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Class-Book of Old Testament History

<hr class="sect_35" /> <h3> CHAPTER <abbr title="5">V.</abbr> THE GREAT FESTIVALS. <abbr title="Exodus">Exod.</abbr> <abbr title="chapter 23">xxiii.</abbr> 14<abbr title="through">–</abbr>17;   <abbr title="Leviticus">Lev.</abbr> <abbr title="chapter 23">xxiii.</abbr> 1<abbr title="through">–</abbr>22;   <abbr title="Numbers">Num.</abbr> <abbr title="chapter 28">xxviii.</abbr> 16<abbr title="through">–</abbr>31;   <abbr title="Deuteronomy">Deut.</abbr> <abbr title="chapter 16">xvi.</abbr> 1<abbr title="through">–</abbr>16.</h3> THE great Historical Festivals, at which all males amongst the Israelites were required to appear before the Lord, were, as has been said already, (i) The Passover; (ii) The Feast of Weeks or Pentecost; (iii) The Feast of Tabernacles. (i) The Passover. The original institution of this Festival has been already noticed. The directions for its yearly celebration are given in <abbr title="Exodus">Ex.</abbr> <abbr title="chapter 23">xxiii.</abbr> 14<abbr title="through">–</abbr>17; <abbr title="Leviticus">Lev.</abbr> <abbr title="chapter 23">xxiii.</abbr> 5<abbr title="through">–</abbr>8; <abbr title="Numbers">Num.</abbr> <abbr title="chapter 28">xxviii.</abbr> 16<abbr title="through">–</abbr>25; <abbr title="Deuteronomy">Deut.</abbr> <abbr title="chapter 16">xvi.</abbr> 1<abbr title="through">–</abbr>8. As in Egypt, so now, on the <abbr title="tenth">10th</abbr> day of Nisan or Abib, corresponding to the close of March or the beginning of April, each Paschal company, which might not exceed twenty or be less than ten, was to select a lamb or kid, a male of the first year, and keep it till the <abbr title="fourteenth">14th</abbr> day. If pronounced by the priests to be free from blemish, it was to be slain between the evenings, in the Court of the Tabernacle, and its blood poured round the Altar of Burnt-offering. It was then, after being flayed, to be taken to the house where the Paschal Company intended to assemble, to be roasted with fire, whole and entire without the breaking of a single bone, and to be eaten with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. The Festival lasted from the <abbr title="fourteenth">14th</abbr> to the <abbr title="twenty-first">21st</abbr> of Nisan, and during this period nothing but unleavened bread might be eaten, and all leaven was to be carefully removed from the house before the <abbr title="fourteenth">14th</abbr>. The daily sacrifices for the nation consisted of (i) a Burnt-Offering of two bullocks, one ram, seven yearling lambs, accompanied by the usual meat-offering, and (ii) one goat for a Sin-Offering. Thank-offerings, called by the Jews Chagigah, might also be offered by individuals during the Festival, especially on the <abbr title="fifteenth">15th</abbr>, the first day of Holy Convocation. (<abbr title="Compare">Comp.</abbr> <abbr title="Leviticus">Lev.</abbr> <abbr title="chapter 7">vii.</abbr> 29<abbr title="through">–</abbr>34; <abbr title="Second Chronicles">2 Ch.</abbr> <abbr title="chapter 30">xxx.</abbr> 22<abbr title="through">–</abbr>44; <abbr title="chapter 35">xxxv.</abbr> 7.) On the <abbr title="sixteenth">16th</abbr> the first ripe sheaf of barley was to be brought into the sanctuary, and there waved by the priest before the Lord, and at the same time a yearling lamb was offered with a meat- and drink-offering (see <abbr title="Leviticus">Lev.</abbr> <abbr title="chapter 23">xxiii.</abbr> 9<abbr title="through">–</abbr>14). Till this sheaf had thus been waved, and this offering presented, no produce of the now ripening harvest, whether bread or parched corn, or green ears, might be eaten (<abbr title="Joshua">Josh.</abbr> <abbr title="chapter 5">v.</abbr> 11, 12)100. (ii) At the end of seven complete weeks from the <abbr title="sixteenth">16th</abbr> of Nisan, the second day of unleavened bread, commenced the Feast of Weeks (<abbr title="Exodus">Ex.</abbr> <abbr title="chapter 34">xxxiv.</abbr> 22; <abbr title="Deuteronomy">Deut.</abbr> <abbr title="chapter 16">xvi.</abbr> 10), or of Harvest (<abbr title="Exodus">Ex.</abbr> <abbr title="chapter 23">xxiii.</abbr> 16), or of First-fruits (<abbr title="Numbers">Numb.</abbr> <abbr title="chapter 28">xxviii.</abbr> 26), or of Pentecost (Acts <abbr title="chapter 2">ii.</abbr> 1), from the Greek word for the fiftieth day. The passages bearing on it will be found in <abbr title="Exodus">Ex.</abbr> <abbr title="chapter 23">xxiii.</abbr> 16; <abbr title="Leviticus">Lev.</abbr> <abbr title="chapter 23">xxiii.</abbr> 15<abbr title="through">–</abbr>22; <abbr title="Numbers">Num.</abbr> <abbr title="chapter 28">xxviii.</abbr> 26<abbr title="through">–</abbr>31; <abbr title="Deuteronomy">Deut.</abbr> <abbr title="chapter 16">xvi.</abbr> 9<abbr title="through">–</abbr>12. The Festival lasted but one day, which was kept with a holy Convocation. Its distinguishing feature was the offering of two leavened loaves, made from the new corn of the now completed harvest, which together with two lambs as a thank-offering were waved before the Lord. The especial sacrifices in addition to the daily offering were one young bullock, two rams, and seven yearling lambs as a Burnt-offering with the usual meat- and drink-offering, and a goat for a Sin-offering; but thank-offerings might, as at the Passover, be made at pleasure by individuals. The character of the Festival was pre-eminently an expression of gratitude for the harvest, which commenced with the offering of the first sheaf of ripe barley at the Passover, and ended with that of the two loaves now presented and made of the newly-ripened wheat. In its festive joy the man-servant and maid-servant, the stranger, the fatherless and the widow were to share with the freeborn Israelite, who was to be reminded of the bondage in Egypt, and his obligation to keep the Law101 (<abbr title="Deuteronomy">Deut.</abbr> <abbr title="chapter 16">xvi.</abbr> 12). (iii) The Feast of Tabernacles or of Ingathering (<abbr title="Exodus">Ex.</abbr> <abbr title="chapter 34">xxxiv.</abbr> 22) was so called as being (i) a feast of thanksgiving for the completion of the ingathering of fruits and of the vintage, and (ii) as commemorating the dwelling of the Israelites in tents during their wanderings in the wilderness (<abbr title="Leviticus">Lev.</abbr> <abbr title="chapter 23">xxiii.</abbr> 43). The chief passages relating to it are <abbr title="Exodus">Ex.</abbr> <abbr title="chapter 23">xxiii.</abbr> 16; <abbr title="Leviticus">Lev.</abbr> <abbr title="chapter 23">xxiii.</abbr> 34<abbr title="through">–</abbr>43; <abbr title="Numbers">Num.</abbr> <abbr title="chapter 29">xxix.</abbr> 13<abbr title="through">–</abbr>39; <abbr title="Deuteronomy">Deut.</abbr> <abbr title="chapter 16">xvi.</abbr> 13<abbr title="through">–</abbr>15; and compare with these <abbr title="Nehemiah">Neh.</abbr> <abbr title="chapter 8">viii.</abbr> It was celebrated in the autumn on the <abbr title="fifteenth">15th</abbr> of the seventh month Tisri, and lasted seven days, of which the first and last were days of Holy Convocation. It was the most joyous of all the Festivals. During it the Israelites were commanded to live in tents or booths of green boughs of the olive, palm, pine, myrtle, and other trees with thick foliage (<abbr title="Nehemiah">Neh.</abbr> <abbr title="chapter 8">viii.</abbr> 15, 16). The burnt-offerings were more numerous at this Feast than any other, including, besides the sacrifice on each day of 2 rams, 14 lambs, and a kid for a sin-offering, that of 70 bullocks, 13 on the first day, 12 on the second, and so on to the seventh, when 7 bullocks only were offered. If the Festival fell in a Sabbatical year, portions of the Law, chiefly Deuteronomy, were read each day in public (<abbr title="Deuteronomy">Deut.</abbr> <abbr title="chapter 31">xxxi.</abbr> 10<abbr title="through">–</abbr>12; <abbr title="Nehemiah">Neh.</abbr> <abbr title="chapter 8">viii.</abbr> 18). The most remarkable celebrations of this Feast were (i) at the dedication of Solomon’s Temple (<abbr title="First">1</abbr> Kings <abbr title="chapter 8">viii.</abbr> 2, 65); (ii) after the Captivity (Ezra <abbr title="chapter 3">iii.</abbr> 4; <abbr title="Nehemiah">Neh.</abbr> <abbr title="chapter 8">viii.</abbr> 17)102. Later festivals were (i) the Feast of Purim, or Lots, instituted by Mordecai to commemorate the defeat of Haman’s machinations against the Jews (<abbr title="Esther">Esth.</abbr> <abbr title="chapter 3">iii.</abbr> 7<abbr title="through">–</abbr>15; <abbr title="chapter 9">ix.</abbr> 24<abbr title="through">–</abbr>26). It began on the <abbr title="fourteenth">14th</abbr> day of the <abbr title="twelveth">12th</abbr> month Adar, and lasted two days. (ii) The Feast of Dedication, to commemorate the cleansing of the Temple after its defilement by Antiochus Epiphanes (<abbr title="Daniel">Dan.</abbr> <abbr title="chapter 11">xi.</abbr> 31). Established by Judas Maccabæus, it was kept on the <abbr title="twenty-fifth">25th</abbr> of the winter month Chisleu, December (<abbr title="John">Jn.</abbr> <abbr title="chapter 10">x.</abbr> 22), and lasted eight days, being distinguished by the offering of many sacrifices, a general illumination (hence its name the Feast of Lights), and other rejoicings. In Scripture, dates are often fixed by a reference to the seasons or productions (<abbr title="Numbers">Num.</abbr> <abbr title="chapter 13">xiii.</abbr> 20; <abbr title="Second Samuel">2 Sam.</abbr> <abbr title="chapter 21">xxi.</abbr> 9). The following Table, therefore, is here given, in which the civil and sacred months, their approximate English equivalents, the various annual feasts, and the chief features of the seasons are combined. It is assumed that Abib or Nisan answers to April. (See Article Month in Smith’s <cite><abbr title="Biblical Dictionary">Bib. Dict.</abbr></cite> and Angus’s <cite>Bible Handbook</cite>, <abbr title="page">p.</abbr> 270.) <table class="txt_sm" summary="Calendar" id="p155"> <caption>Calendar</caption> <tr class="txt_i"> <th colspan="2" class="brdr_rt">Year</th> <th class="brdr_rt">Month</th> <th class="brdr_rt"> English Month (nearly)</th> <th class="brdr_rt">Festivals</th> <th colspan="2"> Seasons and Productions</th></tr> <tr> <td rowspan="4" class="col1">Sacred i.</td> <td rowspan="4" class="col2-4">Civil 7</td> <td rowspan="4" class="col2-4"> Abib or Nisan (green ears) Days 30 <abbr title="Exodus">Exod.</abbr> <abbr title="chapter 12">xii.</abbr> 2</td> <td rowspan="4" class="col2-4">April</td> <td class="col5 brdr_tp"> 14. The Passover</td> <td class="wd_10 brdr_tp"> </td> <td class="col7 brdr_tp"> Fall of the latter or spring rain. (<abbr title="Deuteronomy">Deut.</abbr> <abbr title="chapter 11">xi.</abbr> 14.) Floods (<abbr title="Joshua">Josh.</abbr> <abbr title="chapter 3">iii.</abbr> 14).</td></tr> <tr> <td class="col5"> </td> <td colspan="2" class="col6">HARVEST</td></tr> <tr> <td rowspan="2" class="col5"> 16. First-fruits of barley-harvest presented</td> <td> </td> <td class="col7">Barley ripe at Jericho.</td></tr> <tr> <td> </td> <td class="col7">Wheat partly in the ear.</td></tr> <tr> <td rowspan="2" class="col1">ii.</td> <td rowspan="2" class="col2-4">8</td> <td rowspan="2" class="col2-4"> Zif (blossom) Days 29 <abbr title="First">1</abbr> Kings <abbr title="chapter 6">vi.</abbr> 1</td> <td rowspan="2" class="col2-4">May</td> <td rowspan="2" class="col5 brdr_tp"> 14. Second Passover for those who could not keep the first. <abbr title="Numbers">Num.</abbr> <abbr title="chapter 9">ix.</abbr> 10, 11</td> <td class="brdr_tp"> </td> <td class="col7 brdr_tp"> Barley harvest general (Ruth <abbr title="chapter 1">i.</abbr> 22).</td></tr> <tr> <td> </td> <td class="col7">Wheat ripens.</td></tr> <tr> <td rowspan="2" class="col1">iii.</td> <td rowspan="2" class="col2-4">9</td> <td rowspan="2" class="col2-4"> Sivan Days 30 <abbr title="Esther">Esth.</abbr> <abbr title="chapter 8">viii.</abbr> 9.</td> <td rowspan="2" class="col2-4">June</td> <td rowspan="2" class="col5 brdr_tp"> 6. Pentecost or Feast of Weeks</td> <td class="brdr_tp"> </td> <td class="col7 brdr_tp">Wheat harvest. Summer begins.</td></tr> <tr> <td> </td> <td class="col7"> No rain from April to <abbr title="September">Sept.</abbr> (<abbr title="First Samuel">1 Sam.</abbr> <abbr title="chapter 12">xii.</abbr> 17).</td></tr> <tr> <td rowspan="2" class="col1">iv.</td> <td rowspan="2" class="col2-4">10</td> <td rowspan="2" class="col2-4"> Thammuz Days 29 <abbr title="Zechariah">Zec.</abbr> <abbr title="chapter 8">viii.</abbr> 19</td> <td rowspan="2" class="col2-4">July</td> <td rowspan="2" class="col5 brdr_tp"> </td> <td colspan="2" class="col6 brdr_tp">HOT SEASON.</td></tr> <tr> <td> </td> <td class="col7">Heat increases.</td></tr> <tr> <td rowspan="3" class="col1">v.</td> <td rowspan="3" class="col2-4">11</td> <td rowspan="3" class="col2-4"> Ab Days 30 <abbr title="Esther">Esth.</abbr> <abbr title="chapter 7">vii.</abbr> 9</td> <td rowspan="3" class="col2-4"> <abbr title="August">Aug.</abbr></td> <td rowspan="3" class="col5 brdr_tp"> </td> <td rowspan="3" class="brdr_tp"> </td> <td class="col7 brdr_tp">The streams dry up.</td></tr> <tr> <td class="col7">Heat intense.</td></tr> <tr> <td class="col7"> Vintage (<abbr title="Leviticus">Lev.</abbr> <abbr title="chapter 26">xxvi.</abbr> 5).</td></tr> <tr> <td rowspan="2" class="col1">vi.</td> <td rowspan="2" class="col2-4">12</td> <td rowspan="2" class="col2-4"> Elul Days 29 <abbr title="Nehemiah">Neh.</abbr> <abbr title="chapter 6">vi.</abbr> 15</td> <td rowspan="2" class="col2-4"> <abbr title="September">Sept.</abbr></td> <td rowspan="2" class="col5 brdr_tp"> </td> <td rowspan="2" class="brdr_tp"> </td> <td class="col7 brdr_tp"> Heat still intense (<abbr title="Second Kings">2 Kin.</abbr> <abbr title="chapter 4">iv.</abbr> 18<abbr title="through">–</abbr>20).</td></tr> <tr> <td class="col7"> Grape harvest general (<abbr title="Numbers">Num.</abbr> <abbr title="chapter 13">xiii.</abbr> 23).</td></tr> <tr> <td rowspan="3" class="col1">vii.</td> <td rowspan="3" class="col2-4">1</td> <td rowspan="3" class="col2-4"> Tisri or Ethanim Days 30 <abbr title="First Kings">1 Kin.</abbr> <abbr title="chapter 8">viii.</abbr> 2 <abbr title="Second Chronicles">2 Chr.</abbr> <abbr title="chapter 5">v.</abbr> 3</td> <td rowspan="3" class="col2-4"> <abbr title="October">Oct.</abbr></td> <td class="col5 brdr_tp"> 1. Feast of Trumpets</td> <td colspan="2" class="col6 brdr_tp">SEED TIME</td></tr> <tr> <td class="col5"> 10. Day of Atonement</td> <td rowspan="2"> </td> <td class="col7"> Former or early rains begin (Joel <abbr title="chapter 2">ii.</abbr> 23).</td></tr> <tr> <td class="col5"> 15. Feast of Tabernacles First-fruits of wine and oil (<abbr title="Leviticus">Lev.</abbr> <abbr title="chapter 23">xxiii.</abbr> 39)</td> <td class="col7">Ploughing and sowing begin.</td></tr> <tr> <td rowspan="2" class="col1">viii.</td> <td rowspan="2" class="col2-4">2</td> <td rowspan="2" class="col2-4"> Bul (rain) Days 29 <abbr title="First Kings">1 Kin.</abbr> <abbr title="chapter 6">vi.</abbr> 38</td> <td rowspan="2" class="col2-4"> <abbr title="November">Nov.</abbr></td> <td rowspan="2" class="col5 brdr_tp"> </td> <td rowspan="2" class="brdr_tp"> </td> <td class="col7 brdr_tp">Rain continues.</td></tr> <tr> <td class="col7"> Wheat and barley sown. Vintage in <abbr title="North">N.</abbr> Palestine. </td></tr> <tr> <td rowspan="2" class="col1">ix.</td> <td rowspan="2" class="col2-4">3</td> <td rowspan="2" class="col2-4"> Chisleu Days 30 <abbr title="Nehemiah">Neh.</abbr> <abbr title="chapter 1">i.</abbr> 1</td> <td rowspan="2" class="col2-4"> <abbr title="December">Dec.</abbr></td> <td rowspan="2" class="col5 brdr_tp"> 25. Feast of Dedication (<abbr title="First Maccabees">1 Macc.</abbr> <abbr title="chapter 4">iv.</abbr> 52<abbr title="through">–</abbr>59)</td> <td colspan="2" class="col6 brdr_tp">WINTER</td></tr> <tr> <td> </td> <td class="col7">Winter begins. Snow on the mountains.</td></tr> <tr> <td class="col1">x.</td> <td class="col2-4">4</td> <td class="col2-4"> Thebeth Days 29 <abbr title="Esther">Est.</abbr> <abbr title="chapter 2">ii.</abbr> 16</td> <td class="col2-4"> <abbr title="January">Jan.</abbr></td> <td class="col5 brdr_tp"> </td> <td class="brdr_tp"> </td> <td class="col7 brdr_tp"> Coldest month. Hail, snow (<abbr title="Joshua">Josh.</abbr> <abbr title="chapter 10">x.</abbr> 11).</td></tr> <tr> <td class="col1">xi.</td> <td class="col2-4">5</td> <td class="col2-4"> Shebat Days 30 <abbr title="Zechariah">Zech.</abbr> <abbr title="chapter 1">i.</abbr> 7</td> <td class="col2-4"> <abbr title="February">Feb.</abbr></td> <td class="col5 brdr_tp"> </td> <td class="brdr_tp"> </td> <td class="col7 brdr_tp"> Weather gradually becomes warmer.</td></tr> <tr> <td rowspan="3" class="col1">xii.</td> <td rowspan="3" class="col2-4">6</td> <td rowspan="3" class="col2-4"> Adar Days 29 <abbr title="Esther">Esth.</abbr> <abbr title="chapter 3">iii.</abbr> 7 <abbr title="Esther">Esth.</abbr> <abbr title="chapter 9">ix.</abbr> 27</td> <td rowspan="3" class="col2-4"> March</td> <td class="col5 brdr_tp"> </td> <td colspan="2" class="col6 brdr_tp">COLD SEASON</td></tr> <tr> <td rowspan="2" class="col5"> 14, 15. Feast of Purim</td> <td rowspan="2"> </td> <td class="col7">Thunder and hail frequent.</td></tr> <tr> <td class="col7">Almond-tree blossoms.</td></tr> </table> <div style="break-after:column;"></div>

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