Exodus 23:20-22
The Voice
20 Look! I am going to send a heavenly messenger before you to protect you during your journey and lead you safely to the place I have prepared for you. 21 Pay attention to all he shows you and obey whatever he tells you. Do not cause him any trouble. He will not forgive you if you rebel against him for he carries My name in him.
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.
The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.