Exodus 23:14

Three times. Verses 14–17 record the law of sacred festivals. All the ancient heathen religions had annual festive seasons commemorating the supposed beneficence of their gods. Assembling together in large gatherings, the people inspired and cheered one another to greater devotion and heartier thanksgiving than at other times. Such festivals were frequent in Egypt and held an important place in religious life.

Abraham’s family probably celebrated occasions of this kind in Mesopotamia, and the Lord now sanctioned these three feasts as a stimulus to piety. These feasts were: (1) to be at once agricultural and historical, connected with the course of the seasons and also with great events in the life of the nation; (2) to be observed only at one place, where the tabernacle was situated; (3) to be attended by the entire male population (v. 17; see on Lev. 23:2).