Deuteronomy 16:13

The Festival of Temporary Shelters

16:13 You must celebrate the Festival of Temporary Shelters ¹  for seven days, at the time of the grain and grape harvest. ² 

Deuteronomy 16:4

16:4 There must not be a scrap of yeast within your land ³  for seven days, nor can any of the meat you sacrifice on the evening of the first day remain until the next morning. ⁴ 

Deuteronomy 16:3

16:3 You must not eat any yeast with it; for seven days you must eat bread made without yeast, symbolic of affliction, for you came out of Egypt hurriedly. You must do this so you will remember for the rest of your life the day you came out of the land of Egypt.

Deuteronomy 16:15

16:15 You are to celebrate the festival seven days before the Lord your God in the place he ⁵  chooses, for he ⁶  will bless you in all your productivity and in whatever you do; ⁷  so you will indeed rejoice!

[16:13]  ¹ tn The Hebrew phrase חַג הַסֻּכֹּת (khag hassukot, “festival of huts” or “festival of shelters”) is traditionally known as the Feast of Tabernacles. The rendering “booths” (cf. NAB, NASB, NRSV) is now preferable to the traditional “tabernacles” (KJV, ASV, NIV) in light of the meaning of the term סֻכָּה (sukkah, “hut; booth”), but “booths” are frequently associated with trade shows and craft fairs in contemporary American English. Clearer is the English term “shelters” (so NCV, TEV, CEV, NLT), but this does not reflect the temporary nature of the living arrangement. This feast was a commemoration of the wanderings of the Israelites after they left Egypt, suggesting that a translation like “temporary shelters” is more appropriate.

[16:13]  ² tn Heb “when you gather in your threshing-floor and winepress.”

[16:4]  ³ tn Heb “leaven must not be seen among you in all your border.”

[16:4]  ⁴ tn Heb “remain all night until the morning” (so KJV, ASV). This has been simplified in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[16:15]  ⁵ tn Heb “the Lord.” See note on “he” in 16:1.

[16:15]  ⁶ tn Heb “the Lord your God.” See note on “he” in 16:1.

[16:15]  ⁷ tn Heb “in all the work of your hands” (so NASB, NIV); NAB, NRSV “in all your undertakings.”