Deuteronomy 16:13–17

Deuteronomy 16:13–17: Feast of Tabernacles

Synopsis

In this passage, Moses reminds the Israelites about the Feast of Tabernacles.

They are to celebrate this feast every year, seven days after they have “gathered the produce of your threshing floor and your winepress” (verse 13). The feast is to be a time of joy; why?

For the LORD your God will bless you in all your harvest and in all the work of your hands, and your joy will be complete. (verse 15b)

Sounds like a pretty good reason to me!

Moses concludes this passage—although, to Moses, this wasn’t a “passage,” it was just part of a longer speech—by reminding the Israelites that there are three feasts they are to celebrate every year: the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the Feast of Weeks, and the Feast of Tabernacles. And any time the Israelites come to these feasts, they are to come bearing gifts for the LORD—in proportion to the way He has blessed them.

Thoughts

This was a very short synopsis; you can get more details about the Feast of Tabernacles in Numbers 29, and Leviticus 23.