The Meaning of Deuteronomy 16:16 Explained

Deuteronomy 16:16

KJV: Three times in a year shall all thy males appear before the LORD thy God in the place which he shall choose; in the feast of unleavened bread, and in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of tabernacles: and they shall not appear before the LORD empty:

YLT: 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;

Darby: Three times in the year shall all thy males appear before Jehovah thy God in the place which he will choose, at the feast of unleavened bread, and at the feast of weeks, and at the feast of tabernacles; and they shall not appear before Jehovah empty:

ASV: Three times in a year shall all thy males appear before Jehovah thy God in the place which he shall choose: in the feast of unleavened bread, and in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of tabernacles; and they shall not appear before Jehovah empty:

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Three  times  in a year  shall all thy males  appear  before  the LORD  thy God  in the place  which he shall choose;  in the feast  of unleavened bread,  and in the feast  of weeks,  and in the feast  of tabernacles:  and they shall not appear  before  the LORD  empty: 

What does Deuteronomy 16:16 Mean?

Chapter Summary: Deuteronomy 16

1  The feast of the Passover
9  of weeks
13  of tabernacles
16  Every male must offer, as he is able, at these three feasts
18  Of judges and justice
21  Asherah poles and images are forbidden

What do the individual words in Deuteronomy 16:16 mean?

Three times a year shall appear all your males - before Yahweh your God in the place which He chooses at the Feast of Unleavened Bread and at the Feast of Weeks of Tabernacles and not they shall appear before empty-handed
שָׁל֣וֹשׁ פְּעָמִ֣ים ׀ בַּשָּׁנָ֡ה יֵרָאֶ֨ה כָל־ זְכוּרְךָ֜ אֶת־ פְּנֵ֣י ׀ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֗יךָ בַּמָּקוֹם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר יִבְחָ֔ר בְּחַ֧ג הַמַּצּ֛וֹת וּבְחַ֥ג הַשָּׁבֻע֖וֹת הַסֻּכּ֑וֹת וְלֹ֧א יֵרָאֶ֛ה פְּנֵ֥י רֵיקָֽם

שָׁל֣וֹשׁ  Three 
Parse: Number, feminine singular
Root: מִשְׁלֹשׁ 
Sense: three, triad.
פְּעָמִ֣ים ׀  times 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural
Root: פַּעַם  
Sense: stroke, beat, foot, step, anvil, occurrence.
בַּשָּׁנָ֡ה  a  year 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: שָׁנָה  
Sense: year.
יֵרָאֶ֨ה  shall  appear 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: רָאָה 
Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.
זְכוּרְךָ֜  your  males 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: זְכוּר 
Sense: male.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
פְּנֵ֣י ׀  before 
Parse: Noun, common plural construct
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
יְהוָ֣ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
אֱלֹהֶ֗יךָ  your  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine singular
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
בַּמָּקוֹם֙  in  the  place 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מָקֹום  
Sense: standing place, place.
יִבְחָ֔ר  He  chooses 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: בָּחוּר 
Sense: to choose, elect, decide for.
בְּחַ֧ג  at  the  Feast 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: חַג  
Sense: festival, feast, festival-gathering, pilgrim-feast.
הַמַּצּ֛וֹת  of  Unleavened  Bread 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine plural
Root: מַצָּה  
Sense: unleavened (bread, cake), without leaven.
וּבְחַ֥ג  and  at  the  Feast 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: חַג  
Sense: festival, feast, festival-gathering, pilgrim-feast.
הַשָּׁבֻע֖וֹת  of  Weeks 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: שָׁבוּעַ 
Sense: seven, period of seven (days or years), heptad, week.
הַסֻּכּ֑וֹת  of  Tabernacles 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine plural
Root: סֻכָּה  
Sense: thicket, covert, booth.
וְלֹ֧א  and  not 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
יֵרָאֶ֛ה  they  shall  appear 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: רָאָה 
Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.
פְּנֵ֥י  before 
Parse: Noun, common plural construct
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
רֵיקָֽם  empty-handed 
Parse: Adverb
Root: רֵיקָם  
Sense: vainly, emptily.