Leviticus 23:44 kjv
And Moses declared unto the children of Israel the feasts of the LORD.
Leviticus 23:44 nkjv
So Moses declared to the children of Israel the feasts of the LORD.
Leviticus 23:44 niv
So Moses announced to the Israelites the appointed festivals of the LORD.
Leviticus 23:44 esv
Thus Moses declared to the people of Israel the appointed feasts of the LORD.
Leviticus 23:44 nlt
So Moses gave the Israelites these instructions regarding the annual festivals of the LORD.
Leviticus 23 44 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Exod 19:7-8 | Moses went and summoned the elders… and laid before them all these words... and all the people answered together… "All that the LORD has spoken we will do." | Moses declares God's words to Israel; their covenant agreement. |
| Exod 24:3-4 | Moses came and told the people all the words of the LORD... and they answered... "All the words that the LORD has spoken we will do." | Moses as divine messenger delivering God's law. |
| Deut 4:1-2 | "Now, O Israel, listen to the statutes and the rules that I am teaching you... You shall not add to the word that I command you, nor take from it..." | Moses warns against altering God's commands. |
| Deut 6:1 | "Now this is the commandment—the statutes and the rules—that the LORD your God commanded me to teach you..." | Moses commissioned to teach God's laws. |
| Deut 30:1 | "And when all these things come upon you, the blessing and the curse… and you call them to mind among all the nations..." | Moses declaring future implications of obedience. |
| Gen 1:14 | "And God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse… to separate the day from the night. And let them be for signs and for appointed times [mo'adim]..." | Divine ordering of creation, establishing appointed times. |
| Lev 23:2 | "Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, These are my appointed feasts..." | Direct divine instruction to Moses to speak these feasts. |
| Num 10:10 | "On the day of your gladness also… and at the beginning of your months, you shall blow the trumpets over your burnt offerings... these shall be a memorial for you before your God..." | Blowing trumpets for appointed times and sacrifices. |
| Num 29:39 | "These things you shall do to the LORD at your appointed feasts... besides your vowed offerings..." | Summarizing sacrificial duties during feasts. |
| Deut 16:16 | "Three times a year all your males shall appear before the LORD your God at the place that he will choose: at the Feast of Unleavened Bread, at the Feast of Weeks, and at the Feast of Booths..." | Command for Israelite men to appear for pilgrim feasts. |
| 2 Chron 8:13 | "according to the command of Moses for the Sabbaths, the new moons, and the three annual appointed feasts..." | Solomon observes feasts according to Moses' law. |
| Ezra 3:4 | "So they kept the Feast of Booths, as it is written..." | Observance of Feast of Booths after exile, as prescribed. |
| Neh 8:14 | "They found it written in the Law that the LORD had commanded through Moses that the people of Israel should dwell in booths during the feast of the seventh month..." | Rediscovery and observance of Sukkot during Ezra's time. |
| Zech 14:16 | "Then everyone who survives of all the nations that have come against Jerusalem shall go up year after year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the Feast of Booths." | Prophetic future observance of the Feast of Booths by all nations. |
| Isa 1:14 | "Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hates..." | God's disdain for insincere ritual observance. |
| Hos 2:11 | "And I will put an end to all her mirth, her feasts, her new moons, her Sabbaths, and all her appointed feasts." | Consequence for Israel's unfaithfulness, disruption of feasts. |
| 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..." | Feasts as shadows, pointing to the reality found in Christ. |
| Heb 8:5 | "They serve a copy and shadow of the heavenly things..." | Old Covenant practices (including feasts) as types and shadows. |
| Heb 10:1 | "For since the law has but a shadow of the good things to come instead of the true form of these realities..." | The law's ritual system, including feasts, points to Christ. |
| John 1:17 | "For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ." | Moses' role in transmitting the Law, contrasted with Christ's fulfillment. |
| John 7:2 | "Now the Jewish Feast of Booths was at hand." | Jesus observing one of the commanded feasts. |
| Acts 2:1 | "When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place." | Fulfillment of the Feast of Weeks at the birth of the Church. |
| 1 Cor 5:7-8 | "For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. Let us therefore celebrate the festival..." | Christ's fulfillment of Passover; New Covenant understanding. |
Leviticus 23 verses
Leviticus 23 44 Meaning
Leviticus 23:44 serves as the concluding summary statement for the comprehensive instructions regarding the seven annual appointed feasts of the Lord detailed in Leviticus chapter 23. It asserts that Moses, as God's designated mediator, faithfully conveyed these divine mandates to the entire community of Israel. This verse underscores the divine origin of these sacred observances, emphasizing that they are not human inventions but YHWH's authoritative declarations given through His prophet, thus making them binding obligations for the people of God.
Leviticus 23 44 Context
Leviticus 23:44 concludes a chapter exclusively dedicated to the divine calendar for Israel, outlining the sacred "appointed times" (mo'adim). These include the weekly Sabbath, followed by seven annual festivals: Passover and Unleavened Bread (spring), Firstfruits, Weeks (Pentecost), Trumpets, Day of Atonement, and Booths/Tabernacles (autumn). The preceding verses provided meticulous instructions for each, including their purpose, required offerings, and specific prohibitions. This chapter emphasizes the unique relationship between YHWH and Israel, where time itself is consecrated and punctuated by divine appointments. Historically and culturally, these feasts served as vital communal gatherings, reinforcing Israel's identity as God's chosen people, remembering His mighty acts of deliverance and provision (e.g., Passover for Exodus, Booths for wilderness wandering), and offering regular opportunities for corporate worship, sacrifice, and spiritual reflection. The emphasis on YHWH declaring these feasts through Moses stood in stark contrast to surrounding pagan cultures, whose festivals were often tied to unpredictable agricultural cycles or arbitrary human deities, thus asserting YHWH's sovereign control over nature, history, and sacred time.
Leviticus 23 44 Word analysis
- So (And) (וַ - wa): This conjunction links the conclusion to the preceding detailed instructions. It signifies a natural progression: because all these commands were given, Moses then declared them.
- Moses (מֹשֶׁה - Moshe): The divinely chosen prophet and mediator through whom YHWH communicated His covenant and laws to Israel. His name underscores the authority behind the declaration.
- declared (וַיְדַבֵּר - vay'daber): From the verb דָּבַר (dabar), meaning "to speak, declare, command." This is a strong verb indicating an authoritative and official proclamation, not just casual speech. Moses was not merely sharing information but authoritatively delivering God's very words and commands. It implies careful and complete transmission of the divine instruction.
- to the Israelites (אֶל-בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל - el b'ney Yisra'el): Literally "to the sons of Israel" or "children of Israel." This specifies the intended recipients of the divine revelation: the entire covenant community, ensuring that all were accountable for understanding and observing these mandates. It emphasizes the corporate responsibility of the nation.
- the appointed feasts (אֶת-מוֹעֲדֵי יְהוָה - et mo'adey YHWH): This phrase, crucial to the chapter, refers to "the appointed times of Yahweh."
- Appointed feasts/times (מוֹעֲדֵי - mo'adey, plural of מוֹעֵד - mo'ed): Refers to a "fixed time," "appointed place," or "assembly." These are not merely human festivals but divine appointments, specifically designated by God for His people to meet with Him in worship and remembrance. This term is used from Genesis 1:14 for the lights in the heavens being for "appointed times" (seasons).
- of the Lord (יְהוָה - YHWH): God's covenant name, signifying His personal and active relationship with Israel, and serving as the ultimate source of authority for these feasts. They belong to Him and are observed for Him.
- words-group analysis:
- "Moses declared to the Israelites": Highlights Moses' crucial role as the intermediary. He received divine commands and faithfully transmitted them to the people, bridging the gap between a holy God and His human subjects. This emphasizes the accountability of the people, as they had received these laws directly from God's chosen agent.
- "the appointed feasts of the Lord": This phrase encapsulates the core theological concept that these sacred seasons are not Israel's inventions or cultural traditions, but God's own set times for communal worship, remembrance, and fellowship with Him. The possessive "of the Lord" confirms their divine origin and holy purpose.
Leviticus 23 44 Bonus section
The positioning of this verse as a concluding summary for Leviticus 23 serves a crucial literary function within the book of Leviticus and the Pentateuch. It acts as an authoritative colophon, signing off the divine instructions regarding the mo'adim and signaling their transition from revelation to command for Israel's practice. The emphasis on Moses "declaring" these feasts underlines the theological principle of mediation: God chose to communicate His will to humanity through chosen instruments. This established not only the divine origin of the laws but also the necessary human responsibility in receiving and upholding them. Furthermore, understanding mo'adim as God's "appointed times" deepens our appreciation for their prophetic significance; many of these feasts were indeed fulfilled in the life, death, resurrection, and sending of the Holy Spirit through Jesus Christ, highlighting God's meticulous plan of salvation unfolding precisely at His designated times.
Leviticus 23 44 Commentary
Leviticus 23:44 concludes the detailed presentation of Israel's annual sacred calendar with a reaffirmation of divine authority and human transmission. It signifies that the preceding elaborate instructions for each festival were fully delivered by Moses to the people of Israel, underscoring their binding nature. The use of "declared" (vay'daber) highlights Moses' role not as a commentator, but as a direct channel of YHWH's commandments, imbuing these feasts with the weight of divine mandate. These were YHWH's "appointed times" (mo'adim), fixed and sacred gatherings initiated by God Himself, for Israel to meet with Him, commemorate His mighty works, and anticipate future redemption. The chapter, finalized by this verse, established a cyclical rhythm of worship for Israel, connecting their past deliverance with present devotion and future hope, all commanded and conveyed by God.For practical usage: This verse reminds believers today of the importance of recognizing the divine origin of all true worship and of faithfully communicating God's truths without alteration. Just as Moses fully declared God's commands, believers are called to faithfully steward and share the gospel and the teachings of Scripture.