Exodus 23:14-15
“Three times in the year you shall keep a feast to me. You shall keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread. As I commanded you, you shall eat unleavened bread for seven days at the appointed time in the month of Abib, for in it you came out of Egypt. None shall appear before me empty-handed.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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While the verse seems to command three specific festival times, the Hebrew word used ("regalim") literally means "feet" and refers to the journeys or pilgrimages themselves. This highlights that the core of these gatherings wasn't just marking a date, but the physical act of traveling to God's presence. It emphasizes that worship involves intentional movement and commitment, not just passive observance.
Following commands about justice and compassion, God institutes three annual festivals that all Israelite males must observe. These feasts, while already known, are now formally mandated as times to gather and worship God, marking the agricultural seasons and celebrating His deliverance. The specific timing and purpose of these gatherings are further detailed in the verses immediately following.
Imagine a nation-wide road trip, but with a divine destination. This verse calls for more than just a day trip; it's about intentional journeys that build faith and community.
God calls His people to gather for worship three times a year. These weren't just optional events; the Hebrew word for these feasts, hag, implies a pilgrimage, a journey to a central sanctuary. Every Israelite male was expected to make these journeys.
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Why did God command these regular celebrations? It wasn't just about following rules, but about embedding crucial memories into the heart of His people.
These three feasts were powerful reminders, weaving together Israel's past and present.
Understand the original words
chag · Hebrew Noun
A celebratory gathering or pilgrimage before the Lord, marking historical redemptive events and establishing the rhythm of covenant worship.
matzah · Hebrew Noun
A significant observance requiring the removal of yeast (leaven) from the home; it symbolizes the purity of the people and the haste of the exodus from Egyptian bondage.
abib · Hebrew Noun
The first month of the biblical year (later called Nisan), marking the beginning of spring and the time of the Passover/Exodus event; it signifies a new beginning for the nation of Israel.
reyqam · Hebrew Adverb
The requirement that worshipers bring an offering when appearing in God's presence; it signifies gratitude for God's provision and acknowledgement that all blessings belong to Him.
This passage reiterates the command for all males to appear before the Lord three times a year, emphasizing that they should not come empty-handed, directly linking to the requirement of the feasts.
Leviticus 23:2-4This chapter outlines the sacred feasts of Israel, detailing the Passover, Feast of Unleavened Bread, Feast of Weeks (Pentecost), and Feast of Tabernacles, which are the three annual festivals mentioned in Exodus 23:14.
Numbers 15:37-41This passage, while not about feasts directly, speaks to the importance of remembering and obeying all of God's commandments, which directly applies to the observance of these annual festivals as a means of staying faithful.
Psalm 42:3This Psalm expresses a deep longing to appear before God, mirroring the heart of those who would travel to Jerusalem for the appointed feasts, showing the spiritual desire behind the physical gathering.
1 Corinthians 5:7-8This New Testament passage connects the Passover feast to Jesus Christ, the true Lamb of God, and calls believers to live with sincerity and truth, showing the fulfillment and spiritual application of the Old Testament feasts.
gillExodus 23:14: "Three times thou shalt keep a feast unto me in the year."
Three times thou shall keep a feast unto me in the year. The feast of the passover, on the fourteenth of the month Nisan or March; and the feast of weeks or pentecost fifty days after that; and the feast of tabernacles on the fifteenth day of Tisri or September.
calvinExodus 23:14-17: "Three times thou shalt keep a feast unto me in the year."
Thou shalt keep the feast of unleavened bread: (thou shalt eat unleavened bread seven days, as I commanded thee, in the time appointed of the month Abib; for in it thou camest out from Egypt: and none shall appear before me empty:)
Solennitatem azymorum custodies: septem diebus comedes infermentata, quemadmodum praecepi tibi tempore mensis Abib: quia in eo egressus es ex Aegypto: neque conspicientur coram me va…
While the verse seems to command three specific festival times, the Hebrew word used ("regalim") literally means "feet" and refers to the journeys or pilgrimages themselves. This highlights that the core of these gatherings wasn't just marking a date, but the physical act of traveling to God's presence. It emphasizes that worship involves intentional movement and commitment, not just passive observance.
Following commands about justice and compassion, God institutes three annual festivals that all Israelite males must observe. These feasts, while already known, are now formally mandated as times to gather and worship God, marking the agricultural seasons and celebrating His deliverance. The specific timing and purpose of these gatherings are further detailed in the verses immediately following.
Following commands about justice and compassion, God institutes three annual festivals that all Israelite males must observe. These feasts, while already known, are now formally mandated as times to gather and worship God, marking the agricultural seasons and celebrating His deliverance. The specific timing and purpose of these gatherings are further detailed in the verses immediately following.
"“Three times in the year you shall keep a feast to me. You shall keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread. As I commanded you, you shall eat unleavened bread for seven days at the appointed time in the month of Abib, for in it you came out of Eg…" — While the verse seems to command three specific festival times, the Hebrew word used ("regalim") literally means "feet" and refers to the journeys or pilgrimages themselves. This highlights that…
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