Lectionary Calendar
Wednesday, April 30th, 2025
the Second Week after Easter
Attention!
Tired of seeing ads while studying? Now you can enjoy an "Ads Free" version of the site for as little as 10¢ a day and support a great cause!
Click here to learn more!

Read the Bible

Legacy Standard Bible

Nehemiah 8:17

The entire assembly of those who had returned from the captivity made booths and lived in the booths. The sons of Israel had indeed not done so from the days of Joshua the son of Nun to that day. And there was exceedingly great gladness.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Feasts;   Jeshua;   Joy;   Law;   Tabernacles, Feast of;   Worship;   Scofield Reference Index - Tabernacles;   Thompson Chain Reference - Gladness;   Joy-Sorrow;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Feast of Tabernacles, the;   Law of Moses, the;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Ezra;   Tabernacle;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Preaching;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Jeshua;   Tabernacles, Feast of;   Tent;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Feasts;   Jeshua;   Nehemiah, the Book of;   Tabernacles, Feast of;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Festivals;   Jeshua;   Nehemiah;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Canon of the Old Testament;   Ezra;   Ezra, Book of;   Jeshua;   Malachi;   Sabbatical Year;   Synagogue;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Mary;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Booths;   Ezra ;   Jeshua, Jeshuah ;   Joshua ;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Ezra;   Tabernacles feast of;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Jesh'ua;   Tabernacles, the Feast of;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Jeshua;   Joshua (1);   Joshua (2);   Leviticus;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Hillel B. Samuel B. Naḥman;   Joshua, Book of;   Law, Reading from the;   Pilgrimage;   Samuel ben Naḥman (Naḥmani);   Tabernacles, Feast of;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
The whole community that had returned from exile made shelters and lived in them. The Israelites had not celebrated like this from the days of Joshua son of Nun until that day. And there was tremendous joy.
Hebrew Names Version
All the assembly of those who were come again out of the captivity made booths, and lived in the booths; for since the days of Yeshua the son of Nun to that day the children of Yisra'el had not done so. There was very great gladness.
King James Version
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.
English Standard Version
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 Century Version
The whole group that had come back from captivity built shelters and lived in them. The Israelites had not done this since the time of Joshua son of Nun. And they were very happy.
New English Translation
So all the assembly which had returned from the exile constructed temporary shelters and lived in them. The Israelites had not done so from the days of Joshua son of Nun until that day. Everyone experienced very great joy.
Amplified Bible
The entire assembly of those who had returned from the captivity made booths and lived in them. Indeed since the days of Joshua the son of Nun until that very day, the Israelites had not done so. And there was great rejoicing and celebration.
New American Standard Bible
The entire assembly of those who had returned from the captivity made booths and lived in the booths. Indeed, the sons of Israel had not done so since the days of Joshua the son of Nun to that day. And there was very great rejoicing.
World English Bible
All the assembly of those who were come again out of the captivity made booths, and lived in the booths; for since the days of Jeshua the son of Nun to that day the children of Israel had not done so. There was very great gladness.
Geneva Bible (1587)
And all the Congregation of them that were come againe out of the captiuitie made boothes, and sate vnder the boothes: for since the time of Ieshua the sonne of Nun vnto this day, had not the children of Israel done so, and there was very great ioy.
Berean Standard Bible
The whole assembly who had returned from exile made booths and lived in them. From the days of Joshua son of Nun until that day, they had not celebrated like this. And there was great rejoicing.
Contemporary English Version
Everyone who had returned from Babylonia built shelters. They lived in them and joyfully celebrated the Festival of Shelters for the first time since the days of Joshua son of Nun.
Complete Jewish Bible
The entire community of those who had returned from the exile made sukkot and lived in the sukkot, for the people of Isra'el had not done this since the days of Yeshua the son of Nun. So there was very great joy.
Darby Translation
And all the congregation of them that had come back from the captivity made booths, and dwelt in the booths. For since the days of Jeshua the son of Nun until that day had not the children of Israel done so. And there was very great gladness.
Easy-to-Read Version
The whole group that had come back from captivity built shelters. They lived in the shelters they had built. Since the days of Joshua son of Nun up until that day, the Israelites had not celebrated the Festival of Shelters like this. Everyone was very happy!
George Lamsa Translation
And all the people of those who had returned from the captivity made booths and dwelt in the booths; for since the days of Joshua the son of Nun to that day the children of Israel had not done so. And there was a very great gladness.
Good News Translation
All the people who had come back from captivity built shelters and lived in them. This was the first time it had been done since the days of Joshua son of Nun, and everybody was excited and happy.
Lexham English Bible
And all of the assembly of those who returned from captivity made booths and lived in the booths because the Israelites had not done it from the days of Jeshua son of Nun until that day. And there was very great joy.
Literal Translation
And all the congregation of those who had come again out of the captivity made booths, and sat under the booths. For since the days of Joshua the son of Nun until that day, the sons of Israel had not done so. And there was very great gladness.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And all the congregacion of them that were come agayne out of the captyuite, made bothes, and dwelt therin: for sence the tyme of Iosua the sonne of Nu vnto this daye, had not the children of Israel done so, and there was very greate gladnesse.
American Standard Version
And all the assembly of them that were come again out of the captivity made booths, and dwelt in 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.
Bible in Basic English
All the people who had been prisoners and had come back, made tents and were living in them: for from the time of Jeshua, the son of Nun, till that day, the children of Israel had not done so. And there was very great joy.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And all the congregation of them that were come againe out of the captiuitie, made boothes, & sat vnder the boothes: for since the time of Iosua the sonne of Nun, vnto this day, had not the children of Israel done so: And there was very great gladnesse.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And all the congregation of them that were come back out of the captivity made booths, and dwelt in the booths; for since the days of Joshua the son of Nun unto that day had not the children of Israel done so. And there was very great gladness.
King James Version (1611)
And all the congregation of them that were come againe out of the captiuitie, made boothes, and sate vnder the boothes: for since the dayes of Ieshua the sonne of Nun, vnto that day, had not the children of Israel done so: and there was very great gladnesse.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And all the congregation who had returned from the captivity, made booths, and dwelt in booths: for the children of Israel had not done so from the days of Jesus the son of Naue until that day: and there was great joy.
English Revised Version
And all the congregation of them that were come again out of the captivity made booths, and dwelt in 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.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Therfor al the chirche of hem, that camen ayen fro caytifte, made tabernaclis, and thei dwelliden in tabernaclis. For the sones of Israel hadden not do siche thingis fro the daies of Josue, sone of Nun, `til to that dai; and ful greet gladnesse was.
Update Bible Version
And all the assembly of those that had come again out of the captivity made booths, and dwelt in the booths; for since the days of Jeshua the son of Nun to that day the sons of Israel had not done so. And there was very great gladness.
Webster's Bible Translation
And all the congregation of them that had returned from the captivity made booths, and sat under the booths: for since the days of Jeshua the son of Nun to that day, had not the children of Israel done so. And there was very great gladness.
New King James Version
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.
New Living Translation
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.
New Life Bible
All the people who had returned from Babylon made tents and lived in them. The sons of Israel had not done so since the days of Joshua the son of Nun. And there was much joy.
New Revised Standard
And all the assembly of those who had returned from the captivity made booths and lived in them; for from the days of Jeshua son of Nun to that day the people of Israel had not done so. And there was very great rejoicing.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And all the convocation of them who had returned out of the captivity made booths, and dwelt in booths, for, since the days of Jeshua son of Nun, had not the sons of Israel done so, unto that day, - and there was very great rejoicing.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And all the assembly of them that were returned from the captivity, made tabernacles, and dwelt in tabernacles: for since the days of Josue the son of Nun the children of Israel had not done so, until that day: and there was exceeding great joy.
Revised Standard Version
And all the assembly of those who had returned from the captivity made booths and dwelt 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.
Young's Literal Translation
And they make -- all the assembly of the captives of the captivity -- booths, and they sit in booths; for the sons of Israel had not done, from the days of Jeshua son of Nun, so unto that day, and there is very great joy.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
The entire assembly of those who had returned from the captivity made booths and lived in them. The sons of Israel had indeed not done so from the days of Joshua the son of Nun to that day. And there was great rejoicing.

Contextual Overview

13Then on the second day the heads of fathers' households of all the people, the priests and the Levites were gathered to Ezra the scribe that they might gain insight into the words of the law. 14They found written in the law how Yahweh had commanded by the hand of Moses that the sons of Israel should live in booths during the feast of the seventh month, 15and that they should make the report heard and make a proclamation of it pass throughout all their cities and in Jerusalem, saying, "Go out to the hills, and bring olive branches and wild olive branches, myrtle branches, palm branches, and branches of other leafy trees, to make booths, as it is written." 16So the people went out and brought them and made booths for themselves, each on his roof, and in their courts and in the courts of the house of God, and in the square at the Water Gate and in the square at the Gate of Ephraim. 17The entire assembly of those who had returned from the captivity made booths and lived in the booths. The sons of Israel had indeed not done so from the days of Joshua the son of Nun to that day. And there was exceedingly great gladness. 18And he read from the book of the law of God daily, from the first day to the last day. And they celebrated the feast seven days, and on the eighth day there was a solemn assembly according to the legal judgment.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

sat under: John 1:14, Hebrews 11:9, Hebrews 11:13

Jeshua: Joshua 1:1, Joshua, Hebrews 4:8, Jesus

had not: 2 Chronicles 7:8-10, 2 Chronicles 8:13, Ezra 3:4

done so: 2 Chronicles 30:26, 2 Chronicles 35:18

there was: 1 Chronicles 29:22, 2 Chronicles 7:10, 2 Chronicles 30:21-23

Reciprocal: Nehemiah 12:27 - gladness Jeremiah 30:19 - out

Cross-References

Genesis 1:22
Then God blessed them, saying, "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let the birds multiply on the earth."
Genesis 1:28
God blessed them, and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that creeps on the earth."
Genesis 8:13
Now it happened in the six hundred and first year, in the first month, on the first of the month, the water was dried up from the earth. Then Noah removed the covering of the ark and looked, and behold, the surface of the ground was dried up.
Genesis 8:14
In the second month, on the twenty-seventh day of the month, the earth was dry.
Genesis 8:15
Then God spoke to Noah, saying,
Genesis 9:1
And God blessed Noah and his sons and said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth.
Genesis 9:7
As for you, be fruitful and multiply;Swarm on the earth and multiply in it."
Psalms 107:38
Also He blesses them and they multiply greatly,And He does not let their cattle decrease.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And all the congregation of them that were come again out of captivity made booths,.... These came to Jerusalem, and made them booths there; for there only was this feast kept, see John 7:2,

and sat under the booths; there they dwelt during the seven days of it, in commemoration of their ancestors dwelling in booths in the wilderness, see Leviticus 23:42

for since the days of Jeshua the son of Nun unto that day had not the children of Israel done so; Joshua observed it, when be had brought and settled the people of Israel in the land of Canaan; and it had been observed since, before this time, as appears from 1 Kings 8:2 Ezra 3:4; but not so, with such exactness, with such zeal and affection, with such a regard to the law of God, as to read it every day of the feast, as in the next verse, and with such joy and gladness; wherefore there is no reason to suspect a corruption in the text, as a learned man w does, who supposes that Joshua is put for Josiah:

and there was very great gladness; that they were restored unto and settled in their land, had the book of the law, and the knowledge of it, and were directed and enabled to observe it.

w Delancy's Life of King David, vol. 1. p. 395. marg.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

It 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.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Nehemiah 8:17. Since 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, c., is worthy of no credit. Those who wish to see the detail may consult 2Mac 1:18-36.

ON the subject in Nehemiah 8:8, I beg leave to make a few observations:-So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading. The Israelites, having been lately brought out of the Babylonish captivity, in which they had continued seventy years, according to the prediction of Jeremiah, Jeremiah 25:11, were not only extremely corrupt, but it appears that they had in general lost the knowledge of the ancient Hebrew to such a degree, that when the book of the law was read, they did not understand it: but certain Levites stood by, and gave the sense, i. e., translated into the Chaldee dialect. This was not only the origin of the Chaldee Targums, or translation of the law and prophets into that tongue but was also, in all probability, the origin of preaching from a text for it appears that the people were not only ignorant of their ancient language, but also of the rites and ceremonies of their religion, having been so long in Babylon, where they were not permitted to observe them. This being the case, not only the language must be interpreted, but the meaning of the rites and ceremonies must also be explained; for we find from Nehemiah 8:13, c., of this chapter, that they had even forgotten the feast of tabernacles, and every thing relative to that ceremony.

As we nowhere find that what is called preaching on or expounding a text was ever in use before that period, we are probably beholden to the Babylonish captivity for producing, in the hand of Divine Providence, a custom the most excellent and beneficial ever introduced among men.

What the nature of preaching or expounding the word of God was, at this early period of its institution, we learn from the above cited text.

I. They read in the book of the law of God. - The words of God, the doctrines of Divine revelation, are the proper matter of preaching for they contain the wisdom of the Most High, and teach man the things which belong to his peace and happiness.

II. They read distinctly - מפרש mephorash, from פרש parash, to expand; they analyzed, dilated, and expounded it at large, showing the import and genuine meaning of every word.

III. They gave the sense - ושום שכל vesom sechel, they put weight to it; showed its value and utility, and how intimately concerned they were in all that was revealed: thus applying verbal criticism, and general exposition to their true and most important purposes.

IV. They caused them to understand the reading - ויבינו במקרא vaiyabinu bammikra: and they understood-had a mental taste and perception of the things which were in the reading, i. e., in the letter and spirit of the text. Thus they knew the Divine will, and approved the things that were more excellent, being (thus) instructed out of the law, Romans 2:18.

This was the ancient method of expounding the word of God among the Jews; and this mode is still more necessary for US: -

1. Because the sacred writings, as they came from God, are shut up in languages no longer vernacular; and no translation ever did or ever can reach the force of the original words, though perhaps our own in general, comes nearest to this of all versions, whether ancient or modern.

2. Ninety-nine out of a hundred know nothing of these languages; and consequently cannot, of themselves, reap all the requisite benefit from reading the Scriptures.

3. Sacred things are illustrated in the Bible by a reference to arts and sciences, of which the mass of the people are as ignorant as they are of the original tongues.

4. Provincial customs and fashions are mentioned in these writings, which must be understood, or the force and meaning of many texts cannot be comprehended.

5. There is a depth in the word of God which cannot be fathomed except either by Divine inspiration, or by deep study and research, for which the majority of the people have no time.

6. The people in general trust to the piety, learning and abilities of their ministers, and maintain them as persons capable of instructing them in all the deep things of God; and believing them to be holy men, they are confident they will not take their tithes, their food, and their raiment, under a pretence of doing a work for which they have not the ordinary qualifications. Where there is not such preaching as this, the people "sit in darkness, and in the valley of the shadow of death;" sinners are not converted unto God; neither are believers "built up on their most holy faith."

Reader-Art thou a Christian minister? Dost thou feed the flock of God? Let thy conduct, thy conscience, and the fruits of thy ministry answer for thee.


 
adsfree-icon
Ads FreeProfile