Remember that you were slaves in Egypt, and carefully follow these statutes.
Parallel translations
- WEB You shall remember that you were a slave in Egypt. You shall observe and do these statutes.
- KJV And thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in Egypt: and thou shalt observe and do these statutes.
- NKJV And you shall remember that you were a slave in Egypt, and you shall be careful to observe these statutes.
- NASB You shall also remember that you were a slave in Egypt, and you shall be careful and comply with these statutes.
- NLT Remember that you were once slaves in Egypt, so be careful to obey all these decrees.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Remembering their slavery in Egypt, Israel was to obey these statutes. Gratitude for redemption was the motive for faithful obedience.
Overview
The inclusion of the vulnerable in festal joy was grounded in Israel's memory of bondage and rescue. Having been slaves whom God freed, they were to live out his statutes with compassion. This redemption-shaped obedience anticipates the New Testament call to live for God out of thankfulness for being freed from sin.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 6
- Deut 15:15Remember that you were slaves in the land of Egypt, and the LORD your God redeemed you; that is why I am giving you this command today.
- Deut 16:15For seven days you shall celebrate a feast to the LORD your God in the place He will choose, because the LORD your God will bless you in all your produce and in all the work of your hands, so that your joy will be complete.
- Eph 2:1–3And you were dead in your trespasses and sins,
- Lam 3:19–20Remember my affliction and wandering, the wormwood and the gall.
- Eph 2:11Therefore remember that formerly you who are Gentiles in the flesh and called uncircumcised by the so-called circumcision (that done in the body by human hands)—
- Rom 6:17–18But thanks be to God that, though you once were slaves to sin, you wholeheartedly obeyed the form of teaching to which you were committed.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Moses promised a Prophet like himself to whom Israel must listen (18:15); Jesus is that Prophet, the one who keeps the covenant we broke and becomes the curse for us by hanging on a tree (Gal 3:13).
How Deuteronomy 16:12 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.