Nehemiah 8:17

17 And they make -- all the assembly of the captives of the captivity -- booths, and they sit in booths; for the sons of Israel had not done, from the days of Jeshua son of Nun, so unto that day, and there is very great joy.

Nehemiah 8:17 Meaning and Commentary

Nehemiah 8:17

And all the congregation of them that were come again out of
captivity made booths
These came to Jerusalem, and made them booths there; for there only was this feast kept, see ( John 7:2 John 7:10 ) ,

and sat under the booths;
there they dwelt during the seven days of it, in commemoration of their ancestors dwelling in booths in the wilderness, see ( Leviticus 23:42 Leviticus 23:43 )

for since the days of Jeshua the son of Nun unto that day had not the
children of Israel done so;
Joshua observed it, when be had brought and settled the people of Israel in the land of Canaan; and it had been observed since, before this time, as appears from ( 1 Kings 8:2 1 Kings 8:65 1 Kings 8:66 ) ( Ezra 3:4 ) ; but not so, with such exactness, with such zeal and affection, with such a regard to the law of God, as to read it every day of the feast, as in the next verse, and with such joy and gladness; wherefore there is no reason to suspect a corruption in the text, as a learned man ^F23 does, who supposes that Joshua is put for Josiah:

and there was very great gladness;
that they were restored unto and settled in their land, had the book of the law, and the knowledge of it, and were directed and enabled to observe it.

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FOOTNOTES:

F23 Delancy's Life of King David, vol. 1. p. 395. marg.

Nehemiah 8:17 In-Context

15 and that they proclaim and cause to pass over all their cities, (and in Jerusalem,) saying, `Go ye out to the mount, and bring leaves of the olive, and leaves of the oil tree, and leaves of the myrtle, and leaves of the palms, and leaves of thick trees, to make booths as it is written.'

16 And the people go out, and bring in, and make for themselves booths, each on his roof, and in their courts, and in the courts of the house of God, and in the broad place of the water-gate, and in the broad place of the gate of Ephraim.

17 And they make -- all the assembly of the captives of the captivity -- booths, and they sit in booths; for the sons of Israel had not done, from the days of Jeshua son of Nun, so unto that day, and there is very great joy.

18 And he readeth in the book of the law of God day by day, from the first day till the last day, and they make a feast seven days, and on the eighth day a restraint, according to the ordinance.