38 Beside the sabbaths H7676 of the LORD, H3068 and beside your gifts, H4979 and beside all your vows, H5088 and beside all your freewill offerings, H5071 which ye give H5414 unto the LORD. H3068
And on the seventh H7637 day H3117 God H430 ended H3615 his work H4399 which he had made; H6213 and he rested H7673 on the seventh H7637 day H3117 from all his work H4399 which he had made. H6213 And God H430 blessed H1288 the seventh H7637 day, H3117 and sanctified H6942 it: because H3588 that in it he had rested H7673 from all his work H4399 which God H430 created H1254 and made. H6213
Remember H2142 the sabbath H7676 day, H3117 to keep it holy. H6942 Six H8337 days H3117 shalt thou labour, H5647 and do H6213 all thy work: H4399 But the seventh H7637 day H3117 is the sabbath H7676 of the LORD H3068 thy God: H430 in it thou shalt not do H6213 any work, H4399 thou, nor thy son, H1121 nor thy daughter, H1323 thy manservant, H5650 nor thy maidservant, H519 nor thy cattle, H929 nor thy stranger H1616 that is within thy gates: H8179 For in six H8337 days H3117 the LORD H3068 made H6213 heaven H8064 and earth, H776 the sea, H3220 and all that in them is, and rested H5117 the seventh H7637 day: H3117 wherefore the LORD H3068 blessed H1288 the sabbath H7676 day, H3117 and hallowed H6942 it.
Moreover, because I have set my affection H7521 to the house H1004 of my God, H430 I have H3426 of mine own proper good, H5459 of gold H2091 and silver, H3701 which I have given H5414 to the house H1004 of my God, H430 over and above H4605 all that I have prepared H3559 for the holy H6944 house, H1004 Even three H7969 thousand H505 talents H3603 of gold, H2091 of the gold H2091 of Ophir, H211 and seven H7651 thousand H505 talents H3603 of refined H2212 silver, H3701 to overlay H2902 the walls H7023 of the houses H1004 withal: The gold H2091 for things of gold, H2091 and the silver H3701 for things of silver, H3701 and for all manner of work H4399 to be made by the hands H3027 of artificers. H2796 And who then is willing H5068 to consecrate H4390 his service H3027 this day H3117 unto the LORD? H3068 Then the chief H8269 of the fathers H1 and princes H8269 of the tribes H7626 of Israel, H3478 and the captains H8269 of thousands H505 and of hundreds, H3967 with the rulers H8269 of the king's H4428 work, H4399 offered willingly, H5068 And gave H5414 for the service H5656 of the house H1004 of God H430 of gold H2091 five H2568 thousand H505 talents H3603 and ten thousand H7239 drams, H150 and of silver H3701 ten H6235 thousand H505 talents, H3603 and of brass H5178 eighteen H8083 H7239 thousand H505 talents, H3603 and one hundred H3967 thousand H505 talents H3603 of iron. H1270 And they with whom precious stones H68 were found H4672 gave H5414 them to the treasure H214 of the house H1004 of the LORD, H3068 by the hand H3027 of Jehiel H3171 the Gershonite. H1649
And Josiah H2977 gave H7311 to the people, H1121 H5971 of the flock, H6629 lambs H3532 and kids, H1121 H5795 all for the passover offerings, H6453 for all that were present, H4672 to the number H4557 of thirty H7970 thousand, H505 and three H7969 thousand H505 bullocks: H1241 these were of the king's H4428 substance. H7399 And his princes H8269 gave H7311 willingly H5071 unto the people, H5971 to the priests, H3548 and to the Levites: H3881 Hilkiah H2518 and Zechariah H2148 and Jehiel, H3171 rulers H5057 of the house H1004 of God, H430 gave H5414 unto the priests H3548 for the passover offerings H6453 two thousand H505 and six H8337 hundred H3967 small cattle, and three H7969 hundred H3967 oxen. H1241
And some of the chief H7218 of the fathers, H1 when they came H935 to the house H1004 of the LORD H3068 which is at Jerusalem, H3389 offered freely H5068 for the house H1004 of God H430 to set it up H5975 in his place: H4349 They gave H5414 after their ability H3581 unto the treasure H214 of the work H4399 threescore H8337 H7239 and one thousand H505 drams H1871 of gold, H2091 and five H2568 thousand H505 pound H4488 of silver, H3701 and one hundred H3967 priests' H3548 garments. H3801
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.