Leviticus 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.