“Speak to the children of Israel and say to them: ‘When you have entered the land that I am giving you and have reaped its harvest, you shall bring to the priest a bunch of ears as the first of your harvest.
When you have entered. Lev 14:34.
and you follow the land. Lev 2:12-16; Exo 22:29; Exo 23:16, Exo 23:19; Exo 34:22, Exo 34:26; Num 15:2, Num 15:18-21; Num 28:26; Deu 16:9; Josh 3:15.
by first fruits of the first fruits. This offering was a public acknowledgment of God’s generosity and goodness for the fruit of the land. pro 3:9, Pro 3:10; Eze 44:30; Romans 11:16; 1Co 15:20-23; Jas 1:18; Rev 14:4.
Source: The Treasury of Biblical Knowledge
a sheaf … of the first fruits: This bundle of the first harvest belonged to God as a special offering, thereby acknowledging that the provision of the harvest was God’s. Paul calls Christ “the first fruits of those who slept,” the first of the dead to be raised (1Co 15:20).
Source: New Illustrated Caribbean Bible Commentary
THE FIRST FRUITS. The feast of the first fruits (vv. Lev 23:10-14), recognizing that the fruit of the earth came from the Lord, occurred with respect to the feast of unleavened bread. The first fruits were to be consecrated to the Lord. This anticipates New Testament believers’ dedication of their entire lives to God. Those who follow Christ are the first fruits of his saving work (Jas 1:18; Rev 14:4).
Source: Full Life Study Bible
GRADES
(1) Or: “an omer”, which was equivalent to 2.2 L (2 qt. a.).
CROSS-REFERENCES
m 1023 Num 18:12; pro 3:9; Eze 44:30; 1Co 15:20; Jas 1:18
Source: New World Translation
the first fruits of your harvest. Just as the tithe represented personal income as belonging to God, so the firstfruits of the harvest represented the entire harvest, and even the land itself belonged to the Lord (25:23). The rule described in 23:10–14 is general, and includes all kinds of firstfruits (Dt 8:8). The barley firstfruits were probably offered at the Feast of Unleavened Bread (23:6, 10–12), while the wheat firstfruits were offered at the Feast of Weeks (Ex 34:22). As gifts to God, the entire offering of firstfruits was the property and food of the priests, who were God’s representatives.
Source: The Bible of the Americas
The Feast of First Fruits included the presentation of a sheaf to the Lord (lit., one omer = 2.2 litres: see note in Exo 16:16) of the barley harvest on the second day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread (Nisan 16). This was accompanied by a burnt offering, oblation and libation (cp. Exo 29:40). The Libation (Exo 29:41), equivalent to a liter of pure wine, was poured over the oblation as a symbol of joy. The firstfruits symbolized the consecration of the entire harvest to God as a deposit or guarantee of the abundant harvest that still remained to be harvested (see notes in 1Co 15:20; Jas 1:18; Rev 14:4as well as other uses in the NT in Romans 8:23; Romans 11:16; 1Co 16:15).