Leviticus 23:32

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.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(32) It shall be unto you a sabbath of rest.—Rather, It shall be a sabbath of rest unto you, as the Authorised version renders it in Leviticus 16:31. It is most unaccountable why the translators varied this important formula, when it is exactly the same in the original in both passages. For the import of this phrase see Leviticus 16:31.

And ye shall afflict your souls.—Having set forth in Leviticus 23:30-31, and in the first clause of this verse, the duty of abstaining from all work, and of celebrating this day as a day of solemn rest, the law giver repeats the second feature of the day, which is of equal importance, viz., the fasting, lest some should think that doing the one and leaving the other undone would pass as having kept this law.

In the ninth day of the month at even.—In accordance with the ancient mode of counting the day, the tenth of the month began with the evening of the ninth. (See Leviticus 16:29.)

Celebrate your sabbath.—In Leviticus 25:2, where this phrase occurs again, the Authorised version inconsistently renders it keep . . . sabbath. In both instances, however, the margin has, “Heb., rest.” This alternative rendering of part of the phrase has no meaning. To convey to the English reader an idea of the Hebrew idiom here used, which was the intention of the translators, the whole phrase should have been translated, which is, rest the day of rest, that is, to “keep rest,” to “keep the day of rest.” Just as to “fast a fast” (2Samuel 12:16; Zechariah 7:5) denotes “to keep a fast.” In 2Samuel 12:16 the margin has consistently reproduced the Hebraism by remarking “Heb., fasted a fast.”

Benson Commentary

Leviticus 23:32. From even to even — The day of atonement began at the evening of the ninth day and continued till the evening of the tenth day. Ye shall celebrate your sabbath — This particular sabbath is called your sabbath, possibly to denote the difference between this and other sabbaths; for the weekly sabbath is oft called the sabbath of the Lord. The Jews are supposed to begin every day, and consequently their sabbaths, at the evening, in remembrance of the creation, as Christians generally begin their days and sabbaths with the morning, in memory of Christ’s resurrection.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

23:23-32 the blowing of trumpets represented the preaching of the gospel, by which men are called to repent of sin, and to accept the salvation of Christ, which was signified by the day of atonement. Also it invited to rejoice in God, and become strangers and pilgrims on earth, which was denoted by the feast of Tabernacles, observed in the same month. At the beginning of the year, they were called by this sound of trumpet to shake off spiritual drowsiness, to search and try their ways, and to amend them. The day of atonement was the ninth day after this; thus they were awakened to prepare for that day, by sincere and serious repentance, that it might indeed be to them a day of atonement. The humbling of our souls for sin, and the making our peace with God, is work that requires the whole man, and the closest application of mind. On that day God spake peace to his people, and to his saints; therefore they must lay aside all their wordly business, that they might the more clearly hear that voice of joy and gladness.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Also - Surely. On the special rites of the day, the tenth of Tisri, that is from the evening of the ninth day of the month to that of the tenth Leviticus 23:32, see Leviticus 16.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

27-32. there shall be a day of atonement … and ye shall afflict your souls—an unusual festival, at which the sins of the whole year were expiated. (See Le 16:29-34). It is here only stated that the severest penalty was incurred by the violation of this day.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

This clause seems to be added to answer an objection, how this day of atonement could be both on the tenth day Leviticus 23:27, and on the ninth day here. The answer is, it began at the evening or close of the ninth day, and continued till the evening or close of the tenth day; and so both were true, especially if you consider, that the Jews did take in some part of the sixth day’s evening by way of preparation for the sabbath, and therefore would much more take in a part of the ninth day to prepare and begin the great and solemn work of their yearly atonement. And this clause may be understood either,

1. Of this-particular sabbath, called here

your sabbath, in the singular number, possibly to note the difference between this and other sabbaths; for the weekly sabbath is oft called the sabbath of the Lord, because that was in a special manner appointed for the praising, honouring, and serving of God, and celebrating his glorious works, as also the other sabbaths here mentioned were, whereas this was principally ordained for their need and for their good, even to seek and obtain the pardon of their sins. Or,

2. Of all their sabbaths, and consequently of this. The Jews are supposed to begin every day, and consequently their sabbaths, at the evening, in remembrance of the creation, Genesis 1:5, as Christians generally begin their days and sabbaths with the morning, in memory of Christ’s resurrection.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

It shall be unto you a sabbath of rest,.... See Gill on Leviticus 16:31; and this is thought by some (q) to be the sabbath spoken of in Isaiah 58:13,

and ye shall afflict your souls; in the ninth day of the month at even; the fast was to begin at the close of the ninth day, and to continue to the end of the tenth; so Maimonides (r): he begins to fast and afflict himself at the evening of the ninth next to the tenth; and so at the going out of it he continues in his affliction a little while of the night of the eleventh, next to the tenth, which is confirmed by what follows:

from even unto even shall ye celebrate your sabbath; which some understand of the sabbath in general; but it seems to have a particular respect to the sabbath of the day of atonement, which was to last from the evening of the ninth to the evening of the tenth day.

(q) R. Alphes, par. 1. Yom Hacippurim, c. 1. fol. 357. 2.((r) Ut supra, (Maimon. Hilchot Shebitat Asher) c. 1. sect. 6.

Geneva Study Bible

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 {o} even unto even, shall ye celebrate your sabbath.

(o) Which contains a night and a day: yet they took it as their natural day.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

32. from even unto even] i.e. from sunset to sunset, according to the Jewish mode of reckoning the day.

Leviticus 23:32

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

"Ye shall rest your rest," i.e., observe the rest that is binding upon you from all laborious work.