Deuteronomy 16:13

13 “You must observe the Festival of Shelters for seven days at the end of the harvest season, after the grain has been threshed and the grapes have been pressed.

Deuteronomy 16:13 Meaning and Commentary

Deuteronomy 16:13

Thou shalt observe the feast of tabernacles seven days
Which began on the fifteenth day of Tisri, or September; see ( Leviticus 23:34 ) , &c.

after that thou hast gathered in thy corn and thy wine;
and therefore sometimes called the feast of ingathering, ( Exodus 23:16 ) , barley harvest began at the passover, and wheat harvest at Pentecost; and before the feast of tabernacles began, the vintage and the gathering of the olives were over, as well as all other summer fruits were got in.

Deuteronomy 16:13 In-Context

11 This is a time to celebrate before the LORD your God at the designated place of worship he will choose for his name to be honored. Celebrate with your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, the Levites from your towns, and the foreigners, orphans, and widows who live among you.

12 Remember that you were once slaves in Egypt, so be careful to obey all these decrees.

13 “You must observe the Festival of Shelters for seven days at the end of the harvest season, after the grain has been threshed and the grapes have been pressed.

14 This festival will be a happy time of celebrating with your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, and the Levites, foreigners, orphans, and widows from your towns.

15 For seven days you must celebrate this festival to honor the LORD your God at the place he chooses, for it is he who blesses you with bountiful harvests and gives you success in all your work. This festival will be a time of great joy for all.

Footnotes

• [a]. Or Festival of Booths, or Festival of Tabernacles; also in 16:16 . This was earlier called the Festival of the Final Harvest or Festival of Ingathering (see Exod 23:16b ). It is celebrated today as Sukkot (or Succoth).