Exodus 23:15

15a. The firstpilgrimage, the seven days" festival of Maẓẓothor Unleavened Cakes. Cf. the parallel Exodus 34:18; and the later regulations in Deuteronomy 16:3-4; Deuteronomy 16:8; Leviticus 23:6-8 (P), 9 14 (H and P); Exodus 12:14-20 and Numbers 28:17-25 (both P). This feast celebrated the beginning of the barley-harvest (which begins in Palestine towards the end of April or the beginning of May, some weeks before the wheat-harvest): cf. Leviticus 23:10-14 H (the -wave-sheaf" of the first-fruits of the harvest to be presented then to Jehovah). The reason why this spring festival was observed in particular by eating unleavened cakes must remain matter of conjecture: perhaps it was simply because, at a time when men were busy with the harvest, such cakes (cf. on Exodus 12:8) were most quickly and easily prepared (Wellh. Hist.p. 87; Nowack, Arch.ii. 146; EB.iii. 3591). Eerdmans (Expositor, Nov. 1909, p. 459 ff.) conjectures that it was to preserve, in accordance with a primitive conception, the -soul" of the corn for the seed of the year to come. The feast is regarded as commemorating the day of the Exodus in Exodus 13:3-10 (JE), Deuteronomy 16:3; Exodus 12:14-20 (P): in Exodus 12:34; Exodus 12:39 (J) a historical motive for the use of unleavened cakes is suggested; the haste viz. with which the Israelites left Egypt gave them no time to leaven their dough.

seven days … empty These words, breaking the grammatical connexion between v.15a and v.16, have been most probably introduced here by a later hand from Exodus 34:18 b, Exodus 34:20 c. The words, -as I commanded thee," refer apparently to Exodus 13:6 J (cf. v.4 -Abib"), and are in their proper place in J's covenant (Exodus 34:10-26; see p. 372), but cannot well be original in E.

15b. none shall appear before me empty So Exodus 34:20 c, Deuteronomy 16:16 c (with the explanation in v.17 -every man shall give [an offering] as he is able, according to the blessing of Jehovah which he hath given thee," i.e. according as he can afford to give, out of the produce of the year). In Deuteronomy 16:16 c the clause actually follows the one corresponding to Exodus 23:17 = Exodus 34:23, so that it refers to all three pilgrimages; and no doubt this was its original place (viz. after Exodus 34:23 = Exodus 23:17): it would be natural to expect an offering to be prescribed for eachpilgrimage.

appear before me The standing phrase for visiting a sanctuary as a worshipper, esp. at the three great pilgrimages (Exodus 34:20; Exodus 34:23-24; Deuteronomy 31:11; 1 Samuel 1:22), but also used more generally (Isaiah 1:12; Psalms 42:2). It is however held by many, on the basis, primarily, of grammatical considerations affecting Exodus 23:15; Exodus 34:20; Isaiah 1:12, and Psalms 42:2, that in these and similar passages (Exodus 34:23-24,) Deuteronomy 16:16 (twice), Exodus 31:11) the existing punctuation does not represent the original vocalization, and that the true sense of the phrase is (with other vowel points) see my face, see the face of Yahweh, i.e. visit Him as Sovereign (so Ges., Dillm., Kirkpatrick on Psalms 42:1, and others). The usual phrase for admission to the presence of a royal person (2 Samuel 3:13; 2Sa 14:28; 2 Samuel 14:32; 2 Kings 25:19; cf. Genesis 43:3) was applied to visiting the sanctuary; but as objection came to be felt to the expression -seeing the face of God" (cf. Exodus 33:20), the vocalization, and perhaps, in Exodus 23:17; 1 Samuel 1:22, even the consonantal ext, was altered so as to express the idea of -appearing before God."