Leviticus 22

Chap. XXIII. ver. 2. — Concerning the feasts] The Hebrew word should rather be translated “solemn assemblies:” for, under the name is comprehended the day of atonement, ver. 27, which was no feast, but a fast.—All that are mentioned in this chapter had been appointed in general before; the sabbath, Exod. xx; the passover, Exod. xii; the feast of weeks, and the feast of tabernacles, Exod. xxiii. 16; xxxiv. 22; and the day of atonement, Levit. xvi: the directions are here repeated with such additions as had not before been given. Pyle.

Leviticus 22:3

3. — do no work therein:] It is observable that, on the weekly sabbath, and on the day of expiation, they are commanded to do no work, verses 28, 30: on their other festivals they were to do “no servile work,” that is, no laborious work, to which slaves are usually put. Bp. Kidder.

Leviticus 22:5

5. In the fourteenth day &c.] See notes at Exod. xii.

Leviticus 22:10

10. — ye shall bring a sheaf &c.] By this they were reminded of the bounty of God in His plentiful gifts of the fruits of the earth, and of their duty to offer up their prayers for His blessing on the next crop: they were

Leviticus 22:11

11. — if the priest buy any soul] If he buy any person, either of another nation, or of their own nation, who was compelled by poverty to sell himself. Bp. Patrick.

12. — on the morrow after the sabbath] Not on the morrow after the ordinary sabbath of the week, but after the first day of the passover week, which was a sabbatick day. Bp. Patrick.

Leviticus 22:15

15. — seven sabbaths] Or seven whole weeks.

Leviticus 22:16

16. — to bear the iniquity of trespass, &c.] That is, to fall under the punishment which God will inflict for their trespass, in eating things which do not appertain to them. Bp. Patrick.

17. — shall ye number fifty days:] Hence this feast is styled in the New Testament, the feast of Pentecost, the word Pentecost signifying fiftieth in Greek. It is called “the feast of weeks,” Exod. xxxiv. 22, because celebrated seven weeks, or a week of weeks, after the passover; “the feast of harvest,” Exod. xxiii. 16, because the barley harvest, which began at the passover, ended at this time; “the day of the firstfruits,” Numb. xxviii. 26, because, on

Before CHRIST 1490. omer. c Deut. 16. 9. T 2 Divers laws and ordinances. Before CHRIST 1490.

Leviticus 22:21

21. — ye shall do no servile work therein.] Perhaps one day only was appointed at this feast, to be free from all servile work, because of the important business of wheat harvest, which was then coming on, and could not permit to them so much leisure, as when the fruits were all gathered. Bp. Patrick.

Leviticus 22:23

23. — but for a vow &c.] Freewill offerings were dif-

ferent from vows, there being no obligation upon them to offer the former, as there was to offer the latter: and a less perfect animal would be accepted in the one case, though not in the other. Biblioth. Bibl.

Leviticus 22:24

24. — a memorial of blowing of trumpets.] This festival was called the feast of trumpets; and, as Scripture no where assigns the reason of this festival and of the blowing of trumpets upon it, the learned are very much

divided about it. Maimonides thinks it was instituted to awaken the people to repentance, against the annual fast, or great day of expiation, which followed nine days after. Other Jews make the blowing of the trumpet a memorial of Isaac’s deliverance by means of the ram, which was substituted for sacrifice in his stead, on which account, they say, the trumpets now sounded were made of rams’ horns. Some Christian fathers make the sounding of the trumpets on this day, to be a memorial of the giving of the Law at mount Sinai, which was attended with the sound of the trumpet. But the opinion more generally embraced is, that it was a memorial of the creation of the world, which is supposed, not without reason, to have taken place at this season of the year. Accordingly, this seventh month was not only anciently, but is still, reckoned by the Jews the first month of the year. Thus the feast of trumpets was indeed the new year’s day, on which the people were solemnly called upon to rejoice in a grateful remembrance of all God’s benefits to them, through the past year, as well as to implore His blessing upon them for the ensuing year, which was partly the intention of the sacrifices on this day offered. Dr. Jennings.

Leviticus 22:28

28. — not kill it and her young both in one day.] In this and other instances of the Mosaick Law, the things mentioned, slight as they may appear, are condemned, because they carry an air of cruelty: and, if cruelty, and the appearance of it, or a tendency to it, was to be condemned even towards brutes, much more was compassion and pity due to men. Dr. Jortin.

Divers laws and ordinances. Before CHRIST 1490.

Leviticus 22:32

32. — in the ninth day — at even.] The tenth day was the day of atonement, ver. 27, but they were to begin to