The Feast of Tabernacles(A)

13 Now on the second day the heads of the fathers’ houses of all the people, with the priests and Levites, were gathered to Ezra the scribe, in order to understand the words of the Law. 14 And they found written in the Law, which the Lord had commanded by Moses, that the children of Israel should dwell in (B)booths[a] during the feast of the seventh month, 15 and (C)that they should announce and proclaim in all their cities and (D)in Jerusalem, saying, “Go out to the mountain, and (E)bring olive branches, branches of oil trees, myrtle branches, palm branches, and branches of leafy trees, to make booths, as it is written.”

16 Then the people went out and brought them and made themselves booths, each one on the (F)roof of his house, or in their courtyards or the courts of the house of God, and in the open square of the (G)Water Gate (H)and in the open square of the Gate of Ephraim. 17 So the whole assembly of those who had returned from the captivity made [b]booths and sat under the booths; for since the days of Joshua the son of Nun until that day the children of Israel had not done so. And there was very (I)great gladness. 18 Also (J)day by day, from the first day until the last day, he read from the Book of the Law of God. And they kept the feast (K)seven days; and on the (L)eighth day there was a sacred assembly, according to the prescribed manner.

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Footnotes

  1. Nehemiah 8:14 Temporary shelters
  2. Nehemiah 8:17 Temporary shelters

13 On the second day of the month, the heads of all the families, along with the priests and the Levites, gathered around Ezra the teacher to give attention to the words of the Law. 14 They found written in the Law, which the Lord had commanded through Moses, that the Israelites were to live in temporary shelters(A) during the festival of the seventh month 15 and that they should proclaim this word and spread it throughout their towns and in Jerusalem: “Go out into the hill country and bring back branches from olive and wild olive trees, and from myrtles, palms and shade trees, to make temporary shelters”—as it is written.[a]

16 So the people went out and brought back branches and built themselves temporary shelters on their own roofs, in their courtyards, in the courts of the house of God and in the square by the Water Gate(B) and the one by the Gate of Ephraim.(C) 17 The whole company that had returned from exile built temporary shelters and lived in them.(D) From the days of Joshua son of Nun until that day, the Israelites had not celebrated(E) it like this. And their joy was very great.

18 Day after day, from the first day to the last, Ezra read(F) from the Book of the Law(G) of God. They celebrated the festival for seven days, and on the eighth day, in accordance with the regulation,(H) there was an assembly.(I)

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Footnotes

  1. Nehemiah 8:15 See Lev. 23:37-40.