One of the three compulsory feasts in ancient Israel (Deut 16:13ff), the feast of Tabernacle, or Booths (or Sukkoth/Succoth in Hebrew), was celebrated after the crops had been gathered in, that is, the latter part of autumn. It was so-called because the festival was celebrated, among other things, by staying in booths for seven days:
"Celebrate this as a festival to the Lord for seven days each year. This is to be a lasting ordinance for the generations to come; celebrate it in the seventh month. Live in booths for seven days: All native-born Israelites are to live in booths so your descendants will know that I had the Israelites live in booths when I brought them out of Egypt. I am the Lord your God.'" (Lev 23:41-43).
Though often thought of as a version of the agricultural thanksgiving festival (like those celebrated by Israel's neighbours with all their mythological undertones), the feast, in fact, had its origin in the days when Israel were wandering, and staying in make-do booths, in the wilderness after their departure from Egypt (Lev 23:33). It was also appropriate that such a time for remembering God's largess should also be the appointed time, once every seven years, for "cancelling debts" (Deut 31:10).
Apart from the reiterations of the injunction in the Pentateuch, the celebration of the Feast is reported from the time of Solomon (2 Chron 8:13) through to Ezra (3:4) to Jesus (Jn 7:2). It remains a major festival among Jews and, esp., in modern Israel today.
Resources:
C. N. Hillyer, "First Peter and the Feast of Tabernacles," Tyndale Bulletin 21 (1970): 39-70.☰
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