Leviticus 23:2

Concerning the feasts of the Lord, &c.— These words might be rendered more unexceptionably thus: the solemnities of the Lord, which ye shall proclaim, with holy proclamations, are these my solemnities: i.e. stripped of the Hebrew idiom, these are the holy solemnities of the Lord, to be publicly proclaimed and observed. They were to be proclaimed by the sound of a trumpet. See Numbers 10:8. Solemnities is a more unexceptionable word than feasts, as the day of atonement could not properly be styled a feast. The original word signifies any appointed or regular assembly or congregation, and is very expressive of these solemn meetings of the Jews. "The word used here," says Dr. Beaumont, "is the same as in Genesis 1:14. מועד moed; and generally signifies a set time or season; but is applied here to the solemn feasts which were appointed by God at their set-times in the year."