The Three Appointed Feasts

161 'Observe the month of Abib—and thou hast made a passover to Jehovah thy God, for in the month of Abib hath Jehovah thy God brought thee out of Egypt by night; 2 and thou hast sacrificed a passover to Jehovah thy God, of the flock, and of the herd, in the place which Jehovah doth choose to cause His name to tabernacle there. 3 'Thou dost not eat with it any fermented thing, seven days thou dost eat with it unleavened things, bread of affliction; for in haste thou hast come out of the land of Egypt; so that thou dost remember the day of thy coming out of the land of Egypt all days of thy life; 4 and there is not seen with thee leaven in all thy border seven days, and there doth not remain of the flesh which thou dost sacrifice at evening on the first day till morning. 5 'Thou art not able to sacrifice the passover within any of thy gates which Jehovah thy God is giving to thee, 6 except at the place which Jehovah thy God doth choose to cause His name to tabernacle—there thou dost sacrifice the passover in the evening, at the going in of the sun, the season of thy coming out of Egypt; 7 and thou hast cooked and eaten in the place on which Jehovah thy God doth fix, and hast turned in the morning, and gone to thy tents; 8 six days thou dost eat unleavened things, and on the seventh day 'is' a restraint to Jehovah thy God; thou dost do no work. 9 'Seven weeks thou dost number to thee; from the beginning of the sickle among the standing corn thou dost begin to number seven weeks, 10 and thou hast made the feast of weeks to Jehovah thy God, a tribute of a free-will offering of thy hand, which thou dost give, as Jehovah thy God doth bless thee. 11 And thou hast rejoiced before Jehovah thy God, thou, and thy son, and thy daughter, and thy man-servant, and thy handmaid, and the Levite who 'is' within thy gates, and the sojourner, and the fatherless, and the widow, who 'are' in thy midst, in the place which Jehovah thy God doth choose to cause His name to tabernacle there, 12 and thou hast remembered that a servant thou hast been in Egypt, and hast observed and done these statutes. 13 'The feast of booths thou dost make for thee seven days, in thine in-gathering of thy threshing-floor, and of thy wine-vat; 14 and thou hast rejoiced in thy feast, thou, and thy son, and thy daughter, and thy man-servant, and thy handmaid, and the Levite, and the sojourner, and the fatherless, and the widow, who 'are' within thy gates. 15 Seven days thou dost feast before Jehovah thy God, in the place which Jehovah doth choose, for Jehovah thy God doth bless thee in all thine increase, and in every work of thy hands, and thou hast been only rejoicing. 16 'Three times in a year doth every one of thy males appear before Jehovah thy God in the place which He doth choose—in the feast of unleavened things, and in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of booths; and they do not appear before Jehovah empty; 17 each according to the gift of his hand, according to the blessing of Jehovah thy God, which He hath given to thee.

The Administration of Justice

18 'Judges and authorities thou dost make to thee within all thy gates which Jehovah thy God is giving to thee, for thy tribes; and they have judged the people—a righteous judgment. 19 Thou dost not turn aside judgment; thou dost not discern faces, nor take a bribe, for the bribe blindeth the eyes of the wise, and perverteth the words of the righteous. 20 Righteousness—righteousness thou dost pursue, so that thou livest, and hast possessed the land which Jehovah thy God is giving to thee. 21 'Thou dost not plant for thee a shrine of any trees near the altar of Jehovah thy God, which thou makest for thyself, 22 and thou dost not raise up to thee any standing image which Jehovah thy God is hating.

171 'Thou dost not sacrifice to Jehovah thy God ox or sheep in which there is a blemish—any evil thing; for it 'is' the abomination of Jehovah thy God. 2 'When there is found in thy midst, in one of thy cities which Jehovah thy God is giving to thee, a man or a woman who doth the evil thing in the eyes of Jehovah thy God by transgressing His covenant, 3 and he doth go and serve other gods, and doth bow himself to them, and to the sun, or to the moon, or to any of the host of the heavens, which I have not commanded— 4 and it hath been declared to thee, and thou hast heard, and hast searched diligently, and lo, truth; the thing is established; this abomination hath been done in Israel— 5 'Then thou hast brought out that man, or that woman, who hath done this evil thing, unto thy gates—the man or the woman—and thou hast stoned them with stones, and they have died. 6 By the mouth of two witnesses or of three witnesses is he who is dead put to death; he is not put to death by the mouth of one witness; 7 the hand of the witnesses is on him, in the first place, to put him to death, and the hand of all the people last; and thou hast put away the evil thing out of thy midst.

8 'When anything is too hard for thee for judgment, between blood and blood, between plea and plea, and between stroke and stroke—matters of strife within thy gates—then thou hast risen, and gone up unto the place on which Jehovah thy God doth fix, 9 and hast come in unto the priests, the Levites, and unto the judge who is in those days, and hast inquired, and they have declared to thee the word of judgment, 10 and thou hast done according to the tenor of the word which they declare to thee ('they' of that place which Jehovah doth choose; and thou hast observed to do according to all that they direct thee. 11 'According to the tenor of the law which they direct thee, and according to the judgment which they say to thee thou dost do; thou dost not turn aside from the word which they declare to thee, right or left. 12 And the man who acteth with presumption, so as not to hearken unto the priest (who is standing to serve there Jehovah thy God), or unto the judge, even that man hath died, and thou hast put away the evil thing from Israel, 13 and all the people do hear and fear, and do not presume any more.

Instructions concerning a King

14 'When thou comest in unto the land which Jehovah thy God is giving to thee, and hast possessed it, and dwelt in it, and thou hast said, Let me set over me a king like all the nations which 'are' round about me,— 15 thou dost certainly set over thee a king on whom Jehovah doth fix; from the midst of thy brethren thou dost set over thee a king; thou art not able to set over thee a stranger, who is not thy brother. 16 'Only, he doth not multiply to himself horses, nor cause the people to turn back to Egypt, so as to multiply horses, seeing Jehovah hath said to you, Ye do not add to turn back in this way any more. 17 And he doth not multiply to himself wives, and his heart doth not turn aside, and silver and gold he doth not multiply to himself—exceedingly. 18 'And it hath been, when he sitteth on the throne of his kingdom, that he hath written for himself the copy of this law, on a book, from 'that' before the priests the Levites, 19 and it hath been with him, and he hath read in it all days of his life, so that he doth learn to fear Jehovah his God, to keep all the words of this law, and these statutes, to do them; 20 so that his heart is not high above his brethren, and so as not to turn aside from the command, right or left, so that he prolongeth days over his kingdom, he and his sons, in the midst of Israel.

The Portions of the Levites

181 'There is not to the priests the Levites—all the tribe of Levi—a portion and inheritance with Israel; fire-offerings of Jehovah, even His inheritance, they eat, 2 and he hath no inheritance in the midst of his brethren; Jehovah Himself 'is' his inheritance, as He hath spoken to him. 3 'And this is the priest's right from the people, from those sacrificing a sacrifice, whether ox or sheep, he hath even given to the priest the leg, and the two cheeks, and the stomach; 4 the first of thy corn, of thy new wine, and of thine oil, and the first of the fleece of thy flock, thou dost give to him; 5 for on him hath Jehovah thy God fixed, out of all thy tribes, to stand to serve in the name of Jehovah, He and his sons continually. 6 'And when the Levite cometh from one of thy cities out of all Israel, where he hath sojourned, and hath come with all the desire of his soul unto the place which Jehovah doth choose, 7 then he hath ministered in the name of Jehovah his God, like all his brethren, the Levites, who are standing there before Jehovah, 8 portion as portion they do eat, apart from his sold things, with the fathers.

Warning against Heathen Practices

9 'When thou art coming in unto the land which Jehovah thy God is giving to thee, thou dost not learn to do according to the abominations of those nations: 10 there is not found in thee one causing his son and his daughter to pass over into fire, a user of divinations, an observer of clouds, and an enchanter, and a sorcerer, 11 and a charmer, and one asking at a familiar spirit, and a wizard, and one seeking unto the dead. 12 'For the abomination of Jehovah 'is' every one doing these, and because of these abominations is Jehovah thy God dispossessing them from thy presence. 13 Perfect thou art with Jehovah thy God, 14 for these nations whom thou art possessing, unto observers of clouds, and unto diviners, do hearken; and thou—not so hath Jehovah thy God suffered thee.

God Promises a Prophet like Moses

15 'A prophet out of thy midst, out of thy brethren, like to me, doth Jehovah thy God raise up to thee—unto him ye hearken; 16 according to all that thou didst ask from Jehovah thy God, in Horeb, in the day of the assembly, saying, Let me not add to hear the voice of Jehovah my God, and this great fire let me not see any more, and I die not; 17 and Jehovah saith unto me, They have done well that they have spoken; 18 a prophet I raise up to them, out of the midst of their brethren, like to thee; and I have given my words in his mouth, and he hath spoken unto them all that which I command him; 19 and it hath been—the man who doth not hearken unto My words which he doth speak in My name, I require 'it' of him. 20 'Only, the prophet who presumeth to speak a word in My name—that which I have not commanded him to speak—and who speaketh in the name of other gods—even that prophet hath died. 21 'And when thou sayest in thy heart, How do we know the word which Jehovah hath not spoken?— 22 that which the prophet speaketh in the name of Jehovah, and the thing is not, and cometh not—it 'is' the word which Jehovah hath not spoken; in presumption hath the prophet spoken it;—thou art not afraid of him.

The Destruction of the Temple and Signs before the End

131 And as he is going forth out of the temple, one of his disciples saith to him, 'Teacher, see! what stones! and what buildings!' 2 and Jesus answering said to him, 'Seest thou these great buildings? there may not be left a stone upon a stone, that may not be thrown down.' 3 And as he is sitting at the mount of the Olives, over-against the temple, Peter, and James, and John, and Andrew, were questioning him by himself, 4 'Tell us when these things shall be? and what 'is' the sign when all these may be about to be fulfilled?'

5 And Jesus answering them, began to say, 'Take heed lest any one may lead you astray, 6 for many shall come in my name, saying—I am 'he', and many they shall lead astray; 7 and when ye may hear of wars and reports of wars, be not troubled, for these behove to be, but the end 'is' not yet; 8 for nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there shall be earthquakes in divers places, and there shall be famines and troubles; beginnings of sorrows 'are' these. 9 'And take ye heed to yourselves, for they shall deliver you up to sanhedrims, and to synagogues, ye shall be beaten, and before governors and kings ye shall be set for my sake, for a testimony to them; 10 and to all the nations it behoveth first that the good news be proclaimed. 11 'And when they may lead you, delivering up, be not anxious beforehand what ye may speak, nor premeditate, but whatever may be given to you in that hour, that speak ye, for it is not ye who are speaking, but the Holy Spirit. 12 'And brother shall deliver up brother to death, and father child, and children shall rise up against parents, and shall put them to death, 13 and ye shall be hated by all because of my name, but he who hath endured to the end—he shall be saved.

14 'And when ye may see the abomination of the desolation, that was spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not, (whoever is reading let him understand), then those in Judea, let them flee to the mountains; 15 and he upon the house-top, let him not come down to the house, nor come in to take anything out of his house; 16 and he who is in the field, let him not turn to the things behind, to take up his garment. 17 'And wo to those with child, and to those giving suck, in those days; 18 and pray ye that your flight may not be in winter, 19 for those days shall be tribulation, such as hath not been from the beginning of the creation that God created, till now, and may not be; 20 and if the Lord did not shorten the days, no flesh had been saved; but because of the chosen, whom He did choose to Himself, He did shorten the days.

Matthew Henry's Commentary on Mark 13:1-20

Commentary on Mark 13:1-4

(Read Mark 13:1-4)

See how little Christ values outward pomp, where there is not real purity of heart. He looks with pity upon the ruin of precious souls, and weeps over them, but we do not find him look with pity upon the ruin of a fine house. Let us then be reminded how needful it is for us to have a more lasting abode in heaven, and to be prepared for it by the influences of the Holy Spirit, sought in the earnest use of all the means of grace.

Commentary on Mark 13:5-13

(Read Mark 13:5-13)

Our Lord Jesus, in reply to the disciples' question, does not so much satisfy their curiosity as direct their consciences. When many are deceived, we should thereby be awakened to look to ourselves. And the disciples of Christ, if it be not their own fault, may enjoy holy security and peace of mind, when all around is in disorder. But they must take heed that they are not drawn away from Christ and their duty to him, by the sufferings they will meet with for his sake. They shall be hated of all men: trouble enough! Yet the work they were called to should be carried on and prosper. Though they may be crushed and borne down, the gospel cannot be. The salvation promised is more than deliverance from evil, it is everlasting blessedness.

Commentary on Mark 13:14-23

(Read Mark 13:14-23)

The Jews in rebelling against the Romans, and in persecuting the Christians, hastened their own ruin apace. Here we have a prediction of that ruin which came upon them within less than forty years after this. Such destruction and desolation, that the like cannot be found in any history. Promises of power to persevere, and cautions against falling away, well agree with each other. But the more we consider these things, the more we shall see abundant cause to flee without delay for refuge to Christ, and to renounce every earthly object, for the salvation of our souls.