Leviticus 23

AND the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, concerning the feasts of the LORD, which ye shall proclaim (i. e.) Cause to be proclaimed, by the Priests. See Numb. 10. 8, 9, 10. to be holy convocations Days for your assembling together to my worship and service in a special manner. even these are my feasts Which I have appointed, and the right observation whereof I will accept..

Six days shall work be done, but the seventh day is the sabbath of rest, an holy convocation; ye shall do no work So it runs in the general for the sabbath day, and for the day of expiation, ver. 28. excluding all works about earthly occasions or employments whether of profit or of pleasure; but upon other feast days he forbids only servile works, as ver. 7, 21, 36. for surely this manifest difference in the expressions used by the wise God must needs imply a difference in the things. therein: it is the sabbath of the LORD in all your dwellings This is added to distinguish the sabbath from other feasts, which were to be kept before the Lord in Ierusalem only, whither all the males were to come for that end, but the Sabbath was to be kept in all places where they were, both in Synagogues, which were erected for that end, and in their private houses..

These are the feasts of the LORD, even holy convocations, which ye shall proclaim in their seasons In their appointed and proper times, as the word is used, Gen. 1. 14. Psal. 104. 19..

In the fourteenth day of the first month at even, is the LORDS passeover.

And on the fifteenth day of the same moneth is the feast of unleavened bread unto the LORD: seven days ye must eat unleavened bread.

In the first day ye shall have an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein.

But ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD seven days The matter and manner whereof see Numb. 28. 18, &c.: in the seventh day is an holy convocation, ye shall do no servile work therein.

And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye be come into the land Therefore this obliged them not in the desert, where they reaped no harvest, &c. which I give unto you, and shall reap (i. e.) begin to reap, as it is expounded Deut. 16. 9. So he beg... t, i. e. began to beget, Gen. 5. 32. and 11. 26. and he built, 1 King. 6. 1. i. e. he began to build, as it is explained, 2 Chro.... 3. 1. the harvest thereof To wit, barly harvest, which was before wheat harvest. See Exod. 9. 31, 32. and 34. 22. Ruth 2. 23. then ye shall bring a sheaf Heb. An omer, which is the tenth part of an Ephah. It seems here to note the measure of corn which was to be o... ered. For it is to be considered, that they did not offer this Corn in the ear or by a sheaf or handful, but, as Iosephus 3. 10. affirms, and may be gathered from Levit. 2. 14, 15, 16. purged from the chaff, and dryed, and beaten out, and, some adde, ground into meal and sifted into fine flour; though this may be doubted of, because the meat-offering attending upon this was of fine flour, ver. 13. and because this offering is said to be of green ears of Cor... dried, &c. Levit. 2. 14. of the first-fruits of your harvest unto the priest:

And he shall wave the sheaf before the LORD, to be accepted for you That God may accept of you and bless you in the rest of your harvest.. on the morrow after the sabbath (i. e.) After the first day of the feast of unleavened bread, which was a Sabbath or day of rest as appears from ver. 7. or upon the sixteenth day of the moneth. And this was the first of those fifty days, in the close whereof was the feast of Pentecost or Whitsuntide. the priest shall wave it.

And ye shall offer that day, when ye wave the sheaf, an he-lamb Besides the daily morning and evening sacrifice, which it was needless to mention here, and besides one of those sacrifices to be offered every day of the seven, ver. 8. without blemish of the first year, for a burnt-offering unto the LORD.

And the meat-offering thereof shall be two tenth-deals Or, parts, to wit, of an Ephah, i. e. two Omers, whereas in other sacrifices of Lambs there was but one tenth deal prescribed. Numb. 15. 4. The reason of which disproportion may be this, that one of the tenth deals was a necessary attendant upon the Lamb, and the other was peculiar to this feast and occasion, and was an attendant upon that of the sheaf or Corn, and was offered with it in thanksgiving to God for the fruits of the Earth. of fine flour mingled with oyl, an offering made by fire unto the LORD, for a sweet savour: and the drink-offering thereof Drink-offerings were added to all burnt-offerings, as we may see Numb. 15. 5. shall be of wine, the fourth part of an hin The measure appointed for every Lamb, Numb. 15. 5. This also probably would have been doubled, for the reason now mentioned, had this been a thankoffering for the vintage as it was for the Harvest..

And ye shall eat neither bread Made of new wheat, as the nature and reason of the Law shows., nor parched corn, nor green ears Which were usual not only for offerings to God, as Levit. 2. 14. but also for mans food. See Iosh. 5. 11. Ruth 2. 14. 1 Sam. 17. 17. Matth. 12. 1., until the self-same day Good reason God should be first served and owned as the supream Landlord. that ye have brought an offering unto your God: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations, in all your dwellings.

And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the sabbath (i. e.) From the sixteenth day of the moneth, and the second day of the feast of unleavened bread inclusively. See on ver. 11., from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave-offering, seven sabbaths (i. e.) weeks, which are so called, by a Synecdoche, from the chief day of it, both here and Luk. 18. 12. Acts 20. 7. 1 Cor. 16. 2. shall be complete.

Even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath (i. e.) After seven weeks or forty nine days, the morrow after which was the fiftieth day, called also Pe... ecost. shall ye number fifty days, and ye shall offer a new meat-offering To wit, of new Corn made into loaves, as it follows. unto the LORD.

Ye shall bring out of your habitations (i. e.) Out of the Corn of your own land, for which and for the fruits of it you are now to offer praises unto God. And this also, as well as the former sacrifice, was brought out of the common charge, and in the name of the whole nation, whence it is said to be brought out of their habitations in the plural number. Some conceive two several loaves were brought from every family, or, as others, from every City or Town. But this is easily con... uted from ver. 18. where we read that with the br... ad, to wit, the two loaves, were to be offered seven Lambs, one bullock, &c. which doubtless was a common oblation and in the name of all. two wave-loaves of two tenth-deals In double proportion, as before ver. 13.: they shall be of fine flour, they shall be baken with leaven Because these were not offered to God, but wholly given to the Priests for food. See on Levit. 2. 11. and 7. 13., they are the first-fruits unto the LORD.

And ye shall offer with the bread seven lambs without blemish of the first year, and one young bullock, and two rams In N... b. 28. 11, 19. it is two young bullocks and one ram. Either therefore it was left to their liberty to choose which they would offer, or one of the bullocks there, and one of the rams here, were the peculiar sacrifices of the feast-day, and the other were attendants upon the two loaves, which were the principal and most proper offering at this time. And the one may be mentioned there, and the other here, to teach us, that the addition of a new sacrifice did not destroy the former, but both were to be offered, as the extraordinary sacrifices of every feast did not hinder the oblation of the daily sacrifice.: they shall be for a burnt-offering unto the LORD, with their meatoffering, and their drink-offerings, even an offering made by fire of sweet savour unto the LORD.

Then ye shall sacrifice one kid In Levit. 4. 14. the sin-offering for the sin of the people is a bullock, but here a kid, &c. the reason of the difference may be this, because that was for some particular sin of the people, but this only in general for all their sins. If it be said, then this should have been the better sacrifice, as being for far more and possibly greater offences, it may be replyed, that this is not the only instance wherein the greater sins are expiated by smaller sacrifices, and the smaller sins by greater sacrifices, which was to instruct us, that sins were not expiated by the sacrifices for any worth in them, but only in respect of Christ, and that, though all sins are not equal, yet they are all expiated by one and the same price, even by the blood of Christ. of the goats for a sin-offering In Levit. 4. 14. the sin-offering for the sin of the people is a bullock, but here a kid, &c. the reason of the difference may be this, because that was for some particular sin of the people, but this only in general for all their sins. If it be said, then this should have been the better sacrifice, as being for far more and possibly greater offences, it may be replyed, that this is not the only instance wherein the greater sins are expiated by smaller sacrifices, and the smaller sins by greater sacrifices, which was to instruct us, that sins were not expiated by the sacrifices for any worth in them, but only in respect of Christ, and that, though all sins are not equal, yet they are all expiated by one and the same price, even by the blood of Christ., and two lambs of the first year for a sacrifice of peace-offerings.

And the priest shall wave them (i. e.) Some part of them in the name of the whole, and so for the two lambs, otherwise they had been too big and too heavy to be waved. So it is a synecdochical expression. with the bread of the first-fruits for a wave-offering before the LORD, with the two lambs: they shall be holy to the LORD, for the priests Who had to themselves not only the breast and shoulder, as in others, which belonged to the Priest; but also the rest which belonged to the offerer, because the whole Congregation being the offerer here, it could neither be distributed to them all, nor given to some without offence or injury to the rest..

And ye shall proclaim on the self-same day, that it may be an holy convocation A Sabbath or day of rest, called Pentecost, which was instituted, partly in remembrance of the consummation of their deliverance out of Egypt by bringing them thence to the mount of God, or Si... i, as God had promised, and of that admirable blessing of giving the Law to them at that time, and forming them into a Commonwealth under his own immediate Government, and partly in gratitude for the further progress of their harvest, as in the Passeover they offered a thankoffering to God for the beginning of their harvest. unto you: ye shall do no servile work therein: it shall be a statute for ever in all your dwellings, throughout your generations.

And when ye reap the harvest of your land thou From the plural, ye, he comes to the singular, thou, because he would press this duty upon every person who has an harvest to reap, that none might plead exemption from it. And it is observable, that though the present business is only concerning the Worship of God, yet he makes a kind of excursion to repeat a former Law of providing for the poor, to show that our piety and devotion to God is little esteemed by him if it be not accompanied with acts of Charity to men. shalt not make clean riddance of the corners of thy field, when thou reapest, neither shalt thou gather any gleanings of thy harvest: thou shalt leave them unto the poor, and to the stranger: I am the LORD your God.

And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, in the seventh month, in the first day of the month, shall ye have a sabbath, a memorial of blowing of trumpets (i. e.) Solemnized with the blowing of trumpets by the Priests, not in a common way, as they did every first day of every moneth, Numb. 10. 10. but in an extraordinary manner, not only in Ierusalem, but in all the Cities of Israel. This seems to have been instituted, 1. To solemnize the beginning of the new year, whereof as to civil matters, and particularly as to the Jubilee, this was the first day; concerning which it was fit the people should be admonished, both to excite their thankfulness for Gods blessings in the last year, and to direct them in the management of their civil affairs. 2. To put a special honour upon this moneth. For as the seventh day was the Sabbath, and the seventh year was a Sabbatical year, so God would have the seventh moneth to be a kind of Sabbatical moneth, for the many Sabbaths and solemn feasts which were observed in this more than in any other moneth. And by this sounding of the trumpets in its beginning God would quicken and prepare them for the following Sabbaths, as well that of atonement and humiliation for their sins, as those of thanksgiving for Gods mercies., an holy convocation.

Ye shall do no servile work therein: but ye shall offer an offering What that was see Numb. 29. 2, &c. made by fire unto the LORD.

And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying.

Also on the tenth day of this seventh month, there shall be a day of atonement, it shall be an holy convocation unto you, and ye shall afflict your souls With fasting, and bitter repentance for all, especially their national sins, among which no doubt God would have them remember their sin of the golden Calf. For as God had threatned to remember it in after times to punish them for it, Exod. 32. 34. so there was great reason why they should remember it to humble themselves for it., and offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD.

And ye shall do no work in that same day: for it is a day of atonement, to make an atonement for you, before the LORD your God.

For whatsoever soul it be Either of the Jewish Nation or Religion. Hereby God would signifie the absolute necessity which every man had of Repentance and Forgiveness of sin, and the desperate condition of all impenitent persons. that shall not be afflicted in that same day, he shall be cut off from among his people.

And whatsoever soul it be that does any work in that same day, the same soul will I destroy from among his people.

Ye shall do no manner of work: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations, in all your dwellings.

It shall be unto you a sabbath of rest, and ye shall afflict your souls in the ninth day of the month at even, from even unto even shall ye celebrate your sabbath This clause seems to be added to answer an objection, how this day of atonement could be both on the tenth day, ver. 27. and on the ninth day here. The answer is, it began at the evening or close of the ninth day, and continued till the evening or close of the tenth day, and so both were true, especially if you consider, that the Jews did take in some part of the sixth days evening by way of preparation for the Sabbath, and therefore would much more take in a part of the ninth day to prepare and begin the great and solemn work of their yearly atonement. And this clause may be understood either, 1. Of this particular Sabbath called here your Sabbath in the singular number, possibly to note the difference between this and other Sabbaths: for the weekly Sabbath is oft called the Sabbath of the Lord, because that was in a special manner appointed for the praising, honouring and serving of God and celebrating his glorious works, as also the other Sabbaths here mentioned were, whereas this was principally ordained for their need and for their good, even to seek and obtain the pardon of their sins. Or 2. Of all their Sabbaths, and consequently of this. The Jews are supposed to begin every day, and consequently their Sabbaths, at the evening, in remembrance of the creation, Gen. 1. 5. as Christians generally begin their days and Sabbaths with the morning in memory of Christs Resurrection..

And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, The fifteenth day of the seventh moneth shall be the feast of tabernacles (i. e.) Of Tents or Booths or Arbours. This feast was appointed principally to remind them of that time when they had no other dwellings in the Wilderness, as it is expressed, ver. 43. and to stir them up to bless God aswell for the gracious conduct and protection then afforded them, as for their more commodio... and secure habitations now given them; and secondarily to excite them to gratitude for all the fruits of the year newly ended, which were now compleatly brought in, as may be gathered from.... 39. & E... od. 23. 16. Deut. 16. 13, 14. See... n ins... nce of this f... st,. 8. 1.... for seven days unto the LORD.

On the first day shall be an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein.

Seven days ye shall offer an offering A several offering each day, which is particularly described Numb. 29. 13, &c. made by fire unto the LORD; on the eighth day Which though it was not one of the days of this feast strictly taken, nor is it here affirmed to be so, but on the contrary is expresly said to consist of seven days, ver. 34, 39. nor did they dwell longer in Tabernacles, yet in a larger sense it belonged to this feast, and is called the great day of the feast, Io.... 7. 37. And so indeed it was, as for other reasons, so because, by their removal from their Tabernacles into more fixed and comfortable habitations, it represented that happy time wherein their 40 years tedious march in the wilderness was ended with their introduction into and settlement in the land of Canaan, which it was most fit and just they should acknowledge with such a solemn day of thanksgiving as this was. shall be an holy convocation unto you, and ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD: it is a solemn assembly Heb. a day of conclusion, because it was the end of the feast, Ioh. 7: 37. or, of restraint, because they were restrained from servile work, and obliged to attendance upon Gods worship; or, of detention, because they were yet detained before the Lord, and kept together for his service, and not suffered to return to their tents, till this was over., and ye shall do no servile work therein.

These are the feasts of the LORD, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, to offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD, a burnt-offering, and a meat-offering, a sacrifice (i. e.) Another sacrifice, to wit, for a sin-offering, as we shall find it, Numb. 29. 16, 19, 22, &c. called by the general name, a sacrifice, because it was designed for that which was the principal end of all sacrifices, to wit, for the expiation of sin., and drink-offerings, every thing upon his day:

Beside the sabbaths (i. e.) The offerings of the weekly sabbaths, by a Metonymy, as the day is sometimes put for the actions done in it, as Prov. 27. 1. 1 Cor. 3. 13. God will not have any sabbath sacrifice diminished because of the addition of others proper to any other feast. And it is here to be noted that though other festival days are sometimes called sabbaths, as here ver. 39. yet these are here called the sabbaths of the Lord, in way of contradistinction to other days of rest to show that this was more eminently such than other feast-days, which also sufficiently appears from the fourth Commandement. of the LORD and beside your gifts Which, being here distinguished from free-will-offerings made to the Lord, may seem to note what they freely gave to the Priests over and above their first-fruits and tithes or other things which they were enjoyned to give., and beside all your vows, and beside all your free-will-offerings, which ye give unto the LORD.

Also Or, rather surely, as this particle is oft used: For this is no addition of a new, but only a repetition of the former, injunction, with a more particular explication both of the manner and reason of the feast., in the fifteenth day of the seventh moneth, when ye have gathered in the fruit Not the corn, which was gathered long before, but of their trees, as vines, olives, and other fruit-trees: which compleated the harvest, whence this is called the feast of in-gathering, Exod. 23. 16. of the land, ye shall keep a feast unto the LORD seven days. On the first day shall be a sabbath, and on the eighth day shall be a sabbath.

And ye shall take you on the first day the boughs Heb. the fruit, i. e. fruit-bearing boughs or branches with the fruit on them, as the word fruit seems to be taken, 2 King. 19. 30. Ezek. 19. 12. of goodly trees To wit, the olive, myrtle and pine, as they are mentioned Nehem. 8. 15, 16. which were most plentiful there, and which would best preserve their greenness or freshness., branches of palmtrees, and the boughs of thick trees Fit for shade and shelter., and willows of the brook Which might do well to mix with the other, and in some sort to bind them together. And as they made their booths of these materials, as is apparent from Nehem. 8. so it seems they did also carry some of these boughs in their hands, as is affirmed by Iewish and other antient writers., and ye shall rejoyce Which joy they testified by feasting, thanksgiving, &c. before the LORD your God seven days.

And ye shall keep it a feast unto the LORD seven days in the year, it shall be a statute for ever in your generations, ye shall celebrate it in the seventh month.

Ye shall dwell in booths Which were erected in their cities or towns, either in their streets, or gardens, or the tops of their houses Nehem. 8. 16. which were made flat, and therefore were proper and fit for that use. seven days: all that are Israelites born shall dwell in booths;

That your generations may know that I made the children of Israel to dwell in booths, when I brought them out of the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God.

And Moses declared unto the children of Israel the feasts of the LORD.