Deuteronomy 16 6

Deuteronomy 16:6 kjv

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, at the season that thou camest forth out of Egypt.

Deuteronomy 16:6 nkjv

but at the place where the LORD your God chooses to make His name abide, there you shall sacrifice the Passover at twilight, at the going down of the sun, at the time you came out of Egypt.

Deuteronomy 16:6 niv

except in the place he will choose as a dwelling for his Name. There you must sacrifice the Passover in the evening, when the sun goes down, on the anniversary of your departure from Egypt.

Deuteronomy 16:6 esv

but at the place that the LORD your God will choose, to make his name dwell in it, there you shall offer the Passover sacrifice, in the evening at sunset, at the time you came out of Egypt.

Deuteronomy 16:6 nlt

You must offer it only at the designated place of worship ? the place the LORD your God chooses for his name to be honored. Sacrifice it there in the evening as the sun goes down on the anniversary of your exodus from Egypt.

Deuteronomy 16 verses

Deuteronomy 16 6 Meaning

Deuteronomy 16:6 mandates that the Passover sacrifice must be performed exclusively at the divinely chosen central location where the LORD, your God, establishes His Name. The specific timing is precisely in the evening, at sunset, aligning with the historically appointed moment of Israel's deliverance from Egypt. This verse emphasizes exclusive, centralized worship of Yahweh and a communal remembrance of their foundational redemption.

Deuteronomy 16 6 Context

Deuteronomy chapter 16 focuses on the regulations for the three annual pilgrimage festivals: Passover and Unleavened Bread (Pesach and Mazzot), the Feast of Weeks (Shavuot), and the Feast of Booths (Sukkot). These festivals required all Israelite males to present themselves before the LORD at the single, central worship place He would choose. The immediate context of verse 6 specifies the requirements for the Passover observance, reinforcing the broader Deuteronomic theme of worship centralization found repeatedly throughout chapters 12-26. Historically, this command anticipated the establishment of a fixed sanctuary (first the tabernacle, then the temple in Jerusalem) after the Israelites settled in the promised land, directly contrasting with the widespread polytheistic practices of the Canaanites who worshipped their deities at multiple local shrines ("high places").

Deuteronomy 16 6 Word analysis

• but at the place: Hebrew "כִּי אִם־ אֶל־ הַמָּקוֹם" (ki im el ha-maqom). The Hebrew 'ki im' intensifies, meaning "but only at the place," strongly emphasizing exclusivity. This counters the pagan tendency for scattered shrines and promotes unity and purity of worship.
• the LORD your God chooses: Hebrew "אֲשֶׁר יִבְחַר יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ" (asher yivchar YHWH Eloheikha). This highlights divine initiative in selecting the worship site, not human preference. It underscores God's sovereignty and authority over Israel's religious life, a crucial polemic against the arbitrary selection of sacred sites in pagan religions. The choice is His, reinforcing monotheism and distinctness.
• to make his name dwell there: Hebrew "לְשַׁכֵּן שְׁמוֹ שָׁם" (l'shakken sh'mo sham). This phrase is foundational to Deuteronomic theology. God's "Name" (שֵׁם, shem) represents His manifested presence, character, authority, and essence, rather than God Himself being confined physically. It allows God to be immanent and accessible to His people while maintaining His transcendence and holiness, preventing any notion of Him being localized like a pagan idol.
• you shall sacrifice the Passover: Hebrew "תִּזְבַּח אֶת־ הַפָּסַח" (tizbach et ha-pesach). This is a direct, imperative command concerning a specific, annual sacrifice. The "Passover" (pesach) is both the name of the festival and the lamb sacrificed, serving as a powerful reminder of God's saving act.
• at evening, at the going down of the sun: Hebrew "בָּעֶרֶב כְּבוֹא הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ" (ba-erev k'vo ha-shemesh). "At evening" is further clarified by "at the going down of the sun" (literally "at the coming of the sun"). This pinpoints the precise time: twilight, the transition from day to night, which marked the beginning of the 14th day of Nisan in the Hebrew calendar. This rigid timing emphasizes adherence to divine ritual.
• at the appointed time: Hebrew "מוֹעֵד" (mo'ed). This term means "appointed time," "season," or "festival." It refers to a divinely ordained calendar occasion, signifying its fixed, sacred nature and reinforcing Israel's obedient participation in God's redemptive timeline.
• that you came out of Egypt: Hebrew "צֵאתְךָ מִמִּצְרָיִם" (tzetkha mi-mitzrayim). This directly connects the ritual of Passover to its historical redemptive event, the Exodus. It grounds the liturgical practice in a foundational act of God's deliverance, making the sacrifice a perpetual memorial.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "but at the place that the LORD your God chooses, to make his name dwell there": This phrase encapsulates the central doctrine of worship centralization unique to Deuteronomic law. It prevents syncretism and ensures the purity of Israel's relationship with Yahweh by directing all major worship and sacrifice to one sanctified location. This fosters national unity and religious distinctiveness.
• "you shall sacrifice the Passover at evening, at the going down of the sun": This segment dictates the critical ritual action and its exact timing. It underscores the importance of precise obedience to divine command in cultic practice, linking the sacrificial act directly to God's precise instruction and the Jewish calendrical system. The "Passover" itself is a core ritual identity marker for Israel.
• "at the appointed time that you came out of Egypt": This links the prescribed ritual to its historical root. The Exodus event is the very foundation of Israel's identity and covenant relationship with God. The Passover is not merely a ritual but a communal reenactment and remembrance of God's redemptive power, fostering gratitude and perpetuating the memory of deliverance for future generations.

Deuteronomy 16 6 Bonus section

The Deuteronomic command for a singular place of worship served several crucial functions beyond merely regulating sacrifice:

1. Unity and Identity: It acted as a unifying force for the geographically dispersed tribes, ensuring all major national festivals were celebrated communally, reinforcing shared history and identity.
2. Heresy Prevention: It was a safeguard against syncretism and idolatry by centralizing cultic practices, making it harder for foreign religious practices to infiltrate. It prevented the blending of YHWH worship with Canaanite Baal worship, which often occurred at local high places.
3. Priestly Authority: It established and legitimized the Levitical priesthood as the sole administrators of central worship, ensuring doctrinal integrity and discouraging unauthorized, illegitimate worship forms.
4. Moral Distinction: The clean worship practices at the central sanctuary stood in stark contrast to the immoral, child-sacrificing rituals associated with many pagan cults, emphasizing Israel's holiness.
5. Typological Significance: The concept of God choosing a place "for His Name to dwell" foreshadowed not just the Temple, but ultimately pointed to Christ, in whom "all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell" (Col 1:19), making Him the new focal point of true worship. The New Covenant worship is no longer restricted to a physical temple or mountain (John 4:21-24) but occurs in spirit and truth, centered on the Person of Jesus.

Deuteronomy 16 6 Commentary

Deuteronomy 16:6 is a foundational statement emphasizing the regulated, centralized worship of Yahweh. It dictates not just what should be done (sacrifice the Passover) but where and when, underscoring God's ultimate authority over all aspects of Israelite life and worship. The command to sacrifice only at "the place the LORD your God chooses, to make his name dwell there" directly challenged the prevailing polytheistic practices of the Ancient Near East, which often involved localized, decentralized worship of multiple deities. This Deuteronomic principle fostered religious unity and preserved Israel's unique identity as God's covenant people. The emphasis on "His Name dwelling there" conveys God's active, manifested presence without physically confining the infinite God to a building, safeguarding His transcendence. The precise timing ("at evening, at the going down of the sun") ties the ritual to the historical event of the Exodus, ensuring that the act of worship always remained deeply rooted in the remembrance of God's redemptive power and Israel's deliverance from bondage. This precise, divinely ordained annual festival ensured that Israel's identity and their covenant relationship with God were constantly refreshed through communal memory and obedient worship. In a profound New Testament fulfillment, Christ became our Passover lamb (1 Cor 5:7), not sacrificed at a specific earthly place for physical salvation, but at Golgotha, making Himself the ultimate "place" where God's Name truly dwells, allowing all who believe to come into His presence and remember a greater deliverance from sin and death.