4 'These 'are' appointed seasons of Jehovah, holy convocations, which ye proclaim in their appointed seasons: 5 in the first month, on the fourteenth of the month, between the evenings, 'is' the passover to Jehovah; 6 and on the fifteenth day of this month 'is' the feast of unleavened things to Jehovah; seven days unleavened things ye do eat; 7 on the first day ye have a holy convocation, ye do no servile work; 8 and ye have brought near a fire-offering to Jehovah seven days; in the seventh day 'is' a holy convocation; ye do no servile work.' 9 And Jehovah speaketh unto Moses, saying, 10 'Speak unto the sons of Israel, and thou hast said unto them, When ye come in unto the land which I am giving to you, and have reaped its harvest, and have brought in the sheaf, the beginning of your harvest unto the priest, 11 then he hath waved the sheaf before Jehovah for your acceptance; on the morrow of the sabbath doth the priest wave it.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Leviticus 23:4-11
Commentary on Leviticus 23:4-14
(Read Leviticus 23:4-14)
The feast of the Passover was to continue seven days; not idle days, spent in sport, as many that are called Christians spend their holy-days. Offerings were made to the Lord at his altar; and the people were taught to employ their time in prayer, and praise, and godly meditation. The sheaf of first-fruits was typical of the Lord Jesus, who is risen from the dead as the First-fruits of them that slept. Our Lord Jesus rose from the dead on the very day that the first-fruits were offered. We are taught by this law to honour the Lord with our substance, and with the first-fruits of all our increase, Proverbs 3:9. They were not to eat of their new corn, till God's part was offered to him out of it; and we must always begin with God: begin every day with him, begin every meal with him, begin every affair and business with him; seek first the kingdom of God.