Exodus 23:22-24
The Voice
The Hebrews follow a lunar calendar that has 11 fewer days than the solar calendar. Since it has only 354 days in the year, an extra month (a “leap” month) is added periodically to bring the dates into alignment with the seasons. Within this annual cycle, God sets aside several great feasts for the people to celebrate. The people are to honor their God by having days of pure rejoicing as they recall their rescue from Egypt and God’s ongoing provision. In keeping with the needs of an agricultural people, these feasts are situated around the harvests: first, the collection of the winter grains; second, the harvest of the other grains 50 days later; third, the gathering of the main crops of the field.
Month | Length | Date of Celebration | Modern Months |
---|---|---|---|
Nisan | 30 | 14 Passover | March/April |
15-21 Unleavened Bread | |||
16 Firstfruits | |||
Iyyar | 29 | April/May | |
Sivan | 30 | 6 Pentecost (Weeks) | May/June |
Tammuz | 29 | June/July | |
Ab | 30 | July/August | |
Elul | 29 | August/September | |
Tishri | 30 | 1-2 Rosh Hashanah (New Year) | September/October |
10 Day of Atonement | |||
15 Ingathering (7 days) | |||
Heshvan | 29 or 30 | October/November | |
Chislev | 29 or 30 | 25 (8 days) Hanukkah | November/December |
Tebeth | 29 | December/January | |
Shebat | 30 | January/February | |
Adar | 29 or 30 | 14-15 Purim | February/March |
Veadar* | 29 | February/March |
* (added 7 of every 19 years)
22 If you are obedient to his voice and follow all of My instructions, then I will be an enemy to all of those who are against you, and I will oppose all those who oppose you. 23 When My messenger moves ahead of you and leads you to the land of the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Canaanites, Hivites, and Jebusites—I will annihilate them. 24 Do not bow down to their gods, worship, or serve them in any way. Do not engage in any of their wicked practices. Instead, you must destroy every idol you find and shatter their sacred pillars into tiny pieces.
The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.