's decisive intervention, and the hasty departure of Israel, demonstrating God's sovereign control even over the darkest hours and His power to act swiftly and decisively on behalf of His people. It also signifies the unexpected, supernatural breaking through of light in darkness.

Deuteronomy 16 1 Bonus section

The emphasis on observing Passover in "the month of Abib" and specifically linking it to the Exodus "by night" underscored God's precise timing and unique intervention. This detail helped counter any syncretistic tendencies by firmly grounding the festival in divine history rather than merely adopting a pagan spring festival. It transformed a natural season into a sacred one, permeated by divine acts. The shift in Deuteronomy to requiring a centralized place of worship ("the place the Lord your God will choose") for Passover, as opposed to the initial household observance in Egypt, signaled a mature, national identity for Israel. It mandated a communal expression of faith and a physical pilgrimage that strengthened tribal unity around the single Yahweh worship site. This focus on centralizing worship in Deuteronomy also provided an indirect polemic against idolatry prevalent among the Canaanites, ensuring devotion was exclusively given to the Lord their God.

Deuteronomy 16 1 Commentary

Deuteronomy 16:1 is a foundational command establishing the centrality of the Passover festival in Israelite worship and identity. It is not simply a historical remembrance but a divinely ordained, ongoing practice (a perpetual statute as called in Exodus 12:14). The meticulous command to "observe" in the "month of Abib" connects the agricultural rhythms of Israel's existence with their sacred history, demonstrating that Yahweh is Lord over both creation and human history. By linking the observance directly to "the Lord your God" bringing them "out of Egypt by night," the verse powerfully reminds Israel that their very freedom, nationhood, and covenant relationship are entirely dependent on God's initiative and saving power. This contrasts sharply with the seasonal festivals of pagan nations, which aimed to appease or coerce deities for agricultural bounty; Israel's festival looks backward in grateful memory and forward in trust of their Redeemer-God. The New Testament illuminates how this "Passover" finds its ultimate fulfillment in Jesus Christ, who became the perfect Passover Lamb (1 Cor 5:7), securing a far greater spiritual deliverance from the bondage of sin and death. Thus, this verse resonates as a call for all generations of God's people to continually remember and celebrate their redemption.