Leviticus 23:15-16
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The instruction to "count seven full weeks" isn't just about marking time; it emphasizes the completion of each week. This means the celebration of Pentecost wasn't just the 50th day, but the culmination of seven distinct, completed periods of seven days, directly building from the offering of the firstfruits.
“You shall count seven full weeks from the day after the Sabbath, from the day that you brought the sheaf of the wave offering. You shall count fifty days to the day after the seventh Sabbath. Then you shall present a grain offering of new grain to the LORD.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This passage is part of God's instructions for Israel's major festivals, which occur after detailing the Passover and Feast of Unleavened Bread. The counting described here leads directly to the Feast of Weeks (later known as Pentecost), a celebration of the wheat harvest's firstfruits, which culminates in the offering of leavened loaves. This instruction immediately precedes the description of that culminating offering and the other sacrifices associated with it.
Ever felt like you missed the starting gun? This verse is all about timing, and where you begin your count matters immensely.
The instruction to count 'from the day after the Sabbath' is crucial. It sets the anchor point for a significant period leading up to the Feast of Weeks (Pentecost).
Forty-nine days. That's a long time to wait between the first sign of harvest and the full celebration. What happens in that season of counting?
The phrase 'seven sabbaths shall be complete' is more than just a time marker; it signifies a distinct period of anticipation and preparation.
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Understand the original words
shabbat · Hebrew Noun
A rest day ordained by God, beginning at creation and formalized in the Ten Commandments, signifying covenantal relationship and rest.
minchah · Hebrew Noun
A non-animal offering presented to God, typically consisting of flour, oil, or grain, symbolizing the recognition that all provisions come from Him.
YHWH · Hebrew Proper Noun
The covenant name for God, emphasizing His self-existence, faithfulness, and personal relationship with His people.
This passage introduces the Feast of Weeks (Pentecost) as a harvest festival, directly linking it to the harvest offerings mentioned in Leviticus 23:15.
Exodus 34:22This verse speaks of the 'Feast of Weeks' and the 'firstfruits of the wheat harvest,' reinforcing the connection between the counting of days and the celebration of the harvest.
Deuteronomy 16:9-10This passage provides a parallel command to count seven weeks from when the sickle is first put to the standing crop, directly paralleling the instruction in Leviticus.
Acts 2:1This New Testament passage describes the day of Pentecost arriving with the disciples gathered, showing the fulfillment of this Old Testament feast when the Holy Spirit was poured out.
1 Corinthians 15:20Paul alludes to Christ as the 'firstfruits of them that are asleep,' drawing a spiritual parallel to the literal harvest firstfruits commanded in Leviticus and celebrated at Pentecost.
gillLeviticus 23:15: "And 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:"
And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the sabbath,.... Not the seventh day sabbath in the passover week, nor the whole feast of unleavened bread, but the first day of it, which was an holy convocation, a sabbath in which no servile work was to be done, Leviticus 23:7 ; and it was from the day after this, even…
calvinLeviticus 23:1-44: "And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,"
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:
Alloquere filios Israel, et dic eis, Quum ingressi fueritis terrain quam ego do vobis, et messueritis messem ejus, tunc offeretis omnes primitias messis vestrae ad sacerdotem.
And he shall wave the shea…
The instruction to "count seven full weeks" isn't just about marking time; it emphasizes the completion of each week. This means the celebration of Pentecost wasn't just the 50th day, but the culmination of seven distinct, completed periods of seven days, directly building from the offering of the firstfruits.
This passage is part of God's instructions for Israel's major festivals, which occur after detailing the Passover and Feast of Unleavened Bread. The counting described here leads directly to the Feast of Weeks (later known as Pentecost), a celebration of the wheat harvest's firstfruits, which culminates in the offering of leavened loaves. This instruction immediately precedes the description of that culminating offering and the other sacrifices associated with it.
This passage is part of God's instructions for Israel's major festivals, which occur after detailing the Passover and Feast of Unleavened Bread. The counting described here leads directly to the Feast of Weeks (later known as Pentecost), a celebration of the wheat harvest's firstfruits, which culminates in the offering of leavened loaves. This instruction immediately precedes the description of that culminating offering and the other sacrifices associated with it.
"“You shall count seven full weeks from the day after the Sabbath, from the day that you brought the sheaf of the wave offering. You shall count fifty days to the day after the seventh Sabbath. Then you shall present a grain offering of new…" — The instruction to "count seven full weeks" isn't just about marking time; it emphasizes the completion of each week. This means the celebration of Pentecost wasn't just the 50th day, but the culmi…
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Last reviewed October 2026
