عدد ٢٨:٢٦

The same number of sacrifices is appointed for the day of the first-fruits, i.e., for the feast of Weeks or Harvest feast (cf. Lev 23:15-22). The festal burnt-offering and sin-offering of this one day was independent of the supplementary burnt-offering and sin-offering of the wave-loaves appointed in Lev 23:18, and was to be offered before these and after the daily morning sacrifice.

Now that the people were numbered, orders given for the dividing of the land, and a general of the forces nominated and commissioned, one would have expected that the next chapter should begin the history of the campaign, or at least should give us an account of the ordinances of war; no, it contains the ordinances of worship, and provides that now, as they were on the point of entering Canaan, they should be sure to take their religion along with them, and not forget this, in the prosecution of their wars (Num 28:1, Num 28:2). The laws are here repeated and summed up concerning the sacrifices that were to be offered, I. Daily (Num 28:3-8). II. Weekly (Num 28:9, Num 28:10). III. Monthly (Num 28:11-15). IV. Yearly. 1. At the passover (Num 28:16-25). 2. At pentecost (Num 28:26-31). And the next chapter is concerning the annual solemnities of the seventh month.

28:26-31 The Festival of Harvest was later called the Festival of Pentecost (see Acts 2:1); see also Lev 23:15-22. It celebrated the end of the barley harvest and the beginning of the wheat harvest in early summer (May~June). The Greek name Pentecost means “fiftieth day” (i.e., after Passover; see Acts 20:16; 1 Cor 16:8).