Exodus 12:16

12:16 On the first day there will be a holy convocation, 1  and on the seventh day there will be a holy convocation for you. You must do no work of any kind 2  on them, only what every person will eat – that alone may be prepared for you.

Exodus 22:9

22:9 In all cases of illegal possessions, 3  whether for an ox, a donkey, a sheep, a garment, or any kind of lost item, about which someone says ‘This belongs to me,’ 4  the matter of the two of them will come before the judges, 5  and the one whom 6  the judges declare guilty 7  must repay double to his neighbor.

1 sn This refers to an assembly of the people at the sanctuary for religious purposes. The word “convocation” implies that the people were called together, and Num 10:2 indicates they were called together by trumpets.

2 tn Heb “all/every work will not be done.” The word refers primarily to the work of one’s occupation. B. Jacob (Exodus, 322) explains that since this comes prior to the fuller description of laws for Sabbaths and festivals, the passage simply restricts all work except for the preparation of food. Once the laws are added, this qualification is no longer needed. Gesenius translates this as “no manner of work shall be done” (GKC 478-79 §152.b).

3 tn Heb “concerning every kind [thing] of trespass.”

4 tn The text simply has “this is it” (הוּא זֶה, hu’ zeh).

5 tn Again, or “God.”

6 tn This kind of clause Gesenius calls an independent relative clause – it does not depend on a governing substantive but itself expresses a substantival idea (GKC 445-46 §138.e).

7 tn The verb means “to be guilty” in Qal; in Hiphil it would have a declarative sense, because a causative sense would not possibly fit.