The law to be read every seven years

Deuteronomy 31:9-13

Deuteronomy 31:9 (ESV)

9 Then Moses wrote this law and gave it to the priests, the sons of Levi, who carried the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and to all the elders of Israel.

The Dake Annotated Reference Bible Notes for Verse 9

a [Moses wrote this law] See Two Objections to Mosaic Authorship.

b [delivered it unto the priests the sons of Levi] The ministers of Israel were the custodians of the written revelation of God; they were to preserve and pass on the Word of God.

Deuteronomy 31:22–24 (ESV)

22 So Moses wrote this song the same day and taught it to the people of Israel.

23 And the LORD commissioned Joshua the son of Nun and said, “Be strong and courageous, for you shall bring the people of Israel into the land that I swore to give them. I will be with you.”

24 When Moses had finished writing the words of this law in a book to the very end,

John 1:17 (ESV)

17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

Deuteronomy 31:10 (ESV)

10 And Moses commanded them, “At the end of every seven years, at the set time in the year of release, at the Feast of Booths,

The Dake Annotated Reference Bible Notes for Verse 10

a [year of release] The year of release was every seventh year when servants were to be released and the land was to lie untilled (

Leviticus 23:34–43 (ESV)

34 “Speak to the people of Israel, saying, On the fifteenth day of this seventh month and for seven days is the Feast of Booths to the LORD. 35 On the first day shall be a holy convocation; you shall not do any ordinary work. 36 For seven days you shall present food offerings to the LORD. On the eighth day you shall hold a holy convocation and present a food offering to the LORD. It is a solemn assembly; you shall not do any ordinary work.

37 “These are the appointed feasts of the LORD, which you shall proclaim as times of holy convocation, for presenting to the LORD food offerings, burnt offerings and grain offerings, sacrifices and drink offerings, each on its proper day, 38 besides the LORD’s Sabbaths and besides your gifts and besides all your vow offerings and besides all your freewill offerings, which you give to the LORD.

39 “On the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when you have gathered in the produce of the land, you shall celebrate the feast of the LORD seven days. On the first day shall be a solemn rest, and on the eighth day shall be a solemn rest. 40 And you shall take on the first day the fruit of splendid trees, branches of palm trees and boughs of leafy trees and willows of the brook, and you shall rejoice before the LORD your God seven days. 41 You shall celebrate it as a feast to the LORD for seven days in the year. It is a statute forever throughout your generations; you shall celebrate it in the seventh month. 42 You shall dwell in booths for seven days. All native Israelites shall dwell in booths, 43 that your generations may know that I made the people of Israel dwell in booths when I brought them out of the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God.”

Deuteronomy 31:11 (ESV)

11 when all Israel comes to appear before the LORD your God at the place that he will choose, you shall read this law before all Israel in their hearing.

The Dake Annotated Reference Bible Notes for Verse 10

a [year of release] The year of release was every seventh year when servants were to be released and the land was to lie untilled (

Deuteronomy 16:16–17 (ESV)

16 “Three times a year all your males shall appear before the LORD your God at the place that he will choose: at the Feast of Unleavened Bread, at the Feast of Weeks, and at the Feast of Booths. They shall not appear before the LORD empty-handed. 17 Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the LORD your God that he has given you.

Joshua 8:34–35 (ESV)

34 And afterward he read all the words of the law, the blessing and the curse, according to all that is written in the Book of the Law. 35 There was not a word of all that Moses commanded that Joshua did not read before all the assembly of Israel, and the women, and the little ones, and the sojourners who lived among them.

Acts 13:15 (ESV)

15 After the reading from the Law and the Prophets, the rulers of the synagogue sent a message to them, saying, “Brothers, if you have any word of encouragement for the people, say it.”

Deuteronomy 31:12 (ESV)

12  Assemble the people, men, women, and little ones, and the sojourner within your towns, that they may hear and learn to fear the LORD your God, and be careful to do all the words of this law,

The Dake Annotated Reference Bible Notes for Verse 12

a [that they may hear …] Six reasons for reading the law:

1. That they may hear.

2. That they may learn.

3. That they may fear the Word.

4. That they may observe to do all the words of the law, not only a part of it.

5. That their children may hear (

Deuteronomy 4:10 (ESV)

10 how on the day that you stood before the LORD your God at Horeb, the LORD said to me, ‘Gather the people to me, that I may let them hear my words, so that they may learn to fear me all the days that they live on the earth, and that they may teach their children so.’

John 5:39 (ESV)

39 You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me,

Deuteronomy 31:13 (ESV)

13 and that their children, who have not known it, may hear and learn to fear the LORD your God, as long as you live in the land that you are going over the Jordan to possess.”

Deuteronomy 11:1–2 (ESV)

11 “You shall therefore love the LORD your God and keep his charge, his statutes, his rules, and his commandments always. 2 And consider today (since I am not speaking to your children who have not known or seen it), consider the discipline of the LORD your God, his greatness, his mighty hand and his outstretched arm,

Proverbs 22:6 (ESV)

6 Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.

Ephesians 6:4 (ESV)

4 Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.