Topic Study

Miqra Qodesh (Holy Convocation)
  • Torah: Exodus 12:15-16; Leviticus 23:1-4
  • Prophets: Joshua 8:34-35; Nehemiah 8:8
  • Writings: Psalms 92:1-15
  • Apostolic: Luke 4:16; Acts 13:42-44; Acts 18:4

RELATED SCRIPTURES

  • Leviticus 23:5-8
  • Leviticus 23:21-27
  • Leviticus 23:35-37
  • Numbers 28:18-26
  • Numbers 29:1-12
  • Isaiah 1:12-14
  • Isaiah 4:5
  • Mark 1:21-22
  • Mark 6:1-3
  • Luke 6:6-8
Exodus 12:15-16; Leviticus 23:1-4

Exodus 12:15 Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread; even the first day you shall put away leaven out of your houses, for whoever eats leavened bread from the first day until the seventh day, that soul shall be cut off from Israel. 16 In the first day there shall be to you a holy convocation, and in the seventh day a holy convocation; no kind of work shall be done in them, except that which every man must eat, only that may be done by you.

Leviticus 23:1 YHWH spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Speak to the sons of Israel, and tell them, ‘The appointed times of YHWH, which you will proclaim to be holy convocations, even these are my appointed times. 3 Six days will work be done, but on the seventh day is a Sabbath of rest, a holy convocation; you will do no kind of work. It is a Sabbath to YHWH in all your dwellings. 4 These are the appointed times of YHWH, holy convocations, which you will proclaim in their appointed times.

מִקְרָא קֹדֶשׁ miqra qodesh

מִקְרָא קֹדֶשׁ miqra qodesh (H4744 + H6944) is most often translated as “holy convocation” or “holy meeting.” However, מִקְרָא miqra comes from the word קְרָא qara (H7121) which means to proclaim, call out, recite, or read (cf. Genesis 1:5; Genesis 2:19; Genesis 3:9; Exodus 33:19; Exodus 34:5-6; Leviticus 23:4; Deuteronomy 20:10; Joel 2:32).

The Septuagint translates מִקְרָא miqra in Leviticus 23:2 as the Greek word κλητός klētos (G2822) which means to be invited or summoned as a guest to a banquet (cf. 1 Kings 1:41; Zephaniah 1:7) or to be invited, summoned, or called by or of Yeshua the Messiah (cf. Matthew 20:16;  Matthew 22:14; Romans 1:1; Romans 1:6-7; Romans 8:28; 1 Corinthians 1:1-2; 1 Corinthians 1:24; Jude 1:1; Revelation 17:14). κλητός klētos is not to be confused with “chosen” which is the word or ἐκλεκτός eklektos (G1588) which means to be elected, picked out, or chosen. Klētos comes from the same root as the word καλέω kaleō (G2564) which means to call or invite (cf. Matthew 22:1-14; Luke 14:7-24; John 2:1-11; Revelation 19:9).

Holy Convocation vs. Holy Gathering

Hebrews 10:24-25; Let’s consider how to provoke one another to love and good works, 25 not forsaking our own assembling together, as the custom of some is, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.

The word “assembling together” is ἐπισυναγωγή episynagōgē (G1997) from ἐπισυνάγω episynagō (G1996) which means to gather together in one place. This word is from the root συνάγω synagō (G4863) which means “to gather.” As previously stated, the Septuagint translates מִקְרָא miqra in Leviticus 23:2 as the Greek word κλητός klētos (G2822) which means to be invited or summoned as a guest to a banquet and does not use any derivative of the word συνάγω synagō (G4863), which means “to gather.” Thus, a “holy convocation” is not to be confused with a “holy gathering.” In fact, neither ἐπισυναγωγή episynagōgē (G1997),  ἐπισυνάγω episynagō (G1996), or συνάγω synagō (G4863) are used at all in Leviticus 23 when holy convocations are commanded.

The Synagogue and Public Reading of Scripture

The word miqra has also been translated to mean “a public reading of Scripture.”  This is demonstrated in Nehemiah 8:8; “They read in the book, in the Torah of Elohim, distinctly; and they gave the sense, so that they understood in the reading (מִקְרָא miqra)” and Joshua 8:34-35, “Afterward he read (קָרָא qara) all the words of the Torah, the blessing and the curse, according to all that is written in the book of the Torah. There was not a word of all that Moses commanded which Joshua didn’t read (קָרָא qara) before all the assembly of Israel, with the women, the little ones, and the sojourners who were among them.”

“…in the Palestinian ritual מקרא קדש (miqra qodesh) in qedushath ha-yom appears as יום מקרא קדש (yom miqra qodesh) or in the sense of “a day whose sanctity is to be proclaimed” or “a day for the reading from the Sacred Scriptures.” – Liebreich, Leon J. “The Term Miqra’qodesh in the Synagogue Liturgy.” The Jewish Quarterly Review, vol. 57, 1967, pp. 381–397. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/1453504. Accessed 1 Aug. 2021.

During the 1st Century, teaching and the public reading of Scripture in synagogues on the Sabbath was commonplace (cf. Mark 1:21; Mark 6:2; Luke 6:6);

  • Luke 4:16 (Yeshua) came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. He entered, as was his custom, into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read.
  • Acts 13:42-44 So when the Jews went out of the synagogue, the Gentiles begged that these words might be preached to them the next Sabbath…The next Sabbath, almost the whole city was gathered together to hear the word of God.
  • Acts 18:4 (Paul) reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath and persuaded Jews and Greeks.
Psalms 92:1-15

A Psalm. A song for the Sabbath day. 92:1 It is a good thing to give thanks to YHWH, to sing praises to your name, Most High, 2 to announce your loving kindness in the morning, and your faithfulness every night, 3 with the ten-stringed lute, with the harp, and with the melody of the lyre. 4 For you, YHWH, have made me glad through your work. I will triumph in the works of your hands. 5 How great are your works, YHWH! Your thoughts are very deep. 6 A senseless man doesn’t know, neither does a fool understand this: 7 though the wicked spring up as the grass, and all the evildoers flourish, they will be destroyed forever. 8 But you, YHWH, are on high forever more. 9 For behold, your enemies, YHWH, for behold, your enemies shall perish. All the evildoers will be scattered. 10 But you have exalted my horn like that of the wild ox. I am anointed with fresh oil. 11 My eye has also seen my enemies. My ears have heard of the wicked enemies who rise up against me. 12 The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree. He will grow like a cedar in Lebanon. 13 They are planted in YHWH’s house. They will flourish in our God’s courts. 14 They will still produce fruit in old age. They will be full of sap and green, 15 to show that YHWH is upright. He is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him.

Leviticus 23:5-8

23:5 In the first new moon, on the fourteenth [day](LXX)(SP) of the new moon in the evening, is YHWH’s Pesach. 6 On the fifteenth day of the new moon is the festival of unleavened bread to YHWH. Seven days you will eat unleavened bread. 7 In the first day you will have a holy convocation. You will do no work of service. 8 But you will offer an offering made by fire to YHWH seven days. In the seventh day is a holy convocation. You will do no work of service.’ ”

Leviticus 23:21-27

23:21 You will make proclamation on the [bone of that day](MTT) there will be a holy convocation to you. You will do no work of service. This is a statute forever in all your dwellings throughout your generations. 22 When you reap the harvest of your land, you must not finish the corner of your field. You must not gather the gleanings of your harvest. You must leave them for the afflicted and for the foreigner. I am YHWH your Elohim.’ ” 23 YHWH spoke to Moses, saying, 24 “Speak to the sons of Israel, saying, ‘In the seventh new moon, on the first day of the new moon, there will be a rest for you, a remembrance of shouting, a holy convocation. 25 You will do no work of service. You will bring an offering made by fire to YHWH.’ ” 26 YHWH spoke to Moses, saying, 27 “Surely, on the tenth day of this seventh new moon is the day of atonements. It will be a holy convocation to you. You will afflict your souls and you will offer an offering made by fire to YHWH.

Leviticus 23:35-37

23:35 On the first day will be a holy convocation. You will do no work of service. 36 Seven days you will bring an offering made by fire to YHWH. On the eighth day will be a holy convocation to you. You will bring an offering made by fire to YHWH. It is a closing assembly; you will do no work of service. 37 These are the appointed times of YHWH which you will proclaim to be holy convocations, to bring an offering made by fire to YHWH, a burnt offering, a grain offering, a slaughter, and libation offerings, each on its own day

Numbers 28:18-26

28:18 In the first day will be a holy convocation. You will do no work of service, 19 but you will bring an offering made by fire, a burnt offering to YHWH: two young bulls, one ram, and seven male lambs a year old. They will be perfect ones, 20 with their grain offering, fine flour mixed with oil. You will do three tenths for a bull, and two tenths for the ram. 21 You will do one tenth for every lamb of the seven lambs; 22 and one male goat for a sin offering, to make atonement for you. 23 You will do these in addition to the burnt offering of the morning, which is for a continual burnt offering. 24 Like these you will do daily, for seven days, the bread of the offering made by fire, of a pleasant aroma to YHWH. It will be offered in addition to the continual burnt offering and its libation offering. 25 On the seventh day you will have a holy convocation. You will do no work of service. 26 Also in the day of the first fruits, when you bring a new grain offering to YHWH in your Weeks, you will have a holy convocation. You will do no work of service

Numbers 29:1-12

29:1 In the seventh new moon, on the first day of the new moon, you will have a holy convocation; you will do no work of service. It is a Day of a Shout to you. 2 You will do a burnt offering for a pleasant aroma to YHWH: one young bull, one ram, seven male lambs a year old, perfect ones; 3 and their grain offering, fine flour mixed with oil: three tenths for the bull, two tenths for the ram, 4 and one tenth for every lamb of the seven lambs; 5 and one male goat for a sin offering, to make atonement for you; 6 in addition to the burnt offering of the new moon with its grain offering, and the continual burnt offering with its grain offering, and their libation offerings, according to their judgments, for a pleasant aroma, an offering made by fire to YHWH. 7 On the tenth day of this seventh new moon you will have a holy convocation. You will afflict your souls. You will do no kind of work; 8 but you will bring a burnt offering to YHWH for a pleasant aroma: one young bull, one ram, seven male lambs a year old, all perfect ones; 9 and their grain offering, fine flour mixed with oil: three tenths for the bull, two tenths for the one ram, 10 one tenth for every lamb of the seven lambs; 11 one male goat for a sin offering, in addition to the sin offering of atonement, and the continual burnt offering, and their grain offering, and their libation offerings. 12 On the fifteenth day of the seventh new moon you will have a holy convocation. You will do no work of service. You will hold a festival to YHWH seven days.

Isaiah 1:12-14

1:12 When you come to appear before me, who has required this at your hand, to trample my courts? 13 Bring no more vain offerings. Incense is an abomination to me. New moons, Sabbaths, and convocations (מִקְרָא miqra) — I can’t stand evil convocations (מִקְרָא miqra). 14 My soul hates your New Moons and your appointed feasts. They are a burden to me. I am weary of bearing them.

Isaiah 4:2-6

4:2 In that day, YHWH’s branch will be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the land will be the beauty and glory of the survivors of Israel. 3 It will happen that he who is left in Zion and he who remains in Jerusalem shall be called holy, even everyone who is written among the living in Jerusalem, 4 when the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion, and shall have purged the blood of Jerusalem from within it, by the spirit of justice and by the spirit of burning. 5 YHWH will create over the whole habitation of Mount Zion and over her convocations (מִקְרָא miqra), a cloud and smoke by day, and the shining of a flaming fire by night, for over all the glory will be a canopy. 6 There will be a pavilion for a shade in the daytime from the heat, and for a refuge and for a shelter from storm and from rain.

Mark 1:21-22

1:21 They went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath day he entered into the synagogue and taught. 22 They were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as having authority, and not as the scribes.

Mark 6:1-3

6:1 He went out from there. He came into his own country, and his disciples followed him. 2 When the Sabbath had come, he began to teach in the synagogue, and many hearing him were astonished, saying, “Where did this man get these things?” and, “What is the wisdom that is given to this man, that such mighty works come about by his hands? 3 Isn’t this the carpenter, the son of Miriam and brother of Jacob, Yosi, Judah, and Simon? Aren’t his sisters here with us?” So they were offended at him.

Luke 6:6-8

6:6 It also happened on another Sabbath that he entered into the synagogue and taught. There was a man there, and his right hand was withered. 7 The scribes and the Pharisees watched him, to see whether he would heal on the Sabbath, that they might find an accusation against him.