New Living Translation
Nehemiah 8:17
17So everyone who had returned from captivity lived in these shelters during the festival, and they were all filled with great joy! The Israelites had not celebrated like this since the days of Joshua son of Nun.
Nehemiah 8:17 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And all the congregation of them that were come again out of the captivity made booths, and sat under the booths: for since the days of Jeshua the son of Nun unto that day had not the children of Israel done so. And there was very great gladness.
- New International Version (NIV)The whole company that had returned from exile built temporary shelters and lived in them. From the days of Joshua son of Nun until that day, the Israelites had not celebrated it like this. And their joy was very great.
- English Standard Version (ESV)And all the assembly of those who had returned from the captivity made booths and lived in the booths, for from the days of Jeshua the son of Nun to that day the people of Israel had not done so. And there was very great rejoicing.
- New King James Version (NKJV)So the whole assembly of those who had returned from the captivity made booths and sat under the booths; for since the days of Joshua the son of Nun until that day the children of Israel had not done so. And there was very great gladness.
Context of Nehemiah 8:17
15He had said that a proclamation should be made throughout their towns and in Jerusalem, telling the people to go to the hills to get branches from olive, wild olive, myrtle, palm, and other leafy trees. They were to use these branches to make shelters in which they would live during the festival, as prescribed in the Law. 16So the people went out and cut branches and used them to build shelters on the roofs of their houses, in their courtyards, in the courtyards of God’s Temple, or in the squares just inside the Water Gate and the Ephraim Gate. So everyone who had returned from captivity lived in these shelters during the festival, and they were all filled with great joy! The Israelites had not celebrated like this since the days of Joshua son of Nun. 18Ezra read from the Book of the Law of God on each of the seven days of the festival. Then on the eighth day they held a solemn assembly, as was required by law.
Read all of Nehemiah 8Nehemiah 8:17 word by word
וַיַּֽעֲשׂ֣וּ כָֽל־הַ֠קָּהָל הַשָּׁבִ֨ים מִן־הַשְּׁבִ֥י׀ סֻכּוֹת֮ וַיֵּשְׁב֣וּ בַסֻּכּוֹת֒ כִּ֣י לֹֽא־עָשׂ֡וּ מִימֵי֩ יֵשׁ֨וּעַ בִּן־נ֥וּן כֵּן֙ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל עַ֖ד הַיּ֣וֹם הַה֑וּא וַתְּהִ֥י שִׂמְחָ֖ה גְּדוֹלָ֥ה מְאֹֽד׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And all the congregationקָהָלqâhâl · assemblyH6951
- of them that were come againשׁוּבshûb · to return: returnH7725
- out of the captivityשְׁבִיshebîy · captivityH7628
- madeעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to makeH6213
- boothsסֻכָּהsûkkâh · boothH5521
- and satיָשַׁבyâshab · to dwellH3427
- for since the daysיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
- of Jeshuaיֵשׁוּעַyêshûa‛ · JeshuaH3442
- the sonבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
- of Nunנוּןnûn nôn · NunH5126
- had not the childrenבֵּןbên · son: descendant/peopleH1121
- of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
- done soעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
- And there was veryמְאֹדme'ôd · muchH3966
- greatגָּדוֹלgâdôl gâdôl · great: largeH1419
- gladnessשִׂמְחָהώimchâh · joyH8057
Cross-references for Nehemiah 8:17
- John 1:14So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.
- Hebrews 11:9And even when he reached the land God promised him, he lived there by faith—for he was like a foreigner, living in tents. And so did Isaac and Jacob, who inherited the same promise.
- Hebrews 4:8Now if Joshua had succeeded in giving them this rest, God would not have spoken about another day of rest still to come.
- 2 Chronicles 7:8For the next seven days Solomon and all Israel celebrated the Festival of Shelters. A large congregation had gathered from as far away as Lebo-hamath in the north and the Brook of Egypt in the south.
- 2 Chronicles 8:13He offered the sacrifices for the Sabbaths, the new moon festivals, and the three annual festivals—the Passover celebration, the Festival of Harvest, and the Festival of Shelters—as Moses had commanded.
- Ezra 3:4They celebrated the Festival of Shelters as prescribed in the Law, sacrificing the number of burnt offerings specified for each day of the festival.
- 2 Chronicles 30:26There was great joy in the city, for Jerusalem had not seen a celebration like this one since the days of Solomon, King David’s son.
- 2 Chronicles 35:18Never since the time of the prophet Samuel had there been such a Passover. None of the kings of Israel had ever kept a Passover as Josiah did, involving all the priests and Levites, all the people of Jerusalem, and people from all over Judah and Israel.
- 1 Chronicles 29:22They feasted and drank in the Lord’s presence with great joy that day. And again they crowned David’s son Solomon as their new king. They anointed him before the Lord as their leader, and they anointed Zadok as priest.
- 2 Chronicles 7:10Then at the end of the celebration, Solomon sent the people home. They were all joyful and glad because the Lord had been so good to David and to Solomon and to his people Israel.
- 2 Chronicles 30:21So the people of Israel who were present in Jerusalem joyously celebrated the Festival of Unleavened Bread for seven days. Each day the Levites and priests sang to the Lord, accompanied by loud instruments.
Commentaries on Nehemiah 8:17
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 17Since the days of Joshua - No feast of tabernacles since Joshua's time had been so heartily and so piously celebrated. The story of the sacred fire now discovered, which had been hidden by the order of Jeremiah in a dry well, and now, some of the mud from the bottom being brought upon the altar, was kindled afresh by the rays of the sun, which suddenly broke out, though before covered with clouds, etc., is worthy of no credit. Those who wish to see the…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 17It is not the intention of the writer to state that the Feast of tabernacles had not been kept from the time of Joshua until this occasion (see 1 Kings 8:2, 1 Kings 8:65; Ezra 3:4); but that there had been no such celebration as this since Joshua‘s time. Compare 2 Kings 23:22; 2 Chronicles 35:18.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 13-18Verses 13-18 They found written in the law about the feast of tabernacles. Those who diligently search the Scriptures, find things written there which they have forgotten. This feast of tabernacles was a representation of the believer's tabernacle state in this world, and a type of the holy joy of the gospel church. The conversion of the nations to the faith of Christ, is foretold under the figure of this feast, Zec 14:16. True religion will render us…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 17From the days of Joshua: Israel had celebrated this festival many times (1 Kings 8:2; 2 Kings 23:22; 2 Chronicles 7:8–10; 30:26; 35:18; Ezra 3:4), but this was a special celebration.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1717. since the days of Jeshua ... had not the children of Israel done so--This national feast had not been neglected for so protracted a period. Besides that it is impossible that such a flagrant disregard of the law could have been tolerated by Samuel, David, and other pious rulers, its observance is sufficiently indicated (1Ki 8:2, 65; 2Ch 7:9) and expressly recorded (Ezr 3:4). But the meaning is, that the popular feelings had never been raised to such a…Read the comment
Topics related to Nehemiah 8:17
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Nehemiah 8
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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