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简体中文
英語原文
In this chapter we have, I. A repetition of the laws concerning the three yearly feasts; in particular, that of the passover, De 16:1-8. That of pentecost, De 16:9-12. That of tabernacles, De 16:13-15. And the general law concerning the people's attendance on them, De 16:16,17. II. The institution of an inferior magistracy, and general rules of justice given to those that were called into office, De 16:18-20. III. A caveat against groves and images, De 16:21,22.
1-22
Yearly Release (1451 BC)
简体中文
每年当守的节期（主前1451年）
¹ 你要注意亚笔月，向耶和华你的神守逾越节；因为耶和华你的神在亚笔月夜间领你出了埃及。 ² 你当在耶和华所选择要立他名的居所，从牛群羊群中，将逾越节的祭牲献给耶和华你的神。 ³ 你吃这祭肉，不可吃有酵的饼；七日要与之同吃无酵饼，就是困苦饼——因你本是急急忙忙地出了埃及地——你一生一世都当记念你从埃及地出来的日子。 ⁴ 在你四境之内，七日不可见面酵；头一日晚上所献的肉，一点也不可留到早晨。 ⁵ 在耶和华你神所赐你的各城中，你不可献逾越节的祭； ⁶ 只当在耶和华你神所选择要立他名的居所，晚上日落的时候——乃是你出埃及的时候——献逾越节的祭。 ⁷ 当在耶和华你神所选择的居所，将祭肉烤了吃；到了早晨，你就回到自己的帐棚去。 ⁸ 你要吃无酵饼六日；第七日要向耶和华你的神守严肃会；不可作工。 ⁹ 你要计算七七日：从你开镰收割庄稼之时起，共计七七日。 ¹⁰ 你要照耶和华你神所赐你的福，手里拿着甘心祭，献给耶和华你的神，守七七节。 ¹¹ 你和你儿女、仆婢，并住在你城里的利未人，以及你们中间寄居的、孤儿、寡妇，都要在耶和华你神所选择立他名的居所，在耶和华你神面前欢乐。 ¹² 你也要记念你在埃及作过奴仆；也要谨守遵行这些律例。 ¹³ 你收藏了禾场和酒榨的出产之后，就要守七日的住棚节。 ¹⁴ 守节的时候，你和你儿女、仆婢，并住在你城里的利未人，以及寄居的、孤儿、寡妇，都要欢乐。 ¹⁵ 在耶和华所选择的地方，你当向耶和华你的神守节七日；因为耶和华你的神在你一切的土产和你手里所办的事上，赐福与你，你就大大地欢乐。 ¹⁶ 你所有的男丁，要在除酵节、七七节、住棚节，一年三次，在耶和华你神所选择的地方朝见他；却不可空手朝见耶和华； ¹⁷ 各人要按自己的力量，照耶和华你神所赐的福，奉献礼物。
神与祂百姓以色列之间许多的相交，乃因着每年的三个节期得以维持，信仰的容颜也得以在国内保存——这三个节期的设立及相关律法，我们此前已多次遇见；此处又加以重申。
I\. 逾越节之律法——它是一项极其隆重的典礼，乃至它所在的那个月份也因之而显得重要：『你要注意亚笔月』，申16:1。虽然这月只有一个礼拜要守为节期，但他们之前的预备当如此庄重，其后的反思与运用也当如此认真，以至于等于守了全月。亚笔月——迦勒底意译本译为『初熟之果的月』——相当于我们的三月（或部分三月和部分四月）；神特为记念以色列人出埃及的拯救，吩咐以此月为『一年之首』（出12:2），而在此以前，一年是从九月起算的。他们当在此月守逾越节，为记念他们『夜间被领出埃及』，申16:1。迦勒底意译本解作：『因为他们白天出了埃及』——因为有明令不可在早晨以前出门，出12:22。其中一位如此解释：『祂领你出埃及，在夜间行了奇事。』另一位则说：『你当在夜间吃逾越节的筵席。』关于此节期的律法是：1. 他们必须务必在神所选择的地方献逾越节的祭（申16:2），不在别处，申16:5-7。逾越节本身就是献祭；所以基督作为我们的逾越节，被称为『已经为我们被杀献祭了』（林前5:7）；并且节期七日之内还要献许多别的祭（民28:19等），这些都包括在内——因为经上说是『从牛群羊群中』献，而逾越节本身只是从羊群中——或是羊羔，或是山羊羔：如今除了那使之成圣的祭坛以外，再无祭可蒙悦纳；所以他们必须上到祭坛所在之处——因为虽然逾越节的羊羔全归主人吃，却必须在院内宰杀，血要弹在坛上，内脏要在坛上焚烧。将他们限于所定的准则之内，是因他们若获准在各城门口献这些祭，就易于偏离正则，引入自己的愚妄发明，脱离祭司的监督。他们也由此受引导，在节期中专一仰望神，『心向着记念祂的名』，因为他们奉命到祂所『选择立祂名』的地方聚集，申16:2,6。但节期一过，他们就可以『回到自己的帐棚』，申16:7。有人以为他们若愿意，可以在逾越节羊羔被杀被吃的次晨返回，因为祭司和利未人足以办理这一周其余的事；但七日的第一日并非他们散去之日——它明明被定为『圣会』（利23:7,民28:18）；所以我们当照约拿单意译本所解：『节期结束后的早晨，你当回到你的各城。』当时的惯例是整整一周都聚在一起，代下35:17。2. 他们必须吃无酵饼七日，四境之内不可见有酵的饼，申16:3,4,8。他们所限于当吃的饼，此处称为『困苦饼』，因为它既不合口味，又不易消化，所以恰宜表明他们在为奴之中内心的沉重，并使他们记念出来时的匆促——情势急迫到他们甚至不能等所带来的面发酵。犹太作者告诉我们，逾越节筵席的惯例是：家长掰开这无酵饼，分给各人一片，说：『这是（即：这是表明、代表、或记念——这话正解释了我们救主所说的『这是我的身体』）你们的祖宗在埃及地所吃的困苦饼。』使徒在林前5:7 给我们指明了这无酵节之筵的福音意义。『基督我们的逾越节已经被杀献祭了』，我们既有分于那祭所赐的福分而得安慰，就当『守节』——以圣洁的行事为人，脱离对弟兄的『恶毒的酵』和对神的假冒为善，并以真诚和爱心的『无酵饼』而守。最后请注意关于逾越节设立之目的：『使你一生一世都记念你从埃及出来的日子』——不仅是在逾越节当日，或在节期的七日之内，更是『你一生的所有日子』（申16:3），作为常常激发顺服的动力。如此我们也在某些时候记念基督受死的纪念，为要在所有时候都记念它，作为我们『向那为我们死而复活的主活』的理由。
II\. 逾越节之后七周，当守五旬节——此处指示他们：1. 当从何时起计算七周——『从你开镰收割庄稼之时起』（申16:9），就是除酵节第一日的次日起；因为那一日（虽然百姓大概要等节期过后才开始收割）要差人去割一捆大麦，作为初熟的果子献给神，利23:10。有人以为这暗示神的安排对他们的地在天气上有特别的眷顾，使他们的庄稼总是在同一时候成熟、预备好可以开镰。2. 他们当怎样守这节期。（1）他们当『向神献供物』，申16:10。此处称之为『甘心祭的贡物』。这是作为对他们至尊的主和业主——他们在祂之下持有他们一切所有的——所献的贡物而要求的；但又因律法并未规定数量，而是留待各人随己意奉献，且凡所献的都当甘心乐意，所以称之为『甘心祭』。这是为感谢神在他们五谷收割完毕之时所施的怜悯而作的感恩之祭，所以当『照神所赐的福』而献。神在哪里丰富地撒种，就期望在哪里照样收割。（2）他们当在神面前欢乐，申16:11。圣洁的喜乐乃是感恩赞美的灵魂，而赞美则是圣洁喜乐的语言与发表。他们当为从神所领受的喜乐，也为向神所献的事奉和祭物喜乐；我们的本分当成为我们的快乐，正如我们的享受也是快乐。他们当叫仆人一同欢乐，『因为要记念』（申16:12）『你曾作过奴仆』，若是你的督工能给你一些时间和欢乐的因由，你必十分感激；你的神领你出来，正是要你带着喜乐守节；所以你待仆人当和善，使他们得安逸。』而且似乎『你当谨守遵行这些律例』这句通则的话，在此处加上有特别的理由，因为这节期是为记念他们出埃及后五十日，在西奈山领受律法之事；我们向神表示感激祂赐我们律法之恩的最好办法，就是『谨守遵行』其中的诫命。
III\. 他们当守住棚节，申16:13-15。此处并未重申这节期当献大量祭物的律法（这在民29:12 等处已详记），因为这些事属乎祭司和利未人，他们不如百姓那样需要重申；也因为事奉中属灵的部分——即圣洁的喜乐——最蒙神喜悦，也是福音行事为人永远的本分，而这节期正是其预表。请注意此处何等强调这事：『守节的时候……要欢乐』（申16:14），『因为耶和华必赐福与你，你就大大地欢乐』，申16:15。注意：1. 神的旨意是要祂的百姓作快乐的百姓。那些在律法之下的人尚且要在神面前欢乐，何况我们这些在福音恩典之下的人——恩典使我们有本分不仅在此处这样在节期中欢乐，更要『常常喜乐』『靠主常常喜乐』。2. 我们自己在神里喜乐时，当尽所能帮助别人也在祂里喜乐——借着安慰哀哭的人、供给缺乏的人，使『寄居的、孤儿、寡妇』也与我们同乐。见伯29:13。3. 我们在神里喜乐，不仅因为已经领受和每日正领受的，更因着祂所应许、我们盼望将来还要领受的：『因为祂必赐福与你』，所以『你就欢乐』。那以神为乐的人可以『因盼望而喜乐』，因为应许的那位是信实的。
IV\. 关于三个严肃节期的律法在此总括起来（申16:16,17），与先前出23:16,34:23 所记相同。关于这些节期的一般命令是：1. 凡男丁都必须亲自在神面前显现——借着他们常常在同一地点、按照同一准则聚集敬拜神，他们就被保守，对那在他们中间所设立的圣洁信仰忠心坚定。2. 不可空手在神面前显现，人人都当带着这祭或那祭，作为倚靠神并向神感恩的记号。神的要求并非过分；只要各人按自己的力量奉献，就再无所求。如今慈善的准则仍是一样，林前16:2。尽力量奉献的必蒙悦纳；而超过力量奉献的，更算为配得加倍尊敬（林后8:3）——正如那穷寡妇『把她一切养生的都投上了』，路21:4。
¹⁸ 你要在耶和华你神所赐你的各城里，按着各支派，设立审判官和官长；他们必按公义的审判判断百姓。 ¹⁹ 不可屈枉正直；不可看人的外貌；也不可受贿赂；因为贿赂能叫智慧人的眼变瞎，又能颠倒义人的话。 ²⁰ 你要追求至公至义，好叫你存活，承受耶和华你神所赐你的地为业。 ²¹ 你为耶和华你的神筑坛，不可在坛旁栽什么树木作为木偶。 ²² 也不可为自己设立柱像，这是耶和华你神所恨恶的。
此处有，I. 关切在他们中间秉公行义之事，使争端得以裁决、纠纷得以调整、受害者得以申冤、害人者得以受刑。他们在旷野安营时，有照他们数目的『审判官和官长』，千夫长和百夫长，出17:25。到了迦南，他们当照着各城各镇，在所有的城门口设立；因为审判的法庭是设在城门口的。如今，1. 此处给这些下级官长颁下委任：『审判官——审理并宣判，官长——执行他们的判决，你当设立。』无论人选如何定出——或由君王指派，或由百姓选举——『权柄都是出于神的』，罗13:1。百姓这样得着将公义送到家门口的福分，使审判更迅速、费用更省——我们本国的人当为此福分深表感恩。依照此律法，除了在圣所开庭、由七十位长老和一位主席组成的大公会之外，在较大的城——就是有一百二十家以上的城——设有二十三位审判官的法庭，较小的城则设三位审判官的法庭。见约沙法重振此律，代下19:5,8。2. 此处又吩咐这些官长在所托付他们的职任上当秉公行义。审判而不按公义之审判——不照律法的指引和事实的证据——倒不如完全不审判。（1）审判官在此受警戒，不可向任何人行不义（申16:19），也不可收受贿赂，因为贿赂会诱惑他们行不义。这条律法先前已经颁布，出23:8。（2）他们又受命向众人行公义：『你要追求至公至义』，申16:20。坚持公义的原则，照公义的准则而行，维护公义的要求，效法公义的榜样，并以坚决之心追求那显为公义的事。『公义、公义，你当追求。』这正是审判官当注目的，他当专心致志于此，并将一切私人之情为之牺牲——向众人行义，不向任何人行不义。
II. 关切防止他们随从外邦拜偶像的风俗，申16:21,22。他们不仅不可与拜偶像者一同敬拜，不可拜访他们的丛林，不可在他们所立的像前下拜；而且，1. 他们不可在神的坛旁栽种丛林，甚至不可栽种一棵树，免得使之看起来像假神的坛。他们以丛林为敬拜之处，或是为求隐秘（但凡真实美善的，宁可渴慕光明），或是为求庄严；但真神的敬拜本身已足以使之庄严，无需这种种饰意的辅助。2. 他们不可为尊荣神而设立任何像、雕像或柱像，因为这是耶和华所恨恶的事；再没有什么比以像来代表并敬拜那位无限而永恒的灵——神——更虚谎、更羞辱祂，更足以败坏并腐蚀人的心了。
英語原文
Yearly Release (1451 BC)
¹ 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.
² Thou shalt therefore sacrifice the passover unto the LORD thy God, of the flock and the herd, in the place which the LORD shall choose to place his name there.
³ Thou shalt eat no leavened bread with it; seven days shalt thou eat unleavened bread therewith, even the bread of affliction; for thou camest forth out of the land of Egypt in haste: that thou mayest remember the day when thou camest forth out of the land of Egypt all the days of thy life.
⁴ And there shall be no leavened bread seen with thee in all thy coast seven days; neither shall there any thing of the flesh, which thou sacrificedst the first day at even, remain all night until the morning.
⁵ Thou mayest not sacrifice the passover within any of thy gates, which the LORD thy God giveth thee:
⁶ 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.
⁷ And thou shalt roast and eat it in the place which the LORD thy God shall choose: and thou shalt turn in the morning, and go unto thy tents.
⁸ Six days thou shalt eat unleavened bread: and on the seventh day shall be a solemn assembly to the LORD thy God: thou shalt do no work therein.
⁹ Seven weeks shalt thou number unto thee: begin to number the seven weeks from such time as thou beginnest to put the sickle to the corn.
¹⁰ And thou shalt keep the feast of weeks unto the LORD thy God with a tribute of a freewill offering of thine hand, which thou shalt give unto the LORD thy God, according as the LORD thy God hath blessed thee:
¹¹ And thou shalt rejoice before the LORD thy God, thou, and thy son, and thy daughter, and thy manservant, and thy maidservant, and the Levite that is within thy gates, and the stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow, that are among you, in the place which the LORD thy God hath chosen to place his name there.
¹² And thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in Egypt: and thou shalt observe and do these statutes.
¹³ Thou shalt observe the feast of tabernacles seven days, after that thou hast gathered in thy corn and thy wine:
¹⁴ And thou shalt rejoice in thy feast, thou, and thy son, and thy daughter, and thy manservant, and thy maidservant, and the Levite, the stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow, that are within thy gates.
¹⁵ Seven days shalt thou keep a solemn feast unto the LORD thy God in the place which the LORD shall choose: because the LORD thy God shall bless thee in all thine increase, and in all the works of thine hands, therefore thou shalt surely rejoice.
¹⁶ Three times in a year shall all thy males appear before the LORD thy God in the place which he shall choose; in the feast of unleavened bread, and in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of tabernacles: and they shall not appear before the LORD empty:
¹⁷ Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the LORD thy God which he hath given thee.
Much of the communion between God and his people Israel was kept up, and a face of religion preserved in the nation, by the three yearly feasts, the institution of which, and the laws concerning them, we have several times met with already; and here they are repeated.
I. The law of the passover, so great a solemnity that it made the whole month, in the midst of which it was placed, considerable: Observe the month Abib, De 16:1. Though one week only of this month was to be kept as a festival, yet their preparations before must be so solemn, and their reflections upon it and improvements of it afterwards so serious, as to amount to an observance of the whole month. The month of Abib, or of new fruits, as the Chaldee translates it, answers to our March (or part of March and part of April), and was by a special order from God, in remembrance of the deliverance of Israel out of Egypt, made the beginning of their year (Ex 12:2), which before was reckoned to begin in September. This month they were to keep the passover, in remembrance of their being brought out of Egypt by night, De 16:1. The Chaldee paraphrasts expound it, "Because they came out of Egypt by daylight," there being an express order that they should not stir out of their doors till morning, Ex 12:22. One of them expounds it thus: "He brought thee out of Egypt, and did wonders by night." The other, "and thou shalt eat the passover by night." The laws concerning it are, 1. That they must be sure to sacrifice the passover in the place that God should choose (De 16:2), and in no other place, De 16:5-7. The passover was itself a sacrifice; hence Christ, as our passover, is said to be sacrificed for us (1Co 5:7), and many other sacrifices were offered during the seven days of the feast (Nu 28:19, etc.), which are included here, for they are said to be sacrificed of the flock and the herd, whereas the passover itself was only of the flock, either a lamb or a kid: now no sacrifice was accepted but from the altar that sanctified it; it was therefore necessary that they should go up to the place of the altar, for, though the paschal lamb was entirely eaten by the owners, yet it must be killed in the court, the blood sprinkled, and the inwards burned upon the altar. By confining them to the appointed rule, from which they would have been apt to vary, and to introduce foolish inventions of their own, had they been permitted to offer these sacrifices within their own gates, from under the inspection of the priests. They were also hereby directed to have their eye up unto God in the solemnity, and the desire of their hearts towards the remembrance of his name, being appointed to attend where he had chosen to place his name, De 16:2,6. But, when the solemnity was over, they might turn and go unto their tents, De 16:7. Some think that they might, if they pleased, return the very morning after the paschal lamb was killed and eaten, the priests and Levites being sufficient to carry on the rest of the week's work; but the first day of the seven is so far from being the day of their dispersion that it is expressly appointed for a holy convocation (Le 23:7, Nu 28:18); therefore we must take it as Jonathan's paraphrase expounds it, in the morning after the end of the feast thou shalt go to thy cities. And it was the practice to keep together the whole week, 2Ch 35:17. 2. That they must eat unleavened bread for seven days, and no leavened bread must be seen in all their coasts, De 16:3,4,8. The bread they were confined to is here called bread of affliction, because neither grateful to the taste nor easy of digestion, and therefore proper to signify the heaviness of their spirits in their bondage and to keep in remembrance the haste in which they came out, the case being so urgent that they could not stay for the leavening of the bread they took with them for their march. The Jewish writers tell us that the custom at the passover supper was that the master of the family broke this unleavened bread, and gave to every one a piece of it, saying, This is (that is, this signifies, represents, or commemorates, which explains that saying of our Saviour, This is my body) the bread of affliction which your fathers did eat in the land of Egypt. The gospel meaning of this feast of unleavened bread the apostle gives us, 1Co 5:7. Christ our passover being sacrificed for us, and we having participated in the blessed fruits of that sacrifice to our comfort, let us keep the feast in a holy conversation, free from the leaven of malice towards our brethren and hypocrisy towards God, and with the unleavened bread of sincerity and love. Lastly, Observe, concerning the passover, for what end it was instituted: "That thou mayest remember the day when thou camest forth out of Egypt, not only on the day of the passover, or during the seven days of the feast, but all the days of thy life (De 16:3), as a constant inducement to obedience." Thus we celebrate the memorial of Christ's death at certain times, that we may remember it at all times, as a reason why we should live to him that died for us and rose again.
II. Seven weeks after the passover the feast of pentecost was to be observed, concerning which they are here directed, 1. Whence to number their seven weeks, from the time thou beginnest to put the sickle to the corn (De 16:9), that is, from the morrow after the first day of the feast of unleavened bread, for on that day (though it is probable the people did not begin their harvest till the feast was ended) messengers were sent to reap a sheaf of barley, which was to be offered to God as the first-fruits, Le 23:10. Some think it implies a particular care which Providence would take of their land with respect to the weather, that their harvest should be always ripe and ready for the sickle just at the same time. 2. How they were to keep this feast. (1.) They must bring an offering unto God, De 16:10. It is here called a tribute of a free-will-offering. It was required of them as a tribute to their Sovereign Lord and owner, under whom they held all they had; and yet because the law did not determine the quantum, but it was left to every man's generosity to bring what he chose, and whatever he brought he must give cheerfully, it is therefore called a free-will offering. It was a grateful acknowledgment of the goodness of God to them in the mercies of these corn-harvests now finished, and therefore must be according as God had blessed them. Where God sows plentifully he expects to reap accordingly. (2.) They must rejoice before God, De 16:11. Holy joy is the heart and soul of thankful praises, which are as the language and expression of holy joy. They must rejoice in their receivings from God, and in their returns of service and sacrifice to him; our duty must be our delight as well as our enjoyments. They must have their very servants to rejoice with them, "for remember (De 16:12) that thou wast a bond-man, and wouldest have been very thankful if thy taskmasters would have given thee some time and cause for rejoicing; and thy God did bring thee out to keep a feast with gladness; therefore be pleasant with thy servants, and make them easy." And, it should seem, those general words, thou shalt observe and do these statutes, are added here for a particular reason, because this feast was kept in remembrance of the giving of the law upon Mount Sinai, fifty days after they came out of Egypt; now the best way of expressing our thankfulness to God for his favour to us in giving us his law is to observe and do according to the precepts of it.
III. They must keep the feast of tabernacles, De 16:13-15. Here is no repetition of the law concerning the sacrifices that were to be offered in great abundance at this feast (which we had at large, Nu 29:12, etc.), because the care of these belonged to the priests and Levites, who had not so much need of a repetition as the people had, and because the spiritual part of the service, which consisted in holy joy, was most pleasing to God, and was to be the perpetual duty of a gospel conversation, of which this feast was typical. Observe what stress is laid upon it here: Thou shalt rejoice in thy feast (De 16:14), and, because the Lord shall bless thee, thou shalt surely rejoice, De 16:15. Note, 1. It is the will of God that his people should be a cheerful people. If those that were under the law must rejoice before God, much more must we that are under the grace of the gospel, which makes it our duty, not only as here to rejoice in our feasts, but to rejoice evermore, to rejoice in the Lord always. 2. When we rejoice in God ourselves we should do what we can to assist others also to rejoice in him, by comforting the mourners and supplying the necessitous, that even the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow may rejoice with us. See Job 29:13. 3. We must rejoice in God, not only because of what we have received and are receiving from him daily, but because of what he has promised, and we expect to receive yet further from him: because he shall bless thee, therefore thou shalt rejoice. Those that make God their joy may rejoice in hope, for he is faithful that has promised.
IV. The laws concerning the three solemn feasts are summed up (De 16:16,17), as often before, Ex 23:16,34:23. The general commands concerning them are, 1. That all the males must then make their personal appearance before God, that by their frequent meeting to worship God, at the same place, and by the same rule, they might be kept faithful and constant to that holy religion which was established among them. 2. That none must appear before God empty, but every man must bring some offering or other, in token of a dependence upon God and gratitude to him. And God was not unreasonable in his demands; let every man but give as he was able, and no more was expected. The same is still the rule of charity, 1Co 16:2. Those that give to their power shall be accepted, but those that give beyond their power are accounted worthy of double honour (2Co 8:3), as the poor widow that gave all she had, Lu 21:4.
¹⁸ Judges and officers shalt thou make thee in all thy gates, which the LORD thy God giveth thee, throughout thy tribes: and they shall judge the people with just judgment.
¹⁹ Thou shalt not wrest judgment; thou shalt not respect persons, neither take a gift: for a gift doth blind the eyes of the wise, and pervert the words of the righteous.
²⁰ That which is altogether just shalt thou follow, that thou mayest live, and inherit the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.
²¹ Thou shalt not plant thee a grove of any trees near unto the altar of the LORD thy God, which thou shalt make thee.
²² Neither shalt thou set thee up any image; which the LORD thy God hateth.
Here is, I. Care taken for the due administration of justice among them, that controversies might be determined, matters in variance adjusted, the injured redressed, and the injurious punished. While they were encamped in the wilderness, they had judges and officers according to their numbers, rulers of thousands and hundreds, Ex 17:25. When they came to Canaan, they must have them according to their towns and cities, in all their gates; for the courts of judgment sat in the gates. Now, 1. Here is a commission given to these inferior magistrates: "Judges to try and pass sentence, and officers to execute their sentences, shalt thou make thee." However the persons were pitched upon, whether by the nomination of their sovereign or by the election of the people, the power were ordained of God, Ro 13:1. And it was a great mercy to the people thus to have justice brought to their doors, that it might be more expeditious and less expensive, a blessing which we of this nation ought to be very thankful for. Pursuant to this law, besides the great sanhedrim that sat at the sanctuary, consisting of seventy elders and a president, there was in the larger cities, such as had in them above 120 families, a court of twenty-three judges, in the smaller cities a court of three judges. See this law revived by Jehoshaphat, 2Ch 19:5,8. 2. Here is a command given to these magistrates to do justice in the execution of the trust reposed in them. Better not judge at all than not judge with just judgment, according to the direction of the law and the evidence of the fact. (1.) The judges are here cautioned not to do wrong to any (De 16:19), nor to take any gifts, which would tempt them to do wrong. This law had been given before, Ex 23:8. (2.) They are charged to do justice to all: "That which is altogether just shalt thou follow, De 16:20. Adhere to the principles of justice, act by the rules of justice, countenance the demands of justice, imitate the patterns of justice, and pursue with resolution that which appears to be just. Justice, justice, shalt thou follow." This is that which the magistrate is to have in his eye, on this he must be intent, and to this all personal regards must be sacrificed, to do right to all and wrong to none.
II. Care taken for the preventing of all conformity to the idolatrous customs of the heathen, De 16:21,22. They must not only not join with the idolaters in their worships, not visit their groves, nor bow before the images which they had set up, but, 1. They must not plant a grove, nor so much as a tree, near God's altar lest they should make it look like the altars of the false gods. They made groves the places of their worship either to make it secret (but that which is true and good desires the light rather), or to make it solemn, but the worship of the true God has enough in itself to make it so and needs not the advantage of such a circumstance. 2. They must not set up any image, statue, or pillar, to the honour of God, for it is a thing which the Lord hates; nothing belies or reproaches him more, or tends more to corrupt and debauch the minds of men, than representing and worshipping by an image that God who is an infinite and eternal Spirit.
我们在本章看到：I. 重申关于三个一年之节期的律法；尤其是逾越节，申16:1-8；五旬节，申16:9-12；住棚节，申16:13-15；以及关于百姓当上节守节的一般律法，申16:16,17。II. 设立下级审判官的职分，并向受召任职之人颁布施行公义的一般原则，申16:18-20。III. 警告不可设立木偶与雕像，申16:21,22。