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The Festival of Shelters

33 And the Lord said to Moses, 34 “Give the following instructions to the people of Israel. Begin celebrating the Festival of Shelters[a] on the fifteenth day of the appointed month—five days after the Day of Atonement.[b] This festival to the Lord will last for seven days. 35 On the first day of the festival you must proclaim an official day for holy assembly, when you do no ordinary work. 36 For seven days you must present special gifts to the Lord. The eighth day is another holy day on which you present your special gifts to the Lord. This will be a solemn occasion, and no ordinary work may be done that day.

37 (“These are the Lord’s appointed festivals. Celebrate them each year as official days for holy assembly by presenting special gifts to the Lord—burnt offerings, grain offerings, sacrifices, and liquid offerings—each on its proper day. 38 These festivals must be observed in addition to the Lord’s regular Sabbath days, and the offerings are in addition to your personal gifts, the offerings you give to fulfill your vows, and the voluntary offerings you present to the Lord.)

39 “Remember that this seven-day festival to the Lord—the Festival of Shelters—begins on the fifteenth day of the appointed month,[c] after you have harvested all the produce of the land. The first day and the eighth day of the festival will be days of complete rest. 40 On the first day gather branches from magnificent trees[d]—palm fronds, boughs from leafy trees, and willows that grow by the streams. Then celebrate with joy before the Lord your God for seven days. 41 You must observe this festival to the Lord for seven days every year. This is a permanent law for you, and it must be observed in the appointed month[e] from generation to generation. 42 For seven days you must live outside in little shelters. All native-born Israelites must live in shelters. 43 This will remind each new generation of Israelites that I made their ancestors live in shelters when I rescued them from the land of Egypt. I am the Lord your God.”

44 So Moses gave the Israelites these instructions regarding the annual festivals of the Lord.

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Footnotes

  1. 23:34a Or Festival of Booths, or Festival of Tabernacles. This was earlier called the Festival of the Final Harvest or Festival of Ingathering (see Exod 23:16b). It is celebrated today as Sukkot (or Succoth).
  2. 23:34b Hebrew on the fifteenth day of the seventh month; see 23:27a and the note there.
  3. 23:39 Hebrew on the fifteenth day of the seventh month.
  4. 23:40 Or gather fruit from majestic trees.
  5. 23:41 Hebrew the seventh month.

The Festival of Tabernacles(A)

33 The Lord said to Moses, 34 “Say to the Israelites: ‘On the fifteenth day of the seventh(B) month the Lord’s Festival of Tabernacles(C) begins, and it lasts for seven days. 35 The first day is a sacred assembly;(D) do no regular work.(E) 36 For seven days present food offerings to the Lord, and on the eighth day hold a sacred assembly(F) and present a food offering to the Lord.(G) It is the closing special assembly; do no regular work.

37 (“‘These are the Lord’s appointed festivals, which you are to proclaim as sacred assemblies for bringing food offerings to the Lord—the burnt offerings and grain offerings, sacrifices and drink offerings(H) required for each day. 38 These offerings(I) are in addition to those for the Lord’s Sabbaths(J) and[a] in addition to your gifts and whatever you have vowed and all the freewill offerings(K) you give to the Lord.)

39 “‘So beginning with the fifteenth day of the seventh month, after you have gathered the crops of the land, celebrate the festival(L) to the Lord for seven days;(M) the first day is a day of sabbath rest, and the eighth day also is a day of sabbath rest. 40 On the first day you are to take branches(N) from luxuriant trees—from palms, willows and other leafy trees(O)—and rejoice(P) before the Lord your God for seven days. 41 Celebrate this as a festival to the Lord for seven days each year. This is to be a lasting ordinance for the generations to come; celebrate it in the seventh month. 42 Live in temporary shelters(Q) for seven days: All native-born Israelites are to live in such shelters 43 so your descendants will know(R) that I had the Israelites live in temporary shelters when I brought them out of Egypt. I am the Lord your God.’”

44 So Moses announced to the Israelites the appointed festivals of the Lord.

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Footnotes

  1. Leviticus 23:38 Or These festivals are in addition to the Lord’s Sabbaths, and these offerings are