Leviticus 23 34

Leviticus 23:34 kjv

Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, The fifteenth day of this seventh month shall be the feast of tabernacles for seven days unto the LORD.

Leviticus 23:34 nkjv

"Speak to the children of Israel, saying: 'The fifteenth day of this seventh month shall be the Feast of Tabernacles for seven days to the LORD.

Leviticus 23:34 niv

"Say to the Israelites: 'On the fifteenth day of the seventh month the LORD's Festival of Tabernacles begins, and it lasts for seven days.

Leviticus 23:34 esv

"Speak to the people of Israel, saying, On the fifteenth day of this seventh month and for seven days is the Feast of Booths to the LORD.

Leviticus 23:34 nlt

"Give the following instructions to the people of Israel. Begin celebrating the Festival of Shelters on the fifteenth day of the appointed month ? five days after the Day of Atonement. This festival to the LORD will last for seven days.

Leviticus 23 verses

Leviticus 23 34 Meaning

Leviticus 23:34 declares the divine commandment for the people of Israel to observe the Festival of Booths (Sukkot). It specifies the timing of this significant feast, establishing its commencement on the fifteenth day of the seventh month and its duration for seven days, serving as a pilgrimage festival of thanksgiving and remembrance of God's dwelling with His people.

Leviticus 23 34 Context

Leviticus 23 outlines the "appointed times" or "festivals of the LORD" (Lev 23:2) which were consecrated times of worship for Israel throughout their calendar year. These festivals served as memorial markers of God's mighty acts of salvation and His ongoing covenant faithfulness. The chapter begins with the Sabbath (v.3), then progresses through Passover and Unleavened Bread (v.4-8), Firstfruits (v.9-14), Weeks/Pentecost (v.15-22), Trumpets (v.23-25), the Day of Atonement (v.26-32), and finally concludes with the Feast of Booths, or Sukkot (v.33-44).

Leviticus 23:34 follows directly after the somber and solemn observance of the Day of Atonement. This transition is significant: from national cleansing and repentance (Day of Atonement) to overflowing joy, celebration, and thanksgiving (Feast of Booths). This sequence underscores the divine truth that God's grace and atonement precede and enable true joy and fellowship. Historically and culturally, the Feast of Booths was a major pilgrimage festival, requiring all Israelite males to journey to Jerusalem. It was primarily a harvest festival, a time for joyous thanksgiving for the completion of the agricultural year, particularly the ingathering of the grapes and olives. Unlike Canaanite harvest rituals, which could involve hedonistic practices or worship of pagan deities like Baal, Sukkot emphasized joyful gratitude to Yahweh, the true provider, and remembrance of His faithfulness. The command to live in temporary shelters or "booths" for seven days reminded them of their wilderness journey and God's provision while they were homeless, instilling humility and dependence on God rather than their own abundance.

Leviticus 23 34 Word analysis

• Speak (דַּבֵּר - dabber): An imperative form of the verb "to speak," denoting a direct and authoritative divine command. It highlights that this instruction comes from God Himself.
• to the Israelites (אֶל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל - el Bnei Yisrael): "To the sons of Israel." This specifies the recipients of the commandment – the covenant community chosen by God. It underlines the exclusive relationship God had with them and their unique responsibilities.
• Say (אֱמֹר - emor): Another imperative of "to say," often used alongside "dabber" to emphasize the transmission and clear articulation of the divine message to the people.
• On the fifteenth day (בַּחֲמִשָּׁה עָשָׁר יוֹם - bachamishah asar yom): Specifies the exact start date. The fifteenth day signifies the middle of the month, suggesting a full moon which traditionally was associated with festivals, particularly those with a celebratory atmosphere and nightly gatherings. This specific timing places it after the harvest would typically be largely complete, allowing for ingathering and rejoicing.
• of this seventh month (לַחֹדֶשׁ הַשְּׁבִיעִי - lachodesh hashvi'i): Refers to the month of Tishrei in the religious calendar (though called Ethanim in pre-exilic times, 1 Ki 8:2). This month is highly significant, containing three major holy days: the Feast of Trumpets (Rosh Hashanah), the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur), and the Feast of Booths (Sukkot). The movement from introspection to exultation within this month is deliberate.
• is the Festival of Booths (חַג הַסֻּכֹּות הוּא - Chag Hasukkot Hu):
  • Festival (חַג - Chag): Means "festival" or "feast." It often carries the connotation of a "pilgrimage feast," as implied by its root meaning "to go in a circle" or "to make a pilgrimage." This indicates it was one of the three annual times when all male Israelites were commanded to travel to Jerusalem to appear before the LORD. The "chag" denoted public celebration and communal joy.
  • Booths (הַסֻּכֹּות - Hasukkot): The plural of "sukkah" (סֻכָּה), which means "booth," "tent," "tabernacle," or "shelter." These were temporary dwellings, built with roofs of natural materials through which one could see the stars (Neh 8:14-15). Living in them reminded the Israelites of their wilderness wanderings, God's provision, and their complete dependence on Him, not their own fixed dwellings. It signifies human fragility and divine permanence.
• for seven days (שִׁבְעַת יָמִים - shiv'at yamim): The prescribed duration. The number seven in biblical numerology often signifies completion, perfection, or holiness (e.g., seven days of creation, the Sabbath). A seven-day celebration denotes a full, extensive, and immersive period of festivity and spiritual observance.

Words-group Analysis:

• "Speak to the Israelites, saying": This phrase emphasizes the direct divine authority and intentional communication of the commandment, highlighting God's personal involvement in instructing His covenant people about their worship.
• "On the fifteenth day of this seventh month is the Festival of Booths": This precisely establishes the timing of the festival, marking it as a post-harvest celebration within the pivotal seventh month, allowing for a structured religious calendar where moments of solemn introspection (Day of Atonement) transition into sustained national joy and gratitude.
• "Festival of Booths for seven days": This combination concisely defines the essence and duration of Sukkot. "Festival" speaks to joyous communal gathering and pilgrimage, while "Booths" points to the historical remembrance and reliance on God. The "seven days" ensures a full and encompassing period of celebration and living out the symbolic lessons. The overall phrase encapsulates the themes of divine provision, communal thanksgiving, historical remembrance of God's leading, and a pilgrim mindset for the people of Israel.

Leviticus 23 34 Bonus section

The Festival of Booths holds significant messianic and eschatological implications, particularly highlighted in later biblical texts and Jewish tradition:

• Messianic Themes: Many scholars and Christian traditions link elements of Sukkot to Jesus. John 7 depicts Jesus attending Sukkot, making profound declarations during ceremonies involving water (referencing God's provision of water in the wilderness) and light (symbolizing the Shekinah glory and a nightly menorah ceremony in the Temple courts). Jesus's cries of "If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink" and identifying Himself as "the light of the world" are seen as direct allusions to these Sukkot rituals, presenting Him as the fulfillment of Israel's hopes embodied in the feast. Furthermore, John 1:14 states the Word "dwelt" (ἐσκήνωσεν - eskēnōsen, related to "skēnē" meaning "tent" or "tabernacle") among us, signifying Christ's temporary, human dwelling on earth as God in the flesh, a cosmic fulfillment of the Sukkot dwelling.
• Eschatological Hope: The prophet Zechariah envisions a future wherein all nations will ascend to Jerusalem annually to keep the Feast of Booths, worshipping the LORD (Zech 14:16-19). This universal participation in Sukkot signifies a time of global peace and acknowledgment of God's reign. The book of Revelation also echoes Sukkot themes, portraying a multitude from every nation standing before God, having overcome, which some see as a "final harvest" celebration. Ultimately, Revelation 21:3 speaks of "the dwelling place (σκηνή - skēnē) of God is with man," presenting a final and eternal tabernacling of God among His people, fulfilling the ultimate promise foreshadowed by the temporary booths.
• Focus on Joy: Unlike other feasts which could carry elements of solemnity or introspection, Sukkot is consistently called a time of "rejoicing" (Deut 16:14-15). It teaches that even amidst reminders of hardship (living in booths), the overarching reality is God's enduring provision and His joyous presence among His people.
• Living Application: The Feast of Booths encourages believers today to remember God's faithfulness through past wilderness experiences, cultivate gratitude for His daily provision, live with an awareness of their temporary earthly sojourn as pilgrims looking forward to an eternal home, and participate in joyful fellowship with fellow believers, anticipating the day when God truly "tabernacles" with humanity forever.

Leviticus 23 34 Commentary

Leviticus 23:34 is the succinct inauguration of the Feast of Booths (Sukkot), one of Israel's three major annual pilgrimage festivals. Occurring immediately after the solemn Day of Atonement, it orchestrates a dramatic shift from repentance to joyous celebration, revealing God's design for His people to experience both His cleansing and His overflowing goodness. The prescribed date, the fifteenth day of the seventh month, positions it as the concluding harvest festival, a time for Israel to offer hearty thanks to God for the ingathering of crops. However, its spiritual significance extends beyond agricultural bounty. The command to live in "booths" (sukkot) for seven days was a profound symbolic act. It served as a potent memorial, forcing the Israelites to recall their ancestors' forty-year wandering in the wilderness, during which God protected and provided for them while they dwelled in temporary shelters (Lev 23:43). This act fostered humility, taught dependence on God as the ultimate provider, and reminded them of their identity as pilgrims on earth, transient inhabitants under God's perpetual care. This verse, therefore, sets the stage for a prolonged, joyful, and deeply meaningful encounter with God, celebrating His historical faithfulness and foreshadowing a future time of universal dwelling with Him.