Exodus 23:15

23:15 You are to observe the Feast of Unleavened Bread; seven days ¹  you must eat bread made without yeast, as I commanded you, at the appointed time of the month of Abib, for at that time ²  you came out of Egypt. No one may appear before ³  me empty-handed.

Exodus 34:20

34:20 Now the firstling ⁴  of a donkey you may redeem with a lamb, but if you do not redeem it, then break its neck. ⁵  You must redeem all the firstborn of your sons.

“No one will appear before me empty-handed. ⁶ 

Deuteronomy 16:16

16:16 Three times a year all your males must appear before the Lord your God in the place he chooses for the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the Festival of Weeks, and the Festival of Temporary Shelters; and they must not appear before him ⁷  empty-handed.

[23:15]  ¹ tn This is an adverbial accusative of time.

[23:15]  ² tn Heb “in it.”

[23:15]  ³ tn The verb is a Niphal imperfect; the nuance of permission works well here – no one is permitted to appear before God empty (Heb “and they will not appear before me empty”).

[34:20]  ⁴ tn Heb “and the one that opens [the womb of] the donkey.”

[34:20]  ⁵ sn See G. Brin, “The Firstling of Unclean Animals,” JQR 68 (1971): 1-15.

[34:20]  ⁶ tn The form is the adverb “empty.”

[16:16]  ⁷ tn Heb “the Lord.” See note on “he” in 16:1.