God’s Word Translation
Exodus 34:21
21“You may work six days, but on the seventh day you must not work. Even during the time of plowing or harvesting you must not work ⌞on this day⌟.
Exodus 34:21 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Six days thou shalt work, but on the seventh day thou shalt rest: in earing time and in harvest thou shalt rest.
- New International Version (NIV)“Six days you shall labor, but on the seventh day you shall rest; even during the plowing season and harvest you must rest.
- English Standard Version (ESV)"Six days you shall work, but on the seventh day you shall rest. In plowing time and in harvest you shall rest.
- New King James Version (NKJV)“Six days you shall work, but on the seventh day you shall rest; in plowing time and in harvest you shall rest.
Context of Exodus 34:21
19“Every first male offspring is mine, even the firstborn males of all your livestock, whether cattle, sheep, or goats. 20It will cost you a sheep or a goat to buy back the firstborn donkey. If you don’t buy it back, then you must break the donkey’s neck. You must buy back every firstborn of your sons. “No one may come into my presence without an offering. “You may work six days, but on the seventh day you must not work. Even during the time of plowing or harvesting you must not work ⌞on this day⌟. 22“You must celebrate the Festival of Weeks with the first grain from your wheat harvest, and the Festival of the Final Harvest at the end of the season. 23“Three times a year all your men must come into the presence of the Master, the Lord God of Israel.
Read all of Exodus 34Exodus 34:21 word by word
שֵׁ֤שֶׁת יָמִים֙ תַּעֲבֹ֔ד וּבַיּ֥וֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִ֖י תִּשְׁבֹּ֑ת בֶּחָרִ֥ישׁ וּבַקָּצִ֖יר תִּשְׁבֹּֽת׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Exodus 34:21
- Exodus 20:9You have six days to do all your work.
- Exodus 23:12“For six days you will do your work, but on the seventh day you must not work. Then your ox and donkey can rest. The slaves born in your household and foreigners will also be refreshed.
- Exodus 35:2You may work for six days, but the seventh day is a holy day of rest, a day when you don’t work. It is dedicated to the Lord. Whoever does any work on this day should be put to death.
- Deuteronomy 5:12“Observe the day of rest as a holy day. This is what the Lord your God has commanded you.
- Luke 13:14The synagogue leader was irritated with Jesus for healing on the day of rest. The leader told the crowd, “There are six days when work can be done. So come on one of those days to be healed. Don’t come on the day of rest—a holy day.”
- Luke 23:56Then they went back to the city and prepared spices and perfumes. But on the day of rest—a holy day, they rested according to the commandment.
- Genesis 45:6The famine has been in the land for two years. There will be five more years without plowing or harvesting.
- Deuteronomy 21:4The leaders of that city will bring the heifer down to a river, to a location where the land hasn’t been plowed or planted. At the river they must break the heifer’s neck.
- 1 Samuel 8:12He will appoint them to be his officers over 1,000 or over 50 soldiers, to plow his ground and harvest his crops, and to make weapons and equipment for his chariots.
- Isaiah 30:24The oxen and the donkeys which work the soil will eat a mixture of food that has been winnowed with forks and shovels.
Commentaries on Exodus 34:21
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 21In earing time and in harvest thou shalt rest - This commandment is worthy of especial note; many break the Sabbath on the pretense of absolute necessity, because, if in harvest time the weather happens to be what is called bad, and the Sabbath day be fair and fine, they judge it perfectly lawful to employ that day in endeavoring to save the fruits of the field, and think that the goodness of the day beyond the preceding, is an indication from Providence…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 12-27Verses 12-27 The precepts contained in these verses are, for the most part, identical in substance with some of those which follow the Ten Commandments and are recorded in “the Book of the covenant” (Exodus 24:7). Exodus 34:13 Cut down their groves - This is the first reference to what is commonly known as grove-worship. The original word for “grove” in this connection אשׁרה 'ăshêrāh is different from that so rendered in Genesis 21:33. Our translators…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 18-27Verses 18-27 Once a week they must rest, even in ploughing time, and in harvest. All worldly business must give way to that holy rest; even harvest work will prosper the better, for the religious observance of the sabbath day in harvest time. We must show that we prefer our communion with God, and our duty to him, before the business or the joy of harvest. Thrice a year they must appear before the Lord God, the God of Israel. Canaan was a desirable land…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 10-26Some of the terms of the covenant are restated, particularly those that prohibit the worship of other gods and that describe the proper worship of the Lord.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 8-268-26. Moses bowed ... and worshipped--In the East, people bow the head to royalty, and are silent when it passes by, while in the West, they take off their hats and shout.Read the comment
Topics related to Exodus 34:21
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Exodus 34
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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