a solemn festival of the Jews, so called because it was celebrated on the fiftieth day after the 16th of Nisan, which was the second day of the passover. The Hebrews called it the "feast of weeks," because it was kept seven weeks after the passover. They then offered the first fruits of the wheat harvest; besides which, they presented at the temple seven lambs of that year, one calf, and two rams, for a burnt-offering; two lambs for a peace-offering, and a goat for a sin-offering. The feast of Pentecost was instituted amongst the Israelites, first, to oblige them to repair to the temple of the Lord, in order to acknowledge his absolute dominion over the whole country, and to offer him the first-fruits of their harvest; and, secondly, that they might call to mind, and give thanks to God, for the law which he had given them from Mount Sinai, on the fiftieth day after their coming out of Egypt.