Leviticus 23:21-35

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Leviticus 23:15-22

Here is the institution of the feast of pentecost, or weeks, as it is called (Deut. 16:9), because it was observed fifty days, or seven weeks, after the passover. It is also called the feast of harvest, Exod. 23:16. For as the presenting of the sheaf of first-fruits was an introduction to the harvest, and gave them liberty to put in the sickle, so they solemnized the finishing of their corn-harvest at this feast. 1. Then they offered a handful of ears of barley, now they offered two loaves of... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Leviticus 23:23-32

Here is, I. The institution of the feast of trumpets, on the first day of the seventh month, Lev. 23:24, 25. That which was now the seventh month had been reckoned the first month, and the year of jubilee was still to begin with this month (Lev. 25:8), so that this was their new year's day. It was to be as their other yearly sabbaths, a day of holy rest?You shall do no servile work therein; and a day of holy work?You shall offer an offering to the Lord; concerning these particular directions... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Leviticus 23:33-34

We have here, I. The institution of the feast of tabernacles, which was one of the three great feasts at which all the males were bound to attend, and celebrated with more expressions of joy than any of them. 1. As to the directions for regulating this feast, observe, (1.) It was to be observed on the fifteenth day of the seventh month (Lev. 23:34), but five days after the day of atonement. We may suppose, though they were not all bound to attend on the day of atonement, as on the three great... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Leviticus 23:21

And ye shall proclaim on the selfsame day, that it may be an holy convocation unto you ,.... This proclamation was made by the priests with the sound of a trumpet, that the people might observe that this fiftieth day, or day of Pentecost, was devoted to sacred service, and that they were called to holy exercises in it: ye shall do no servile work therein ; what was not necessary for food, as Ben Gersom observes, but what was necessary on that account, as kindling a fire, &c.;... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Leviticus 23:22

And when ye reap the harvest of your land ,.... This law is repeated from Leviticus 19:9 ; and as Aben Ezra observes, the feast of weeks being the feast of the firstfruits of the wheat harvest, it is repeated, that they might not forget what God had commanded them to do at that time, namely, to leave somewhat for the poor; and the Jewish writers F1 In Torat Cohenim, apud Yalkut in loc. & Jarchi. observe, that this law, being put among the solemn feasts of the passover, pentecost,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Leviticus 23:23

And the Lord spake unto Moses ,.... At the same time, in a continued discourse, concerning some other days, which were to be observed in a sacred manner: saying ; as follows. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Leviticus 23:24

Speak unto the children of Israel ,.... For all the people of Israel were concerned in the following precept, and obliged to observe it, even priests, Levites, Israelites, proselytes, and freed servants; though other servants, and women, and children, were not obliged to hear the sound of the trumpets F2 Maimon. Hilchot Shophar ve Succah, c. 2. sect. 1. , and which were blown not in Jerusalem only, but in all cities and towns where the sanhedrim was F3 Ibid. sect. 8. ; and it was... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Leviticus 23:25

Ye shall do no servile work therein ,.... Only such as was necessary for dressing food, but not any manual work, such as servants were employed in on other days, as agriculture or any mechanic business: but ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the Lord ; a burnt offering, and what that was may be seen in Numbers 29:1 . read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Leviticus 23:26

And the Lord spake unto Moses ,.... This phrase, which is a kind of preface to each precept, seems to be used to distinguish one from another, as the preceding one from the feast of Pentecost; and here, the day of atonement from that of the blowing of the trumpets; and afterwards, the feast of tabernacles from the day of atonement; the reason why it is not used before the feast of Pentecost seems to be, because, as Aben Ezra observes, that depended upon the wave sheaf, and was reckoned from... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Leviticus 23:27

Also on the tenth day of this seventh month ,.... Tisri, the same as before, answering to part of our September, and part of October: there shall be a day of atonement ; for all the sins of the year past; see Leviticus 16:29 , it shall be an holy convocation unto you : when they should be called together for the exercise of holy duties: and ye shall afflict your souls ; their souls, by repentance, contrition, and humiliation for sin, and their bodies by fasting; and, as the... read more

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