John Calvin on Exodus 23:14-18

Exodus 23:14. Three times shalt thou keep a feast. It is strange that Moses, who elsewhere enumerates several feast-days, should here only command them to appear in God’s presence thrice a year. Where then is the feast of trumpets and the day of atonement? for undoubtedly all were to be celebrated at Jerusalem. In the first place, it is to be observed that the principal ones, to which the greater honor appertained, are here mentioned. Secondly, because the three holidays in the seventh month were almost continuous, (it is probable Added from Fr. ) that some indulgence was given them, lest they should be absent from their homes the whole month; for at the beginning of the month the trumpets sounded, on the tenth day was the solemn fast, and on the fifteenth they began to dwell in the booths. If the necessity of remaining in Jerusalem had been imposed on all, so long a stay would have been burdensome. But, if they chose to be present from the beginning to the end, still there would have been only one journey, which is named after the most remarkable day. And certainly רגלים and פעמים each signify the feet, in their primary sense; and each are used, but the latter more commonly, for times, as when we say, “so many times.” — W

It is so used in Deuteronomy 1:2, and 16:16.

For this critical sentence, the following is substituted in Fr., “Ainsi trois festes y eussent este comprises; pource qu’ils ne fussent point retournez jusques a ce qu’elles eussent este aceomplies;” thus, three festivals would have been comprised in it; because they would not have returned until they were all completed. the word רגלים, raglim, which Moses uses, means, metaphorically, rather journeys than times, although I allow that פעמים, phagnemim, which signifies times, is used in Deuteronomy in a similar sense. At any rate, it appears that God spared His people, when prescribed only three necessary convocations, lest the fathers of families and their children should be wearied by the expense and trouble of them, since he approves of no service which does not proceed from a cheerful heart.

Deuteronomy 16

Deuteronomy 16:1, 2, 5-17

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.

1. Observa mensem Abib, et fac Pesah Jehovae Deo tuo: quia mense Abib eduxit to Jehova Deus tuus ex Aegypto nocte.

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.

2 Et sacrificabis Pesah Jehovae Deo tuo de pecudibus et bobus, in loco quem elegerit Jehova ut habitare faciat nomen suum ibi.

5. Thou mayest not sacrifice the passover within any of thy gates, which the LORD thy God giveth thee:

5. Non poteris sacrificare Pesah in aliqua e portis tuis quas Jehova Deus tuus dat tibi.

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.

6. Sed in loco quem elegerit Jehova Deus tuus ut habitare faciat nomen suum ibi: sacrificabis Pesah ad vesperam, occumbente sole, tempore quo egressus es ex Aegypto.

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.

7. Assabis autem ac comedes in loco quem elegerit Jehova Deus tuus, postea mane conversus reverteris in tabernacula tua.

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.

8. Sex diebus comedes infermentata, die autem septimo erit solennitas Jehovae Deo tuo: non facies opus ullum.

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.

9. Septem hebdomadas numerabis tibi, ex quo ceperit falx esse in segete, incipies numerare septem hebdomadas.

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:

10. Postea celebrabis solennitatem hebdomadum Jehovae Deo tuo pro facultate spontaneae marius tuae quod dabis pront benedixerit tibi Jehova Deus tuus.

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.

11. Et laetaberis coram Jehova Deo tuo, tu et filius tuus et filia tua, et servus tuns et ancilla tua, et Levita qui est intra portas tuas, et peregrinus, et pupillus, et vidua, qui fuerint in medio tui, in loco quem elegerit Jehova Deus tuus ut habitare faciat nomen suum ibi.

12. And thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in Egypt: and thou shalt observe and do these statutes.

12. Et recordaberis quod servus fueris in Aegypto, propterea custodies ac facies statuta haec.

13. Thou shalt observe the feast of tabernacles seven days, after that thou hast gathered in thy corn and thy wine:

13. Solennitatem tabernaculorum facies septem diebus, quum collegeris tu de area tua, et de torculari tuo.

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.

14. Et laetaberis in solennitate tua, tu et filius tuus et filia tua, et servus tuus et ancilla tua, et Levita, et peregrinus, et pupillus, et vidua, qui habitaverint intra portas tuas.

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.

15. Septem diebus solennitatem celebrabis Jehovae Deo tuo in loco quem elegerit Jehova: quum benedixerit tibi Jehova Deus tuus in cunctis frugibus this, et in omni opere manuum tuarum, et eris tantummodo laetus.

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:

16. Tribus vicibus quotannis conspicietur omnis masculus tuus coram Jehova Deo tuo, in loco quem elegerit, in solennitate inferment atorum, et in solennitate hebdomadum, et in solennitate tabernaculorum, neque quisquam conspicietur coram Jehova vacuus.

17. Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the LORD thy God which he hath given thee.

17. Quisque secundum donum manus suae, secundum benedictionem Jehovae Dei tui quam dedit tibi.