Leviticus 23:2 kjv
Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, Concerning the feasts of the LORD, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, even these are my feasts.
Leviticus 23:2 nkjv
"Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: 'The feasts of the LORD, which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations, these are My feasts.
Leviticus 23:2 niv
"Speak to the Israelites and say to them: 'These are my appointed festivals, the appointed festivals of the LORD, which you are to proclaim as sacred assemblies.
Leviticus 23:2 esv
"Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, These are the appointed feasts of the LORD that you shall proclaim as holy convocations; they are my appointed feasts.
Leviticus 23:2 nlt
"Give the following instructions to the people of Israel. These are the LORD's appointed festivals, which you are to proclaim as official days for holy assembly.
Leviticus 23 2 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Lev 23:3 | Six days work shall be done, but on the seventh day is a Sabbath... | Sabbath is the first "appointed time" and foundational for the others. |
| Exo 12:14 | “This day shall be to you a memorial day, and you shall keep it as a feast... | Instituting Passover as a memorial feast for all generations. |
| Exo 23:14 | "Three times in the year you shall keep a feast to me." | Three major annual feasts requiring pilgrimage. |
| Exo 23:16 | ...the Feast of Harvest, and the Feast of Ingathering... | Specifies two of the three annual pilgrimage feasts. |
| Num 28:2 | “Command the people of Israel, and say to them, ‘My offering... | God's prescribed offerings tied to His appointed feasts. |
| Deut 16:1 | “Observe the month of Abib and keep the Passover to the Lord your God... | Reiteration of the command to observe Passover and other feasts. |
| Deut 16:16 | "Three times a year all your males shall appear before the Lord your God... | Command for all males to appear for the three main festivals. |
| 1 Kgs 8:2 | ...all the men of Israel assembled before King Solomon at the feast... | Example of Israel observing a great feast (Feast of Tabernacles). |
| Ezra 3:4 | So they kept the Feast of Booths, as it is written... | Post-exilic re-establishment of feast observance. |
| Neh 8:9-12 | This day is holy to the Lord your God; do not mourn or weep... | Celebration and joy associated with observing the Feast of Booths. |
| Ezek 46:9 | When the people of the land come before the Lord at the appointed feasts... | Prophetic vision mentioning the observance of appointed feasts in a renewed Temple. |
| Col 2:16-17 | Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink... | New Testament perspective: Old Covenant feasts are a shadow of Christ. |
| Heb 10:1 | For since the law has but a shadow of the good things to come... | The law, including feasts, points to future realities in Christ. |
| Jn 1:29 | The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb... | Christ as the fulfillment of the Passover Lamb. |
| 1 Cor 5:7-8 | For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. Let us therefore celebrate.. | Christ as the ultimate Passover sacrifice, calling believers to a new feast of purity. |
| Acts 2:1-4 | When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place... | Fulfillment of the Feast of Weeks (Pentecost) with the Holy Spirit's outpouring. |
| Heb 8:5 | They serve a copy and shadow of the heavenly things... | Earthly ordinances, including feasts, are models of heavenly realities. |
| 2 Cor 6:17 | Therefore “come out from them and be separate, says the Lord... | Echoes the concept of 'holy' separation from the common for divine purposes. |
| Isa 1:13-14 | Bringing offerings is futile; incense is an abomination to me... | Warnings against hypocritical observance of feasts without righteous living. |
| Matt 18:20 | For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.” | Principle of divine presence in corporate gatherings, applied to NT worship. |
| Heb 4:9 | So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God. | Fulfillment of Sabbath rest found in Christ for believers. |
Leviticus 23 verses
Leviticus 23 2 Meaning
This verse serves as the divine introduction to the cycle of the Lord's appointed feasts, or festivals. It declares that these are specific, sacred times designated by God for His people, Israel, to observe as holy gatherings. They are not merely cultural celebrations but divine appointments initiated by the Lord Himself, intended for corporate worship and remembrance of His mighty acts. The repetition emphasizes God's ownership and authority over these occasions.
Leviticus 23 2 Context
Leviticus 23 inaugurates the definitive calendar of YHWH's holy festivals. It commences with the weekly Sabbath as the foundational "appointed time," then meticulously outlines the seven annual feasts: Passover, Unleavened Bread, Firstfruits, Weeks (Pentecost), Trumpets, Day of Atonement, and Booths (Tabernacles). This verse, "Speak to the people of Israel...", functions as the overarching command for the entire chapter.
In the broader context of Leviticus, a book emphasizing God's holiness and how an unholy people can live in fellowship with a holy God, these feasts provide divinely ordained structures for maintaining that relationship. They are embedded in the Sinai Covenant, marking critical points in God's redemptive history with Israel (e.g., the Exodus, provision in the wilderness) and pointing to future divine intervention. Culturally, these feasts served to unify the nation, establish a rhythm of sacred time distinct from the common, and stand in direct contrast (polemically) to the nature-worshipping, idolatrous festivals of surrounding pagan nations. Unlike Canaanite fertility rites, Israel's feasts were anchored in specific historical acts of God, revealed commandments, and ethical conduct, designed to direct their worship solely towards the one true God, YHWH.
Leviticus 23 2 Word analysis
- Speak (דַּבֵּר - dabber): An imperative verb, emphasizing a direct, authoritative command from God. It highlights divine revelation and Israel's required obedience, not an optional suggestion.
- to the people of Israel (bene Yisrael): Specifies the exclusive audience—God's chosen covenant people. This underscores the particularity of the covenant relationship and the unique responsibility placed upon this nation.
- and say to them: Reinforces the direct, personal address, ensuring no ambiguity regarding the divine origin of the forthcoming instructions.
- These are my appointed feasts (מוֹעֲדָי - mo'aday):
- "my": Possessive pronoun; indicates God's ownership and origination. These feasts are not human inventions but divine mandates.
- "appointed feasts" (mo'ed, singular): Root meaning relates to "fixed time," "appointed place," "assembly." It denotes a designated period or location where God's people are to meet Him by His invitation. They are divine appointments, not spontaneous gatherings.
- the feasts of the Lord (מוֹעֲדֵי יְהוָה - mo'ade YHVH):
- Reinforces divine ownership and authority, connecting them directly to YHWH, the covenant God. It signifies that the purpose of these gatherings is to honor and encounter Him.
- This repetition ("my appointed feasts... the feasts of the Lord") serves for emphasis, cementing God's exclusive claim over these sacred times.
- which you shall proclaim (תִּקְרְאוּ - tikre'u): "to call," "to summon," "to announce publicly." This indicates that the observance was not private but required a public, official declaration, ensuring corporate participation and adherence throughout the nation.
- as holy convocations (מִקְרָאֵי קֹדֶשׁ - mikra'e kodesh):
- "holy" (kodesh): Signifies separation, distinctiveness, set apart for God's sacred purposes. These times are hallowed, set apart from the ordinary or profane.
- "convocations" (mikra, singular): Refers to an assembly or a calling together. It implies a mandatory gathering of the community. Together, "holy convocations" mean divinely summoned assemblies that are set apart for sacred purposes, necessitating a cessation of normal activities and a focus on worship and instruction.
- my appointed feasts (repetition): The final reiteration powerfully concludes the introductory statement. It underscores the ultimate point: these specific, separated gatherings, publicly proclaimed, are intrinsically God's, a manifestation of His desire to meet with His people.
Leviticus 23 2 Bonus section
The sequence of the feasts outlined in Leviticus 23 provides a profound prophetic timeline, meticulously unfolding God's redemptive plan through Christ. The Spring Feasts (Passover, Unleavened Bread, Firstfruits, Weeks/Pentecost) were literally fulfilled at Christ's first advent: His crucifixion as our Passover Lamb, His sinless burial during Unleavened Bread, His resurrection as the Firstfruits from the dead, and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost. The Fall Feasts (Trumpets, Day of Atonement, Booths/Tabernacles) are widely understood by scholars to point towards events surrounding Christ's second coming: His return, the judgment, and His eternal reign and dwelling with humanity. Thus, these ancient "appointed feasts" not only remembered God's past deliverances but also functioned as a divinely inspired prophetic calendar, revealing the timing and nature of Christ's two advents. They represent God's enduring desire to meet with and redeem His people throughout salvation history.
Leviticus 23 2 Commentary
Leviticus 23:2 serves as the cornerstone for understanding the entirety of God's festival calendar for Israel. It establishes two foundational truths: these are God's feasts, originating from His divine will, and they are to be observed as holy convocations—set apart times for sacred assembly and worship. This highlights God's initiative in establishing communion with humanity and providing regular opportunities for His people to gather, remember His acts, and renew their covenant relationship with Him. The repeated emphasis on "my appointed feasts" stresses that these observances are not humanly devised customs but divinely prescribed appointments, deeply connected to God's holiness and His sovereign control over time itself. For Israel, these feasts were not only historical markers but also future-oriented, shadowing the coming redemptive work of the Messiah. While their ceremonial obligations were fulfilled in Christ, the principles of regular corporate worship, rest, remembrance of God's redemptive work, and anticipation of His kingdom endure for believers today.