Exodus 23:19

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Exodus 23:10-19

Here is, I. The institution of the sabbatical year, Exod. 23:10, 11. Every seventh year the land was to rest; they must not plough nor sow it at the beginning of the year, and then they could not expect any great harvest at the end of the year: but what the earth did produce of itself should be eaten from hand to mouth, and not laid up. Now this was designed, 1. To show what a plentiful land that was into which God was bringing them?that so numerous a people could have rich maintenance out of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 23:19

The first of the first fruits of thy land ,.... Both of the barley and wheat harvest, and of the wine and oil; yea, Jarchi says, the seventh year was obliged to first fruits; and Josephus F4 Antiqu. l. 3. c. 15. sect. 3. relates, that the Jews were so tenacious of this law, that even in the famine in the time of Claudius Caesar, the first fruits were brought to the temple, and were not meddled with: thou shall bring into the house of the Lord thy God ; to the tabernacle, during the... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 23:19

Thou shalt not seethe a kid in his mother's milk - This passage has greatly perplexed commentators; but Dr. Cudworth is supposed to have given it its true meaning by quoting a MS. comment of a Karaite Jew, which he met with, on this passage. "It was a custom of the ancient heathens, when they had gathered in all their fruits, to take a kid and boil it in the milk of its dam; and then, in a magical way, to go about and besprinkle with it all their trees and fields, gardens and orchards;... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 23:19

Verse 19 19.Thou shalt not seethe a kid. The threefold repetition of the command reminds us that a serious matter is spoken of, whereas it would be a light and almost frivolous one, if, as some suppose, it is merely the prohibition of a somewhat unwholesome food. But the Jews, not considering its intent, and affecting sanctity, as they do, in trifling puerilities, dare not taste of cheese together with kid, or lamb’s flesh, until they have well cleaned their teeth. I have no doubt, however, but... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Exodus 23:1-19

THE BOOK OF THE COVENANT .— Continued . MISCELLANEOUS LAWS — continued . The same want of logical arrangement appears in this chapter as in the preceding one. The first nine verses contain some twelve laws, of which not more than two that are consecutive can be said to be on the same subject. There is perhaps in the section a predominant idea of warning against sins and errors connected with the trial of causes before a court, but Exodus 23:4 and Exodus 23:5 , at... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Exodus 23:1-33

1 . That he will send an angel before them to be their guide, director, and helper ( Exodus 23:20 - 23). 2 . That he will be the enemy of their enemies ( Exodus 23:22 ), striking terror into them miraculously ( Exodus 23:27 ), and subjecting them to other scourges also ( Exodus 23:28 ). 3 . That he will drive out their enemies "by little and little" ( Exodus 23:30 ), not ceasing until he has destroyed them ( Exodus 23:23 ). 4 . That he will give them the entire... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Exodus 23:10-20

Sabbaths and feasts. I. SABBATHS . 1 . The Sabbatic year ( Exodus 23:10 , Exodus 23:11 ). Every seventh year the land was to lie fallow, and what it spontaneously produced was to be a provision for the poor, and for the beasts of the field. There was connected with the ordinance a special promise of unusual fertility in the sixth year—of such plenty as would make the nation independent of a harvest in the seventh (Le Exodus 25:21 , Exodus 25:22 ). The Sabbatic year was ... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Exodus 23:19

Law of first-fruits . The first of the first-fruits may mean either "the best of the first-fruits" (see Numbers 18:12 ), or "the very first of each kind that is ripe" ( ib, Exodus 23:13 ). On the tendency to delay, and not bring the very first, see the comment on Exodus 22:29 . The house of the Lord . Generally, in the Pentateuch we have the periphrasis'' the place which the Lord thy God shall choose to put his name there" ( Deuteronomy 12:5 , Deuteronomy 12:11 , Deuteronomy... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Exodus 23:19

The first of the firstfruits of thy land - The “best,” or “chief” of the firstfruits, that is, the two wave loaves described Leviticus 23:17. As the preceding precept appears to refer to the Passover, so it is likely that this refers to Pentecost. They are called in Leviticus, “the firstfruits unto the Load;” and it is reasonable that they should here be designated the “chief” of the firstfruits. If, with some, we suppose the precept to relate to the offerings of firstfruits in general, the... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Exodus 23:19

Exodus 23:19. Thou shalt not seethe a kid in his mother’s milk It is remarkable that this command, extraordinary as it is, is repeated Exodus 34:26, and Deuteronomy 14:21, and that, as here, in connection with the offering of the first-fruits. Hence it has been conjectured that it has a reference to the payment of these fruits, and to some superstitious practices which the Pagans used on these occasions, who were wont, it seems, when they had gathered in all the fruits of the earth, to boil... read more

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