Verses 16-25:

This text lists the regulations regarding observance of the Passover, and its related festival.

The Passover observance was to be the fourteenth day of the first month of the religious year, Nisan (abib). This was a fast day, not a feast day. It was to be ended by the Passover meal in the evening, see Ex 12:6; De 16:1.

A week of religious festivities began the fifteenth day of the first month of the year, Ex 12:16; Le 23:6-8.

“The first day” (verse 18), or the first day of the feast, which was the fifteenth day of the month.

Sacrifices offered during this week were to be in addition to the regular daily offerings.

No “servile” or common labor was to be performed during the first and the seventh days of the week-long festival. And on the first and the seventh days there was to be an “holy convocation,” or gathering, of the people.

Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary

16. And in the fourteenth day. It is true that the instruction here given has some connection with the feast of the passover, but since the sacrifices are avowedly treated of, and no mention is made of its other observances, except in this place, I have connected it with the continual sacrifice, as its concomitant or part. Moses cursorily refers, indeed, to what we have already seen, i.e., that the people should abstain from leaven for seven days, and eat unleavened bread; but he afterwards descends to the main point of which he here proposed to treat, viz., that the people should slay two bullocks as a burnt-offering, a ram, and seven lambs, together with a goat for a sin-offering; and that this sacrifice should be repeated through the whole week. In order, then, that the reverence paid to the passover should be increased, this extraordinary sacrifice was added to the continual one, partly that they might thus be more and more stimulated to devote themselves to God; partly that they might acknowledge how familiarly He had embraced them with His favor, inasmuch as He took these offerings from their flocks and herds, and required the sacred feast to be prepared for Him out of their cellars and granaries also; partly, too, that professing themselves to be worthy of eternal death, they should fly to Him to ask for pardon, and at the same time should understand that there was but one way of reconciliation, i.e., when God should be propitiated by sacrifice.

Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary

D. OFFERINGS FOR THE PASSOVER AND UNLEAVENED BREAD vv. 1625

TEXT

Num. 28:16. And in the fourteenth day of the first month is the passover of the Lord. 17. And in the fifteenth day of this month is the feast: seven days shall unleavened bread be eaten. 18. In the first day shall be a holy convocation; ye shall do no manner of servile work therein: 19. But ye shall offer a sacrifice made by fire for a burnt offering unto the Lord; two young bullocks, and one ram, and seven lambs of the first year: they shall be unto you without blemish. 20. And their meat offering shall be of flour mingled with oil: three tenth deals shall ye offer for a bullock, and two tenth deals for a ram; 21. A several tenth deal shalt thou offer for every lamb, throughout the seven lambs: 22. And one goat for a sin offering, to make an atonement for you. 23. Ye shall offer these beside the burnt offering in the morning, which is for a continual burnt offering. 24. After this manner ye shall offer daily, throughout the seven days, the meat of the sacrifice made by fire, of a sweet savor unto the Lord: it shall be offered beside the continual burnt offering, and his drink offering. 25. And on the seventh day ye shall have a holy convocation; ye shall do no servile work.

PARAPHRASE

Num. 28:16. And on the fourteenth day of the first month is the Passover of the Lord. 17. And on the fifteenth day of this month is the feast: unleavened bread shall be eaten for seven days. 18. There shall be a holy convocation on the first day; you shall do no hard work on it. 19. And you shall offer a sacrifice by fire for a burnt offering to the Lord: two young bulls, and one ram, and seven lambs one year old, having no defects. 20. And their meal offering shall be of flour mixed with oil: three tenths of a measure for a bull, and two-tenths of a measure for a ram; 21. one-tenth of a measure you shall offer for a lamb, for each of the seven lambs; 22. and one goat for a sin offering, to make an atonement for you. 23. You shall offer these in addition to the burnt offering in the morning, which is for a continual burnt offering. 24. And this is the procedure for the daily offering throughout the seven days, the provision of the sacrifice by fire, of a sweet aroma to the Lord: it shall be offered with its drink offering, in addition to the continual offering. 25. And on the seventh day you shall have a holy convocation; you shall do no hard work.

COMMENTARY

The Feast of the Passover was the first of the three great annual feasts in Israel, commemorating that great occasion when the Lord visited death upon the oppressing Egyptians homes while sparing Israels firstborn (see Exodus 11; Exo. 12:1-14). Historically, it was by far the most significant feast in the calendar, bringing back rich memories to those who had participated, and recalling a sacred past to those who had not. The people needed no other evidence of Gods favor, although there were many such incidents; but the circumstances of Jehovahs visit upon a slave people in bringing them triumphantly out of a land of slavery and oppression called the attention of the world to their high estate. This general had caused terror in the heart of Balak, and he prefaced his plea to Balaam by alluding to Israels recent escape, (Num. 22:11), and the full account was still being cited when the Israelites approached Jericho forty years later when Rahab referred to the hand of God in the nations destiny, (Jos. 2:9). So, two weeks after each year began, the memorable event was celebrated. In the proper sense, the observance was not a feast, but the conclusion of a fast, ending in the holy evening meal.

Continuing directly from the Passover, the Feast of Unleavened Bread obtained for seven days. Because the Israelites left Egypt in haste, it was not sensible to wait for a leavening agent to produce the favored light bread; consequently, all leavening was removed from the house. For the following seven days, Israel continued to eat unleavened bread, since there would have been no time to set the bread while on the move from Egypt.
The sacrifices for the seven days of this feast were the same as those for each new moon, from the 15th until the 21st days of Abib. There was no special sacrifice on the Passover itself.

QUESTIONS AND RESEARCH ITEMS

525.

Name the three great feasts which the Israelites observed annually.

526.

Give the essential meaning of the passover.

527.

Why should the Passover hold such fascinating significance for Israel?

528.

What relationship was there between the historical Passover and the use of unleavened bread?

529.

Why did the Israelites use unleavened bread while eating the Passover lamb?

530.

Give the significance of the seven-day period for the feast of Unleavened Bread.

Fuente: College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

(16, 17) And in the fourteenth day of the first month . . . The observance of the Passover had been in abeyance for thirty-eight years. The law is now promulgated afresh. The observance of the first and seventh days of the feast are enjoined in Exo. 12:16 and Lev. 23:7-8; and in the latter place it is enjoined that an offering made by fire should be offered for seven days. The nature of that offering is stated in the 19th verse of this chapter, and the fact that the details are not found in Leviticus 23 may be adduced in proof of the prospective character of much of the Levitical legislation.

Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)

LAW OF OFFERINGS AT THE PASSOVER, Num 28:16-25.

16. The first month The passover month, answering in part to our March. Lev 23:5, note.

Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

The Set Feasts of Israel ( Num 28:16 to Num 29:39 ).

Information is now given about the offerings at the set feasts of Israel. There were three major feasts to which all the men of Israel of over twenty (the congregation of Israel) were expected to come: the feast of Passover and unleavened bread, the feast of firstfruits or sevens or harvest, and the feast of tabernacles or ingathering (see Exo 23:14-17; Exo 34:23; Deu 16:16). Two of these, the first and the last, were seven day feasts, (to each of which was connected an extra day which was different from the seven). And then there were two extra one day feasts in the sacred seventh month. On every day of those feasts munificent offerings were to be made to Yahweh. These were over and above the continual daily whole burnt offerings, the Sabbath whole burnt offerings and the new moon whole burnt offerings. The day of the full moon (the fifteenth day, fourteen days after the new moon day) was also a solemn sabbath in the first and seventh months. The seven day feasts commenced and ended the cycle of feasts, occurring on the first and the seventh months, except that the day for sacrificing the Passover preceded the first seven day feast and the eighth day of Tabernacles came the day after the second seven day feast.

Note the divine pattern. Three one day feasts (the threeness signifying completeness) sandwiched between the two seven day feasts indication divine perfection.

Seven was especially significant. It was a number recognised as sacred by all surrounding nations. And the whole system of time in Israel was in fact mainly based on sevens, demonstrating that their time was in His hands. The Sabbath occurred every seventh day (Exo 20:8-11), there was a sabbath year every seven years (Exo 23:10-11; Lev 25:1-7), the year of Yubile occurred after seven sevens of years, and did not interrupt the cycle, for the Yubile year was made up of the last six moon periods of the forty ninth year and the first six moon periods of the first year of the new cycle (see Lev 25:9). And while it was the new moon that determined the beginning of each moon period, the main feasts were fixed by sevens dating from that beginning. Thus unleavened bread began twice seven days after the first day of the first moon period, and tabernacles began twice seven days after the first day of the seventh moon period, while the feast of firstfruits was seven times seven days after the first day of unleavened bread. There were seven special holy days, the first and seventh of Unleavened Bread, the Firstfruits, Trumpets, the Day of Atonement, and the first and eighth days of Tabernacles. Furthermore the seventh month was seen as especially holy and was crowded with feasts; Trumpets, Day of Atonement, seven days of Tabernacles, and the solemn sabbath following those seven days. So were the people made aware that the advance of time, both short and long, was under His hand, something which had to be recognised once each ‘seven’ arrived.

The main feasts in the first half of the cycle began on the tenth day of the first month with the setting aside of the Passover lamb (Exo 12:3). The main feast in the second half of the cycle began with the Day of Atonement on the tenth day of the seventh month. Each was a day of preparation. So the whole was carefully balanced.

It will be noted from this point on that Unleavened Bread and Firstfruits (with their offerings of two young ox bulls, a ram and seven he-lambs per day of each), and Blowing of Trumpets and the Day of Atonement (although with only one young ox bull, a ram and seven he-lambs at each) all follow the same general pattern, while maintaining their distinctive features. While at the feast of Tabernacles seventy young bulls, fourteen (seven times two) rams and ninety eight (seven times seven times two) he-lambs were offered during the feast. These were all extra to the continual daily offerings, the Sabbath offerings and the new moon offerings.

From the eighth to the twelfth month there were no feasts, although some were added in later centuries, for in these months there were no significant harvests. But it will be noted that the two seven day feasts, and passover or atonement, occurred six ‘monthly’, and while the former were agricultural feasts, neither of the latter are ever said to be so. Yet even the former were given a new significance, along with the other feasts, in terms of Israel’s salvation history, with Passover and Unleavened Bread celebrating the deliverance from Egypt, and Tabernacles celebrating that deliverance in terms of their dwelling in tents in the wilderness period (Lev 23:42-43).

Passover and The Feast of Unleavened Bread ( Num 28:16-25 ).

Here the assumption is made that the details of the Passover sacrifices are known. But the Passover sacrifices were not whole burnt offerings. They could be partaken of. The concern is therefore with the priestly offerings on behalf of Israel for the whole nation throughout the feast of Unleavened Bread. Other offerings are dealt with elsewhere. In the future the term Passover would come to include the Feast of Unleavened Bread (e.g. Eze 45:21) so that in the New Testament ‘the Feast of the Passover’ could mean the whole eight days of the feast, but at this stage the two, while conjoined, were seen separately.

a On the fourteenth day of the month is Yahweh’s Passover, from the fifteenth day unleavened bread to be eaten for seven days, on the first day, a convocation, ‘you shall do no servile work’ (Num 28:16-18).

b Whole burnt offerings of two young ox bulls and a ram and seven he-lambs to be offered as an offering made by fire (Num 28:19).

c Grain offerings to be offered with the whole burnt offerings (Num 28:20-21).

b A he-goat to be offered as a purification for sin offering to make atonement (Num 28:22).

a These to be offered as well as the continual whole burnt offering of the morning. This is the way that offerings shall be offered for seven days, on the seventh day a holy convocation, ‘you shall do no servile work’ (Num 28:23-25).

Num 28:16

“ And in the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month, is Yahweh’s passover.”

The actual Passover was sacrificed on the fourteenth day of the first month. This was everywhere stated (Num 9:5; Exo 12:2; Exo 12:6; Lev 23:5). It was the month of Abib (Exo 13:4; Deu 16:1), which later became Nisan (around March/April). On that day the Passover lamb (or goat – Exo 12:5 – although the lamb seems to have been preferred) was sacrificed ready for the feast that night after sunset which would be on the fifteenth day of the month.

This feast was a yearly reminder of their great deliverance from Egypt, and of how when Yahweh had exacted His vengeance on the firstborn sons of Egypt, their sons had been spared because of the protecting hand of Yahweh, and the shed blood of the Passover lambs sprinkled on their doorposts (see Exodus 12).

For us it is a reminder of Christ our Passover Who was sacrificed for us (1Co 5:7), the Lamb of God Who takes away the sin of the world (Joh 1:29).

Num 28:17

“ And on the fifteenth day of this month shall be a feast. Seven days shall unleavened bread be eaten.”

This was then followed by the feast of unleavened bread commencing on the morning of the fifteenth day, and lasting for seven days. During this period many offerings would be offered, including peace offerings of various kinds. But this passage deals only with the central offerings made by the priests on behalf of the people. During the feast only unleavened bread could be eaten.

At these great feasts all the men of Israel (at least) were to be present, and as daily they assembled around the Sanctuary they would see the smoke of the offerings rising to the heavens again and again, and their hearts were to respond and also go upwards in loving dedication to Yahweh and His covenant and recognition of His mercy.

The fact that only unleavened bread was to be found in all their tents in the camp, and, when they arrived and were settled in the land, in all their houses throughout the land, was to be a reminder of the haste with which they had fled from Egypt (Exo 13:8; Deu 16:3), and a permanent reminder that nothing corrupt must be allowed in their lives. Not all would be at the feasts, but all must put away unleavened bread.

Num 28:18

“ In the first day shall be a holy convocation. You shall do no servile work,”

The first day of the feast (the fifteenth day) was a ‘holy convocation (calling together)’. It was a kind of sabbath although without the full restrictions of the seven day Sabbath. But on it no servile work must be performed. Work necessary for the feast would, however, be allowed (Exo 12:16).

Num 28:19

“ But you shall offer an offering made by fire, a whole burnt offering to Yahweh, two young ox bulls, and one ram, and seven he-lambs a year old. They shall be to you without blemish,”

Each day of the seven day feast whole burnt offerings would be made of two young ox bulls, one ram and seven he-lambs. Thus during the seven days fourteen young ox bulls, seven rams, and seven times seven he-lambs. This gave thanks for the mighty ox, the productive rams and the he-lambs that were the result of that productivity. But with that thanksgiving was to be a wholehearted dedication to Yahweh as they recognised what they owed Him.

Num 28:20

“ And their grain offering, milled grain mingled with oil, three tenth parts shall you offer for an ox bull, and two tenth parts for the ram, a tenth part shall you offer for every lamb of the seven lambs.”

With each of those offerings came the offerings of grain mingled with oil, the two products which were the basic stuff of life, proportioned according to the level of the sacrifice. Yahweh had given it to them through their labours and they brought a portion back to Him.

Num 28:22

“ And one he-goat for a purification for sin offering, to make atonement for you.”

But it could never be forgotten that in all their enthusiasm expressed in other offerings they were also a sinful nation, and so there had to be offered moon period by moon period, and on every feast day, the goat of the purification for sin offering, a reminder of those goats offered yearly on the great Day of Atonement. Its blood would be applied to the horns of the altar, with the remainder thrown at its base. The whole aim was to draw Yahweh’s attention to it, and to call on Him to accept it for atonement and forgiveness (Num 15:25-28), in order to purify them and to maintain the purity of that holy place (compare the original purification of the altar (Num 7:84)).

Num 28:23

“ You shall offer these besides the whole burnt offering of the morning, which is for a continual whole burnt offering.”

And all these were to be offered as well as the continual daily offerings which were for a continual daily offering up to God in dedication and worship.

Num 28:24

“ After this manner you shall offer daily, for seven days, the food of the offering made by fire, of a pleasing odour to Yahweh. It shall be offered besides the continual whole burnt offering, and its drink offerings.”

So this was the way that for seven days throughout the feast of unleavened bread they should make their offerings as a pleasing odour to Yahweh, offering the food of their offering made by fire and consumed in the flames, as a pleasing odour to Yahweh. Yahweh was fed, not literally, but by the flames of their dedication. And again it is emphasised that they were additional to the continual daily offering, with its drink offerings.

Num 28:25

“ And on the seventh day you shall have a holy convocation. You shall do no servile work.”

And like the first day, the seventh also would be a holy convocation, and no servile work of any kind was to be done on it. Thus in this period of seven days there would regularly be three days of rest, the first, the seventh and the seven day Sabbath. Peace and rest and contemplation of Him was at the heart of all that Yahweh had come to bring. For the servants among them this would be a double blessing.

We note in all this that unleavened bread is not mentioned except in the name of the feast. The concentration here is not on the Feast, but on the dedication that it represents.

Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett

The Sacrifices of the Passover and of the Feast of Unleavened Bread

v. 16. And in the fourteenth day of the first month, the month Abib or Nisan, with which the church-year of the Jews began, is the Passover of the Lord. Exo 12:6-18; Lev 23:5.

v. 17. And in the fifteenth day of this month, and most intimately connected with the Passover, is the feast, as the seven days of unleavened bread are here simply called, Lev 23:6; seven days shall unleavened bread be eaten.

v. 18. In the first day shall be an holy convocation, a solemn assembly in the Sanctuary, for the purpose of worship. Ye shall do no servile work therein, as on the Sabbath, Lev 23:7;

v. 19. but ye shall offer a sacrifice made by fire for a burnt offering unto the Lord: two young bullocks and one ram and seven lambs of the first year, as on the new moon; they shall be unto you without blemish.

v. 20. And their meat-offering, which must invariably accompany the bloody sacrifice, shall be of flour mingled with oil; three-tenth deals shall ye offer for a bullock and two-tenth deals tor a ram;

v. 21. a several tenth deal shalt thou offer for every lamb throughout the seven lambs,

v. 22. and one goat for a sin-offering, to make an atonement for you.

v. 23. Ye shall offer these beside, in addition to, the burnt offering in the morning, which is for a continual burnt offering.

v. 24. After this manner ye shall offer daily, throughout the seven days, the same kind and amount of sacrifices for each individual day, the meat of the sacrifice made by fire, food devoted to the Lord, of a sweet savor unto the Lord; it shall be offered beside the continual burnt offering, and his drink-offering.

v. 25. And on the seventh day ye shall have an holy convocation, as on the first; ye shall do no servile work. Cf Exo 12:15-20; Lev 23:6-8.

Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann

Observe in those verses, the service of the passover, and the feast of unleavened bread succeed each other. Particular directions had been given concerning the service of the passover, and the great mercy intended by it: the remembrance of which was to be kept up in the church in their perpetual generations. See Exo 12 and if the Reader be pleased to read our Commentary on that Chapter, I pray the LORD to bless it to his perusal. But the sacred historian is directed to give particular directions concerning the feast of unleavened bread, which commenced the fifteenth day of the month, and lasted seven days.

Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

fourteenth. Compare Exo 12:2, Exo 12:14, Exo 12:18. Lev 23:5.

first. Compare Lev 23:7.

Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics

first month

i.e. April.

Fuente: Scofield Reference Bible Notes

Num 9:3-5, Exo 12:2-11, Exo 12:18, Exo 12:43-49, Lev 23:5-8, Deu 16:1-8, Eze 45:21-24, Mat 26:2, Mat 26:17, Luk 22:7, Luk 22:8, Act 12:3, Act 12:4, 1Co 5:7, 1Co 5:8

Reciprocal: Exo 12:6 – fourteenth Exo 12:11 – it is the Exo 23:15 – the feast Exo 34:22 – feast of weeks Num 9:2 – his appointed Num 15:3 – in your Num 28:2 – General Deu 16:2 – sacrifice Jdg 21:19 – a feast 2Ki 23:21 – as it is written 2Ch 35:17 – the feast Mar 14:1 – the passover Mar 14:12 – the first Luk 2:41 – the Joh 2:13 – passover Act 2:1 – the day

Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Num 28:16-17. The fourteenth day of the first month The fourth stated and national sacrifice was annual, namely, the great passover festival, with the feast of unleavened bread annexed to it. In the fifteenth day On the fourteenth day at even the passover was kept; and the next day began the feast of unleavened bread, Lev 23:6.

Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments