Observe the month of Abib, and keep the passover unto the LORD thy God: for in the month of Abib the LORD thy God brought thee forth out of Egypt by night.

DEUTERONOMY 16:1KJV
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Deuteronomy 16:1 (KJV)

What does Deuteronomy 16:1 mean?

Deuteronomy 16:1 tells the Israelites to pay attention to the month called Abib and to celebrate the Passover for the LORD their God, because it was in this month that God brought them out of Egypt at night. The verse is a reminder to remember and honor the time when God delivered them from slavery.

In this verse, Moses is speaking to the people of Israel as they prepare to enter the Promised Land. He instructs them to observe a specific time on their calendar—Abib, which is the first month of the Hebrew year (roughly March-April)—and to keep the Passover as a way to remember God's rescue from Egypt. The focus is on remembering a real historical event and keeping it central in their worship and identity.

The Hebrew behind Deuteronomy 16:1

  • "Observe" (שָׁמַר, shamar) means to keep, guard, or pay careful attention. Here, it stresses the importance of not just remembering but actively keeping the month and its festival.
  • "Abib" (אָבִיב, aviv) refers to the stage of ripening barley and marks the beginning of the Hebrew year. This ties the festival to both the agricultural cycle and the historical event of the Exodus.
  • "Passover" (פֶּסַח, pesach) is the name of the festival commemorating God "passing over" the Israelites' homes during the tenth plague in Egypt. This word anchors the command in a specific act of God's deliverance.
  • "Brought thee forth" (יָצָא, yatsa) means to bring out or lead out, highlighting God's active role in rescuing the Israelites from Egypt.

Why Deuteronomy 16:1 matters

  • This verse clarifies that the Passover is not just a ritual but a memorial tied to a specific time and event—the Exodus from Egypt in the month of Abib.
  • The command to "observe" shows that remembering God's actions is not passive; it requires intentional, ongoing effort from each generation.
  • By linking the festival to both the agricultural calendar and a historical event, the verse connects Israel’s faith to their daily life and history, grounding their worship in real events.

Where else these words appear

“Abib” Hebrew H24 · used in 6 verses

  • Exodus 9:31 And the flax and the barley was smitten: for the barley was in the ear, and the flax was bolled.
  • Exodus 13:4 This day came ye out in the month Abib.
  • Exodus 34:18 The feast of unleavened bread shalt thou keep. Seven days thou shalt eat unleavened bread, as I commanded thee, in the time of the month Abib: for in the month Abib thou camest out from Egypt.

“passover” Hebrew H6453 · used in 46 verses

  • Exodus 12:11 And thus shall ye eat it; with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste: it is the LORD'S passover.
  • Numbers 28:16 And in the fourteenth day of the first month is the passover of the LORD.
  • 2 Chronicles 30:18 For a multitude of the people, even many of Ephraim, and Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun, had not cleansed themselves, yet did they eat the passover otherwise than it was written. But Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, The good LORD pardon every one