Imamat 23:1-11

Regulations for Israel’s Appointed Times

23:1 The Lord spoke to Moses: 23:2 “Speak to the Israelites and tell them, ‘These are the Lord’s appointed times which you must proclaim as holy assemblies – my appointed times: ¹ 

The Weekly Sabbath

23:3 “‘Six days work may be done, but on the seventh day there must be a Sabbath of complete rest, ²  a holy assembly. You must not do any work; it is a Sabbath to the Lord in all the places where you live.

The Festival of Passover and Unleavened Bread

23:4 “‘These are the Lord’s appointed times, holy assemblies, which you must proclaim at their appointed time. 23:5 In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month, at twilight, ³  is a Passover offering to the Lord. 23:6 Then on the fifteenth day of the same month ⁴  will be the festival of unleavened bread to the Lord; seven days you must eat unleavened bread. 23:7 On the first day there will be a holy assembly for you; you must not do any regular work. ⁵  23:8 You must present a gift to the Lord for seven days, and the seventh day is a holy assembly; you must not do any regular work.’”

The Presentation of First Fruits

23:9 The Lord spoke to Moses: 23:10 “Speak to the Israelites and tell them, ‘When you enter the land that I am about to give to you and you gather in its harvest, ⁶  then you must bring the sheaf of the first portion of your harvest ⁷  to the priest, 23:11 and he must wave the sheaf before the Lord to be accepted for your benefit ⁸  – on the day after the Sabbath the priest is to wave it. ⁹ 

[23:2]  ¹ tn Heb “these are them, my appointed times.”

[23:2]  sn The term מוֹעֵד (mo’ed, rendered “appointed time” here) can refer to either a time or place of meeting. See the note on “tent of meeting” (אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד, ’ohel mo’ed) in Lev 1:1.

[23:3]  ² tn This is a superlative expression, emphasizing the full and all inclusive rest of the Sabbath and certain festival times throughout the chapter (see B. A. Levine, Leviticus [JPSTC], 155). Cf. ASV “a sabbath of solemn rest.”

[23:5]  ³ tn Heb “between the two evenings,” perhaps designating the time between the setting of the sun and the true darkness of night. Cf. KJV, ASV “at even”; NAB “at the evening twilight.”

[23:5]  sn See B. A. Levine, Leviticus (JPSTC), 156, for a full discussion of the issues raised in this verse. The rabbinic tradition places the slaughter of Passover offerings between approximately 3:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m., not precisely at twilight. Moreover, the term פֶּסַח (pesakh) may mean “protective offering” rather than “Passover offering,” although they amount to about the same thing in the historical context of the exodus from Egypt (see Exod 11-12).

[23:6]  ⁴ tn Heb “to this month.”

[23:7]  ⁵ tn Heb “work of service”; KJV “servile work”; NASB “laborious work”; TEV “daily work.”

[23:10]  ⁶ tn Heb “and you harvest its harvest.”

[23:10]  ⁷ tn Heb “the sheaf of the first of your harvest.”

[23:11]  ⁸ tn Heb “for your acceptance.”

[23:11]  ⁹ sn See Lev 7:30 for a note on the “waving” of a “wave offering.”