Leviticus 23’s twelve verses about the Feast of Tabernacles divide into two sections by an inclusio “These are the feasts of YHWH which you shall proclaim as holy convocations” (vv. 2, 37). Six verses 33-38 mention “offering” seven times in which are eight occurrences of YHWH. “Seven” appears three times. In the last six verses, “seven” is referenced six times, YHWH occurs five times, and “dwell,” “booths,” and “trees” are each mentioned three times. In all twelve verses, “feast” appears five times. Focusing on structured time in relation to the appointed worship of YHWH with one’s entire being (heart, soul, and might), the first section makes clear that YHWH has summoned Israel, calling them out to form a formal, ordered assembly with Him, utilizing each one as part of the whole. The second section focuses on when and how they will keep this unique feast of YHWH, and lastly, why. This blog explores the wording of Leviticus 23:33-44.

Then YHWH spoke to Moses, saying, 34 “Speak to the children of Israel, saying: ‘The fifteenth day of this seventh month shall be the Feast of Tabernacles for seven days to YHWH. 35 On the first day there shall be a holy convocation. You shall do no customary work on it. 36 For seven days you shall offer an offering made by fire to YHWH. On the eighth day you shall have a holy convocation, and you shall offer an offering made by fire to YHWH. It is a sacred assembly, and you shall do no customary work on it.

37 ‘These are the feasts of YHWH which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations, to offer an offering made by fire to YHWH, a burnt offering and a grain offering, a sacrifice and drink offerings, everything on its day— 38 besides the Sabbaths of YHWH, besides your gifts, besides all your vows, and besides all your freewill offerings which you give to YHWH.

39 ‘Also on the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when you have gathered in the fruit of the land, you shall keep the feast of YHWH for seven days; on the first day there shall be a sabbath-rest, and on the eighth day a sabbath-rest. 40 And you shall take for yourselves on the first day the fruit of beautiful trees, branches of palm trees, the boughs of leafy trees, and willows of the brook; and you shall rejoice before YHWH your God for seven days. 41 You shall keep it as a feast to YHWH for seven days in the year. It shall be a statute forever in your generations. You shall celebrate it in the seventh month. 42 You shall dwell in booths for seven days. All who are native Israelites shall dwell in booths, 43 that your generations may know that I made the children of Israel dwell in booths when I brought them out of the land of Egypt: I am YHWH your Elohim.’ ”

44 So Moses declared to the children of Israel the feasts of YHWH.

Mentioned twice, the “for seven days” time signature of Sukkot in the seventh month on the fifteenth to the twenty-first day matches the seven-day feast of the first month, the Feast of Unleavened Bread, on the fifteenth to the twenty-first day. One seven-day feast begins, and the other ends Israel’s wilderness sojourn of forty-two campsites. The seven days of Feast offerings depict a life journey of total dedication to serve YHWH and do His will built on the foundation of being unleavened (without corruption) and eating manna (the Word of God) as each member sojourns with YHWH Elohim to the Land. Even though it was fraught with rebellion, murmuring, and death, Israel’s wilderness trek out of exile was most prominently a victory march of YHWH’s power over their enemies, internal and external, through His atoning sacrifice. The voice of seven cries out YHWH’s wisdom in creating the new Israelite ready to inherit eternity as the old human melts away. The deliverance YHWH brings will last forever; His victory will endure for all time (Isa. 51:8). Living with them in tents/sukkot, YHWH shepherding His people through the wilderness defined Israel’s success in inheriting the Land. Like the sukkah, our connection to YHWH and His Word protects us from destruction. Humans become a people who know what is right, having YHWH’s teaching fixed in our hearts (Isa. 51:7). At the end of the journey, there is only holiness and only life.

The wilderness was not a place to settle but of movement to stay alive in a landscape of scarcity. To accommodate movement toward the kingdom of God, Israel lived in tents (ohel, 217 times in the Pentateuch) made of woven goat hair and animal skins. Yet, in Leviticus 23:43, YHWH said He made the children of Israel dwell in “booths” (sukkot, 8 times in the Pentateuch, Exodus and Numbers do not mention sukkot), not ohel, when He brought them out of the land of Egypt to restore and secure His people. Defined as “covert, thicket, hut” (Strong’s H5521), the root skk means “to block, stop the approach, shut off, cover” (TWOT H1492) picturing God’s protection for the one who comes to Him for refuge from enemies (Psa. 5:11; 91:4; 140:7). In ancient Israel, huts were raised platforms with foliage overhead for shelter from the weather often erected to watch over crops (Isa. 4:6).

The main idea of dwelling in a sukkah rejoicing with tree branches is symbolic of sitting under a tree of life with its fruitfulness (righteousness, Pro. 11:30), a metaphor for communion with God, heaven and earth united (Jhn. 1:50). The Israelites were to become trees of life planted by the rivers of life (Pro. 11:30), delighting in the shade of her Lover (Sng. 2:3). Jeremiah 17:7-8 captured the idea, “But blessed is the one who trusts in YHWH, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.” There are three types of trees mentioned: the palm (a symbol of victory), the leafy tree (terebinth and poplar, symbolic of fertility and abundance), and willows (provided pleasant shade from its roots being in the water streams)1. YHWH decreed that Israel’s generations dwelling in the Land take majestic tree branches as celebratory symbols of His power to save, recreate, and bless them, and rejoice in gladness of heart before God for seven days. The fruitful Branch growing out of Israel’s cut-down stump is Yeshua. As our High Priest, He protects and intervenes for us before God so that we may have the continual fellowship with YHWH necessary for conversion and establishment in the land. He was the tree branch Moses threw into the bitter waters at Marah, making them sweet. He is the Refuge we flee to, the transitional space in the city of refuge until the High Priest dies, freeing us to return to the Land and the family name inheritance (Heb. 6:18-20). The sukkah journey from Egypt to the Land was a liminal space where Israel occupied a position on both sides of the boundary of life and death in which YHWH provided everything needed for triumph. He is YHWH, our God.

Takeaway:
While Israel traveled providentially through the wilderness, they lived in tents, which YHWH labeled as sukkot, places of shelter. On the first day of the Feast of Sukkot, Israel celebrated in holy convocation by taking tree limbs to rejoice before YHWH for seven days, doing no work. The tree branches mimic sitting under a tree in communication with YHWH, the key to traversing the liminal space out of exile to the promised land victoriously. Every generation was to remember the way YHWH led Israel, even though they rebelled, He triumphed over their enemies and brought them into the Land of His Dwelling. The victory of constant fellowship with YHWH through the High Priest gives every believer with eyes lit up cause to rejoice, sitting under a tree’s fruitful branches.

Fun Factors:
Leviticus 23:33-44’s twelve verses have 700 letters, 4 × 175 (the house of Abraham, 7 × 52) or 7 (62 + 82), 7(02 + 102), in 172 words, 22 × 43,18 +…+ 25 [in the rejoicing (sum of gyl, גיל, 43) house (4) of the Passover Lamb (43, the 14th prime and 4th centered heptagonal number; 4 × 3 =12; 4 + 3 = 7), life (18) is holy (52)], totaling 52378, 2 × 26189; 1932 + 1232, 193 is 122 + 72; the sum of 52378’s digits is 25, 52, pointing to the twelve tribes complete restoration to holiness.