Leviticus — Chapter 23
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1And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
2Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, Concerning the feasts of the LORD, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, even these are my feasts.
3Six days shall work be done: but the seventh day is the sabbath of rest, an holy convocation; ye shall do no work therein: it is the sabbath of the LORD in all your dwellings.
4These are the feasts of the LORD, even holy convocations, which ye shall proclaim in their seasons.
5In the fourteenth day of the first month at even is the LORD’S passover.
6And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the feast of unleavened bread unto the LORD: seven days ye must eat unleavened bread.
7In the first day ye shall have an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein.
8But ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD seven days: in the seventh day is an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein.
9And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
10Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye be come into the land which I give unto you, and shall reap the harvest thereof, then ye shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest unto the priest:
11And he shall wave the sheaf before the LORD, to be accepted for you: on the morrow after the sabbath the priest shall wave it.
12And ye shall offer that day when ye wave the sheaf an he lamb without blemish of the first year for a burnt offering unto the LORD.
13And the meat offering thereof shall be two tenth deals of fine flour mingled with oil, an offering made by fire unto the LORD for a sweet savour: and the drink offering thereof shall be of wine, the fourth part of an hin.
14And ye shall eat neither bread, nor parched corn, nor green ears, until the selfsame day that ye have brought an offering unto your God: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations in all your dwellings.
15And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the sabbath, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven sabbaths shall be complete:
16Even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meat offering unto the LORD.
17Ye shall bring out of your habitations two wave loaves of two tenth deals: they shall be of fine flour; they shall be baken with leaven; they are the firstfruits unto the LORD.
18And ye shall offer with the bread seven lambs without blemish of the first year, and one young bullock, and two rams: they shall be for a burnt offering unto the LORD, with their meat offering, and their drink offerings, even an offering made by fire, of sweet savour unto the LORD.
19Then ye shall sacrifice one kid of the goats for a sin offering, and two lambs of the first year for a sacrifice of peace offerings.
20And the priest shall wave them 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 priest.
21And ye shall proclaim on the selfsame day, that it may be an holy convocation unto you: ye shall do no servile work therein: it shall be a statute for ever in all your dwellings throughout your generations.
22And when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not make clean riddance of the corners of thy field when thou reapest, neither shalt thou gather any gleaning of thy harvest: thou shalt leave them unto the poor, and to the stranger: I am the LORD your God.
23And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
24Speak 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, an holy convocation.
25Ye shall do no servile work therein: but ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD.
26And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
27Also 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, and offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD.
28And 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.
29For whatsoever soul it be that shall not be afflicted in that same day, he shall be cut off from among his people.
30And whatsoever soul it be that doeth any work in that same day, the same soul will I destroy from among his people.
31Ye shall do no manner of work: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations in all your dwellings.
32It 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.
33And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
34Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, The fifteenth day of this seventh month shall be the feast of tabernacles for seven days unto the LORD.
35On the first day shall be an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein.
36Seven days ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD: on the eighth day shall be an holy convocation unto you; and ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD: it is a solemn assembly; and ye shall do no servile work therein.
37These 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, and drink offerings, every thing upon his day:
38Beside the sabbaths of the LORD, and beside your gifts, and beside all your vows, and beside all your freewill offerings, which ye give unto the LORD.
39Also in the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when ye have gathered in the fruit 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.
40And ye shall take you on the first day the boughs of goodly trees, branches of palm trees, and the boughs of thick trees, and willows of the brook; and ye shall rejoice before the LORD your God seven days.
41And 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.
42Ye shall dwell in booths seven days; all that are Israelites born shall dwell in booths:
43That 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.
44And Moses declared unto the children of Israel the feasts of the LORD.
1And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying,
2Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, The set feasts of Jehovah, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, even these are my set feasts.
3Six days shall work be done: but on the seventh day is a sabbath of solemn rest, a holy convocation; ye shall do no manner of work: it is a sabbath unto Jehovah in all your dwellings.
4These are the set feasts of Jehovah, even holy convocations, which ye shall proclaim in their appointed season.
5In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at even, is Jehovah`s passover.
6And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the feast of unleavened bread unto Jehovah: seven days ye shall eat unleavened bread.
7In the first day ye shall have a holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work.
8But ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto Jehovah seven days: in the seventh day is a holy convocation; ye shall do no servile work.
9And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying,
10Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye are come into the land which I give unto you, and shall reap the harvest thereof, then ye shall bring the sheaf of the first-fruits of your harvest unto the priest:
11and he shall wave the sheaf before Jehovah, to be accepted for you: on the morrow after the sabbath the priest shall wave it.
12And in the day when ye wave the sheaf, ye shall offer a he-lamb without blemish a year old for a burnt-offering unto Jehovah.
13And the meal-offering thereof shall be two tenth parts [of an ephah] of fine flour mingled with oil, an offering made by fire unto Jehovah for a sweet savor; and the drink-offering thereof shall be of wine, the fourth part of a hin.
14And ye shall eat neither bread, nor parched grain, nor fresh ears, until this selfsame day, until ye have brought the oblation of your God: it is a statute for ever throughout your generations in all your dwellings.
15And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the sabbath, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave-offering; seven sabbaths shall there be complete:
16even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meal-offering unto Jehovah.
17Ye shall bring out of your habitations two wave-loaves of two tenth parts [of an ephah]: they shall be of fine flour, they shall be baken with leaven, for first-fruits unto Jehovah.
18And ye shall present with the bread seven lambs without blemish a year old, and one young bullock, and two rams: they shall be a burnt-offering unto Jehovah, with their meal-offering, and their drink-offerings, even an offering made by fire, of a sweet savor unto Jehovah.
19And ye shall offer one he-goat for a sin-offering, and two he-lambs a year old for a sacrifice of peace-offerings.
20And the priest shall wave them with the bread of the first-fruits for a wave-offering before Jehovah, with the two lambs: they shall be holy to Jehovah for the priest.
21And ye shall make proclamation on the selfsame day; there shall be a holy convocation unto you; ye shall do no servile work: it is a statute for ever in all your dwellings throughout your generations.
22And when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not wholly reap the corners of thy field, neither shalt thou gather the gleaning of thy harvest: thou shalt leave them for the poor, and for the sojourner: I am Jehovah your God.
23And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying,
24Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, shall be a solemn rest unto you, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, a holy convocation.
25Ye shall do no servile work; and ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto Jehovah.
26And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying,
27Howbeit on the tenth day of this seventh month is the day of atonement: it shall be a holy convocation unto you, and ye shall afflict your souls; and ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto Jehovah.
28And ye shall do no manner of work in that same day; for it is a day of atonement, to make atonement for you before Jehovah your God.
29For whatsoever soul it be that shall not be afflicted in that same day; he shall be cut off from his people.
30And whatsoever soul it be that doeth any manner of work in that same day, that soul will I destroy from among his people.
31Ye shall do no manner of work: it is a statute for ever throughout your generations in all your dwellings.
32It shall be unto you a sabbath of solemn rest, and ye shall afflict your souls: in the ninth day of the month at even, from even unto even, shall ye keep your sabbath.
33And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying,
34Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, On the fifteenth day of this seventh month is the feast of tabernacles for seven days unto Jehovah.
35On the first day shall be a holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work.
36Seven days ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto Jehovah: on the eighth day shall be a holy convocation unto you; and ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto Jehovah: it is a solemn assembly; ye shall do no servile work.
37These are the set feasts of Jehovah, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, to offer an offering made by fire unto Jehovah, a burnt-offering, and a meal-offering, a sacrifice, and drink-offerings, each on its own day;
38besides the sabbaths of Jehovah, and besides your gifts, and besides all your vows, and besides all your freewill-offerings, which ye give unto Jehovah.
39Howbeit on the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when ye have gathered in the fruits of the land, ye shall keep the feast of Jehovah seven days: on the first day shall be a solemn rest, and on the eighth day shall be a solemn rest.
40And ye shall take you on the first day the fruit of goodly trees, branches of palm-trees, and boughs of thick trees, and willows of the brook; and ye shall rejoice before Jehovah your God seven days.
41And ye shall keep it a feast unto Jehovah seven days in the year: it is a statute for ever throughout your generations; ye shall keep it in the seventh month.
42Ye shall dwell in booths seven days; all that are home-born in Israel shall dwell in booths;
43that 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 Jehovah your God.
44And Moses declared unto the children of Israel the set feasts of Jehovah.
1The Lord spoke to Moses:
2“Speak to the Israelites and tell them, ‘These are the Lord’s appointed times which you must proclaim as holy assemblies—my appointed times.
3“‘Six days work may be done, but on the seventh day there must be a Sabbath of complete rest, a holy assembly. You must not do any work; it is a Sabbath to the Lord in all the places where you live.
4“‘These are the Lord’s appointed times, holy assemblies, which you must proclaim at their appointed time.
5In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month, at twilight, is a Passover offering to the Lord.
6Then on the fifteenth day of the same month will be the Feast of Unleavened Bread to the Lord; seven days you must eat unleavened bread.
7On the first day there will be a holy assembly for you; you must not do any regular work.
8You must present a gift to the Lord for seven days, and the seventh day is a holy assembly; you must not do any regular work.’”
9The Lord spoke to Moses:
10“Speak to the Israelites and tell them, ‘When you enter the land that I am about to give to you and you gather in its harvest, then you must bring the sheaf of the first portion of your harvest to the priest,
11and he must wave the sheaf before the Lord to be accepted for your benefit—on the day after the Sabbath the priest is to wave it.
12On the day you wave the sheaf you must also offer a flawless yearling lamb for a burnt offering to the Lord,
13along with its grain offering, two-tenths of an ephah of choice wheat flour mixed with olive oil, as a gift to the Lord, a soothing aroma, and its drink offering, one-fourth of a hin of wine.
14You must not eat bread, roasted grain, or fresh grain until this very day, until you bring the offering to your God. This is a perpetual statute throughout your generations in all the places where you live.
15“‘You must count for yourselves seven weeks from the day after the Sabbath, from the day you bring the wave-offering sheaf; they must be complete weeks.
16You must count 50 days—until the day after the seventh Sabbath—and then you must present a new grain offering to the Lord.
17From the places where you live you must bring two loaves of bread for a wave offering; they must be made from two-tenths of an ephah of fine wheat flour, baked with yeast, as firstfruits to the Lord.
18Along with the loaves of bread, you must also present seven flawless yearling lambs, one young bull, and two rams. They are to be a burnt offering to the Lord along with their grain offering and drink offerings, a gift of a soothing aroma to the Lord.
19You must also offer one male goat for a sin offering and two yearling lambs for a peace-offering sacrifice,
20and the priest is to wave them—the two lambs—along with the bread of the firstfruits, as a wave offering before the Lord; they will be holy to the Lord for the priest.
21“‘On this very day you must proclaim an assembly; it is to be a holy assembly for you. You must not do any regular work. This is a perpetual statute in all the places where you live throughout your generations.
22When you gather in the harvest of your land, you must not completely harvest the corner of your field, and you must not gather up the gleanings of your harvest. You must leave them for the poor and the resident foreigner. I am the Lord your God.’”
23The Lord spoke to Moses:
24“Tell the Israelites, ‘In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you must have a complete rest, a memorial announced by loud horn blasts, a holy assembly.
25You must not do any regular work, but you must present a gift to the Lord.’”
26The Lord spoke to Moses:
27“The tenth day of this seventh month is the Day of Atonement. It is to be a holy assembly for you, and you must humble yourselves and present a gift to the Lord.
28You must not do any work on this particular day, because it is a day of atonement to make atonement for yourselves before the Lord your God.
29Indeed, any person who does not behave with humility on this particular day will be cut off from his people.
30As for any person who does any work on this particular day, I will exterminate that person from the midst of his people—
31you must not do any work! This is a perpetual statute throughout your generations in all the places where you live.
32It is a Sabbath of complete rest for you, and you must humble yourselves on the ninth day of the month in the evening, from evening until evening you must observe your Sabbath.”
33The Lord spoke to Moses:
34“Tell the Israelites, ‘On the fifteenth day of this seventh month is the Feast of Shelters for seven days to the Lord.
35On the first day is a holy assembly; you must do no regular work.
36For seven days you must present a gift to the Lord. On the eighth day there is to be a holy assembly for you, and you must present a gift to the Lord. It is a solemn assembly day; you must not do any regular work.
37“‘These are the appointed times of the Lord that you must proclaim as holy assemblies to present a gift to the Lord—burnt offering, grain offering, sacrifice, and drink offerings, each day according to its regulation,
38besides the Sabbaths of the Lord and all your gifts, votive offerings, and freewill offerings which you must give to the Lord.
39“‘On the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when you gather in the produce of the land, you must celebrate a pilgrim festival of the Lord for seven days. On the first day is a complete rest and on the eighth day is complete rest.
40On the first day you must take for yourselves branches from majestic trees—palm branches, branches of leafy trees, and willows of the brook—and you must rejoice before the Lord your God for seven days.
41You must celebrate it as a pilgrim festival to the Lord for seven days in the year. This is a perpetual statute throughout your generations; you must celebrate it in the seventh month.
42You must live in temporary shelters for seven days; every native citizen in Israel must live in shelters,
43so that your future generations may know that I made the Israelites live in shelters when I brought them out from the land of Egypt. I am the Lord your God.’”
44So Moses spoke to the Israelites about the appointed times of the Lord.
1Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,
2“Speak to the children of Israel, and tell them, ‘The set feasts of Yahweh, which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations, even these are my set feasts.
3“‘Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh day is a Sabbath of solemn rest, a holy convocation; you shall do no kind of work. It is a Sabbath to Yahweh in all your dwellings.
4“‘These are the set feasts of Yahweh, even holy convocations, which you shall proclaim in their appointed season.
5In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month in the evening, is Yahweh’s Passover.
6On the fifteenth day of the same month is the feast of unleavened bread to Yahweh. Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread.
7In the first day you shall have a holy convocation. You shall do no regular work.
8But you shall offer an offering made by fire to Yahweh seven days. In the seventh day is a holy convocation: you shall do no regular work.’”
9Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,
10“Speak to the children of Israel, and tell them, ‘When you have come into the land which I give to you, and shall reap its harvest, then you shall bring the sheaf of the first fruits of your harvest to the priest:
11and he shall wave the sheaf before Yahweh, to be accepted for you. On the next day after the Sabbath the priest shall wave it.
12On the day when you wave the sheaf, you shall offer a male lamb without defect a year old for a burnt offering to Yahweh.
13The meal offering with it shall be two tenths of an ephah of fine flour mingled with oil, an offering made by fire to Yahweh for a pleasant aroma; and the drink offering with it shall be of wine, the fourth part of a hin.
14You must not eat bread, or roasted grain, or fresh grain, until this same day, until you have brought the offering of your God. This is a statute forever throughout your generations in all your dwellings.
15“‘You shall count from the next day after the Sabbath, from the day that you brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven Sabbaths shall be completed:
16even to the next day after the seventh Sabbath you shall count fifty days; and you shall offer a new meal offering to Yahweh.
17You shall bring out of your habitations two loaves of bread for a wave offering made of two tenths of an ephah of fine flour. They shall be baked with yeast, for first fruits to Yahweh.
18You shall present with the bread seven lambs without defect a year old, one young bull, and two rams. They shall be a burnt offering to Yahweh, with their meal offering, and their drink offerings, even an offering made by fire, of a sweet aroma to Yahweh.
19You shall offer one male goat for a sin offering, and two male lambs a year old for a sacrifice of peace offerings.
20The priest shall wave them with the bread of the first fruits for a wave offering before Yahweh, with the two lambs. They shall be holy to Yahweh for the priest.
21You shall make proclamation on the same day: there shall be a holy convocation to you; you shall do no regular work. This is a statute forever in all your dwellings throughout your generations.
22“‘When you reap the harvest of your land, you must not wholly reap into the corners of your field, and you must not gather the gleanings of your harvest. You must leave them for the poor, and for the foreigner. I am Yahweh your God.’”
23Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,
24“Speak to the children of Israel, saying, ‘In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, shall be a solemn rest to you, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, a holy convocation.
25You shall do no regular work; and you shall offer an offering made by fire to Yahweh.’”
26Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,
27“However on the tenth day of this seventh month is the day of atonement: it shall be a holy convocation to you, and you shall afflict yourselves; and you shall offer an offering made by fire to Yahweh.
28You shall do no kind of work in that same day; for it is a day of atonement, to make atonement for you before Yahweh your God.
29For whoever it is who shall not deny himself in that same day; shall be cut off from his people.
30Whoever it is who does any kind of work in that same day, that person I will destroy from among his people.
31You shall do no kind of work: it is a statute forever throughout your generations in all your dwellings.
32It shall be a Sabbath of solemn rest for you, and you shall deny yourselves. In the ninth day of the month at evening, from evening to evening, you shall keep your Sabbath.”
33Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,
34“Speak to the children of Israel, and say, ‘On the fifteenth day of this seventh month is the feast of tents for seven days to Yahweh.
35On the first day shall be a holy convocation: you shall do no regular work.
36Seven days you shall offer an offering made by fire to Yahweh. On the eighth day shall be a holy convocation to you; and you shall offer an offering made by fire to Yahweh. It is a solemn assembly; you shall do no regular work.
37“‘These are the appointed feasts of Yahweh, which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations, to offer an offering made by fire to Yahweh, a burnt offering, and a meal offering, a sacrifice, and drink offerings, each on its own day—
38besides the Sabbaths of Yahweh, and besides your gifts, and besides all your vows, and besides all your freewill offerings, which you give to Yahweh.
39“‘So on the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when you have gathered in the fruits of the land, you shall keep the feast of Yahweh seven days: on the first day shall be a solemn rest, and on the eighth day shall be a solemn rest.
40You shall take on the first day the fruit of goodly trees, branches of palm trees, and boughs of thick trees, and willows of the brook; and you shall rejoice before Yahweh your God seven days.
41You shall keep it as a feast to Yahweh seven days in the year. It is a statute forever throughout your generations. You shall keep it in the seventh month.
42You shall dwell in temporary shelters for seven days. All who are native-born in Israel shall dwell in temporary shelters,
43that your generations may know that I made the children of Israel to dwell in temporary shelters, when I brought them out of the land of Egypt. I am Yahweh your God.’”
44Moses declared to the children of Israel the appointed feasts of Yahweh.
Summary
God establishes Israel's sacred calendar — Sabbath, Passover, Firstfruits, Pentecost, Trumpets, Day of Atonement, and Tabernacles — each pointing to Christ.
Authorship & Background
Map & Geography
- Egypt (v.43): Land to the southwest; place of Israel's bondage and exodus.
Commentary
- Enduring Word (David Guzik): enduringword.com Guzik provides an excellent overview of the prophetic significance of each feast, noting that the spring feasts were fulfilled precisely on their calendar dates at Christ's first coming, giving confidence that the fall feasts will be fulfilled with equal precision at His return.
- Charles Spurgeon: "These feasts are God's great object lessons written on the calendar of Israel. Passover — the blood that saves. Unleavened Bread — the life that is purged of sin. Firstfruits — the resurrection that guarantees ours. Pentecost — the Spirit poured out upon the Church. And then silence — a long summer of waiting. But the trumpets will sound again. The great Day of Atonement for the nation will come. And then — oh, then! — the great feast of Tabernacles, when God shall dwell with His people forever. Every feast is a prophecy. Every prophecy points to Christ."
Reflection
- 1. "These are MY feasts" (v.2). God sets the calendar. He determines the times and seasons. The feasts are not human inventions but divine appointments. Christ fulfilled the spring feasts on their EXACT dates — Passover (crucifixion), Unleavened Bread (burial), Firstfruits (resurrection), Pentecost (Spirit). This gives absolute confidence that the fall feasts will be fulfilled with equal precision. God is never early, never late.
- 2. The prophetic gap between spring and fall feasts. We live in the gap — between Pentecost and Trumpets. The Church Age was a mystery hidden in the Old Testament (Ephesians 3:4-6). But the trumpets WILL sound. The next feast on God's calendar is coming. Are you ready?
- 3. Firstfruits and resurrection (vv.10-11). Christ rose on the day of Firstfruits — and His resurrection GUARANTEES ours. "If the firstfruits be holy, the lump is also holy" (Romans 11:16). Because He rose, we will rise. The sheaf waved before God is the pledge of the full harvest to come.
- 4. Two leavened loaves (v.17). The Church is not yet perfect. We are redeemed but still contain sin (leaven). Yet God accepts us — with a sin offering (v.19). We are accepted not because we are sinless but because Christ's sacrifice covers our remaining sin. Grace does not wait for perfection.
- 5. "Ye shall dwell in booths" (v.42). Life is temporary. We are pilgrims and strangers (1 Peter 2:11). The booth reminds us: this world is not our home. But Tabernacles is also the feast of JOY — because the temporary leads to the permanent. God will dwell with us forever (Revelation 21:3).