What were the Israelites told to do with a sheath of first fruits in Leviticus 23?
The Lord instructed Moses to tell the children of Israel that when they entered the land and reaped its harvest, they were to bring a sheath of the first fruits to the priest and wave the sheath before the Lord. A sheath is many grain stems gathered together.
Les teaches that Leviticus 23 contains what he understands as the first mention of the word "first fruits." The setting is just after Israel came out of Egypt and was gathered around Sinai, receiving the various aspects of the Law. In verses 9–10, the Lord spoke to Moses, saying to speak to the children of Israel: when they came into the land God would give them and reaped the harvest, they were to bring a sheath of first fruits of the harvest to the priest and wave the sheath before the Lord. Les also points out that a sheath is not one stem of grain but many stems brought together.
And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye be come into the land which I give unto you, and shall reap the harvest thereof, then ye shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest unto the priest: