Nehemiah 8:15 kjv
And that they should publish and proclaim in all their cities, and in Jerusalem, saying, Go forth unto the mount, and fetch olive branches, and pine branches, and myrtle branches, and palm branches, and branches of thick trees, to make booths, as it is written.
Nehemiah 8:15 nkjv
and that they should announce and proclaim in all their cities and in Jerusalem, saying, "Go out to the mountain, and bring olive branches, branches of oil trees, myrtle branches, palm branches, and branches of leafy trees, to make booths, as it is written."
Nehemiah 8:15 niv
and that they should proclaim this word and spread it throughout their towns and in Jerusalem: "Go out into the hill country and bring back branches from olive and wild olive trees, and from myrtles, palms and shade trees, to make temporary shelters"?as it is written.
Nehemiah 8:15 esv
and that they should proclaim it and publish it in all their towns and in Jerusalem, "Go out to the hills and bring branches of olive, wild olive, myrtle, palm, and other leafy trees to make booths, as it is written."
Nehemiah 8:15 nlt
He had said that a proclamation should be made throughout their towns and in Jerusalem, telling the people to go to the hills to get branches from olive, wild olive, myrtle, palm, and other leafy trees. They were to use these branches to make shelters in which they would live during the festival, as prescribed in the Law.
Nehemiah 8 15 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Lev 23:42 | "You shall live in booths seven days; all native-born in Israel shall live in booths," | Command to live in booths. |
| Lev 23:40 | "On the first day you shall take the fruit of splendid trees, palm branches... thick trees... brook willows," | Command to take specific branches (lulav). |
| Deut 16:13 | "You shall keep the Feast of Booths seven days, when you have gathered in the produce..." | Feast of Booths celebration commanded. |
| Exo 23:16 | "The Feast of Harvest... and the Feast of Ingathering at the end of the year..." | Feast of Ingathering (Sukkot) is a harvest feast. |
| Exo 34:22 | "And you shall observe the Feast of Weeks... and the Feast of Ingathering at the year's end." | Feast of Ingathering specified. |
| Num 29:12-38 | Details the specific offerings for the Feast of Booths over seven days. | Elaborate rituals for the feast. |
| Deut 31:10-13 | "At the end of every seven years... at the Feast of Booths... you shall read this law..." | Command to read the Law during Sukkot. |
| Josh 1:8 | "This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth... for then you will make your way prosperous..." | Emphasizes obedience to the written Law. |
| Ezra 3:4 | "And they kept the Feast of Booths, as it is written, and offered the daily burnt offerings by number, according to the ordinance..." | Earlier post-exilic Sukkot celebration. |
| Neh 8:17 | "So the whole assembly of those who had returned from the captivity made booths and lived in the booths... since the days of Joshua... had not the people of Israel done so." | Highlights unique significance of this Sukkot. |
| Neh 9:3 | "And they stood up in their place and read from the Book of the Law of the Lord their God for a fourth of the day..." | Context of Law reading and revival. |
| Hag 1:8 | "Go up to the mountains and bring wood and build the house..." | Command to bring materials from mountains. |
| Zech 14:16 | "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." | Prophetic future celebration of Sukkot. |
| John 7:2, 37 | "Now the Jews' Feast of Booths was at hand... On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out..." | Jesus' presence and teaching at Sukkot. |
| Rev 7:9 | "After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude... standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands..." | Palm branches in heavenly worship, echo of Sukkot. |
| Matt 21:8-9 | "Most of the crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road." | Branches (often palm) in Messiah's entry. |
| 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..." | Concept of temporary dwelling, looking to future. |
| Isa 4:5-6 | "For over all the glory there will be a canopy. There will be a sukkah for shade by day from the heat, and for a refuge and a shelter from the storm and from rain." | Booth/canopy as divine protection/provision. |
| 1 Cor 10:1-6 | Mentions ancestors in the wilderness and things written for our instruction. | Old Testament wilderness journey and lessons. |
| Deut 8:2-3 | "And you shall remember the whole way that the Lord your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that he might humble you... that man does not live by bread alone..." | Remembering wilderness dependence. |
| Psa 84:10 | "For a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness." | Preference for dwelling in God's presence. |
Nehemiah 8 verses
Nehemiah 8 15 Meaning
This verse presents a divine instruction proclaimed to the returned exiles in Jerusalem and the surrounding cities. It is a command to go to the nearby mountains and gather specific types of tree branches – olive, pine (or oil-tree), myrtle, palm, and thick, leafy branches – for the explicit purpose of constructing temporary dwellings, or booths (Sukkot). The concluding phrase, "as it is written," firmly grounds this action in the divine authority of the Mosaic Law, emphasizing the community's commitment to obeying God's previously neglected commandments.
Nehemiah 8 15 Context
Nehemiah 8 details a pivotal moment in the spiritual revival of the post-exilic Jewish community in Jerusalem. After the wall's completion, the people gather, expressing a deep desire to hear and understand God's Law, which Ezra the scribe reads and explains for an entire week. Nehemiah 8:15 specifically comes after the discovery in the Law (likely Leviticus 23 or Deuteronomy 16) about the neglected Feast of Booths (Sukkot). This verse outlines the specific, actionable steps to fulfill this newly understood commandment, initiating a grand celebration that had not been observed with such faithfulness since the days of Joshua, demonstrating renewed commitment to God's covenant.
Nehemiah 8 15 Word analysis
- And that they should publish and proclaim: The Hebrew verb here is `qara'` (קרא), which means to "call, proclaim, read aloud." This indicates a public, widespread declaration of the divine command to ensure all citizens are informed and involved. It emphasizes immediate, vocal dissemination.
- in all their cities, and in Jerusalem: This specifies the broad geographical scope of the command. It's not limited to the spiritual center (Jerusalem) but extends to every settlement in the rebuilt community, signifying unity in obedience across the entire returned population.
- saying, Go forth unto the mount, and fetch: `Go forth` (יצא, yatza) is an active command to leave their settled homes. `Fetch` (הביאו, hevi'u) is an imperative to bring, signifying purposeful collection. The `mount` (הָהָר, ha-har) refers to the nearby hills and elevated regions surrounding Jerusalem, implying abundant natural resources readily available for the task.
- olive branches: `עֵץ זַיִת` (etz zayit). The olive tree, known for its longevity, oil, and symbolism of peace and blessing in Israelite culture.
- and pine branches: `עֵץ שֶׁמֶן` (etz shemen), literally "tree of oil" or "oily tree." Scholars debate the precise species, suggesting various evergreens like wild olive, fir, or oleander, due to their resinous nature. It points to a type of tree with dense or fragrant foliage suitable for building.
- and myrtle branches: `עֵץ הֲדַס` (etz hadas). Myrtle, known for its dark, glossy, aromatic leaves. It's also mentioned in prophetic contexts (Zech 1:8, Isa 41:19, 55:13) symbolizing blessing and restoration.
- and palm branches: `עֵץ תָּמָר` (etz tamar). The date palm, significant for its fruit, shade, and upright growth, a symbol of uprightness and fruitfulness in scripture (Psa 92:12). Widely associated with Sukkot and celebration.
- and branches of thick trees: `עֵץ עָבֹת` (etz avoth). `עָבֹת` (avoth) means thick, leafy, interwoven. This indicates dense, bushy foliage that would provide ample material and good cover for constructing the temporary booths. It likely refers to various species providing ample shade.
- to make booths: `לַעֲשׂוֹת סֻכּוֹת` (la'asot Sukkot). The clear purpose of gathering these specific branches is to construct the `Sukkot`, temporary dwellings that symbolize God's provision and protection during the Israelites' wilderness wanderings (Lev 23:43).
- as it is written: `כַּכָּתוּב` (ka-katuv). This crucial phrase validates the command by explicitly rooting it in the authoritative written Torah. It signifies the community's adherence to God's revealed will, re-establishing scriptural authority as their guiding principle, a core theme of Nehemiah and Ezra.
Nehemiah 8 15 Bonus section
The command in Nehemiah 8:15 regarding the specific branches differs slightly from the list given in Leviticus 23:40 (which primarily focuses on the 'Four Species' or lulav for waving, used during the feast). Nehemiah's list of branches is explicitly for making the booths (sukkah itself), highlighting the practicality of the materials for construction – sturdy and leafy enough for shelter. This distinction underscores the complementary nature of the different aspects of the Sukkot observance in the Torah. The act of going forth to the mountains collectively and gathering materials also fostered communal participation and shared ownership in the re-establishment of a sacred observance, contrasting sharply with past apathy.
Nehemiah 8 15 Commentary
Nehemiah 8:15 reveals the renewed commitment of the post-exilic community to God's written word. Upon hearing the Law, specifically the commandments regarding the Feast of Booths, they acted immediately and with precision. The specific types of branches mandated – common in the land yet carefully chosen – demonstrate adherence to both the spirit and letter of the law, distinct from simply using any available material. This meticulous instruction and prompt obedience underscored their earnest desire for restoration and genuine covenant renewal. The Feast of Booths, symbolizing God's faithfulness through wilderness wanderings, now took on new significance, reminding them of divine provision not only in their history but also in their current journey of rebuilding. The command to "proclaim" across "all their cities" emphasizes the communal and national scope of this rediscovered obedience and shared joy in the Lord's instructions.