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 23:34KJV
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Leviticus 23:34 (KJV)

What does Leviticus 23:34 mean?

Leviticus 23:34 commands Moses to tell the Israelites that the fifteenth day of the seventh month is to be set aside as the start of the Feast of Tabernacles, a seven-day festival dedicated to the LORD. This verse marks the official timing and purpose for this special celebration in Israel’s calendar.

In this verse, God is speaking to Moses, instructing him to relay this message to the people of Israel. The context is God giving Moses detailed instructions about the various holy days and festivals the Israelites are to observe. The Feast of Tabernacles, also called Sukkot, is introduced here as a week-long event that takes place in the autumn, after the harvest.

The Hebrew behind Leviticus 23:34

  • The word for "tabernacles" is סֻכֹּת (sukkot, from סֻכָּה sukkah), which means "booths" or "temporary shelters." This highlights that the Israelites were to live in makeshift shelters during this festival, recalling their ancestors’ time living in tents after leaving Egypt.
  • The word for "feast" is חַג (chag), which refers to a festival or pilgrimage celebration. This word signals that this is not just a regular gathering, but a joyful, communal event with special significance.
  • "LORD" is יְהוָה (YHWH, often pronounced Yahweh), the personal name of Israel’s God, emphasizing that this festival is dedicated specifically to Him.

Why Leviticus 23:34 matters

  • Leviticus 23:34 clarifies that the Feast of Tabernacles is not a man-made tradition but a command from God, with a set time and purpose.
  • The verse connects the festival to the broader theme of remembrance and gratitude for God’s provision during the Israelites’ journey through the wilderness.
  • By specifying the exact date and length, the verse helps establish the structure of Israel’s religious calendar and the rhythm of their communal worship.

Where else these words appear

“tabernacles” Hebrew H5521 · used in 29 verses

  • Genesis 33:17 And Jacob journeyed to Succoth, and built him an house, and made booths for his cattle: therefore the name of the place is called Succoth.
  • 1 Kings 20:16 And they went out at noon. But Benhadad was drinking himself drunk in the pavilions, he and the kings, the thirty and two kings that helped him.
  • Job 38:40 When they couch in their dens, and abide in the covert to lie in wait?

“feast” Hebrew H2282 · used in 55 verses

  • Exodus 10:9 And Moses said, We will go with our young and with our old, with our sons and with our daughters, with our flocks and with our herds will we go; for we must hold a feast unto the LORD.
  • Deuteronomy 16:16 Three times in a year shall all thy males appear before the LORD thy God in the place which he shall choose; in the feast of unleavened bread, and in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of tabernacles: and they shall not appear before the LORD empty:
  • Psalms 81:3 Blow up the trumpet in the new moon, in the time appointed, on our solemn feast day.

“seventh” Hebrew H7637 · used in 94 verses

  • Genesis 2:2 And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made.
  • Leviticus 23:16 Even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meat offering unto the LORD.
  • 1 Kings 18:44 And it came to pass at the seventh time, that he said, Behold, there ariseth a little cloud out of the sea, like a man's hand. And he said, Go up, say unto Ahab, Prepare thy chariot, and get thee down, that the rain stop thee not.