Why does Deut. 16:8 say to eat six days of unleavened bread?

SUBJECT:  Days of Unleavened Bread and Deut 16:8

 

QUESTION:  Why does Deut. 16:8 say to eat six days of unleavened bread.  I thought it was seven days.

 

ANSWER:

First the verse

 

Deut 16:8

8 Six days thou shalt eat unleavened bread: and on the seventh day shall be a solemn assembly to the LORD thy God: thou shalt do no work therein.

 

It is actually saying seven days.  It is just a quirk of the language.  The meaning is this:  Six days thou shalt eat unleavened bread: and on the seventh day, while still eating unleavened bread, it shall be a solemn assembly to the LORD thy God: thou shalt do no work therein.

 

We know it means this because of the structure of the sentence and verses such as...

 

Ex 12:18
18 In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at even, ye shall eat unleavened bread, until the one and twentieth day of the month at even.
 

This verse shows that unleavened bread is eaten at Passover and the seven days of unleavened bread.

 

We have this one too:

 

Lev 23:5-6

5 In the fourteenth day of the first month at even is the LORD's passover.

6 And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the feast of unleavened bread unto the LORD: seven days ye must eat unleavened bread.

Since the Bible cannot contradict itself, we know then that Deut 16:8 must be speaking of eating unleavened bread seven days.