Leviticus 23

land, and out of your land; at home, and upon the way:" to shew that the command, (Exod. xxxv. 3.) “You shall kindle no fire throughout your habitation on the sabbathday,” was to be observed, not only whilst they lived upon manna in the wilderness, (when God gave them a double portion on the sixth day, that they might prepare it against the sabbath, Exod. xyi. 5. 29.) but in all places, wheresoever they dwelt afterwards. proceed in the same prayers to the evening of Pentecost Which feast they not being able now to keep, as the law appoints, they pray to God every day> after they have done counting, that he would restore Jerusalem and the temple; and then they promise to do all that is here prescribed. And this counting in some places is performed publicly in their synagogues; yet so that every master of a family is bound every night to do it at home: (seeBuxtorf. Synag. Judaica, cap. 20.) 4G1 it was the seventh: that, as every seventh day was a sabbath, and every seventh year the land rested, &e. so every seventh month of every year should be a kind of sabbatical month; there being more feasts in this month than in any other month in the year. But all this doth not explain what this blowing of trumpets was a memorial of, which I take to be the creation of the world, which was in autumn; upon which account it was, that they anciently began their year at this time, as the eastern people do at this day. They acknowledged also God’s goodness, in blessing all the year past, and bringing them to the beginning of a new year, which they prayed him to make happy to them. They began to blow at sun-rise, and continued it till sun-set. He that sounded the trumpet began with the usual prayer, Blessed be God, who hath sanctified tis tvith his precepts, &e. subjoining these words, Blessed be God, who hath hitherto preserved its in life, and brought us nnto this time. When all was ended, the people said, with a loud voice, these words of the Psalmist, (Psal. lxxxix.15.) Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound: they shall walk, O Lord, in the light of thy countenance. (See Buxtorf. Synag. Jud. cap. 24.) Such blowing with trumpets was used by the gentiles; particularly in the solemnities they observed in honour of the mother of the gods: one whole day (which was the second) being spent in blowing of trumpets, as Julian tells us, in his fifth oration upon this subject, *)& t^g TrtpivaX- TTtiTfibg 7rapaAajuj3avmu, p. 1C8. tion of the feast of unleavened bread, it is said, In the seventh day is a, holy convocation, ye shall do.no servile work therein; i. e. it shall be a sabbath; (ver. 8.) but here the eighth day hath that honour put upon it (not the seventh), being added to the festival for a peculiar reason, and therefore, to be observed in a very solemn manner; for the feast of tabernacles fell in the time of vintage, when the fruits of the earth were, in a manner, all gathered, (Deut. xvi. 13.) from whence it is called by the name of the feast of ingatherings, (Exod. xxiii. 16.), not because the whole feast was celebrated on this account, but because a principal part of it was kept on this score; viz. the eighth day, as the other seven days were in memory of their dwelling in tents. But, that the eighth day had no relation to this is apparent; for they did not dwell in tabernacles on the eighth day of this feast, but only on the seven preceding; which being ended; they returned to their houses, and kept this day there to another purpose, here named; for so it is expressly said,. ver. 42.. Ye shall dwell in. booths seven days; which being over, a great solemnity continued to another purpose, and was kept after another manner, not in booths, but in their houses. So Maimonides, in his More Ncvoch. (par. iii. cap. 43.) " That we go from the feast of tabernacles to another solemnity, on the eighth day, it tends to make our joys perfect; which could not be done in tabernacles, but in large and spacious houses and palaces;" where they jnadc still greater feasts, as well as sung the praises of God at the temple, with trumpets and instruments of music; in which service some say. those, three. Psalms were used, which have the title of Alhagittith, (viz. Psal. viii. lxxxj. and lxxxv.) For gath signifies a wine-press, and therefore they think these Psalms were sung in the time of the vintage. Certain it is, that the two last named were sung at -some great solemnity, wherein they celebrated Gods wonderful providence over them: and,- that they used to sing and shout at their vintage, is clear from Judges ix. 27. Isai. xvi. 9, 10. Jer. xlviii. 33. Hosea ii. 15. which the gentiles imitated; who, when they pressed their grapes, sung a song to Bacchus, which was. thence called Iwikvviog, the song of the wine-press: (see Scaliger, lib. i. Poet. cap. 15.) Now this being a time of such great rejoicing, in both respects, it led Plutarch into a fancy, that the Jews celebrated two feasts unto Bacchus at this time; for he writes, in’ his Symposiacs, (lib. i. prob. 3.) that in the midst of the vintage the Jews spread tables furnished with all manner of fruit, and lived in tabernacles, made especially of palms and ivy wreathed together, and called the day which goes before the feast, the day of tabernacles. And then, a few days after, saith he, they kept another festivity; which openly shews it was dedicated to Bacchus, for they carried boughs of palms in their hands, &c. with which they went into the temple; the Levites (who he fancies were called so from Eviog, which was the name of Bacchus) going before with instruments of music, &c. AH which may very well incline us to think, that the gentiles corrupted this holy festivity (as they did. other sacred institutions), and turned it into the profane Bacchanalia; which is no improbable conjecture of Jo. Mich. Dilhcrrus, in his Dissert, de Cacozel. Gentil. cap. 3.

Leviticus 23:1

JjlND the Lord spake unto Moses, saying. All the laws in this chapter were delivered at one time, not long after the former..

Leviticus 23:2

Speak unto the children of Israel. Who were highly concerned to observe all the solemnities enjoined in this chapter, in such a manner as God required. And say unto them, Concerning the feasts of the Lord.] It hath been anciently observed, that (piXioprot ol Svpoi, the Syrians were great lovers of feasts. Which made it the more reasonable (if they were so in Moses’s days), that the Israelites, who were to be their neighbours in the land of Canaan, should have so many feasts appointed them, weekly, monthly, and yearly; all in honour of their God. From whence they are culled feasts of the Lord. But this word moed, which we translate a feast, properly signifies an assembly. And so Mr. Thorndike would have it here translated; because the name of feasts is proper to those solemnities which are to be celebrated with joy and cheerfulness; whereas under this general word moed is comprehended the day of atonement, which is one of the assemblies here named, (ver. 27.) but was no feast; being to be observed with the greatest humiliation and affliction that could be expressed. He therefore exactly translates these words in this manner; The assemblies of the J^ord (for the word concerning is not in the Hebrew) which ye shall pro* claim for holy convocations, these are my assemblies: (sec Religious Assemblies, ehap. ii.) All that can be said for our translation is, thfit the day of atonement being a day of rest from all labour, it may g* under the name of n feast, in opposition to working-days. JVhich ye shall proclaim.] Or call by the sound of the trumpet, which the priests were to blow upon these days, (Numb. x. 10.) To be holy convocations.] The Hebrew word mikra, which here signifies a convocation, signifies also reading, (Neh. viii. 8.) For on these days they were called to assemble together to hear the law read to them, as well as to offer sacrifice, and make their prayers to God, with thanksgivings for his benefits. Even these are my feasts.] Or my assemblies, as I said before; the first of which was the sabbath, then the Passover, Pentecost, the beginning of the new year, the day of atonement, and the feast of tabernacles: which are all contained under the general word moed, and none besides..

Leviticus 23:3

Six days shall work be done. They were allowed all these for any sort of business, wherein they pleased to employ themselves. But the seventh day is the sabbath of rest.] See Exod. xx. 9, 10. xxxi. 15. This was the greatest of all solemnities appointed for assemblies, returning once every week; and therefore is set in the head of all the rest; from which it seems to be distinguished, (ver. 37, 38.) And accordingly in the next verse, having here mentioned this as a day by itself, he begins to reckon the feasts or assemblies of the Lord. And the reason why this day was made a sabbath of rest, was, because God himself then rested from his works. In memory of which they were to keep this day free from all labour, that the belief of the creation of the world might be fixed in their minds; or, as Maimonides phrases it, (More Nevoch. par. ii. cap. 113.) a belief that nothing is locevous with God. Whence that saying of theirs (mentioned by Abcn Ezra), " whosoever doth any work upoil the sabbathday, denies the work of the creation." Ye shall do no work therein.] They were commanded so to rest on this day from all bodily labour, as not to kindle a fire, to dress the meat they ate upon it: which is not required upon any other day, but only the great day of expiation, (ver, 28. 30.) Concerning these two days alone it is said, Tliou shall do no work upon it: but of the days of other assemblies, no more is said but this, Thou shall do no servile work therein, (chap. v. 7, 8, &c.) that is, only such work as they were wont to put their slaves to do was prohibited. For though they might not bake nor boil their meat on the sabbath-day, (Exod. xvi. 23.) nor on the day of expiation (ver. 28. of this chapter); yet on other solemn days they mightmake provision for their tables, Exod. xii. 1G. where Aben Ezra notes, “of none of the solemn assemblies, besides the sabbath and the day of atonement, it is said no manner of work: only of the Passover hesaith it, and addeth an exception of the meat of the soul;”. that is, what was requisite for the sustenance of nature: as our Mr. Thorndike observes, in the place before quoted. It is the sabbath of the Lord in all your dwellings.] To bo kept holy in honour of the Lord, by every man, wheresoever he dwelt: for they had synagogues for worship in all their towns; though most of the other assemblies could bo held only in the place where the sanctuary, and afterwards the temple was; whither all their males went up thrice a year at the great festivals. Aben Ezra therefore thus glosses upon these words: " In all your dwellings; in your

Leviticus 23:4

Tliese are feasts of the Lord. Now follow the solemn assemblies which are. to be kept by this ordinance of mine; besides that of the seventh day, which was celebrated from the beginning. This looks like a title to all that ensues. Even for holy convocations.] Solemn meetings of the people, who were called together to celebrate the mercies of God with sacrifices of thanksgiving and public rejoicings. Such there were in all nations, who had their Ilavtiyvpug (as the Greeks called them), general assemblies of all,the country, to do honour to their gods. As in Egypt, we are told by Herodotus, lib. ii. cap. 59. they did once a year vavnyvptZuv in honour of Isis, Mars, and Diana. The liko was in other nations, as every body knows. Dr. Hammond hath observed something concerning this phrase holy convocations, upon Matt. xx. not. c. IVIiich ye shall proclaim in their season.] Or, in their appointed times: which here follow.

Leviticus 23:5

On the fourteenth day of the first month. See Exod. xii. 18. * -. At even.] See Exod. xii. G. Is the Lord’s Passover.] See Exod. xii. 27. Ver. G. And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the feast of unleavened bread unto the Lord, &c.] That is, then the seven days of eating unleavened bread were to begin, (Exod. xii. 15.) Seven days ye must eat unleavened bread.] See Exod. xii..

Leviticus 23:7

On the first day ye shall have a holy convocation. Exod. xii. 1G. Ye shall do no servile work therein.] Such days as these were not observed so scrupulously as the seventh day of every week, on which (as I observed before) they might not boil nor bake, i. e. prepare their meat; which on this day was allowed, as appears fr6m the place last named in Exodus. Nor might they stir out of their place, i. e. take a journey on the sabbath, (Exod. xvi. 29.) but on this day they might: as appears from Deut. xvi. 7. where, having sacrificed Ihe passover, and eaten it on the fourteenth day at even, they have leave given them to go home the next morning, which was the first day of unleavened bread. For on this very day, betimes in the morning, they came out of Egypt, and travelled from Barneses to Succoth. By servile work therefore we are to understand their ordinary labours on other days, from which both they and their servants were to abstain on this day: which it was the custom of all nations to forbear, upon such great solemnities, as Strabo informs us, (lib. x.) where he saith, Koiybv rovro kol t&v Eaa//vwv koI Bap|3apwv i<rri, to rag hpowouag fizr aviffzwe fopTaartKrjg TToiuaZac This is common both to Greeks and barbarians, to keep their holy days] with a festival remission of (heir labours. V er. 8. And ye shall offer an offering made by fire seven days unto the Lord.] These.were not merely idle times, but vol, i. days for Divine service; about which there is a particular direction given afterward (Numb, xxviii. from the nineteenth to the twenty-fifth verse), where the sacrifices for every one of the’ seven days are prescribed. And though there is no mention of any particular work of the nforal service of God upon these days (no more than there is of that sanctification of the sabbath-day), yet the Jews were not so blind, but that they were able to perceive the spiritual service of God, by prayers, and praises, and hearing the law, and meditating upon God’s works, was required on tliese days, especially on the sabbath: which appears from Josephus and Philo, and divers others of their later writers. In the seventh day is a holy convocation.] Exod. xii. 1G. Ye shall do no servile work therein.] It was to be observed as the first day of the seven, that the feasj might conclude as it began.

Leviticus 23:9

And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying. Though the following could not be yet practised; yet he would have them take a particular notice of it, as no less solemnly enjoined than the foregoing.

Leviticus 23:10

Speak unto the children of Israel. They being all concerned in this precept. And say unto them, Wlien ye be come into the land which I give Unto you.] In the wilderness they sowed no corn, and therefore could not be obliged by this precept till they came to Canaan: nay, till they had driven out the old inhabitants, and God had given them rest in the land of promise, as Moses himself seems to expound it, Deut. xii. 10, 11. • And shall reap the harvest thereof] Begin to reap it, as it is explained, Deut. xvi. 9. Then shall ye bring a sheaf] Or a handful, as it is translated in the margin of our Bibles. And there was the very same custom among the heathen, to bring Spajfta, a handful of the new corn, to be offered to their gods; as Diodorus Siculus saith the practice was among the Egyptians. Of the first-fruits.] There were several things comprehended under the name of first-fruits, which are commanded to be offered unto God, (Exod. xxiii. 19.) The Greeks have accurately distinguished them by proper and peculiar names. IJpwTprofca were the first-born of men or of cattle, mentioned Exod. xiii. Then UpojToytvvfiara were the first corn that was ripe, or the first-fruit of trees, which they brought from the field, or from their plantations, before they ate any themselves. And then’Awapx<& (which the Hebrews call terumoth, or trumoth) were the firstfruits of their wine and oil, (Numb, xviii. 12.) and the first loaves or cakes made of their wheat, mentioned below, ver. 17. (See there.) Of your harvest.] Of barley-harvest, which began attho Passover, when they offered the first-fruits here mentioned; as wheat-harvest began at Pentecost, when they offered the first-fruits, mentioned ver. 17. as at the feast of tabernacle? those of the vine, and other fruit-trees, were brought and offered. And so much weight was laid on this, and there were so many of them, and such care taken of their payment, because this was held by all mankind as a principal part of religion, to make this early acknowledgment to God for his goodness; insomuch, that they who offered no first-fruits were looked upon as atheists. ► So Porphyry, lib. iii. wept’AttoxSc, sect. 78. And, indeed, this was a practice derived from the beginning of the world, (Gen. iv. 3, 4.) Aristotle himself testifies as much when ho saith [chap, xxiii. (lib. viii. ad Nichomachum), Al apxaiai Svvlai koI gvvoSoi, &c. The ancient sacrifices and assemblies were after the carrying in the harvest, when they offered the first-fruits, /uoX/ora yap iv Toirotc laxiXaKov rolg Kcapoic, for they chiefly relaxed themselves at those seasons. Unto the priest.) Who offered part of it to God, and had the rest himself. For thus the Jews describe the gathering and offering of them: On the evening of the first day of the Passover-week, some were ordered by the Sanhedrin to take sickles and baskets, &c. and go out when it was dark (having a great company with them), and cut a sheaf of corn, which they brought into the court of God’s house, and parched it, (as may be gathered from the second chapter of this book, ver. 14— 1G.) and having ground it, they sifted U often (no less’than thirteen times), till it was very fine flour. After which they took out a tenth-deal (an omer, which was the tenth part of an ephah), and brought it to the priest, who took out a handful, and put it on the altar with oil and frankincense, and the remainder he had for himself. (See Dr. Lightfoot in his Temple Service, chap, xiv: fcect. 2. Dr. Outram dc Sacrificiis, lib. i. cap. 8. n. 6. and J. Wagenseil upon Sota, cap. 2. Annot. 11.) • •Ver. 11. And he shall wave the sheaf before the Lord.’] They did not offer the corn green in the ears (as I observed iii the foregoing verse), but parched,’ dried, ground, and searsed; and then they waved a tenth-deal of the flour, which came from the sheaf, as a present to the Lord of the whole earth. To be accepted for you.] To procure God’s blessing upon the rest of the harvest; and that they might have liberty to use the corn it produced: which it was not lawful for fhem to do, till the first-fruits >vere given to God. On the morrow after the sabbath the priest shall wave it.] We are not to understand by the sabbath the seventh day’s rest, which was the opinion of the Sadducees, as R. Levi ben Gersom tells (upon the fifth of Joshua), but the day here mentioned, (ver. 7.) which was a kind of sabbath, because no servile work might be done therein. And therefore’ this morrow after the sabbath was the sixteenth day of Nisan, or the next day to the first of unleavened bread. So the LXX. translate it, t£ liravpiov rTjg ttqwt^, the morrow after the first: and Josephus more plainly, r$ Sevripy twv aZvfiwv vfiipq, &c. on the second daij of unleavened bread, which is the sixteenth-day of the month, &c. (lib. iii. Antiq. cap. 10.) This was the first of the fifty days, which they reckoned till Pentecost, (ch. v. 15.) and was the day on which manna ceased when they came into Canaan, because then they ate of the fruits of that country, (Josh. v. 10—12.) And indeed it was not lawful for them (as I said before) to cat of the fruits of the earth, till after the Passover; because then the sheaf of the first-fruits was w r aved, which consecrated the rest of the corn. And so God continued manna to them till they had other food to eat. „ Ver.’ 12. And ye shall offer that day, when ye wave the sheaf, a he-lamb without blemish, &c] Though this day was not so holy as the first day of unleavened bread, yet it was a part of the festival, and w r as called moed katon, a lesser solemnity; as all the rest of the days were, between the first and the seventh. And therefore a special offering is here ordered upon this day, besides the daily burnt-sacrifice; and besides the sacrifice which was appointed (ver. 8*) to be offered upon every one of the seven days.

Leviticus 23:13

And the meat-offenig thereof shall be two tenth" deals of fine flour, &c. I observed before (upon the second chapter, ver. 1.) that all sorts of bread might be offered to God, as being a very ancient sacrifice, and commonly used at every table; for which reason wine also is here ordered; but it was to be simple wine, not mixed, as was the heathenish custom. Salt also was added (chap. ii. 13.) as common at all tables; but no honey, nor leaven, which men’s superstition had introduced, (and therofore expressly forbidden in that place, ver. 11.) as it did also milk, and herbs, and leaves of trees; not a word of which is to be found in the law of Moses. But here it is observable, that he commands two tenth-deals of fine. flour to be offered; whereas one tenth was the common?neat-offering, (Exod. xxix. 40.) Because, as one of them was a necessary attendant on the lamb, (mentioned before, ver. 12.) so the other was in honour of the day, w r hich was a lesser kind of festival. And the drink-offering thereof shall be of wine, the fourth part of a hin.] Here is not a double proportion of wine ordered, but the usual quantity; because, perhaps, this was a thanksgiving only for their corn, not for their vintage, which came afterward.

Leviticus 23:14

And ye shall eat neither bread, nor parched corn, nor green ears, until the self-same day that ye have brought an offering to your God. It was not lawful for them to reap, and therefore not to eat any of the fruits of the earth, till the forenamed first-fruits were offered, as an acknowledgment to the Donor of them. For nothing was more just and equal, all men thought, than to give some part to him, who gave to them all thby had; and, in the first place, to give him his due before they took any thing to themselves. The Romans in this expressed the sense of all mankind; who, as Pliny tells us, lib. xviii. cap. 2. " Ne gustabant quidem novas fruges, aut vina, antequam sacerdotes primitias libassent," did not so?nuch as taste of their corn or wine, till the priests had offered the first-fruits. It shall be a statute for ever, &c.]’ As long as their polity lasted. In all your dwellings.] Throughout the whole land of Canaan.

Leviticus 23:15

And ye shall count unto you from the?norroiv after the sabbath. From the sixteenth day of Nisan, or the second day of unleavened bread; which was the morrow after the sabbath, (ver. 11.) k From the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave-offering.] This is added only as a fuller description of the time from w T hich they, were to count j. Seven sabbatlis shall be complete.] Seven whole weeks, reckoning that day from which the account begun, for the first day of the first of those \veeks;.which made forty-nine days in all. Maimonides thinks it w T as for tha honour of this great day of Pentecost, that they were to count the days till it came; just as a man, saith he, who expects his best friend, is wont to tell the days and hours till he arrive, (More Nevoch. par. iii. cap. 43.). And therefore the present Jews begin this supputation with a solemn prayer, saying, " Blessed art thou, O Lord our God, the Lord of the world, who hath sanctified us with thy precepts, and commandest us to number the days of harvest: and this is the first day." And thus they go on to pray till the seventh day, when they add, <f Now there is one week;" and so

Leviticus 23:16

Even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath shall ye number fifty days. The next day after the seventh sabbath (or week) made just fifty days: from which this feast was called Pentecost: and in the Old Testament, the feast of weeks; because it began the next day after the seven weeks beforcmentioned, Exod. xxxiv. 22. And ye shall offer a new meat-offering to the Lord.] viz* Of new corn made into loaves, as it follows in the next verse: which was the first-fruits of wheat-harvest, as the place beforementioned tells us, Exod. xxxiv. 22. This day the Samaritans take to have been the first day of the week, after the very letter of this law; which is thus made out by the great primate of Ireland: Our blessed Lord being slain at the feast of the Passover, the wholo sabbath folio wing (which was the first day of unleavened bread) he rested in his grave. The next day after that sabbath, the sheaf or omer, of the first-fruits of the barleyharvest was offered to the Lord; when Christ rose from the dead, and became the first-fruits of them that slept. From this day was the account taken of the seven sabbaths, or weeks: and upon the morrow after the seventh (that is, upon our Lord’s-day) was celebrated the feast of weeks, •which is called the day of the first-fruits, (Numb, xxviii. 20.) because then were offered the first-fruits of their second, or wheat-harvest; and therefore called the feast of harvest, (Exod. xxiii. 16.) because then was the principal and the conclusion of the whole harvest of the yean Upon which day the apostles, having themselves received the first-fruits of the Spirit, begat three thousand souls, through the Word of truth, and presented them as the first-fruits of the Christidn church unto God and unto the Lamb. Now the matter being so ordered by God, that in the observation of the feast of weeks, the seventh day of the week (the Jewish sabbath) was purposely passed over, and that great solemnity kept upon the first day of the week, no wonder the Christian church hath appropriated that day, instead of the seventh, for the service of God.

Leviticus 23:17

Ye shall bring out of your habitations. [These oblations seem to have been offered at a common charge, in the name of the whole nation, which is the reason of this phrase, Out of your habitations. For to affirm, as some do, that two loaves were to be brought out of every house, or, at least, out of every town, is absurd; for they may as well say seven lambs (as it follows) which were offered with this bread, were to be furnished in like manner out of every family or town. Two wave-loaves of two tenth-deals.] A double proportion, as before, ver. 13. which was presented to God, the Lord of the whole world, by waving them to all quarters. Each loaf did not contain two tenth-deals, but there was one in each loaf. Tlmj shall be of fine flour.] Of wheat. They shall be baken with leaven.] And therefore were not burnt upon the altar, (for that was unlawful, Lev. ii. 11, 12.) but wholly given to the priests. Whence it was, as the Jews observe, that the bread accompanying their peace-offerings of thanksgiving was leavened, (chap. vii. 13.) and not burnt on the altar, but entirely given to the priests, the servants of God, who attended at his altar, that they might feast together with him. They are the first-fruits unto the Lord.] Other first-fruits are mentioned, ver. 10. but these were the principal, being the first-fruits of wheat-harvest, which, with all the rest, are exactly enumerated by Nehemiah, chap. x. 35 — 37.‘And that place of Pliny, mentioned ver. 14. seems to prove, that the heathen offered both the first of their fruits before they brought them out of their fields and vineyards, and also the first of what was made of them after they were brought home; which they did, partly out of gratitude to God, to thank him for making the year fruitful, and partly to pray him to grant fruitful seasons for the future.

Leviticus 23:18

And ye shall offer with the bread seven lambs without blemish, &c. This being a great day, and burntofferings being the noblest sort of sacrifice, purely ip honour of God, a greater number, both of lambs and other creatures, are required upon this solemnity. And one young bullock, and tworams.] In Numb, xxviii. 27. it is said, two young btdlocks and one ram, besides the seven lambs. Perhaps they were left to their liberty, either to bring one young bullock and two rams, or one ram and two young bullocks; or else those mentioned in Numbers were distinct sacrifices, besides those here menr tioned: and so Josephus saith, (lib. iii. Antiq. cap. 1,0.) that there were offered upon this day three young bullocks^ too rams (it should be three rams), and fourteen lambs; all which were offered, besides the morning and.evening sacrifice of every day,,,.. They shall be a burnt-offering to the Lord, with their meat-offering, &c] There being all sorts of sacrifices prescribed for the great solemnity of this day, he mentions the burnt-offering in the first place, because it was the principal, and offered next to the two loaves.

Leviticus 23:19

Then sliall ye sacrifice one kid of the goats for a sin-offering. Next followed the sin-offering, which, for a particular sin of the congregation, was a btdlock, (chap, xviii. 14.) but for the sins of the nation in general, only a kid of the goats: for, as Maimonides observes, (More Nevoch. par. iii. cap. AG.) the more grievous the sin was, the viler the sacrifice, there being no greater sin than idolatry, nor viler sacrifice than a she-goat; and yet this was the expiation of that sin, as they interpret chap. iv. 27, Numb. xv. 17. And t\vo lambs of the first year, for a sacrifice of peaceofferings.] Double the number to what was commonly offered; for this being a high day, all sorts of sacrifices (as I! said before) were, offered (burnt-offerings, sin-offerings, and peace-offerings) upon it, and in greater proportions (except the sin-offering) than on other days. And these were the only peace-offerings of the whole congregation of Israel, offered only at this one time of the year, and never else.

Leviticus 23:20

And the priest shall wave them with the bread of the first-fruits, for a wave-offering before the Lord. These sacrifices, with the trespass-offering for a leper, (chap. xiy. % t 24.) were the only offerings that were waved about Microsoft ® 3 N 2 [CHAP. XXIII. towards all Ihc corners of the world. So Abarbinel upon this place: " The waving was performed by the priest, who reached them out, upward and downward, this way and that way, towards the six quarters of the world, to shew that the earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof;" or, as II. Levi ben Gersom speaks, *’ that they might understand the providence of God is every where, above and beneath, in every corner of the world." With the two lambs.] This seems to signify the forcnamed band-offering and sin-offering were thus waved, as well as these peace-offerings; that is, sonic paTt of them all, in the name of the rest; for the priest could not wave the whole body of them, they were so heavy. They shall be holy to the Lord for the priest.] Who had not only the breast and the shoulder (as was usual); but all the flesh of these peace-offerings (their blood being sprinkled, and their inwards burnt) was given unto him, to be eaten by the males among the priests, in the court of the sanctuary, even as the sin-offerings were: for these peaceofferings being (as I before noted) the only peace-offerings of the whole congregation, were reckoned among the most holy things; whereas the pcacc-offcrings of private men were less holy, as Dr. Lightfoot observes, in his Temple Service, chap. viii. sect. 4. And the true reason why the priest had all the flesh of these sacrifices was, because they being for the whole congregation, the offerers were too many, to have any portion of them distributed among them.

Leviticus 23:21

And ye shall proclaim on the self-same day. Before the solemnities began. That it may be a holy convocation to you.] See ver. 4. The reason of this holy assembly.was, partly to commemorate God’s great goodness, in giving the law from Mount Sinai, on the fiftieth day after their coming out of Egypt, (which was the chief end of God’s bringing them from thence, as Maimonidcs speaks, par. iii. More Ncvoch. cap. 43.) and. partly to thank him for giving them such fair hopes of completing their harvest, which had been begun at the Passover. Ye shall do no servile work therein.] It was to be observed, as the first and the last days of unleavened bread, (ver. 7, 8.) with such a rest, as made it little different from a sabbath. And that great vision (as Maimonides calls it), at the giving of the law, lasting but one day, was the reason the memory of it was celebrated only for one day in the year; whereas the feast of unleavened bread lasted seven days, for one day was not sufficient to make them sensible enough of the affliction they endured in Egypt. But, perhaps, one day only was appointed at Pentecost to be free from all servile work, because of the great business of wheat-harvest, which was then coming on, and could not permit them to be ^o much at leisure, as they were when the fruits of the earth were all gathered. Then they kept a feast seven days, (ver. 39.) as they did at the beginning of barley-harvest, when the feast of unleavened bread was held: at which time harvest did not come on so fast, as it did at Pentecost; for the first-fruits then were of green corn, parched, and dried, and offered to God, for the hope they had he would bring the rest to maturity.

Leviticus 23:22

And when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shall not make clean riddance of the corners of the field, &c. This precept hath been sufficiently explained before, (chap. xix. 9, 10.) only the occasion of its repetition here ought to bo observed, which is the mention of harvest and firstfruits, which, in gratitude, they then offered unto God, of whose goodness he would have them so sensible, as not to be unmindful of the poor; but to be such benefactors to them, that they might still receive more benefits from God.

Leviticus 23:23

And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying. These words arc frequently prefixed to a new matter, though delivered at the same time with what went before

Leviticus 23:24

Speak unto the children of Israel, saying. Who (as I have often said) were all concerned to take notice of such precepts. In the seventh month, in the first day of the month, ye shall have a sabbath.] Such a sabbath as those mentioned, ver. 7, 8. 21. on which no servile work was to be done, as it follows in the next verse: for the seventh month was the first month of the year, according to the ancient computation, and continued so still to several purposes; particularly with respect to their jubilee, when they were to blow the trumpet, as they did on this day, which was the chief new moon in all the year, and the more illustrious, because it fell in the time when all the fruits of the earth were gathered. A memorial of blowing with trumpets.] It is not easy to tell of what this blowing of trumpets was a memorial, Maimonides, in the place aforenamed, (More Ncvoch. par. iii. cap. 43.) will have it to be instituted to awaken the people out of sleep, and call them to Tcpentance; being to put them in mind of the great day of expiation, which followed nine days after. This he explains more largely in his Jad Chazakah, in the treatise of Repentance/ (cap. 3.) where he saith, " The sound of the trumpet, at this time, did in effect say, Shake off your drowsiness, yo that sleep; and, being awaked, watch to your duty. Search and try yoiir ways-; remember your Creator, and repent. You, whom the vanity of the times hath led into a forgetfulness of the truth; who spend your days wandering after empty things, which profit nothing; bethink yourselves, and take care of your souls. Let every one forsake his evil way, and his thoughts which are not good," iVnd accordingly he saith, in the same place, " the Israelites were wont to multiply alms and good works, and to apply themselves to the precepts (as his phrase is), from the beginning of the yeaT, till the day of atonement, more diligently than at any other time; rising in the night to pray in their synagogues till break of day," 8cc. But, though this be very pious, I sec no. ground for it; no more than for what they say of commemorating the deliverance of Isaac: for why should not blowing of trumpets be ordered for a preparation to other solemn days, and in memory of other deliverances, as well as this of Isaac? It seems more probable, that all nations making great shouting, rejoicing, and feasting in the beginning of the year, at the first new moon (as many have observed), hoping the rest of the year, by this means, would prove more prosperous; God was pleased to ordain this great rejoicing among his people, in honour of himself, upon the day of the first new moon (which was to be continued every first day of the month), that he might preserve them* from the worship of the moon, and make them sensible, that he alone gave Ihc good years, and renewed his mercies daily, from month to month, upon them. Bonfrcrius imagines, that God put an honour upon this month, because

Leviticus 23:25

Ye shall do no servile ivork therein. It was “a very solemn day, like the day of Pentecost, (ver. 21.) and others beforenoted, on which they might only make provision for their meals, (Exod. xii. 1G.) which were wont to be very liberal upon this day. And, among other dishes, they serve up to the table a ram’s head, in memory of that ram w T hieh was sacrificed in the room of Isaac, which they fancy was upon this day. But ye shall offer an offering made by fire nnto the Lord.] About which directions are given afterward, (Numb. xxix. 2, &c.) For it was not to be a day of rest merely, but of religion; Ver. 2G. And the Lord spake nnto Moses, saying.] The following precept is of great moment, which makes this preface to be set before it.

Leviticus 23:27

Also on the tenth day of this seventh month thkre shall be a day of atonement. This hath been explained, chap. xvi. 29—31. It shall be a holy convocation to you.] On which they were to assemble, to humble themselves before God; as it here follows. And ye shall afflict your souls.] Seo chap. xvi. I shall only add, that the Jews fancy this solemn day of fasting was appointed, partly to avert those diseases which were wont to be rife in the autumnal season; and this day chosen rather than any other, that they might express their grief at that time, when the sin of the golden calf was committed. And offer an offering made by fire unto the Lord.] A burntoffering, about which directions are given in Numb. xxix. 8.

Leviticus 23:28

And ye shall do no work on that same day. See ver. 3. and chap. xvi. 31. For it is a day of atonement.] Set apart wholly for this work; which is at large described in chap. xvi. To make an atonement for you before theLordyour God.] First the priest made an atonement for himself and his family, (chap. xvi. 6, &c.) and then for the people, and for the holy place, &c. (ver. 15, 1G. 33.)’'

Leviticus 23:29

For whatsoever sonlhe be that shall not be afflicted on that day, he shall be cut off from among his people. The affliction here spoken of consisted chiefly in abstaining from all manner of food (as the Jews make account) from one evening to the next: in which time, if any man ate to satisfy his appetite, that is, above the quantity of a date, he was in danger to be cut off; by the hand of God, I suppose: so they say, in Joma, cap. 8. n. 2. Besides which, there were i four other mortifications; for no man was to put on his shoes, nor anoint himself, nor washhis face, nor enjoy his wife. (See BuxtoTf. Synag. Jud. cap. 26.)

Leviticus 23:30

And whatsoever soul he be that doeth any tvork in tltat same day, the same soul will I destroy from among Ms people. The two great things required on this day, being to afflict themselves, and to rest from labour; they who transgressed either of these commands, are threatened to’ be cut oft^ and that by God himself, as this verse.teaches us to expound the foregoing.

Leviticus 23:31

Ye shall do no manner of work: it shall be a statute for ever, &c. This is repeated again, because it was a thing of such high importance, that they should wholly attend to the business of this great day, which was a day of humiliation and repentance, and making their peace with God. And, as the Jews themselves observe, there was no man so good but he had offended in some tiling or other: and besides, they were to afflict themselves for the sins of the whole body of the nation.

Leviticus 23:32

” It shall be unto you a sabbath of rest. As the weekly sabbath was, (ver. 3.) <hen they did not merely rest from labour, but employed themselves in the Divine service; as (ver. 8.) I observed they did on other sabbaths of lesser strictness. And this the heathens themselves could discern, that the design of their festivals, which were days of ease and remission of labours, was rbv vovv airayuv airb rwv avSpuj-rrticiov aaxoATj/xarwv, to withdraw the mind from human employments, rbv Si ovrwg rgiiru irpbg to Sdov, that so a man may have leisure to turn his mind towards God; which is a most Divine saying of Strabo, which, I think, I have noted before, but cannot be too oft repeated, (lib. x. Geo’graph. p. 467.) And ye shall afflict your souls in the ninth day of the month at even.] They kept the high-priest on the even of the day of expiation from eating much, because it would make him sleepy, as they tell us in Joma, (cap. 1. n. 4.) Where our learned Sheringham observes, that the evening before is called the even of the day of expiation, because they began the fast before the setting of the sun; so that the whole evening belonged to the following sabbath. By which these two places, chap. xvi. 29. where it is said they shall afflict their souls on the tenth day, and this verse, which saith on the ninth day, winch seem to clash one with another, may be easily reconciled; for they began to afflict themselves in the conclusion of the ninth day, and ended the fast in the conclusion of the tenth. (See Manasseh ben Israel, Quest. 4. ad Lev.) From even nnto evenshall ye celebrate your sabbath.] This justifies what was just now said, that this day began in the even of the. ninth day, and continued till the even of the tenth. Digitized by microsoft ® 4G2 •A COMMENTARY [chap, xxnr. Your sabbath.] So (his day was called, because no manner of work might be done on this day, no more than on the seventh, or weekly sabbath, (ver. 31.) And so it is called by the prophet, Isa. lviii. 13.

Leviticus 23:33

And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying. The same preface is prefixed to this, as to the rest, because it Wis one of tho three greatest solemnities appointed by God in remembrance of his benefits. (See ver. 39.)

Leviticus 23:34

The fifteenth day of this seventh month shall be the feast of tabernacles, for seven days unto the Lord. It Mas to begin on the fifteenth day, and continue seven days, as the feast of unleavened bread did. The design of this feast is thus expressed by Maimonides, who compares it with the Passover; which served, saithhe, (More Nevoch. par. iii. cap. 43.) to preserve the memory of all the miracles which God did in Egypt, out of which he brought them at that time; as the feast of tabernacles did to preserve the memory of the signs and wonders he did in the wilderness, whero he afforded them his Divine protection under ^ glorious cloud, and preserved them without any houses, both in the cold of winter and heat of summer. In short, there are two ends mentioned in this chapter of the institution of this festival; one to give thanks for the fruits of the* earth, which were then gathered, (ver. 39.) another, and the principal, in a grateful remembrance that they dwelt’ in booths forty years, and were brought into better habitations when they " came to Canaan, (ver. Ver: 35. And on the first day shall be a holy convocation, &c] It was to be observed as the day of Pentecost, (ver. 21.) And they every one carried in’ their hands the bough of some goodly tree; as the Hebrews understand the first words of ver. 40. Josephus, describing this festivity, (lib. iii. Antiq. cap. 10.) mentions, in the first place, boughs oT myrtle. -

Leviticus 23:36

Seven days ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the Lord. The peculiar sacrifices, with their meat-offerings, which were to be offered on these seven days, are “distinctly set down in Numb. xxix. from the thirteenth verse to the end, where it will be most proper to consider them. On the eighth day shall be a holy convocation unto you.] See ver. 4. And ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the Lord.] A burnt-offering, with a meat-offering attending upon’it, according to the appointment in Numb. xxix. 36, 37. It is a solemn assembly.] This is a new word, which is not used hitherto concerning any of the feasts here mentioned; signifying, as we translate it in the margin, a day of restraint, or mther, a closing, or concluding’ day, for then the solemnity ended. And so Theodoret, rb re’Xoc 7wv kopnov, the conclusion of the feasts; whence the last day of the feast of unleavened bread is also called by this name of atzereth, (Deut. xvi. 8.) And so is the feast of Pentecost (which was kept in the end of seven weeks) called, by Josephus, by the same name of asartha, (lib. * iii. Antiq. cap. 10.) This, therefore, as it was the last, so it was thp great day of the feast, as St. John calls it, chap, vii. 37. On which day they read the last section of the law, and so concluded the reading of the whole five books of Moses. And thence any great solemnity is called by this name of atzereth, (2 Kings x. 20. Joel i. 14.) This seems to me to be a far belter account of this word, tlnin that which the Jews commonly give, who render it a day of detention; because, saith Aharbinel, they were bound to detain the feast to this day (whereas no other feast continued more than seven days), staying at Jerusalem till it was over; whence this day seems to him to be to the feast of tabernacles, as the day of Pentecost was to the Passover; for as the/were bound to count seven weeks from that time, and then made this fiftieth day a feast, so they are here commanded, after the seven days of the feast of tabernacles, to stay and feast one day more. Others of them, as R. Solomon Jarchi, say this was as if a man, having been entertained by his friend seven days, should, to express greater kindness to him, be detained one day more. And ye shall do no servile tvork therein.] But spend their time in feasting, mirth, and rejoicing, with thankful acknowledgments of God’s benefits to them: (see ver. 7, 8.)

Leviticus 23:37

These are the feasts (or assemblies) of the Lord, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations. This was the preface* to them, (ver. 4.) and now is the conclusion, to make them the more observed. • To offer an offering made by fire unto the Lord, a burntoffering, and a meat-offering, and a sacrifice, &c] These offerings are particularly set down (as hath been noted all along) in the twenty-eighth and twenty-ninth chapters of Numbers; and, by a sacrifice, seems here to be meant a sin-offering; which is ordered, throughout those two chapters, together with burnt-offerings, upon all these festivals.

Leviticus 23:38

Besides the sabbaths of the’ Lord. i. e. Besides the sacrifices appointed upon all’the sabbaths in the year, w r hich were not to be omitted, if any of the feasts here mentioned fell upon the seventh day of the week. And besides your gifts.] Most understand by gifts, such presents as men made to God, beyond their first-fruits and tenths; but it may be thought only a general word, including the two particulars which follow, votes and free-iuillofferings.'

Leviticus 23:39

Also in the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when ye have gathered in the J hut of the land, See. Here is no new injunction in this verse, but only an enforcement of what was said before, the very same days being appointed to be observed with those named, ver. 24. Therefore, the Hebrew particle ak should not have been translated also, but surely, or certainly, or trxdy, as we translate it in other places; particularly Gen. xxix. 14. " Surely thou art my bone and my flesh.” Psal. lxxiii. 1. u Truly God is good to Israel." Lam. ii. 16. " Certainly this is the day that we looked for." " When ye have gathered in the fruit of the land.] These words give a reason of the repetition of the command, because there was something more designed in this festival than merely the remembrance of their condition in the wilderness; which was,’ to express their thankfulness to God for their desired harvest, which they had now gathered; for which cause, besides the seven days which were in commemoration of their dwelling in tents in the wilderness, there was an eighth’ added, to acknowledge the mercy of receiving the fruits of the earth. Ye shall keep a feast unto the Lord seven days.] This was the feast of tabernacles, which lasted all these seven days. On the first day shall be a sabbath.] See ver. 35. And on the eighth day shall be a sabbath,] In the ihslitu-

Leviticus 23:40

And ye shall take you on the first day. Then they began to build their booths, that they might dwell in them the rest of the feast. Bouglis of goodly trees, &c] Some fancy, that this is not a direction for the building of booths with these. branches^ but for the carrying them in their hands, as Josephus tells us, lib. iii. Antiq. cap. 10. And they say these branches were called hosannas, because they sung those words of the Psalmist as they marched along with these boughs in their hands, " Save now [in the Hebrew the word is hosan-na] O Lord: O Lord, send now prosperity/ 5 Psal. cxviii. 25. And this is so riveted, in the.minds of the Jews, that Aben Ezra makes it the opinion of the Sadducees to hold that they were not for any other use. But it is evident, from Nehem. viii. 15., that they.cut these branches to make booths, and not to carry in their hands; though it is likely that this.might also be thought a fitting expression of joy in aftertimes, especially, after they were ex r pelled out of their own land. It is not unlikely also that they celebrated this festival by singing of hosannas, among other tokens of rejoicing, praying for a happy new year, whose feast went a little before on the.first of this month; whence the rabbins call this feast of tabernacles by the name of hosanna, and the last day of it they call hosanna wbba.. And they repeat this often, in their prayers at that time, as they tell us in their Minhagim (or books of rituals), saying,-. k,… " For thy sake, O our Creator, hosanna.’* For thy sake, O our Redeemer, hosanna. For thy sake, O our Seeker, hosanna."’ As if they beseeched the blessed’Tririity to save them, and send help to them. In short, they call the prayers they say at this feast by the name of hosannas, /‘as Joh. Mich. Dilherrus hath observed, lib. ii. Electorum, cap. 20. Bouglis] The Hebrew word pri signifies fruit, as is noted in the margin of our Bibles; from whence some have gathered that they were to be the boughs of fruit-bearingtrees; nay, the Jews fancy they were to be boughs with their fruit, as well as leaves on them. But Buxtorf made no doubt (in his sixteenth chapter of Synag. Judaica), that the word is rightly translated a bough, whether without fruit or with it; though in later editions of that book this passage be left out. Goodly trees.] The Hebrew word hadar doth not merely signify that which is beautiful and goodly, but that which is large and well spread; as is observed by Hottinger, in his Smegma Orientale, lib.i. cap. 7. where he thinks these words may be thus exactly translated, Take to you the boughs of. trees with broad leaves, such as the branches of palm-trees; so that hadar is a general word, and branches of palm-trees a special instance of a tree with spacious leaves, which were the fittest to be used, because they were best able to defend them, either from heat, or cold, or rain. Maimonides takes this word to signify the boughs of a particular tree, which he will have to be a citron: and the Jews are so possessed with this opinion, that, at this day, they fancy the feast cannot be celebrated without such branches; and therefore the Jews now in Germany send into Spain, and endeavour to get one every year with the pomecitrons on it; and, after the feast, they offer the citrons to their friends as a great present., Hottinger saith he had one presented to him at Heidelberg, that very year he wrote his book now mentioned. (See. Dr. Lightfoot, in his Temple Service, chap. G. sect, 3. and Buxtorf. Synag. Jud. cap. 2L.) Digitized try MictdsOft ® 4G4 A COxMMENTARY [chap. XXIII, Branches of palm-trees.’] With which Judca abounded, and was so noted for them, that in the ancient coins a palm-tree represented that country. And the boughs of thick trees.] Which were shady, and afforded. a good shelter. The Jews take these for myrtles, which have very thick leaves and boughs, close one to another, though the leaves be small. And willows of the brook.] If this translation be right, it is likely they served only to twine about the rest, and bind # them together: and therefore, in Nehemiah viii. 15. no mention is made of them; their tabernacles not consisting of such boughs, which were used only for tho compacting and tying together the other. And ye shall rejoice before the Lord your God seven days.] These were the seven days of the feast of tabernacles (as I noted before), which were spent in feasting, and other tokens of joy, with thanks to God for his great goodness, who had brought them out of the wilderness, where they had no fig-trees, vines, or pomegranates, into a country which abounded with fruitful trees of all sorts; which was the reason, Maimonides thinks, that Moses bids them take the boughs of the most goodly trees wherewith to build their booths, (More Nevoch. par. iii. cap. 43.) But of all the joys at this festival none was comparable to that of drawing and pouring out water; concerning which the Talmudists have this noted saying, " He that never saw the rejoicing of drawing water, never saw rejoicing in all his life." The manner of which is described out of the Jewish writers by Dr. Lightfoot, in his Temple Service, chap. 16. sect. 4/ And our’ blessed Saviour is thought’to allude to it, when, in the last, the great day of this feast; he cried, saying, " If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink, &c. out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water," John vii. 37, 38. But I have not met with any one that gives a tolerable reason of this custom at the feast of tabernacles’; which I take to have been in memory of that water which followed them all the time they were in the wilderness, without which they had perished; and in thankfulness to God, that he had brought them into a " land of brooks of water, of fountains and depths that spring out of valleys and hills," as well as into t€ a land of vines, and fig-trees, and pomegranates," &c. as Moses speaks, Deut. viii. 7, 8.

Leviticus 23:41

And ye shall keep it a feast unto the Lord seven days in the year. He repeats it again, because it was of very great importance that they should keep in mind such a singular benefit as this, of their preservation in the wilderness. It shall be a statidefor ever in your generations.] For the end mentioned ver. 4\. Ye shall celebrate it in the seventh month.] They came out of Egypt in the first month, and then began to dwell in tabernacles at Succoth, (Exod. xii. 37.) and, from that place, were conducted ever after under the cloud, (Exod.xiii. 20, 21.) which being in that month we call March, some may think it had been most proper to have kept this feast at that time of the year, and not in September. To which the Jews answer, that in March summer began, when it was usual for people to dwell in booths, as more refreshing than houses: so that if.they had kept this feast then, it would not have been known that they dwelt iu booths by a singular command of God, and in memory of a Divine benefit; but men would have thought tee season of the year led them to it. Therefore God appointed it in the seventh month, which is a time of cold and rain, when men commonly left their tabernacles, and betook themselves to their houses; that it might appear they did not go out of their houses into booths for their own pleasure, or from common custom, but by the Divine precept, in memory of a marvellous benefit: yet the fifteenth day of this month was appointed for tho beginning of this feast, because it was upon the fifteenth day of the first month that they marched out of Egypt to Succoth.

Leviticus 23:42

Ye shall dwell in booths seven days. They left their houses for seven days, and went into the fields, and pitched their tents there, or on their house-tops, or in their court-yards; as we read in Nehem. viii. 17. All that are Israelites born shall dwell in booths.] Sick people were excepted; and the rabbins also freed women and little children from this obligation. If the rain likewise proved so great that they could not live there dry, and the cold so intense that it endangered their healths, they might all return to their houses.

Leviticus 23:43

That your generations may know that I made the children of Israel to dwell in bootlts. This expresses the end and intention of this feast, which was, to preserve a memory in future ages of the goodness of God to their forefathers, in affording them his Divine protection; which overshadowed them, and was a covering to them (when they had no houses), by that glorious cloud which went before them to conduct them. For all the forty years they were in the wilderness, it overspread them like a tabernacle, and defended them from the injury of the weather, and wild beasts, and all their enemies; they having no other shelter in that desolate place, but only this: and consequently, this feast was instituted to make them sensible how very happy they were in goodly cities and fine painted houses (as Maimonides speaks in the place abovementioned), when they came to the good land promised to. their fathers, who wandered in a howling wilderness, without atiy certain dwelling-place. And another feast was tacked to this, on the eighth day, on purpose to make them more sensible of the happy exchange of their condition from a wilderness into a land of corn, and wine, and oil, which they had plentifully gathered. Dr. Lightfoot, in his Harmony of the Evangelists, upon Luke iii. 21. hath another reason for the observation of this festival; for which I can see no ground, and therefore do not mention it, but refer the reader to the first volume of his works, p. 477. Wlicn I brought them out of the land of Egypt.] For the very first place where they rested, after their first day’s march out of Egypt, was called Succoth, (as I observed before), that is, tabernacles; because here they began to spread their tents, in which they lived ever after, for forty years. Nay, in the very land of Canaan there were some who preferred tents before houses, as appears by that phrase we meet with so often, when any assembly or army was dissolved, They went every man to his tent. And, indeed, it was the most ancient way of living, for shepherds, and such as feed cattle, (as Moses observes, Gen. iv. 20.) and therefore no wonder it lasted so long among the Israelites, who originally were such people. I am the Lord your God.] Whose commands ought to