Exodus 23:14 kjv

Three times thou shalt keep a feast unto me in the year.

Exodus 23:14 nkjv

"Three times you shall keep a feast to Me in the year:

Exodus 23:14 niv

"Three times a year you are to celebrate a festival to me.

Exodus 23:14 esv

"Three times in the year you shall keep a feast to me.

Exodus 23:14 nlt

"Each year you must celebrate three festivals in my honor.

Exodus 23 verses

Exodus 23 14 Meaning

Exodus 23:14 commands the Israelites to observe three pilgrimage festivals annually for the Lord. This was a fundamental requirement of their covenant relationship with God, signifying His ownership and their continuous dependence and worship.

Exodus 23 14 Context

Exodus 23:14 is part of the "Covenant Code" (Exo 20:22 – 23:33), which elaborates on the Ten Commandments given at Mount Sinai. Following general social and legal directives (like justice, honesty, sabbath keeping for the land and servants), this verse transitions to the specific religious observances required of the nascent nation of Israel. It lays down a foundational command regarding their annual worship calendar, immediately preceding the detailed explanation of each of the three mandatory pilgrim feasts in verses 15-17. The command for pilgrimage reinforced monotheistic worship of Yahweh alone, distinct from polytheistic Canaanite practices and ensured the spiritual and national unity of Israel by requiring common gatherings at a central sanctuary (eventually Jerusalem).

Exodus 23 14 Word analysis

• Three times (שָׁלֹשׁ פְּעָמִים, shalosh pe'amim):

  • שָׁלֹשׁ (shalosh): The numeral "three."
  • פְּעָמִים (pe'amim): Plural of פַּעַם (pa'am), meaning "time" or "footstep." Denotes distinct instances or repetitions.
  • Significance: This precise number underscores the mandatory and regular nature of these specific annual pilgrimages. In biblical numerology, "three" often indicates completeness, divine activity, or emphasis, setting these three festivals apart as uniquely commanded.

• in the year (בַּשָּׁנָה, ba-shanah):

  • בַּ (ba-): Preposition "in" or "within."
  • שָּׁנָה (shanah): "Year," referring to the full annual cycle from spring to spring (or harvest to harvest).
  • Significance: Establishes the annual periodicity of these observances. They are not one-time events but regular, cyclical appointments within the Israelites' lives, marking time by God's commands.

• you shall keep (תָּחֹגּ, tachog):

  • From the root חגג (chagag), meaning "to celebrate a feast," "to observe a festival," or specifically "to go in pilgrimage" or "to perform a circuit/dance."
  • Significance: This verb implies more than just a passive observance. It signifies an active, joyous celebration and pilgrimage, often involving a journey to a central place of worship. It speaks to the physicality and communal nature of these festivals, requiring presence and participation. This verb is uniquely tied to the three major pilgrimage festivals.

• a feast (חַג, chag):

  • A masculine noun derived from the verb chagag. It specifically refers to the three pilgrimage festivals: Unleavened Bread (Passover), Weeks (Pentecost), and Booths (Tabernacles).
  • Significance: Differentiates these from other religious gatherings or sacrifices. A chag is inherently a time of joy, pilgrimage, and corporate worship before the Lord, marking specific points in the agricultural calendar but reinterpreted to remember God's historical acts of salvation.

• to Me (לִי, li):

  • לְ (le-): Preposition "to" or "for."
  • י (i): The first-person singular possessive suffix, "My" or "Me."
  • Significance: This critical phrase emphasizes the divine focus and purpose of these feasts. They are for the Lord alone. This is a direct polemic against contemporary pagan practices, where festivals were celebrated for various gods, fertility spirits, or ancestral deities. By explicitly stating "to Me," God establishes Himself as the sole object of worship and gratitude for both agricultural bounty and historical deliverance. It signifies divine proprietorship and sovereignty.

• Words-group analysis:

  • "Three times in the year you shall keep a feast": This phrase encapsulates the rhythm and duty of Israel's corporate worship. It highlights regularity (annual), specificity (three distinct times), and the active, celebratory nature (keep a feast/pilgrimage). This command created a communal calendar centered around remembering God's provisions and redemptive acts.
  • "a feast to Me": This crucial addition reveals the ultimate recipient and purpose of these celebrations. They were not mere cultural rituals or agricultural rites for good harvests, but acts of devoted worship and gratitude directed specifically to Yahweh, establishing His singular authority and distinguishing Israelite worship from all other forms in the ancient Near East. It binds the communal observance directly to the divine-human covenant.

Exodus 23 14 Bonus section

The institution of these three major pilgrimage festivals provided a comprehensive theological and practical framework for Israel's religious life:

• Educational Purpose: They served as powerful pedagogical tools, especially for children. During the festivals, parents would recount God's redemptive acts (Deut 6:20-25), ensuring that future generations understood their history and the covenant obligations.
• Agricultural Cycle Integration: While fundamentally about remembering God's acts, their placement coincided with key agricultural milestones, demonstrating that Yahweh was the true provider of crops and blessing, thereby discrediting pagan fertility cults that claimed to control harvest.
• Prophetic Shadowing: The New Testament reveals that these festivals prefigured greater realities found in Jesus Christ and the New Covenant. For example, Passover points to Christ as the sacrificial Lamb, the Feast of Weeks (Pentecost) to the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, and the Feast of Booths (Tabernacles) points to Christ dwelling among His people and the ultimate dwelling of God with humanity.
• Community Building: The pilgrimages involved arduous travel and significant expense for families, yet they were mandated because of their immense value in cementing social bonds, reinforcing shared identity, and preventing isolated worship which could easily deviate from pure Yahwism.

Exodus 23 14 Commentary

Exodus 23:14 lays the foundational command for Israel's unique liturgical year. It establishes the principle of three annual pilgrimage festivals that mandated the attendance of all Israelite males (as further specified in subsequent verses like 23:17). This commandment was not arbitrary; it served multiple critical purposes for the young nation.

Firstly, it was an act of worship and obedience directed solely "to Me," distinguishing Israel's faith from the polytheism rampant in the ancient Near East. These feasts, while tied to the agricultural cycle (unleavened bread and firstfruits in spring, harvest in summer, ingathering in autumn), were fundamentally reoriented to commemorate God's redemptive history: the Exodus from Egypt, the giving of the Law and provision in the wilderness, and future deliverance.

Secondly, these compulsory gatherings fostered national unity and identity. By coming together at a central sanctuary, different tribes and families reinforced their shared history, common faith, and singular allegiance to Yahweh. It ensured regular spiritual instruction and reinforcement of the covenant, reminding each generation of God's mighty acts on their behalf.

Lastly, the command for joyous observance (tachog) implied active, wholehearted participation rather than mere ritual. It cultivated a sense of community, shared blessing, and reliance on God as the true source of all provision, both physical and spiritual. This verse therefore sets the stage for a comprehensive system of worship designed to shape Israel into a distinct people set apart for God.

Examples of practical usage:

• Emphasizes the importance of regular, corporate worship in a believer's life.
• Reminds us that true worship is directed solely to God, not to tradition or personal preference.
• Highlights how even everyday aspects (like harvests) should be understood as blessings from God, prompting thanksgiving.