Nehemiah 8:13-18

Festival of Booths

13 On the second day the heads of the {families} of all the people, the priests, and the Levites gathered together to Ezra the scribe to study the words of the law.

14 They found written in the law, which Yahweh had commanded by the hand of Moses, that the {Israelites} should live in booths during the festival of the seventh month,

15 and that they should proclaim and give voice in all of their cities in Jerusalem, saying, "Go out to the hill and bring olive tree branches, olive oil wood branches, myrtle shrub branches, palm tree branches, and other leafy tree branches to make booths, as it is written."

16 So the people went out and brought them and made booths for themselves, each on his roof, in their courtyards, in the courtyards of the house of God, in the public square of the Water Gate, and in the public square of the Gate of Ephraim.

17 And all of the assembly of those who returned from captivity made booths and lived in the booths because the {Israelites} had not done it from the days of Jeshua son of Nun until that day. And there was very great joy.

18 And he read from the scroll of the law of God day by day from the first day up to the last day. They celebrated the festival for seven days, and on the eighth day there was an assembly according to the rule.

Nehemiah 8:13-18 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO NEHEMIAH 8

Ezra being desired to bring forth the book of the law, read it to the people and others, expounded it to them, Ne 8:1-8 and Nehemiah exhorted the people to express joy and gladness on this occasion, which they did, Ne 8:9-12 and observing the feast of tabernacles was in the law commanded to be observed, they kept it very strictly and joyfully, Ne 8:13-18.

Footnotes

• [a] Literally "fathers"
• [b] Hebrew torah
• [c] Hebrew torah
• [d] Literally "sons/children of Israel"
• [e] Literally "sons/children of Israel"
• [f] Hebrew torah