Bible Commentaries

Laws regarding Sacrifices and Festivals

1, 2. The general laws regarding the sacriflees proper to the feast days had already been given at Sinai (Leviticus 23). Their repetition with certain details here probably indicates that these laws had been neglected. Some of them, indeed, were only intended to be observed after the settlement in Canaan, which was now in the near future. Moreover, the generation to whom they were spoken at Sinai had passed away. Hence their repetition here to the younger generation.

2. My bread] or 'my food': see on Leviticus 3:11.

3-8. The daily morning and evening burnt offering with its proper meal and drink offering: see on Exodus 29:38.

9, 10. The Sabbath Offering is double that of ordinary days.

11-25. The Festival of the New Moon is frequently mentioned alongside that of the sabbath: see Amos 8:5; 2 Kings 4:23; Isaiah 1:13; Isaiah 56:2-3; Hosea 2:11. It was a festival of great antiquity, dating from the time when the moon was an object of adoration. The Hebrews were forbidden to worship the moon (Deuteronomy 17:8), but the Festival of the New Moon was retained and transformed into a festival in honour of the Creator. Additional sacrifices were offered, and the silver trumpets were sounded during the performance of the sacrificial rites (Numbers 10:10).

The day was observed as a day of rest, and was celebrated with great joyfulness. A special importance attached to the new moon of the seventh month: see Numbers 29:1-6.

16-25. On the Passover Offering see Exodus 12 and cp. Leviticus 23:4-8.

26-31. The Day of the First Fruits is also known as the Feast of Weeks or Pentecost: see on Leviticus 23:9-22.