John Gill Commentary Leviticus 23

And the Lord spoke to Moses
Much about the same time as before; and having delivered to him various laws concerning the holiness of the people of Israel, who were to serve him, and of the holiness of the priests, that were to minister in holy things to him, and of the purity and perfections of their sacrifices, he here appoints various times and seasons, for the more special worship and service of him: saying ;
as follows.

Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them
Speak to them to gather together, and then say to them what follows, they all being obliged to keep the feasts, and observe the solemnities hereafter directed to; though it may be the heads of the tribes and the elders of the people were summoned together, and the following things were delivered to them, and by them to the people: [concerning] the feasts of the Lord, which you shall proclaim [to be]
holy convocations, [even] these [are] my feasts ;
appointed and ordered by God, and to be kept to the honour of his name;

These are the general names for the particular holy times and seasons after appointed; they are in general called "feasts", though one of them, the day of atonement, was, strictly speaking, a fast; yet being a cessation from all work, and opposed to working days, days of labour and business, it is comprehended in this general title:

Nor is it unusual with other nations to call a fast a feast; so Aelianus ^F8 relates of the Tarentines, that having been besieged by the Romans, and delivered from them, in memory of their sufferings appointed a feast which was called a fast:

The word used has the signification of stated, fixed, appointed times and seasons, and of convening or meeting together at such times, and that for the performance of solemn worship and service, which is true of them all; for there are certain times of the week and month fixed for them, and when the people in bodies assembled together, and in a solemn manner worshipped the Lord; and these are called "convocations", because the people were called together at those times by the priests, and that with the sound of a trumpet, (Numbers 10:2Numbers 10:3Numbers 10:8–10) ; and "holy", because separated from other days, and set apart for holy services:

The words may be rendered, as they are by many ^F9 : "the solemnities of the Lord, which you shall proclaim holy convocations, these are my solemnities"; times for holy, religious, and solemn service, of his appointment and for his glory: Aben Ezra seems to understand all this of the sabbath only, which is next mentioned, expressed in the plural number, because, as he observes, there are many sabbaths in a year; and indeed the general title of the rest of the feasts is afterwards given, (Leviticus 23:4) .

FOOTNOTES:

• F8: Var. Hist. l. 5. c. 20.
• F9: Pagninus, Montanus, Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Drusius.

Six days shall work be done Or may be done by men, any sort of lawful work and honest labour, for the sustenance of themselves and families:

but the seventh day is the sabbath of rest; from all bodily labour and work of any kind; typical of rest by Christ and in him:

an holy convocation; when the people were called to holy exercises, to pray and praise, and hear the word, and offer sacrifice:

you shall do no work therein; not any at all, see (Exodus 31:15) (Exodus 35:2Exodus 35:3);

it is the sabbath of the Lord in all your dwellings: other feasts were kept in the sanctuary, in the tabernacle or temple, or where they were; but this was not only observed there and in their synagogues, but in their private houses, or wherever they were, whether travelling by sea or land; and so the Targum of Jonathan and Aben Ezra interpret it.

These are the feasts of the Lord, [even] holy convocations , &c.] What follow besides the sabbath mentioned: which you shall proclaim in their seasons ; the proper times of the year, the day or days, and month in which they are to be observed; these were to be proclaimed by the priests with the sound of trumpet, namely, what follow, for they are put together, which had been before for the most part singly delivered.

In the fourteenth [day] of the first month The month Nisan, the same with Abib, the month in which the children of Israel came out of Egypt, for which reason it was made the first month in the year, answering to part of our March and part of April; and for the same reason was the passover kept at this time, as follows:

at even [is] the Lord's passover ; that is, that was the time for the keeping the passover, even "between the two evenings", as it may be rendered; from the sixth hour and onward, as Jarchi, trial is, after noon or twelve o'clock the middle of the day, as Gersom, when the sun began to decline; (See Gill on Exodus 12:6).