Topic Study

• Torah: Wayiqra (Leviticus) 23:1-2, 33-44
• Prophets: Zechariah 14:1-19
• Writings: Psalms 31:19-20
• Apostolic: John 7:1-52
• Additional: Jubilees 16:16-31; Jubilees 32:16-34

RELATED SCRIPTURES

• Genesis 33:1-17
• Deuteronomy 16:13-17
• Deuteronomy 31:7-13
• 2 Samuel 11:6-11
• 2 Samuel 22:1-12
• 1 Kings 20:11-16
• 2 Chronicles 7:1-11
• 2 Chronicles 8:11-13
• Ezra 3:1-7
• Nehemiah 8:1-18
• Job 27:13-23
• Job 36:24-33
• Job 38:40-41
• Psalms 18:1-15
• Isaiah 1:1-9
• Isaiah 4:1-6
• Amos 9:1-12
• Jonah 4:1-6

RELATED ADDITIONAL READINGS

• Leviticus 23:33-44 from the Jerusalem Targum aka Targum Pseudo-Jonathan
• 1 Maccabees 4:36-59
• 2 Maccabees 1:1-10
• Antiquities of the Jews by Flavius Josephus 3.10.4

Torah

23:1 YHWH spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Speak to the sons of Israel, and tell them, ‘The appointed times of YHWH, which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations, these are my appointed times…33 YHWH spoke to Moses, saying, 34 “Speak to the sons of Israel, and say, ‘On the fifteenth day of this seventh new moon is the Festival of Booths for seven days to YHWH. 35 On the first day shall be a holy convocation. You shall do no work of service. 36 Seven days you shall bring an offering made by fire to YHWH. On the eighth day shall be a holy convocation to you. You shall bring an offering made by fire to YHWH. It is a closing assembly; you shall do no work of service. 37 These are the appointed times of YHWH which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations, to bring an offering made by fire to YHWH, a burnt offering, a grain offering, a slaughter, and libation offerings, each on its own day— 38 besides the Sabbaths of YHWH, and besides your gifts, and besides all your vows, and besides all your freewill offerings, which you give to YHWH. 39 So on the fifteenth day of the seventh new moon, when you have gathered in the fruits of the land, you shall celebrate the festival of YHWH seven days. On the first day shall be a rest, and on the eighth day shall be a rest. 40 You shall take on the first day the fruit of majestic trees, branches of palm trees, and boughs of thick trees, and willows of the brook; and you shall rejoice before YHWH your Elohim seven days. 41 You shall keep it as a festival to YHWH seven days in the year. It is a statute forever throughout your generations. You shall keep it in the seventh new moon. 42 You shall dwell in booths for seven days. All who are native in Israel shall dwell in booths, 43 that your generations may know that I made the sons of Israel to dwell in booths when I brought them out of the land of Egypt. I am YHWH your Elohim.’ ” 44 So Moses spoke to the sons of Israel the appointed times of YHWH.

Prophets

14:1 Behold, a day of YHWH comes, when your plunder will be divided within you. 2 For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city will be taken, the houses rifled, and the women ravished. Half of the city will go out into captivity, and the rest of the people will not be cut off from the city. 3 Then YHWH will go out and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle. 4 His feet will stand in that day on the Mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east; and the Mount of Olives will be split in two from east to west, making a very great valley. Half of the mountain will move toward the north, and half of it toward the south. 5 You shall flee by the valley of my mountains, for the valley of the mountains shall reach to Azel. Yes, you shall flee, just like you fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah. YHWH my Elohim will come, and all the holy ones with [him]^(DSS)(LXX). 6 It will happen in that day that there will not be light, cold, or frost. 7 It will be a unique day which is known to YHWH—not day, and not night; but it will come to pass that at evening time there will be light. 8 It will happen in that day that living waters will go out from Jerusalem, half of them toward the eastern sea, and half of them toward the western sea. It will be so in summer and in winter. 9 YHWH will be King over all the land. In that day YHWH will be one, and his name one. 10 All the land will be made like the Arabah, from Geba to Rimmon south of Jerusalem; and she will be lifted up and will dwell in her place, from Benjamin’s gate to the place of the first gate, to the corner gate, and from the tower of Hananel to the king’s wine presses. 11 Men will dwell therein, and there will be no more curse; but Jerusalem will dwell safely. 12 This will be the plague with which YHWH will strike all the peoples who have fought against Jerusalem: their flesh will consume away while they stand on their feet, and their eyes will consume away in their sockets, and their tongue will consume away in their mouth. 13 It will happen in that day that a great panic from YHWH will be among them; and they will each seize the hand of his neighbor, and his hand will rise up against the hand of his neighbor. 14 Judah also will fight at Jerusalem; and the wealth of all the surrounding nations will be gathered together: gold, silver, and clothing, in great abundance. 15 A plague like this will fall on the horse, on the mule, on the camel, on the donkey, and on all the animals that will be in those camps. 16 It will happen that everyone who is left of all the nations that came against Jerusalem will go up from year to year to worship the King, YHWH of Armies, and to guard the Festival of Booths. 17 It will be that whoever of all the families of the land doesn’t go up to Jerusalem to worship the King, YHWH of Armies, on them there will be no rain. 18 If the family of Egypt doesn’t go up and doesn’t come, neither will it rain on them. This will be the plague with which YHWH will strike the nations that don’t go up to the festival, the Festival of Booths. 19 This will be the punishment of Egypt and the punishment of all the nations that don’t go up to the festival, the Festival of Booths.

Writings

31:19 Oh how great is your goodness, which you have laid up for those who fear you, which you have worked for those who take refuge in you, before the sons of men! 20 In the shelter of your face you will hide them from the plotting of man. You will guard them secretly in a booth away from the strife of tongues.

Apostolic

7:1 After these things, Yeshua was walking in Galilee, for he wouldn’t walk in Judea, because the Judeans sought to kill him. 2 Now the Jewish festival, the Festival of Booths, was at hand. 3 His brothers therefore said to him, “Depart from here and go into Judea, that your disciples also may see your works which you do. 4 For no one does anything in secret while he seeks to be known openly. If you do these things, reveal yourself to the world.” 5 For even his brothers didn’t believe in him. 6 Yeshua therefore said to them, “My time has not yet come, but your time is always ready. 7 The world can’t hate you, but it hates me, because I testify about it, that its works are evil. 8 You go up to the feast. I am not yet going up to this feast, because my time is not yet fulfilled.” 9 Having said these things to them, he stayed in Galilee. 10 But when his brothers had gone up to the feast, then he also went up, not publicly, but as it were in secret. 11 The Judeans therefore sought him at the feast, and said, “Where is he?” 12 There was much murmuring among the multitudes concerning him. Some said, “He is a good man.” Others said, “Not so, but he leads the multitude astray.” 13 Yet no one spoke openly of him for fear of the Judeans. 14 But when it was now the middle of the feast, Yeshua went up into the temple and taught. 15 The Judeans therefore marveled, saying, “How does this man know letters, having never been educated?” 16 Yeshua therefore answered them, “My teaching is not mine, but his who sent me. 17 If anyone desires to do his will, he will know about the teaching, whether it is from Elohim or if I am speaking from myself. 18 He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory, but he who seeks the glory of him who sent him is true, and no unrighteousness is in him. 19 Didn’t Moses give you the Torah, and yet none of you keeps the Torah? Why do you seek to kill me?” 20 The multitude answered, “You have a demon! Who seeks to kill you?” 21 Yeshua answered them, “I did one work and you all marvel because of it. 22 Moses has given you circumcision, not that it is of Moses, but of the fathers, and on the Sabbath you circumcise a boy. 23 If a boy receives circumcision on the Sabbath, that the Torah of Moses may not be broken, are you angry with me because I made a man completely healthy on the Sabbath? 24 Don’t judge according to appearance, but judge righteous judgment.” 25 Therefore some of them of Jerusalem said, “Isn’t this he whom they seek to kill? 26 Behold, he speaks openly, and they say nothing to him. Can it be that the rulers indeed know that this is truly the Messiah? 27 However, we know where this man comes from, but when the Messiah comes, no one will know where he comes from.” 28 Yeshua therefore cried out in the temple, teaching and saying, “You both know me, and know where I am from. I have not come of myself, but he who sent me is true, whom you don’t know. 29 I know him, because I am from him, and he sent me.” 30 They sought therefore to take him; but no one laid a hand on him, because his hour had not yet come. 31 But of the multitude, many believed in him. They said, “When the Messiah comes, he won’t do more signs than those which this man has done, will he?” 32 The Pharisees heard the multitude murmuring these things concerning him, and the chief priests and the Pharisees sent officers to arrest him. 33 Then Yeshua said, “I will be with you a little while longer, then I go to him who sent me. 34 You will seek me and won’t find me. You can’t come where I am.” 35 The Judeans therefore said among themselves, “Where will this man go that we won’t find him? Will he go to the Diaspora among the Greeks and teach the Greeks? 36 What is this word that he said, ‘You will seek me, and won’t find me;’ and ‘Where I am, you can’t come’?” 37 Now on the last day, the great one of feast, Yeshua stood and cried out, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink! 38 He who believes in me, as the Scripture has said, from within him will flow rivers of living water.” 39 But he said this about the Spirit, which those believing in him were to receive. For the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Yeshua wasn’t yet glorified. 40 Many of the multitude therefore, when they heard these words, said, “This is truly the Prophet.” 41 Others said, “This is the Messiah.” But some said, “What, does the Messiah come out of Galilee? 42 Hasn’t the Scripture said that the Messiah comes of the seed of David, (cf. 2 Samuel 7:12) and from Bethlehem, (cf. Micah 5:2) the village where David was?” 43 So a division arose in the multitude because of him. 44 Some of them would have arrested him, but no one laid hands on him. 45 The officers therefore came to the chief priests and Pharisees; and they said to them, “Why didn’t you bring him?” 46 The officers answered, “No man ever spoke like this man!” 47 The Pharisees therefore answered them, “You aren’t also led astray, are you? 48 Have any of the rulers or any of the Pharisees believed in him? 49 But this multitude that doesn’t know the law is cursed.” 50 Nicodemus, he who came to him by night, being one of them, said to them, 51 “Does our law judge a man unless it first hears from him personally and knows what he does?” 52 They answered him, “Are you also from Galilee? Search and see that no prophet has arisen out of Galilee.” (cf. Isaiah 9:1)

Additional

Between 1947 and 1956 approximately 15 Jubilees scrolls were found in five caves at Qumran, all written in Hebrew. The large number of manuscripts (more than for any biblical books except for Psalms, Deuteronomy, Isaiah, Exodus, and Genesis, in descending order) indicates that Jubilees was widely used at Qumran. A comparison of the Qumran texts with the Ethiopic version, performed by James VanderKam, found that the Ethiopic was in most respects an accurate and literalistic translation. Scholars have dated Jubilees to have been written sometime around 160-150 B.C.

Jubilees 16:16 And we returned in the seventh new moon, and found Sarah with child before us] and we blessed him, and we announced to him all the things which had been decreed concerning him, that he should not die till he should beget six sons more, and should see (them) before he died; but (that) in Isaac should his name and seed be called: 17. And (that) all the seed of his sons should be Nations, and be reckoned with the Nations; but from the sons of Isaac one should become a holy seed, and should not be reckoned among the Nations. 18. For he should become the portion of the Most High, and all his seed had fallen into the possession of Elohim, that it should be unto the Lord a people for (His) possession above all nations and that it should become a reign and priests and a holy nation. 19. And we went our way, and we announced to Sarah all that we had told him, and they both rejoiced with exceeding great joy. 20. And he built there an altar to the Lord who had delivered him, and who was making him rejoice in the land of his sojourning, and he celebrated a festival of joy in this new moon seven days, near the altar which he had built at the Well of the Oath. 21. And he built booths for himself and for his servants on this festival, and he was the first to celebrate the feast of tabernacles on the land. 22. And during these seven days he brought each day to the altar a burnt offering to the Lord, two oxen, two rams, seven sheep, one he-goat, for a sin offering, that he might atone thereby for himself and for his seed. 23. And, as a thank offering, seven rams, seven kids, seven sheep, and seven he-goats, and their fruit offerings and their libation offerings; and he burnt all the fat thereof on the altar, a chosen offering unto the Lord for a sweet smelling savour. 24. And morning and evening he burnt fragrant substances, frankincense and galbanum, and stacte, and nard, and myrrh, and spice, and costum; all these seven he offered, crushed, mixed together in equal parts (and) pure. 25. And he celebrated this feast during seven days, rejoicing with all his heart and with all his soul, he and all those who were in his house; and there was no stranger with him, nor any that was uncircumcised. 26. And he blessed his Creator who had created him in his generation, for He had created him according to His good pleasure; for He knew and perceived that from him would arise the plant of righteousness for the eternal generations, and from him a holy seed, so that it should become like Him who had made all things. 27. And he blessed and rejoiced, and he called the name of this festival the festival of the Lord, a joy acceptable to the Most High Elohim. 28. And we blessed him for ever, and all his seed after him throughout all the generations of the land, because he celebrated this festival in its season, according to the witness of the heavenly tables. 29. For this reason it is ordained on the heavenly tables concerning Israel, that they shall celebrate the feast of tabernacles seven days with joy, in the seventh new moon, acceptable before the Lord–a statute for ever throughout their generations every year. 30. And to this there is no limit of days; for it is ordained for ever regarding Israel that they should celebrate it and dwell in booths, and set wreaths upon their heads, and take leafy boughs, and willows from the brook. 31. And Abraham took branches of palm trees, and the fruit of goodly trees, and every day going round the altar with the branches seven times [a day] in the morning, he praised and gave thanks to his Elohim for all things in joy.

Jubilees 32:16-34 And on the following night, on the twenty-second day of this new moon (seventh new moon, cf. Jubilees 31:3), Jacob resolved to build that place, and to surround the court with a wall, and to sanctify it and make it holy for ever, for himself and his children after him. 17. And the Lord appeared to him by night and blessed him and said unto him: “Thy name shall not be called Jacob, but Israel shall they name thy name.” 18. And He said unto him again: “I am the Lord who created the heavens and the land, and I shall increase thee and multiply thee exceedingly, and kings will come forth from thee, and they will judge everywhere wherever the foot of the sons of men hath trodden. 19. And I shall give to thy seed all the land which is under the heavens, and they will judge all the nations according to their desires, and after that they will get possession of the whole land and inherit it for ever.” 20. And He finished speaking with him, and He went up from him, and Jacob looked till He had ascended into the heavens. 21. And he saw in a vision of the night, and behold an angel descended from the heavens with seven tablets in his hands, and he gave them to Jacob, and he read them and knew all that was written therein which would befall him and his sons throughout all the ages. 22. And he showed him all that was written on the tablets, and said unto him: “Do not build this place, and do not make it an eternal sanctuary, and do not dwell here; for this is not the place. Go to the house of Abraham thy father and dwell with Isaac thy father until the day of the death of thy father. 23. For in Egypt thou wilt die in peace, and in this land thou wilt be buried with honour in the sepulchre of thy fathers, with Abraham and Isaac. 24. Fear not, for as thou hast seen and read it, thus will. it all be; and do thou write down everything as thou hast seen and read.” 25. And Jacob said: “Lord, how can I remember all that I have read and seen?” And he said unto him: “I will bring all things to thy remembrance.” (cf. John 14:22-31; 2 Edras 40:37-48) 26. And he went up from him, and he awoke from his sleep, and he remembered everything which he had read and seen, and he wrote down all the words which he had read and seen. 27. And he celebrated there yet another day, and he slaughtered thereon according to all that he slaughtered on the former days, and called its name †”Addition,”† for †this day was added,† and the former days he called “The Feast.” 28. And thus it was manifested that it should be, and it is written on the heavenly tables: wherefore it was revealed to him that he should celebrate it, and add it to the seven days of the feast. 29. And its name was called †”Addition,” † †because that† it was recorded amongst the days of the feast days, †according to† the number of the days of the year. 30. And in the night, on the twenty-third of this new moon, Deborah Rebecca’s nurse died, and they buried her beneath the city under the oak of the river, and he called the name of this place, “The river of Deborah,” and the oak, “The oak of the mourning of Deborah.” 31. And Rebecca went and returned to her house to his father Isaac, and Jacob sent by her hand rams and sheep and he-goats that she should prepare a meal for his father such as he desired. 32. And he went after his mother till he came to the land of Kabrâtân, and he dwelt there. 33. And Rachel bare a son in the night, and called his name “Son of my sorrow”; for she suffered in giving him birth: but his father called his name Benjamin, on the eleventh of the eighth new moon in the first of the sixth week of this [2143 A.M.] jubilee. 34. And Rachel died there and she was buried in the land of Ephrath, the same is Bethlehem, and Jacob built a pillar on the grave of Rachel, on the road above her grave.

Related Scriptures

33:1 Jacob lifted up his eyes, and looked, and, behold, Esau was coming, and with him four hundred men. He divided the children between Leah, Rachel, and the two servants. 2 He put the servants and their children in front, Leah and her children after, and Rachel and Joseph at the rear. 3 He himself passed over in front of them, and bowed himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother. 4 Esau ran to meet him, embraced him, fell on his neck, kissed him, and they wept. 5 He lifted up his eyes, and saw the women and the children; and said, “Who are these with you?” He said, “The children whom Elohim has graciously given your servant.” 6 Then the servants came near with their children, and they bowed themselves. 7 Leah also and her children came near, and bowed themselves. After them, Joseph came near with Rachel, and they bowed themselves. 8 Esau said, “What do you mean by all this company which I met?” Jacob said, “To find favor in the sight of my lord.” 9 Esau said, “I have enough, my brother; let that which you have be yours.” 10 Jacob said, “Please, no, if I have now found favor in your sight, then receive my present at my hand, because I have seen your face, as one sees the face of Elohim, and you were pleased with me. 11 Please take the gift that I brought to you, because Elohim has dealt graciously with me, and because I have enough.” He urged him, and he took it. 12 Esau said, “Let’s take our journey, and let’s go, and I will go before you.” 13 Jacob said to him, “My lord knows that the children are tender, and that the flocks and herds with me have their young, and if they overdrive them one day, all the flocks will die. 14 Please let my lord pass over before his servant, and I will lead on gently, according to the pace of the livestock that are before me and according to the pace of the children, until I come to my lord to Seir.” 15 Esau said, “Let me now leave with you some of the people who are with me.” He said, “Why? Let me find favor in the sight of my lord.” 16 So Esau returned that day on his way to Seir. 17 Jacob traveled to Sukkot, built himself a house, and made booths for his livestock. Therefore the name of the place is called Sukkot.

16:13 You shall guard the feast of booths seven days, after you have gathered in from your threshing floor and from your wine press. 14 You shall rejoice in your festival, you, your son, your daughter, your male servant, your maid, the Levite, the foreigner, the fatherless, and the widow who are within your gates. 15 You shall guard a festival to YHWH your Elohim seven days in the place which YHWH chooses, because YHWH your Elohim will bless you in all your increase and in all the work of your hands, and you shall be altogether joyful. 16 Three times in a year all of your males shall appear before YHWH your Elohim in the place which he chooses: in the festival of unleavened bread, in the festival of weeks, and in the festival of booths. They shall not appear before YHWH empty. 17 Every man shall give as he is able, according to YHWH your Elohim’s blessing which he has given you.

31:7 Moses called to Joshua, and said to him in the sight of all Israel, “Be strong and courageous, for you shall go with this people into the land which YHWH has sworn to their fathers to give them; and you shall cause them to inherit it. 8 YHWH himself is who goes before you. He will be with you. He will not fail you nor forsake you. Don’t be afraid. Don’t be discouraged.” 9 Moses wrote this Torah and delivered it to the priests the sons of Levi, who bore the ark of the covenant of YHWH, and to all the elders of Israel. 10 Moses commanded them, saying, “At the end of every seven years, in the appointed time of the year of release, in the festival of booths, 11 when all Israel has come to appear before YHWH your Elohim in the place which he will choose, you shall read this Torah before all Israel in their hearing. 12 Assemble the people, the men and the women and the little ones, and the foreigners who are within your gates, that they may hear, learn, fear YHWH your Elohim, and observe to do all the words of this Torah, 13 and that their sons, who have not known, may hear and learn to fear YHWH your Elohim, as long as you live in the land where you go over the Jordan to possess it.”

11:6 David sent to Joab, “Send me Uriah the Hittite.” Joab sent Uriah to David. 7 When Uriah had come to him, David asked him how Joab did, and how the people fared, and how the war prospered. 8 David said to Uriah, “Go down to your house and wash your feet.” Uriah departed out of the king’s house, and a gift from the king was sent after him. 9 But Uriah slept at the door of the king’s house with all the servants of his lord, and didn’t go down to his house. 10 When they had told David, saying, “Uriah didn’t go down to his house,” David said to Uriah, “Haven’t you come from a journey? Why didn’t you go down to your house?” 11 Uriah said to David, “The ark, Israel, and Judah, are staying in booths; and my lord Joab and the servants of my lord are encamped in the open field. Shall I then go into my house to eat and to drink, and to lie in copulation with my wife? As you live, and as your soul lives, I will not do this thing!”

22:1 David spoke to YHWH the words of this song in the day that YHWH delivered him out of the hand of all his enemies, and out of the hand of Saul, 2 and he said: “YHWH is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer; 3 Elohim is my rock in whom I take refuge; my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower, and my refuge. My savior, you save me from violence. 4 I call on YHWH, who is worthy to be praised; So shall I be saved from my enemies. 5 For the waves of death surrounded me. The floods of ungodliness made me afraid. 6 The cords of Sheol were around me. The snares of death caught me. 7 In my distress, I called on YHWH. Yes, I called to my Elohim. He heard my voice out of his temple. My cry came into his ears. 8 Then the land shook and trembled. The foundations of the heavens quaked and were shaken, because he was angry. 9 Smoke went up out of his nostrils. Consuming fire came out of his mouth. Coals were kindled by it. 10 He bowed the heavens also, and came down. Thick darkness was under his feet. 11 He rode on a keruv, and flew. Yes, he was seen on the wings of the wind. 12 He will set darkness around him as booths, gathering of waters, and thick clouds of the heavens.

22:11 The king of Israel answered, “Tell him, ‘Don’t let him who puts on his armor brag like he who takes it off.’ ” 12 When Ben Hadad heard this message as he was drinking, he and the kings in the booths, he said to his servants, “Prepare to attack!” So they prepared to attack the city. 13 Behold, a prophet came near to Ahab king of Israel, and said, “YHWH says, ‘Have you seen all this great multitude? Behold, I will deliver it into your hand today. Then you will know that I am YHWH.’ ” 14 Ahab said, “By whom?” He said, “YHWH says, ‘By the young men of the princes of the provinces.’ ” Then he said, “Who shall begin the battle?” He answered, “You.” 15 Then he mustered the young men of the princes of the provinces, and they were two hundred and thirty-two. After them, he mustered all the people, even all the sons of Israel, being seven thousand. 16 They went out at noon. But Ben Hadad was drinking himself drunk in the booths, he and the kings, the thirty-two kings who helped him.

7:1 Now when Solomon had finished praying, fire came down from the heavens and consumed the burnt offering and the slaughters; and the glory of YHWH filled the house. 2 The priests could not enter into YHWH’s house, because the glory of YHWH filled YHWH’s house. 3 All the sons of Israel looked on, when the fire came down, and the glory of YHWH was on the house. They bowed themselves with their faces to the ground on the pavement, worshiped, and gave thanks to YHWH, saying, “For he is good, for his loving kindness endures forever!” 4 Then the king and all the people offered slaughters before YHWH. 5 King Solomon offered a slaughter of twenty-two thousand head of cattle and a hundred twenty thousand sheep. So the king and all the people dedicated Elohim’s house. 6 The priests stood, according to their positions; the Levites also with instruments of music of YHWH, which David the king had made to give thanks to YHWH, when David praised by their service, saying “For his loving kindness endures forever.” The priests trumpeted trumpets before them; and all Israel stood. 7 Moreover Solomon made the middle of the court that was before YHWH’s house holy; for there he did the burnt offerings and the fat of the peace offerings, because the bronze altar which Solomon had made was not able to receive the burnt offering, the grain offering, and the fat. 8 So Solomon did the festival at that time for seven days, and all Israel with him, a very great assembly, from the entrance of Hamath to the brook of Egypt. 9 On the eighth day, they did an assembly; for they kept the dedication of the altar seven days, and the festival seven days. 10 On the twenty-third day of the seventh new moon, he sent the people away to their tents, joyful and glad of heart for the goodness that YHWH had shown to David, to Solomon, and to Israel his people. 11 Thus Solomon finished YHWH’s house and the king’s house; and he successfully completed all that came into Solomon’s heart to make in YHWH’s house and in his own house.

8:11 Solomon brought up Pharaoh’s daughter out of David’s city to the house that he had built for her; for he said, “my wife shall not dwell in the house of David king of Israel, because the places where the ark of YHWH has come are holy.” 12 Then Solomon offered burnt offerings to YHWH on the altar of YHWH which he had built before the porch, 13 even as the duty of every day required, offering according to the commandment of Moses on the Sabbaths, on the new moons, and on the appointed times, three times per year, during the festival of unleavened bread, during the festival of weeks, and during the festival of booths.

3:1 When the seventh new moon had come, and the sons of Israel were in the cities, the people gathered themselves together as one man to Jerusalem. 2 Then Yeshua the son of Jozadak stood up with his brothers the priests and Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and his relatives, and built the altar of the Elohim of Israel, to offer burnt offerings on it, as it is written in the Torah of Moses the man of Elohim. 3 In spite of their fear because of the peoples of the surrounding lands, they set the altar on its base; and they offered burnt offerings on it to YHWH, burnt offerings morning and evening. 4 They did the festival of booths, as it is written, and daily burnt offerings by number, according to the judgment, as the word of a day in its day; 5 and afterward the continual burnt offering, the offerings of the new moons, of all the appointed times of YHWH that were consecrated, and of everyone who willingly offered a freewill offering to YHWH. 6 From the first day of the seventh new moon, they began to offer burnt offerings to YHWH; but the foundation of the temple of YHWH was not yet laid. 7 They also gave money to the masons and to the carpenters. They also gave food, drink, and oil to the people of Sidon and Tyre to bring cedar trees from Lebanon to the sea, to Joppa, according to the grant that they had from Cyrus King of Persia.

8:1 All the people gathered themselves together as one man into the wide place that was in front of the water gate; and they spoke to Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the Torah of Moses, which YHWH had commanded to Israel. 2 Ezra the priest brought the Torah before the assembly, both men and women, and all who could hear with understanding, on the first day of the seventh new moon. 3 He read from it before the wide place that was in front of the water gate from early morning until the middle of the day, in the face of the men and the women, and of those who could understand. The ears of all the people were attentive to the book of the Torah. 4 Ezra the scribe stood on a pulpit of wood, which they had made for the purpose; and beside him stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah, on his right hand; and on his left hand, Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam. 5 Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people, for he was above all the people, and when he opened it, all the people stood up. 6 Then Ezra blessed YHWH, the great Elohim. All the people answered, “Amen, Amen,” with the lifting up of their hands. They bowed their heads, and did bow down to YHWH with their faces to the ground. 7 Also Yeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites, caused the people to understand the Torah; and the people stayed in their place. 8 They read in the book, in the Torah of Elohim, distinctly; and they gave the sense, so that they understood the convocation. 9 Nehemiah, who was the governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, “Today is holy to YHWH your Elohim. Don’t mourn, nor weep.” For all the people wept when they heard the words of the Torah. 10 Then he said to them, “Go your way. Eat the fat, drink the sweet, and send portions to him for whom nothing is prepared, for today is holy to our Lord. Don’t be grieved, for the joy of YHWH is your strength.” 11 So the Levites calmed all the people, saying, “Hold your peace, for the day is holy. Don’t be grieved.” 12 All the people went their way to eat, to drink, to send portions, and to celebrate, because they had understood the words that were declared to them. 13 On the second day, the heads of fathers’ households of all the people, the priests, and the Levites were gathered together to Ezra the scribe, to study the words of the Torah. 14 They found written in the Torah how YHWH had commanded by Moses that the sons of Israel should dwell in booths in the feast of the seventh new moon; 15 and that they should publish and proclaim in all their cities and in Jerusalem, saying, “Go out to the mountain, and get olive branches, branches of wild olive, myrtle branches, palm branches, and branches of thick trees, to make booths, as it is written.” 16 So the people went out and brought them, and made themselves booths, everyone on the roof of his house, in their courts, in the courts of Elohim’s house, in the wide place of the water gate, and in the wide place of Ephraim’s gate. 17 All the assembly of those who had come back out of the captivity made booths and lived in the booths, for since the days of Joshua the son of Nun to that day the sons of Israel had not done so. There was very great gladness. 18 Also day by day, from the first day to the last day, he read in the book of the Torah of Elohim. They kept the feast seven days; and on the eighth day was a closing assembly, according to the judgment.

27:13 “This is the portion of a wicked man with Elohim, the heritage of oppressors, which they receive from the Almighty. 14 If his children are multiplied, it is for the sword. His seed will not be satisfied with bread. 15 Those who remain of him will be buried in death. His widows will make no lamentation. 16 Though he heap up silver as the dust, and prepare clothing as the clay; 17 he may prepare it, but the just will put it on, and the innocent will divide the silver. 18 He builds his house as the moth, as a booth which the watchman makes. 19 He lies down rich, but he will not do so again. He opens his eyes, and he is not. 20 Terrors overtake him like waters. A storm steals him away in the night. 21 The east wind carries him away, and he departs. It sweeps him out of his place. 22 For it hurls at him, and does not spare, as he flees away from his hand. 23 Men will clap their hands at him, and will hiss him out of his place.”

36:24 Remember that you magnify his work, about which men have sung. 25 All men have looked on it. Man sees it afar off. 26 Behold, Elohim is great, and we don’t know him. The number of his years is unsearchable. 27 For he draws up the drops of water, which distill in rain from his vapor, 28 which the heavens pour down and which drop on man abundantly. 29 Indeed, can anyone understand the spreading of the clouds and the thunderings of his booth? 30 Behold, he spreads his light around him. He covers the bottom of the sea. 31 For by these he judges the people. He gives food in abundance. 32 He covers his hands with the lightning, and commands it to strike the mark. 33 Its noise tells about him, and the livestock also, concerning the storm that comes up.

38:40 Can you hunt the prey for the lioness, or satisfy the soul of the young lions, 40 when they crouch in their dens, and lie in wait in the booth? 41 Who provides for the raven his prey, when his young ones cry to Elohim, and wander for lack of food?

For the Chief Musician. By David the servant of YHWH, who spoke to YHWH the words of this song in the day that YHWH delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul. He said,

18:1 I love you, YHWH, my strength. 2 YHWH is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer; my Elohim, my rock, in whom I take refuge; my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower. 3 I call on YHWH, who is worthy to be praised; and I am saved from my enemies. 4 The cords of death surrounded me. The floods of ungodliness made me afraid. 5 The cords of Sheol were around me. The snares of death came on me. 6 In my distress I called on YHWH, and cried to my Elohim. He heard my voice out of his temple. My cry before him came into his ears. 7 Then the land shook and trembled. The foundations also of the mountains quaked and were shaken, because he was angry. 8 Smoke went out of his nostrils. Consuming fire came out of his mouth. Coals were kindled by it. 9 He bowed the heavens also, and came down. Thick darkness was under his feet. 10 He rode on a cherub, and flew. Yes, he soared on the wings of the wind. 11 He made darkness his hiding place, his booth around him, darkness of waters, thick clouds of the heavens. 12 At the brightness before him his thick clouds passed, hailstones and coals of fire. 13 YHWH also thundered in the heavens. Elyon uttered his voice: hailstones and coals of fire. 14 He sent out his arrows, and scattered them. He routed them with great lightning bolts. 15 Then the channels of waters appeared. The foundations of the world were laid bare at your rebuke, YHWH, at the blast of the breath of your nostrils.

1:1 The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem, in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah. 2 Hear, the heavens, and listen, land; for YHWH has spoken: “I have nourished and brought up children and they have rebelled against me. 3 The ox knows his owner, and the donkey his master’s crib; but Israel doesn’t know. My people don’t consider.” 4 Alas! Sinful nation, a people loaded with iniquity, seed of evildoers, sons who deal corruptly! They have forsaken YHWH. They have despised the Holy One of Israel. They are estranged and backward. 5 Why should you be beaten more, that you revolt more and more? The whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint. 6 From the sole of the foot even to the head there is no soundness in it, but wounds, welts, and open sores. They haven’t been closed, bandaged, or soothed with oil. 7 Your country is desolate. Your cities are burned with fire. Strangers devour your land in your face and it is desolate, as overthrown by strangers. 8 The daughter of Zion is left like a booth in a vineyard, like a hut in a field of melons, like a besieged city. 9 Unless YHWH of Armies had left to us a very small remnant, we would have been as Sodom. We would have been like Gomorrah.

4:1 Seven women shall take hold of one man in that day, saying, “We will eat our own bread, and wear our own clothing. Just let us be called by your name. Take away our reproach.” 2 In that day, YHWH’s branch will be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the land will be the beauty and glory of the survivors of Israel. 3 It will happen that he who is left in Zion and he who remains in Jerusalem shall be called holy, everyone who is written among the living in Jerusalem, 4 when the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion, and shall have purged the blood of Jerusalem from within it, by the spirit of justice and by the spirit of burning. 5 YHWH will create over the whole habitation of Mount Zion and over her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day, and the shining of a flaming fire by night, for over all the glory will be a canopy. 6 There will be a booth for a shade in the daytime from the heat, and for a refuge and for a shelter from storm and from rain.

9:1 I saw the Lord standing beside the altar, and he said, “Strike the tops of the pillars, that the thresholds may shake. Break them in pieces on the head of all of them. I will kill the last of them with the sword. Not one of them will flee away. Not one of them will escape. 2 Though they dig into Sheol, there my hand will take them; and though they climb up to the heavens, there I will bring them down. 3 Though they hide themselves in the top of Carmel, I will search and take them out from there; and though they be hidden from my sight in the bottom of the sea, there I will command the serpent, and it will bite them. 4 Though they go into captivity before their enemies, there I will command the sword, and it will kill them. I will set my eyes on them for evil, and not for good. 5 For the Lord, YHWH of Armies, is he who touches the land and it melts, and all who dwell in it will mourn; and it will rise up wholly like the River, and will sink again, like the River of Egypt. 6 It is he who builds his rooms in the heavens, and has founded his vault on the land; he who calls for the waters of the sea, and pours them out on the surface of the land—YHWH is his name. 7 Are you not like the children of the Ethiopians to me, sons of Israel?” says YHWH. “Haven’t I brought up Israel out of the land of Egypt, and the Philistines from Caphtor, and the Syrians from Kir? 8 Behold, the eyes of the Lord YHWH are on the sinful reign, and I will destroy it from off the surface of the land, except that I will not utterly destroy the house of Jacob,” says YHWH. 9 “For behold, I will command, and I will sift the house of Israel among all the nations as grain is sifted in a sieve, yet not the least kernel will fall on the land. 10 All the sinners of my people will die by the sword, who say, ‘Evil won’t overtake nor meet us.’ 11 In that day I will raise up the booth of David who is fallen and close up its breaches, and I will raise up its ruins, and I will build it as in the days of old, 12 that they may possess the remnant of Edom and all the nations who are called by my name,” says YHWH who does this.

4:1 But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was angry. 2 He prayed to YHWH, and said, “Please, YHWH, wasn’t this what I said when I was still in my own country? Therefore I hurried to flee to Tarshish, for I knew that you are a gracious Elohim and merciful, slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness, and you relent of doing harm. 3 Therefore now, YHWH, take, I beg you, my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live.” 4 YHWH said, “Is it right for you to be angry?” 5 Then Jonah went out of the city and sat on the east side of the city, and there made himself a booth and sat under it in the shade, until he might see what would become of the city. 6 YHWH Elohim prepared a vine and made it to come up over Jonah, that it might be a shade over his head to deliver him from his discomfort. So Jonah was exceedingly glad because of the vine.

Related Additional Readings​

Composed in Talmudic Israel (c.150 – c.250 AD). Targum Pseudo-Jonathan is a western targum (translation) of the Torah (Pentateuch) from the land of Israel (as opposed to the eastern Babylonian Targum Onkelos). Its correct title was originally Targum Yerushalmi (Jerusalem Targum), which is how it was known in medieval times. But because of a printer’s mistake it was later labeled Targum Jonathan, in reference to Jonathan ben Uzziel. Some editions of the Pentateuch continue to call it Targum Jonathan to this day. Most scholars refer to the text as Targum Pseudo-Jonathan. This targum is more than a mere translation. It includes much Aggadic material collected from various sources as late as the Midrash Rabbah as well as earlier material from the Talmud. It is effectively a combination of a commentary and a translation. In the portions where it is pure translation, it often agrees with the Targum Onkelos. The date of its composition is disputed. It cannot have been completed before the Arabic conquest as it refers to Mohammad’s wife Fatimah, but might have been initially composed in the 4th Century AD. However, some scholars date it in the 14th Century.

And the Lord spake with Mosheh, saying: Speak with the sons of Israel: In the fifteenth day of this seventh new moon shall be the Feast of Tabernacles, seven days unto the Name of the Lord. On the first day of the feast is a holy convocation; no work of labour may you do. Seven days you shall offer an oblation to the Name of the Lord, you shall gather together to pray before the Lord for rain; no work of labour may you do. These are the times of the order of the Lord’s festivals which you are to convoke for holy convocations, to offer an oblation to the name of the Lord, a burnt slaughter and a mincha, sanctified offerings and libations, the rite of a day in its day; beside the days of the Lord’s Sabbaths, beside your gifts, and beside your vows, and beside your free‑will offering which you bring before the Lord. But on the fifteenth of the seventh new moon, at the time when you collect the produce of the ground, you shall solemnize a festival of the Lord seven days. On the first day, rest; and on the eighth day, rest. And of your own shall you take on the first day of the feast, the fruits of praiseworthy trees, citrons, and lulabin, and myrtles, and willows that grow by the brooks; and you shall rejoice before the Lord your Elohim seven days. [JERUSALEM TARGUM. Citrons and lulabs.] And you shall solemnize it before the Lord seven days in the year, by an everlasting statute in your generations shall you observe it in the seventh new moon. In tabernacles of two sides according to their rule, and the third a handbreadth (higher), that its shaded part may be greater than that into which cometh the sunshine; to be made for a bower (or shade) for the feast, from different kinds (of materials) which spring from the land and are uprooted: in measure seven palms, but the height within ten palms. In it you shall sit seven days; the males in Israel, and children who need not their mothers, shall sit in the tabernacles, blessing their Creator whenever they enter thereinto. That your generations may know how, under the shadow of the cloud of glory, I made the sons of Israel to dwell at the time that I brought them out redeemed from the land of Mizraim. And Mosheh declared the time of the orders of the Lord’s festivals, and taught them to the sons of Israel.

1 and 2 Maccabees are set during the reign of the Seleucid Greek empire (the part of the Greek empire that found its roots in Syria). It tells the story of how the Greek ruler Antiochus IV Epiphanes attested to suppress Temple worship and to destroy the practice of Jewish law. This caused the Maccabean revolt, led by Mattathias and his sons. As a part of the revolt, the Temple was freed from the control of the Greek empire and rededicated (an act that is still commemorated yearly in the festival of Hanukkah). The Maccabees then ruled over Israel, first as High Priests and then as High Priests and Princes of Israel.

1 Maccabees follows this story until the death of Shimon (the third son of Mattathias to rule over Israel) at the hands of the Egyptian Greeks (from about 175-134 B.C.).

4:36 But Judas and his kindred said, “Behold, our enemies are defeated. Let’s go up to cleanse the holy place and to rededicate it.” 37 All the army was gathered together, and they went up to mount Zion. 38 They saw the sanctuary laid desolate, the altar profaned, the gates burned up, shrubs growing in the courts as in a forest or as on one of the mountains, and the priests’ chambers pulled down; 39 and they tore their clothes, made great lamentation, put ashes upon their heads, 40 fell on their faces to the ground, blew with the trumpets of signals, and cried toward the heavens. 41 Then Judas appointed certain men to fight against those who were in the citadel until he had cleansed the holy place. 42 He chose blameless priests who were devoted to the law; 43 and they cleansed the holy place and carried the defiled stones out to an unclean place. 44 They deliberated what to do with the altar of burnt offerings, which had been profaned. 45 A good plan came into their mind, that they should pull it down, lest it would be a reproach to them, because the Nations had defiled it. So they pulled down the altar 46 and laid up the stones on the temple hill in a convenient place, until a prophet would come to give an answer concerning them. 47 They took whole stones according to the law, and built a new altar like the former. 48 They built the holy place and the inner parts of the house; and they consecrated the courts. 49 They made new holy vessels, and they brought the lampstand, the altar of incense, and the table into the temple. 50 They burned incense on the altar, and they lit the lamps that were upon the lampstand, and they gave light in the temple. 51 They set loaves upon the table, hung up the curtains, and finished all the work which they had done. 52 They rose up early in the morning, on the twenty-fifth day of the ninth new moon, which is the new moon Chislev, (circa B.C. 165) in the one hundred forty eighth year, 53 and offered slaughter according to the law on the new altar of burnt offerings which they had made. 54 At the time and day the Nations had profaned it, even then it was dedicated with songs, harps, lutes, and with cymbals. 55 All the people fell on their faces, worshiped, and gave praise, looking up toward the heavens, to him which had given them good success. 56 They celebrated the dedication of the altar eight days, and offered burnt offerings with gladness, and slaughtered a slaughter of deliverance and praise. 57 They decorated the front of the temple with crowns of gold and small shields. They dedicated the gates and the priests’ chambers, and made doors for them. 58 There was exceedingly great gladness among the people, and the reproach of the Nations was turned away. 59 Judas and his kindred and the whole congregation of Israel ordained that the days of the dedication of the altar should be kept in their seasons from year to year for eight days, from the twenty-fifth day of the new moon Chislev, with gladness and joy.

2 Maccabees recaps some of the story (until the events of 161 B.C.) and adds in details about Elohim’s intervention into the events reports.

1:1 The kindred, the Jews that are in Jerusalem and those who are in the country of Judea, send greeting to the kindred, the Jews that are throughout Egypt, and wish them good peace: 2 and may Elohim do good to you, and remember his covenant with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, his faithful servants; 3 and give you all a heart to worship him and do his wills with a great heart and a willing soul; 4 and open your heart in his law and in his statutes, and make peace, 5 and listen to your requests, and be reconciled with you, and not forsake you in an evil time. 6 And now we here are praying for you. 7 In the reign of Demetrius, in the hundred threescore and ninth year, we the Jews have already written to you in the suffering and in the extremity that has come upon us in these years, from the time that Jason and his company revolted from the holy land and the reign, 8 and set the porch on fire, and shed innocent blood: and we implored the Lord, and were heard; and we offered slaughter and grain offering, and we lighted the lamps, and we set forth the loaves. 9 And now see that you guard the days of the feast of tabernacles of the new moon Chislev. 10 Written in the hundred fourscore and eighth year.

Josephus was born Joseph ben Mattathias in 37 AD in Jerusalem of a priestly and royal family. He excelled in his studies of Jewish law and studied with the Sadducees, Pharisees, and the Essenes, eventually aligning himself with the Pharisees. In 62 AD he went to Rome to free some imprisoned priests. After accomplishing this mission through the intercession of Nero’s wife, Poppaea, he returned to Jerusalem in 65 AD to find the country in revolt against Rome. Josephus shrewdly reinterpreted the Messianic prophecies. He predicted that Vespasian would become the ruler of the ‘entire world’. His prophecy became true in 68 AD when Nero committed suicide and Vespasian became Ceasar. As a result, Josephus was freed; he moved to Rome and became a Roman citizen, taking the Vespasian family name Flavius. Vespasian commissioned Josephus to write a history of the war, which he finished in 78 AD, the Jewish War. His second major work, the Antiquities of the Jews, was completed in 93 AD. The extant manuscripts of the book Antiquities of the Jews contain two references to Yeshua of Nazareth (18.3.3. and 20.9.1.) and one reference to the imprisonment and death of John the Baptist (18.5.2.).

3.10.4. Upon the fifteenth day of the same new moon, when the season of the year is changing for winter, the law enjoins us to pitch tabernacles in every one of our houses, so that we preserve ourselves from the cold of that time of the year; as also that when we should arrive at our own country, and come to that city which we should have then for our metropolis, because of the temple therein to be built, and keep a festival for eight days, and offer burnt-offerings, and slaughter thank-offerings, that we should then carry in our hands a branch of myrtle, and willow, and a bough of the palm-tree, with the addition of the pome citron: That the burnt-offering on the first of those days was to be a slaughter of thirteen bulls, and fourteen lambs, and fifteen rams, with the addition of a kid of the goats, as an expiation for sins; and on the following days the same number of lambs, and of rams, with the kids of the goats; but abating one of the bulls every day till they amounted to seven only. On the eighth day all work was laid aside, and then, as we said before, they slaughtered to Elohim a bullock, a ram, and seven lambs, with a kid of the goats, for an expiation of sins. And this is the accustomed solemnity of the Hebrews, when they pitch their tabernacles.