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Tyndale Open Bible Dictionary

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PENTECOST

Word derived from the Greek word pentekoste (“fiftieth”), which stood for the festival celebrated on the 50th day after Passover. In the OT this festival, called Shavu‘oth (Weeks) in Judaism, is referred to as the Feast of Weeks (Ex 34:22 (RV · LV · Read together); Dt 16:10 (RV · LV · Read together)) because it occurs seven weeks after Passover. Other names include the Feast of Harvest (Ex 23:16 (RV · LV · Read together)), because of its relationship with harvest season, and the Day of Firstfruits (Nm 28:26 (RV · LV · Read together)), because two loaves of newly ground grain were presented before the Lord. (This latter name should be distinguished from the offering of firstfruits at the beginning of the harvest season, as mentioned in Lv 23:9-14 (RV · LV · Read together).)

EXO 34:22: RV EXO 34:22 · LV EXO 34:22 · Read together EXO 34:22

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OET-RV EXO 34:22

22 In the spring when you begin to harvest the first wheat crop, you must have a Celebration of Weeks, and at the end of the year in the autumn, have a Finished Harvest Celebration.

OET-LV EXO 34:22

22 And_a_festival_of weeks you_will_observe to/for_yourself(m) the_first-fruits_of the_harvest_of wheat(s) and_the_festival_of the_ingathering the_circuit_of the_year.

DEU 16:10: RV DEU 16:10 · LV DEU 16:10 · Read together DEU 16:10

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OET-RV DEU 16:10

10 Then celebrate the ‘Festival of Weeks’ to honour your god Yahweh by contributing a freewill offering acknowledging however much he has blessed you.

OET-LV DEU 16:10

10 And_you_will_observe a_festival_of weeks to/for_YHWH god_of_your a_sufficiency_of a_freewill_offering_of your_hand_of_your which you_will_give just_as he_will_bless_you YHWH god_of_your.

EXO 23:16: RV EXO 23:16 · LV EXO 23:16 · Read together EXO 23:16

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OET-RV EXO 23:16

16 2/ You must observe the Spring Harvest Celebration, bringing the first portion of your harvests from what you planted.
 ¶ 3/ You must observe the Finished Harvest Celebration at the end of the year, after you’ve finished harvesting everything you planted.

OET-LV EXO 23:16

16 And_the_festival_of the_harvest the_first-fruits_of your(pl)_work(s)_of_your which you_will_sow in_the_field and_the_festival_of the_ingathering when_ the_year _goes_out when_you_have_gathered DOM work(s)_of_your from the_field.

NUM 28:26: RV NUM 28:26 · LV NUM 28:26 · Read together NUM 28:26

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OET-RV NUM 28:26

26 “On the firstfruits day of the harvest festival, when you all present an offering of fresh grain to Yahweh, there’s to be a sacred assembly. No regular work may be done that day.

OET-LV NUM 28:26

26 And_on_the_day_of the_first-fruits when_you_bring_near a_grain_offering new to/for_YHWH at_weeks_of_your(pl) a_convocation_of holiness it_will_be to/for_you(pl) any_of work_of servitude not you(pl)_will_do.

LEV 23:9–14: RV LEV 23:9–14 · LV LEV 23:9–14 · Read together LEV 23:9–14

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OET-RV LEV 23:9

9 Then Yahweh told Mosheh (Moses):

OET-RV LEV 23:10

10 Tell the Israelis that when you enter the land that I’m giving you all, and you harvest your grain crops, then you all must bring a sheaf of the first part of your harvest to a priest,

OET-RV LEV 23:11

11 and he will wave the sheaf in front of Yahweh to be accepted for you. That must be done the day after the rest day.

OET-RV LEV 23:12

12 That same day, you all must offer a year-old lamb with no defects to Yahweh as a burnt offering,

OET-RV LEV 23:13

13 and the associated grain offering will be two kilograms of fine wheat flour mixed with olive oil. That will be a gift to Yahweh with a pleasing aroma, and the associated drink offering will be a litre of wine.

OET-RV LEV 23:14

14 You all may not eat any bread, or roasted or fresh grain, on that day, until after you’ve taken the offering to your god. That is a rule that will continue throughout your generations no matter where you live.

OET-LV LEV 23:9

9 And_ YHWH _he/it_spoke to Mosheh to_saying.

OET-LV LEV 23:10

10 Speak to the_people_of Yisrāʼēl/(Israel) and_you_will_say to_them if/because you(pl)_will_go into the_earth/land which I am_about_to_give to/for_you(pl) and_you(pl)_will_harvest DOM harvest_of_its and_you(pl)_will_bring DOM (the)_sheaf_of (the)_first_fruit_of your_harvest_of_your(pl) to the_priest/officer.

OET-LV LEV 23:11

11 And_he_will_wave DOM the_sheaf to_(the)_face_of/in_front_of/before YHWH for_acceptance_of_your(pl) from_the_next_day_of the_sabbath he_will_wave_it the_priest/officer.

OET-LV LEV 23:12

12 And_you(pl)_will_offer in/on_day wave_you(pl) DOM the_sheaf a_male_lamb unblemished a_son_of its_year_of_his to_a_burnt_offering to/for_YHWH.

OET-LV LEV 23:13

13 And_its_grain_of_offering will_be_two_of tenths fine_flour mixed with_oil a_fire_offering to/for_YHWH an_odour_of soothing and_its_drink_of_offering will_be_wine (the)_fourth_of (the)_hin.

OET-LV LEV 23:14

14 And_bread and_roasted_grain and_new_corn not you(pl)_will_eat until the_substance_of the_day the_this until bring_you(pl) DOM the_present_of your(pl)_god_of_your(pl) a_regulation_of perpetuity to_generations_of_your(pl) in_all_of places_of_your(pl)_dwelling.

The Feast of Weeks was one of three OT pilgrimage festivals when individuals were to appear before the Lord with gifts and offerings (Ex 23:14-17 (RV · LV · Read together)). The festival was primarily a harvest festival and celebrated the end of the barley harvest and the beginning of the wheat harvest. Traditionally, grain harvest extended from Passover, when the first grain was cut (Dt 16:9 (RV · LV · Read together)) around mid-April, to Pentecost, which marked its conclusion in mid-June. Josephus’s statement that Pentecost was called “closing” illustrates this understanding (Antiquities 3.10.6).

EXO 23:14–17: RV EXO 23:14–17 · LV EXO 23:14–17 · Read together EXO 23:14–17

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OET-RV EXO 23:14

14 You must celebrate me three times every year.

OET-RV EXO 23:15

15 1/ You must observe the Flat Bread Celebration. You must eat unleavened bread for seven days as I commanded you, in late March or early April because that’s when you came out from Mitsrayim (Egypt). You mustn’t come without an offering.

OET-RV EXO 23:16

16 2/ You must observe the Spring Harvest Celebration, bringing the first portion of your harvests from what you planted.
 ¶ 3/ You must observe the Finished Harvest Celebration at the end of the year, after you’ve finished harvesting everything you planted.

OET-RV EXO 23:17

17 ⇔So all your males must gather in front of the master Yahweh three times each year.

OET-LV EXO 23:14

14 Three feet you_will_celebrate_a_festival to_me in_year.

OET-LV EXO 23:15

15 DOM the_festival_of the_unleavened_bread(s) you_will_keep seven_of days you_will_eat unleavened_bread(s) just_as I_commanded_you to_the_appointed_time the_month_of (the)_ʼĀⱱīⱱ if/because in_him/it you_came_out from_Miʦrayim and_not they_will_present_themselves presence_of_my empty.

OET-LV EXO 23:16

16 And_the_festival_of the_harvest the_first-fruits_of your(pl)_work(s)_of_your which you_will_sow in_the_field and_the_festival_of the_ingathering when_ the_year _goes_out when_you_have_gathered DOM work(s)_of_your from the_field.

OET-LV EXO 23:17

17 Three times in_year every_of male_of_your he_will_present_himself to the_presence_of the_master YHWH.

DEU 16:9: RV DEU 16:9 · LV DEU 16:9 · Read together DEU 16:9

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OET-RV DEU 16:9

9 You must count off seven weeks starting from when the very first harvesting of grain begins.

OET-LV DEU 16:9

9 Seven weeks you_will_count to/for_you(fs) from_ a_sickle _when_begins in_grain you_will_begin to_count seven weeks.

Each year the priest waved a sheaf of newly harvested grain before the Lord on the day after the Sabbath during the Festival of Unleavened Bread (the period of seven days following Passover). The people then counted 50 days from the offering of that first sheaf of grain until the day after the seventh Sabbath to observe the Feast of Weeks (Lv 23:11 (RV · LV · Read together)). On this day two loaves, made of two-tenths of an ephah of flour and baked with yeast, were waved before the Lord (v 17 (RV · LV · Read together)) and freewill offerings were encouraged (Dt 16:10 (RV · LV · Read together)). This harvest festival was a time of great rejoicing and a holy assembly when no work was to be done (Lv 23:21 (RV · LV · Read together); Dt 16:11 (RV · LV · Read together)). Observance of the Feast of Weeks during Solomon’s time (2 Chr 8:13 (RV · LV · Read together)) is the only OT reference outside of the Pentateuch, for Ezekiel makes no mention of it in his calendar for future festivals (Ez 45–46 (RV EZE 45:1–25 · RV EZE 46:1–24 · LV EZE 45:1–25 · LV EZE 46:1–24 · Read together EZE 45:1–25 · Read together EZE 46:1–24)).

LEV 23:11: RV LEV 23:11 · LV LEV 23:11 · Read together LEV 23:11

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OET-RV LEV 23:11

11 and he will wave the sheaf in front of Yahweh to be accepted for you. That must be done the day after the rest day.

OET-LV LEV 23:11

11 And_he_will_wave DOM the_sheaf to_(the)_face_of/in_front_of/before YHWH for_acceptance_of_your(pl) from_the_next_day_of the_sabbath he_will_wave_it the_priest/officer.

LEV 23:17: RV LEV 23:17 · LV LEV 23:17 · Read together LEV 23:17

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OET-RV LEV 23:17

17 From your homes, each family must bring two loaves of bread baked with a rising agent, as a firstfruits offering to Yahweh.

OET-LV LEV 23:17

17 From_your(pl)_dwelling_of_places you(pl)_will_bring bread_of a_wave-offering two two_of tenths fine_flour they_will_be leaven they_will_be_baked first-fruits to/for_YHWH.

LEV 23:21: RV LEV 23:21 · LV LEV 23:21 · Read together LEV 23:21

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OET-RV LEV 23:21

21 You all must proclaim a sacred assembly that same day—you mustn’t do any regular work. That is a permanent rule that will continue throughout the generations no matter where you live.

OET-LV LEV 23:21

21 And_you(pl)_will_proclaim on_the_substance_of the_day the_this a_convocation_of holiness it_will_be to/for_you(pl) any_of work_of servitude not you(pl)_will_do a_regulation_of perpetuity in_all places_of_your(pl)_dwelling to_generations_of_your(pl).

DEU 16:11: RV DEU 16:11 · LV DEU 16:11 · Read together DEU 16:11

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OET-RV DEU 16:11

11 You should celebrate in Yahweh’s presence, along with your children and your servants, and any Levites living in your town, and the foreigners, orphans, and widows living among you. Take your offerings to the place that your god Yahweh will choose to attach his name to.

OET-LV DEU 16:11

11 And_you_will_rejoice to_(the)_face_of/in_front_of/before YHWH god_of_your you and_son_of_your and_daughter_of_your and_your_male_of_servant and_your_female_of_servant and_the_Lēviyyiy who is_in_gates_of_your and_the_sojourner and_the_fatherless_one and_the_widow who are_in_midst_of_your in_place where YHWH god_of_your he_will_choose to_cause_to_dwell his/its_name there.

CH2 8:13: RV CH2 8:13 · LV CH2 8:13 · Read together CH2 8:13

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OET-RV CH2 8:13

13 He followed Mosheh’s (Moses) instructions about the daily sacrifices for the rest days and the new moons, and for the three appointed occasions each year: the Festival of Flat Bread, the Harvest Festival, and the Celebration Living in Shelters.

OET-LV CH2 8:13

13 And_(in)_a_matter_of a_day in/on_day to_offer_up according_to_the_command_of Mosheh for_sabbaths and_for_moons and_for_times three times in_year at_the_festival_of the_unleavened_bread(s) and_at_the_festival_of (the)_weeks and_at_the_festival_of (the)_booths.

Pentecost is first mentioned in the NT as the occasion for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the disciples of Christ, an event that many theologians understand as marking the beginning of the church (Acts 2:1 (RV · LV · Read together)). Since this was a required festival, Jews gathered from great distances to observe Pentecost in Jerusalem, making it an appropriate time for God’s work. On two occasions Paul takes into consideration the Festival of Pentecost when anticipating his travels. In the first instance he writes to the Corinthians about delaying his visit to them until after Pentecost (1 Cor 16:8 (RV · LV · Read together)), while later he was desirous of traveling to Jerusalem to get there in time for Pentecost (Acts 20:16 (RV · LV · Read together)).

ACT 2:1: RV ACT 2:1 · LV ACT 2:1 · Read together ACT 2:1

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OET-RV ACT 2:1

2 When the Day of Pentecost actually arrived, the believers met together in the same room.

OET-LV ACT 2:1

2 And at the time the day the of_pentecost to_be_being_fulfilled, they_were all together in the same place.

CO1 16:8: RV CO1 16:8 · LV CO1 16:8 · Read together CO1 16:8

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OET-RV CO1 16:8

8 But I’ll stay here at Efesos until the Pentecost celebrations

OET-LV CO1 16:8

8 But I_will_be_remaining_on in Efesos until the pentecost,

ACT 20:16: RV ACT 20:16 · LV ACT 20:16 · Read together ACT 20:16

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OET-RV ACT 20:16

16 Paulos had decided to sail past Efesos because he was hurrying to try to get to Yerushalem (Jerusalem) for the Day of Pentecost so he didn’t want to spend time in Asia Minor.

OET-LV ACT 20:16

16 For/Because the Paulos had_judged to_sail_past the Efesos, so_that may_ not _become to_him to_spend_time in the Asia, because/for he_was_hurrying if possible it_might_be to_him, the day of_ the _pentecost to_become in Hierousalaʸm/(Yərūshālayim).

See also Feasts and Festivals of Israel.

Pentecost Celebrations for Jews and Christians

Jews today celebrate the giving of the law at Sinai on Shavu‘oth, in addition to observing aspects of the Harvest Festival. After the destruction of the temple in AD 70, this association became stronger and is now a central part of the festival. In addition to readings from the Pentateuch, the book of Ruth is read because of its harvest background. Much later in Judaism, this festival came to commemorate the anniversary of David’s death, so the Psalms are also read.

Christians annually celebrate Pentecost on a designated Sunday on the assumption that 50 days from Passover to the Feast of Weeks were counted until the day after the seventh Sabbath (our Sunday) as prescribed by Leviticus 23:15-16 (RV · LV · Read together). While the early church celebrated God’s gift of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost, in time it became a popular occasion for baptisms. The white dress of the candidates gave rise to the name Whitsunday (White Sunday) in Christian tradition.

LEV 23:15–16: RV LEV 23:15–16 · LV LEV 23:15–16 · Read together LEV 23:15–16

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OET-RV LEV 23:15

15 Then count seven rest days from the day after you brought the bundle of grain as a wave offering—seven full weeks.

OET-RV LEV 23:16

16 Then that next day will make fifty days, and then you all must present a new grain offering to Yahweh.

OET-LV LEV 23:15

15 And_you(pl)_will_count to/for_you(pl) from_the_next_day_of the_sabbath from_the_day_of brought_you(pl) DOM the_sheaf_of the_wave-offering seven sabbaths complete they_will_be.

OET-LV LEV 23:16

16 Until from_the_next_day_of the_sabbath (the)_seventh you(pl)_will_count fifty day[s] and_you(pl)_will_present a_grain_offering new to/for_YHWH.