God’s people were expected to come to Jerusalem on the festival days (e.g., Exodus 23:14–17).1 These feasts emphasized God’s goodness in the exodus, the conquest, and his continual care throughout the history of Israel (Deuteronomy 16:15).2 The Lord commanded the people to come for worship at the annual feasts in Jerusalem at the central shrine (Deuteronomy 12:5–6), where his people would confess the Lord’s name, to give thanks for God’s provision.3
4 to which the tribes go up, the tribes of the LORD, as was decreed for Israel, to give thanks to the name of the LORD.