Leviticus 23:39 · Bible study
Leviticus 23:39 Commentary: Ingathering, Rest, and the Feast of Tabernacles
Hebrew · 8 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Why Leviticus 23:39 reintroduces the Feast of Tabernacles with an emphasis on harvest ingathering and a double sabbath rest, and its theological significance.
Research Summary
- Meaning: The verse expands the Feast of Tabernacles by linking it to the agricultural ingathering and commanding sabbath rest on both the first and eighth days.
- Key words: Akh (surely/only), tevu’ah (produce, income), chag (pilgrim feast), Shabbaton (solemn rest).
- Main debate: Whether the opening word “akh” is restrictive (“only”) or emphatic (“surely”), affecting whether this is a separate document or a direct continuation.
- Theological theme: The intertwining of creation (harvest) and redemption (exodus wilderness) in Israel’s worship.
- Best use: A reminder that gratitude for God’s provision is incomplete without the rhythm of rest and remembrance.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
On the fifteenth day of the seventh month, after you have gathered the produce of the land, you are to celebrate a feast to the LORD for seven days. There shall be complete rest on the first day and also on the eighth day.
WEB World English Bible 2000
“‘So on the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when you have gathered in the fruits of the land, you shall keep the feast of Yahweh seven days. On the first day shall be a solemn rest, and on the eighth day shall be a solemn rest.
KJV King James Version 1769
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.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
Howbeit on the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when ye have gathered in the fruits of the land, ye shall keep the feast of Jehovah seven days: on the first day shall be a solemn rest, and on the eighth day shall be a solemn rest.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
`Only--in the fifteenth day of the seventh month, in your gathering the increase of the land, ye do keep the feast of Jehovah seven days; on the first day is a sabbath, and on the eighth day a sabbath;
Darby Darby Bible 1890
But on the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when ye have gathered in the produce of the land, ye shall celebrate the feast of Jehovah seven days: on the first day there shall be rest, and on the eighth day there shall be rest.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
So from the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when you shall have gathered in all the fruits of your land, you shall celebrate the feast of the Lord seven days. On the first day and the eighth shall be a sabbath: that is a day of rest.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Empero á los quince del mes séptimo, cuando hubiereis allegado el fruto de la tierra, haréis fiesta á Jehová por siete días: el primer día será sábado; sábado será también el octavo día.
Porém aos quinze do mês sétimo, quando houverdes recolhido o fruto da terra, fareis festa ao SENHOR por sete dias: o primeiro dia será sábado; sábado será também o oitavo dia.
Le quinzième jour du septième mois, quand vous récolterez les produits du pays, vous célébrerez donc une fête à l’ Éternel, pendant sept jours: le premier jour sera un jour de repos, et le huitième sera un jour de repos.
So sollt ihr nun am fünfzehnten Tage des siebenten Monats, wenn ihr die Früchte des Landes eingebracht habt, das Fest des HERRN halten sieben Tage lang. Am ersten Tage ist es Sabbat, und am achten Tage ist es auch Sabbat.
Doch op den vijftienden dag der zevenden maand, als gij het inkomen des lands zult ingegaderd hebben, zult gij des HEEREN feest zeven dagen vieren; op den eersten dag zal er rust zijn, en op den achtsten dag zal er rust zijn.
Or il quindicesimo giorno del settimo mese, quando avrete raccolto i frutti della terra, celebrerete una festa all’Eterno, durante sette giorni; il primo giorno sarà di completo riposo; e l’ottavo, di completo riposo.
Wszakże piętnastego dnia miesiąca siódmego, gdy zbierzecie urodzaj ziemi, będziecie obchodzili święto Panu przez siedem dni; dnia pierwszego odpocznienie, także dnia ósmego odpocznienie będzie.
А в пятнадцатый день седьмого месяца, когда вы собираете произведения земли, празднуйте праздник Господень семь дней: в первый день покой и в восьмой день покой;
「你們收藏了 地 的出產，就 從七 月 十 五 日起，要守 耶和華 的節 七 日。第一 日 為聖安息；第八 日 也為聖安息。
But on the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when you have got in all the fruits of the land, you will keep the feast of the Lord for seven days: the first day will be a Sabbath, and the eighth day the same.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Leviticus 23:39
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that this verse is not a new feast but a fuller description of the Feast of Tabernacles already introduced in Leviticus 23:34, 36. Wesley calls it “a repetition … with a more particular explication both of the manner and reason of the feast.” The added detail is the agricultural setting: “when you have gathered in the fruits of the land.” Gill explains that this points to the feast’s purpose of giving thanks for the harvest, “the barley, wheat, oil and wine, and all others.” The term Shabbaton (שַׁבָּתוֹן) designates a solemn rest, observed on both the first and eighth days, consistent with the holy convocations prescribed in verses 35, 36. Barnes notes that the Hebrew opening word akh (אַךְ) can be read as “surely” or “only,” possibly signaling that this passage originally formed a distinct document. Keil and Delitzsch see it as a fuller regulation of the feast, supplementing the brief mention in Exodus 23:16. All stress that the feast binds together agricultural thanksgiving and memorial of the wilderness wandering (vv. 42, 43).
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: The verse prescribes the Feast of Tabernacles as a seven-day celebration beginning on the 15th of the seventh month, marked by sabbath rests on the first and eighth days, and tied to the ingathering of the land's produce.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Relationship to the earlier description (v. 34-36) | Commentators agree this verse repeats and elaborates on the Feast of Tabernacles already introduced. | Some (Barnes, Cambridge) suggest this may have originated as a distinct document later inserted; others (Wesley, Gill) see it as a simple explanatory supplement within the same source. |
| Meaning of 'akh' (אַךְ) | The word can be translated as 'surely,' 'only,' or 'howbeit.' | Protestant translations often render it 'surely' or 'also' (KJV, BSB), while some see it as restrictive ('only on the fifteenth day…'). |
| Nature of the sabbath rest on the first and eighth days | Both days require a solemn rest (shabbaton), a cessation from work. | The degree of rest may be analogous to the weekly Sabbath (no work at all) versus other feast days where only servile work is forbidden (Ellicott notes this distinction, but the verse itself does not clarify). |
Historical & Cultural Context
Leviticus 23:39 belongs to a calendar of sacred times for Israel (Leviticus 23). The seventh month (Tishri, corresponding to late September/October) was the most festival-rich month of the year, also including the Feast of Trumpets (v. 24) and the Day of Atonement (v. 27). The Feast of Tabernacles, also called the Feast of Ingathering (Exodus 23:16), was the third of the three great pilgrim festivals when all Israelite males gathered at the sanctuary.
The phrase “when you have gathered in the produce of the land” captures the agricultural context. By the seventh month the grain harvest (barley and wheat) was long finished (spring), but the fruit harvest, olives, grapes, pomegranates, dates, was being brought in. This was a season of joy and abundance. Wesley specifies “the fruit of the trees, as vines, olives, and other fruit-trees: which completed the harvest.”
The first and eighth days of the feast are marked by a Shabbaton, a word used elsewhere for the weekly Sabbath (Exodus 16:23), the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16:31), and the Sabbatical year (Leviticus 25:4). This signals a complete cessation from ordinary work, not just servile work, but a total rest. Ellicott’s Commentary distinguishes this from other feast days where only “servile work” (occupational labor) was forbidden; here the rest is more absolute, akin to the seventh-day Sabbath.
The eighth day is a “solemn assembly” (atsereth, Leviticus 23:36), a closing gathering that extends the celebration beyond the seven days. Together, the two sabbath rests frame the feast as a sacred season wholly set apart for Yahweh.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant textual variants for Leviticus 23:39. The Hebrew text is stable across manuscripts, and the verse’s dual mention of sabbath rest and ingathering is consistent in all major traditions.
Reception History
In Jewish tradition, this verse grounds the festival of Sukkot (Feast of Booths) in both the autumn harvest and the wilderness sojourn. The command to rest on the first and eighth days developed into the observances of the first day as a full Sabbath and the eighth day as Shemini Atzeret, a separate festival of solemn assembly. Christian interpreters have seen in the eighth day a foreshadowing of the resurrection, a new creation beyond the seven-day week. The harvest gathering has been read as a type of the eschatological ingathering of believers into God’s kingdom (Revelation 14:14-16). Across traditions, the verse underscores that worship is rooted in both God’s material provision and His saving acts in history.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- God’s provision in the harvest: The feast is timed to “when you have gathered in the fruits of the land” (v. 39). This grounds worship in the material goodness of God, the crops that sustain life.
- Sacred rest in the midst of celebration: Both the first and eighth days are Sabbaths. Even a season of rejoicing includes commanded rest, reminding Israel that joy and dependence belong together.
- A feast that looks back and forward: The same feast recalls the wilderness booths (v. 43) and anticipates the final ingathering of God’s people into His presence.
Five-point outline
- Timing: The fifteenth day of the seventh month, a full moon after the harvest, a moment of completion and gratitude.
- Ingathering: The feast draws attention to the land’s yield as a gift, not an achievement.
- Seven days of celebration: The number seven echoes creation; the feast participates in the rhythm of divine order.
- First-day Sabbath: Begins the feast in total rest, as if entering God’s own rest.
- Eighth-day Sabbath: A second Sabbath bookends the festival, pointing beyond the week to a new beginning.
Illustration hooks
- An autumn harvest festival in a farming community, the long season of labor ends with a community-wide meal and shared thanksgiving.
- A family’s tradition of setting aside one day after Christmas as a “no-work day” to prolong the celebration and reflect.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Why does God command rest during what should be a joyful celebration? Doesn’t celebration mean activity?
- What does an Old Testament harvest festival have to do with our faith today?
- Why is the eighth day included as a Sabbath, what does the number eight mean?
Leading a Discussion
This verse sits at the heart of Israel’s festival calendar, connecting the physical harvest with spiritual rest. As you discuss, notice how the text weaves together thanksgiving, community gathering, and sacred time.
Discussion questions
- What does the phrase “when you have gathered in the fruits of the land” tell you about the timing and mood of this feast?
- Why do you think the first and eighth days are specifically marked as Shabbaton (solemn rest) rather than just “holy convocations”?
- Read Exodus 23:16 together. How does that earlier law compare to the fuller description here in Leviticus 23:39?
- In what ways does the double Sabbath (first and eighth days) shape the experience of the entire seven-day feast?
- How does remembering the wilderness booths (v. 42-43) change the meaning of this harvest celebration?
- What would it look like for your community to practice a season of thanksgiving that includes intentional rest?
- How does this feast’s pattern, ingathering, rest, remembrance, point forward to New Testament themes of Christ as the harvest and our eternal rest?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Exodus 23:16 | And the feast of harvest, the first fruits of your labors, which you sow in the field; and the feast of ingathering, at the end of the year, when you gather in your labors out of the field. |
| Leviticus 23:24 | “Speak to the children of Israel, saying, ‘In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, there shall be a solemn rest for you, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, a holy convocation. |
| Leviticus 23:34 | “Speak to the children of Israel, and say, ‘On the fifteenth day of this seventh month is the feast of booths for seven days to Yahweh. |
| Leviticus 23:36 | Seven days you shall offer an offering made by fire to Yahweh. On the eighth day shall be a holy convocation to you. You shall offer an offering made by fire to Yahweh. It is a solemn assembly; you shall do no regular work. |
| Deuteronomy 16:13 | You shall keep the feast of booths seven days, after you have gathered in from your threshing floor and from your wine press. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
7 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes notes that the Feast of Tabernacles appears here a second time, which may point to this passage coming from a separate source. He also explains that "fruit of the land" means the full harvest, including grain, olives, wine and all produce, placing the festival in early October.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The Cambridge Bible identifies this passage as an appendix focused on the Feast of Booths, drawn chiefly from the Holiness Code
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva note observes that this feast of ingathering spans seven days but is bracketed by two Sabbaths
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill highlights that this feast, already described earlier, has a distinct purpose: giving thanks for the gathered harvest of grain and fruit. He notes that this agricultural thanksgiving purpose is separate from the later commemoration of Israel's wilderness dwelling, and explains that the first and eighth days are sabbaths of rest from work.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch insists the Feast of Tabernacles booths were not a reminder of the hardship and want of the wilderness, but a joyful memorial of God’s grace, care, and protection during that journey. They further argue that the later Jewish custom of carrying bundled branches has no biblical foundation and likely originated from Greek harvest festivals.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange treats Israel's festival calendar as a unified system built on the number seven, from the weekly Sabbath through
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley stresses that this command is not a new one but a fuller explanation of an earlier instruction. He clarifies that "the fruit" refers to tree crops like vines and olives, not grain, which was already gathered. This feast marks the completion of the entire harvest.