Then Moses gave them this command: “At the end of every seventh year, the Year of Release, during the Festival of Shelters,
Parallel translations
- WEB Moses commanded them, saying, “At the end of every seven years, in the set time of the year of release, in the feast of tents,
- KJV And Moses commanded them, saying, At the end of every seven years, in the solemnity of the year of release, in the feast of tabernacles,
- BSB Then Moses commanded them, “At the end of every seven years, at the appointed time in the year of remission of debt, during the Feast of Tabernacles,
- NKJV And Moses commanded them, saying: “At the end of every seven years, at the appointed time in the year of release, at the Feast of Tabernacles,
- NASB Then Moses commanded them, saying, “At the end of every seven years, at the time of the year of the release of debts, at the Feast of Booths,
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
Moses commands that at the end of every seventh year, during the year of release at the Feast of Tabernacles, the law be read. It matters because regular, public exposure to God's word keeps the covenant alive across generations.
Overview
The Sabbatical year of debt-release and the Feast of Tabernacles, a joyful harvest festival recalling God's wilderness provision, form the setting for a national reading of the law. Tying instruction to a season of grace and rejoicing shows that obedience flows from gratitude for God's mercy. The rhythm of hearing God's word together prefigures the church's ongoing ministry of the word centered on the gospel of Christ.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 2
- Lev 23:34–43“Speak to the children of Israel, and say, ‘On the fifteenth day of this seventh month is the feast of tents for seven days to Yahweh.
- Deut 15:1–2At the end of every seven years, you shall cancel debts.
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 31:10 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.