John Calvin Commentary Leviticus 23:40

"And ye shall take you on the first day the fruit of goodly trees, branches of palm-trees, and boughs of thick trees, and willows of the brook; and ye shall rejoice before Jehovah your God seven days." — Leviticus 23:40 (ASV)

And you shall take you on the first day. By this symbol the Jews were instructed that this day was to be celebrated with joy and gladness. This was not only a memorial of the favor He had graciously bestowed on their fathers in the desert—when they were exposed to all the vicissitudes of heaven,³⁵⁶ and He cherished them under His wings as an eagle does her brood—but it was also an act of thanksgiving because He had provided them such a fitting reception in the Promised Land. Thus, by carrying the boughs, they proclaimed their joy and triumph, so to speak.

Nor would it have been reasonable for them to enter the booths in sorrow and sadness, since the booths visibly represented to them both the past and present goodness of God. At the same time, these symbols gave them a foretaste of the life of heaven, seeing that they were merely sojourners on earth.

Some suppose הדר, hadar,³⁵⁷ to be a proper name. However, since it consistently means “comeliness,” I have been unwilling to depart from its ordinary sense. Nor do I meticulously analyze the words, except to the extent necessary to ascertain the actual substance.

³⁵⁶ “De pluyes, de gresles, de froid, et de chaud.” — .” — Fr.

³⁵⁷ “The Jews limit this to the citron; but this is a mere tradition of men. The words mean any tree whatsoever that was attractive and goodly. Jahn says, ‘Any noble tree, such as the palm, or the but this is a mere tradition of men. The words mean any tree whatsoever that was attractive and goodly. Jahn says, ‘Any noble tree, such as the palm, or the malum Punicum.’ So Rosenmuller.” — Bonar .’ So Rosenmuller.” — Bonar in loco.