Albert Barnes Commentary Leviticus 23:9-22

"And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye are come into the land which I give unto you, and shall reap the harvest thereof, then ye shall bring the sheaf of the first-fruits of your harvest unto the priest: and he shall wave the sheaf before Jehovah, to be accepted for you: on the morrow after the sabbath the priest shall wave it. And in the day when ye wave the sheaf, ye shall offer a he-lamb without blemish a year old for a burnt-offering unto Jehovah. And the meal-offering thereof shall be two tenth parts [of an ephah] of fine flour mingled with oil, an offering made by fire unto Jehovah for a sweet savor; and the drink-offering thereof shall be of wine, the fourth part of a hin. And ye shall eat neither bread, nor parched grain, nor fresh ears, until this selfsame day, until ye have brought the oblation of your God: it is a statute for ever throughout your generations in all your dwellings. And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the sabbath, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave-offering; seven sabbaths shall there be complete: even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meal-offering unto Jehovah. Ye shall bring out of your habitations two wave-loaves of two tenth parts [of an ephah]: they shall be of fine flour, they shall be baken with leaven, for first-fruits unto Jehovah. And ye shall present with the bread seven lambs without blemish a year old, and one young bullock, and two rams: they shall be a burnt-offering unto Jehovah, with their meal-offering, and their drink-offerings, even an offering made by fire, of a sweet savor unto Jehovah. And ye shall offer one he-goat for a sin-offering, and two he-lambs a year old for a sacrifice of peace-offerings. And the priest shall wave them with the bread of the first-fruits for a wave-offering before Jehovah, with the two lambs: they shall be holy to Jehovah for the priest. And ye shall make proclamation on the selfsame day; there shall be a holy convocation unto you; ye shall do no servile work: it is a statute for ever in all your dwellings throughout your generations. And when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not wholly reap the corners of thy field, neither shalt thou gather the gleaning of thy harvest: thou shalt leave them for the poor, and for the sojourner: I am Jehovah your God." — Leviticus 23:9-22 (ASV)

These verses contain a distinct command regarding the religious services immediately connected with the grain harvest, given in anticipation of the time when the people would possess the promised land (Leviticus 23:10).

Sheaf - The original word, “omer,” means either a sheaf (Deuteronomy 24:19; Ruth 2:7) or a measure (Exodus 16:16). Our version is probably right in this place. The offering that was waved (Leviticus 7:30) was most likely a small sheaf of barley, the grain that is first ripe. The firstfruits of the wheat harvest were offered seven weeks later in the loaves of Pentecost . The two offerings thus represent the very beginning and the completion of the grain harvest (compare Ruth 1:22 and Ruth 2:23). (Leviticus 23:11)

On the morrow after the sabbath - It is most probable that these words denote the 16th of Abib, the day after the first day of holy convocation (see the note on Leviticus 23:5-8), and that this was called “the Sabbath of the Passover,” or, “the Sabbath of unleavened bread.” (Leviticus 23:11)

Two tenth deals - Two omers, or tenth parts of an ephah, about a gallon and three-quarters (see the note on Leviticus 19:36). The double quantity (Numbers 15:4; Numbers 28:19–21), implying greater liberality, was appropriate in a harvest feast.

Drink offering - This and Leviticus 23:18, Leviticus 23:37 are the only places in the book of Leviticus in which drink offerings are mentioned (see the note on Exodus 29:40). (Leviticus 23:13)

Bread ... parched corn ... green ears - These are the three forms in which grain was commonly eaten. The old name, Abib, signified “the month of green ears” . (Leviticus 23:14)

The morrow after the sabbath - See the note on Leviticus 23:11.

Seven sabbaths - More properly, seven weeks . The word Sabbath, in the language of the New Testament as well as the Old, is used for “week” (Leviticus 25:8; Matthew 28:1; Luke 18:12, etc.). (Leviticus 23:15)

The morrow after the seventh week was the 50th day after the conclusion of a week of weeks. The day is called in the Old Testament, “the feast of harvest” (Exodus 23:16), “the feast of weeks,” “the feast of the firstfruits of wheat harvest” (Exodus 34:22; Deuteronomy 16:10), and “the day of the firstfruits” (Numbers 28:26). The word “Pentecost,” used in the heading of this chapter in English Bibles, is found only in the Apocrypha and the New Testament (Acts 2:1; Acts 20:16; 1 Corinthians 16:8). (Leviticus 23:16)

Habitations - Not strictly houses, but places of abode in a general sense. It seems here to denote the land in which the Israelites were to dwell, to express that the flour was to be of home growth. The two loaves were to be merely waved before Yahweh and then to become the property of the priests. No bread containing leaven could be offered on the altar (see the note on Leviticus 2:11). The object of this offering seems to have been to present to the Lord the best produce of the earth in the actual condition in which it is most useful for the support of human life.

It thus represented in the most fitting manner the thanksgiving that was proper for the season. The loaves appear to be distinctively called “the firstfruits for Yahweh,” and references to them are found in Romans 11:16; 1 Corinthians 15:20, 23; James 1:18; Revelation 14:4, etc. As these loaves offered before Yahweh sanctified the harvest of the year, so has Christ the firstfruits sanctified the Church, which, in its union with Him as the firstfruits, becomes also the Sanctifier of the world. See the services for Whitsuntide. (Leviticus 23:17)

More properly, seven sheep of a year old (to be distinguished from the lamb in Leviticus 23:12), and a young bull that might be from one to three years old . (Leviticus 23:18)

Properly, a shaggy he-goat (Leviticus 4:23) and two sheep of a year old. (Leviticus 23:19)

When living creatures were “waved” (Leviticus 7:30) before Yahweh, it is said that they were led to and fro before the tabernacle according to an established form. (Leviticus 23:20)

The selfsame day - The Feast of Weeks was distinguished from the two other great annual feasts by its consisting, according to the Law, of only a single day. But in later times it is said that during the following six days the Israelites used to bring their offerings to the temple, and to give the week something of a festal character by suspending mourning for the dead. (Leviticus 23:21)

The repetition of the Law (see the marginal cross-reference) is appropriately connected with the thanksgiving for the completed grain harvest. (Leviticus 23:22)