Deuteronomy 16

1 Observe the month of Abib, and prepare the passover-sacrifice unto the Lord thy God; for in the month of Abib did the Lord thy God bring thee forth out of Egypt by night.

2 And thou shalt sacrifice the passover-offering unto the Lord thy God of sheep and oxen, in the place which the Lord will choose to let his name dwell there.

3 Thou shalt not eat therewith any leavened bread: seven days shalt thou eat therewith unleavened bread, the bread of affliction; for in haste didst thou go forth out of the land of Egypt; in order that thou mayest remember the day of thy going forth out of the land of Egypt all the days of thy life.

4 And there shall not be seen with thee any leaven in all thy borders seven days: neither shall there any of the flesh, which thou sacrificedst in the evening, on the first day, remain all night until the morning.

5 Thou mayest not slay the passover within any of thy gates, which the Lord thy God giveth thee;

6 But at the place which the Lord thy God will choose to let his name dwell in, there shalt thou slay the passover at evening, 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 will choose; and thou shalt turn in the morning, and go unto thy tents.

8 Six days shalt thou eat unleavened bread; and on the seventh day shall be a solemn assembly to the Lord thy God: thou shalt do no work.

9 Seven weeks shalt thou number unto thyself: from the time thou beginnest to put the sickle to the corn, shalt thou begin to number seven weeks.

10 And thou shalt keep the feast of weeks unto the Lord thy God with a tribute of a freewill-offering of thy hand, which thou shalt give: according as the Lord thy God shall have blessed thee.

11 And thou shalt rejoice before the Lord thy God, thou, and thy son, and thy daughter, and thy man-servant, and thy maid-servant, and the Levite that is within thy gates, and the stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow, that are in the midst of thee, in the place which the Lord thy God will choose to let his name dwell there.

12 And thou shalt remember that thou hast been a bond-man in Egypt; and thou shalt observe and do these statutes.

13 The feast of tabernacles shalt thou hold for thyself seven days, when thou hast gathered in the produce of thy threshing-floor and of thy wine-press:

14 And thou shalt rejoice on thy feast, thou, and thy son, and thy daughter, and thy man-servant, and thy maid-servant, and the Levite, and 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 will choose; because the Lord thy God will bless thee in all thy product, and in all the work of thy hands, and thou shalt only rejoice.

16 Three times in the year shall every one of thy males appear before the Lord thy God in the place which he will choose: on the feast of unleavened bread, and on the feast of weeks, and on the feast of tabernacles; and no one shall appear before the Lord empty;

17 Every man according to what his hand can give, according to the blessing of the Lord thy God which he hath given thee.

18 Judges and officers shalt thou appoint unto thyself in all thy gates, which the Lord thy God giveth thee, throughout thy tribes: and they shall judge the people with a just judgment.

19 Thou shalt not wrest judgment; thou shalt not respect persons, and thou shalt not take a bribe; for the bribe blindeth the eyes of the wise, and perverteth the words of the righteous.

20 Justice, only justice shalt thou pursue; in order that thou mayest live, and retain possession of the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.

21 Thou shalt not plant unto thyself a grove, any tree, near the altar of the Lord thy God, which thou shalt make unto thyself.

22 Neither shalt thou set thee up any statue, which the Lord thy God hateth.