Exodus 23:17 kjv

Three items in the year all thy males shall appear before the LORD God.

Exodus 23:17 nkjv

"Three times in the year all your males shall appear before the Lord GOD.

Exodus 23:17 niv

"Three times a year all the men are to appear before the Sovereign LORD.

Exodus 23:17 esv

Three times in the year shall all your males appear before the Lord GOD.

Exodus 23:17 nlt

At these three times each year, every man in Israel must appear before the Sovereign, the LORD.

Exodus 23 verses

Exodus 23 17 Meaning

Exodus 23:17 establishes a mandatory religious duty for all Israelite males to journey to the central sanctuary three times annually. These journeys coincided with the three major pilgrimage festivals: the Feast of Unleavened Bread (Passover), the Feast of Harvest (Weeks or Pentecost), and the Feast of Ingathering (Tabernacles or Booths). This commandment underscored Israel's covenant obligations, requiring active and regular communal worship in the presence of the Lord GOD, affirming His sole sovereignty and their complete dependence on Him.

Exodus 23 17 Context

Exodus 23:17 is the culminating verse of a section (Exod 23:14-17) within the "Book of the Covenant" (Exod 20:22 - 23:33). This section elaborates on the second commandment's prohibition against idolatry and establishes Israel's foundational worship practices. The preceding verses (14-16) briefly mention the three feasts, and verse 17 consolidates the requirement for male attendance. Historically, this command shaped the religious life of ancient Israel, demanding regular communal gathering at a single, divinely chosen sanctuary, fostering unity and a unique identity centered around Yahweh amidst surrounding pagan cultures with multiple gods and localized shrines.

Exodus 23 17 Word analysis

• Three times: Hebrew: shalosh p'amim (שָׁלֹשׁ פְּעָמִים). This phrase signifies a specific, fixed number of mandatory occasions. The number three often holds theological significance in biblical contexts, conveying emphasis or completeness. Here, it denotes an irreducible requirement, underscoring the importance and frequency of this communal act of worship.

• in the year: Hebrew: bashanah (בַּשָּׁנָה). This specifies an annual cycle, meaning the requirement recurs every year without fail. It reinforces the regularity and consistency expected in their devotion to God, integrating their faith into the very rhythm of their lives and agricultural cycle.

• all your males: Hebrew: kol zekhur'kha (כָּל־זְכוּרְךָ). This refers to every physically capable Israelite male, typically adult men who were heads of households or representatives thereof. While women and children were permitted and often attended these feasts, the direct divine command for appearance fell specifically on the males. This placed a unique responsibility upon them as the covenant heads to ensure the family's participation and to represent their household before God.

• shall appear: Hebrew: yēra'eh (יֵרָאֶה), the Niphal stem (passive-reflexive) of the verb ra'ah (רָאָה - to see). This precise grammatical form means "shall be seen," or "shall cause oneself to be seen/appear." It conveys that they are to present themselves or show themselves before God, implying an act of worship, submission, and accountability. It highlights that the initiative is from God (He is the one who "sees" them) but requires human obedience in making themselves present at His designated dwelling place. It avoids theologically problematic implications of humans "seeing" God's full glory directly, aligning with the teaching that one cannot see God's face and live (Exod 33:20).

• before the Lord GOD: Hebrew: lipnê hā'Adōn YHWH (לִפְנֵי הָאָדֹן יְהוָה). "Before" signifies coming into the sacred presence of an authority figure. Adon (אָדוֹן) emphasizes God as the Master and Sovereign, indicating His supreme authority and ownership over His people. YHWH (יְהוָה) is the sacred covenant name of God, revealing Him as the faithful, self-existent One who enters into relationship with Israel. The full phrase designates a direct, personal encounter with the supreme divine Ruler in a designated holy space.

• Words-group: "Three times in the year all your males shall appear": This phrase combines the elements of obligation, regularity, and specific demographic responsibility. It emphasizes that this was not an optional attendance but a core, recurring requirement for the men of Israel, vital for maintaining the national covenant.

• Words-group: "appear before the Lord GOD": This grouping highlights the ultimate purpose of the pilgrimage: to present oneself humbly and reverently in the holy presence of their sovereign, covenant-keeping God. It establishes a direct divine encounter, setting Israel's worship apart from localized idol worship and emphasizing their exclusive relationship with the one true Yahweh.

Exodus 23 17 Bonus section

The command for males to appear "before the Lord GOD" implicitly highlights the theological challenge for Israel: how could sinful people stand in the presence of a holy God? This concept would later be fully addressed through the Levitical sacrificial system and ultimately in the New Testament through the atoning work of Jesus Christ, who makes it possible to approach God's throne of grace with confidence (Heb 4:16). Furthermore, the security promise often accompanying this command (e.g., Exod 34:24, "No one shall covet your land when you go up to appear before the LORD your God three times in the year") reassured the men that God would protect their land and families in their absence, demonstrating divine provision and emphasizing faith as integral to obedience.

Exodus 23 17 Commentary

Exodus 23:17 is a cornerstone command for the corporate worship life of ancient Israel. By mandating that all Israelite males present themselves at the central sanctuary thrice yearly for the designated festivals, God solidified His claim over His people's time, resources, and devotion. This obligation was not merely ceremonial; it served as a regular, tangible reaffirmation of the covenant, reminding each generation of God's redemptive acts (Passover, Weeks, Tabernacles all commemorate historical and agricultural deliverance). It fostered a national unity, ensuring that the tribes gathered, shared in worship, and received communal instruction from the Levitical priests. This consistent communal gathering under the eye of the "Lord GOD" prevented tribal isolation, ensured the spread of monotheistic doctrine against polytheistic influences, and reinforced Israel's unique identity as a people set apart for Yahweh. While the physical pilgrimage to a central sanctuary has found its spiritual fulfillment in Christ—who provides the ultimate access to God's presence and for whom all shadows point—the principle of corporate worship, obedience, and honoring God with one's life remains central to biblical faith.