Nehemiah 8:13-18

Feast of Booths Restored

13 Then on the second day the heads of fathers' households of all the people, the priests and the Levites were gathered to Ezra the scribe that they might gain insight into the words of the law.

14 They found written in the law how the LORD had commanded through Moses that the sons of Israel ¹should live in booths during the feast of the seventh month.

15 ²So they proclaimed and circulated a proclamation in all their cities and ³in Jerusalem, saying, "⁴Go out to the hills, and bring olive branches and wild * olive branches, myrtle branches, palm branches and branches of other leafy trees, to make booths, as it is written."

16 So the people went out and brought them and made booths for themselves, each ⁵on his roof, and in their courts and in the courts of the house of God, and in the square at ⁶the Water Gate and in the square at ⁷the Gate of Ephraim.

17 The entire assembly of those who had returned from the captivity made booths and lived in them. The sons of Israel ⁸had indeed not done so from the days of Joshua the son of Nun to that day. And ⁹there was great rejoicing.

18 ¹⁰He read from the book of the law of God daily, from the first day to the last day. And they ¹¹celebrated the feast seven days, and on ¹²the eighth day there was a solemn assembly according to the ordinance.

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.

Cross References

• 1. Lev 23:34, 40, 42
• 2. Leviticus 23:4
• 3. Deuteronomy 16:16
• 4. Leviticus 23:40
• 5. Jeremiah 32:29
• 6. Nehemiah 8:1
• 7. 2 Kings 14:13; Nehemiah 12:39
• 8. 2 Chronicles 7:8; 2 Chronicles 8:13
• 9. 2 Chronicles 30:21
• 10. Deuteronomy 31:11
• 11. Leviticus 23:36
• 12. Numbers 29:35

Footnotes

• [a]. Lit "And that they will cause to be heard"
• [b]. Lit "oil tree," species unknown
• [c]. Lit "the booths"