36 Seven H7651 days H3117 ye shall offer H7126 an offering made by fire H801 unto the LORD: H3068 on the eighth H8066 day H3117 shall be an holy H6944 convocation H4744 unto you; and ye shall offer H7126 an offering made by fire H801 unto the LORD: H3068 it is a solemn assembly; H6116 and ye shall do H6213 no servile H5656 work H4399 therein.
And on the fifteenth H2568 H6240 day H3117 of the seventh H7637 month H2320 ye shall have an holy H6944 convocation; H4744 ye shall do H6213 no servile H5656 work, H4399 and ye shall keep H2287 a feast H2282 unto the LORD H3068 seven H7651 days: H3117 And ye shall offer H7126 a burnt offering, H5930 a sacrifice made by fire, H801 of a sweet H5207 savour H7381 unto the LORD; H3068 thirteen H7969 H6240 young H1241 H1121 bullocks, H6499 two H8147 rams, H352 and fourteen H702 H6240 lambs H3532 of the first H1121 year; H8141 they shall be without blemish: H8549 And their meat offering H4503 shall be of flour H5560 mingled H1101 with oil, H8081 three H7969 tenth deals H6241 unto every H259 bullock H6499 of the thirteen H7969 H6240 bullocks, H6499 two H8147 tenth deals H6241 to each H259 ram H352 of the two H8147 rams, H352 And a several tenth deal H6241 to each H259 lamb H3532 of the fourteen H702 H6240 lambs: H3532 And one H259 kid H8163 of the goats H5795 for a sin offering; H2403 beside the continual H8548 burnt offering, H5930 his meat offering, H4503 and his drink offering. H5262 And on the second H8145 day H3117 ye shall offer twelve H8147 H6240 young H1121 H1241 bullocks, H6499 two H8147 rams, H352 fourteen H702 H6240 lambs H3532 of the first H1121 year H8141 without spot: H8549 And their meat offering H4503 and their drink offerings H5262 for the bullocks, H6499 for the rams, H352 and for the lambs, H3532 shall be according to their number, H4557 after the manner: H4941 And one H259 kid H8163 of the goats H5795 for a sin offering; H2403 beside the continual H8548 burnt offering, H5930 and the meat offering H4503 thereof, and their drink offerings. H5262 And on the third H7992 day H3117 eleven H6249 H6240 bullocks, H6499 two H8147 rams, H352 fourteen H702 H6240 lambs H3532 of the first H1121 year H8141 without blemish; H8549 And their meat offering H4503 and their drink offerings H5262 for the bullocks, H6499 for the rams, H352 and for the lambs, H3532 shall be according to their number, H4557 after the manner: H4941 And one H259 goat H8163 for a sin offering; H2403 beside the continual H8548 burnt offering, H5930 and his meat offering, H4503 and his drink offering. H5262 And on the fourth H7243 day H3117 ten H6235 bullocks, H6499 two H8147 rams, H352 and fourteen H702 H6240 lambs H3532 of the first H1121 year H8141 without blemish: H8549 Their meat offering H4503 and their drink offerings H5262 for the bullocks, H6499 for the rams, H352 and for the lambs, H3532 shall be according to their number, H4557 after the manner: H4941 And one H259 kid H8163 of the goats H5795 for a sin offering; H2403 beside the continual H8548 burnt offering, H5930 his meat offering, H4503 and his drink offering. H5262 And on the fifth H2549 day H3117 nine H8672 bullocks, H6499 two H8147 rams, H352 and fourteen H702 H6240 lambs H3532 of the first H1121 year H8141 without spot: H8549 And their meat offering H4503 and their drink offerings H5262 for the bullocks, H6499 for the rams, H352 and for the lambs, H3532 shall be according to their number, H4557 after the manner: H4941 And one H259 goat H8163 for a sin offering; H2403 beside the continual H8548 burnt offering, H5930 and his meat offering, H4503 and his drink offering. H5262 And on the sixth H8345 day H3117 eight H8083 bullocks, H6499 two H8147 rams, H352 and fourteen H702 H6240 lambs H3532 of the first H1121 year H8141 without blemish: H8549 And their meat offering H4503 and their drink offerings H5262 for the bullocks, H6499 for the rams, H352 and for the lambs, H3532 shall be according to their number, H4557 after the manner: H4941 And one H259 goat H8163 for a sin offering; H2403 beside the continual H8548 burnt offering, H5930 his meat offering, H4503 and his drink offering. H5262 And on the seventh H7637 day H3117 seven H7651 bullocks, H6499 two H8147 rams, H352 and fourteen H702 H6240 lambs H3532 of the first H1121 year H8141 without blemish: H8549 And their meat offering H4503 and their drink offerings H5262 for the bullocks, H6499 for the rams, H352 and for the lambs, H3532 shall be according to their number, H4557 after the manner: H4941 And one H259 goat H8163 for a sin offering; H2403 beside the continual H8548 burnt offering, H5930 his meat offering, H4503 and his drink offering. H5262 On the eighth H8066 day H3117 ye shall have a solemn assembly: H6116 ye shall do H6213 no servile H5656 work H4399 therein: But ye shall offer H7126 a burnt offering, H5930 a sacrifice made by fire, H801 of a sweet H5207 savour H7381 unto the LORD: H3068 one H259 bullock, H6499 one H259 ram, H352 seven H7651 lambs H3532 of the first H1121 year H8141 without blemish: H8549 Their meat offering H4503 and their drink offerings H5262 for the bullock, H6499 for the ram, H352 and for the lambs, H3532 shall be according to their number, H4557 after the manner: H4941 And one H259 goat H8163 for a sin offering; H2403 beside the continual H8548 burnt offering, H5930 and his meat offering, H4503 and his drink offering. H5262
Also at the same time H6256 Solomon H8010 kept H6213 the feast H2282 seven H7651 days, H3117 and all Israel H3478 with him, a very H3966 great H1419 congregation, H6951 from the entering in H935 of Hamath H2574 unto the river H5158 of Egypt. H4714 And in the eighth H8066 day H3117 they made H6213 a solemn assembly: H6116 for they kept H6213 the dedication H2598 of the altar H4196 seven H7651 days, H3117 and the feast H2282 seven H7651 days. H3117 And on the three H7969 and twentieth H6242 day H3117 of the seventh H7637 month H2320 he sent H7971 the people H5971 away H7971 into their tents, H168 glad H8056 and merry H2896 in heart H3820 for the goodness H2896 that the LORD H3068 had shewed H6213 unto David, H1732 and to Solomon, H8010 and to Israel H3478 his people. H5971 Thus Solomon H8010 finished H3615 the house H1004 of the LORD, H3068 and the king's H4428 house: H1004 and all that came H935 into Solomon's H8010 heart H3820 to make H6213 in the house H1004 of the LORD, H3068 and in his own house, H1004 he prosperously effected. H6743
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Leviticus 23
Commentary on Leviticus 23 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 23
Le 23:1-4. Of Sundry Feasts.
2. Speak unto the children of Israel, … concerning the feasts of the Lord—literally, "the times of assembling, or solemnities" (Isa 33:20); and this is a preferable rendering, applicable to all sacred seasons mentioned in this chapter, even the day of atonement, which was observed as a fast. They were appointed by the direct authority of God and announced by a public proclamation, which is called "the joyful sound" (Ps 89:15). Those "holy convocations" were evidences of divine wisdom, and eminently subservient to the maintenance and diffusion of religious knowledge and piety.
3. Six days shall work be done: but the seventh day is the sabbath of rest—(See on Ex 20:8). The Sabbath has the precedence given to it, and it was to be "a holy convocation," observed by families "in their dwellings"; where practicable, by the people repairing to the door of the tabernacle; at later periods, by meeting in the schools of the prophets, and in synagogues.
4. These are the feasts of the Lord, which ye shall proclaim in their seasons—Their observance took place in the parts of the year corresponding to our March, May, and September. Divine wisdom was manifested in fixing them at those periods; in winter, when the days were short and the roads broken up, a long journey was impracticable; while in summer the harvest and vintage gave busy employment in the fields. Besides, another reason for the choice of those seasons probably was to counteract the influence of Egyptian associations and habits. And God appointed more sacred festivals for the Israelites in the month of September than the people of Egypt had in honor of their idols. These institutions, however, were for the most part prospective, the observance being not binding on the Israelites during their wanderings in the wilderness, while the regular celebration was not to commence till their settlement in Canaan.
Le 23:5-8. The Passover.
5. the Lord's passover—(See Ex 12:2, 14, 18). The institution of the passover was intended to be a perpetual memorial of the circumstances attending the redemption of the Israelites, while it had a typical reference to a greater redemption to be effected for God's spiritual people. On the first and last days of this feast, the people were forbidden to work [Le 23:7, 8]; but while on the Sabbath they were not to do any work, on feast days they were permitted to dress meat—and hence the prohibition is restricted to "no servile work." At the same time, those two days were devoted to "holy convocation"—special seasons of social devotion. In addition to the ordinary sacrifices of every day, there were to be "offerings by fire" on the altar (see Nu 28:19), while unleavened bread was to be eaten in families all the seven days (see 1Co 5:8).
Le 23:9-14. The Sheaf of First Fruits.
10. ye shall bring a sheaf of the first-fruits of your harvest unto the priest—A sheaf, literally, an omer, of the first-fruits of the barley harvest. The barley being sooner ripe than the other grains, the reaping of it formed the commencement of the general harvest season. The offering described in this passage was made on the sixteenth of the first month, the day following the first Passover Sabbath, which was on the fifteenth (corresponding to the beginning of our April); but it was reaped after sunset on the previous evening by persons deputed to go with sickles and obtain samples from different fields. These, being laid together in a sheaf or loose bundle, were brought to the court of the temple, where the grain was winnowed, parched, and bruised in a mortar. Then, after some incense had been sprinkled on it, the priest waved the sheaf aloft before the Lord towards the four different points of the compass, took a part of it and threw it into the fire of the altar—all the rest being reserved to himself. It was a proper and beautiful act, expressive of dependence on the God of nature and providence—common among all people, but more especially becoming the Israelites, who owed their land itself as well as all it produced to the divine bounty. The offering of the wave-sheaf sanctified the whole harvest (Ro 11:16). At the same time, this feast had a typical character, and pre-intimated the resurrection of Christ (1Co 15:20), who rose from the dead on the very day the first-fruits were offered.
Le 23:15-22. Feast of Pentecost.
15. ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the sabbath—that is, after the first day of the passover week, which was observed as a Sabbath.
16. number fifty days—The forty-ninth day after the presentation of the first-fruits, or the fiftieth, including it, was the feast of Pentecost. (See also Ex 23:16; De 16:9).
17. Ye shall bring out of your habitations two wave loaves of two tenth deals, &c.—These loaves were made of "fine" or wheaten flour, the quantity contained in them being somewhat more than ten pounds in weight. As the wave-sheaf gave the signal for the commencement, the two loaves solemnized the termination of the harvest season. They were the first-fruits of that season, being offered unto the Lord by the priest in name of the whole nation. (See Ex 34:22). The loaves used at the Passover were unleavened; those presented at Pentecost were leavened—a difference which is thus accounted for, that the one was a memorial of the bread hastily prepared at their departure, while the other was a tribute of gratitude to God for their daily food, which was leavened.
21. ye shall proclaim on the selfsame day, that it may be an holy convocation unto you: ye shall do no servile work therein—Though it extended over a week, the first day only was held as a Sabbath, both for the national offering of first-fruits and a memorial of the giving of the law.
22. thou shalt not make clean riddance of the corners of thy field when thou reapest, &c.—(See on Le 19:9). The repetition of this law here probably arose from the priests reminding the people, at the presentation of the first-fruits, to unite piety to God with charity to the poor.
Le 23:23-25. Feast of Trumpets.
24. In the seventh month, in the first day of the month, shall ye have a sabbath—That was the first day of the ancient civil year.
a memorial of blowing of trumpets—Jewish writers say that the trumpets were sounded thirty successive times, and the reason for the institution was for the double purpose of announcing the commencement of the new year, which was (Le 23:25) to be religiously observed (see Nu 29:3), and of preparing the people for the approaching solemn feast.
27-32. there shall be a day of atonement … and ye shall afflict your souls—an unusual festival, at which the sins of the whole year were expiated. (See Le 16:29-34). It is here only stated that the severest penalty was incurred by the violation of this day.
34-44. the feast of tabernacles, for seven days unto the Lord—This festival, which was instituted in grateful commemoration of the Israelites having securely dwelt in booths or tabernacles in the wilderness, was the third of the three great annual festivals, and, like the other two, it lasted a week. It began on the fifteenth day of the month, corresponding to the end of our September and beginning of October, which was observed as a Sabbath; and it could be celebrated only at the place of the sanctuary, offerings being made on the altar every day of its continuance. The Jews were commanded during the whole period of the festival to dwell in booths, which were erected on the flat roofs of houses, in the streets or fields; and the trees made use of are by some stated to be the citron, the palm, the myrtle, and the willow, while others maintain the people were allowed to take any trees they could obtain that were distinguished for verdure and fragrance. While the solid branches were reserved for the construction of the booths, the lighter branches were carried by men, who marched in triumphal procession, singing psalms and crying "Hosanna!" which signifies, "Save, we beseech thee!" (Ps 118:15, 25, 26). It was a season of great rejoicing. But the ceremony of drawing water from the pool, which was done on the last day, seems to have been the introduction of a later period (Joh 7:37). That last day was the eighth, and, on account of the scene at Siloam, was called "the great day of the feast." The feast of ingathering, when the vintage was over, was celebrated also on that day [Ex 23:16; 34:22], and, as the conclusion of one of the great festivals, it was kept as a sabbath.