Leviticus 23 8

Leviticus 23:8 kjv

But ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD seven days: in the seventh day is an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein.

Leviticus 23:8 nkjv

But you shall offer an offering made by fire to the LORD for seven days. The seventh day shall be a holy convocation; you shall do no customary work on it.' "

Leviticus 23:8 niv

For seven days present a food offering to the LORD. And on the seventh day hold a sacred assembly and do no regular work.'?"

Leviticus 23:8 esv

But you shall present a food offering to the LORD for seven days. On the seventh day is a holy convocation; you shall not do any ordinary work."

Leviticus 23:8 nlt

For seven days you must present special gifts to the LORD. On the seventh day the people must again stop all their ordinary work to observe an official day for holy assembly."

Leviticus 23 verses

Leviticus 23 8 Meaning

Leviticus 23:8 outlines the requirements for the seven-day Feast of Unleavened Bread following Passover. It commands a continuous "offering made by fire" to the LORD throughout these days, signifying ongoing dedication and worship. The verse specifically designates the seventh, or final, day of this festival as a "holy convocation," a time of sacred assembly. On this particular day, the people were forbidden from doing any "servile work," emphasizing a required period of rest and spiritual focus dedicated entirely to the LORD, reinforcing the sanctified nature of the observance and Israel's relationship with God.

Leviticus 23 8 Context

Leviticus chapter 23 meticulously details the "appointed times" or "festivals of the LORD" (mo'adim), which were pivotal annual convocations for ancient Israel. These sacred gatherings structured their year, linking historical deliverance with agricultural cycles and prophetic anticipation. Verses 4-8 focus specifically on the Feast of Passover and the subsequent Feast of Unleavened Bread. Verse 5 sets Passover on the 14th day of the first month. Verse 6 introduces the Feast of Unleavened Bread, beginning on the 15th day, lasting seven days, and verse 7 designates the first day as a holy convocation. Leviticus 23:8 directly follows this, specifying the ongoing requirement of fire offerings throughout the entire seven days and imposing the "holy convocation" and "no servile work" rule for the seventh (final) day, parallel to the first day's restrictions. Historically, these feasts profoundly shaped Israel's identity, emphasizing their distinct covenant relationship with God and standing in contrast to the often licentious and idolatrous practices of surrounding cultures, underscoring purity and sole devotion to the LORD.

Leviticus 23 8 Word analysis

• But: Connects the continuing instructions for the feast with the prior commands.
• ye shall offer: A divine imperative, binding the Israelites to this specific form of worship and observance. It emphasizes Israel's active role in maintaining the covenant.
• an offering made by fire (Hebrew: ishsheh, אִשֶּׁה): This term encompasses a wide range of sacrifices that involve fire, including burnt offerings, grain offerings, peace offerings, and sin offerings, or parts of them. It signifies something consumed or dedicated through fire for God. The consistent instruction to bring these throughout the feast highlights ongoing worship, commitment, and atonement, not just a one-time event. It represents the means by which Israel approached God and presented devotion.
• unto the LORD: Specifies the sole recipient of the offerings – Yahweh. This directs worship exclusively to the covenant God, reinforcing monotheism and rejecting syncretism with foreign deities.
• seven days: Hebrew: shiv'at yamim. The number seven symbolizes completion, perfection, and holiness in biblical numerology. This period for the Feast of Unleavened Bread underscores the thoroughness required in purging leaven and living in consecration, representing a complete spiritual purification and remembrance. It signifies a full cycle of dedicated time.
• in the seventh day: Hebrew: ba-yom ha-shevi'i. Distinguishes this final day as uniquely significant within the seven-day festival, granting it special sacred status akin to the first day of the feast and the weekly Sabbath.
• is an holy convocation (Hebrew: mikra-qodesh, מִקְרָא-קֹדֶשׁ): "A holy calling out" or "sacred assembly." It denotes a time when God's people are supernaturally called together for sacred purposes, specifically for worship and hearing the law. Such convocations were distinct from ordinary days, requiring attendance and focused religious observance. It marked a set-apart time for communal devotion to the LORD.
• ye shall do no servile work therein: (Hebrew: kol-meleket avodah lo ta'asu, כָּל-מְלֶאכֶת עֲבֹדָה לֹא תַעֲשׂוּ). "Any laborious work you shall not do." This prohibition refers to vocational or strenuous labor that would distract from spiritual focus. Unlike the Sabbath where even preparing food was forbidden, on these festival "holy convocation" days, some necessary activities like food preparation were generally permitted, differentiating meleket avodah from melekhah (all work). This command ensured complete dedication to the spiritual meaning and celebratory nature of the day, emphasizing dependence on God.

Leviticus 23 8 Bonus section

The repetitive nature of "holy convocation; ye shall do no servile work therein" across Leviticus 23 for various feasts (e.g., Pentecost, Trumpets, Tabernacles) emphasizes a recurring divine pattern. This structure highlighted God's sovereignty over time, instructing Israel to sanctify certain periods through specific commands for rest and assembly, creating a rhythmic and disciplined communal worship life. This contrasts sharply with individualistic and chaotic religious practices of neighboring peoples. The distinction between "servile work" and permissible work (like cooking, on most festival days, but not the weekly Sabbath or Day of Atonement) showcased a nuanced understanding of rest, allowing for essential life functions while curbing productive labor, thereby placing God's commands and worship above personal gain or ordinary routines. The underlying theme throughout these instructions is the practical expression of holiness, mirroring God's own holiness in creating a sacred space and time for His people.

Leviticus 23 8 Commentary

Leviticus 23:8 reiterates and reinforces the enduring sanctity and dedicated nature of the Feast of Unleavened Bread. Beyond the initial purge of leaven and the holy convocation on the first day, the verse underscores a sustained period of devotion. The continuous "offering made by fire" throughout the seven days signifies not just singular acts of worship but a lifestyle of consecration. It pointed to Israel's ongoing responsibility to approach God through prescribed means of atonement and thanksgiving. The designation of the seventh day as another "holy convocation" with a prohibition on "servile work" highlights that both the commencement and conclusion of this important feast required maximum focus and rest, paralleling the weekly Sabbath. This commanded rest wasn't merely idleness but an active trust in God's provision, a break from earthly pursuits to dwell on divine blessings, particularly their liberation from Egypt. Spiritually, this feast, and this verse within it, serve as a timeless reminder for believers to perpetually purge spiritual "leaven" (sin, malice, wickedness) from their lives and to live in a continuous state of sanctification and sacrificial worship, resting in Christ's completed work, our true Passover sacrifice.