Nehemiah 8:17
New International Version
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.

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.

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.

Berean Standard Bible
The whole assembly that had returned from exile made booths and lived in them. From the days of Joshua son of Nun until that day, the Israelites had not celebrated like this. And there was great rejoicing.

King James Bible
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 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 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.

NASB 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.

NASB 1977
And 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.

Legacy Standard Bible
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.

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.

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.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
The whole community that had returned from exile made booths and lived in them. They had not celebrated like this from the days of Joshua son of Nun until that day. And there was tremendous joy.

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.

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.

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.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
The whole assembly that had come back from exile made booths and lived in them. From the time of Jeshua (son of Nun) to that day, the people of Israel had not done this. There was a big, joyful celebration.

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.

International Standard Version
The entire assembly of those who had returned from exile erected tents and lived in them. Indeed, from the days of Nun's son Joshua until that day the Israelis had not done so. Joy was everywhere,

Majority Standard Bible
The whole assembly that had returned from exile made booths and lived in them. From the days of Joshua son of Nun until that day, the Israelites had not celebrated like this. And there was great rejoicing.

NET Bible
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.

New Heart English Bible
All the assembly of those who had 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.

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.

World English Bible
All the assembly of those who had come back out of the captivity made temporary shelters and lived in the temporary shelters, for since the days of Joshua the son of Nun to that day the children of Israel had not done so. There was very great gladness.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And they make—all the assembly of the captives of the captivity—shelters, and they sit in shelters; for the sons of Israel had not done, from the days of Jeshua son of Nun, so to that day, and there is very great joy.

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.

Smith's Literal Translation
And all the convocation of those turning back from the captivity will make booths, and they will dwell in booths; for from the days of Joshua son of Nun, the sons of Israel did not thus even to this day. And there will be great gladness exceedingly.
Catholic Translations
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.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Therefore, the entire assembly of those who had returned from the captivity made tabernacles and lived in tabernacles. For from the days of Jeshua, the son of Nun, even to that day, the sons of Israel had not done so. And there was exceedingly great rejoicing.

New American Bible
So the entire assembly of the returned exiles made booths and dwelt in them. Now the Israelites had done nothing of this sort from the days of Jeshua, son of Nun, until this occasion; therefore there was very great joy.

New Revised Standard Version
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.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
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.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And all the people who returned from captivity made booths and they dwelt in huts, because the children of Israel had not done so from the days of Yeshua, son of Nun, until this day, and there was very great joy.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 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.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
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.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Feast of Tabernacles
16And the people went out, brought back branches, and made booths on their own rooftops, in their courtyards, in the court of the house of God, and in the squares by the Water Gate and by the Gate of Ephraim. 17The whole assembly who had returned from exile made booths and lived in them. From the days of Joshua son of Nun until that day, the Israelites had not celebrated like this. And there was great rejoicing. 18Day after day, from the first day to the last, Ezra read from the Book of the Law of God. The Israelites kept the feast for seven days, and on the eighth day they held an assembly, according to the ordinance.…

Cross References
Leviticus 23:40-43
On the first day you are to gather the fruit of majestic trees, the branches of palm trees, and the boughs of leafy trees and of willows of the brook. And you are to rejoice before the LORD your God for seven days. / 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. / You are to dwell in booths for seven days. All the native-born of Israel must dwell in booths, ...

Deuteronomy 16:13-15
You are to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles for seven days after you have gathered the produce of your threshing floor and your winepress. / And you shall rejoice in your feast—you, your sons and daughters, your menservants and maidservants, and the Levite, as well as the foreigner, the fatherless, and the widows among you. / For seven days you shall celebrate a feast to the LORD your God in the place He will choose, because the LORD your God will bless you in all your produce and in all the work of your hands, so that your joy will be complete.

Ezra 3:4
They also celebrated the Feast of Tabernacles in accordance with what is written, and they offered burnt offerings daily based on the number prescribed for each day.

2 Chronicles 8:13
He observed the daily requirement for offerings according to the commandment of Moses for Sabbaths, New Moons, and the three annual appointed feasts—the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the Feast of Weeks, and the Feast of Tabernacles.

Zechariah 14:16-19
Then all the survivors from the nations that came against Jerusalem will go up year after year to worship the King, the LORD of Hosts, and to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles. / And should any of the families of the earth not go up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD of Hosts, then the rain will not fall on them. / And if the people of Egypt will not go up and enter in, then the rain will not fall on them; this will be the plague with which the LORD strikes the nations who do not go up to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles. ...

John 7:2
However, the Jewish Feast of Tabernacles was near.

John 7:37-39
On the last and greatest day of the feast, Jesus stood up and called out in a loud voice, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. / Whoever believes in Me, as the Scripture has said: ‘Streams of living water will flow from within him.’” / He was speaking about the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were later to receive. For the Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus had not yet been glorified.

Matthew 17:4
Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If You wish, I will put up three shelters—one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”

Acts 2:46
With one accord they continued to meet daily in the temple courts and to break bread from house to house, sharing their meals with gladness and sincerity of heart,

Acts 15:21
For Moses has been proclaimed in every city from ancient times and is read in the synagogues on every Sabbath.”

Hebrews 11:9
By faith he dwelt in the promised land as a stranger in a foreign country. He lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise.

Exodus 23:16
You are also to keep the Feast of Harvest with the firstfruits of the produce from what you sow in the field. And keep the Feast of Ingathering at the end of the year, when you gather your produce from the field.

Exodus 34:22
And you are to celebrate the Feast of Weeks with the firstfruits of the wheat harvest, and the Feast of Ingathering at the turn of the year.

1 Kings 8:2
And all the men of Israel came together to King Solomon at the feast in the seventh month, the month of Ethanim.

1 Kings 8:65
So at that time Solomon and all Israel with him—a great assembly of people from Lebo-hamath to the Brook of Egypt—kept the feast before the LORD our God for seven days and seven more days—fourteen days in all.


Treasury of Scripture

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 to that day had not the children of Israel done so. And there was very great gladness.

sat under

John 1:14
And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

Hebrews 11:9,13
By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: …

Jeshua

Hebrews 4:8
For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day.

Jesus.

2 Chronicles 7:8-10
Also at the same time Solomon kept the feast seven days, and all Israel with him, a very great congregation, from the entering in of Hamath unto the river of Egypt…

2 Chronicles 8:13
Even after a certain rate every day, offering according to the commandment of Moses, on the sabbaths, and on the new moons, and on the solemn feasts, three times in the year, even in the feast of unleavened bread, and in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of tabernacles.

Ezra 3:4
They kept also the feast of tabernacles, as it is written, and offered the daily burnt offerings by number, according to the custom, as the duty of every day required;

done so

2 Chronicles 30:26
So there was great joy in Jerusalem: for since the time of Solomon the son of David king of Israel there was not the like in Jerusalem.

2 Chronicles 35:18
And there was no passover like to that kept in Israel from the days of Samuel the prophet; neither did all the kings of Israel keep such a passover as Josiah kept, and the priests, and the Levites, and all Judah and Israel that were present, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

there was

1 Chronicles 29:22
And did eat and drink before the LORD on that day with great gladness. And they made Solomon the son of David king the second time, and anointed him unto the LORD to be the chief governor, and Zadok to be priest.

2 Chronicles 7:10
And on the three and twentieth day of the seventh month he sent the people away into their tents, glad and merry in heart for the goodness that the LORD had shewed unto David, and to Solomon, and to Israel his people.

2 Chronicles 30:21-23
And the children of Israel that were present at Jerusalem kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with great gladness: and the Levites and the priests praised the LORD day by day, singing with loud instruments unto the LORD…

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Assembly Booths Captivity Children Congregation Dwelt Gladness Great Israel Jeshua Nun Sat
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Assembly Booths Captivity Children Congregation Dwelt Gladness Great Israel Jeshua Nun Sat
Nehemiah 8
1. The reverent manner of reading and hearing the law
9. They comfort the people
13. The eagerness of the people to hear and be instructed
16. They keep the feast of tabernacles














The whole assembly who had returned from the captivity
This phrase highlights the collective identity of the Israelites who had returned from Babylonian exile. The Hebrew word for "assembly" is "qahal," which signifies a gathering or congregation, emphasizing unity and shared purpose. Historically, this return marks a significant moment of restoration and renewal for the Jewish people, as they reestablish their identity and religious practices in their ancestral land.

made booths and lived in them
The act of making booths, or "sukkot" in Hebrew, refers to the observance of the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot). This festival commemorates the Israelites' wilderness journey after the Exodus, where they lived in temporary shelters. The construction of booths symbolizes reliance on God's provision and protection. Archaeological findings of ancient sukkot structures provide insight into the historical authenticity of this practice.

From the days of Joshua son of Nun until that day
This phrase underscores the historical continuity and significance of the event. Joshua, the successor of Moses, led the Israelites into the Promised Land. The mention of Joshua connects the current celebration to the foundational moments of Israel's history, highlighting a long period of neglect in observing the festival with such fervor. It serves as a reminder of the importance of returning to foundational religious practices.

the Israelites had not celebrated like this
The emphasis here is on the unprecedented nature of the celebration. The Hebrew root "asah" (to do or make) suggests an active, deliberate participation in the festival. This indicates a revival of spiritual enthusiasm and commitment among the people, as they rediscover the joy and significance of their religious heritage.

and there was great rejoicing
The phrase captures the emotional and spiritual climax of the event. "Rejoicing" in Hebrew is "simchah," which conveys a deep, abiding joy. This joy is not merely emotional but is rooted in a renewed relationship with God and a collective sense of identity and purpose. The great rejoicing reflects the fulfillment of God's promises and the people's gratitude for His faithfulness.

(17) The children of the captivity.--The pathos of this designation is evident here.

Done so.--Though the feast had been kept (1 Kings 8; Ezra 3), it had never thus been kept with universal dwelling in booths.

Verse 17. - Jeshua the son of Nun. "Jeshua" and "Joshua" are two modes of contracting the full name of Jehoshua, the latter prevalent in early, the former in later times. The Grecised form of Jeshua was "Jesus" (see Acts 7:45; Hebrews 4:8). When it is said that since the days of Jeshua had not the children of Israel done so, we must understand, not that there had been no celebration of the feast of tabernacles since that time - not even that there had been no celebration accompanied by "dwelling in booths," but only that there had been no such joyous and general celebration of the festival (comp. what is said in 2 Kings 23:22 and 2 Chronicles 35:18 of the passover kept in Josiah's eighteenth year). It is the very great gladness that is especially insisted upon.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
The whole
כָֽל־ (ḵāl)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

assembly
הַ֠קָּהָל (haq·qā·hāl)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 6951: Assembly, convocation, congregation

who had returned
הַשָּׁבִ֨ים (haš·šā·ḇîm)
Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural
Strong's 7725: To turn back, in, to retreat, again

from
מִן־ (min-)
Preposition
Strong's 4480: A part of, from, out of

exile
הַשְּׁבִ֥י ׀ (haš·šə·ḇî)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 7628: Exiled, captured, exile, booty

made
וַיַּֽעֲשׂ֣וּ (way·ya·‘ă·śū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 6213: To do, make

booths
סֻכּוֹת֮ (suk·kō·wṯ)
Noun - feminine plural
Strong's 5521: A thicket, booth

and lived
וַיֵּשְׁב֣וּ (way·yê·šə·ḇū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 3427: To sit down, to dwell, to remain, to settle, to marry

in them.
בַסֻּכּוֹת֒ (ḇas·suk·kō·wṯ)
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine plural
Strong's 5521: A thicket, booth

From the days
מִימֵי֩ (mî·mê)
Preposition-m | Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 3117: A day

of Joshua
יֵשׁ֨וּעַ (yê·šū·a‘)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3442: Jeshua

son
בְּנֵ֣י (bə·nê)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 1121: A son

of Nun
נ֥וּן (nūn)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 5126: Nun -- father of Joshua

until
עַ֖ד (‘aḏ)
Preposition
Strong's 5704: As far as, even to, up to, until, while

that
הַה֑וּא (ha·hū)
Article | Pronoun - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1931: He, self, the same, this, that, as, are

day,
הַיּ֣וֹם (hay·yō·wm)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3117: A day

they
בִּן־ (bin-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 1121: A son

had not
לֹֽא־ (lō-)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

celebrated
עָשׂ֡וּ (‘ā·śū)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 6213: To do, make

like this.
כֵּן֙ (kên)
Adverb
Strong's 3651: So -- thus

And there was great
גְּדוֹלָ֥ה (gə·ḏō·w·lāh)
Adjective - feminine singular
Strong's 1419: Great, older, insolent

rejoicing.
שִׂמְחָ֖ה (śim·ḥāh)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 8057: Blithesomeness, glee


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OT History: Nehemiah 8:17 All the assembly of those who were (Neh Ne)
Nehemiah 8:16
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