this be allowed me, it will be plain that the Israelites must have here added two days to the end of the sixth month to make the sixth day of the week the last day of it; for the twenty-sixth day of this month was, as I have observed, a Sabbath; consequently, if this month, like other months, had contained only thirty days, the last day of it would have been the fourth day of the week, and the first day of the seventh month could not have been a Sabbath, in the manner which Moses appointed. Here therefore the Israelites kept two week-days more than this month would otherwise have afforded; and began the seventh month with the Sabbath, according to the injunction. But to go on : the first day of the seventh month being thus a Sabbath; it will follow, that in this month the eighth day would be a Sabbath, the fifteenth a Sabbath, the twenty-second a Sabbath, and the twenty-ninth a Sabbath. The tenth day of this month was the day of atonement; the fifteenth day began the feast of tabernacles, a feast to be kept for the gathering in the fruits of the land". This feast was thus to begin with a Sab Vid. quæ sup. * Ver. 34. * Levit. xxiii, 27. Ver. 89. bath', and after seven days' celebration, it was ended on the eighth day, namely, on the twenty-second day of this month, with another Sabbath. The twenty-ninth day of the seventh month being a Sabbath, the Sabbaths in the eighth month will fall thus: the sixth day will be a Sabbath, the thirteenth a Sabbath, the twentieth a Sabbath, and the twenty-seventh a Sabbath. In the ninth month, the fourth day will be a Sabbath, the eleventh a Sabbath, the eighteenth a Sabbath, and the twenty-fifth a Sabbath. In the tenth month, the second day will be a Sabbath, the ninth a Sabbath, the sixteenth a Sabbath, the twenty-third a Sabbath, and the thirtieth a Sabbath. In the eleventh month, the seventh day will be a Sabbath, the fourteenth a Sabbath, the twenty-first a Sabbath, and the twentyeighth a Sabbath. In the twelfth month, the fifth day will be a Sabbath, the twelfth a Sabbath, the nineteenth a Sabbath, and the twenty-sixth a Sabbath, and the thirtieth day of this month would be the fourth day of the week. But here it must be remembered, that the first day of the ensuing 1 Levit. xxiii, 39. * Ibid. year, the first of the month Abib, must fall upon a Sabbath'; so that here, as at the end of the sixth month, two days must be added to make the week and the year end together; that the first day of Abib may be regularly a Sabbath, after a due interval of six days between the last foregoing Sabbath and the day of it. In this manner Moses's appointments appear to carry the Israelites through the year in fifty-two complete weeks, amounting to three hundred and sixty-four days, and this would be a great approximation to the true and real solar year, in comparison of what all other nations at this time fell short of it. But still it must be remarked, that even a year thus settled would not fully answer; for the true length of the year being, as I have said, three hundred and sixty-five days and almost six hours; Moses's year, if thus constituted, would still fall short one day and almost six hours in every solar revolution, and this would have amounted to almost fifty days in the forty years, which he was with the Israelites, and therefore, had the Israelites began and continued computing their year in this manner, they would have ! Vid. quæ sup. found at their entering into Canaan on the tenth day of their month Abib, that they were come thither, not just at the time of harvest, as they might have expected, nor when Jordan overflowed its banks, as it did annually; but rather they would have been there almost fifty days before the season, so that we must endeavour to look for some farther direction in Moses's appointments, or we shall be yet at a loss to say how the Israelites could keep their year from varying away from the seasons. But I would observe, that there are several hints, in the injunctions of Moses, which may lead us through this difficulty. The feasts of the LORD were to be proclaimed in their seasons"; and it is remarkable, that the season for the wave sheaf offering is directed in some measure by the time of harvest, When ye be come into the land, which I give unto you, and shall reap the harvest thereof, then shall ye bring a sheaf" —Thus again: seven weeks shalt thou number unto thee; begin to number the seven weeks from such time as thou be to the corn. ginnest to put the sickle m Levit. xxiii, 4. • Deut. xvi, 9. n Ver. IC. The numbering these weeks was to begin from the day of bringing the sheaf of the wave-offering, therefore the wave sheafoffering and the Pentecost at the end of the weeks appear evidently to have been regulated by the corn season; which was sure to return annually after the revolution of a true year, however the computed year might vary from, or not come up to it. And the only question which can now remain is, whether the Israelites were to keep all their other feasts on their set days, exactly at the return of the computed year; or whether their other feasts were regulated along with these of the wheat sheaf and Pentecost, so as to have their computed year corrected and amended as often as the return of harvest showed there was reason for it. Now this last intimation appears plainly to me to have been the fact; for I observe, that the fifteenth day of the seventh month is supposed never to fall before they had gathered in the fruits of their land: because on that day they were always to keep a feast for the ending all their harvest". But if the computed year had gone on without correction, the fifteenth day of the seventh month, P Levit. xxiii, 15. a Ver. 39. |