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The Hebrew Word for unto/until in Leviticus 23:16
is “ad”
Some people try to argue the Hebrew word unto/until/ “ad”, supports
counting 50 days from the wave sheaf instead of 50 days AFTER the seventh Sabbath, Leviticus 23:16.
When you understand
that there are TWO wheat harvests, one in the spring, about two weeks after Barley harvest and one in the
summer about 50 days after the one in the spring, it will better help you with the word "until" which brings
us to the question,
Which Wheat Harvest Is The Scriptural Pentecost Wheat???
Seeing as there are two types of wheat harvest and Pentecost is the firstfruits of wheat harvest, it is the duty of
the serious truth seekers to find out which of these TWO wheat harvest was originally used for Pentecost. One of these
wheat harvests takes place in the spring around the second and third month and the other wheat harvest takes place in the
summer around the fourth and fifth month.
Leviticus 23:16 has been a major topic for those opposing the fourth
month summer wheat harvest in favor of the winter wheat harvest which is sown in the fall and reaped in the springtime, about
two weeks after Barley harvest. They Focus on the Hebrew word UNTIL and think that is support their
position even though the only conclusive wheat harvest found in Scripture is in the summer, NOT spring. See chapter on summer
wheat harvest.
Leviticus 23:15-16 says you shall COUNT unto you from the morrow after
the Sabbath from the day that you brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven Sabbaths shall be complete: Even unto/until
the morrow AFTER the seventh Sabbath SHALL YOU NUMBER 50 days; AND YE SHALL OFFER a new meat offering unto
YHWH. Nitice it is AFTER the seventh Sabbath that you number the 50 days.
If we were
to number 50 days AFTER the seventh Sabbath complete, it would obviously bring us to a new meat offering of the summer wheat
harvest, which is 50 days beyond the spring wheat harvest. But if we numbered ONE day after the seventh Sabbath complete
it would obviously bring us to the spring wheat harvest. This is an absolute. The question is, how did ancient
Israel number, one day, or 50 days after the seventh Sabbath complete, i.e. which wheat harvest is the scripture referring
to???
If we sit Leviticus 23:16 to the side for a minute and go on to other scriptures to see how the
Ancient Israelites interpreted this verse, it should end the Pentecost debate forever. Scripture will interpret Scripture
and the evidence is conclusive that they understood that they were to count 50 days AFTER the seventh Sabbath complete, and
the first fruit would be from the summer wheat harvest. Let's examine some eyewitnesses found in Scripture.
Aaron, YHWH’S High Priest, and the children of Israel were eyewitnesses as to how Leviticus 23:16 should be interpreted
and they obviously counted 50 days AFTER the seventh Sabbath complete because when Aaron declared the feast/Chag to YHWH,
it was in the fourth month at the time of the summer wheat harvest, NOT the winter wheat that is harvested in the spring.
This is found in Exodus 32:5 when Aaron said tomorrow is a chag/feast to YHWH and it was at the end of Moses’ 40 days
and 40 nights in the mount. And on top of that, it was the exact same day that the law that YHWH had written with his
own finger, was given to Moses. Pentecost commemorates the giving of the law and it was not given, signed sealed and
delivered until the end of the 40 days and 40 nights. See Exodus 31:18 and Deuteronomy 9:11, for proof.
The Prophet
Joel when referring to the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost/firstfruits, says that the floors would be
full of wheat and the wine presses full of wine and this was fulfilled in the book of Acts where they were being accused of
being drunk on the new wine. This had to be the summer wheat Pentecost because there is no new wine in the third month.
See chapter on Joel.
Fenton must have understood this in his translation.
My Bullinger lexicon
says until, as long as, marking the continuance of an action up to the time of another action. We have an action of
COUNTING seven Sabbath even unto the morrow after the seventh Sabbath and then we have another action of NUMBERING 50 days.
The first action is to count the Sabbath and the next action is to number 50 days.
The second thing
they were to do was to number 50 days.
The third thing they were to do was to bring a new meat offering.
They were not instructed to count seven Sabbaths complete and then bring a new meat offering. They were
instructed to count seven Sabbaths complete up “unto” the day after the seventh Sabbath, and then they were instructed
to number 50 days but not until after they counted seven Sabbaths first. They were instructed to bring a new meat offering
but not until after they numbered 50 days which numbering began after the seventh Sabbath complete.
If the 50 day count were to begin from the wave sheaf, it would read, “even unto the morrow “after” the
seventh Sabbath “shall ye bring a new meat offering”. But He does not say shall ye bring a new meat offering
“after” the seventh Sabbath, it say's shall ye number 50 days.
Every count must have a beginning
and ending point, and I think we all agree that the beginning point for the seven Sabbaths complete begins on the morrow after
the Sabbath when the priest waves the wave sheaf. The question is, where does this count end and the next count begin?
As I have shown above, there are two count mentioned in Leviticus 23 and they were not to offer the new meat offering until
“both” counts were completed. If we count seven Sabbaths complete and ”then” bring a new meat
offering, we are partial in the Law, but if we count seven Sabbaths complete up unto the morrow after the seventh Sabbath
and then number 50 days instead of one day and then bring the new meat offering, we have fulfilled the Law.
Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye be come into the land which I give unto you, and shall reap
the harvest thereof, then ye shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest unto the priest: 11And he shall wave the
sheaf before YHWH, to be accepted for you: on the morrow after the Sabbath the priest shall wave it.
15And
ye shall count unto you from the morrow ”after” the Sabbath, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave
offering; seven Sabbaths shall be complete: 16Even unto the morrow ”after” the seventh Sabbath shall ye number
fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meat offering unto YHWH.
The first count goes up “even”
unto/until the morrow after the seventh Sabbath and “ends”, the next count begins and goes for 50 days and the
text is understood as saying, “the morrow after the seventh Sabbath shall ye number 50 days,” one reason it is
to be understood this way is because the morrow after the seventh Sabbath is “not” included in the first count
of the seven Sabbaths, the seven Sabbaths goes up until the morrow after and no further and “then” ye number 50
days, counting the morrow, and then you bring the new meet offering and not before. i.e. the first count goes even up to the
morrow after the seventh Sabbath then stops and then you NUMBER 50 days and bring a new meet offering after you number the
50th day.
The question is, when do we bring the new meat offering? Is it after we number 50 days? The answer is
yes! But when do we began to number the 50 days? Do we number the 50 days from the morrow after the 15th Sabbath/16th?
Or do we number the 50 days from the morrow AFTER the seventh Sabbath complete? Is it one day after the seventh Sabbath complete
or is it after numbering 50 days after the seventh Sabbath complete? The Scripture says, “Even unto the morrow
after the seventh Sabbath complete shall you number 50 days; and ye shall offer a new meat offering unto the Almighty.”
Leviticus 23:16. How much plainer can it get? Most people don't understand the Hebrew or English grammar.
The children of Israel obviously understood it like it says, number 50 days AFTER the seventh Sabbath complete because they
celebrated it exactly 50 days after the seventh lunar Sabbath according to Exodus 32:5. They were to celebrate the feast
unto the one that brought them out of Egypt but they celebrated it unto a golden calf, saying it was the one that brought
them out of Egypt. Exodus 32:4.
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Another Honest Look
at Leviticus 23 concerning the Count to Pentecost
This chapter will conclusively prove from Scripture
and Scripture along that there are TWO counts to Pentecost; one count is of seven Sabbaths and another count of 50 days, two
separate counts.
Before we look to see what the instructions in Leviticus 23 is saying, let's see what it
is not saying.
It does not say that we are to count seven Sabbaths complete “and then”
bring a new meat offering, as the traditional Pentecosters try to make it say. You have to count seven Sabbaths complete
“first” and “then” number either one or 50 days and the following will tell which.
Once again it does not say “even unto the morrow “after” the seventh Sabbath “shall ye” bring
a new meat offering,” but He did say “even unto the morrow “after” the seventh Sabbath “shall
ye number 50” days and bring a new meat offering. Leviticus 23:16 i.e. after the seventh Sabbath complete shall
ye number 50 days, but not before and then bring the new meat offering but not unto you number the 50 days after the seventh
Sabbath complete.
The morrow after the seventh Sabbath is not even a part of the first count because it
says even “unto/until” the morrow after the seventh Sabbath complete.
The first count
of the Sabbaths ends after the seventh Sabbath is complete, on the morrow after the seventh Sabbath and this alone should
prove that they are two separate counts, one brings you to the end of the seventh Sabbath and the 2nd count which “begins”
on the morrow after the seven Sabbaths and brings you to the end of 50 days.
The day following the seventh
Sabbath is not a part of the first count, the first count of the seven Sabbaths ends there, and this cannot be argued against
because of the Hebrew words.
The first count consists of seven Sabbaths complete which goes up to
the end of the seventh Sabbath which is also the morrow after the seventh Sabbath and then the first count ends and another
count begins whether it is a count of one day as some suppose or 50 days as it says, “count 50 days” and bring
the new meat offering, not one day. This will give the Pentecost wheat time to be ripe, but not in 50 days after the
wave sheaf.
There are three things mentioned in the instructions concerning Pentecost,
Number
one, ye shall count seven Sabbaths,
Number two, ye shall count 50 days,
Number three and ye shall bring a new meat offering.
As I have said, you do not count seven Sabbaths complete
and then bring a new meat offering, but instead you count seven Sabbaths complete up unto the end of the seventh Sabbath and
then number 50 days and “then” bring a new meat offering. The end of seven Sabbaths brings you to the starting
point of the second count which consists of 50 days, the first count consisted of seven Sabbaths and then ended, the second
count consists of 50 days and then it ends and that is when you bring the new meat offering and it will be the same day that
Aaron said was a chag in Exodus 32:6 and it will be the same day the law was given to Moses.
The first thing
they were to do is count seven Sabbaths complete.
The second thing they were to do was to number 50
days.
The third thing they were to do was to bring a new meat offering.
They were not instructed
to count seven Sabbaths complete and then bring a new meat offering, no no no but this is what the traditional Pentecost keepers
do, they Count seven sabbaths and then bring the new meat offering instead of numbering 50 days. They were instructed
to count seven Sabbaths complete up “unto” the day after the seventh Sabbath, and then they were instructed to
number 50 days but not until after they counted seven Sabbaths first. They were instructed to bring a new meat offering
but not until after they numbered 50 days which numbering began after the seventh Sabbath complete.
If the 50 day count were to begin from the wave sheaf, it would read, “even unto the morrow “after” the
seventh Sabbath “shall ye” bring a new m eat offering”. But He does not say shall ye bring a new meat
offering “after” the seventh Sabbath, it say's shall ye number 50 days.
Every count must have
a beginning and ending point, and I think we all agree that the beginning point for the seven Sabbaths complete begins on
the morrow after the Sabbath when the priest waves the wave sheaf. The question is, where does this count end and the
next count begin? As I have shown above, there are two count mentioned in Leviticus 23 and they were not to offer the new
meat offering until “both” counts were completed. If we count seven Sabbaths complete and ”then”
bring a new meat offering, we are partial in the Law, but if we count seven Sabbaths complete up unto the morrow after the
seventh Sabbath and then number 50 days instead of one day and then bring the new meat offering, we have fulfilled the Law.
Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye be come into the land which I give unto you, and
shall reap the harvest thereof, then ye shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest unto the priest: 11And
he shall wave the sheaf before the LORD, to be accepted for you: on the morrow after the Sabbath the priest shall wave it.
…… 15And ye shall count unto you from the morrow ”after” the Sabbath, from the day that ye brought
the sheaf of the wave offering; seven Sabbaths shall be complete: 16Even unto the morrow ”after” the seventh
Sabbath shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meat offering unto the YHWH.
The
FIRST count goes up “even” unto/until the morrow after the seventh Sabbath and “ends”, the SECOND
count begins and goes through 50 days and the text is understood as saying, “the morrow after the seventh Sabbath shall
ye number 50 days,” one reason it is to be understood this way is because the morrow after the seventh Sabbath is “not”
included in the first count of the seven Sabbaths, seven Sabbaths is not 50 days, the seven Sabbaths goes up until the morrow
after and no further and “then” ye number 50 days and then you bring the new meet offering and not before. i.e.
the first count goes even up to the morrow after the seventh Sabbaths complete then stops and then you count 50 days and bring
a new meet offering. The seventh Sabbath complete end at the BEGINNING of the morrow or it is not a complete Sabbath.
It is important to remember that the morrow after the seventh Sabbath is not included in the first count of the Sabbaths or
the seven Sabbaths would be inexact as the Hebrew scholar Rashi says in his commentary on this verse.
I
had an e-mail discussion with another lunar Sabbatarian who believes in lunar Sabbaths but not the 50 days after the seventh
Sabbath Pentecost. Another Brother, Abraham, wrote the following.
Brother David,
You can
check Koehler and Baumgartner yourself. AD can be a conjunction.
Are Koehler and Baumgartner not scholars?
On that point, what are your credentials as a scholar? Do you have a degree?
Abraham
The
e-mail also says,
4. The Hebrew word AD can have meanings that support a 50 day count after seven weeks. I use the Koehler
and Baumgartner lexicon. The following expressions in all capital letters come from their lexicon.
LATER
IN THE FUTURE, count fifty days (AD has a future tense.)
AND then count fifty days (AD can be a conjunction.)
JUST
BEFORE counting fifty days, count seven weeks”
It seems the above scholars along with Bullinger, whom
I will quote shortly, understood that Leviticus 23:16 could be understood as the children of Israel understood it in Exodus
32:5.
Not only these scholars but The Ferrar Fenton Bible actually Says,
“You
shall also count for yourselves from the day after the Sabbath that you bring the wave sheaf, seven Sabbaths. They must
be complete. THEN AFTER the seventh Sabbath, you shall count fifty days, when you shall present a new offering to the
EVERY LIVING” Leviticus 23:15-16
Mr. Fenton is a scholar who makes it very clear that the 50 days are
numbered AFTER the seventh Sabbath and that is exactly how the children of Israel understood it according to Exodus 32:5.
My Bullinger Lexicon says, “until, as long as, marking the continuance of an ACTION up to the time of
ANOTHER “action”. Here, followed by the Gen ., until, unto, marking the terminus ad quem, and spoken both
of time and place.”
This is how I understood the words before I even seen the definition. You
have an ACTION of COUNTING seven Sabbaths, even UNTO the morrow AFTER the seventh Sabbath and then ye have ANOTHER action
to NUMBER 50 days; and then ye shall bring a new meat offering unto the Almighty. If there was only ONE action of numbering
from the wave sheaf, I believe the Scripture would read to number 50 days from the wave sheaf instead of 50 days from the
morrow after the seventh Sabbath but the first action is to COUNT seven Sabbaths and the second action is to NUMBER 50 days.
Even if the morrow after the seventh Sabbath was included in the first count for the seven Sabbaths, which would make the
seven Sabbaths inexact, it still teaches to number 50 days AFTER the seventh Sabbath because of the Hebrew word shall is ALWAYS
future tense. See Chapter on “shall”.
Adding to the above, the word “shall”
is ALWAYS future tense and this goes along with the above. Shall ye number 50 days, in Leviticus 23:16, is future tense
and besides that, even unto the morrow after the seventh Sabbath complete is 49 days NOT 50, because if the word means up
until a certain point but not including that point, it would bring you to the beginning of the morrow after the seventh Sabbath
was complete which would not be 50 days. If the word meant up until a certain point and including that point, it would
make the seventh Sabbath's inexact as the noted Hebrew scholar Rashi says in his commentary on this verse. I say the
verse could be understood to count seven Sabbaths up until the morrow after the seventh Sabbath, and then INCLUDING the morrow
after the seventh Sabbath shall you number 50 days and then bring a new meat offering. Either way you want to look at
it, the children of Israel understood it to be 50 days after the seventh Sabbath.
Remember there is
a difference between “counting” and “numbering”. Even though Strong's concordance uses the same
number for both words, they are TWO different words in the Hebrew interlinear. There is also a difference between weeks and
days. You can count seven cars and then count to 50 and then cross the street. You can count seven Sabbaths and then
number 50 days and then bring the new meat offering to the Almighty. You do not count seven Sabbaths and then number
ONE day, but you count seven Sabbaths and then number 50 days not one day. See Chapter on numbering and counting.
The above scholars and translations are in Harmony with the Chag that Aaron and the children of Israel proclaimed
in Exodus 32:5 which was 50 days after the seventh lunar Sabbath, Leviticus 23:16 and this brings you to the summer wheat
harvest.
These translations are also in harmony with the new wine that was present on the day of Pentecost in the second
chapter of the book of Acts and as the prophet Joel prophesied in the second chapter of Joel etc. there are no ripe grapes
in the third month and neither is there Chag mentioned in the third month of the traditional third month Pentecost.
These
scholars and these translations are also in harmony with the Pentecost summer wheat harvest in the FOURTH MONTH, mentioned
by our Saviour in the book of John.
These scholars and translations are also in harmony with the many other
things that I have mentioned in the discussion of Pentecost.
After all is said and done it really doesn't matter how
the scholars understood the Hebrew word in Leviticus 23:16 but what does matter is how the children of Israel understood it
according to Exodus 32:5 and is confirmed in nature it's self.
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