The Sabbath
Study note
Before listing the annual festivals, God first established the weekly Sabbath as the most basic holy day. Every seventh day was a day of complete rest and sacred assembly. No work was to be done. This weekly rhythm reminded Israel that God rested on the seventh day of creation and that he was the one who provided for all their needs.
1 Then the Lord gave Moses these instructions: And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
2 "Tell the people of Israel this: Here are the Lord's special festivals. These are the times you must set apart as holy gatherings. These are my chosen festivals." Speak 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.
3 "You have six days each week to do your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of absolute rest, a sacred gathering. You must not do any work on that day. Wherever you live, it is a Sabbath dedicated to the Lord." Six 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.
Passover and Unleavened Bread
Study note
Passover was celebrated on the fourteenth day of the first month, remembering the night God freed Israel from slavery in Egypt. The Festival of Unleavened Bread followed for seven days, during which no yeast was eaten. Yeast represented the old life in Egypt. On the first and last days, no regular work was done, and offerings were made by fire to the Lord.
4 "Here are the Lord's special feasts -- the holy gatherings you must announce at the right times during the year." These are the feasts of the LORD, even holy convocations, which ye shall proclaim in their seasons.
5 "The Passover celebration for the Lord starts at sunset on the fourteenth day of the first month." In the fourteenth day of the first month at even is the LORD's passover.
6 "The very next day, the fifteenth of that month, the Festival of Unleavened Bread begins. For seven straight days, eat only bread that contains no yeast." And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the feast of unleavened bread unto the LORD: seven days ye must eat unleavened bread.
7 "On the first day of the festival, gather together for a sacred assembly. Do not do any of your regular work." In the first day ye shall have an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein.
8 "Present fire offerings to the Lord each of the seven days. On the seventh day, hold another sacred assembly and do not do any of your regular work." But 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.
Firstfruits
Study note
When Israel entered the promised land and began farming, they were to bring the first sheaf of their harvest to the priest. He would wave it before the Lord on the day after the Sabbath. Along with it they offered a burnt offering, a grain offering with oil, and a drink offering. They could not eat any of the new harvest until this offering was made. This taught them to put God first in everything.
9 Then the Lord gave Moses these instructions: And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
10 "Tell the people of Israel. You will arrive in the land I give you. You will begin to harvest your crops. Bring the very first bundle of grain to the priest." Speak 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:
11 "The priest will wave the bundle in the Lord's presence so that it is accepted on your behalf. He must wave it on the day after the Sabbath." And he shall wave the sheaf before the LORD, to be accepted for you: on the morrow after the sabbath the priest shall wave it.
12 "On the same day you wave the grain bundle, offer a lamb too. It must be a one-year-old male with no flaws. It is a burnt gift to the Lord." And 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.
13 "With it, bring a grain offering of about four quarts of fine flour mixed with olive oil. It is a fire offering that makes a pleasing smell for the Lord. Also bring about one quart of wine as a drink offering." And 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.
14 "Do not eat any bread, roasted grain, or freshly harvested grain until you have brought this offering to your God. This is a permanent rule for every generation, wherever you live." And 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.
The Festival of Weeks (Pentecost)
Study note
Fifty days after Firstfruits, Israel celebrated the Festival of Weeks, later known as Pentecost. Two loaves of bread baked with yeast were waved before the Lord along with animal offerings. This was a harvest celebration giving thanks for God's provision. The command to leave the edges of fields and fallen grain for the poor is repeated here, connecting worship with care for the needy.
15 "Start counting from the day after the Sabbath. That is the day you bring the grain bundle as a wave offering. Count seven full weeks from that day." And 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:
16 "Count a total of fifty days, arriving at the day after the seventh Sabbath. Then present a fresh grain offering to the Lord." Even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meat offering unto the LORD.
17 "From wherever you live, bring two loaves of bread as a wave offering. Bake them from about four quarts of fine flour, with yeast included. These are the firstfruits for the Lord." Ye 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.
18 "Along with the bread, bring seven one-year-old male lambs with no flaws, one young bull, and two rams. These are a burnt offering to the Lord. Bring the grain offerings and drink offerings that go with them. This is a fire gift that makes a pleasing smell for the Lord." And 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.
19 "Also sacrifice one male goat as a sin offering and two one-year-old male lambs as a peace offering." Then 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.
20 "The priest will wave the two lambs in the Lord's presence along with the firstfruits bread as a wave offering. They are sacred to the Lord and belong to the priest." And the priest shall wave them with the bread of the firstfruits for a wave offering before the LORD, with the two lambs: they shall be holy to the LORD for the priest.
21 "On this same day, announce a sacred gathering. Do not do any of your regular work. This is a permanent rule for every generation, wherever you live." And 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.
22 "When you bring in your harvest, do not cut your grain all the way to the edges of your fields, and do not go back to gather what you missed. Leave those portions for poor people and for foreigners. I am the Lord your God." And 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.
The Festival of Trumpets
Study note
On the first day of the seventh month, the people observed a day of rest with trumpet blasts. This is now celebrated as Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year. The trumpets called the people together and marked the beginning of the most sacred month in the calendar, which included the Day of Atonement and the Festival of Tabernacles.
23 Then the Lord gave Moses these instructions: And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
24 "Tell the people of Israel: On the first day of the seventh month, take a complete day of rest. Mark it as a sacred gathering announced with loud trumpet blasts." 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, an holy convocation.
25 "Do not do any of your regular work. Present a fire offering to the Lord." Ye shall do no servile work therein: but ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD.
The Day of Atonement
Study note
The tenth day of the seventh month was the Day of Atonement, described fully in chapter 16. It was the most solemn day of the year. The people had to humble themselves through fasting and do absolutely no work. Anyone who did not observe this day would be cut off or destroyed. It was a Sabbath of complete rest, lasting from the evening of the ninth day to the evening of the tenth.
26 Then the Lord gave Moses these instructions: And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
27 "The tenth day of this seventh month is the Day of Atonement. It is the day your relationship with God is restored. Hold a sacred gathering. Go without your normal comforts. Bring a fire offering to the Lord." 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, and offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD.
28 "Do no work at all on this day. It is the Day of Atonement, when your relationship with God is made right in the Lord's presence." 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.
29 "Anyone who does not deny themselves on this day must be expelled from the community." For whatsoever soul it be that shall not be afflicted in that same day, he shall be cut off from among his people.
30 "I will destroy anyone from among the people who does any work on this day." And whatsoever soul it be that doeth any work in that same day, the same soul will I destroy from among his people.
31 "You must not do any work whatsoever. This is a permanent rule for every generation, wherever you live." Ye shall do no manner of work: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations in all your dwellings.
32 "It is a Sabbath of absolute rest, and you must deny yourselves normal comforts. This observance begins on the evening of the ninth day of the month and continues until the next evening." 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.
The Festival of Tabernacles (Booths)
Study note
The Festival of Tabernacles began on the fifteenth day of the seventh month and lasted seven days, with an eighth day of special assembly. The people lived in temporary shelters made from branches to remember how they lived in tents during their wilderness journey from Egypt. They also took branches from palm trees and other leafy trees and celebrated before the Lord. This joyful festival marked the final harvest of the year and celebrated God's ongoing provision and protection.
33 Then the Lord gave Moses these instructions: And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
34 "Tell the people of Israel: On the fifteenth day of this seventh month, the Festival of Shelters begins. It is celebrated for the Lord and lasts seven days." Speak 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.
35 "On the opening day, hold a sacred gathering. Do not do any of your regular work." On the first day shall be an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein.
36 "Present fire offerings to the Lord for all seven days. On the eighth day, hold another sacred gathering and present another fire offering to the Lord. It is a closing ceremony. Do not do any of your regular work." Seven 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.
37 "These are the Lord's chosen feasts. Announce them as holy meetings when the right time comes. They are for giving fire offerings to the Lord: burnt offerings, grain offerings, sacrifices, and drink offerings. Each one must be given on its proper day." 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, and drink offerings, every thing upon his day:
38 "All of these festivals are in addition to the regular Sabbaths. They are also in addition to your personal gifts, your promises to God, and your offerings that you freely bring to the Lord." Beside 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.
39 "Also, on the fifteenth day of the seventh month, after you bring in all your crops, celebrate the Lord's festival for seven days. The first day is a day of total rest. The eighth day is also a day of total rest." Also 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.
40 "On the opening day, gather branches from beautiful trees, palm fronds, branches from thick leafy trees, and willows from along the streams. Then celebrate in the Lord your God's presence for seven days." And 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.
41 "Celebrate this festival for the Lord for seven days every year. This is a permanent rule for every generation. Hold it during the seventh month." 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.
42 "Live in temporary shelters made from branches for seven days. Every native-born Israelite must do this." Ye shall dwell in booths seven days; all that are Israelites born shall dwell in booths:
43 "The purpose is so your descendants in every generation will remember that I made the Israelites live in temporary shelters when I brought them out of Egypt. I am the Lord your God." 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.
44 So Moses told the people of Israel about each of the Lord's special feasts. And Moses declared unto the children of Israel the feasts of the LORD.