1; The offering at the feast of trumpets;
7; at the day of afflicting their souls;
12; and on the eight days of the feast of tabernacles.
* the seventh.
That is, the month Tisri, the seventh month of their
ecclesiastical year, but the first of their civil year,
answering to our September. This, which was their new year's
day, was a time of great festivity, and ushered in by the
blowing of trumpets; whence it was also called the feast of
blowing the trumpets. In imitation of this Jewish festival,
different nations began the new year with sacrifices and
festivity. The ancient Egyptians did so; and the Persians
also celebrated their {nawee rooz,} or new year's day, which
they held on the vernal equinox, and which "lasted ten days,
during which all ranks seemed to participate in one general
joy. The rich sent presents to the poor; all were dressed in
their holiday clothes; all kept open house; and religious
processions, music, dancing, a species of theatrical
exhibition, rustic sports, and other pastimes, presented a
continued round of varied amusement. Even the dead, and the
ideal beings were not forgotten; rich viands being placed on
the tops of houses and high towers, on the flavour of which
the {Peris,} and spirits of their departed heroes and friends,
were supposed to feast." After the Mohammedan conquest of
Persia, the celebration of this period sensibly declined, and
at last totally ceased, till the time of Jelaladdin (about
A.D. 1082), who, coming to the crown at the vernal equinox,
re-established the ancient festival, which has ever since been
celebrated with pomp and acclamations.
Le 23:24,25 Ezr 3:6 Ne 7:73
* the first day of the month.
The monthly sacrifices were regulated by the new moons; and it
is probable that the solemn sacrifices were appointed by God,
to prevent the idolatry which was usual among the heathen at
this period; who expressed the most extravagant rejoicings on
the first appearance of the new moon. Moses, however, used
the return of the moon only as one of the most natural and
convenient measures of time; and appointed sacrifices to
Jehovah, to prevent the Israelites from falling into the
idolatries of their heathen neighbours. In the serene climate
of Arabia and Judea, its first faint crescent is, for the most
part, visible to all.
* blowing.
10:1-10 1Ch 15:28 Ps 81:3 89:15 Isa 27:13 Zec 9:14
Mr 16:15,16 Ro 10:14-18 15:16-19
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