Deuteronomy 16:13-17

The Feast of Booths

13 ¹"You shall keep the Feast of Booths seven days, when you have gathered in the produce from your threshing floor and your winepress.

14 ²You shall rejoice in your feast, you and your son and your daughter, your male servant and your female servant, the Levite, the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow who are within your towns.

15 For ³seven days you shall keep the feast to the LORD your God at the place that the LORD will choose, because the LORD your God will bless you in all your produce and in all the work of your hands, so that you will be altogether joyful.

16 ⁴"Three times a year all your males shall appear before the LORD your God at the place that he will choose: at the Feast of Unleavened Bread, at the Feast of Weeks, and at the Feast of Booths. ⁵They shall not appear before the LORD empty-handed.

17 Every man ⁶shall give as he is able, ⁷according to the blessing of the LORD your God that he has given you.

Deuteronomy 16:13-17 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO DEUTERONOMY 16

This chapter treats of the three grand yearly festivals, of the feast of passover, when, where, and what was to be sacrificed, how to be dressed, and in what manner to be eaten, De 16:1-8, of the feast of pentecost, when to begin it, where and how it was to be observed, De 16:9-12, and of the feast of tabernacles, when, where, and how long it was to be kept, De 16:13-15, which three times in the year all the males were to appear before the Lord, and not empty, De 16:16,17, an order is given for the appointment of judges in the land, to execute judgment, De 16:18-20, and the chapter is closed with a caution against planting groves, and setting up images, De 16:21,22.

Cross References

• 1. Exodus 23:16; See Leviticus 23:34
• 2. ver. 11; See Nehemiah 8:9-12
• 3. Leviticus 23:39
• 4. Deuteronomy 31:11; Exodus 23:14, 17; Exodus 34:23
• 5. Exodus 23:15
• 6. [Ezekiel 46:5, 11; 2 Corinthians 8:12]
• 7. [See ver. 10 above]