Leviticus 23 21

Leviticus 23:21 kjv

And ye shall proclaim on the selfsame day, that it may be an holy convocation unto you: ye shall do no servile work therein: it shall be a statute for ever in all your dwellings throughout your generations.

Leviticus 23:21 nkjv

And you shall proclaim on the same day that it is a holy convocation to you. You shall do no customary work on it. It shall be a statute forever in all your dwellings throughout your generations.

Leviticus 23:21 niv

On that same day you are to proclaim a sacred assembly and do no regular work. This is to be a lasting ordinance for the generations to come, wherever you live.

Leviticus 23:21 esv

And you shall make a proclamation on the same day. You shall hold a holy convocation. You shall not do any ordinary work. It is a statute forever in all your dwelling places throughout your generations.

Leviticus 23:21 nlt

That same day will be proclaimed an official day for holy assembly, a day on which you do no ordinary work. This is a permanent law for you, and it must be observed from generation to generation wherever you live.

Leviticus 23 verses

Leviticus 23 21 Meaning

This verse commands that the day known as the Feast of Weeks (Shavuot, Pentecost) is to be publicly declared a holy convocation, meaning a sacred assembly where the community gathers before God. It strictly prohibits the performance of any customary or laborious work, emphasizing that this is a divine statute to be observed perpetually across all generations of Israelites, regardless of their dwelling place. The day is thus set apart for worship, remembrance, and dependence on God rather than daily toil.

Leviticus 23 21 Context

Leviticus chapter 23 meticulously details the "appointed times" (mo'adim) or "feasts of the Lord," which were annual festivals God commanded Israel to observe. These feasts outlined a divinely ordained calendar for Israelite life, structured around agricultural cycles and pivotal events in their redemptive history. Verse 21 concludes the specific instructions for the Feast of Weeks, known as Shavuot (Pentecost). It follows the command to count 50 days from the day after the Sabbath of Passover week (Lev 23:15-16), and the presentation of the new grain offering along with specific animal sacrifices (Lev 23:17-20). Historically and culturally, these feasts provided a rhythm of life for the Israelites, tying their agrarian existence directly to their faith and dependence on God for blessing. They also served as reminders of God's covenant, deliverance, and provision. The concept of a "holy convocation" and prohibition of work separated these days from mundane life, marking them as sacred time dedicated wholly to God. This stood in stark contrast to the polytheistic practices of surrounding nations, where human toil was often believed necessary to appease capricious deities; in Israel, cessation of work demonstrated trust in the singular, sovereign God who provides rest and sustenance.

Leviticus 23 21 Word analysis

• And you shall proclaim (וקראתם - u-qara'tem): From the verb קרא (qara), meaning "to call," "to summon," "to read," or "to proclaim." It implies a public, authoritative declaration. This command ensures the people are aware and observe the day correctly, marking it as a universally recognized, divinely ordained event.
• on the same day (בעצם היום הזה - be'etsem hayyom hazzeh): Literally "on the very bone/essence of this day." This idiomatic expression emphasizes the precise and non-negotiable nature of the timing. The command applies strictly to that specific fiftieth day.
• that it is a holy convocation (מקרא קדש - miqra kodesh):
  • מקרא (miqra): Derived from קרא (qara), meaning "a calling," "an assembly," or "a convocation." It is not just any gathering, but one initiated and summoned by God.
  • קדש (kodesh): Holy, sacred, set apart, consecrated. It denotes something or someone separated from the common and dedicated exclusively to God's purposes. Thus, a "holy convocation" is an assembly consecrated and called by God Himself.
• for you (לכם - lakhem): Implies benefit to the people. While it is a command from God, its observance is for the spiritual welfare and community building of Israel. It's not a burden but a provision for encountering God.
• you shall do no customary work on it (כל מלאכת עבדה לא תעשו - kol melākhat avodah lo ta'asu):
  • כל (kol): All, any. This indicates a complete prohibition of this type of work.
  • מלאכת (melākhat): From מלאכה (melakha), meaning "work," "labor," "business," or "craft." This generally refers to skilled, productive, or gainful labor that occupies one's normal profession.
  • עבדה (avodah): From עבד ('avad), meaning "to work," "to serve," "to be a servant." While it can mean general labor, when coupled with melakha it typically emphasizes servile, burdensome, or income-producing work, contrasting with necessary household tasks like cooking that were allowed on some feast days (unlike the Sabbath). This combination specifies the prohibition against regular, laborious, or vocational activity.
  • לא תעשו (lo ta'asu): You shall not do. A strong, negative command.
• It shall be a statute forever (חקת עולם - chuqqat 'olam):
  • חקה (chuqqah): A statute, an ordinance, an appointed regulation. It refers to an unchanging, binding law prescribed by a higher authority.
  • עולם ('olam): Forever, perpetual, everlasting, eternal. This signifies enduring validity through all time. The law for this day is not temporary or contingent.
• in all your dwelling places (בכל מושבתיכם - bechol moshavoteichem):
  • בכל (bechol): In all.
  • מושבתיכם (moshavoteichem): From מושב (moshav), meaning "dwelling," "habitation," or "settlement." This implies the universality of the command across all Israelite settlements, not just within the sanctuary or the land of Israel, emphasizing its personal application to every Israelite household.
• throughout your generations (לדורתיכם - le-doroteichem): From דור (dor), meaning "generation." This reinforces the "forever" aspect, explicitly stating that the command is passed down and remains binding from generation to generation.

Leviticus 23 21 Bonus section

The strong emphasis on the miqra kodesh (holy convocation) and cessation of melakha avodah (customary work) for Shavuot creates a direct theological and historical link to the events of Acts 2. While the physical offering of new grain in Lev 23:17 represented the firstfruits of the harvest, the Day of Pentecost in the New Testament marks the pouring out of the Holy Spirit, enabling a new spiritual "firstfruits" – the birth of the Church. The Old Testament "rest" from work pointed forward to the new covenant's spiritual rest found in Christ and the Spirit. Moreover, some interpretations connect Shavuot with the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai (traditionally 50 days after Exodus), thus linking God's initial giving of the Law to His chosen people with the giving of the Spirit that enables believers to obey the Spirit's leading, fulfilling the deeper purpose of the Law (Rom 8:4). The permanence declared by "statute forever" hints at principles enduring even when outward forms might evolve.

Leviticus 23 21 Commentary

Leviticus 23:21 concisely prescribes the core elements of the Feast of Weeks: it is a divinely designated "holy convocation," necessitating a public declaration, prohibiting customary work, and establishing it as a perpetual statute. The term "holy convocation" underscores that the day is set apart by God Himself, summoning His people into a sacred assembly for worship and instruction, not merely a secular gathering. The strict prohibition of customary labor, akin to the Sabbath rest, teaches reliance on God's provision rather than human toil and marks the day as distinct from ordinary time. This spiritual discipline fostered dependence and shifted focus from mundane activities to God-centered celebration. The designation "statute forever in all your dwelling places throughout your generations" underscores the timeless and universal applicability of this command within the Israelite covenant, signaling its enduring theological significance. This foreshadowed a spiritual harvest beyond the physical, ultimately fulfilled in the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2), where a new covenant community was gathered, consecrated by God, and empowered for a "work" of gospel proclamation far exceeding customary labor.