Lev 23:15-22 | MHM | STEP | Leviticus 23:15–22: The Feast of Pentecost (Weeks) and the Law of Gleaning This passage tells about the Feast of Pentecost, also called the Feast of Weeks or the Feast of Harvest. This festival happened fifty days, or seven weeks, after Passover. It celebrated the end of the grain harvest and was a time for the people to thank God for His blessings. God gave detailed instructions for the offerings and sacrifices at Pentecost, and He reminded the people to care for the poor by leaving some grain in the fields for them (Leviticus 23:15–22 ). vv. 15–17 : The people were to count seven weeks from the day after the Sabbath during Passover, and then celebrate Pentecost. At this feast, they brought two loaves of bread made with leaven as an offering to God. Unlike the Passover, where the bread was unleavened, here it was regular bread, showing thankfulness for their daily food (Leviticus 23:17; Deuteronomy 16:9 ; Exodus 23:16 ).

‏ Leviticus 23:15-22

Leviticus 23:15–22: The Feast of Pentecost (Weeks) and the Law of Gleaning

This passage tells about the Feast of Pentecost, also called the Feast of Weeks or the Feast of Harvest. This festival happened fifty days, or seven weeks, after Passover. It celebrated the end of the grain harvest and was a time for the people to thank God for His blessings. God gave detailed instructions for the offerings and sacrifices at Pentecost, and He reminded the people to care for the poor by leaving some grain in the fields for them (Leviticus 23:15–22 ^a).

vv. 15–17: The people were to count seven weeks from the day after the Sabbath during Passover, and then celebrate Pentecost. At this feast, they brought two loaves of bread made with leaven as an offering to God. Unlike the Passover, where the bread was unleavened, here it was regular bread, showing thankfulness for their daily food (Leviticus 23:17; Deuteronomy 16:9 ^b; Exodus 23:16 ^c).

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vv. 18–20: With the bread, the people were to offer seven lambs, two rams, and one bull as burnt offerings to honor God, plus a goat for a sin offering and two lambs for a peace offering. These showed their thanks, their need for forgiveness, and their hope for God’s blessing on their harvest (Leviticus 23:18-20; Haggai 1:9 ^d).

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v. 21: Pentecost was a day of holy gathering for all Israel. It was only one day, probably because this was a busy time for farmers and God wanted them to be able to return to their work quickly .

Spiritual meaning: Pentecost also reminded the Israelites of the giving of the law at Mount Sinai, which happened fifty days after leaving Egypt. For Christians, Pentecost is even more special because the Holy Spirit came on the apostles on this same day, many years later (Acts 2:1 ^e). On that day, God began the Christian church by bringing many people to faith.

v. 22: Along with the feast, God repeated the command to leave the edges of their fields and any leftover grain for the poor and foreigners (Leviticus 23:22; Leviticus 19:9 ^f). This taught the people to be generous, and that obeying God in daily life was as important as bringing offerings.