Leviticus 23:1
XXIII. (1) AND THE LORD SPAKE UNTO MOSES. — The regulations about the holiness of the sanctuary and the sacrifices, the holiness of the priests and the people, are now followed by statutes about holy seasons.... [ Continue Reading ]
XXIII. (1) AND THE LORD SPAKE UNTO MOSES. — The regulations about the holiness of the sanctuary and the sacrifices, the holiness of the priests and the people, are now followed by statutes about holy seasons.... [ Continue Reading ]
SPEAK UNTO THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL. — As the festivals here discussed were to be solemnly kept by them, Moses is ordered to address these regulations to the people or their representatives. CONCERNING THE FEASTS OF THE LORD... Better, _the festivals of the Lord which ye shall proclaim as holy convoc... [ Continue Reading ]
SIX DAYS SHALL WORK BE DONE. — Recurring every week, and being the most important as well as the oldest of all festivals, the sabbath introduces the holy seasons. Hence, during the second Temple it was declared that “the sabbath is in importance equal to the whole law; he who profanes the sabbath op... [ Continue Reading ]
THESE ARE THE FEASTS OF THE LORD. — Because the following are the festivals proper as distinguished from the sabbath (see Leviticus 23:37), and because they are now enumerated in their regular order, the introductory heading is here repeated. YE SHALL PROCLAIM IN THEIR SEASONS. — By the blast of tr... [ Continue Reading ]
IN THE FOURTEENTH DAY OF THE FIRST MONTH. — This month is called _Abib_ in the Pentateuch (Exodus 13:4; Exodus 23:15; Deuteronomy 16:1), and _Nisan_ in the later books of Scripture (_Nehemiah 2:1_; Esther 3:7). The fourteenth day of this month is about the beginning of April. On this day, which was... [ Continue Reading ]
SEVEN DAYS YE MUST EAT UNLEAVENED BREAD. — See Exodus 12:15; Exodus 12:18.... [ Continue Reading ]
IN THE FIRST DAY. — That is, the first of the seven days, or the fifteenth of the month Nisan. (See Exodus 12:16.) YE SHALL DO NO SERVILE WORK THEREIN. — Servile work was defined during the second Temple to consist in building, pulling down edifices, weaving, reaping, threshing, winnowing, grinding... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT YE SHALL OFFER. — Better, _and ye shall offer._ In addition to the daily ordinary sacrifices, there were offered on this day, and on the following six days, two young bullocks, a ram, and seven lambs of the first year, with meat offerings for a burnt offering, and a goat for a sin offering (Numb... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE LORD SPAKE UNTO MOSES. — As the celebration of the sheaf of first-fruits formed no part of the original institution of the Passover (Exodus 12:1), and as the omer ritual could not be observed in the wilderness, where there was no sowing of corn, it is here enacted as a prospective part of th... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEN YE BE COME INTO THE LAND. — This is the third of the four instances in Leviticus where a law is given prospectively, having no immediate bearing on the condition of the people of Israel. (See Leviticus 19:23.) THEN YE SHALL BRING A SHEAF OF THE FIRST-FRUITS OF YOUR HARVEST. — Better, _ye shall... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE SHALL WAVE THE SHEAF. — Better, _and he shall wave the omer._ The priest mixed with the omer of meal a log of oil, put on a handful of frankincense (see Leviticus 2:15), as on other meat-offerings, waved it, took a handful of it and caused it to ascend in smoke (see Leviticus 2:16), and then... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE SHALL OFFER. — With the omer of the first-fruits a lamb was offered, besides the sacrifices for the feast enumerated in Leviticus 23:8.... [ Continue Reading ]
TWO TENTH DEALS OF FINE FLOUR. — Ordinarily only one-tenth deal of fine Hour was required for a meat-offering (Exodus 29:40; Numbers 15:4; Numbers 28:9; Numbers 28:13, &c.), to exhibit the plentiful harvest. With the exception of the handful of flour and oil, and of all the frankincense, this meat-o... [ Continue Reading ]
AND YE SHALL EAT NEITHER BREAD. — In acknowledgment of the bountiful Giver of the new harvest, it was ordained that the Israelites were not to taste any of it till they had dedicated the first- fruit to the Lord. By bread is meant the unleavened bread which they were now enjoined to eat. The unleave... [ Continue Reading ]
YE SHALL COUNT... FROM THE MORROW AFTER THE SABBATH. — That is, from the day following the first day of holy convocation, which was a rest day. As this was the fifteenth of Nisan, the counting began from the sixteenth (see Leviticus 23:11), the day on which the omer of the first-fruits was presented... [ Continue Reading ]
EVEN UNTO THE MORROW AFTER THE SEVENTH SABBATH. — That is, the day after the seven complete weeks, or the fiftieth day. Hence its name, “Pentecost, or fiftieth-day” feast in the New Testament (Acts 2:1; Acts 20:16; 1 Corinthians 16:8), and “feast of weeks” in the Old Testament (Exodus 34:12; Deutero... [ Continue Reading ]
YE SHALL BRING OUT OF YOUR HABITATIONS. — During the second Temple this clause was taken to be elliptical, and to denote ye shall _bring out of,_ or _from, the land of your habitations,_ that is, from Palestine (Numbers 15:2). TWO WAVE LOAVES OF TWO TENTH DEALS. — These two loaves were prepared in t... [ Continue Reading ]
AND YE SHALL OFFER WITH THE BREAD SEVEN LAMBS. — The additional sacrifices for the feast day consisted of two bullocks, one ram, and seven lambs, which were a burnt offering, and of a goat as a sin offering (Numbers 28:26; Numbers 28:30). Besides these, however, the new meat offering of the two loav... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN YE SHALL SACRIFICE. — Better, _and ye shall sacrifice._ They were, moreover, to offer a goat for a sin offering, and two lambs for a peace offering. Hence Josephus, who was an eye-witness to the Temple service, in summing up the number of animal sacrifices on this festival, says that there were... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE PRIEST SHALL WAVE THEM... WITH THE TWO LAMBS. — During the second Temple this was done in the following manner : — The two lambs were brought into the Temple, and waved together or separately by the priest while yet alive. Whereupon they were slain, and the priest took the breast and shoulde... [ Continue Reading ]
(21).AND YE SHALL PROCLAIM ON THE SELFSAME DAY. — This proclamation was made to the people by the priest with trumpet blasts. YE SHALL DO NO SERVILE WORK. — For what constituted servile work, see Leviticus 23:7. A STATUTE FOR EVER.... — See Leviticus 23:14; Leviticus 3:17; Leviticus 7:23. In accord... [ Continue Reading ]
THOU SHALT NOT MAKE A CLEAN RIDDANCE. — Better, _thou shalt not wholly reap,_ as the Authorised version translates the same phrase in Leviticus 19:9. In the midst of rejoicing and thankfulness to God for a bountiful harvest, the Lawgiver again inculcates the duty of remembering the poor, and reminds... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE LORD SPAKE UNTO MOSES. — The new festival about which regulations are given in Leviticus 23:24, is introduced by a separate formula, which describes the subject matter as a separate and distinct Divine communication.... [ Continue Reading ]
A MEMORIAL OF BLOWING OF TRUMPETS. — Literally, _remembrance blowing,_ for which see Numbers 29:1, the only place in the Old Testament where this festival is named as “the day of blessing,” _i.e.,_ the trumpets. As the first of _Ethanim,_ as the month is called in the Bible (1 Kings 8:2), or _Tishri... [ Continue Reading ]
YE SHALL DO NO SERVILE WORK. — With the exception of what was absolutely necessary, all handicraft and trade were stopped. (See Leviticus 23:7.) BUT YE SHALL OFFER. — As the festival is also the new moon, a threefold sacrifice was offered on it, (1) viz. the ordinary daily sacrifice which was offere... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE LORD SPAKE UNTO MOSES. — The same formula which introduced the regulations about the feast of trumpets (see Leviticus 23:23), now introduces the laws about the day of Atonement.... [ Continue Reading ]
ALSO ON THE TENTH. — See Leviticus 16:29. AND YE SHALL AFFLICT YOUR SOULS. — That is, fast. (See Leviticus 16:29.) AND OFFER AN OFFERING. — See Numbers 29:8.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND YE SHALL DO NO WORK. — Better, _And ye shall do no manner of work,_ as the Authorised version has it in Leviticus 23:31 of this very chapter. (See Leviticus 16:29.) This is the only day which had to be kept like the sabbath, and on which no manner of work was allowed. (See Leviticus 23:3.) TO M... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR WHATSOEVER SOUL... HE SHALL BE CUT OFF FROM AMONG HIS PEOPLE. — Better, _For whatsoever soul_... _that shall be cut off from his people._ (See Note on Leviticus 19:8.) Any member of the community who does not fast on this day God himself will punish with excision, except those who through old ag... [ Continue Reading ]
THAT DOETH ANY WORK. — That is, engages in any kind of work whatsoever, since this is the only festival which is to be kept like the sabbath. WILL I DESTROY. — Whilst in all other instances where God threatens the offender with the penalty of excision the expression “cut off” is used, in the passag... [ Continue Reading ]
YE SHALL DO NO MANNER OF WORK. — Owing to the great sanctity of the day, the command to abstain from all work is repeated after the enactment of the penalty, in order to impress it more effectually upon the people. A STATUTE FOR EVER... — See Leviticus 3:17; Leviticus 7:23.... [ Continue Reading ]
IT SHALL BE UNTO YOU A SABBATH OF REST. — Rather, _It shall be a sabbath of rest unto you,_ as the Authorised version renders it in Leviticus 16:31. It is most unaccountable why the translators varied this important formula, when it is exactly the same in the original in both passages. For the impor... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE LORD SPAKE UNTO MOSES. — Like the festivals of new year and the day of Atonement (see Leviticus 23:23; Leviticus 23:26), the feast of Tabernacles, which is discussed in Leviticus 23:34, is introduced by this special formula, thus indicating that it was a separate communication.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE FIFTEENTH DAY OF THIS SEVENTH MONTH. — That is, the month Tishri, corresponding to the end of September and the beginning of October, and only four days after the day of Atonement. SHALL BE THE FEAST OF TABERNACLES. — How and where these tabernacles are to be erected the law here gives no direct... [ Continue Reading ]
ON THE FIRST DAY SHALL BE AN HOLY CONVOCATION. — At daybreak of this day one of the priests, accompanied by a jubilant procession and a band of music, went with a golden pitcher to the pool of Siloam, and having filled it with water, returned with it to the Temple in time to join his brother-priests... [ Continue Reading ]
SEVEN DAYS YE SHALL OFFER. — The special sacrifices for this day consisted of a burnt offering of thirteen bullocks, two rams, and fourteen lambs, with an appropriate meat and drink offering, and a goat for a sin offering (Numbers 29:12). Whereupon were offered the peace offerings, the vows and the... [ Continue Reading ]
THESE ARE THE FEASTS OF THE LORD. — That is, the above-named six festivals, viz. — (1) the Passover (Leviticus 23:4), (2) Pentecost Leviticus 23:15), (3) New Year (Leviticus 23:23), (4) Day of Atonement (Leviticus 23:26), (5) Tabernacles (Leviticus 23:33 a), and (6) the concluding festival (Leviticu... [ Continue Reading ]
BESIDE THE SABBATHS. — By a figure of speech called metonymy, which is frequently used both in the Old and New Testaments, the expression sabbaths stands here for _the sacrifices of the sabbaths,_ just as in Leviticus 25:6 “sabbath of the land” denotes the produce of the sabbath of the land, or of t... [ Continue Reading ]
ALSO IN THE FIFTEENTH DAY. — After the list of festivals discussed in this chapter has been summed up in Leviticus 23:37, the next five verses recur to the feast of Tabernacles. The regulations are supplementary to those given before, and embody a separate enactment. WHEN YE HAVE GATHERED IN THE FR... [ Continue Reading ]
AND YE SHALL TAKE YOU ON THE FIRST DAY. — The four species of vegetable production here ordered are a distinctive feature of this festival. They have been most minutely defined during the second Temple. BOUGHS OF GOODLY TREES. — Better, _the fruit of goodly trees,_ as the margin rightly renders it.... [ Continue Reading ]
SEVEN DAYS IN THE YEAR. — These seven days denote the feast of Tabernacles proper, whilst the eight days in Leviticus 23:39 include the concluding festival of the last day. (See Leviticus 23:36.) IN YOUR GENERATIONS. — Better, _throughout your generations,_ as the Authorised version renders it in L... [ Continue Reading ]
DWELL IN BOOTHS SEVEN DAYS. — Because the eighth day was a separate festival, when the booths were no more used. (See Leviticus 23:36.)... [ Continue Reading ]
THAT YOUR GENERATIONS MAY KNOW. — When their posterity are securely occupying the land of Canaan, the temporary dwelling in booths once a year may remind them of the goodness of God vouchsafed to their fathers in delivering them from the land of bondage, and sheltering them in booths in the wilderne... [ Continue Reading ]
AND MOSES DECLARED. — In accordance with the command which Moses received (see Leviticus 23:2), he explained to the children of Israel the number and motive of these festivals. This verse therefore forms an appropriate conclusion to the whole chapter.... [ Continue Reading ]