hom an instrument formed in the shape of Vere. 88-36.-The third of the great a ho~n, ond it was used to express joyful festivals, the Feast of Te.berne.oles-be• emotions, &nswering somewhat to our modem ginning on the 15th of Tisri, B8 the Feast bell-ringing in the West, or firing unloaded of Unleavened Bread began on the 15th of guns in the EBl!t. Besides the blowing of Nise.n-le.sted seven days, and was followed trumpets, speoi&l se.crifices were appointed by an octave; on two days, the first day for the first of each month, "two young and its octave, there is to be an holy oonvo- bullocks, and one ram, seven lambs," with oe.tion, and on these no servile work is to their mee.t and drink offerings, for a burnt be done. The eighth day is also a solemn offering, and " one kid of the goe.ti " for a assembly. The meaning of the word atzereth, sin offering (Numb. :nviiL 11-15). On translated a solemn assembly, is doubtful. New Year's Day, which, from its difference It occurs ten times in the Hebrew Scrip- from the other new moons, was e.n e.nnue.l tures, and appears to signify (1) the last as well as a monthly feast, the specie.I offer- day of e. feast (see John vii. 37, where men- ings were "one young bullock, one ram, and tion is me.de of uthe last day, that great seven lambs," with their meat and drink day of the feast"); (2) o solemn assembly offerings for a burnt offering, and "one kid held on the last day of e. feast; whence it of the goats" for a sin offering; and these comes to mean (3) e. solemn assembly. The were to be in addition to the offerings made Jews gave the name to the Feast of Pente- on the first day of each month (Numb. xxix. cost, as being the close of the Feast of 2-6). It became a custom for the Levites to Unleavened Bread. On each of the seven chant at the morning sacrifice Ps. l.x.xxi., days of the Feast of Tabernacles was to be and at the evening sacrifice Ps. xxix. The offered an offering made by fire UI1to the great joyfulness of the day is shown by the Lord. The sacrifices to be offered are enu- account given of its observance in the Book merated in Numb. xxix. 12-38. There of Nehemiah. It was on the first day of were to be sacrificed two re.ma, and four- the seventh month that Ezra read the Book teen iambs, and bullooks diminishing by of the Law publicly to the people, and when one e. day from thirteen on the first day to " the people wept, when they heard the seven on the last. These formed the burnt words of the Law," Nehemiah and Ezra and sacrifices. The sin offering on each day the Levites said, "This day is holy unto was one kid of the goats. On the eighth the Lord your God; mourn not, nor weep . day the burnt offering consisted of one . . . Go your way, eat the fat, and drink bullock, one ram, seven lambs, and the sin the sweet, and send portions unto them for offering, as before, of one kid of the goats. whom nothing is prepared: for this day is Thus there were offered in all, in the eight holy unto our Lord : neither be ye sorry; days, seventy-one bullocks, fifteen re.ms, for the joy of the Lord is your strength. So one hundred and five Jambs, and eight kids, the Levites stilled all the people, saying, beside meat and drink offerings. Hold your peace, for the day is holy; neither Vera. 37, 38.-These verses form the con- be ye grieved. And all the people went clusion of the immediate subject. The their way to eat, and to drink, and to send feasts have been enumerated in which holy portions, and to make great mirth, because convocations are to be held and publio so.ori- they had understood the words that were fices offered; these sacrifices, it 1s explained, deciared unto them" (Neh. viii. 9-12). not including those of the sobbath or of Ver. 26-32.-The ceremonies to be ob- individual offerers. served on the day of atonement have been Vera. 39-44.-A further instruction re- already described in eh. xvi.,_ whe~e it found specting the Fee.at of Tabernacles is ap- its place as the great pur1ficat10n of the pended. When ye have gathered in the people and of the sanctuary. Here it !" fruit of the land, not necessarily at the com- reintroduced as one of the holy days. It 1s pletion of the ingathering, but at the time at the one Jewish fast; to be observed as a day which the festival is held, ye shall take you of holy convocation, a day in which to e.111ict on the first day the boughs of goodly trees. your souls and to offer an offering made by The word in the Hebrew, in its literal fire UI1to the Lord, and in which no manner acceptation, means fruits of goodly trees, of work was to be done ; inasmuch ae, like and hence in later times e. misunderstand- the weekly eabbath, it was a sabbath of rest ing arose (see 2 Me.co. x. 6, 7), which Jed to from the ninth day of the month at even, the graceful practice of carrying in the left from even UI1to even. 'fhe time of year at hand citrons (the fruit of goodly trees), and which it was appointed shows that one in the right hand myrtles, palms, and purpose of its institution was to make willows. It appears, however, that the word solemn preparation for the joyous festival signifies in this place rather products than of Tabernacles, which was to follow in five fruits, namely, leaves and branches. The days' time, when the people ought to be in v. command, therefore, would be, ye shall ta.ke lt&te of reconciliation with God. you , . , produota ot goodly trees, branahea OB, XXID. 6-44.) THE BOOK OF LEVITIOUS. 34:9
of palm trees, and the boughs of thiok trees, the fee.at was observed by Ezro., after the and willows of the brooks. Originally, long interval from the days of Joshua, the purpose of these boughs was to make "there was very greo.t gladness" (Neb. booths, o.s is shown by Neh. viii. 15, 16, viii. 17). The reo.son of the injunction to "Go forth unto the mount, and fetch olive dwell in booths is that your generatio1111 branohes, and pine branches, and myrtle may lmow that I me.de the children of llrael branches, and palm branches, and branches to dwell in booths, when I brought them out of thick trees, to make booths, as it is of the land of Egypt; that is, on the first written. So ihe people went forth, o.nd night after they had been delivered from brought them, and made themselves booths." Egypt, and encamped at Succoth (Exod. And ye shall rejoice before the Lord your xii. 37). God aeven days. Accordingly we find when