Leviticus 23:39, commentary and pictures

Also on the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when the fruit of the land has been gathered in, a feast to the Lord is kept seven days, from the fifteenth through the twenty-second, with sacred rest as a sabbath on the first day and on the eighth day, the eighth day being added to the seven and kept in the same manner. For that week the people leave their houses and dwell in booths made of green branches, including pine, myrtle, and palm, set up on rooftops, in streets, and about Jerusalem, often beyond the walls in valleys and on hillsides. They assemble at Jerusalem from different parts of the land and from other lands, bringing gifts and offerings from orchard and field after the harvests are stored, and celebrate free from harvest labor with sacred songs and music, waving of branches, great gladness, and daily reading of the law. It is the crowning and closing festal gathering of the year, a harvest thanksgiving for God's bounty in bringing the harvest to maturity, and a commemoration of tent life in the wilderness and His protecting care and deliverance, kept with pre-eminent rejoicing because it follows the Day of Atonement when confessed sin is remembered no more and the people are at peace with God. It gives the pattern for God's people at the present time to assemble together for worship, gratefully recalling how He has brought them out from the world and from darkness into light, strengthening ties to God and to one another in sacred remembrance, education, and fellowship.

Timing and Observance

The feast begins on the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when the fruit of the land has been gathered in, and continues seven days, from the fifteenth through the twenty-second, with a sabbath of sacred rest on the first day and on the eighth day. The eighth day is added to the seven and is kept in the same manner as the seven. The timing places the observance after the harvests have been gathered into granaries and the fruits, oil, and wine stored and the firstfruits reserved.

During the feast the people leave their houses and live in booths made of green branches, including pine, myrtle, and palm. The booths are set up on rooftops, in streets, and around Jerusalem, often beyond the city walls in valleys and on hillsides. The people assemble at Jerusalem from different parts of the land, from Palestine and other lands. They bring gifts and tributes of thanksgiving and offerings from orchard and field.

They celebrate with sacred songs and music, waving branches, great gladness, daily reading of the law, and freedom from harvest labor. Though only fathers and sons are commanded to appear, so far as possible the whole household attends. Servants, Levites, strangers, and the poor are welcomed with generous hospitality. The week in booths is thus an occasion for outdoor recreation, social life, fellowship, and rejoicing.

Meaning and Joy

The feast is also called the Feast of Ingathering, the crowning and closing festal gathering of the year, kept as a harvest thanksgiving acknowledging God's bounty in orchard, olive grove, and vineyard. It comes when the land has yielded its increase and the fruit of the land has been gathered in, with harvests in granaries and fruits, oil, and wine stored, and it remembers His goodness, mercy, and care in providing the harvest and bringing it to maturity. It is kept with offerings and tributes of thanksgiving from orchard and field, giving thanks to God for the year's abundance and goodness and for rich blessing. Like the Passover it is commemorative, remembering the pilgrim tent life in the wilderness when the people left their houses to dwell in booths. It remembers God's protecting care, the deliverance wrought for the fathers, and His miraculous preservation of Israel during the journeyings from Egypt.

It is pre-eminently an occasion of rejoicing because it comes just after the Day of Atonement, when sins have been confessed and the people are assured that iniquity will be remembered no more and are declared at peace with God and with Heaven. At that time the labors of harvest have ended and the toils of the new year have not yet begun, so the people are free from care to give themselves to sacred, joyous influences with sacred songs and thanksgiving, acknowledging His goodness and praising Him for His mercy. As a yearly assembly of old and young from different quarters of the land, it encourages hearts in the service of God, and association together strengthens ties to God and to one another. It is devoted to sacred remembrance, education, and fellowship, with social gatherings and a sacred memorial service joining gratitude with instruction.

History and Present Pattern

The feast stands among Israel's yearly religious gatherings at Jerusalem, resumed after the return from captivity to remind the people of God, yet priests and leaders lost sight of that purpose and perverted its observance. It was established as a yearly assembly where the hearts of old and young are encouraged in the service of God, and where association of people from different quarters strengthens ties to God and to one another. It is a joyous commemoration of the blessings of God, celebrating the deliverance wrought for the fathers and miraculous preservation during the journeyings from Egypt.

It gives a pattern for God's people at the present time to keep a Feast of Tabernacles by gratefully recalling how He has brought them out from the world and from the darkness of error into the precious light of His grace and truth. That pattern is for assembling believers together for worship after the harvest in a seven-day feast with sabbath rest on the first and eighth days. Camp meetings are urged as such gatherings, with the Wellington camp meeting named as an example to be attended. The camp meeting is an important opportunity for worship, spiritual benefit, and united support of God's work, and believers are urged to attend with their families and to make sacrifices to come.