Page 48 - BV15

48

there were to be Sabbatical years when they In Leviticus 2:14, we find that green[ish] ears of
didn't sow or reap crops. Not only that, but there corn could be used, dried by the fire (KJV). The
can be as much as two months variation in the word "green" is #3418 in Strong's, "yereq" and
ripeness of barley from one region of Palestine to means yellowish green. The same word is used
another due to altitude, climatic conditions, etc. in Gen. 1:30; 9:3; Ex. 10:15; Ps. 37:2; and Is.
15:6, where there is no reason for it to mean
When Noah was in the ark, it is obvious he anything other than green, in context. Obviously,
couldn't monitor the growth of any crops to the eyes of corn are not totally ripe yet, but
figure out when the new moon began. Based on beginning to ripen.
these (and other factors) it is safe to assume that
the beginning of the year is determined by This is corroborated in the account of the Exodus
ASTRONOMICAL factors -- not agricultural from Egypt, where in chapter 9:31 it mentions
ones. YEHOVAH makes that clear in Genesis how the barley was irretrievably destroyed
1:14 where He says that the sun and the moon because it was already in "ear." The word used
determine days, months, festival and Sabbath here is abiyb (Strong's #24) meaning "to be
times and years. In fact, what must determine the tender," "green." We can see, therefore, that the
beginning of the year is the relationship between maturity of the first-fruits does not necessarily
the sun and the moon in spring -- specifically the imply ripeness, although the heads of barley
EQUINOX and the new moon that falls right could be ripening.
after it.
There is a wide variation in the ripening of
The vernal (spring) equinox usually occurs on barley in Palestine -- more advanced growth was
March 20th, and is the point at which the sun always seen in the crops in the plains of Jericho.
passes vertically over the equator. It returns to Since barley generally ripens in April and is fully
this point at the time of the autumn equinox ripe in early May, if Israel had to rely upon a
around September 22nd. The Egyptians knew the naturally ripe wave sheaf during the middle of
exact times of the spring and autumn equinoxes Abib, they would have frequently kept the month
and Moses was surely conversant with this several new moons past the spring equinox.
knowledge. It is the combination of this Abib, then, would not have been the first month
knowledge -- of the time of the spring equinox of the year to them.
and that of the new moon right after it -- which
determines the beginning of YEHOVAH's year. Since the word for "month" -- chodesh -- has one
We find reference to the vernal equinox in 2 meaning as "(new) moon," it also very strongly
Chronicles: "At the turn [tequphah] of the implies the WHOLE month. This can be seen by
year..." (2 Chronicles 24:23). This same word examining its use in Gen, 29:14; 8:4 and Ex.
tequphah is used in Exodus 34:22 in referring to 12:3. It is THE WHOLE MONTH of Abib
the equinox at the time of the autumn Feast of which is the beginning -- not just the new moon.
Tabernacles: "Celebrate...the Feast of Therefore the entire month should be in the
Ingathering at the turn [tequphah] of the year" spring -- AFTER the equinox.
(Ex. 34:22). The word tequphah only occurs 4
times in the Old Testament and refers to the ***
completion of a cycle -- the cycle of the sun in
the sky. That cycle is from one equinox to I want to thank you for all the good literature that
another. you have sent me. I’ve just now finished the
study of that, and have sent notes to my sister in
Now we do not find any instruction in the Bible Ohio, she has macular degeneration and
regarding the ripeness of the barley. The therefore it is a little difficult for her to read the
command in Leviticus merely says the "first print. I type huge letters for her on the computer,
grain" or "sheaf of first fruits." The Hebrew or she could use tapes. Do you have tapes…
words mean the "first" or "principal" grain or
fruit. The wording does not necessarily imply R.C.
first-ripe at the time of the wave sheaf offering --
although the principal grain would naturally be COMMENT: I’m sorry – we do not have tapes
the first to ripen in due course. But IT DOES at this time. Hopefully in the future.
NOT mean that it has to be ripe at the time of
cutting it for the wave sheaf offering.

Hope of Israel Mail Bag…
Hope of Israel Mail Bag…