It’s hard to find interesting work on Leviticus 23. It’s easy to find tedious critical dissections of the history of the text.
One of the conundrums is in verse 2: First we read about the appointed times of Yahweh. Then at the end of the verse we hear about “my” appointed times. Who’s speaking? Two speakers, apparently, one of whom refers to Yahweh in the third person; the other who speaks as Yahweh.
Is that shift really so alarming? Only if you’re looking for seams in the text.
Besides, the text is carefully chiastic:
A. The appointed times (mo’ed) of Yahweh
B. Which you shall proclaim (qara’)
B’. Holy “called-times” (miqra’, from qara’)
A’. These are my appointed times (mo’ed).
The chiasm not only shows a careful literary intelligence, but also clarifies the shift from third to first person. Holy convocations are proclaimed by Israel, practically speaking by the priests (“you shall proclaim”). But these are not merely the called-times decided by priests. Priests call the people to assembly because these are the times appointed by Yahweh: My appointed times.
Israel isn’t summoned by priests. They are summoned by Yahweh, who claims these times as His own, just as He seized a holy place and called it His holy house.
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