Leviticus 23:27-37

27 “Be careful to celebrate the Day of Atonement on the tenth day of that same month—nine days after the Festival of Trumpets. You must observe it as an official day for holy assembly, a day to deny yourselves and present special gifts to the LORD .

28 Do no work during that entire day because it is the Day of Atonement, when offerings of purification are made for you, making you right with the LORD your God.

29 All who do not deny themselves that day will be cut off from God’s people.

30 And I will destroy anyone among you who does any work on that day.

31 You must not do any work at all! This is a permanent law for you, and it must be observed from generation to generation wherever you live.

32 This will be a Sabbath day of complete rest for you, and on that day you must deny yourselves. This day of rest will begin at sundown on the ninth day of the month and extend until sundown on the tenth day.”

33 And the LORD said to Moses,

34 “Give the following instructions to the people of Israel. Begin celebrating the Festival of Shelters on the fifteenth day of the appointed month—five days after the Day of Atonement. This festival to the LORD will last for seven days.

35 On the first day of the festival you must proclaim an official day for holy assembly, when you do no ordinary work.

36 For seven days you must present special gifts to the LORD . The eighth day is another holy day on which you present your special gifts to the LORD . This will be a solemn occasion, and no ordinary work may be done that day.

37 (“These are the LORD ’s appointed festivals. Celebrate them each year as official days for holy assembly by presenting special gifts to the LORD —burnt offerings, grain offerings, sacrifices, and liquid offerings—each on its proper day.

Leviticus 23:27-37 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO LEVITICUS 23

In this chapter an account is given of the several holy days, times, and seasons, appointed by God, under the general names of feasts and holy convocations; and first of the sabbath, Le 23:1-4; then of the passover and feast of unleavened bread, Le 23:5-8; to which is annexed the sheaf of the firstfruits, Le 23:9-14; after that of the feast of weeks or pentecost, Le 23:15-22; and of the feast of trumpets, Le 23:23-25; and of the day of atonement, Le 23:26-32; and of the feast of tabernacles, Le 23:33-44.

Footnotes

• [a]. Hebrew on the tenth day of the seventh month; see 23:24 and the note there. This day in the ancient Hebrew lunar calendar occurred in September or October. It is celebrated today as Yom Kippur.
• [b]. Or to fast; similarly in 23:29, 32 .
• [c]. Or when atonement is made for you before.
• [d]. Or Festival of Booths, or Festival of Tabernacles. This was earlier called the Festival of the Final Harvest or Festival of Ingathering (see Exod 23:16b ). It is celebrated today as Sukkot (or Succoth).
• [e]. Hebrew on the fifteenth day of the seventh month; see 23:27a and the note there.