Seven days shalt thou keep a solemn feast unto the LORD thy God in the place which the LORD shall choose: because the LORD thy God shall bless thee in all thine increase, and in all the works of thine hands, therefore thou shalt surely rejoice.

DEUTERONOMY 16:15KJV
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Deuteronomy 16:15 (KJV)

What does Deuteronomy 16:15 mean?

Deuteronomy 16:15 commands the Israelites to celebrate a seven-day feast to the LORD their God at the place God chooses, because God will bless their harvest and all the work they do, so they are to rejoice. The verse connects the act of joyful celebration directly to God’s blessing on their efforts and abundance.

Moses is speaking to the people of Israel as they prepare to enter the Promised Land, giving instructions about the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot). This feast is to be held for seven days in the specific place God designates, as a response to God’s promised blessing on their crops and labor. The verse emphasizes that rejoicing is not just allowed but expected, rooted in gratitude for God’s provision.

The Hebrew behind Deuteronomy 16:15

  • "Feast" (חָג, ḥag): This word refers to a festival or pilgrimage celebration, highlighting that this is not just a meal but a sacred, communal event with religious significance.
  • "Rejoice" (שָׂמֵחַ, śāmeach): The word means to be glad or joyful. Here, it is a command, showing that joy is an essential part of worship during this feast, not just a spontaneous feeling.
  • "Bless" (בָּרַךְ, bārach): This word means to bestow favor or prosperity. The verse ties the people’s joy directly to God’s act of blessing their "increase" (produce) and "works of your hands" (labor), making the celebration a response to tangible gifts from God.

Why Deuteronomy 16:15 matters

  • Deuteronomy 16:15 clarifies that rejoicing is a commanded response to God’s blessing, not just a suggestion or an optional emotion.
  • The verse shows that worship in Israel’s life is closely linked to everyday work and harvest, grounding religious celebration in the realities of daily provision.
  • This instruction ties the Israelites’ joy and gratitude to a specific time and place chosen by God, reinforcing the importance of community and obedience in their relationship with God.

Where else these words appear

“feast” Hebrew H2287 · used in 14 verses

  • Exodus 5:1 And afterward Moses and Aaron went in, and told Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Let my people go, that they may hold a feast unto me in the wilderness.
  • Leviticus 23:41 And ye shall keep it a feast unto the LORD seven days in the year. It shall be a statute for ever in your generations: ye shall celebrate it in the seventh month.
  • Psalms 107:27 They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wits' end.

“rejoice” Hebrew H8056 · used in 23 verses

  • 1 Kings 1:40 And all the people came up after him, and the people piped with pipes, and rejoiced with great joy, so that the earth rent with the sound of them.
  • Esther 5:9 Then went Haman forth that day joyful and with a glad heart: but when Haman saw Mordecai in the king's gate, that he stood not up, nor moved for him, he was full of indignation against Mordecai.
  • Proverbs 2:14 Who rejoice to do evil, and delight in the frowardness of the wicked;

“increase” Hebrew H8393 · used in 40 verses

  • Genesis 47:24 And it shall come to pass in the increase, that ye shall give the fifth part unto Pharaoh, and four parts shall be your own, for seed of the field, and for your food, and for them of your households, and for food for your little ones.
  • Deuteronomy 14:22 Thou shalt truly tithe all the increase of thy seed, that the field bringeth forth year by year.
  • Proverbs 3:14 For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold.