The Meaning of Leviticus 23:3 Explained

Leviticus 23:3

KJV: Six days shall work be done: but the seventh day is the sabbath of rest, an holy convocation; ye shall do no work therein: it is the sabbath of the LORD in all your dwellings.

YLT: six days is work done, and in the seventh day is a sabbath of rest, a holy convocation; ye do no work; it is a sabbath to Jehovah in all your dwellings.

Darby: Six days shall work be done; but on the seventh day is the sabbath of rest, a holy convocation; no manner of work shall ye do: it is the sabbath to Jehovah in all your dwellings.

ASV: Six days shall work be done: but on the seventh day is a sabbath of solemn rest, a holy convocation; ye shall do no manner of work: it is a sabbath unto Jehovah in all your dwellings.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Six  days  shall work  be done:  but the seventh  day  [is] the sabbath  of rest,  an holy  convocation;  ye shall do  no work  [therein]: it [is] the sabbath  of the LORD  in all your dwellings. 

What does Leviticus 23:3 Mean?

Context Summary

Leviticus 23:1-14 - Sabbath, Passover And First-Fruits
The year of Israel's national life was marked out by high and blessed convocations, which preserved its unity, kept the people in mind of the great past, and kindled high ideals and enthusiasms. There is a divine precedent, therefore, in the observance of the Christian Year, with its holy services and commemorations. In its earlier stages the religious life requires the help of special times and seasons, when it may realize itself and catch sight of the Delectable Mountains or the Golden City.
A pause must be called in life's busy haste, and families should have an opportunity of gathering at solemn ceremonials, participation in which will leave lasting memories with the coming generation. Probably the mature soul outgrows these, and ceases to observe days. See Colossians 2:16. But remember that the absence of the temple in the New Jerusalem did not imply that there was no worship, but that every moment was worship. [source]

Chapter Summary: Leviticus 23

1  The feasts of the Lord
3  the Sabbath
4  The Passover
9  The sheaf of firstfruits
15  The feast of Pentecost
22  Gleanings to be left for the poor
23  The feast of trumpets
26  The day of atonement
33  The feast of tabernacles

What do the individual words in Leviticus 23:3 mean?

Six days shall be done work but the day seventh [is] a Sabbath of solemn rest a convocation holy Any work not shall you do The Sabbath it [is] of Yahweh in all your dwellings -
שֵׁ֣שֶׁת יָמִים֮ תֵּעָשֶׂ֣ה מְלָאכָה֒ וּבַיּ֣וֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִ֗י שַׁבַּ֤ת שַׁבָּתוֹן֙ מִקְרָא־ קֹ֔דֶשׁ כָּל־ מְלָאכָ֖ה לֹ֣א תַעֲשׂ֑וּ שַׁבָּ֥ת הִוא֙ לַֽיהוָ֔ה בְּכֹ֖ל מֽוֹשְׁבֹתֵיכֶֽם פ

שֵׁ֣שֶׁת  Six 
Parse: Number, masculine singular construct
Root: שֵׁשׁ  
Sense: six.
יָמִים֮  days 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
תֵּעָשֶׂ֣ה  shall  be  done 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
מְלָאכָה֒  work 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: מְלָאכָה  
Sense: occupation, work, business.
וּבַיּ֣וֹם  but  the  day 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
הַשְּׁבִיעִ֗י  seventh 
Parse: Article, Number, ordinal masculine singular
Root: שְׁבִיעִי  
Sense: seventh.
שַׁבַּ֤ת  [is]  a  Sabbath 
Parse: Noun, common singular construct
Root: שַׁבָּת  
Sense: Sabbath.
שַׁבָּתוֹן֙  of  solemn  rest 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: שַׁבָּתֹון  
Sense: Sabbath observance, sabbatism.
מִקְרָא־  a  convocation 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מִקְרָא  
Sense: convocation, convoking, reading, a calling together.
קֹ֔דֶשׁ  holy 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: קֹדֶשׁ  
Sense: apartness, holiness, sacredness, separateness.
כָּל־  Any 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
מְלָאכָ֖ה  work 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: מְלָאכָה  
Sense: occupation, work, business.
תַעֲשׂ֑וּ  shall  you  do 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine plural
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
שַׁבָּ֥ת  The  Sabbath 
Parse: Noun, common singular
Root: שַׁבָּת  
Sense: Sabbath.
הִוא֙  it  [is] 
Parse: Pronoun, third person feminine singular
Root: הוּא 
Sense: he, she, it.
לַֽיהוָ֔ה  of  Yahweh 
Parse: Preposition-l, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
בְּכֹ֖ל  in  all 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
מֽוֹשְׁבֹתֵיכֶֽם  your  dwellings 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine plural
Root: מֹושָׁב  
Sense: seat, assembly, dwelling-place, dwelling, dwellers.
פ  - 
Parse: Punctuation