33 Again the Lord spoke to Moses , saying , 34 "Speak to the sons of Israel , saying , 'On the fifteenth e of this seventh month is the Feast of Booths for seven days to the Lord . 35 'On the first day is a holy convocation ; you shall do no e laborious work of any kind. 36 ' For seven days you shall present an offering by fire to the Lord . On the eighth day you shall have a holy convocation and present an offering by fire to the Lord ; it is an assembly . You shall do no e laborious work 37 'These are the appointed times of the Lord which you shall proclaim as holy convocations , to present offerings by fire to the Lord -burnt offerings and grain offerings , sacrifices and drink offerings , each day's matter on its own day - 38 besides e those of the sabbaths of the Lord , and besides e your gifts and besides e all your votive and freewill offerings , which you give to the Lord 39 'On exactly the fifteenth e day of the seventh month , when you have gathered in the crops of the land , you shall celebrate the feast of the Lord for seven days , with a rest on the first day and a rest on the eighth day . 40 'Now on the first day you shall take for yourselves the foliage of beautiful trees , palm branches and boughs of leafy trees and willows of the brook , and you shall rejoice before the Lord your God for seven days . 41 'You shall thus celebrate it as a feast to the Lord for seven days in the year . It shall be a perpetual statute throughout your generations ; you shall celebrate it in the seventh month . 42 'You shall live in booths for seven days ; all the native-born in Israel shall live in booths , 43 so that your generations may know that I had the sons of Israel live in booths when I brought them out from the land of Egypt . I am the Lord your God .' " 44 So Moses declared to the sons of Israel the appointed times of the Lord .
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Leviticus 23:33-44
Commentary on Leviticus 23:33-44
(Read Leviticus 23:33-44)
In the feast of Tabernacles there was a remembrance of their dwelling in tents, or booths, in the wilderness, as well as their fathers dwelling in tents in Canaan; to remind them of their origin and their deliverance. Christ's tabernacling on earth in human nature, might also be prefigured. And it represents the believer's life on earth: a stranger and pilgrim here below, his home and heart are above with his Saviour. They would the more value the comforts and conveniences of their own houses, when they had been seven days dwelling in the booths. It is good for those who have ease and plenty, sometimes to learn what it is to endure hardness. The joy of harvest ought to be improved for the furtherance of our joy in God. The earth is the Lord's, and the fullness thereof; therefore whatever we have the comfort of, he must have the glory of, especially when any mercy is perfected. God appointed these feasts, "Beside the sabbaths and your free-will offerings." Calls to extraordinary services will not excuse from constant and stated ones.