Leviticus

Contains rules and instructions for rituals, offerings, and how to live a holy life.

Chapter 23

1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

2 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, Concerning the feasts of the LORD, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, even these are my feasts.

*Tell the people of Israel about the LORD's special days you must announce as holy gatherings. These are my special days.

3 Six days shall work be done: but the seventh day is the sabbath of rest, an holy convocation; ye shall do no work therein: it is the sabbath of the LORD in all your dwellings.

*Work for six days, but rest on the seventh day - this is a special day for resting and being with God. Don't do any work on this day in any place you live.

4 These are the feasts of the LORD, even holy convocations, which ye shall proclaim in their seasons.

*These are the LORD's special celebrations, or gatherings, that you must announce at the right times.

5 In the fourteenth day of the first month at even is the LORD’s passover.

*On the 14th day of the first month, at night, it's the LORD's Passover.

6 And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the feast of unleavened bread unto the LORD: seven days ye must eat unleavened bread.

*On the 15th day of the month, there's a feast for God - unleavened bread is eaten for seven days.

7 In the first day ye shall have an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein.

*On the first day, gather for a special meeting: don't do any regular work during that time.

8 But ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD seven days: in the seventh day is an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein.

*For seven days, you must give a fire offering to God. On the seventh day, there will be a special gathering where no regular work should be done.

9 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

*And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,

10 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye be come into the land which I give unto you, and shall reap the harvest thereof, then ye shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest unto the priest:

*Tell the people of Israel, when you enter the land I am giving you and harvest its crops, bring a bundle of the first fruits to the priest.

11 And he shall wave the sheaf before the LORD, to be accepted for you: on the morrow after the sabbath the priest shall wave it.

*Then he will hold up the bundle of grain in front of God for acceptance on your behalf: the next day after the rest day, the priest will wave it.

12 And ye shall offer that day when ye wave the sheaf an he lamb without blemish of the first year for a burnt offering unto the LORD.

*On that day, when you wave the sheaf, offer a flawless one-year-old lamb as a burning sacrifice to God.

13 And the meat offering thereof shall be two tenth deals of fine flour mingled with oil, an offering made by fire unto the LORD for a sweet savour: and the drink offering thereof shall be of wine, the fourth part of an hin.

*The meat offering should have two parts of finely mixed flour and oil, a fire offering to God for a pleasant smell. The drink offering must be one-fourth of an hin of wine.

14 And ye shall eat neither bread, nor parched corn, nor green ears, until the selfsame day that ye have brought an offering unto your God: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations in all your dwellings.

*You cannot eat bread, roasted grain, or unripe corn until you offer a sacrifice to God. This rule is forever for you and your descendants in all the places where you live.

15 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 be complete:

*Start counting after the next day of rest (Sunday), from the day you presented the special offering bundle; continue for 7 cycles of rest days.

16 Even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meat offering unto the LORD.

*For seven weeks, count every day until you reach fifty days. Then, bring a new food offering to God.

17 Ye shall bring out of your habitations two wave loaves of two tenth deals: they shall be of fine flour; they shall be baken with leaven; they are the firstfruits unto the LORD.

*Bring two breads made from the best wheat from your homes. They should be made with yeast and baked. These are the first offerings to God.

18 And ye shall offer with the bread seven lambs without blemish of the first year, and one young bullock, and two rams: they shall be for a burnt offering unto the LORD, with their meat offering, and their drink offerings, even an offering made by fire, of sweet savour unto the LORD.

*You will bring seven unblemished young lambs, one young bull, and two rams as a burned sacrifice to God. Along with this, you must also offer the food and drinks for the sacrifice, which will be a fire offering with a pleasant aroma to God.

19 Then ye shall sacrifice one kid of the goats for a sin offering, and two lambs of the first year for a sacrifice of peace offerings.

*Then you will offer one young goat as a sin offering and two young one-year-old lambs as peace offerings.

20 And the priest shall wave them with the bread of the firstfruits for a wave offering before the LORD, with the two lambs: they shall be holy to the LORD for the priest.

*The priest will wave these special bread and two lambs as an offering to God. They will belong to God and be used by the priest.

21 And ye shall proclaim on the selfsame day, that it may be an holy convocation unto you: ye shall do no servile work therein: it shall be a statute for ever in all your dwellings throughout your generations.

*On the same day, you must announce this as a special gathering: don't do any regular work there; this rule will stay forever in all your homes for all your family members.

22 And when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not make clean riddance of the corners of thy field when thou reapest, neither shalt thou gather any gleaning of thy harvest: thou shalt leave them unto the poor, and to the stranger: I am the LORD your God.

*When you harvest your crops, don't clean all the corners of your fields. Also, don't gather any leftover food from your harvest. Instead, leave it for the poor people and those who are strangers. I am the Lord, your God.

23 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

*And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,

24 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, In the seventh month, in the first day of the month, shall ye have a sabbath, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, an holy convocation.

*Tell the people of Israel, "In the seventh month, on the first day, take a break as a special reminder to blow trumpets and gather for a sacred meeting."

25 Ye shall do no servile work therein: but ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD.

*In that place, you must not do any ordinary tasks. Instead, you should offer a fire sacrifice to God.

26 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

*And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,

27 Also on the tenth day of this seventh month there shall be a day of atonement: it shall be an holy convocation unto you; and ye shall afflict your souls, and offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD.

*On the tenth day of the seventh month, there is a Day of Atonement. It's a special gathering where you need to show deep sorrow and offer a fire sacrifice to God.

28 And ye shall do no work in that same day: for it is a day of atonement, to make an atonement for you before the LORD your God.

*On that day, don't do any work. It's a day of forgiveness, to seek forgiveness for you from God.

29 For whatsoever soul it be that shall not be afflicted in that same day, he shall be cut off from among his people.

*If someone isn't faced with hardship on that day, they will be disconnected from their community.

30 And whatsoever soul it be that doeth any work in that same day, the same soul will I destroy from among his people.

*And whoever does any work on that day, I will destroy them from among their people.

31 Ye shall do no manner of work: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations in all your dwellings.

*You must not do any kind of work; this rule will last forever for you and your descendants in all the places where you live.

32 It shall be unto you a sabbath of rest, and ye shall afflict your souls: in the ninth day of the month at even, from even unto even, shall ye celebrate your sabbath.

*This means: It will be a time for you to rest, and you must show sadness: on the ninth day of the month at sunset, from sunset to sunset, you should celebrate this special resting day.

33 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

*And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,

34 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, The fifteenth day of this seventh month shall be the feast of tabernacles for seven days unto the LORD.

*Tell the people of Israel, "The 15th day of this seventh month will be a special holiday called the Feast of Tabernacles, which lasts for 7 days to honor God."

35 On the first day shall be an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein.

*On the first day, there will be a special gathering: you should not do any regular work during it.

36 Seven days ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD: on the eighth day shall be an holy convocation unto you; and ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD: it is a solemn assembly; and ye shall do no servile work therein.

*For seven days, give a fire offering to God. On the eighth day, gather for a special meeting. Bring another fire offering - it's a serious event, and don't do any regular work during it.

37 These are the feasts of the LORD, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, to offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD, a burnt offering, and a meat offering, a sacrifice, and drink offerings, every thing upon his day:

*This is a verse about the special celebrations for God. You must announce these events as sacred gatherings. During these times, bring burned offerings, food offerings, sacrifices, and drinks to God, each one on its designated day.

38 Beside the sabbaths of the LORD, and beside your gifts, and beside all your vows, and beside all your freewill offerings, which ye give unto the LORD.

*Next to the LORD's special days, along with your gifts, all your promises, and all the extra things you give to the LORD.

39 Also in the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when ye have gathered in the fruit of the land, ye shall keep a feast unto the LORD seven days: on the first day shall be a sabbath, and on the eighth day shall be a sabbath.

*On the 15th day of the seventh month, after collecting the harvest, you must celebrate a seven-day festival for the LORD. The first day and the eighth day will both be days of rest.

40 And ye shall take you on the first day the boughs of goodly trees, branches of palm trees, and the boughs of thick trees, and willows of the brook; and ye shall rejoice before the LORD your God seven days.

*On the first day, gather beautiful tree branches - from palm trees, sturdy trees, and brook willows. Celebrate before the Lord for seven days.

41 And ye shall keep it a feast unto the LORD seven days in the year. It shall be a statute for ever in your generations: ye shall celebrate it in the seventh month.

*"Keep this as a special celebration for God for seven days each year. It will always be a rule for you and your family. Celebrate it in the seventh month."

42 Ye shall dwell in booths seven days; all that are Israelites born shall dwell in booths:

*You will live in temporary shelters for seven days; everyone who is an Israeli, no matter their age, must live in these shelters.

43 That your generations may know that I made the children of Israel to dwell in booths, when I brought them out of the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God.

*So your descendants will understand that I made the Israelites live in temporary homes when I took them from Egypt. I am the Lord, their God.

44 And Moses declared unto the children of Israel the feasts of the LORD.

*Moses told the Israelites about the LORD's special celebrations.

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