The Day of Teruah/The Feast of Trumpets?
This study begins with the "Rasi" commentary " that dates his understanding of the wording of Leviticus 23:24 to between 1075-1105 of the common-era. We have no way to know how long before that time that the Jews adhered to that understanding of Lev 23:24. The current "Complete Jewish Bible" translation of Lev 23:24 and a reference to the first day of the seventh month by Reform Judaism is also included.
Rashi commentary (1075-1105 C.E.)
23:24כ״ג:כ״ד
זכרון תרועה. זִכְרוֹן פְּסוּקֵי זִכְרוֹנוֹת וּפְסוּקֵי שׁוֹפָרוֹת (ספרא: ראש השנה ל"ב) לִזְכֹּר לָכֶם עֲקֵדַת יִצְחָק שֶׁקָּרַב תַּחְתָּיו אַיִל:
זכרון תרועה [THERE SHALL BE UNTO YOU] A זכרון OF SOUNDING THE CORNET —
Rabbi Solomon ben Isaac (Shlomo Yitzhaki), known as Rashi (based on an acronym of his Hebrew initials), is one of the most influential Jewish commentators in history. He was born in Troyes, Champagne, in northern France, in 1040.
Jewish Translations of Lev. 23:24
Complete Jewish Bible (CJB) published 1998
Leviticus 23:24 24 “Tell the people of Isra’el, ‘In the seventh month, the first of the month is to be for you a day of complete rest for remembering, a holy convocation announced with blasts on the shofar.
Reform Judaism
Rosh HaShanah (literally, “Head of the Year”) is the Jewish New Year, a time of prayer, self-reflection, and repentance. ------ "Customs" associated with the holiday include sounding the shofar, eating a round challah, and tasting apples and honey to represent a sweet New Year. (various punctuations are mine)
The Authorized King James Version of Lev 23:24 is essentially the same as the over 900 year old Rashi version.
KJV Lev 23:24 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, In the seventh month, in the first day of the month, shall ye have a sabbath, a memorial of blowing of trumpetsH8643, an holy convocation.
Next is Strong's Concordance of the Bible --- Hebrew definition for the word that has been equated as "blowing of trumpets". It has Strong's number of H8643.
Strong's: H8643 ter-oo-aw' or terû‛âh From H7321; clamor, that is, acclamation of joy or a battle cry; especially clangor of trumpets, as an alarum: - alarm, blow (-ing) (of, the) (trumpets), joy, jubile, loud noise, rejoicing, shout (-ing), (high, joyful) sound (-ing). Total KJV occurrences: 36
It is apparent that there is a gross problem by translating the single word "teruah" as "blowing of trumpets". Or as the Rashi translation states, "a sounding of the cornet". Thankfully, God used that word 36 times in His Word. We will be able to understand the true meaning of the word through the context of the way it is used those 36 times. But before the context is evaluated we can look at how different Bible translations have represented that verse. For the most part they took the 900 year old translation as their guide.
Jewish Publications Society Bible Lev 23:24 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying: In the seventh month, in the first day of the month, shall be a solemn rest unto you, a memorial proclaimed with the blast of horns, a holy convocation.
New KJV Lev 23:24 "Speak to the children of Israel, saying: 'In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you shall have a sabbath-rest, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, a holy convocation.
Revised Version Lev 23:24 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, In the seventh month, in the first day of the month, shall be a solemn rest unto you, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, an holy convocation.
American Standard Version Lev 23:24 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, shall be a solemn rest unto you, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, a holy convocation.
1965 Bible in Basic English Lev 23:24 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, shall be a solemn rest unto you, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, a holy convocation.
Brenton's English Septuagint Lev 23:24 Speak to the children of Israel, saying, In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, ye shall have a rest, a memorial of trumpets: it shall be to you a holy convocation.
Contemporary English Version Lev 23:24 Speak to the children of Israel, saying, In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, ye shall have a rest, a memorial of trumpets: it shall be to you a holy convocation.
1899 Douay-Rheims Bible Lev 23:24 Say to the children of Israel: The seventh month, on the first day of the month, you shall keep a sabbath, a memorial, with the sound of trumpets, and it shall be called holy.
Easy-to-Read Version Lev 23:24 "Tell the Israelites: On the first day of the seventh month, you must have a special day of rest. Blow the trumpet to remind the people that this is a holy meeting.
English Standard Version Lev 23:24 "Speak to the people of Israel, saying, In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you shall observe a day of solemn rest, a memorial proclaimed with blast of
trumpets, a holy convocation.
Good News Bible Lev 23:24 (SEE 23:23) Lev 23:23 On the first day of the seventh month observe a special day of rest, and come together for worship when the trumpets sound.
God's Word Lev 23:24 "Tell the Israelites: On the first day of the seventh month hold a worship festival. It will be a memorial day, a holy assembly announced by the blowing of rams' horns.
Literal Translation of the Holy Bible Lev 23:24 Speak to the sons of Israel, saying, In the seventh month, on the first of the month, a sabbath shall be to you, a call to a memorial, a holy gathering.
Modern KJV Lev 23:24 Speak to the sons of Israel saying: In the seventh month, in the first day of the month, you shall have a sabbath, a memorial summons, a holy convocation.
Literal Standard Version Lev 23:24 “Speak to the sons of Israel, saying, In the seventh month, on the first of the month, you have a Sabbath, a memorial of shouting, a holy convocation;
1898 Young's Literal Translation Lev 23:24 `Speak unto the sons of Israel, saying, In the seventh month, on the first of the month, ye have a sabbath, a memorial of shouting, a holy convocation;
Young's Literal translation and Literal Standard Version use "shouting" as the word that teruah represents. The Literal translation of the Holy Bible and the Modern King James Version use words that can be related to shouting. Only four out of the sixteen versions use shouting or a related word. So, where is the truth of the matter? It does become apparent when we see how the word is used.
I believe that it is necessary to list all of the verses that use the word "teruah" in order to emphasize the meaning of that word.
H8643 Occurrences: 36 The word or words in bold are Strong's number H8643. The word "rooah"(H7321) is at times used along with "teruah". Rooah, meaning shout, makes clear that the meaning of teruah is "a great shout". Teruah is spoken of as shouting for joy. In the times that this word was used it was principally used in four ways. 1. Shouting for exuberance or the acclamation of joy. 2. The sound of a charge to battle. 3. The sound of silver trumpets to move the camp of Israel. 4. To give an alarm.
The INTERNET ARCHIVE (https://archive.org/details/ylt) provides the following information about Young's Literal Translation.
Young’s Literal Translation is an extremely literal translation that attempts to preserve the tense and word usage as found in the original Greek and Hebrew writings. Young’s Literal Translation is very fitly named. It very likely is the most strictly literal English translation ever developed.
YLT = "Young's Literal Translation" and is added when most helpful.
Num 23:21 He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob, neither hath he seen perverseness in Israel: the LORD his God is with him, and the shout of a king is among them.
Jos 6:5 And it shall come to pass, that when they make a long blast with the ram's horn, and when ye hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall shoutH7321 (rooah) with a great shout; and the wall of the city shall fall down flat, and the people shall ascend up every man straight before him.
Jos_6:20 So the people shouted when the priests blew with the trumpets: and it came to pass, when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shoutedH7321 with a great shout, that the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city.
1Sa 4:5 And when the ark of the covenant of the LORD came into the camp, all Israel shouted with a great shout, so that the earth rang again.
1Sa 4:6 And when the Philistines heard the noise of the shout, they said, What meaneth the noise of this great shout in the camp of the Hebrews? And they understood that the ark of the LORD was come into the camp.
Ezr 3:11 And they sang together by course in praising and giving thanks unto the LORD; because he is good, for his mercy endureth for ever toward Israel. And all the people shouted H7321 with a great shout, when they praised the LORD, because the foundation of the house of the LORD was laid.
Ezr 3:12 But many of the priests and Levites and chief of the fathers, who were ancient men, that had seen the first house, when the foundation of this house was laid before their eyes, wept with a loud voice; and many shouted aloud for joy:
Ezr 3:13 So that the people could not discern the noise of the shout of joy from the noise of the weeping of the people: for the people shouted H7321 with a loud shout, and the noise was heard afar off.
Job 8:21 Till he fill thy mouth with laughing, and thy lips with rejoicing.
Job 33:26 He shall pray unto God, and he will be favourable unto him: and he shall see his face with joy: for he will render unto man his righteousness.
Psa_47:5 (very important) God is gone up with a shout, the LORD with the sound of a trumpet.
2Sa 6:15 So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the LORD with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet.
1Ch 15:28 Thus all Israel brought up the ark of the covenant of the LORD with shouting, and with sound of the cornet, and with trumpets, and with cymbals, making a noise with psalteries and harps.
2Ch_15:14 And they sware unto the LORD with a loud voice, and with shouting, and with trumpets, and with cornets.
Job 39:25 He saith among the trumpets, Ha, ha; and he smelleth the battle afar off, the thunder of the captains, and the shouting.
Jer 20:16 And let that man be as the cities which the LORD overthrew, and repented not: and let him hear the cry in the morning, and the shouting at noontide;
Eze 21:22 At his right hand was the divination for Jerusalem, to appoint captains, to open the mouth in the slaughter, to lift up the voice with shouting, to appoint battering rams against the gates, to cast a mount, and to build a fort.
Amo 1:14 But I will kindle a fire in the wall of Rabbah, and it shall devour the palaces thereof, with shouting in the day of battle, with a tempest in the day of the whirlwind:
Amo 2:2 But I will send a fire upon Moab, and it shall devour the palaces of Kerioth: and Moab shall die with tumult, with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet:
Psa 27:6 And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me: therefore will I offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the LORD.
Psa 33:3 Sing unto him a new song; play skilfully with a loud noise.
Psa 89:15 Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound: they shall walk, O LORD, in the light of thy countenance.
Teruah is translated "alarm" six times. Three of those times it's related to moving the camp of Israel while it was in the "wilderness. It is not unreasonable to think that a signal from the "silver trumpets" alerted those who heard it to shout out that the camp was going to move. Joshua 6:20 is an example of people waiting for a trumpet sound to begin to shout. The last three would likely be a "battle cry".
Num 10:2 Make thee two trumpets of silver; of a whole piece shalt thou make them: that thou mayest use them for the calling of the assembly, and for the journeying of the camps.
Num 10:3 And when they shall blow with them, all the assembly shall assemble themselves to thee at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.
Num 10:4 And if they blow but with one trumpet, then the princes, which are heads of the thousands of Israel, shall gather themselves unto thee.
Num 10:5 When ye blow an alarm, then the camps that lie on the east parts shall go forward.
Num 10:6 When ye blow an alarm the second time, then the camps that lie on the south side shall take their journey: they shall blow an alarm for their journeys.
Num 10:7 But when the congregation is to be gathered together, ye shall blow, but ye shall not sound an alarm.
; Jer 4:19 My bowels, my bowels! I am pained at my very heart; my heart maketh a noise in me; I cannot hold my peace, because thou hast heard, O my soul, the sound of the trumpet, the alarm of war.
YLT: --- For the voice of a trumpet I have heard, O my soul--a shout of battle!
Jer 49:2 Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will cause an alarm of war to be heard in Rabbah of the Ammonites; and it shall be a desolate heap, and her daughters shall be burned with fire: then shall Israel be heir unto them that were his heirs, saith the LORD.
YLT: --- a shout of battle
Zep 1:16 A day of the trumpet and alarm against the fenced cities, and against the high towers.
YLT: --- A day of trumpet and shouting against the fenced cities
The next four verses, as in the blowing of the silver trumpets, can be a signal to shout.
2Ch 13:12 And, behold, God himself is with us for our captain, and his priests with sounding trumpets to cry alarmH7321 against you. O children of Israel, fight ye not against the LORD God of your fathers; for ye shall not prosper.
YLT: --- and trumpets of shouting to shout against you;
Num 31:6 And Moses sent them to the war, a thousand of every tribe, them and Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, to the war, with the holy instruments, and the trumpets to blow in his hand.
YLT: --- the trumpets of the shouting, in his hand.
Psa 150:5 Praise him upon the loud cymbals: praise him upon the high sounding cymbals.
YLT: --- with cymbals of shouting.
Lev 25:9 Then shalt thou cause the trumpet of the jubile to sound on the tenth day of the seventh month, in the day of atonement shall ye make the trumpet sound throughout all your land.
YLT: --- a trumpet of shouting
I have left the two times that "blowing of trumpets" was used for "teruah" last because of the great importance for this misuse. It seems as though that these two verses have been the principal reason for the Church of God lacking the correct understanding of the fourth Holy Day. When one understands the true meaning of the third and fourth Holy Days the plan of God becomes complete with sublime perfection. There is reason to question the truth of certain areas of the King James Version of the Bible. And this is one of them. The preponderance of scriptural evidence points to "teruah" meaning a "great shout". Principally, a great shout of "joy" or a great shout of a "battle cry".
Lev 23:24 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, In the seventh month, in the first day of the month, shall ye have a sabbath, a memorial of blowing of trumpets (teruah), an holy convocation.
Num 29:1 And in the seventh month, on the first day of the month, ye shall have an holy convocation; ye shall do no servile work: it is a day of blowing the trumpets (teruah) unto you.
It is now important to take the time and space to examine one of the ways that the King James Version of the Bible has been subject to problems that needed adjustments. There are enough available resources, with the help of the Spirit of God, to understand Biblical truth even though there are areas of difficulty that would frustrate our path to an understanding of the truth.
The Masoretic Text was used as the basis for translations of the Old Testament in Protestant Bibles, such as the King James Version (KJV), and American Standard Version.
The following is taken from the "preachersinstitute.com"
The oldest copies of the Masoretic Text only date back to the 10th century, nearly 1000 years after the time of Christ. And these texts differ from the originals in many specific ways. The Masoretic text is named after the Masoretes, who were scribes and Torah scholars who worked in the middle-east between the 7th and 11th centuries. The texts they received, and the edits they provided, ensured that the modern Jewish texts would manifest a notable departure from the original Hebrew Scriptures.
Historical research reveals five significant ways in which the Masoretic Text is different from the original Old Testament:
- The Masoretes admitted that they received corrupted texts to begin with.
- The Masoretic Text is written with a radically different alphabet than the original.
- The Masoretes added vowel points which did not exist in the original.
- The Masoretic Text excluded several books from the Old Testament scriptures.
- The Masoretic Text includes changes to prophecy and doctrine.
The evidence is conclusive that the Masoretic Text was bias against reference to Jesus in the Old Testament. The following is a chart that shows that bias in the original Masoretic Text. But how many more inaccuracies from various sources have found their way into the King James and other version of the Bible and not be recognized for their departure from the truth?
The chart has been provided by "arizonaorthodox.com/2017/11/16/masoretic-text-vs-original-hebrew"
This passage in the New
Testament …
Depends on this passage from the Septuagint (LXX) version of the Old Testament
To show that God had prophecied this…
But the Masoretic Text (MT) reads quite differently and original KJV…
"when He[Jesus] comes into the world, He says, '…
'a body you have prepared for me' … we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ" Heb 10:5,10
"Sacrifice and offering You did not will; But a body You prepared for me"
(Psalm 39:7, Orthodox Study Bible)
The Incarnation
"You desired neither sacrifice nor meal offering; You dug ears for me" (Psalm 40:7, Complete Jewish Bible
"…Behold, the virgin shall be with child and shall bear a son, and they shall call his name immanuel…"
(Matthew) 1:21-23)
"behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son and you shall call His name Immanuel."
(Psalm 39:7, Orthodox Study Bible)
The Virgin Birth
"behold, the young woman is with child, and she shall bear a son, and she shall call his name Immanuel." (Isaiah 7:14, Complete Jewish Bible)
"And again, when he bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him." (Heb 1:6)
"Rejoice, ye heavens, with him, and let all the angels of God worship him"
(Deuteronomy 32:43,
Brenton's LXX)
The Deity of Christ
The MT of Deuteronomy 32:43 says nothing about angels worshiping the Messiah.
(KJV, Jewish Bible, etc.)
Jesus said He fulfilled the OT prophecy to "proclaim liberty of the captives and recovery of sight fo the blind" (Luke 4:18)
The OT prophecied that Messiah would "preach liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind" (Isaiah 61:1,
Orthodox Study Bible)
Jesus Healing the Blind
The MT of Isaiah 61:1 says nothing about the blind having their sight restored.
(KJV, Jewish Bible, etc.)
Numerous NT passages mention Christ's hands and feet being pierced by
crucifixion.
"They pierced my hands and my feet" (Psalm 21:17,
Orthodox Study Bible)
The Crucifixion
"like a lion, my hands and my
feet" (Psalm 22:17,
Complete Jewish Bible)
"and in his name shall the
Gentiles trust."
(Matt. 12:21)
"and in his name shall the Gentiles trust." (Isaiah 42:4,
Brenton's LXX)
Gentiles Trusting in
Jesus' Name
"and the isles shall wait for his law." (Isaiah 42:4, KJV)
It is of importance to know that the actual definition of the word "blowing" has nothing to do with "great or loud shouting".
blowingH8628 taw-kah' A primitive root; to clatter, that is, slap (the hands together), clang (an instrument); by analogy to drive (a nail or tent pin, a dart, etc.); by implication to become bondsman (by handclasping): - blow ([a trumpet]), cast, clap, fasten, pitch [tent], smite, sound, strike, X suretiship, thrust.
There are papers available on EVIDENCE OF TRUTH.ORG that deal with the true meaning for The Day of Teruah. I came to the understanding of the true meaning of the Holy Day that has been called "Feast of Trumpets" many, many years ago. At that time, because of understanding the truth of teruah, I knew that the "Feast of Trumpets" did not represent the resurrection of the saints. Since teruah did not represent a resurrection I thought, at that time, there was no Holy Day that related to the saints resurrection. It wasn't too long after having those thoughts that I was introduced to the true meaning of Pentecost.
When the true meaning of Pentecost was first revealed to me I resisted because surely the giving of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost fulfilled the meaning of the day. I had a spirited discussion with a lady friend at a fire pit, on the beach, at Huntington Beach in southern California --- trying to convince her. A little later I found out I was wrong. The Old Testament speaks of a "harvest" of the first fruits on the Feast of Weeks (Pentecost). There was no harvest on the Pentecost when the Holy Spirit was given. A future day of Pentecost will spiritually fulfill the Feast of Weeks (Pentecost) of the Old Testament by the resurrection of the first fruit. This occurs prior to the time that Jesus marries his "first fruit". And, the marriage of the lamb is when great rejoicing (teruah) occurs. The keeping of Pentecost, at this time, foreshadows a resurrection (harvest) of the saints and prophets that Revelation 14:14-16 and Revelation 11:15&18 attests to.
I remember that Mr. Armstrong had a considerable interest in things that related to various aspects of Jewish thinking. The meaning that he adopted for the first day of the seventh month, being the "Feast of Trumpets", is a reflection and the fruit of that interest.
Karaite Judaism gives us a clear understanding of problems that arise from certain beliefs of "Rabbinic Judaism". There is a degree of confidence in some of the rabbi teachings that should
not have been given them. The following is taken from a Karaite web site.
https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/karaite-judaism/
Karaite Judaism is a movement that rejects the Oral Law (Talmud) and follows the Torah as it is written. Karaism dates back over a thousand years and is alive and well in Israel today. One might ask why the Rabbis are so insecure that they refuse a healthy debate as to the origins of their religious authority? Probably, because they know all too well that the Sages and Rabbis have no authority whatsoever under the written Torah. The modern Rabbinical movement arose from the Pharisee religio-political movement that came into existence some 2200 years ago
.
I can add that Jesus had very much to say about the nefarious ways of the Pharisees. The Karaite Jews reject the "calculated calendar" by observing the observable new moon and they understand that the first day of the seventh month is a Day of Shouting. These are things that "Rabbinical Judaism" has forsaken a long time ago.