Leviticus 23:3 kjv
Six days shall work be done: but the seventh day is the sabbath of rest, an holy convocation; ye shall do no work therein: it is the sabbath of the LORD in all your dwellings.
Leviticus 23:3 nkjv
'Six days shall work be done, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of solemn rest, a holy convocation. You shall do no work on it; it is the Sabbath of the LORD in all your dwellings.
Leviticus 23:3 niv
"?'There are six days when you may work, but the seventh day is a day of sabbath rest, a day of sacred assembly. You are not to do any work; wherever you live, it is a sabbath to the LORD.
Leviticus 23:3 esv
"Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh day is a Sabbath of solemn rest, a holy convocation. You shall do no work. It is a Sabbath to the LORD in all your dwelling places.
Leviticus 23:3 nlt
"You have six days each week for your ordinary work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath day of complete rest, an official day for holy assembly. It is the LORD's Sabbath day, and it must be observed wherever you live.
Leviticus 23 3 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 2:2-3 | And on the seventh day God finished his work... and he rested... and God blessed the seventh day and made it holy... | Divine precedent for rest and holiness. |
| Exo 16:22-30 | And on the sixth day they gathered twice as much bread... the seventh day is a day of sabbath rest... | Provision for Sabbath rest, trust in God. |
| Exo 20:8-11 | Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor... but the seventh day is a Sabbath of the LORD your God... | Fourth Commandment, part of covenant law. |
| Exo 31:12-17 | You are to speak to the people of Israel and say, 'Above all you shall keep my Sabbaths, for this is a sign between me and you... | Sabbath as a sign of God's covenant. |
| Exo 34:21 | "Six days you shall work, but on the seventh day you shall rest. In plowing time and in harvest you shall rest." | Strictness of Sabbath rest, even during crucial seasons. |
| Exo 35:2-3 | Six days work shall be done, but on the seventh day there shall be to you a holy day... you shall not kindle fire... | Prohibition of specific work (fire lighting). |
| Lev 19:3 | Every one of you shall revere his mother and his father, and you shall keep my Sabbaths: I am the LORD your God. | Links Sabbath to familial respect and divine authority. |
| Lev 23:32 | It shall be to you a Sabbath of solemn rest, and you shall afflict yourselves... on the ninth day of the month beginning at evening... | Reference to Day of Atonement's "Sabbath" aspect. |
| Deut 5:12-15 | "Observe the Sabbath day, to keep it holy... Remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the LORD your God brought you out... | Sabbath connected to Israel's liberation. |
| Num 15:32-36 | While the people of Israel were in the wilderness, they found a man gathering sticks on the Sabbath day... the LORD said to Moses, "The man shall surely be put to death..." | Severity of Sabbath breaking. |
| Isa 56:2 | Blessed is the man who does this, and the son of man who holds it fast, who keeps the Sabbath, not profaning it... | Blessing promised for Sabbath keeping. |
| Isa 58:13 | "If you turn back your foot from the Sabbath, from doing your pleasure on my holy day, and call the Sabbath a delight and the holy day of the LORD honorable..." | Proper attitude towards the Sabbath. |
| Jer 17:21-27 | Thus says the LORD: Take care for the sake of your lives, and do not carry a burden on the Sabbath day... | Warning against profaning the Sabbath. |
| Ezek 20:12 | "Moreover, I gave them my Sabbaths, as a sign between me and them, that they might know that I am the LORD who sanctifies them." | Sabbath as a sign of God's sanctification. |
| Neh 9:14 | "You made known to them your holy Sabbath and gave them commandments and statutes and a law through Moses your servant." | God's gracious gift of the Sabbath to Israel. |
| Neh 13:15-22 | In those days I saw in Judah people treading winepresses on the Sabbath, and bringing in heaps of grain... So I confronted the officials of Judah and said to them... | Nehemiah's zeal for Sabbath observance. |
| Mk 2:27-28 | And he said to them, "The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath." | Jesus' authoritative interpretation of the Sabbath's purpose. |
| Col 2:16-17 | Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ. | Sabbath as a shadow pointing to Christ. |
| Heb 4:1-11 | Therefore, while the promise of entering his rest still stands... for those who have entered God's rest have also rested from their labors, just as God did from his... | The spiritual Sabbath rest available in Christ. |
| Rev 1:10 | I was in the Spirit on the Lord's Day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet... | Early Christian practice of a "Lord's Day" (Sunday) in honor of Christ's resurrection. |
Leviticus 23 verses
Leviticus 23 3 Meaning
Leviticus 23:3 delineates the fundamental instruction for the weekly Sabbath observance. It prescribes a rhythm of six days for labor, followed by the seventh day, which is declared as a Sabbath of complete cessation from work, designated for sacred assembly. This day belongs uniquely to the Lord and is to be observed throughout all dwelling places of the Israelites, emphasizing its universal application within the community and its divine origin and purpose.
Leviticus 23 3 Context
Leviticus chapter 23 introduces the divine calendar, presenting a comprehensive list of the Lord's mo'adim (מוֹעֲדִים), meaning "appointed times" or "festivals," which are to be regarded as holy convocations. It begins not with an annual festival but with the weekly Sabbath. Placing the weekly Sabbath first establishes it as the foundational rhythm of holiness and rest, preeminent over all annual observances. It underscores that every aspect of Israel's communal and individual life was to be permeated by a recognition of God's sovereignty over time itself. Historically, at the time of its reception, Israel was distinguishing itself as a nation under divine law, learning to live differently from the surrounding cultures that did not have a dedicated day of rest or communal sacred assembly imposed by their deity.
Leviticus 23 3 Word analysis
- Six days shall work be done: This phrase affirms the value and necessity of labor. "Work" (
məlakah, מְלָאכָה) refers to regular, ordinary, and purposeful labor or occupation. It's not a denigration of work but sets boundaries for it, implying that productive activity is part of the divine design for human existence. - but on the seventh day: This numerical specificity is significant. It's a precise divine mandate, mirroring God's creative week. This established cycle transcends cultural customs.
- is a Sabbath:
šabbat(שַׁבָּת). Derived from the verb "to cease" or "to rest," this term denotes more than mere inactivity; it signifies entering into a cessation from one's own labors in imitation of God's resting from His creation work. It is a day specifically dedicated to God's purpose and rest. - of solemn rest:
šabbaton(שַׁבָּתוֹן). This is an intensive form of "Sabbath," meaning "a Sabbath of complete rest." It emphasizes a profound and complete cessation from normal vocational activities, elevating the weekly Sabbath to a heightened degree of holiness and absolute observance. - a holy convocation:
miqra qodesh(מִקְרָא קֹדֶשׁ).Miqrameans "a calling," "assembly," or "proclamation."Qodeshmeans "holy" or "sacred." This signifies a mandatory gathering of the community, divinely called to assemble for purposes of worship, instruction, and communal participation in holiness. It prohibits mere private observance and necessitates public worship. - you shall do no work on it: This is an explicit prohibition reinforcing the "Sabbath" and "solemn rest" injunctions. It leaves no ambiguity regarding the cessation of labor.
- it is the Sabbath of the Lord: This declarative statement asserts divine ownership and authority. It is not Israel's Sabbath, but God's. This places the Sabbath above human convenience or tradition, demanding reverence and strict adherence as an act of worship and obedience to the Lord who instituted it.
- in all your dwellings: This extends the command universally across the Israelite territory and applies it to every individual household. No one, regardless of location within Israel, was exempt from observing this fundamental divine requirement. It ensures consistency and unity in observing God's appointed rhythm of life.
Leviticus 23 3 Bonus section
The institution of the Sabbath also functioned as a distinct sign of the covenant between God and Israel (Exo 31:13), distinguishing them from surrounding nations who often viewed incessant labor as the norm. In Deut 5:15, the Sabbath command is linked directly to Israel's deliverance from Egyptian slavery, reminding them that just as God liberated them from perpetual toil, He also provided a divinely appointed freedom through rest. Observing the Sabbath required faith, particularly in an agrarian society where every day of labor could seem crucial. Trusting God to provide even when refraining from work on His day was a practical demonstration of dependence on Him. Its consistent violation became a key reason for Israel's eventual exile (Jer 17:27). The New Testament reinterprets the Sabbath's purpose through Christ, the "Lord of the Sabbath," who revealed that the Sabbath was made for humanity's benefit, pointing to a spiritual rest and fulfillment found in Him, rather than rigid legalism (Mk 2:27-28, Col 2:16-17).
Leviticus 23 3 Commentary
Leviticus 23:3 serves as the theological and practical anchor for the weekly Sabbath within God's calendar. It establishes a divine pattern: six days for man's labor, one day for God's rest. This is not just a command to cease activity, but an invitation to participate in a profound cessation that mimics God's own rest after creation. The "solemn rest" (šabbaton) signifies a sacred quality, an entire dedication of the day to the Lord, transforming it from a mere day off into a hallowed space and time. The requirement for a "holy convocation" further emphasizes that the Sabbath is intrinsically communal and centered on public worship. It prevented the Sabbath from becoming a day of mere idleness or personal indulgence, directing its purpose toward God and collective spiritual nourishment. The phrase "it is the Sabbath of the Lord" underlines that this day's authority and purpose stem entirely from God, making its observance an act of obedient worship. The universal application "in all your dwellings" ensures that this sacred rhythm permeated every facet of Israelite life, making holiness not just for special priests or places, but for all God's people wherever they resided. This foundational command underscores God's sovereignty over time and humanity's call to reflect His order, looking forward to a greater rest provided in Christ (Heb 4:1-11).