This chapter lays out the annual religious calendar for the Israelites describing their 7 annual feasts or sacred assemblies. However the chapter starts by reminding them of the day of rest on the sabbath which is itself a day of sacred assembly.
The first annual feast is that of the Passover and Feast of Unleavened Bread commemorating the deliverance from Egypt. It starts at twilight on the 14th day of the first month with the Passover and on the 15th day the Feast of Unleavened Bread commences and lasts for 7 days.
Next comes the Feast of the Sheaf of the Firstfruits when the Israelites were to bring sheafs of the firstfruits of their harvest to the priest. This Feast was interwoven with the feasts previously mentioned. The priest waves the sheaf on the day after the sabbath and then sacrifices a lamb as a burnt offering together with 4.4 litres of fine flour mixed with oil, plus a drink offering of a litre of wine.
Following this comes the Feast of Weeks also known as Pentecost, which was celebrated 50 days after the previous feast. On the 50th day the Feast of Pentecost was celebrated in mammoth style! No less than 7 lambs, 1 bull and 2 rams were offered as burnt offerings, and 1 male goat was offered as a sin offering plus 2 male lambs were offered as a peace offering making a total of 13 animals slaughtered. Pentecost was a very big feast!
Next came the Feast of Trumpets on the 1st day of the 7th month which was a holiday heralded by the blast of trumpets.
Then on the 10th day of the 7th month was the all important day of Atonement with prayer and fasting, being observed as a sabbath, when the High Priest entered the Holy of Holies to sacrifice for his own sins and the sins of the people.
Finally came the Feast of Tabernacles or booths which were temporary structures covered by the foliage of trees and bushes and in which the people stayed for the feast from the 15th day of the 7th month for 7 days to remind them of their wilderness travels. On the 1st day was a day of rest as was the 8th day and on each of the 8 days the people were to bring food offerings.
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