36. Seven days ye shall offer. They only kept holiday on the first and eighth day, yet they dwelt in huts, and for seven successive days offered sacrifices, of which a fuller account was elsewhere given. What, therefore, Moses distinctly treats of in the book of Numbers, I have preferred to introduce in another place, where I have spoken of the sacrifices in general. All are not agreed about the word I have translated “solemnity.” (354) עצרת , gnatsereth, is derived from עצר , gnatsar, which means both to restrain and to gather together. Some interpreters, therefore, preserve the first etymology, translating it, “it is the retaining or prohibition of God;” but since this meaning is somewhat obscure, I have not hesitated to take it, as in other passages, for a solemnity; for, without controversy, it sometimes means feast days, sometimes assemblies or conventions. Let my readers, however, make choice of whichever sense they prefer. After Moses has prescribed concerning the rest and the offerings, he adds a caution, that there should be no diminution of the ordinary service; for else they might, have transferred fraudulently the sacrifices, which they were already obliged to offer, to the feast days, and thus, as the saying is, have endeavored to whitewash two walls out of the same pot. Wherefore, at the beginning of verse 39, the particle אך, ac, seems to be taken adversatively; (355) for there is an antithesis between the peculiar service of this solemnity and the common rites which were to be observed at other times; as if he had said, that when they had done all which the Law required every day, still they were not to fail in this observance; and hence, that they must comply severally with both the general and special command, if they would properly do their duty. Moreover, by reference to the time, he shews that they ought to be cheerful in its performance, because they would then incur but little loss, as the fruits would all be harvested; and this is what he refers to when he says, “when ye have gathered in the fruit of the land;” as if he had said, that he had regard to their convenience, since otherwise they would have been at leisure at home; and thus he takes away all excuse (for neglect.)
(354) A. V. , “a solemn assembly.” Margin, “Heb., day of restraint.” עצרת from עצר to retain, detain, or restrain. S.M. says the Latin interpreters commonly render the noun an assembly; but the Hebrews interpret it a retaining, because the people were still retained a day after the completion of seven days of the solemnity. — W
(355) “ Il y a un mot qui emporte antant corame Neantmoins, ou Quoy qu’il en soil;” there is a word which is equivalent to Nevertheless, or At any rate. — Fr.