John 7:2 kjv
Now the Jew's feast of tabernacles was at hand.
John 7:2 nkjv
Now the Jews' Feast of Tabernacles was at hand.
John 7:2 niv
But when the Jewish Festival of Tabernacles was near,
John 7:2 esv
Now the Jews' Feast of Booths was at hand.
John 7:2 nlt
But soon it was time for the Jewish Festival of Shelters,
John 7 2 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Lev 23:34 | "Speak to the people of Israel, saying, 'On the fifteenth day of this seventh month is the Feast of Booths for seven days...'" | Command for the Feast of Booths. |
| Lev 23:42-43 | "You shall dwell in booths for seven days... so that your generations may know that I made the people of Israel dwell in booths..." | Commemorating wilderness dwelling. |
| Deut 16:13-15 | "You shall keep the Feast of Booths for seven days... then you shall rejoice in your feast..." | Mandate for joyous celebration. |
| Deut 16:16 | "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..." | One of the three pilgrimage festivals. |
| Num 29:12 | "On the fifteenth day of the seventh month you shall have a holy convocation... a festival to the LORD for seven days." | Outline of sacrifices for the feast. |
| Neh 8:13-18 | "And they found it written in the Law... that the people of Israel should dwell in booths during the feast..." | Re-establishment of the feast after exile. |
| Zech 14:16-19 | "Then everyone who survives of all the nations that have come against Jerusalem shall go up year after year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the Feast of Booths." | Prophecy of future universal celebration. |
| Jn 7:1 | "After this Jesus went about in Galilee... for he did not want to go about in Judea, because the Jews were seeking to kill him." | Immediate prior context of danger. |
| Jn 7:3-5 | "So his brothers said to him... 'show yourself to the world.'" | Brothers challenge Jesus to go publicly. |
| Jn 7:6 | "Jesus said to them, 'My time has not yet come, but your time is always here.'" | Jesus' timing for the feast. |
| Jn 7:10 | "But after his brothers had gone up to the feast, then he also went up, not publicly but in private." | Jesus' decision to go secretly. |
| Jn 7:14 | "When it was already mid-feast, Jesus went up into the temple and began teaching." | Jesus teaching during the feast. |
| Jn 7:37-38 | "On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, 'If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink...'" | Jesus reinterprets the water ceremony. |
| Jn 7:45-47 | "The officers then came to the chief priests and Pharisees, who said to them, 'Why did you not bring him?' The officers answered, 'No one ever spoke like this man!'" | Effect of Jesus' teaching at the feast. |
| Ex 23:14-17 | "Three times in the year you shall keep a feast to me." | General law for annual feasts. |
| Jn 2:4 | "Jesus said to her, 'Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.'" | Early mention of Jesus' 'hour'. |
| Jn 5:18 | "This was why the Jews were seeking all the more to kill him, because not only was he breaking the Sabbath but also calling God his own Father..." | Similar opposition to Jesus. |
| Jn 8:20 | "These words he spoke in the treasury, as he was teaching in the temple; but no one arrested him, because his hour had not yet come." | His 'hour' controlling events. |
| Jn 12:23 | "And Jesus answered them, 'The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.'" | The fulfillment of Jesus' 'hour'. |
| Matt 17:4 | "Peter said to Jesus, 'Lord, it is good that we are here. If you wish, I will make three tents here, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah.'" | Peter's desire to "tabernacle" on Transfiguration mountain. |
| Heb 11:9-10 | "By faith he went to live in the land of promise as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob... For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations..." | Believers as sojourners, dwelling in temporary shelters. |
| Rev 21:3 | "And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, 'Behold, the dwelling place (σκηνή) of God is with man. He will dwell (σκηνώσει) with them...'" | Ultimate fulfillment: God tabernacling with humanity. |
| Isa 12:3 | "With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation." | Prophetic link to Sukkot water ceremony and salvation. |
John 7 verses
John 7 2 Meaning
John 7:2 succinctly states that the Jewish Feast of Booths (Sukkot) was approaching. This timing sets the immediate scene for Jesus' journey to Jerusalem and the pivotal confrontations and teachings that define John chapter 7. The verse signifies the religious context, a major pilgrimage festival, and implicitly foreshadows the escalating tension between Jesus and the Jewish authorities who sought to kill Him.
John 7 2 Context
John 7:2 situates Jesus in the days leading up to one of the most significant annual festivals in the Jewish calendar: the Feast of Booths, or Sukkot. Chapter 7 opens with Jesus intentionally avoiding Judea because "the Jews" (referring to the hostile religious leadership) sought to kill Him (Jn 7:1). This festival provided a mandatory pilgrimage occasion, drawing a massive influx of people to Jerusalem, making it a critical public arena. Jesus' presence (or initial absence) at such a public event, coupled with the danger His life was under, forms the immediate dramatic tension. The verse acts as a literary cue, announcing the setting for the unfolding theological and confrontational narrative, where Jesus will challenge traditional understandings and assert His divine identity amidst an expectant yet divided populace.
John 7 2 Word analysis
- Now (δὲ - de): This conjunction serves as a transition, linking the prior context of Jesus avoiding Judea (Jn 7:1) to the imminence of the feast. It signals a shift in focus to the approaching event that will precipitate His journey and the ensuing conflict.
- the Jews’ (τῶν Ἰουδαίων - tōn Ioudaiōn): While grammatically possessive ("of the Jews"), in John's Gospel, "the Jews" often denotes the established Jewish religious authorities and their followers who opposed Jesus, rather than the entire Jewish people universally. Here, it functions primarily as a national descriptor for the festival's ownership, but it subtly hints at the contentious relationship.
- Feast (ἑορτὴ - heortē): A major religious festival. John highlights Jesus' actions within these festivals (Passover, Tabernacles, Dedication) to reveal Him as the fulfillment of their ancient prophetic meanings.
- of Booths (ἡ σκηνοπηγία - hē skēnopēgia): This specific term translates to "tent-pitching" or "dwelling in tents." The Greek skēnē refers to a tent or tabernacle.
- Significance: Commemorated Israel's dwelling in temporary shelters during their wilderness wandering after the Exodus (Lev 23:42-43). It was also a joyful autumn harvest festival, celebrating God's provision. It held strong messianic expectations, with rituals like the water libation (symbolizing prayers for rain and future salvation/Spirit) and light ceremony (symbolizing God's presence). Its emphasis on dwelling foreshadows Jesus, who "tabernacled" (ἔσκήνωσεν - eskēnōsen) among us (Jn 1:14).
- was at hand (Ἦν... ἐγγὺς - Ēn... engys): Literally "was near." The imperfect tense (ēn) conveys a continuous state of nearing or proximity. It implies that the preparations and atmosphere of the feast were already underway, creating a sense of urgency and expectation.
Words-group by words-group analysis
- Now the Jew’s Feast: The immediate onset of this national Jewish festival sets a public stage for Jesus. The nuance of "the Jews'" in John points to the official, institutionalized aspect of this festival, often under the purview of those hostile to Jesus.
- Feast of Booths: This specific feast, with its deep historical, agricultural, and prophetic significance, is critical. It evoked memories of God's dwelling with His people in the wilderness, His provision, and hope for a future messianic age where God would dwell with all nations (Zech 14:16-19).
- was at hand: This phrase highlights the imminent arrival, creating anticipation. It implies Jesus must decide whether and how He will participate, given the threats against His life mentioned in the preceding verse. The impending festival necessitates His movement and action, serving as a dramatic pivot point.
John 7 2 Bonus section
The Feast of Booths (Sukkot) was typically celebrated with open homes and widespread hospitality, often transforming Jerusalem into a vibrant, bustling city of temporary shelters and pilgrims. This atmosphere of communal joy and divine expectation provides a vivid backdrop for Jesus' controversial teachings. Furthermore, the explicit mention of skēnopēgia resonates with John 1:14, where the Word "became flesh and dwelt (ἐσκήνωσεν - eskēnōsen, 'tabernacled') among us," underscoring a consistent theme in John: Jesus is the ultimate fulfillment of God's presence and dwelling with humanity, even as the religious establishment of His day sought to reject Him. The contrast between Israel's temporary dwelling in physical booths and the eternal dwelling of God in Christ provides a profound theological lens through which to understand Jesus' ministry at this festival.
John 7 2 Commentary
John 7:2 functions as a critical scene-setter. It is not merely a statement of calendrical fact but establishes the spiritual and political arena for the escalating conflict between Jesus and the Jewish leadership. The Feast of Booths was a highly significant pilgrimage festival, a joyous occasion rich with symbolism—God's dwelling with Israel, His faithful provision, and powerful messianic expectations (particularly through its water and light ceremonies, which Jesus will address later in the chapter). The imminence of this feast directly leads into the dramatic tension of Jesus’ brothers urging Him to make a public appearance (Jn 7:3-5), and Jesus’ subsequent private journey to Jerusalem (Jn 7:10). This verse highlights that even a sacred feast becomes a context where Jesus' 'hour' is discussed and opposed, preparing the reader for profound theological teachings intertwined with intense antagonism.