1YEHOVAH parla aussi à Moïse, en disant: 2Parle aux enfants d'Israël, et dis-leur: Les fêtes de YEHOVAH, que vous publierez comme de saintes convocations, ce sont là mes fêtes. 3On travaillera six jours; mais le septième jour est le sabbat, le jour du repos; il y aura une sainte convocation; vous ne ferez aucune œuvre; c'est le sabbat de YEHOVAH dans toutes vos demeures. 4Voici les fêtes de YEHOVAH, les saintes convocations, que vous publierez à leurs temps fixés. 5Le premier mois, le quatorzième jour du mois, entre les deux soirs, sera la Pâque de YEHOVAH; 6Et le quinzième jour de ce mois, sera la fête des pains sans levain à YEHOVAH; vous mangerez des pains sans levain pendant sept jours. 7Le premier jour vous aurez une sainte convocation; vous ne ferez aucune œuvre servile. 8Vous offrirez à YEHOVAH, pendant sept jours, des sacrifices faits par le feu. Le septième jour il y aura une sainte convocation; vous ne ferez aucune œuvre servile. 9YEHOVAH parla encore à Moïse, en disant: 10Parle aux enfants d'Israël, et dis-leur: Quand vous serez entrés au pays que je vous donne, et que vous en ferez la moisson, vous apporterez au sacrificateur une gerbe, prémices de votre moisson. 11Et il agitera la gerbe devant YEHOVAH, afin qu'elle soit agréée pour vous; le sacrificateur l'agitera le lendemain du sabbat. 12Vous sacrifierez aussi, le jour où vous agiterez la gerbe, un agneau d'un an, sans défaut, en offrande à brûler à YEHOVAH; 13Et son offrande sera de deux dixièmes de fine farine arrosée d'huile, en sacrifice fait par le feu, d'agréable odeur à YEHOVAH, et son offrande de breuvage sera du vin, le quart d'un hin. 14Vous ne mangerez ni pain, ni grain rôti, ni grain en épi, jusqu'à ce même jour-là, jusqu'à ce que vous ayez apporté l'offrande à votre Dieu; c'est une ordonnance perpétuelle pour vos générations, dans toutes vos demeures. 15Vous compterez aussi, à partir du lendemain du sabbat, dès le jour où vous aurez apporté la gerbe qui doit être agitée, sept semaines entières. 16Vous compterez cinquante jours jusqu'au lendemain du septième sabbat; et vous offrirez une nouvelle offrande de viande à YEHOVAH. 17Vous apporterez de vos demeures deux pains, pour une offrande agitée; ils seront de deux dixièmes de fleur de farine, cuits avec du levain: ce sont les prémices à YEHOVAH. 18Vous offrirez aussi avec le pain, sept agneaux d'un an sans défaut, et un jeune taureau, et deux béliers, qui seront en offrande à brûler à YEHOVAH, avec leur offrande et leurs offrandes de breuvage, en sacrifice fait par le feu, d'agréable odeur à YEHOVAH. 19Vous offrirez aussi un bouc pour le péché, et deux agneaux d'un an en offrande de paix. 20Et le sacrificateur les agitera avec le pain des prémices, en offrande agitée devant YEHOVAH, avec les deux agneaux; ils seront consacrés à YEHOVAH, pour le sacrificateur. 21Vous publierez la fête ce jour même; vous aurez une sainte convocation; vous ne ferez aucune œuvre servile. C'est une ordonnance perpétuelle dans toutes vos demeures, d'âge en âge. 22Et quand vous ferez la moisson dans votre pays, tu n'achèveras point de moissonner le bout de ton champ, et tu ne ramasseras point les restes de ta moisson; tu les laisseras pour le pauvre et pour l'étranger: JE SUIS YEHOVAH, votre Dieu. 23YEHOVAH parla encore à Moïse, en disant: 24Parle aux enfants d'Israël, et dis: Au septième mois, au premier jour du mois, il y aura pour vous un jour de repos, une commémoration publiée au son des trompettes, une sainte convocation; 25Vous ne ferez aucune œuvre servile; et vous offrirez à YEHOVAH des sacrifices faits par le feu. 26YEHOVAH parla aussi à Moïse, en disant: 27Le dixième jour de ce septième mois sera le jour des expiations; vous aurez une sainte convocation, vous humilierez vos âmes, et vous offrirez à YEHOVAH des sacrifices faits par le feu. 28Vous ne ferez aucune œuvre ce jour-là; car c'est le jour des expiations, où doit être faite pour vous l'expiation devant YEHOVAH votre Dieu. 29Car toute personne qui ne s'humiliera pas ce jour-là, sera retranchée du milieu de son peuple. 30Et toute personne qui fera ce jour-là une œuvre quelconque, je la détruirai du milieu de son peuple. 31Vous ne ferez aucune œuvre; c'est une ordonnance perpétuelle pour vos générations, dans toutes vos demeures. 32Ce sera pour vous un sabbat, un jour de repos, et vous humilierez vos âmes. Le neuvième jour du mois, au soir, d'un soir à l'autre soir, vous célébrerez votre sabbat. 33YEHOVAH parla encore à Moïse, en disant: 34Parle aux enfants d'Israël, et dis: Le quinzième jour de ce septième mois, ce sera la fête des tabernacles pendant sept jours, à l'honneur de YEHOVAH. 35Le premier jour il y aura une sainte convocation; vous ne ferez aucune œuvre servile. 36Pendant sept jours vous offrirez à YEHOVAH des sacrifices faits par le feu. Le huitième jour vous aurez une sainte convocation, et vous offrirez à YEHOVAH des sacrifices faits par le feu; ce sera une assemblée solennelle; vous ne ferez aucune œuvre servile. 37Telles sont les fêtes solennelles de YEHOVAH, que vous publierez comme de saintes convocations, pour offrir à YEHOVAH des sacrifices faits par le feu, des offrandes à brûler, des offrandes, des sacrifices et des offrandes de breuvage, chaque chose à son jour; 38Outre les sabbats de YEHOVAH, et outre vos dons, et outre tous vos vœux, et outre toutes vos offrandes volontaires que vous présenterez à YEHOVAH. 39Mais le quinzième jour du septième mois, quand vous aurez recueilli le produit de la terre, vous célébrerez une fête à YEHOVAH pendant sept jours. Le premier jour sera un jour de repos, et le huitième sera aussi un jour de repos. 40Et le premier jour vous prendrez du fruit des beaux arbres, des branches de palmiers, des rameaux d'arbres touffus et des saules de rivière; et vous vous réjouirez pendant sept jours devant YEHOVAH, votre Dieu. 41Vous célébrerez ainsi cette fête à YEHOVAH pendant sept jours dans l'année. C'est une ordonnance perpétuelle pour vos générations; vous la célébrerez le septième mois. 42Vous demeurerez pendant sept jours sous des tentes; tous ceux qui seront nés en Israël demeureront sous des tentes, 43Afin que votre postérité sache que j'ai fait habiter les enfants d'Israël sous des tentes, lorsque je les ai fait sortir du pays d'Égypte: JE SUIS YEHOVAH, votre Dieu. 44Ainsi Moïse déclara aux enfants d'Israël les fêtes de YEHOVAH.
Jamieson Fausset Brown Bible Commentary 2 OF SUNDRY FEASTS. (
Lev 23:1-
Lev 23:4)
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
Exod 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.
5 THE PASSOVER. (
Lev 23:5-
Lev 23:8)
the Lord's passover--(See
Exod 12:2,
Exod 12:14,
Exod 12:18). 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 [
Lev 23:7-
Lev 23:8]; 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
Num 28:19), while unleavened bread was to be eaten in families all the seven days (see
1Cor 5:8).
10 THE SHEAF OF FIRST FRUITS. (
Lev 23:9-
Lev 23:14)
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 (
Rom 11:16). At the same time, this feast had a typical character, and pre-intimated the resurrection of Christ (
1Cor 15:20), who rose from the dead on the very day the first-fruits were offered.
15 FEAST OF PENTECOST. (
Lev 23:15-
Lev 23:22)
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
Exod 23:16;
Deut 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
Exod 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
Lev 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.
24 FEAST OF TRUMPETS. (
Lev 23:23-
Lev 23:25)
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 (
Lev 23:25) to be religiously observed (see
Num 29:3), and of preparing the people for the approaching solemn feast.
27 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
Lev 16:29-
Lev 16:34). It is here only stated that the severest penalty was incurred by the violation of this day.
34 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,
Ps 118:25-
Ps 118:26). 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 (
John 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 [
Exod 23:16;
Exod 34:22], and, as the conclusion of one of the great festivals, it was kept as a sabbath.