Leviticus 23:41

And ye shall keep it a feast unto the LORD seven days in the year. [It shall be] a statute for ever in your generations: ye shall celebrate it in the seventh month.

And ye shall keep {H2287} it a feast {H2282} unto the LORD {H3068} seven {H7651} days {H3117} in the year {H8141}. It shall be a statute {H2708} for ever {H5769} in your generations {H1755}: ye shall celebrate {H2287} it in the seventh {H7637} month {H2320}.

You are to observe it as a feast to ADONAI seven days in the year; it is a permanent regulation, generation after generation; keep it in the seventh month.

You are to celebrate this as a feast to the LORD for seven days each year. This is a permanent statute for the generations to come; you are to celebrate it in the seventh month.

And ye shall keep it a feast unto Jehovah seven days in the year: it is a statute for ever throughout your generations; ye shall keep it in the seventh month.

Commentary

Leviticus 23:41 specifies the duration and perpetual nature of the Feast of Tabernacles, one of the three major annual pilgrimage festivals for the Israelites. This verse concludes the instructions for this significant celebration, emphasizing its importance in the life and worship of ancient Israel.

Context

This verse is part of a larger chapter, Leviticus 23, which outlines the LORD's appointed feasts (or 'set times') that Israel was commanded to observe. The Feast of Tabernacles, also known as Sukkot, is detailed from verse 34 onwards. It was a seven-day festival, followed by a solemn eighth day, celebrated in the seventh month of the Hebrew calendar (Tishrei, corresponding to September/October). Historically, it commemorated the forty years the Israelites spent wandering in the wilderness, living in temporary shelters, after their exodus from Egypt. It was also a harvest festival, marking the ingathering of the year's produce, particularly grapes and olives.

Key Themes and Messages

  • Remembrance and Dependence: The feast served as a vivid reminder of God's faithful provision and protection during the wilderness journey, teaching generations to rely solely on Him, even in temporary dwellings.
  • Joy and Thanksgiving: Following the arduous work of the harvest, Sukkot was a time of immense rejoicing and thanksgiving for God's bounty and blessing. It was commanded to be a joyful occasion.
  • God's Dwelling Among His People: The act of living in temporary booths symbolized God's presence 'tabernacling' with His people in the wilderness, a theme that finds its ultimate fulfillment in Jesus Christ, who 'tabernacled' among humanity.
  • Perpetuity: The phrase "a statute for ever in your generations" underscores the enduring nature and importance of this divine ordinance, meant to be observed throughout Israel's history.

Linguistic Insights

The Hebrew word for "feast" in this context is chag (ื—ึทื’), which denotes a festival, often involving a pilgrimage and joyful celebration. While the word "Tabernacles" (sukkot - ืกึปื›ึผื•ึนืช) isn't directly in this verse, the preceding verses clearly establish "it" as referring to the Feast of Booths/Tabernacles. The phrase "statute for ever" translates to chuqqat olam (ื—ึปืงึผึทืช ืขื•ึนืœึธื), emphasizing an enduring, perpetual ordinance given by God, not merely a temporary custom.

Practical Application

For believers today, the Feast of Tabernacles, as detailed in Leviticus 23:41, carries profound spiritual significance:

  • It encourages us to remember God's past faithfulness and provision in our own lives, fostering a spirit of gratitude.
  • It reminds us that our earthly lives are temporary, and we are pilgrims looking forward to a permanent, eternal home with God (see Hebrews 11:13).
  • It points to the ultimate dwelling of God with humanity, first in Christ's incarnation, and finally in the new heaven and new earth where God will tabernacle with His people forever.
  • We are called to live with joy and thanksgiving, recognizing God's blessings in every season of life.
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Cross-References

  • Numbers 29:12 (3 votes)

    ยถ And on the fifteenth day of the seventh month ye shall have an holy convocation; ye shall do no servile work, and ye shall keep a feast unto the LORD seven days:

  • Nehemiah 8:18 (2 votes)

    Also day by day, from the first day unto the last day, he read in the book of the law of God. And they kept the feast seven days; and on the eighth day [was] a solemn assembly, according unto the manner.