• Joyful Festivals
    The Watchtower—1980 | February 15

    •  2. In Deuteronomy 16:16, how many festivals were provided for, and what were they?

      2 In the inspired books written by Moses, three festivals were provided for. In this fifth book, entitled Deuteronomy, chapter 16, verse 16, we read: “Three times in the year every male of yours should appear before Jehovah your God in the place that he will choose: in the festival of the unfermented cakes and the festival of weeks and the festival of booths, and none should appear before Jehovah empty-handed.”

       3. When the added words of Deuteronomy 16:17 were spoken, what was the situation of the natural Israelites?

      3 De 16 Verse 17 says: “The gift of each one’s hand should be in proportion to the blessing of Jehovah your God that he has given you.” At the time those words were spoken, the Israelites were living in tents, on their way to the Promised Land of Canaan.

      FESTIVAL OF UNFERMENTED CAKES

       4. What was the first festival, and, on its second day, what did the high priest offer to Jehovah?

      4 The first of the annual festivals, that of unfermented cakes, was held right after the observance of the Passover supper on Abib or Nisan 14. The festival of unleavened cakes was held for seven days, from Nisan 15 to and including Nisan 21. The first day of this festival was the Sabbath day that followed the keeping of the Passover supper. On the second day of the festival, or Nisan 16, the Israelite high priest at Jehovah’s temple in Jerusalem would offer to Him a sheaf from the newly ripened barley harvest.​—Lev. 23:11-16.

  • Joyful Festivals
    The Watchtower—1980 | February 15

    • FESTIVAL OF WEEKS

      11. What was the second of the obligatory festivals, and why was it given that name?

      11 The second of the obligatory festivals of ancient Israel was the festival of weeks. Why was it called so? For the reason that the Israelites were to count seven weeks from Nisan 16, the day that their high priest presented to Jehovah the sheaf of newly ripened grain as the firstfruits from the barley harvest. This count of time would run up to 49 days, and on the 50th day they were to celebrate the festival of weeks.