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$ 351. ON THE YEAR OF JUBILEE.

445 vision for them. It may be remarked further in reference to this point, that certain trees produced their fruits spontaneously, particularly the fig and sycamore, which yield half the year round, and that those fruits could be preserved for some months; which explains at once, how a considerable number of the people might have obtained no inconsiderable portion of their support. We have already remarked, in a preceding section, that the observance of the Sabbatic year, as far as the cultivation of the soil was concerned, was not always practised.

The return of the year of Jubilee was announced on the tenth day of the seventh month or TISHRI (October,) being the day of propitiation or atonement, by the sound of trumpet, ningiw, 772 3, Lev. 25: 8-13. 27:24. Num. 36: 4. Is. 61: 1, 2. Beside the regulations, which obtained on the Sabbatic year, there were others, which concerned the year of Jubilee exclusively.

I. All the servants of Hebrew origin, on the year of Jubilee, obtained their freedom, Lev. 25: 39-46. comp. Jer. 34: 7, et seq.

II. All the fields throughout the country, and the houses in the cities and villages of the Levites and priests, which had been sold on the preceding years, were returned on the year of Jubilee to the sellers, with the exception of those, which has been consecrated to God, and had not been redeemed before the return of said year, Lev. 25: 10, 13-17, 24-28. 27: 16-21.

III. Debtors, for the most part, pledged or mortgaged their lands to the creditor, and left it to his use, till the time of payment, so that it was in effect sold to the creditor, and was, accordingly, restored to the debtor on the year of Jubilee. In other words, the debts for which land was pledged, were cancelled; the same, as those of persons, who had recovered their freedom, after having been sold into slavery, on account of not being able to pay. Hence it usually happened in the later periods of Jewish history, as we learn from Josephus, that, at the return of Jubilee, there was a general cancelling of debts, Antiquities III. 12, 3.

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352. NEW MOONS AND FEAST OF THE NEW YEAR.

§ 352. NEW MOONS AND FEAST Of the New Year.

In order to exclude any opportunity for the exercise of the superstitions of the Gentiles, who sacrificed to the Moon, it is commanded in Num. 10: 10. and 28: 11-14. that, on the New-moons, (

, in addition to the daily sacrifices, two bullocks should be offered to God, a ram, and seven sheep of a year old, together with a meal-offering, and a libation. These were to constitute the burnt offering, and a goat, the sin-offering.

The return of the New-moons was announced by the sounding of the silver trumpets, Num. 10: 10. 28: 11-—14; and in this way provision was made for keeping up a knowledge of the end and commencement of each month. The kings, it appears, after the introduction of the monarchical form of government, were in the habit of offering up sacrifices at the return of the New-moons, 1 Sam. 20: 5, 24-27. and those persons, whose piety led them to seek for religious instruction, visited, on those occasions, the prophets, 2 K. 4: 23. Labour was not interdicted on the day of the New-moon. As the New-moon, however, of the seventh month or Tishri (October) was the commencement of the civil year, it was observed, as a festival, and was announced by the sound of trumpets. Hence it is called the day of "trumpet blowing,"

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and also "the memorial of blowing of trumpets," Lev. 23: 24. Num. 29: 1-6.

Beside the sacrifices, common to other New-moons, a bullock was then offered, a ram, seven lambs of a year old, a meal-offering of flower and oil, and a libation of wine for the burnt-offering, Num. 29: 2-9.

NOTE. The days of the New-moon were not ascertained by astronomical calculation, as the Rabbins assert, but were the days, on which the New-moon first made its appearance, as is maintained by the Caraites. This is evident from the fact, that Moses did not regulate his chronology on astronomical principles, but by the aspect of the earth, the return of the seasons, &c.

Further; the Talmudists speak of the signs of the appearance of the New-moon, and it is clear, that neither Philo nor Josephus knew any thing of the distinction between the astronomical and

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the apparent new-moon. Still the author of the Book of Kings appears to have made use of the astronomical calculation, who speaks of the 27th day of the twelfth month in Babylon, while Jeremiah, who was in Palestine, calls the same day, the 25th, 2 K. 25: 27. Jer. 52: 31. The modern Jews, in reference to what is stated in 1 Sam. 20: 27, observe the return of the New-moon for two days in succession.

$353. OF THE great Festivals in General.

The Passover, the Pentecost, and the feast of Tabernacles, were festivals, instituted for the purpose of commemorating the wonderful kindness of God. The Pentecost continued only for one day, the Passover seven, and the feast of the Tabernacles eight, but the first and the last only, in both cases, were properly considered festival days, in which no employment, further than was necessary to prepare food, was permitted, Exod. 12: 16. Lev. 23: 7.

At the return of the three great festivals, all the adult Jews made their appearance, either at the tabernacle or temple, with presents, which were taken from the second tythes, the firstlings of the second product of the flocks, and the second first-fruits. They offered sacrifices, feasted; and with songs, music, and dances, rejoiced in God, as a being, wonderful for his mercies.

The word itself, which is usually employed to designate festivals, viz. n, if its original signification be consulted, is an intimation, that dancing was practised on such occasions, Exod. 23: 17. Lev. 23: 38. Num. 29: 39. Deut. 12: 18. 14: 26. 16: 11-17. 26: 11.

$354. CONCERNING THE Passover.

THE FESTIVAL OF THE PASSOVER was instituted, for the purpose of preserving among the Hebrews the memory of their liberation from Egyptian servitude, and of the safety of their first-born on that night, when the first born of the Egyptians perished, Exod. 12: It was celebrated for seven days, viz. from the 15th to the 21st of the month ABIB or NISAN (April,) Exod. 12: 1–28. 23: 15. Lev. 23: 4-8. Num. 28: 16-25. Deut. 16. 1-8.

During the whole of this period, the people ate unleavened

L.

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$354.

bread. It was for this reason, that the festival is sometimes called the feast of unleavened bread, ni an, éoviǹ rŵv ašiμwv, Exod. 12: 18. 13: 6, 7. 23. 15. Lev. 23: 6. Num. 28: 17. If in Deut. 16: 8. only six days of unleavened bread are mentioned, the reason is, that the first day, being considered a separate festival, is not included. On the eve of the 14th day, the leaven was removed, so that nothing might be seen of it during the week, a circumstance, in respect to which the Jews are very scrupulous, even at the present time, 1 Cor. 5: 7.

CONCERNING THE PASSOVER.

Hence not only the 15th, but the 14th also of the month ABIB may with propriety, as it is in some instances, in the Bible, be termed the first day of unleavened bread, since the leaven was removed on the 14th before evening. Josephus has accordingly assigned eight days, Antiq. II. 15, 1. and seven, Antiq. III. 10, 5. IX. 13, 3. to the feast of the Passover, when in reality there were but seven. On the 10th day of the month ABIB, the master of a family separated a ram or a goat of a year old, (Exod. 12, 1-6,) which he slew on the 14th day between the two evenings, 77, before the altar, Deut. 16: 2, 5, 6. The priest sprinkled the blood upon the bottom of the altar; but in Egypt when the event occurred, which was the origin of the Passover, the blood was sprinkled on the post of the door, Exod. 12: 7.

The ram or the kid, which was properly called D, WOOD, nάoxa, or protection, was roasted whole, with two spits thrust through it, the one length-wise, the other transversely, crossing the longitudinal one near the fore legs; so that the animal was, in a manner crucified. The oven, in which it was roasted, is the one described § 140. no. II. Pesachim. c. 3. John 19: 36. comp. $142.

Thus roasted, it was served up with a salad of wild, and bitter herbs, 77, and with the flesh of other sacrifices, which occur in Deut. 16: 2—6. under the word n Not fewer than ten, nor more than twenty persons, were admitted to these sacred feasts, which were at first eaten in Egypt, with loins girt about, with shoes upon the feet, and with all the preparations for an immediate journey; but this was not the case at any subsequent period. The command, however, not to break a bone of the offering, which was given in consequence of the people going in

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such haste (as they might otherwise have been delayed,) was ever afterwards observed among the Jews, John 19: 36.

The ceremonies, practised at the eating of the Paschal supper, appear to have been nearly the same with those, which are practised among the Jews at the present day, and which are related in the Jewish Book, entitled no by. Compare 1 Cor. 11:26. These ceremonies were exemplified in part in the last supper of the Saviour, where mention is made of the blessing on the bread and wine, which is prescribed in the Book just referred to, Matt. 26: 26.

The master of the family, after the Paschal supper is prepared, breaks the bread, having first blessed it, and divides it to all, who are seated round him, so that each one may receive a part, who has liberty, if he chooses, to dip it before eating into a vessel of

sauce.

The third cup of wine, which is drunk on this occasion, is properly termed the cup of benediction, 5, Matt. 26: 27. 1 Cor. 10: 16. After this, songs of praise are sung, viz. Psalms 115-118; after which another cup is drunk, Mark 14: 26, and, if the guests have a disposition to repeat Psalms 120-137, another also. The wine is mingled with water.

On the second day of the Passover, i. e. on the 16th day of the month ABIB, a sheaf of barley was offered up, also a lamb of a year old for a burnt offering, also a meal-offering and a libation.

This ceremony was the introduction, prescribed by Law, to the harvest, Lev. 23: 1--14. On every day of the Paschal week, there were offerings more than usual, and victims were immolated for sin, Num. 28: 16–25.

NOTE. In the Latin Church, the general opinion is, that the Saviour, in his last supper, ate the Passover supper; though some suppose, that he anticipated the usual time by a day, i. e. they suppose, that he followed in this instance, the practice of the Sadducees, who calculated the return of the New-moon astronomically, which would bring this festival a day earlier, than it would otherwise happen; an opinion, which we have already shown to be inadmissible. We would now merely add in reference to this opinion, that all the arrangements of a religious nature, which had any reference to the Temple, were made in

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