the fifteenth day: This was the feast of Tabernacles, kept in commemoration of their dwelling in tents in the wilderness for forty years. The first and last days were to be kept as sabbaths, on which there were solemn assemblies; and for seven days sacrifices were offered. On the other festivals, two bullocks sufficed - Num 28:11, Num 28:19, Num 28:27, and on the festival at the beginning of this month, only one was appointed; but, on the first day of this festival, thirteen young bullocks were appointed; and so on each successive day, with the decrease of only one bullock, till on the seventh day, there were only seven, making in all seventy bullocks. The lambs, and the rams also, were in a double proportion to the number sacrificed at any other festival. This was an expensive service; but more easy at this time of the year than any other, as Bishop Patrick observes, because now their barns were full, and their wine-presses overflowed; and their hearts might well be supposed to be more enlarged than at other times, in thankfulness to God for the multitude of his mercies. The Jewish doctors give this reason for the daily diminution of the number of the bullocks: the whole number, say they, was according to the languages of the seventy nations of the world; and the diminution of one every day signified, that there should be a gradual diminution of those nations till all things were brought under the government of the Messiah; in whose days "no sacrifices shall remain, but those of thanksgiving, prayer, and praise." Exo 23:16, Exo 34:22, Lev 23:33-43, Deu 16:13, Deu 16:14, Neh 8:14, Neh 8:18, Eze 45:25, Zec 14:16-19, Joh 1:14, Heb 11:9-13 Reciprocal: Exo 10:9 - a feast Exo 12:16 - first day Lev 23:34 - The fifteenth Lev 23:36 - Seven Lev 23:41 - General Num 28:25 - ye shall do Deu 16:15 - Seven days Jdg 21:19 - a feast 1Ki 8:2 - at the feast 1Ki 12:32 - like unto 2Ch 7:8 - kept Ezr 3:4 - the daily Joh 7:2 - General Joh 7:14 - the midst