Leviticus 23
BSA1 Then the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] said [to speak, communicate] to Moses [the Israelite leader, prophet], word study 2 “Speak [to proclaim, declare] to the Israelites [children of Israel, descendants of Jacob] and say [command, proclaim] to them, ‘These are My appointed feasts [set times, sacred seasons], the feasts [festivals, celebrations] of the LORD [Yehovah, the Lord God] that you are to proclaim [call out, announce] as sacred assemblies [holy convocations, gatherings]. word study 3 For six [a period of six days, as ordained by God] days work [labor, employment, or occupation] may be done, but the seventh [the Hebrew word ‘shabbat’, a day of rest] day is a Sabbath [a day of complete rest, a holy convocation] of complete rest [a time of solemn pause, stillness], a day [a period of 24 hours, a figurative space of time] of sacred [set apart, holy] assembly [a gathering, a convocation]. You must not do any work [no labor, no employment]; wherever you live [in all your dwellings, throughout your habitations], it is a Sabbath [a day of rest, a time of worship] to the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God]. word study 4 These [specific, appointed] are the LORD’s [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] appointed [set, fixed] feasts [holy convocations, sacred seasons], the sacred [holy, set-apart] assemblies [public gatherings, convocations] you are to proclaim [call out, announce] at their [namely, specifically] appointed [designated, scheduled] times [seasons, festivals]. word study 5 The Passover [Jehovah’s Passover, a festival of remembrance] to the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] begins [starts, commences] at twilight [between the evenings, at sunset] on the fourteenth day of the first [primary, initial] month [lunar cycle, new moon]. word study 6 On the fifteenth day of the same [this, the current] month begins the Feast [festival, celebration] of Unleavened Bread [sweet bread without yeast] to the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] [a time of remembering God’s deliverance]. For seven days you must eat unleavened bread [without yeast]. word study 7 On the first [primary] day you are to hold a [holy, sacred] sacred assembly [convocation, public gathering]; you are not to do any regular [servile] work [labor, employment]. word study 8 For seven days you are to present [to bring near or offer] an offering [a sacrifice or gift] made by fire to the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God]. On the seventh [the last or final] day there shall be a sacred [holy or set-apart] assembly [a gathering or convocation]; you must not do any regular [ordinary or daily] work [labor or employment].’” word study 9 And the LORD [Yehovah] said [to speak, communicate] to Moses [the Israelite leader, God’s chosen servant], word study 10 “Speak [to proclaim, declare] to the Israelites [the descendants of Jacob, God’s chosen people] and say [command, instruct], ‘When you enter [come into, take possession of] the land [the promised territory, Canaan] that I am giving [bestowing, granting] you and you reap [harvest, gather] its harvest [the crop, the fruit of the land], you are to bring [offer, present] to the priest [the spiritual leader, mediator] a sheaf [a bundle, an omer] of the firstfruits [the initial, the best] of your harvest [the produce, the yield]. word study 11 And he shall wave [move back and forth, sprinkle] the sheaf [a unit of measurement, about 2 liters of grain] before the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] so that it may be accepted [delight, pleasure] on your behalf; the priest [one who serves God and leads others in worship] is to wave [shake, lift up] it on the day after [morrow, the next day] the Sabbath [a day of rest and worship]. word study 12 On the day [of celebration, when you wave] you wave the sheaf [a unit of measurement, about 2 liters of grain], you shall offer a year-old [son of a year, one year old] lamb [a young ram, without defects] without blemish [unblemished, perfect] as a burnt offering [a step or stairs to the altar, a sacrifice] to the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God], word study 13 along with its grain offering [a gift of fine flour, a meal offering] of two-tenths [a tenth part, a tithe] of an ephah of fine flour [the best flour, refined] mixed with oil [olive oil]—an offering [a sacrifice, a gift to God] made by fire to the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God], a pleasing aroma [a sweet fragrance, a soothing smell]—and its drink offering [a liquid sacrifice, a libation] of a quarter [the fourth part, a portion] hin of wine [fermented wine]. word study 14 You must not eat any bread [or parched corn, or green ears] or roasted [grain that has been toasted] or new grain until the very day [this selfsame day] you have brought this offering [a sacrifice, a gift] to your God [Elohim, the supreme Creator]. This is to be a permanent [lasting, age-during] statute [a law, an ordinance] for the generations [a period of time, a group of people] to come, wherever [in all your dwellings, throughout your generations] you live. word study 15 From the day [morrow, next day] after the Sabbath [day of rest, worship], the day [time, period] you brought [offered, presented] the sheaf [omer, a unit of measurement] of the wave offering [a specific type of sacrifice, a portion waved before God], you are to count off [recount, number] seven full [unblemished, perfect] weeks [a period of seven days, a complete cycle]. word study 16 You shall count off [number, reckon] fifty [a period of seven weeks plus one day] days until the day [a 24-hour period] after the seventh [a completion or fulfillment] Sabbath [a day of rest and worship], and then present [to approach, come near] an offering [a gift or donation] of new [fresh or recently created] grain to the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God]. word study 17 Bring two [a pair, a dual offering] loaves of bread [food, grain] from your dwellings [seats, gatherings, or homes] as a wave offering [a lifted up gift], each made from two-tenths [a tenth part, a tithe] of an ephah of fine flour [sifted, refined meal], baked with leaven [yeast], as the firstfruits [the initial harvest, the best of the crop] to the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God]. word study 18 Along with the bread [food, grain offerings] you are to present [bring near, offer] seven unblemished [perfect, without defects] male lambs [young rams, sons of a year] a year old, one [a single, unified] young bull [a strong, vigorous animal], and two [a pair, a dual witness] rams [strong, powerful animals]. They will be [exist as, come into being] a burnt offering [a step, an ascent to the altar] to the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God], together with their grain offerings [gifts, donations] and drink offerings [liquid sacrifices, poured out to God]—an offering made by fire [a food offering], a pleasing aroma [a soothing, pleasant fragrance] to the LORD [the supreme God, the Lord of all]. word study 19 You shall also prepare one male goat [a hairy, satyr-like creature, or demon-possessed being] as a sin offering [for atonement, to make amends] and two male lambs [young rams, sons of a year] a year old [a period of time, like an anniversary] as a peace offering [a voluntary sacrifice, to show thanks, or express gratitude]. word study 20 The priest [the spiritual leader, mediator] is to wave [move back and forth, shake] the lambs [young rams, sacrificial animals] as a wave offering [a ceremonial gesture] before the LORD [Yehovah], together with the bread [food, grain] of the firstfruits [the initial harvest, the best of the crop]. The bread [sustenance, nourishment] and the two [a pair, a dual offering] lambs shall be holy [set apart, consecrated] to the LORD [the Almighty, the Sovereign] for the priest [the one who serves, the minister]. word study 21 On that same day [at this exact time, on this very occasion] you are to proclaim [declare, announce publicly] a sacred [holy, set-apart] assembly [gathering, convocation], and you must not do any regular [servile, ordinary] work [labor, employment]. This is to be a permanent [everlasting, eternal] statute [law, ordinance] wherever you live [in all your dwellings, throughout your settlements] for the generations [descendants, posterity] to come [that will follow, in the future]. word study 22 When you reap [harvest, gather in] the harvest [the time of gathering, the crop itself] of your land [the earth, the ground], do not reap [cut down, gather] all the way to the edges [sides, corners] of your field [the cultivated area] or gather [pick up, collect] the gleanings [leftover crops, remnants] of your harvest [the gathered crop]. Leave them [abandon, relinquish] for the poor [the afflicted, the humble] and the foreign resident [the sojourner, the stranger]. I am the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God] your God [Elohim, the Creator].’” word study 23 The LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] also said [spoke, communicated] to Moses [the Israelite leader], word study 24 “Speak [to communicate, proclaim] to the Israelites [sons of Israel, descendants of Jacob] and say, ‘On the first [one, unique] day of the seventh [ordained, appointed] month you are to have a day of rest [sabbath observance, cessation from work], a sacred [holy, set-apart] assembly [gathering, convocation] announced by [with the sound of] trumpet blasts [shouting, joyful noise]. word study 25 You must not do [any servile work, no ordinary labor] any regular work [or employment, including daily tasks], but you are to present [offer, bring near] an offering made by fire [a sacrifice, a gift to God] to the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God].’” word study 26 Again the LORD [Yehovah, the self-existent God] said [spoke, communicated] to Moses [the Israelite leader, prophet], word study 27 “The tenth [a day of complete atonement] day of this seventh [sacred, set-apart] month is the Day of Atonement [a day of reconciliation, making amends]. You shall hold a sacred [holy, set-apart] assembly [a public gathering, convocation] and humble [afflict, oppress] yourselves, and present [offer, bring near] an offering [a gift, sacrifice] made by fire [a burnt offering, consumed by flames] to the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God]. word study 28 On [this specific, particular] this day you are not to do any [kind of, manner of] work, for it is the Day of Atonement [a day of reconciliation, to make an atonement], when [as a result of sacrifice, to cover] atonement [to make things right, to reconcile] is made for you before the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God] your God [Elohim, the one true God]. word study 29 If anyone [whoever he may be] does not [will not, refuses to] humble [afflict, oppress] himself [his soul, living being] on this [same, specific] day [period of time, 24-hour period], he must be [shall be, will be] cut off [expelled, separated] from his people [nation, community, Amaw]. word study 30 I will destroy [utterly, completely] from among his people [nation, community] anyone who does [performs, undertakes] any work [labor, employment, task] on this [specific, appointed] day [period of time, occasion]. word study 31 You are not [in no way, under no circumstances] to do any [kind of, manner of] work [labor, employment] at all [whatsoever, in any way]. This is a permanent [everlasting] statute [ordinance, regulation] for the [generations to come, all time] generations [periods of time, groups of people] to come, wherever [in all places, throughout all] you live [reside, dwell]. word study 32 It will be a Sabbath [of solemn rest, a day of stillness] of complete rest [a time to cease from labor] for you, and you shall humble [afflict, deny] yourselves [your souls, your inner being]. From the evening [at sunset, as the day ends] of the ninth day of the month [the lunar cycle, a new moon] until the following evening [the next sunset, the day’s close] you are to keep [observe, celebrate] your Sabbath [a day of worship, a time to rest].” word study 33 And the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] said [to speak, communicate, or command] to Moses [the Israelite leader, prophet, and lawgiver], word study 34 “Speak [to communicate, command] to the Israelites [sons of Israel, descendants of Jacob] and say, ‘On the fifteenth [fifth day after the tenth] day of the seventh month the Feast [festival, celebration] of Tabernacles [booths, temporary shelters] to the LORD [Yehovah, the Lord God] begins, and it continues [lasts, endures] for seven days [a period of twenty-four hours, a day of rest]. word study 35 On the first [primary, initial] day there shall be a sacred [holy, set-apart] assembly [public gathering, convocation]. You must not do any regular [servile, ordinary] work [occupation or labor]. word study 36 For seven days you are to present [offer, bring near] an offering made by fire [a sacrifice, a gift to God] to the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God]. On the eighth day you are to hold a sacred [holy, set apart] assembly [a gathering, a convocation] and present [offer, bring near] an offering made by fire [a sacrifice, a gift to God] to the LORD. It is a solemn [serious, reverent] assembly [a gathering, a convocation]; you must not do any regular [ordinary, everyday] work [labor, service]. word study 37 These [specific, appointed] are the LORD’s [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] appointed feasts [holy convocations, sacred festivals], which you are to proclaim [call out, announce] as sacred [set-apart, holy] assemblies [public gatherings, convocations] for presenting [offering, bringing near] offerings by fire [burnt offerings, sacrifices] to the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God]—burnt offerings [a step or stairs, often used to describe the ascent to the altar] and grain offerings [a gift or donation, often given to God as a sacrifice], sacrifices [the act of offering an animal’s flesh to God] and drink offerings [a liquid poured out as a sacrifice to God], each [every one, individually] on its designated [appointed, special] day [a literal 24-hour period or a figurative space of time]. word study 38 These offerings [in addition to, apart from] are in addition to the offerings for the LORD’s [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] Sabbaths [days of rest and worship], and in addition to your gifts [presents, sacrificial offerings], to all your vow [promise made to God] offerings, and to all the freewill [voluntary, spontaneous] offerings you give [present, set apart] to the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God]. word study 39 On the fifteenth [at the full moon] day of the seventh month, after you have gathered [brought in, harvested] the produce [fruits, crops, revenue] of the land [earth, territory], you are to celebrate [observe, keep with joy] a feast [festival, holy day] to the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] for seven days. There shall be complete rest [sabbath, solemn rest] on the first [primary, initial] day and also on the eighth day. word study 40 On the first [initial, primary] day you are to gather the fruit [produce, harvest] of majestic [glorious, beautiful] trees, the branches [boughs, limbs] of palm [date palm, palm tree] trees, and the boughs [branches, limbs] of leafy [thick, dense] trees and of willows [poplars, trees by the brook] of the brook [stream, river]. And you are to rejoice [be glad, celebrate] before the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God] your God [Elohim, Creator] for seven days. word study 41 You are to celebrate [observe, keep] this as a feast [festival, solemn assembly] to the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] for seven days each year [a period of time, a cycle]. This is a permanent [everlasting, age-during] statute [ordinance, decree] for the generations [a period of time, a group of people] to come; you are to celebrate [hold, keep] it in the seventh [a special position] month [a lunar cycle, a period of time]. word study 42 You are to dwell [reside, live] in booths [temporary shelters, tents] for seven days. All [every single one] the native-born [born from the beginning, indigenous] of Israel [God’s chosen people, descendants of Jacob] must dwell [remain, abide] in booths [small, portable structures], word study 43 so that your descendants [future generations, posterity] may know [understand, learn, perceive] that I made the Israelites [children of Israel, sons of Jacob] dwell [live, reside, sit] in booths [temporary shelters, tents] when I brought them out [led them out, rescued them] of the land [country, territory] of Egypt [a country in northeastern Africa]. I am [I exist, I am present] the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God] your God [Elohim, the one supreme God].’” word study 44 So Moses [the Israelite leader] announced [declared, spoke] to the Israelites [the children of Israel] the appointed [set, fixed] feasts [meeting times, sacred seasons] of the LORD [Yehovah, the Lord God]. word study