Deuteronomy 16:13-17
New English Translation
The Feast of Temporary Shelters
13 You must celebrate the Feast of Shelters[a] for seven days, at the time of the grain and grape harvest.[b] 14 You are to rejoice in your festival, you, your son, your daughter, your male and female slaves, the Levites, the resident foreigners, the orphans, and the widows who are in your villages.[c] 15 You are to celebrate the festival seven days before the Lord your God in the place he[d] chooses, for he[e] will bless you in all your productivity and in whatever you do;[f] so you will indeed rejoice! 16 Three times a year all your males must appear before the Lord your God in the place he chooses for the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the Feast of Weeks, and the Feast of Shelters; and they must not appear before him[g] empty-handed. 17 Every one of you must give as you are able,[h] according to the blessing of the Lord your God that he has given you.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Deuteronomy 16:13 tn The Hebrew phrase חַג הַסֻּכֹּת (khag hassukkot, “Feast of Shelters” or “Feast of Huts”) is traditionally known as the Feast of Tabernacles. The rendering “booths” (cf. NAB, NASB, NRSV) is now preferable to the traditional “tabernacles” (KJV, ASV, NIV) in light of the meaning of the term סֻכָּה (sukkah, “hut; booth”), but “booths” are frequently associated with trade shows and craft fairs in contemporary American English. Clearer is the English term “shelters” (so NCV, TEV, CEV, NLT). This feast was a commemoration of the wanderings of the Israelites after they left Egypt, in which they dwelt in temporary shelters.
- Deuteronomy 16:13 tn Heb “when you gather in your threshing-floor and winepress.”
- Deuteronomy 16:14 tn Heb “in your gates.”
- Deuteronomy 16:15 tn Heb “the Lord.” See note on “he” in 16:1.
- Deuteronomy 16:15 tn Heb “the Lord your God.” See note on “he” in 16:1.
- Deuteronomy 16:15 tn Heb “in all the work of your hands” (so NASB, NIV); NAB, NRSV “in all your undertakings.”
- Deuteronomy 16:16 tn Heb “the Lord.” See note on “he” in 16:1.
- Deuteronomy 16:17 tn Heb “a man must give according to the gift of his hand.” This has been translated as second person for stylistic reasons, in keeping with the second half of the verse, which is second person rather than third.
Deuteronomy 16:13-17
Expanded Bible
The Feast of Shelters
13 Celebrate the ·Feast [Festival] of ·Shelters [Booths; Tabernacles] for seven days, after you have gathered your harvest from the threshing floor and winepress [Ex. 23:16; 34:22; Lev. 23:33–36]. 14 Everybody should rejoice at your ·Feast [Festival]: you, your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, the Levites, ·strangers [resident aliens], orphans, and widows who live in your ·towns [L gates]. 15 Celebrate the ·Feast [Festival] to the Lord your God for seven days at the place he will choose [v. 2; 12:4–7], because the Lord your God will bless all your ·harvest [yield; produce] and all the work ·you do [L of your hands], and you will be completely happy.
16 All your men must ·come [L appear] before the Lord three times a year to the place he will choose [v. 2; 12:4–7]. They must come at these times: the ·Feast [Festival] of Unleavened Bread [C another name for Passover], the ·Feast [Festival] of Weeks, and the ·Feast [Festival] of ·Shelters [Booths; Tabernacles]. No man should come before the Lord ·without a gift [empty-handed]. 17 Each of you must bring a gift that will show how much the Lord your God has blessed you.
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