28 And ye shall do H6213 no work H4399 in that same H6106 day: H3117 for it is a day H3117 of atonement, H3725 to make an atonement H3722 for you before H6440 the LORD H3068 your God. H430
And this shall be an everlasting H5769 statute H2708 unto you, to make an atonement H3722 for the children H1121 of Israel H3478 for all their sins H2403 once H259 a year. H8141 And he did H6213 as the LORD H3068 commanded H6680 Moses. H4872
Yet it pleased H2654 the LORD H3068 to bruise H1792 him; he hath put him to grief: H2470 when thou shalt make H7760 his soul H5315 an offering for sin, H817 he shall see H7200 his seed, H2233 he shall prolong H748 his days, H3117 and the pleasure H2656 of the LORD H3068 shall prosper H6743 in his hand. H3027
Seventy H7657 weeks H7620 are determined H2852 upon thy people H5971 and upon thy holy H6944 city, H5892 to finish H3607 the transgression, H6588 and to make an end H8552 H2856 of sins, H2403 and to make reconciliation H3722 for iniquity, H5771 and to bring in H935 everlasting H5769 righteousness, H6664 and to seal up H2856 the vision H2377 and prophecy, H5030 and to anoint H4886 the most H6944 Holy. H6944
For behold the stone H68 that I have laid H5414 before H6440 Joshua; H3091 upon one H259 stone H68 shall be seven H7651 eyes: H5869 behold, I will engrave H6605 the graving H6603 thereof, saith H5002 the LORD H3068 of hosts, H6635 and I will remove H4185 the iniquity H5771 of that land H776 in one H259 day. H3117
For G1063 if, G1487 when we were G5607 enemies, G2190 we were reconciled G2644 to God G2316 by G1223 the death G2288 of his G846 Son, G5207 much G4183 more, G3123 being reconciled, G2644 we shall be saved G4982 by G1722 his G846 life. G2222 And G1161 not G3756 only G3440 so, but G235 we also G2532 joy G2744 in G1722 God G2316 through G1223 our G2257 Lord G2962 Jesus G2424 Christ, G5547 by G1223 whom G3739 we have G2983 now G3568 received G2983 the atonement. G2643
For then G1893 must G1163 he G846 often G4178 have suffered G3958 since G575 the foundation G2602 of the world: G2889 but G1161 now G3568 once G530 in G1909 the end G4930 of the world G165 hath he appeared G5319 to G1519 put away G115 sin G266 by G1223 the sacrifice G2378 of himself. G846
And G2532 he G846 is G2076 the propitiation G2434 for G4012 our G2257 sins: G266 and G1161 not G3756 for G4012 ours G2251 only, G3440 but G235 also G2532 for G4012 the sins of the whole G3650 world. G2889
Herein G1722 G5129 is G2076 love, G26 not G3754 that G3756 we G2249 loved G25 God, G2316 but G235 that G3754 he G846 loved G25 us, G2248 and G2532 sent G649 his G846 Son G5207 to be the propitiation G2434 for G4012 our G2257 sins. G266
This G3778 is G2076 he that came G2064 by G1223 water G5204 and G2532 blood, G129 even Jesus G2424 Christ; G5547 not G3756 by G1722 water G5204 only, G3440 but G235 by G1722 water G5204 and G2532 blood. G129 And G2532 it is G2076 the Spirit G4151 that beareth witness, G3140 because G3754 the Spirit G4151 is G2076 truth. G225
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.