New English Translation
Exodus 34:21
21“On six days you may labor, but on the seventh day you must rest; even at the time of plowing and of harvest you are to rest.
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 firstborn of the womb belongs to me, even every firstborn of your cattle that is a male, whether ox or sheep. 20Now the firstling of a donkey you may redeem with a lamb, but if you do not redeem it, then break its neck. You must redeem all the firstborn of your sons. “No one will appear before me empty-handed. “On six days you may labor, but on the seventh day you must rest; even at the time of plowing and of harvest you are to rest. 22“You must observe the Feast of Weeks – the firstfruits of the harvest of wheat – and the Feast of Ingathering at the end of the year. 23At three times in the year all your men must appear before the Lord God, the 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 20:9For six days you may labor and do all your work,
- Exodus 23:12For six days you are to do your work, but on the seventh day you must cease, in order that your ox and your donkey may rest and that your female servant’s son and any hired help may refresh themselves.
- Exodus 35:2In six days work may be done, but on the seventh day there must be a holy day for you, a Sabbath of complete rest to the Lord. Anyone who does work on it will be put to death.
- Deuteronomy 5:12Be careful to observe the Sabbath day just as the Lord your God has commanded you.
- Luke 13:14But the president of the synagogue, indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, said to the crowd, “There are six days on which work should be done! So come and be healed on those days, and not on the Sabbath day.”
- Luke 23:56Then they returned and prepared aromatic spices and perfumes. On the Sabbath they rested according to the commandment.
- Genesis 45:6For these past two years there has been famine in the land and for five more years there will be neither plowing nor harvesting.
- Deuteronomy 21:4and bring the heifer down to a wadi with flowing water, to a valley that is neither plowed nor sown. There at the wadi they are to break the heifer’s neck.
- 1 Samuel 8:12He will appoint for himself leaders of thousands and leaders of fifties, as well as those who plow his ground, reap his harvest, and make his weapons of war and his chariot equipment.
- Isaiah 30:24The oxen and donkeys used in plowing will eat seasoned feed winnowed with a shovel and pitchfork.
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
New English Translation — © 1996-2016 Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C.
Commentaries